Elder Corbin Moore-- September 4, 2012

Subject: Conquer the Bridge

       Greetings from California! Well what a surprise yet again, I had a busy week. It was really good with a lot of activities jam-packed into one small week. We started off the week with some more meetings in our zone, so that we could get our zone goal up and running. I turned out pretty well but had to have another meeting before the end of the week to finalize everything. We also we informed at the beginning of the the week, that our date for President Interviews was moved up. So everyone in the zone had interviews and we had to do all the coordination of getting everyone there on time, at their scheduled time. Overall it was a successful day, that finish off greatly. On Tuesday I was on splits in other area working with one of our District Leaders, it was a really good day. I was able to sit down to a good home cooked meal with them, and while I was there I was talking to one of the in-active daughters who is now and atheist. I was able to bring some really good points with her, and to answer the questions that she had for me. I hope that she can see the blessing of the gospel, and the light that she is missing without it. Then Thursday night rolled around and I was asked if I could give a training in District meeting the following day. Of course I said yes and was able to prepare a good training about setting goals. Hopefully everyone learned something new, because I know I do everytime that I am giving a training. On Friday I was back on splits with other set of elders. I was with one of the new missionaries that just arrived this transfer. He is from New Zealand and is a great missionary. I was so great to see the "Greenie Fire", or so they call it. He was so ready to share the gospel with everyone. We had a really successful day, talked to alot of people and were able to find four new investigators, hopefully we can beginning teaching all of them. We are still looking for new investigators so whoever we can find is wonderful. I was also able to return back to my old area to see A. get baptized. She asked me to speak at her baptism. I was super weird because it was in Spanish, and I haven't spoken Spanish for what seems like forever. It was nice to be able to see her and her two daughters, K and K Who by the way, should be getting baptized soon. We will see what happens.

       Well I had a couple of interesting opportunities this past week. The first happened last Monday after I had written the email and everything. Elder Takogawa and I had the opportunity to go to Vicente Point, which is like this old lighthouse on the cliffs. We took some pictures and really had a blast. Then for one of the nights this week we were able to eat with one of the members that lives basically on the coast. It was so kewl to be able to eat dinner and to see Catalina Island of in the distance through the haze. The other really kewl opportunity that we had was to do a service project this morning. We woke up at 4 20 and headed down to the.....Long Beach Bridge....I think that what the name was. Anyway they were having their annual race on the bridge. So they shut down the bridge from like four in the morning to 11. We were able to work up on the bridge and cheer on all the runners and put down huge mats, on the grates. It was a super good view. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me.

        Well I'm glad to hear that everything is going well back home. I bet the boys are excited to get back to school. I remember when I was in school, and it was summer. August just dragged on and I wanted to go back. Then school would roll around and I would want to have a break again. Well I hope that everything goes well for them. Bernie, good luck with the football stuff. Remember if you want to be the best, you have to think like the best, act like the best, train like the best, practice like the best, play like the best, BE the best. Keep it up. Work hard and it pays off. Thomas Eddison didn't make a light bulb in one try. In fact he failed many, many times. And when he was asked about his failures. He would reply,"I didn't fail, I just learned one more way not to make a lightbulb." When the going gets tough, the tough better get going. Peace out.

 

Con Amor Elder Moore

 

Everything.Happens.For.A.Reason

There.Is.No.Such.Thing.As.Coincidence

Elder Matthew Whittle-- September 4, 2012

Que Pachuca por taluca mis Chapines! haha

 

La palabra corriente quiere decir current, y arrastrar quiere decir, take away. So remember a shrimp that sleeps, the current takes him away:) Es un dicho en espanol que quiere decir como si alguien no hace algo, las cosas del mundo le controlan. Hay otro dicho bien chistoso: Con paciencia y saliva le hizo el amor, un elefante a una hormiga. haha

 

Things have been going great here. Elder Hall is doing really well. I'm surprised how well he already speaks spanish. He took I think 6 years in school so he already knows it pretty well. The work has been progressing a lot in our area. We have a couple people with fechas bautismales so things are going great! Our district here is awesome too. I've never had a district so unified as I have here. We do conference calls at night, so like a three way call so everyone can talk and we talk about the miracles we all saw during the day. It's really neat. We had a super fun district activity too. We made a cabin out of cardboard and dressed up as cowboys and indians, and made tipees (Spelling?). It was awesome haha. Then we made tin foil dinners, ate cactus, and mexican candy, queso fresco. It was so fun haha. I'll have to send you some pictures of it.

