9-13-10 Elder Hooke waxes philosophical

HELLO FAMILY.
I GOT A LETTER THAT YOU SENT ON SEPTEMBER 3RD WITH STAMPS AND STUFF, SO I'LL BE WRITING LATER TODAY.

MY COMPANION ELDER LARSEN AND I ARE STAYING IN HOOVER (IT IS TRANSFERS THIS THURSDAY) BUT ELDER DASILVA AND POH ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TOGETHER TO THE NEIGHBORING CITY OF BESSEMER. SO WE MAY BE THE ONLY ONES IN THE APARTMENT, OR MORE MIGHT MOVE IN, NOT SURE. THE CURRENT APS ARE BOTH BEING RELEASED AS AP'S AND GONNA BE TRAINERS FOR THEIR LAST TRANSFER, AND IN ORDER TO REPLACE THEM THEY'RE BRINGING IN 4 NEW ASSISTANTS. 2 OF THEM MIGHT POSSIBLY LIVE WITH US OR SOMETHING. THERE WILL BE 6 MISSIONARIES IN THE HOOVER WARD EVERY SUNDAY.

WE STILL CAN'T FIND PEOPLE [to teach], EXCEPT ONE OLDER BLACK WOMAN NAMED CYNTHIA WHO WE HAVE BEEN TEACHING. WE'D TAUGHT HER BEFORE BUT LAST WEEK WE HAD 2 SPIRITUAL LESSONS WITH HER AND SHE IS PLANNING ON BEING BAPTIZED ON OCT 2. BUT FIRST SHE HAS TO LIVE THE WORD OF WISDOM, AND UNDERSTAND WHY SHE NEEDS TO, BEFORE BAPTISM. SO PLEASE PRAY FOR HER. AND SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, AND LIKED IT.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE PORTUGUESE STUDENTS AGAIN, JUST WORKED WITH A FEW MEMBERS OF THE WARD WHO ARE RETURNED MISSIONARIES FROM BRAZIL. WE PLAN ON GOING THIS WEEK TO GADSDEN [where the Portuguese students live].

THIS WEEK I HAVE LEARNED A TON. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNED THOUGH IS THIS: THE MORE YOU LEARN, THE MORE YOU REALIZE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.

BEING A MISSIONARY IS INDESCRIBABLE. I UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY RETURN HOME AND CAN'T EXPLAIN THE MISSION. SORTA LIKE A ROLLER COASTER SPIRITUALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND EVERY WAY.

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE SPIRIT WORKS, ALTHOUGH I HAVE REALIZED THAT MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH ARE MUCH MORE IN TUNE WITH IT THAN I AM. CYNTHIA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS MORE FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD THAN ALMOST ANYONE I'VE MET (YES, INCLUDING MORMONS.) AND SOMETIMES SHE'LL BRING UP CONCERNS DURING LESSONS AND WE JUST ASK HER QUESTIONS, AND SHE STARTS RESPONDING AND WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING, SHE FIGURES IT OUT. AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ELDER LARSEN AND I BEING GOOD AT EXPLAINING ANYTHING, CUZ WE'RE NOT. SO I GUESS THAT MIGHT BE ONE WAY THE SPIRIT WORKS.

IF ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH WERE AS FAITHFUL AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE I'VE MET HERE, OUR CHURCH WOULD BE SO MUCH STRONGER, AND THE GROWTH WOULD BE EXPONENTIAL. BUT I'LL ADMIT I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE MY MISSION, AND MANY TIMES PEOPLE WON'T AFTER [the mission] JUST BECAUSE WE AS HUMANS[tend to be] LAZY AND SELFISH. THAT IS A BIG THING I HAVE LEARNED.

MAN I THOUGHT WHEN I CAME ON A MISSION IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL AND WORRY FREE, STAYING AWAY FROM THE TEMPORAL WORRIES AND STUFF. BUT I HAVE MORE WORRIES NOW THAN EVER BEFORE, AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN TEMPORAL. NOT SAYING IT ISN'T WONDERFUL, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE LEARN AND GROW, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT.

ELDER BEDNAR IS COMING THIS SATURDAY, I THINK. I HAVE A MILLION QUESTIONS TO ASK HIM. I'LL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK.

THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS AND KEEP THEM COMING PLEASE! LOVE YOU BYE

9-7-10 Meeting with President Holzapfel

9-7-10
YUP WE'RE ALL HEALTHY NOW! SO NOW I AM ASSIGNED ELDER LARSEN AS MY COMPANION, AND THE OTHER 2 ARE COMPANIONS, WE JUST LIVE TOGETHER. WE HAD A MEETING ON FRIDAY WITH PRESIDENT HOLZAPFEL ABOUT HOW OUR 4PANIONSHIP COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND THAT WAS JUST ONE OF THE THINGS.

I ALSO GET TO DRIVE AROUND A 12-SEATER VAN WHEN WE NEED TO GO FAR NOW, SO WE DON'T WASTE AN HOUR ON BIKES. WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY LONG BIKE RIDES IN THE LAST WEEK. ELDER LARSEN IS A RUNNER TOO, AND SO WE RIDE EVERYWHERE FAST AND HARD. IT'S EXHAUSTING, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO "PROSELYTE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE" (THAT'S ONE OF PRES HOLZAPFEL'S MOTTOS). WE ARE SPENDING MUCH OF OUR TIME FINDING PEOPLE STILL. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROGRESSING INVESTIGATORS SO WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH POTENTIAL INVESTIGATORS AND FIND NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO KEEP A SIMPLE COMMITMENT TO READ FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SAY A SINCERE PRAYER. I DIDN'T REALIZE BEFORE HOW HARD IT IS TO HELP THEM TO WANT TO DO THAT ON THEIR OWN. WE COULD GET THEM TO DO IT, BUT IT IS INSTILLING A DESIRE FOR THEMSELVES TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO THAT IS HARD. WE'RE STRUGGLING NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WORKS. APPARENTLY THAT IS WHAT TAKES PEOPLE THEIR WHOLE MISSION TO GET GOOD AT.

[I told him our summer in Ventura wasn't really summer--lots of fog!] WELL I GUESS THAT WAS A GOOD SUMMER FOR ME TO NOT BE IN VENTURA FOR. YEAH IT'S STILL PRETTY HOT. 90 DEGREES OR MORE FOR ABOUT 60 DAYS IN A ROW NOW I THINK. BUT IT IS NOT QUITE AS HUMID ANYMORE. I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE LIVED HERE FOR A LIFETIME AND SAY THIS IS THE HOTTEST SUMMER THEY CAN REMEMBER.

EM THAT IS COOL YOU HAVE REYNOSA [chemistry teacher], AND DID YOU KNOW I HAD GROSSMAN [for Spanish]? ALEC AND I USED TO HAVE COMPETITIONS TO SEE WHO COULD CHEW MORE PIECES OF GUM AT THE SAME TIME WITHOUT HER NOTICING AND TAKING POINTS OF OUR GRADE. I STILL GOT AN A, SO I MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT IT I GUESS.

LIBBY AND CHRIS THAT HAS GOT TO BE NICE LIVING IN CALIFORNIA AGAIN. I'M GLAD YOU ARE ENJOYING FAT TONY [a book]. AND NICE STATIONERY, LIB.

CATH- I SENT YOU A LETTER AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADD TO THE LETTER TO ME? JUST KIDDING ITS ALL GOOD. AND WHEN AM I GONNA GET LETTERS FROM THE SINGLES WARD FHE?

TOM- YES WE'RE SEARCHING FOR SINCERE INVESTIGATORS BUT STILL DON'T KNOW IF I'VE MET ANY YET. ARE YOU DATING ANYBODY AT ALL? THAT'S NICE YOU LIVE IN A QUASI HOUSE NOW.

[Were you and your companions able to teach the Portuguese students again?] THEY ARE STILL IN AMERICA, AND WE DROVE UP TO GADSDEN AGAIN FRIDAY, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME UNFORESEEN OBSTACLE WE ONLY TAUGHT ONE GIRL. BUT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD LESSON AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH HER AND THE ONES FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK SOON. NOW THAT WE CAN DRIVE THE VAN WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO GO UP THERE ABOUT EVERY WEEK. THEY ARE IN AMERICA FOR LONGER THAN I WILL BE, HOPEFULLY.

[Tell us a little bit more about each of your companions] POH-SPENT $65 DOLLARS ON HIS PERSONAL GROCERIES FOR THE WEEK; DASILVA- HE'S TOM'S AGE AND HIS DAD'S BRAZILIAN, BUT HE'S GOING TO PORTUGAL; LARSEN- NICE GUY. WE WORK HARD TOGETHER BUT BOTH LACK EXPERIENCE (OBVIOUSLY).

