I'm staying in Buena Vista and getting a new companion. I will be moving
houses I live at out here too in the next few days, so I'll get you the new
PO Box ASAP, but just stick with the mission office address for now. I put
together a small package with some tee shirts, the Joseph Smith DVD, and
some letters, and I'll send it later on today. My back still feels a bit
off, but its not so much sharp pains anymore. I'm pretty excited for the new
transfer that's coming up.
We have had more teaching opportunities popping up. The couple that I gave
the guy a tie here in town, they work at Subway, and we will be teaching one
of their coworkers this afternoon. He's already been reading the Book of
Mormon.
The Branch President wants his house to himself, so we'll be moving to the
Branch Mission Leaders home. It'll be good. It'll be funny telling my new
companion not to unpack.
We had 393 miles this week from carryover, so we are sitting pretty there.
Today will not be a real P-day though. We have a lunch appointment at 11, a
teaching appointment with an investigator at 2, one with a recent convert at
3, a member wants us to stop by around 430, and we have a 7pm teaching
appointment with an investigator. I guess things are picking up, and we'll
have a member at the 7 oclock! :P
Other than that, I'm excited for transfers, bc I'll be right next to a
Walmart when we meet the APs, so I can get some milk, some laundry
detergent, facewash, stuff like that with the gift card you gave me! yay! I
also hope I have a decent companion...
We got a less active that we tracted into to go to church. Now his family
has to start coming. They really need the fellowship of church and
the atonement in their lives! But I guess we all do!
I don't have too much else to tell you, other than I love you all!
Love ya guys,
Elder Stevenson
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
20 January 2010
Its been an interesting week. All our investigators are falling through the holes, so I think this will be my last week here probably.We did however meet an excommunicated member and her husband who said they wanted to take the lessons, so we'll evaluate that soon.
I did get cash for the check too. i endorsed it over to a member and he gave me cash out of his wallet.
Last Thursday the members we lived with went to Hawaii for the week (they'll be back on Saturday). We have been doing a lot of tracting, except that Saturday was crazy. We went out tracting and I split my pants and they're sewed back up now so no worries. We went home and changed, and then visited a couple of people. In the afternoon we went out to tract more, and the houses are way far apart, so we were biking. I started to fishtail on gravel, and then pulled out of it, and once I was going straight again I was headed for a glassy patch of ice. My bike moved out of the way and I fell on my tail. It hurt so bad, it still does. I laid there for a few minutes and then got up and tried to just cruise to the car on my bike. We got there, racked up the bikes, and drove to the house. I called the mission presidents wife and talked to her, but it didn't help. I already took ibuprofen and was using icyhot and frozen vegetables, and that's all she told me to do and to keep her posted. So I have a gnarly bruise on my butt and my back is not feeling to good either. I hope it passes, but after a week if I'm still in pain she'll have me checked out. That night I got permission to have my companion drive even though I'm the designated driver, because I was hurting bad. But we still went to the basketball game. There is a daughter of a part member family that invited us to her game, since she starts at the high school. So I sat on flat bench bleachers for an hour and a half and we had dinner at 7pm. Then I made us go home at around 8, because I needed rest. Since then we've tracted a couple of six hour days, and on sunday I started driving again. I have just sat in the car for a few minutes after tracting and I've kept icing it and taking ibuprofen, so I should be alright.
So I hear Southern California is getting dumped on right now. I wish we had rain or snow. It is warming up at least now. we should have a high of like 41 today.... I think.
Other than that not too much is going on. I'm trying to keep my companion working hard. I still am not used to how slow he talks, and it can be frustrating at times, but its ok I guess. He also likes to screw around in the house and leave late it seems like, but I've called him out on that and he's been doing a bit better. It's only his second transfer though... that's what worries me. Its already the end of my eighth only eight more to go. haha
So that temple thing is the best thing I heard of. In the Lakewood stake conference we had a member of the first quorum of the seventy come, and he said if we focus all of our preaching in church on getting to the temple, then we will not have the activation and retention problems. That is where our efforts in the ward should be focused. Good for Bishop Lomenick. Its nice to hear we have someone who will speak up and follow through, and lead that ward where it needs to be.
So anyways... I miss you all and I hope that all is well in the SB.
I'm going to send a package with some teeshirts, a DVD of the joseph smith movie, and some letters from grandparents. I cant lug around as much, and I want a copy of the movie at home that will stay nice. You guys can watch it too.
Love ya all,
Elder Stevenson
I did get cash for the check too. i endorsed it over to a member and he gave me cash out of his wallet.
