Wednesday, June 23, 2010

23 June 2010

Hey whats up...

Its been such a good day... I got to go see Brandon and Amanda Alexander, from Buena Vista, get endowed and sealed and it was such a spiritual experience. It was so exciting to see a couple that I worked so closely with get linked together forever. That has to be one of the most powerful experiences I have been able to take part in... I really was glad to get to go.

OK I tried to instant message you and talk about a few things, but it didn't work. I already had to buy a watchband and a new memory card reader this last while, and I saw Van Heusen shirts on sale for 18 bucks, but was way hesitant to do it. I don't want to spend to much, but then again i don't wanna pass up that deal. So I was gonna ask for your advise, since i do need a few long sleeved shirts.

Other than that life is good. We have one on date for baptism again and are working towards it with others. I love when you can see and feel success in an area and it is a very rewarding feeling. Tracting is alright, but its starting to get a bit hot. I am enjoying it, but it seems to be more tiring with the heat but that's alright... I am scared for the new mission president, idk what will happen. There will definately be a lot of changes. It seems like the president just doesn't care bc hes going home, but its all good.

Other than that I don't have too much to talk about. I may fill you in on a bit more later, but the highway were on is going to close for maintenance shortly, and I kind of want to get out, so I will write more later on... love ya


your son,
Tom

16 June 2010

So whats new. I sent you a few pix. :P We had quite the hailstorm up by our house, luckily we were 10 miles away when it hit. They brought out the plows and when we got home there was still 3-4 inches of hail in parts of the driveway. I'm glad we missed it and were on the sunny side of our area... That's all good though. So Elder Bickmore is in your ward now?? That's pretty cool, their family is out of town, but I'm not surprised that he's a good missionary, his family is quite missionary oriented. We're actually starting to teach a couple of his sisters friends. They also offered to have any lessons we want at their home, they're a great bunch.

So we are getting back into teaching Deborah, and hopefully we can plan a baptism pretty soon. She needs to make that step, it would help her out so much. I am so happy its getting warmer again, it makes tracting a lot more tolerable. It really is kind of fun when you have a good companion. Life is so much easier when you receive cooperation. haha I'm scared for a new mission president and a new companion which will both come very soon. I hope the new mission president doesn't do anything to drastic, because it could totally tear apart the mission.

Zone Conference was yesterday and it was a blast. They ran over though, which made it a race to make it to dinner, but we made it only 5 minutes late. Not too bad eh? Then we went to a ward fellowship activity and we played volleyball with some non-members which was pretty sweet, we're starting to teach so many new people from that. Today we have a basketball activity for p-day where a bunch of the youth are bringing friends which will be a good experience, and whatever we can do to get them inside a building right?? I am kind of excited for that.

Other than that i have District Leader team-ups which should be interesting. This area is the only area where I have had my district leaders calling to ask me for advise. Yikes! I seem to have become the go to guy instead of vice-versa. Oh well, it is good. I like being able to help without having the responsibility. It was funny though, when he got rear-ended even the first person he called was me. haha That's getting sorted out now too. So I'm not expecting too much advise from them, but it will be fun to change it up for a day for sure.

Well I don't know what else to tell you guys about. I think life is good...

Have a gr8 week,
Luv ya,
Tom

Sunday, June 13, 2010

9 June 2010


Hey guys,

Well sounds like you guys are having fun. haha... I am pretty excited for the summer weather that is coming on (80s and 90s baby) its been so nice. They are however doing road construction on US-285 which is a highway we drive almost daily. The transit time from our house to half of our dinners will now be an hour instead of 30 minutes. That is a little bit frustrating.