SOMETIMES I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE WORK HERE, BUT WHEN I REALIZE THAT I AM DOING WHAT I CAN, AT LEAST I CAN BE CONTENT WITH THE SITUATION BECAUSE BEING ANGRY OR FRUSTRATED DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.

WE WERE ABOUT TO LEAVE THIS BUILDING ON SUNDAY BUT WE DECIDED TO KNOCK A COUPLE MORE DOORS AND THE LAST ONE, A MAN WALKED OUT AND STARTED TALKING TO US ABOUT HOW WE ARE THERE TO HELP HIS LIFE AND HE KNOWS GOD SENT US. CUZ HE'S AN ALCOHOLIC AND KNOWS THAT THE ONLY WAY HE CAN RIGHT HIS LIFE IS THROUGH GOD. STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO HIM AGAIN THOUGH.

BYE. LOVE YA

8-30-10 Elder Winslow & Elder Hooke at MTC

8-30-10 Hoover, working hard, Portuguese lessons, sickness

[Jon emailed some photos home last week--I have updated previous blogs with more photos. These particular photos, however, came from President Holzapfel's blog: Jon with Elder DaSilva and boys from their assigned ward--Sam & Isaiah]



YEAH THOSE [photos] WERE BASICALLY FROM MY WHOLE MISSION SO FAR. I HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY SINCE LAST WEEK ANYWAYS, SO NONE TODAY!

THE WEEK HAS BEEN HARD. I'M STILL IN HOOVER LIVING WITH THE THREE NEW ELDERS, AND IT IS ALMOST AS IF WE OPENED A NEW AREA TOGETHER, THE 4 OF US WHO HAVE NO EXPERIENCE. THE ASSISTANTS (THEY ARE IN THE SAME AREA) HAVE THEIR OWN INVESTIGATORS AND APPOINTMENTS ALL THE TIME BUT WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST THE ENTIRE WEEK KNOCKING DOORS AND TRYING TO FIND PEOPLE TO TEACH. WE HAVE TAUGHT LOTS AND LOTS OF LESSONS OUT ON DOORSTEPS, BUT I CAN ONLY THINK OF A COUPLE INVESTIGATORS WHO HAS EVEN LET US COME IN IN THE LAST WEEK.
WE HAVE MET SOME AWESOME PEOPLE, AND HOPEFULLY MANY OF THEM WILL HAVE READ AND PRAYED WHEN WE SEE THEM NEXT. BUT AS FAR AS ATTENDING CHURCH, NONE CAME. WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT PLANNED ON IT AND WHEN WE CALLED THEM AFTER, THEY HAD DECENT EXCUSES, BUT IT WAS STILL REALLY DISAPPOINTING. WE'RE TRYING TO PUT IT ALL IN THE LORD'S HANDS, AND WHEN WE HAVE NOTHING PLANNED, WE JUST SAY A PRAYER THAT WE WILL BE LED TO PEOPLE WHO WILL RECEIVE THE GOSPEL THEN START PEDALING OUR BIKES AND SEE WHERE WE END UP. THERE HAVE BEEN ANSWERS TO PRAYERS, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE FOUND ANY PEOPLE WHO ONLY DON'T HAVE THE GOSPEL BECAUSE "THEY KNOW NOT WHERE TO FIND IT." BUT ANYWAYS WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD.

THERE WAS ONE COOL THING THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK WHICH GETS ME VERY EXCITED TO GO TO BRAZIL! ON WEDNESDAY MY 3 COMPS AND I WENT UP TO GADSDEN BECAUSE WE HAD MET A GIRL FROM THERE THAT HAS BRAZILIAN FRIENDS. THEY ARE ON AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM TO LEARN ENGLISH BUT THEY WERE ALL MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET US TEACH THEM IN PORTUGUESE. WE TAUGHT 4 DIFFERENT PORTUGUESE LESSONS (SPLIT UP 2 BY 2) AND THEY WERE ALL VERY HUMBLE AND OPEN. AND MEGAN, THEIR FRIEND, SAT IN AND HELPED US TEACH THE LESSONS IN SOME COLLEGE DORMS. AND SO YOU KNOW HOW WE DIDN'T GET ANYBODY TO OUR WARD AFTER A WEEK OF PROSELYTING? WELL OUT OF 5 PEOPLE TAUGHT, 3 WENT TO CHURCH WITH MEGAN IN HER WARD YESTERDAY. SO I GUESS THAT IS GOOD, BUT GADSDEN IS FAR AND WE DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM AGAIN.