Last Thursday the members we lived with went to Hawaii for the week (they'll be back on Saturday). We have been doing a lot of tracting, except that Saturday was crazy. We went out tracting and I split my pants and they're sewed back up now so no worries. We went home and changed, and then visited a couple of people. In the afternoon we went out to tract more, and the houses are way far apart, so we were biking. I started to fishtail on gravel, and then pulled out of it, and once I was going straight again I was headed for a glassy patch of ice. My bike moved out of the way and I fell on my tail. It hurt so bad, it still does. I laid there for a few minutes and then got up and tried to just cruise to the car on my bike. We got there, racked up the bikes, and drove to the house. I called the mission presidents wife and talked to her, but it didn't help. I already took ibuprofen and was using icyhot and frozen vegetables, and that's all she told me to do and to keep her posted. So I have a gnarly bruise on my butt and my back is not feeling to good either. I hope it passes, but after a week if I'm still in pain she'll have me checked out. That night I got permission to have my companion drive even though I'm the designated driver, because I was hurting bad. But we still went to the basketball game. There is a daughter of a part member family that invited us to her game, since she starts at the high school. So I sat on flat bench bleachers for an hour and a half and we had dinner at 7pm. Then I made us go home at around 8, because I needed rest. Since then we've tracted a couple of six hour days, and on sunday I started driving again. I have just sat in the car for a few minutes after tracting and I've kept icing it and taking ibuprofen, so I should be alright.
So I hear Southern California is getting dumped on right now. I wish we had rain or snow. It is warming up at least now. we should have a high of like 41 today.... I think.
Other than that not too much is going on. I'm trying to keep my companion working hard. I still am not used to how slow he talks, and it can be frustrating at times, but its ok I guess. He also likes to screw around in the house and leave late it seems like, but I've called him out on that and he's been doing a bit better. It's only his second transfer though... that's what worries me. Its already the end of my eighth only eight more to go. haha
So that temple thing is the best thing I heard of. In the Lakewood stake conference we had a member of the first quorum of the seventy come, and he said if we focus all of our preaching in church on getting to the temple, then we will not have the activation and retention problems. That is where our efforts in the ward should be focused. Good for Bishop Lomenick. Its nice to hear we have someone who will speak up and follow through, and lead that ward where it needs to be.
So anyways... I miss you all and I hope that all is well in the SB.
I'm going to send a package with some teeshirts, a DVD of the joseph smith movie, and some letters from grandparents. I cant lug around as much, and I want a copy of the movie at home that will stay nice. You guys can watch it too.
Love ya all,
Elder Stevenson
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
13 January 2010
It was so funny to see Todd [serving a mission in El Salvador] say that 70 is a cold temp. I wish it got near that warm here. We call it a warm day at a high of 20.
I'm sorry to hear about Amanda. I hope all goes well with that. Is she staying with family out in Aurora. I wonder if she is in the part of aurora our mission covers. She needs to get to church, that would help her out a ton.
So anyways, we probably will be leaving in two weeks. We tracted 30 hours last week and taught 10 lessons (most of which were to members), but haven't found too many people who say their interested, and I've decided only like 10% of the people who say they are actually make it past the 1st lesson. Oh well though we're trying.
We're teaching a couple of families, both of which are not progressing. One just wants to hear what we believe from the source and get rid of preconceived notions, and the other is a PhD in Theology and you can tell he has questions, but he just won't ask them (even when invited to) because he doesn't want to admit that he doesn't know everything.
If the area does close for 3 months though, there's a chance I'll be back in the summer to open it with another missionary which would be cool. there are some great members up here.
Tomorrow the members we live with are heading out to Hawaii, so we got the house to ourselves! That means no more waiting until 730 to go into the kitchen. I'm excited now, because when that rules been in place there has been no motivation to wake up, because once you've showered you are just sitting in the room waiting until 730, so I have just laid there a while longer before I shower, but it'll be nice to be able to eat first thing again.
I don't know what else I said when I wrote the last email, but I do miss being in the city where you can hang out with other missionaries on pday and stuff. I love you guys... i hope all is going well, and that you guys are happy. I'll talk to you next week.
Love,
Tom
I'm sorry to hear about Amanda. I hope all goes well with that. Is she staying with family out in Aurora. I wonder if she is in the part of aurora our mission covers. She needs to get to church, that would help her out a ton.
So anyways, we probably will be leaving in two weeks. We tracted 30 hours last week and taught 10 lessons (most of which were to members), but haven't found too many people who say their interested, and I've decided only like 10% of the people who say they are actually make it past the 1st lesson. Oh well though we're trying.
We're teaching a couple of families, both of which are not progressing. One just wants to hear what we believe from the source and get rid of preconceived notions, and the other is a PhD in Theology and you can tell he has questions, but he just won't ask them (even when invited to) because he doesn't want to admit that he doesn't know everything.
If the area does close for 3 months though, there's a chance I'll be back in the summer to open it with another missionary which would be cool. there are some great members up here.