Tracting is now the bulk of our work, although we do have a lot of service opportunities emerging since it is summer and there is no more snow. We also are planning on getting the youth to invite friends and playing basketball on Pdays since everyones been out of school for a few weeks. It is a great idea I think to get some investigators from and to fellowship current investigators. We already have 2 new investigators and a few potentials from talking to people at the Tuesday night volleyball activities and playing. Its been fun to play some volleyball and it has been a great way to draw people in. Speaking of which we are cruizin down to golden with some other elders and playing volleyball at 2 today, so that should be pretty cool. I'm excited! Since I left Buena Vista and even with dinner appointments and all I've been able to not only maintain but lose a couple more pounds. I'm getting close to 180 I look and feel great! :)

So I love this place in the summer it is a little piece of heaven... I'll have to send ya a few pix in a min and show ya what I'm talking about. I love it! I got to take somewhat of a dayhike on last pday just squeezing it in on top of the bowling and all. It is so amazing, but tracting in some of these areas might as well be hiking. I will miss it if I have to go back to the city. I kind of want to stay in the mountains for the rest of my mission. I have learned to love them even with all the snow. The people are a bit different somtimes but thats ok you get used to that too.

Our investigators are all standing still, but we are praying and making the necessary phonecalls ot get things rolling. We may have a dinner appointment with one on Saturday. We'll see how all that rolls out but not much to report there. I cant think of any other ways to draw them in, but summer up here i wouldnt want to answer my phone either. haha

So the church is true, the book is blue, see ya in a lot less than two. Man it is amazing to me how the time flies. I have been truely blessed to meet the people I have and serve in the wonderful areas I did. I love this area so much too. I dont know what I will do when I have to leave. It will be a hard transition if I get put back in the city. I just feel like I am love by the Lord to get the experiences I have and to live in these awesome places....


Love ya,
Elder Stevenson

Thursday, June 3, 2010

2 June 2010

So we're both staying and I'm keeping the Vibe!!! I'm excited to see things move along. We are finding so many teaching opportunities and its just been great. I'm excited for a new transfer and new opportunities. It is going to be wonderful. We have a baptism on Saturday too. Its a 9 year old unbaptized child. :)

So this week has been a lot of the same... phonecalls, tracting, and lessons. Oh and tomorrow we get a new phone, ours is a bit broken and it annoyed me enough that i called to get a new one. Other than that today we went bowling in Golden with a bunch of elders a dollar per shoes and a dollar per game! It was a load of fun, but that is why emails are late and probably gonna be short. I might drop by in the next couple days and send a bit more, but we'll see.

Last week I forgot to tell you about presidents interviews. They were pretty good. He told me how much he respects me and trust me to keep a positive attitude no matter what. He told me my last three companions were all supposed to be hard and he was surprised that I only had trouble with the one back. He said he thought I was going to have a hard time with my companion now, but he's probably one of my best comps I ever had. Its been fun. He also told me that he knows I will be successful in all that i do and I will make a great father. It made me feel good the stuff he said. :P

Other than that I am enjoying the beautiful transition straight from winter to summer. There aren't 4 seasons here, we skipped spring. It got into the mid 80s this last week a couple days... it was wonderful. It is beautiful out here, I tried to send a few good pix... I hope ya enjoy them.

We also got to go to the temple today, that was a good thing too. Its so nice to go. I also bought the new conference on CD and the returned missionary guy is burning me a ton of talks on CD so that will be fun to have. Its gonna be like christmas when they are done! I cant wait.

Well we have to go to dinner so I will try and stop in and write more sometime, but I love ya and we'll talk soon.

Love,
Elder Stevenson

26 May 2010

So its been a good week. We are picking things up and teaching like crazy... I hope so so much that next weeks transfers dont bring any changes. I hope we both get to stay and keep up the good work.

Today was a tough pday morning. We needed two new tires on the car because when I went to buena vista they weren't taking care of the car and the pressure was too low so they wore quickly. I had everything arranged on Tuesday and we were supposed to have our tires changed balanced and aligned at 8am but they lied when they said they had the tires there and they were on backorder. A tiny bit annoying so we talked to them and they got a store in denver to race some tires that were a bit more spendy up here but still the same rating on them and we got those at the same price. Meanwhile we were stuck up there waiting until 10am for them to even start, but as soon as the tires got there we had the car up and getting worked on. Meanwhile we spent a while aimlessly walking around walmart since neither of us have any money.