YEAH MOM I GOT YOUR POST CARD, THANKS. AND YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE THAT MY POLICY IS I WRITE THEM WHEN I RECEIVE SOMETHING FROM THEM. SO FAR I THINK I HAVE ALWAYS DONE THAT (EXCEPT FOR YOU MOM BUT THE EMAIL COUNTS FOR THOSE:)

LET'S SEE, I'VE BEEN PRETTY SICK THE LAST COUPLE DAYS WITH A MEGA SOAR THROAT AND A COLD NOW. ON SATURDAY MORNING I LITERALLY COULD NOT MAKE A SOUND WITH MY VOCAL CHORDS (UNLESS I YELLED A LOW F#) SO I STOOD AT THE DOORS WHILE ELDER LARSEN TAUGHT AND STUFF. SOMETIMES I'D WHISPER SOMETHING IF I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT. HE'S DOING GOOD THOUGH. IT'S BEEN RAINING A LOT, SO THAT MAKES TRACTING EVEN NICER. NO REALLY IT IS NICER CUZ AT LEAST YOUR SOAKED IN WATER NOT SWEAT.

I GOTTA GO NOW TO SEND MY LETTER TO PRES HOLZAPFEL! OH BTW ELDER LYNN ROBBINS CAME AND TOURED THE MISSION. HE SPOKE TO US ALL AND IT WAS UPLIFTING. I ALSO TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHEN HE CAME WITH ELDER BEDNAR [TO VENTURA] AND TURNS OUT ELDER BEDNAR IS COMING TO THIS MISSION AND DOING THE SAME THING IN A COUPLE WEEKS! BYE FAMILY


LOVE ELDER HOOKE

8-23-10 4th area in a month (Hoover)! Three new comps!

8-23-10
[OUR INVESTIGATOR] TERESA IS DOING VERY WELL. SOME OF HER FAMILY IS NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY SHE'S BEEN MEETING WITH US A LOT, BUT ON HER BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK SHE IS INVITING ALL HER FAMILY OVER FOR DINNER. AND THE MISSIONARIES AS WELL! IT WILL BE AWESOME. YEP SHE CAME TO CHURCH AND LIKED IT. SOME BIG NEWS FOR ME THOUGH: ON WEDNESDAY WHILE WE WERE AT HER HOUSE I GOT A CALL FROM PRESIDENT HOLZAPFEL SAYING THAT 3 MORE BRAZILIAN-VISA-WAITERS WOULD ARRIVE IN BIRMINGHAM THE NEXT DAY. I WOULD LEAVE TO A DIFFERENT AREA (HOOVER) AND LIVE WITH ALL THREE AS THE SENIOR COMPANION ALREADY. [Lori thinks that Elder Poh is 3rd from back left; Elder DaSilva is center back right; and perhaps Elder Larsen is the blond near Jon?? Got this photo from a blog Jon's mission president does at http://alabamamissionupdate.blogspot.com/ ] AND SO I GOT OFF THE PHONE AND LEFT THE NEXT MORNING. NOW I LIVE IN HOOVER WITH 3 BRAND NEW ELDERS, NO BIKES OR CARS, NONE OF US KNOW THE AREA, AND AN OLD AREA BOOK FROM SISTERS WHO LEFT THE AREA A MONTH AGO. NOT TO MENTION I HAVE ONLY 4 WEEKS HERE AND AM STILL GETTING THE HANG OF IT. LUCKILY, THE ASSISTANTS WORK IN HOOVER AS WELL SO THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING US WITH RIDES TO PLACES AND A FEW PEOPLE TO TEACH. SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE STRESSFUL NOW. MY 3 NEW COMPANIONS ARE ELDER LARSEN FROM WEST JORDAN UTAH (WE GO RUNNING EVERY MORNING AND HE CAN KEEP UP! ITS NICE), ELDER ETHAN POH, WHO I KNEW I RECOGNIZED FROM SOMEWHERE. TURNS OUT HE'S FROM LAURYN'S HOME WARD IN CLOVIS. AND ELDER DASILVA FROM NORTH CAROLINA. THEY'RE NICE GUYS, AND WE HAVE THE WILLPOWER TO BE VERY PRODUCTIVE, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE IS COMING SLOWLY...

