Harrah for Isreal 02-20-08

I have some way amazing news. My comp and I had our first challenge for baptism. My companion and I had a freaking amazing week. We were told by our President to try our hardest to get 15 lessons a week. Sometimes it’s kind of hard to get those 15 lessons but this week we blew it out of the water with 27 lessons and 19 books passed out it was so amazing. I loved this last week it was so much fun and I have been writing in my journal every day so I will never forget this week. I have found out ugly thick polyester ties are like gold up here and so are some nice silks. I am always looking to Goodwill for some for bartering material. I am speaking at church on Sunday in one ward and I spoke in our other ward last Sunday. SO, I guess they like me or something.

Thoughts from letter 02-14-08

We had another cold couple of days this week where it was below -40 but it is warming up and has been like + 2 and 4 the last few days so that’s really helping out. Our cars were actually grounded for today because of the snow and cold so I don’t have much time to write today. Everything we need to do on our P-day will have to be done on foot. I have been trying my hardest to keep exercising but I don’t do it every day but I’m still staying in pretty good shape so far. I’m almost back up to weighing 170 pounds but all my clothes are still fitting fine so I’m not too worried. The food here has been really good as you can probably tell by me gaining weight already. I’m very sad to say that there is no Panda Express in Canada. The only places I have really seen and been able to go eat is like McDonalds and A and W, so not a lot of choices. Yes I have been cooking for myself for two out of the three meals and I’m not the best at it yet but I’m getting better. Well I hope I have answered some questions you might have.

Thoughts from letter 02-06-08

I have been pretty busy lately but I love every minute of my days they are so much fun. Teaching the gospel is a blast and it’s been going by pretty fast as well. My companion and I have been working really hard but I think Satan has been too because all of our appointments have not been going through and it sucks but that’s ok we will just work harder. About the heat, let’s just say our high has been your low. Today is the hottest it’s been for a while and its only 1 degree Celsius so like 34 Fahrenheit.

Thoughts from letter 01-30-08

Monday was the coldest day I have ever had in my entire life!!!!!!!! We woke up in the morning and knew it was going to be cold and so we checked and it was -51 degrees outside with the wind-chill!! oh and that is Celsius so it was really like -59 degrees F. We went to zone conference like we had planned and luckily our car started and we got there safely. Guess who I saw when I walked into the church? Elder Jason Turner from back home in Idaho! He is serving right next to me in a different zone but we talked a lot and he is doing really good and he goes home in September so I hope I get to serve with him before that. I told President Pryday I wanted to. Wednesdays are my P-day and yesterday (Tuesday) was actually the second coldest day of my life it was -46 and today it is like -41 and those are all Celsius so add a few more degrees and that is what it is in Fahrenheit at -40 C and F meet. So about President Hinckley passing away. I heard about it like five or ten minutes after it happened and we were one of the very first elders or people to know about it because we were over at our ward mission leaders house and his cousin or nephew works in Salt Lake so we got a call at like 7:10 that night and he died at 7 so it was kind of cool how fast the news was spreading but it was so sad and I feel really bad for the next President because they will have some huge shoes to fill. The funeral is Saturday and we have permission to go to the church and watch it so I think we will unless we have an appointment to go to.

Thoughts from letter 01-23-08

My first week in the mission field has been awesome. I have handed out three Books of Mormon and given two lessons already. The weather isn't so bad, we have had two kind of chilly days. they were -30 and -35 degrees Celsius. I love my mission president. I talked to him last night on the phone. He wanted to talk to me for some reason but he was saying that my companion has been saying really good stuff about me already and he wanted to congratulate me and I'm really not sure what the real reason he called for but he just asked how I was doing and told me to keep up the good work. My companion said one night to me that he was very impressed with how well I know the lessons and am able to teach them. He said I know them better than a lot of older missionaries to. So that was good. So about my companion (my dad/trainer) he is really amazing. I enjoy working with him. His name is Dane Jensen and he is from Fresno California and has only been out 7 1/2 months and he is already a DL and a trainee and he was DL in that same area last transfer to so I really lucked out with a great guy for my first companion. WORKING HARD WITH NO REGRETS!

The Eagle has landed in Canada 01-17-08

I love it here. The city is great. I am actually serving in north Calgary right now so it’s pretty cool. It really reminds me of Idaho so much its flat with farm land but then its the big city so that’s a little different. I am going tracting right now and try to place my first Book of Mormon.

Thoughts from letter 01-10-08

Christmas was good. Elder Perry came to talk to us for Christmas. After, my companion and I got to shake his hand. I fly out on January 15, 2008. In the MTC we get to work in the referral center. One of the ladies I spoke with one night had lost 4 family members in 62 days. We talked for a half an hour about how families can be together forever. It was an amazing experience. Oh, I bore my testimony on Sunday for our branch. The branch president thanked me afterwards.

Thoughts from letter 01-01-08

I have seen alot of kids that I know. I saw Brogan the second day I was here and I saw Jeff Lowe. He just barley left a few days ago.

There have been kids come up to me and start talking to me from Burley, Buhl, and Gooding. Ii didn't even know any of them. I was so surprised when they came up to me and started talking about football and wrestling. I just smiled and played along, but, they knew who I was andeverything so that was kinda cool. Tell everyone hi and I am doing great.

Thoughts from letter on 12-23-07

We weren't supposed to come to the MTC on December 26 but they decided to move us up so it wasn't so close to Christmas. So, my release date right now is December 29, 2009. The MTC is so great, the spirit is so strong. I love my companion and my roommates. One of my roommates is Elder Everett. HE is Jordan Maxwell's friend from Utah.

My actual companion is Elder Virgin.