26 August 2009

I'll pick out a scripture and send it. I didn't know I'd get a plaque, since I'm not in the ward and we might be moving. Thats cool though.
Last week not too much happened... we paid for a bus ride, emailed and realized that you need a reservation to tour the mint, so we'll do it sometime in the next few weeks. We shopped some of the shops out here and I got a new casual belt, bc mine was falling apart.
This week has been an awesome experience though. I am once again working hard, which is fun, and leaves less room for homesickness, but it is tiring to go from not doing much to working all day. We have been going through the former investigators and trying to figure out who moved and who we can teach. And before I get into that, we had Zone Conference on Monday, and it was probably one of the most uplifting ones I have been a part of. It was themed around Joseph Smith's First Vision. We talked about teaching for understanding, teaching and inviting for baptism early on and throughout, about making daily contact with our ward mission leaders. It was a good thing overall, I like to feel the situation and just be more cool and less blunt, but if thats what President asks for, thats what he'll get. We also had a training on how things take work, and we had someone talk about how to get a world class athletes body by exercise or by silicone implants to make it look like you have the muscles. And how everything good takes work.
Then the three Zones split up and talked about some rules. Our Zone Leaders were mistaken on some, I've learned to never trust the Zone Leaders on anything, always go higher up for clarity. They told us that we are to wear our suits at all times no matter what the temperature may be and we can take off our coats if its hot, but we need to have them on for appointments.
I don't like that and one of my friends in the other zone heard something different, so I call the Assistants yesterday and asked what the real rule is. Which is under 75, unless theres precipitation, in which case we can wear slacks and a coat, we are to be in suits. Over 75 we can wear slacks if we're tracting or we have no set appointments, but we are to always wear suits at scheduled appointments, which is easy... just throw the suit on in the car before we go to teach someone. So I was glad, that's a lot easier to follow.
We also have been stopping by a lot of former investigators houses and we have found a lot of them moved which means we call and if they dont have that phone number either, we terminate the record. We stopped by an old lady's home and talked to her. She says she knows the church is true, but doesn't like some of the people. We talked more and helped her clean out her garden because the hail ruined some of her plants. So in return we got a ton of fresh tomatoes, and four huge acorn squash and our members are going to show us how to cook the squash. We have a return appointment tonight.
We were going to make some visits at some apts by the community college out here and I have made a resolve to talk to everyone I can. So I turn to my companion and tell him we need to talk to these two nineteen year old guys. He told me to go ahead and I initiated conversation. They asked why we were so dressed up because we were in our suits, so I explained what we do and asked what it would mean to him, being raised catholic, if he knew there was a prophet on the earth today. He got excited and we had a half hour conversation, and he gave me his address and phone number so we can teach him, and of course we invited him to read and pray as we always do!
Exciting things are going to happen this transfer! And this is the first comp I have had that cleans up after himself too, its awesome.
It will be a good thing. I hope all is well back home, and I hope that you guys are missin me. :P I got to go, but I am finally getting my second suit's pants fitted, so I'm excited. Well take care tell everyone I say hi and just know that I love you!

Elder Stevenson

19 August 2009

How are you guys. I'm in downtown Denver right now. We're going to tour the mint after we email. It should be fun. I do like my new companion so far. His name's elder Hunting and he's the on I replaced in Highlands Ranch when I got trained. He's been companions with Elder Mayes and Elder Thomas before, so I know a bit about him. We are workign hard and I am excited to see what will happen this transfer. We need to get people to progress, I'm also excited to tract and contact more again. The more I do that the more I realize people are the same and want the same things, for the most part. I love to talk to people and get to hear their stories. It's a fun experience.
I need to write you guys some snail mail letters so I can send you a few pix. I also wrote Bishop Anderson yesterday since you put his address on my letter for Eliza... haha So what's the deal there? I thought she had already left, but I guess that's cool if she's going to stay. She'll have a step ahead of most of her buddies there.
So anyways, with how thing are going I'm kind of scared for the next couple transfers just because its a pretty high probability I'll be in the mountains this winter and freeze my butt off. Let's just hope and pray its not Craig, negative 40 does not sound at all appealing.
Keep the people of Lakewood, CO in your prayers and hopefully some of them will be able to soften their hearts to hear the gospel.
Well I hope all is well in San B... I hope things work out for John at his job, and I really hope all works out with dad's sale of his practice. You guys are awesome!