 

Man Jake's already gettin married?! That's crazy. It's really weird to hear about all that stuff. That's cool that you saw Kaleigh. Tell her Hola por mi! That's good that megs and el Chapin are going to be closer to yall. And yes that was a brilliant idea to put all of her stuff in the toyhauler. I know what it's like to live with an older person. It's great! They always brighten up yur day. In Del Mar we lived with a 96 year old senior. He was awesome!

 

I can't believe Kyle is already done. I remember when he left. Time goes by way to fast. Justin Christensen and Caleb Weeks are going to be done super soon as well. How was Kyle's homecoming talk?

 

Wellp I'll try to get some pictures off soon. Love you all. Gracias por todo! Que esten bien! Adios

 

Con Amor,

Elder Witle!

Elder Taylor Ferguson-- August 30, 2012

Family how are you doing?!?!

 

 

 

I have been looking all over for my Patriarchal blessing but cannot find that/ or my big preach my gospel. so if you could at least send my p blessing i'd be super greatful.

 

 

 

 

my travel information is as follows:

 

Flight from SLC, to Orlando leaves at 9:45 A.M. on Monday the 3rd. we leave the MTC at 6:00 on monday morning. so i'll probabally call somwhere between 8:00 and 9:15, so be ready. and then from then on i'll be two hours ahead in orlandoooooooooo!

 

i'm pretty much over my cold, except for at night when i cough myself to sleep, and the morning when i'm super plugged up :)

 

i've sent the ritterb's a rather jolly drawing, hopefully she'll share it with everyone, it really "illustrates" what we (missionaries) are all about. but not really we're more about "inviting others to come unto christ" than what is in the photo. that is just a flippin sweet byproduct.

 

1st things first. WHAT.THE.CRAP. You can't just say a brotha (steve)is in the E.R. and not say why!!!!!! not to mention i've recieved multiple letters and photo's since talking about it. and yet i still know nothing!!!! is he gunna be blind????? did he get stung? hit in the eye by a big burley chick? get hit by a golf ball, eat a nut and develop and allergy??? do you see my frustration!!??

 

Hope your ok broseph

 

time for me here has gone by way fast too, it seems like i showed up, had a really long first 2 days, then the rest blend to where i am today, it's crazy talk. i'm kinda glad i'm not learnign a language, it'd be supes tough to stay here for 9-12 weeks. hahah

 

i'm so glad brooke said yes, last time we talked she seemed kind of into some other guy. I don't remember his name but i'm pretty sure it was someone other than Zach hahahah jk i'm so happy for you guys!!!!!!!! P.S. Brooke, once you go through the temple you'll almost be as richous as me...not quite...but kinda close. hahaha jk i'm really so happy fo real!

 

Thanks for the photo's and calling cards, i loved them, i'll try to work down the list as i make calls, but just be ready.

 

Oh, and thanks again for the sewing kit, it's super rad, i'm about to go use it to fix my pocket, i still have to pack all my crap so i'm kinda not looking forward to that, but it's alright, i'm ready to get outta here.

 

I sent y'all another s.d. card so hope you like the content of that.

 

i dunno if i told you about the musicisions we have in our room, but we have these 2 elders who one plays the tin whistle/penny whistle/ little recorder thing that's super rad, so every night i beg him to play me Lord of the Rings Tunes, but it's bad cause it makes me super sad i'm missing the hobbits parts 1-3!!!!!! but it's ok it's quite glorious. THen the other who is 1/2 navajo, 1/2 comanche. plays his native american double chamber flute it's so pretty, it's great, so everynight as we lay down to sleep they serenade(don't really care about spelling) us, it's da bomb.

