September 10, 2012

I heard about Utah's game and about Wynn getting injured again with his same shoulder. I am kinda tired with him getting injured. This had to happen the week before the Holy War. At least I am on my mission for this game because it doesn't look to good now.

 

Tyler's baptism was amazing. I could not believe how many people showed up! We had that room packed. It was literally one of the happiest days of my life. I love that kid so much. You know how they say you come on your mission for one person especially? Well Tyler was that person for me, and it was for my sake more than his. He is such an awesome dude and we are the best of friends now. The baptism was super spiritual though. We had a ton of non-members there and it was amazing. Just over all a huge plus experience.

 

We get members to come play basketball with us all the time also here. Not so much anymore though because school has started and they all have to be there Monday. I hate the days we play baseball though because it is so hot outside and well it's baseball. You remember me playing little league? Well my skill level hasn't changed much since then.

 

Scriptures wise I am trying to finish the old testament still. I stopped for awhile and focused on the BoM but now I am back into it. I am in 1 Samuel and reading about David and Saul. I was thinking that it would be a cool movie to have about David's life. Shoot it like 300 and stuff. Ha ha. We have zone conference tomorrow and we are doing a huge service project for it. We are painting the fences for a horse trail in our area. The press is going to be there and everything. We are super pumped.

 

I did feel those earthquakes I have been in 5 of them now. They only last like 3-5 seconds top so they aren't that scary. By the time you realize what is happening they are gone. They are cool though, it is like being on a roller coaster and not knowing when the drop is coming ha ha.

 

Love you dad, thanks so much for everything.

September 4, 2012

That is too bad about the missionary that went home. It most likely was for things that happened before he went on his mission. That happens a lot more than you think. Tyler thank goodness is getting baptized for sure this Saturday. I can not tell you how happy and how thrilled I am about that. Tyler has grown to be one of my closest friends out here. He is definitely one that I will keep in touch with a lot after my mission. He is such a cool guy and I am so happy that he is getting baptized. His mom is still unhappy though but we finally got her signature to do it.

 

I do remember that game. (Utah game when ESPN was there) That was a really fun pre-game. I remember also helping you out with tracking down all the bootleg merchandise and helping you run the store in the tailgating parking lot. Those were really fun days. I can not wait to go to another Utah game. Hopefully they will be really good by the time I get back and be able to get a ton of good freshman because they are in a better conference now. I hope A&M wins. I can not believe that Urban went to the buckeyes though, traitor. Elder Jackson my good friend out here is from Michigan and a huge Michigan fan so he hates Ohio State ha ha.

 

I heard that Mitt gave a really good speech to the Republican convention. People here in Orange County are super super Republican. They all are behind Mitt a lot. I am not so sure about the rest of the state of California though ha ha.

 

I love you dad thanks for everything. Why do I need a new debit card?

Mom,

Sorry that I haven't been sharing much. I have just changed a lot. Training has let me look at how I have changed. I have stopped counting the days I have left if that makes sense. I don't like want to come home anymore but I do at the same time. I have adapted to the mission life and found out what kind of missionary I am. This is just how I live my life now. It doesn't bug me anymore that I can't watch T.V. or do things like that. It is just kinda how it is now. So like stuff that happens that would seem cool to you guys is just normal to me now. This is how I live my life now. I will try and write more though.

 

Jess and me are fine, she wrote me for my birthday which was nice. You definitely can send her my e-mails I am sure that she really appreciates it. We are still good to go though as far as I can tell ha ha which is a really good thing because I still love her :)

 

Tell the girls that they are doing too much. I did like one thing and that was band and I even felt like that took up too much time. I don't know how they are doing like sixteen things at once.

 

I haven't lost any weight because I have gained it all back on in muscle .My legs are big now and my g-s ride up all the time because they won' t stay down because my legs are too big ha ha. My butt is getting big also. First time in my life I have had a butt. Here is a funny story for you. We were at the Harri's me Elder Jackson, Elder Healey and Elder Hoch. We were doing service for him and we decided that we wanted to do a four person push up. Well I sat down on the couch to get ready for it and my cargo shorts ripped. Now  I mean ripped. I will send you a picture with the flashdrive. It was really funny. I felt kinda proud actually because of my rippling muscles ha ha.

 

I did get the dear elder package thank you. I do need new flip flops though... mine broke and I like to wear them on P-day because it is the only day that I get to wear them. My Mission President is a good man. He holds the keys over this mission and holds them well.

 

Me and Elder Healey have been praying really hard for someone to teach. Tyler is getting baptized this Saturday and so after that we are going to need more investigators. We are committing the members to help us with missionary work. To find us someone to teach in two weeks. It is a really short time but Bishop and President promised us that it could happen. Two men with Priesthood keys. It is working out okay. Some families are really offended by us asking them that. We honestly can't do anything without the members help. No one listens to us, we are treated like salesman and can't connect with people because of the lifestyle that we have to live. That is why members need to find us people to teach because they can do all that and still be in the lessons with us and bear powerful testimony which means so much more coming from a friend that you love and respect. That is why you have to help out our missionaries there and find them someone to teach.

 

I love you mom, thank you for everything that you do. Time is flying really fast out here now and I am sure that I will be home before I know it. I love you so much.

August 27, 2012

So here is a list of questions. I want EVERY single one answered :)

1. Tell me everything and I mean everything that you got for your birthday? People keep wondering if you got their packages and I said I would tell them.

I got way to much for my birthday. I got the Hunsaker's package and I got your giant big one with my pillow and shirt. Thank you for that. The money in the streamers was very clever also :). I have gotten a couple letters from family also like Aunt LaRae and Teri also.  

2. How is your companion?

Elder Healey and me are good. I always get the companions that like to sing though..... a lot..... all the time.... But other then that we get along just fine.