I have been really pushing myself to get right out of bed at 630 and exercise. I have had so much more energy since then. It has been great. Also we are still working with all the people I told ya about, but we are starting to teach a couple of youth that came to a fellowshipping volleyball activity they have weekly out here. It is great to have a large teaching pool again. As far as Hayley goes ( the girl that was in Arizona) We'll have to teach some more. We found out the missionaries in Arizona were a bit less accountable we'll just say. They were spending every day for about two weeks over at this college girls house "teaching" her and with her member roommates there. They said they taught everything and were going to baptize her, but upon receipt of the teaching record we realized they didn't teach everything, and shes still not sure if she wants to be baptized. I called around to some of the youth and people returning from college and figured out who knows her so they can invite her to reinforce our invites and give her a reason to go, so we'll see what happens, I think we need to just lightly go over what they taught and see what she has questions about that we can teach over too. But I could see her getting baptized.

There are many other obsticles right now. One family we were teaching had their rental sold on them and were told to be out in 3 weeks, which is now two. Another man has cancer and is very sick. Deborah is dealing with a custody battle. Laina, the 17 year old is dealing with anti and other issues that she cant get over... And one guy we've been teaching we just haven't gotten a hold of. :(

Lately we have been all over the place too. We have a lot of the youth that just got out of school are driving us to visit less actives out in the boonies where we couldn't go on our mileage allotments. Its been fun and entirely worth it and they get to have somewhat of a missionary experience. That's always good.

I am pretty excited for Missionary money to hit, I need some things like shoe polish and other essentials I've just been waiting to get. That other money will be a good thing to have to fall back on too, thanks for filing for me.

The wards are getting fired up about missionary-work because they are seeing all the teaching going on. We are being fought over in the wards for who gets to house us... lol That is a new experience. I hope I get to stay here for at least 3 transfers... it is so amazing! I don't know what else to tell you guys. I hope all is well. I really hope that you guys are having a great time. I'm excited to see you guys soon. Way too soon it seems, but its good that its going fast. Next week will be 17 months! wow. Well I gotta go, but we'll talk soon.

Love ya,
Tom

19 May 2010

It's been an alright week. Much more beautiful weather lately, although yesterday we were on tornado-watch. haha I have had some unexpected expenses though, I thought I'd be able to dry-clean my suit and pay for it with missionary money, but that ain't happening. And I may have to spend about 5 bucks personal funds this month on food, but other than that I'm doing well. It's just kind of depressing to watch the bank account fall so so low, and know I cant do anything about it anymore. Oh well.

So we had a full baptismal service planned for saturday for Deborah, but she backed out on Tuesday. Shes beating a dead animal trying to overturn a decision on her son who is with her ex-husband which has already gone to the state court of appeals and they favored the father still, so I dont see anything happening, but she'll have to sort that out. She doesnt feel she can commit the 2 hours including the service which would be required to become a member this week. Rough stuff.

I dont know if I told you about the girl who is moving up here from school in Arizona for the summer, but she has been taught everything and wants to be baptized up here so her family can go so that will be pretty cool.

Other than that the other ward is trying to snag us and house us out there now, which is optimum as far as where all the work is. It will be totally rough with miles no matter how we work it out. Anywhere we live miles will be a problem in this area. You really really have to budget your time and where you go during the day, but now that all the teenage kids are getting out of high school we should be able to get rides often.

Other than that knocking doors is our life. I dont really have any great stories from this week, but sometimes its nice to just have a week where not too much crazy stuff happens I guess. Although last wednesday night we almost got stuck in the hills when I was on exchanges. He couldnt climb the hill in the wet snow in his truck with it in 4lo and we spun sideways in between a tree and a bunch of rocks. We got out though, but thats the most exciting story of the week.

Hey, I love you guys. Thanks for the continued support and prayers.It always helps. I feel like I have no friends back home anymore bc I've lost contact, but its ok. I miss you guys and cant wait to see ya again soon.

On Friday we go to have our bbq with president, but we're doing it at the church now instead and having interviews up the mountain, so it should be good.

Love ya,
Tom