 

but i've had so many spiritual experiences since i've been here it's hard to decide even where to begin. but i think one of the simplest yet profound things i've realized is that for these investigators baptism isn't about joining the church. it's about following christs example and following the commandments we have been given by god that are nessisary to return to him. and another thing i love, that i knew about before, but didn't really pay much attention to is the fact that we all chose to be here. we dind't follow satan. we chose the right (no pun intended, p.s. please look for my black CTR ring and send it to me if possible, or hook me up with one, that'd be great. thanks) way to go about things, which was to come to earth, and get our bodies, use our agency to put off the natural man, just like it says in mosiah (8:somethin i believe but i don't have my scriptures right here, so go find it) that is one of my favorite scriptures, p.s. what one is on my plack?? did we ever talk about that?? if we don't have one let me know and i'll hook you up with a few of my favorites.) and continue to choose the right, and follow god's commandments so we can fulfill the plan of happieness, and be in Spirit paradise until the second coming then can continue on in following christs example!

 

i love you all, expecially you momma stay strong, know i'm doing fine. I can't even begin to explain how greatful i am for you dad, grand ma g pa, and all my other adultly mentors in life for pushing me to better myself and do the things that are hard. because just since i've been here i have gotten a tsaste of how hard it will really be when i'm out there, and thank you for teaching me how to work. there are so many people here who have no idea how to work and i wanna slap 'em, but i have christs name on my nametag so i don't. i take the tag off then slap 'em. jk but i'm trying to be a good example for'em. A'las i'm out o' time, like i wrote you earlier in the week, try to write me the reply to this so i can know what i'm going to say to maximize/ STREAMLINE my emails hahaha

Elder Corbin Moore-- Aug 27, 2012

WOW!!! I can't even begin to express how fast this week has gone. I can hardly recall what happened. We have been so busy running here and there, and before we know it, it is time to return to the apartment and plan for the next day. So yeah we have been keeping ourselves pretty busy. We have been out in the streets a lot lately talking to everyone that crosses our path. Just out here looking for the Lord's elect, and we are going to find them too. Well I honestly can't remember what happened this week, other than a bunch of meetings. Stake report meetings, baptismal interviews, baptisms, zone leadership meetings, mission leadership trainings, district meetings. I don't think that I have been to this many meetings in my life. Well I have to go but I will hopefully have a better email next week. Hope that everything is going well for everyone one.

Con Amor

Elder Moore

Elder Garrett Allen-- August 27, 2012

Dear Fam,

YAYAYAYAYAYA!!!!! She made it haha. I am glad that she is married and her dance party rocked!!!! it sounds like a success. That is totally the type of wedding that I want to have but I am never getting married so lets be serious haha. I totally am not good enough for this whole marriage thing haha. Honestly marriage is something important and I now that. I have some talks by Bruce R monckie that are rocking. He seems to talk a lot about the good old temple marriage. I have learned a lot now about the importance of the temple now. One of my favorite quotes is from Bruce where he says that " one of the most important things is marrying the right person, at the right time, under the right authority!" He knows what is up. He gives a sweet talk about how to find a spouse and how you should go about the process of doing it. So yea that is what I study now haha. The bible has gotten boring in spanish haha. Maybe I will jump back to the book of mormon. Anyways enough with the rambling and lets jump into the letter for this week haha.

So yea, It is crazy to think that I have been gone only 8 months and I already have two new nieces and a brother-in-law to get to know. Hopefully my whole family isn´t all over the place by this time and I can actually do that. Family is super important and something that we need to treasure. That is one of the sucky things about be the youngest in the family. You get to watch everyone else go out and leave and you are the last one to do anything haha. Hopefully we can all get together sometime again after my mission. I think that a Disney land trip would be justified haha.