Any new investigators? I'VE DEFINITELY TAUGHT SOME NEW PEOPLE BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL ACTUALLY BE PROGRESSING. EVEN STARTED TEACHING A MUSLIM GUY FROM INDIA AND WE GOT HIM A HINDI BOOK OF MORMON. LOTS OF BLACK PEOPLE. AND SOME NICE OLD WHITE MAN AND HIS SON AS WELL.

Elder Larsen, Jon, Elder da Silva, Elder Poh

I'm glad you have a great new ward mission leader! It is really a great thing when the ward mission leader actually helps the missionaries be better and teaches them important things. IT WAS NICE [having the new ward mission leader in Oak Mountain] FOR THE 4 DAYS IT LASTED... THERE IS NO WARD MISSION LEADER IN THE HOOVER WARD. BUT THE WARD IS HELPFUL AS FAR AS I CAN TELL WHEN IT COMES TO GOING ON EXCHANGES AND REFERRING THEIR FRIENDS FOR US TO TEACH.


How's the weather? Still so hot and humid? (No, you had not told us about the lightning strike during basketball at the Church...yikes!) STILL HOT AND HUMID. AND I HAVE A FEELING I WILL BE BIKING A LOT HERE, SO IT SHOULD BE FUN!

What have you learned this week?
JUST TRY AS HARD AS I CAN AND NOT WORRY IF I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. CUZ THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO SO WORRYING DOES NOT HELP. AND SEEING OTHERS RECOGNIZE THE SPIRIT ALWAYS HELPS ME TO KNOW THE TRUTH OF OUR MESSAGE.

Thank you for writing such entertaining and great emails! WELL THEY WILL PROBABLY GET SHORTER WHEN I'M NOT BEING THROWN INTO A NEW AREA EVERY WEEK! [ :) ] THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS AND HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

LOVE
Elder Hooke

[Note from Lori: In three months, Jon has had 9 companions--2 in Provo and 7 in Birmingham. He has served in 4 different areas his first month in Alabama!]

8-16-10 Sweating a Gallon/ Lightning Strikes Church

SO FIRST, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD AN AWESOME WEEK. CONGRATS TOM AND CHRIS ON YOUR GRADUATION! AND DAD I HOPE WORK WASN'T TOO MISERABLE TODAY AFTER TWO WEEKS OFF! SOUNDS LIKE BIG SUR WAS AWESOME AS WELL. CONGRATS TO TY TOO FOR BEING ENGAGED NOW. THANKS FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THE WEEK IN UTAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU PACKED A LOT OF STUFF IN ONE WEEK. AND MOM YOU'RE IN IDAHO NOW? SWEET. AND EM'S IN MAMMOTH? IF SHE EVER CALLS TELL HER THAT IF SHE RUNS UNDER 13 MINUTES FOR THE "LIFE HILL" I'LL GIVE HER 25 CENTS.

WE HAVE SOME AWESOME INVESTIGATORS WE'RE TEACHING AND ALSO STILL SPENDING TIME TRYING TO FIND PEOPLE. ON FRIDAY WE WENT TO MONTEVALLO (THERE IS A LITTLE OLD UNIVERSITY THERE) AND RODE BIKES ALL OVER. I LITERALLY PROBABLY SWEAT LIKE A GALLON AND DEFINITELY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE IN MY LIFE. IT WAS WEIRD, I WASN'T BREATHING HARD OR ANYTHING IT WAS JUST SO HOT AND RIDICULOUSLY HUMID. THEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A THUNDERSTORM WHICH FELT NICE FOR THE FIRST FEW SECONDS... BUT ANYWAYS WE MUST HAVE LOOKED SO PATHETICALLY TRASHY WHILE KNOCKING ON DOORS.

SPEAKING OF THUNDERSTORMS, OUR CHURCH BUILDING GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING A FEW WEEKS AGO (DID I ALREADY TELL YOU THIS?) WHILE WE WERE PLAYING B-BALL. AND ALL THE SPEAKERS MADE A LOUD NOISE AND SPARKS FLEW OUT OF THEM--IT WAS INTERESTING. TORNADO SEASON IS STARTING SO I'M HOPING TO SEE ONE.