Love ya,
Tom

12 August 2009

E. Thomas is out of here and excited. Its a slow area and its a little rough sometimes, but its all good. I'm sorry to hear about Jason Florez. My condolances to their family. That would be such a hard thing to deal with.
So if you sell John the car, I can't use it when I get back! :( hahaha Oh well.
I hope to be picking up the work this next week, I'm hoping for a newer companion, the ones that are about to go home don't want to work much.
I'm getting another new rim for free from sports authority and they are going to see about ordering me a higher quality rim, but anyways my order should be in in a day or two.
WE are teaching PMF (part-member families) mainly, but thats good. We have one baptismal date with Melinda, but they postponed her wedding, so were gonna have to push that back this week too. I'm worried about them, but I'm hoping for the best. Her fiancee, if I haven't told you is a member, they're living together and have a baby girl, he's 21 and she's 19. She cut our hair just recently too, but I ended up redoing the sides. But it was very nice.
Other than that we need to tract more and find more people. Especially in the apartments, we have those here unlike in Highlands Ranch, I had so much fun tracting in apts with our district leader on exchanges. It was way quick from door to door too. So Eliza leaves on Friday??? Really?
Thats so crazy to think. I'm excited for her, but dang letters will be expensive to send to her now.
I am glad Cathy's Birthday was a nice experience for all of y'all. Anyways, I hate going to stores and restaurants, because there's like always Country on and it makes me miss listening to it. Joseph Nashville Tribute isn't real country! lol But its the best I got.
A recent convert wanted to show us the Zac Brown Band CD, and it was soo tempting! I liked the couple songs I heard of theirs before, so I imagine it would be great, but I knew if I listened to it, it would be stuck in my head. haha
I still want to know what John does for work. Its not secretive is it? I'm just wondering, bc I haven't been told yet.
News for this week? I am helping a non-member move out of the ward and into another ward with their missionaries. He specifically requested to have the missionaries help, so that should be good. Other than that I need to make more appointments with less actives in the ward and tracting... That's the life of a missionary here though.
I miss naps though. that is something y'all are incredibly lucky to have.
Well anyways, take care, I love you! Hopefully next week will bring more exciting news with a new companion. I hope we teach a lot more, because I feel like I'm getting rusty, but I'm definately ready for the new experience. Hopefully he'll be as personable and easy to get along with as Elder Thomas too tho. He's by far the easiest to get along with out of all my companions.

Love ya,
Tom

5 August 2009

I'm glad all is well there. Things are a bit crazy here. But I decided to go a cheaper route with food, so I ain't broke by the middle of the month. Pancake mix, canned fruits and vegetables, ramen and yogurt. I also am buying kool-aid and sugar instead of juices, bc that got way too expensive. I also I'm trying to exercise more. Run in the mornings lift weights a bit at night before I go to bed. that good stuff.
As far as the work goes things are at a standstill right now. We are teaching a couple who was supposed to get married last Saturday. He's a member, shes not, they have a baby girl and live together, and aren't planning on resetting a date for a while. So we cannot baptize her. Our other main family has children in jail and are recollecting and don't want to talk religion. It's tough, but we're sticking with it, asking members for referrals and tracting a lot. Tonight we start an exchange with our district leader, and next tuesday I find out if I'm being transferred or not.
So Dad's really selling his practice? That's exciting! And you guys might be moving? It's all good... that gives me a choice between CSUSB and Cal Poly Pomona if you guys move closer to there, but I got a long time b4 I can think about that. I just have had companions that are about to go home the past two transfers and it makes you think more about what you'll do, which I'm not sure if that's at all healthy. I am, however excited to see what will happen next week at transfers. It's possible that we'll both stay, and I wouldn't mind that. But I don't know, I'm scared because its a possiblity that I could be training next transfer. Its my fifth transfer next thursday and the guy who trained me did it on his fourth. But maybe I'm just scared for no reason. I do want a newer missionary as a companion though. Then we could work a bit harder.
What does John do in this new job? I'm confused. Tell me a bit about it. And when does dad start at the school? Is the new DR keeping Debbie and Marie?
Christy is at girls camp? they do it late there... I hope she's having a good time. And of course the info they loose is one of our family members! haha
Well I don't have too many funny stories for you, theres a lot of old people in our wards, so nothing too crazy. And they don't have many friends to refer. Its a hard place to work, but it is kind of fun. a bit new. Going from Highlands Ranch where its young yuppie families to here is a bit of a change! But its good. I do miss Highlands Ranch though I really hope I get to serve in the mountains. After visiting I realize how beautiful it is up there. I would love that experience.
Well Dad... I love you! Happy Birthday... the big 5-0! and happy birthday to Cathy too in a couple days.
I'm getting another new rim for free for my front of my bike, and hopefully this will end the problems, otherwise they can keep getting me new rims for free. haha
Well... I love you guys... I have to go.

Love ya,
Tom