3. Investigators? Hows the work going?

Tyler may be baptized this Saturday fingers crossed. So much legal trouble and crazy mom stuff has pushed it back. Tyler is like one of my best friends now and I will not go home or leave this area till I see him baptized. We got a new investigator also. Daniel Lopez is his name and he is pretty cool. Definitely a truth seeker so hoping for a baptism there.  

4. Funny story that happened lately?

 Can't really think of one.

5. Found your keys?

Yes we did thank goodness. 

6. Do we have the flash drive or do you? Should I buy another one so that we arent' always waiting. I WANT PICTURES!!

I'm sending it this week. 

7. I keep seeing pics on Facebook of Elder Kenning and the missionaries he works with. You are never in them. Do you never see each other? How come you aren't ever with a whole bunch of missionaries, like he is in some of the pics?

Um I am around other missionaries all the time. I have tons of pics around other missionaries.  

8. Let me know if you need anything at all?

Deodorant and solution 

9. Are you eating well???? Are you taking care of yourself?

Yes but members need to stop feeding me Mexican food I don't think that my digestive system can take much more of this. 

10. How are your allergies? Face?

Both are fine

Hey Dad,

Tell Logan that the U of U is the best freakin places on the planet and he should go even though their baseball team sucks ha ha. I like Alma chapter 5. What is your favorite chapter in the BoM? Mine is Alma chapter 36, a lot about repentance. I love reading that one with investigators when I explain the atonement. Thank you for all the birthday gifts. You guys are too nice. I really appreciated them. I love you dad.

Connor

August 20, 2012

Hi mom,

 

I got the two packages. Thank you so much for everything. I am sure glad that all this Spider-man merchandise is out now because of the movie. Lined up perfectly for my birthday ha ha. 

 

I never get to sleep in ha ha. Elder Jackson and the guys though held a little party for me Saturday though. They baked me a Spider-man cake and bought me a Spider-man blanket and stuffed animal. They are really good guys. I'll have pictures coming of it. I do get to play basketball on my birthday that is really cool. Looking forward to that. The Hanses had a birthday breakfast for me yesterday. They are a really cool family in our ward that have a son on a mission also. They made me stuffed french toast it was really good! Other then that Things have been pretty normal. Just doing the same old routine. The members don't really know that it is my b day though because I would feel weird and they would feel like they would have to do something special. I don't feel any different just normal ha ha. Still feel a little immature still and have a bad sense of humor lol. But I guess I am not a teenager anymore, finally making my way to adulthood and responsibility. Yeah!!! That is exactly what I want ha ha. I love you guys thank you for everything. Love you mom and thank you for everything.

 

Hi dad,

 

Miss you a lot wish I could see you today also. Luckily it is P-day today so I get to play ball on my birthday. Ha ha I remember the pirate party and how you hid a ticking time thing in a stuffed crocodile except it wasn't a crocodile it was more of like a Godzilla ha ha. We had to go look for it also. Then everybody walked to the plank to give me presents. That was a fun birthday party.

 

 I had no idea that you actually didn't have enough money to buy me a new bike. I thought that you were just teaching me a lesson that crap happens to you and you have to deal with it yourself. Well if anything I learned a life lesson out of the experience. 

 

The guys here have been awesome. By guys I mean Elder Jackson and his trainie. They got some presents for me and baked me a cake. Brad from the card shop gave me some free comics for my birthday. Jackson and them got me a Spider-man blanket and stuffed animal ha ha. Thank you for all the stuff you got me. I really appreciate your pacages. I love you guys so much.

 

Connor

August 12, 2012

Well I definitely have learned how to live on my own a little better. Definitely learned how to manage my time and study effectively. I have learned a lot of life skills and lesson since I have been out here. Mostly how to deal with people and problems. I have been my happiest when I have been with other missionaries and been able to feel that brotherhood. Also with members. I love meeting new people and love telling them about the gospel especially when they will actually listen ha ha. My struggles have just been your average day to day things: waking up on time, studying for the full two hours, coming home at 9 and not 8:30, going and seeing the people that need to be seen and not that I want to see, and just anything really.

 

My companions name is Elder Healey. I think that Bishop thought it was someone different maybe. He sent me like a ward program with notes all scribbled on it. Kinda cool I guess...... That is so awful about Nate. People can be harsh to the missionaries. That is why I am taking self defense classes from members in our ward. I am going to be the next karate kid running around john woo style. Heaaaa YAH!!!!

 

Good for Cori glad that she is doing something. Hopefully her boyfriend will convert. But holy crap Lance got married. That is crazy, can't wait to see what he looks like. Dang, well good for him. I have lots of funny memories of when we were kids.

 

I really can't believe that Papa sold the store. What about John? Did they sell their parts too? Who did they sell it to? A corporate junkie who wants big business in that small town? Are they going to bulldoze it to put a shopping mall in there? We'll picket it if they do!!!! I don't think that it'll sink in till I go up there and visit them that they sold it. I still remember the little video section they had before they remodeled it ha ha. I use to always go there and get movies to watch.

 

I haven't gotten any packages yet. Maybe I'll get them Thursday. Also did you order a Family Life magazine subscription for me? Because every month I get one now and I didn't order that.

 

Exchanges or trades with other missionaries happen once a transfer (six weeks) with your leaders. With me right now it happens with our District Leader. Transfers are happening this next monday also but because I am training I will stay in this area. I will probably leave though after this next transfer is done because I will have been here for six months and on my mission for a year. Our investigators are still kinda struggling right now but we are going to be doing a lot of finding this week. Hopefully we will be able to find at least one new investigator.

 

Thanks for everything you guys. I love you so much and miss you guys.