ANYWAYS IT'S GOING WELL, I SUPPOSE. OAK MOUNTAIN [current area] IS TINY BUT WE DON'T REALLY SPEND TIME IN OAK MOUNTAIN, WE'RE IN ALABASTER AND HELENA WHICH ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO B'HAM. NOT SURE IF IT IS CONSIDERED A SUBURB OR NOT, BUT PROBABLY LIKE 45 MINUTES AWAY [from Birmingham].

WELL WE ARE TEACHING A LADY NAMED TERESA WHO IS PROGRESSING REALLY WELL. WHEN WE SHOWED UP AT HER HOUSE ON SATURDAY SHE HAD BEEN READING THE BOOK OF MORMON ALL MORNING AND HAD A LIST OF QUESTIONS. SHE IS A REALLY COOL LADY. NOW WHEN SHE GAINS A TESTIMONY ABOUT THE WORD OF WISDOM WE'LL BE GOOD. AND SHE CAME AND SAT WITH US AT CHURCH. ALONG WITH ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR, AARON, AN EX JEHOVAH WITNESS WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON THAN I DO. ON A SIDE NOTE, WHENEVER YOU GIVE A TALK OR A LESSON IN CHURCH, REALIZE THAT THERE IS LIKELY AN INVESTIGATOR THERE WHO MIGHT THINK CERTAIN THINGS YOU SAY ARE WEIRD. WE HAD SOME INTERESTING SPEAKERS SUNDAY. AND I'M SURE SOME FAST AND TESTIMONY MEETINGS WILL GET A LOT [more interesting].

WE TAUGHT A 12-YR-OLD GIRL WHO'S FAMILY IS LESS ACTIVE BUT THEY WANNA START COMING BACK, AND SHE WILL PROBABLY CHOOSE TO BE BAPTIZED SOON. I'M SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF LESS ACTIVES THAT WE VISIT THAT STILL HAVE TESTIMONIES, AND MANY OF THE MEN EVEN WENT ON MISSIONS BUT NOW DON'T GO TO CHURCH.

OUR WARD MISSION LEADER IS AWESOME. HE IS SOO SMART AND KNOWS THE ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTION THAT ANTI-MORMON LITERATURE CAN TELL PEOPLE. AND HE HELPS US TEACH SMART PEOPLE WITH TOUGH QUESTIONS AND STUFF SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM AS OUR WARD MISSION LEADER. WE'RE GONNA WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE "EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY."

MY COMPANION ELDER CHUGG IS FROM WEST HAVEN UTAH, HE'S BEEN OUT HERE FOR ALMOST A YEAR.

I'M LEARNING A LOT OF STUFF ABOUT CHURCH HISTORY AND THE BOOK OF MORMON THAT I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF. I'VE LEARNED THAT RECOGNIZING THE SPIRIT IS NOT VERY EASY, BUT NECESSARY FOR BOTH MISSIONARIES AND INVESTIGATORS. AND PEOPLE ARE ALL USUALLY NICE, BUT NOT VERY OPEN MINDED HERE AT ALL COMPARED TO CALIFORNIA.

LOVE YOU ALL TOO, AND GLAD YOU COULD WRAP UP THE SUMMER WITH LOTSA FUN STUFF. WELLP, BYE.

8-9-10 Oak Mountain, Elder Chugg

8-9-10
 [Photo: Elder Chugg, Jon, and roommates]
MY NEW COMPANION IS ELDER CHUGG, A BIG WHITE GUY FROM WESTHAVEN UTAH (CLASSIC). HE'S REALLY COOL AND A GOOD MISSIONARY. HE ENJOYS FOOTBALL AND EVERY YEAR'S "ESPECIALLY FOR YOUTH" CD. WHEN HE GROWS UP HE'D LIKE TO BE A... I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT. HE HAS A FAMILY SIMILAR TO OURS, 27 YR-OLD BRO, 24YR OLD MARRIED SISTER, HE'S 21, AND HIS 15 YEAR OLD LITTLE SISTER. HE TRULY CHERISHES EVERY CHANCE TO EAT, ESPECIALLY A GOOD SOUTHERN BBQ. HOW'S THAT FOR A LITTLE BIO? HE'S A DISTRICT LEADER (SO WAS MY LAST COMPANION ELDER LASIKE, THE GUY LEILANI REMEMBERS FROM BYU. HE SAID HE DOESN'T REMEMBER HER THOUGH HAHA) I LUCKED OUT AND THE AREA I GOT TRANSFERRED TO (OAK MOUNTAIN) STILL HAS A FULL TIME CAR, SO I MAY NEVER BIKE ON MY MISSION. BUT ANYWAYS ELDER CHUGG'S BEEN IN THIS AREA FOR 3 MONTHS SO HE KNOWS IT WELL AND HE HAS BAPTIZED A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE GREAT MEMBERS NOW. WE TAUGHT YESTERDAY A GUY THAT WAS JUST BAPTIZED AND I BET HE'LL BE A BISHOP OR SOMETHING ONE DAY.