So this week has been a pretty good week. We had interviews with the President and that was an adventure. I still don´t really know what happened. He just said a lot of stuff and I got really lost about what he was talking about. It wasn´t because he was speaking another language it was more because he was jumping around a lot and say a lot of things that were out of context but besides that it was good haha. President is a stud. He may not be my favorite person but he was called by god to lead this mission and he knows more then I do so there is that. I just need to follow his counsel and trust in God. You know basically the things that I am not the best at haha. You know that I am stubborn as a mule haha. But yea it was good. Also this week I have been declared has Argentino from my comp. He has now decide that it is in my blood haha. I also am a little unsure what that means but what can you do haha. So a fun story for this week happened this sunday. My comp and I were at are baptism and I left my bag in the sacrament room and got things already. During this time the Bishops children got into my bag and stole coins from me. Like 2 or 3 peso. nothing to big. They can to me and were saying that they had my coins but I didn´t really understand because I was busy and had no idea what they were talking about. Later that night I opened up my bag to find that my coins were gone and that is when it all fit in. So the next day was Sunday and I talked to the Mom. I just wanted her to get a laugh from it and enjoy how her kinds robbed a white guy haha but she needed up taking it way seriously and called her kids over and we had little discussion right there haha. It was great. A Agnry women from argentina talking to her kids is awesome. Something that you just have to see to understand haha. It was had to be serious and not laugh when she was trying to teach her kids a lesson haha. I know that is probably awful but what can you do haha. 

So the mission is going great! I am glad that work is starting up again and that the kids are in school. I have no idea how Craig is going to do school, work and have a daughter but I know that he can do it haha. Good luck Bro haha! I give a big huge and a huge hello from good old Argentina. The work is moving forward. The rock has been cut out of the mountain and it is moving forward with an unstoppable force! I am still a live and kicking it haha. Also Happy birthday to StacyAnn and happy wedding day! You guys are in my heart and in my prayers. I love you all fam and friends! Take care of your self and until next week. Nos Vemos. Les quiero.

Elder Allen (aka, garrett)

LOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.s. if you have sent me a package you got to tell me what is in it please haha. Also yea. take care!!!! Also there are photos. I dont know if you got the ones from last week. Tell me if you didn´t

Elder Taylor Ferguson-- Aug 23, 2012 (Yea!!! First Email)

Hello Family,

Thanks for getting me Elder Whittles address, if i could get Elder Moor's that'd be great too.

I was aware it was Pres Monsons B-Day on tuesday night, because at that night's fireside Elder Neil L. Anderson came and Spoke to us, on the some of Pres monsons favorite things. And we actually Sang happy birthday to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was great, they put a picture of Pres monsons face on the projectors and that was what we sang too hahaha

I don't have time to say much about this, but Elder Anderson said this "whom the lord Calls- He Qualifies" when he said this it was a huge comfort to me, because of the lacking scriptorian i am. i'll write more about the talk next time (if possible) it was really really cool.

Elder Potter is going to FOM (nice accro) and he's super great like i said, you can see if Bronch will share her letter i sent to her on WED night. It has a more diffinitive explination of him.If there was a picture of just 1 missionary it'd be him.

 i'll have more on the way soon, but i'd really like if you guys could send me some photo's of eli (like real ones, not on the camera) because the ones you took wouldn't convert over, so i couldn't look at them on my camera. and if you want you could just send that digital picture frame, i have so much extra room in my suitcases, and it'd be nice to have that to look through. but it's "whateber" (nacho, my whole district loved that movie so we quote it allllll the time.) but the thing our district quotes the most is for sure tommy boy! everything here is so much funnier here (at least to me, probabally because I miss funny Pics!)

Like i said in one of the letters i wrote, (i think bronte's) there are 10 people in my district 7 are going to FOM, and 3 are going to PITT. then in the other district that came in the same day as us, there are 12 ppl, and 10 are going to FOM as well. One is Elder Allred from Farmington, and that one Elder Duffy is the one from that "Zions Merchantile" store. The 4 elders that were in our room when we got here (the ZL's) were headed to Denmark, and were all really great, and really good examples. But they left Monday morning (like 3:30 A.M.) so Elder Potter and I have had our rooom to ourselves for a few days. but yesterday we got our new roomies, they are also all going to denmark, they are pretty funny dudes, and one is Full blooded Native American!!!!!! 1/2 Navajo, 1/2 Comanche!  and his confirmation to go on a mission came throught a Bet, and a Jones soda bottle Cap! i'll tell you about it later if you remind me. it's way cool.