Tomorrow the members we live with are heading out to Hawaii, so we got the house to ourselves! That means no more waiting until 730 to go into the kitchen. I'm excited now, because when that rules been in place there has been no motivation to wake up, because once you've showered you are just sitting in the room waiting until 730, so I have just laid there a while longer before I shower, but it'll be nice to be able to eat first thing again.
I don't know what else I said when I wrote the last email, but I do miss being in the city where you can hang out with other missionaries on pday and stuff. I love you guys... i hope all is going well, and that you guys are happy. I'll talk to you next week.
Love,
Tom
Thursday, January 7, 2010
6 January 2010
So Monday was such a fun day. On Sunday night I drove down to Golden, just above my last area, so naturally I had to visit the Kohls. :P Then we went and stayed at another missionaries home and the junior companion there is from the Sunset Hills Ward in Apple Valley (the one I served my two week mission in. So we talked for such a long time. And we both realized that our mission is more strict and more hardworking overall than the missionaries we saw and were around back home. It was so fun though. We talked until like 130 in the morning, and then we woke up went to zone conference in Golden, and we drove back at around 2 and got home at 4 with a short stop in South Park so I could take a few pictures. hehehe I thought that was pretty good for 285 (a two lane highway where everyone likes to drive 10 under and I'd rather do a bit over, the curves were nothing compared to driving our mountains, but those are the smaller mountains here).
So far this week we have 8 hours tracting (7 yesterday) Our goal is to bust past 30 and 8 in two days is a good start. We have to find some people to teach! I was talking to President making him aware of some of the challenges and successes in the area, and he told me if we don't find some people that are progressing by the end of the transfer they are closing the area for a few months. So that to me becomes a challenge, now I have to make it happen. Otherwise I better got to another mountain town (montrose, rifle, rangley, etc.) or back to Denver! I will miss this area so much whenever I have to leave.
So there isn't too many cool things to talk about from teaching people. We have been teaching, and trying though. It ain't too bad. We taught a lesson to a lady who has studied theology, and retired up here, and she was probably the kindest theologian that I've met. Most of them are full of themselves (which can become funny when you find a loophole). I guess she just took the word to heart as she read they bible and comprehended what a Christian is from the writings of the Apostles.
So 120 miles one way to golden. It was a fun little drive. The problem was when we were getting back to town deep down I wanted to keep driving. I like to travel. i think its fun. I need to get a job that allows me to travel. :P
We got 117 baptisms in November and December in our mission. But we could have more. The 20 lessons program could use more support, but that issue is being addressed. Elder L. Tom Perry will be coming to tour our mission and will be training the stakes on it and letting them know that that program ain't something the missionaries just made up. It's too perfect for that, but that it is from the Lord through L. Tom Perry (who is the apostle over missionary work), and that it ain't an option either. He's also going to train the missionaries a bit. I'm pretty excited for that one. It will be a great thing.
other than that: Life is good. i think I'm healthy. I try to work hard everyday, and I pray. I think that that's all that matters. I love you all and we will talk again soon. But until then God Speed.
Love ya,
Tom
So far this week we have 8 hours tracting (7 yesterday) Our goal is to bust past 30 and 8 in two days is a good start. We have to find some people to teach! I was talking to President making him aware of some of the challenges and successes in the area, and he told me if we don't find some people that are progressing by the end of the transfer they are closing the area for a few months. So that to me becomes a challenge, now I have to make it happen. Otherwise I better got to another mountain town (montrose, rifle, rangley, etc.) or back to Denver! I will miss this area so much whenever I have to leave.
So there isn't too many cool things to talk about from teaching people. We have been teaching, and trying though. It ain't too bad. We taught a lesson to a lady who has studied theology, and retired up here, and she was probably the kindest theologian that I've met. Most of them are full of themselves (which can become funny when you find a loophole). I guess she just took the word to heart as she read they bible and comprehended what a Christian is from the writings of the Apostles.
So 120 miles one way to golden. It was a fun little drive. The problem was when we were getting back to town deep down I wanted to keep driving. I like to travel. i think its fun. I need to get a job that allows me to travel. :P
We got 117 baptisms in November and December in our mission. But we could have more. The 20 lessons program could use more support, but that issue is being addressed. Elder L. Tom Perry will be coming to tour our mission and will be training the stakes on it and letting them know that that program ain't something the missionaries just made up. It's too perfect for that, but that it is from the Lord through L. Tom Perry (who is the apostle over missionary work), and that it ain't an option either. He's also going to train the missionaries a bit. I'm pretty excited for that one. It will be a great thing.
other than that: Life is good. i think I'm healthy. I try to work hard everyday, and I pray. I think that that's all that matters. I love you all and we will talk again soon. But until then God Speed.
Love ya,
Tom
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