THE WEATHER IS HOT BUT NOT AS BAD AS EVERYONE MAKES IT SEEM BY COMPLAINING. CHURCHES HERE LIKE TO PUT SIGNS UP THAT SAY STUFF LIKE "HOT NOW? HELL IS NOT FOR YOU" AND STUFF. LAST NIGHT WE ATTENDED A CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN ROCK AND ROLL CHURCH! IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, AND MUCH LIKE A CONCERT. AND THE MUSICIANS WERE ALL PRETTY DANG GOOD. WE ARE ALLOWED TO GO TO OTHER CHURCHES SO SOME TIME WE MIGHT GO TO A HOLINESS CHURCH, I THINK IT'S CALLED, WHERE THEY HANDLE RATTLESNAKES. APPARENTLY IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH FAITH THE SNAKE CAN'T HURT YOU, BUT PEOPLE DIE THERE SOMETIMES. THE FAITHLESS DIE, THAT IS. EVERYONE WE TALK TO ALREADY HAS A CHURCH USUALLY SO IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO BRAZIL AS FAR AS A BELIEF IN CHRIST, BUT LOTS OF THE PEOPLE HERE ACTUALLY ATTEND THEIR CHURCHES REGULARLY.

WE GET TO MOVE TODAY INTO AN APARTMENT WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKING ELDERS IN THE AREA, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A WASHER AND DRYER YET BUT WE'RE HOPING WE'LL FIND ONE.

SO ANYWAYS I GUESS I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE VARIETY OF SOME OF OUR INVESTIGATORS. THERE'S THIS GUY RANDALL, WHO IS REALLY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING COMMITMENTS AND READS PRAYS, IS CURRENTLY QUITTING SMOKING, ALWAYS GOES TO CHURCH, FEELS THE SPIRIT, ETC. THEN THERE'S THIS ETERNAL INVESTIGATOR, THE ONE LEGGED SMOKER WHO DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH WHO LIVES WITH HER MEXICAN "BOYFRIEND" WHO DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. WE HAVEN'T BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON HER, BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KEEP HER COMMITMENTS. [photo: "At least THEY keep their commitments!"]  

THEN THERE'S THIS COOL BLACK GUY WHO WE JUST GOTTA GET HIM TO TAKE A SUNDAY OFF AND COME TO CHURCH. HIS BEST FRIEND HAS AN "OLD PERSON CAR" WITH 26" RIMS. NO JOKE. AND OUR BEST INVESTIGATOR IS A LADY WHO CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY, TERESA, AND SHE HAS HAD AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE WITH THE GOSPEL SO FAR. SHE IS MUCH HAPPIER THAN WHEN ELDER CHUGG FIRST MET HER, AND SHE RECOGNIZES HOW MUCH JOY FOLLOWING GOSPEL STANDARDS HAS BROUGHT HER. WE HAVE HAD THE MOST SPIRITUAL LESSONS WITH HER, AND IT IS JUST AWESOME TO KNOW THAT WE'RE TOOLS IN GOD'S HANDS TO HELP HER LIFE SO MUCH. WE ALSO VISIT LOTSA PART MEMBER/LESS ACTIVE FAMILIES.

I LIKE BEING A MISSIONARY, AND NOTHING UNCOMFORTABLE OR ANNOYING OR HARD EVEN MATTERS. SOMETIMES IT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT I JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT AS LONG AS I'M DOING MY BEST IT'S OK WHATEVER HAPPENS. LIKE MY OWN DISCOMFORT, OR LIKE INVESTIGATORS NOT USING THEIR AGENCY THE WAY THEY SHOULD. IT'S THEIR CHOICE WHAT THEY DO, AND IF WE DO ALL WE CAN, WELL.. WE DID ALL WE COULD.

THANKS GUYS I PRAY FOR YOU TOO. HAVE FUN ON YOUR TRIP AND I'LL WRITE AGAIN NEXT WEEK!

LOVE YOU GUYS TOO, I GUESS [that's Jon!!]