Thanks for the hollistic medicines (i don't know if they really are, but i wanted to say that) i actually bought some of that alka seltzer (just some individual packs) and it really helped, so thanks Dad!! like i told bronte I got sick on Saturday, with a sore throat, then sunday a nasty cold (with all the symptoms), but by monday it was just a sore throat. And tuesday/wed pretty much just had no voice (which made it difficult to teach, but forced me to slow down (a lot) and really let the spirit teach. so maybe i'ts a good thing) and today it's pretty much all gone, i have a small cough, and my voice is pretty much back. SO MOM DON'T WORRY! and thanks for the Vit. C Elder Potter is a super health nut/germaphobe, so i'll be alright.

WAY TO GO STEVE! hahaha i'm glad someone is doing it! how is golf???

Madi i really badly wanted to get a card from here and send it to you but i wansn't able to get one in time, so hope you can forgive me, "Happy AgE?ing/ Aging"

BROOOOOKE. Where is the heads up???

JK im really happy/ excited for you.

Ive seen Elder Hav. a few times, but i see Elder Scovel a bunch. Sorry im about out of time.

Love you all a lot and write me ton's please it helps keep me going!!!!!!

P.S. ask me about Zone Teaching.(it's my favorite spiritual Experiance i've had yet!!!, sorry about spelling i'm focused on Quanity, not as much quality with this. So excuse i hahahahahah. "RAS TRENT" look it up, lonely island!

Elder Matthew Whittle--Aug 21, 2012

Que Pachuca Por Taluka!

 

Eso quiere decir como Que Honda. It's just another way to say What's up. It's slang. And I do recognize that picture of Mission Viejo. I drive past that lake a couple times a week. It's really nice. I almost feel like I'm in Utah again with all the big mountains. It's kind of weird. It's a nice place though.

 

Things have been going great here. I found my license! It was really cool. We said a prayer, Elder Hall and I, And then we started looking for it. I ransaked the whole appartment looking for it as well as the car, but no luck. So then we stopped at the main office to our appartment complex, and asked the manager if I by chance left it when I checked in. He looked and said he couldn't find it. So I kept looking in the Apartment for the next day or two, but still no luck. Well we kept praying to find it, and for some reason I just felt like we needed to go back to the main office, ask them if they had seen it, and if they hadn't I needed to ask them to make a copy of the copy they had made when we checked in. So we went back. He checked again and didn't find it. So I asked him to make a copy. So he made the copy, and then grabbed some siccors out of a drawer to cut out the copied license. He gave me the copy and we started to walk out. As we were walking out the door, he said hey wait up! He had the license in his hand. When he went to put the siccors back into the drawer he saw my license sitting there. It was awesome! Talk about getting an answer to your prayers. The cool thing that I learned is that we have to do everything we possibly can and then a little more, and then the Lord helps us out. As missionaries if we want the Lord to help our investigators have a change of heart, an answer to our prayers, so they can take the steps of faith repentance and baptism, we have to do all we can to help them first. I definitely have a testimony of that.

 

So what's this thing with Josh!? You can't say something like that and then not tell me what it is! haha Why do you enjoy torturing me;) haha I can't wait to here from him. I have his picture along with corbster, tan tan, y trude on my study desk right in front of me:)

 

Elder Hall is from Mountain Home Idaho. He's doing awesome. We're having a lot of fun together. He's a good guy. I'll make sure to take some good pictures. I'll try and send you some more soon as well. We played soccer today but no pics....:/ sorrito! I'll see what I can do about that, and yes that is the Creme soda tree haha. It smelled delicous!

 

Wellp thanks for the package y todo. It was nice to get! Love you all. Cuidense mucho! Que Esten Bien!

 

Con Amor,

Elder Witle