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Monday, August 12, 2013

Mission Letter Week 4 - 12 August 2013

This is Elder Nine’s mom.  First, there is no letter for "Week 3" because Elder Nine was traveling that day to the Mission Field.

Next: Some short explanations, in order that you may better understand our crazy family:  This was typed out in several emails, as Elder Nine replied to our smaller emails that had questions and then finally our bigger email. ;)  So I’m just posting this as they came in with my own (parenthesis) to explain what it’s reference to if needed.  Please excuse the “texting grammar” used. I’m sure you young’uns will understand it with no problem. lol :P

Also - I realize some of these comments are tedious (like the one about letters vs emails).  But I share them because I know several are yet to go on missions, and these things might be good topics of discussion with your family prior to serving those missions. :)


Any reference to “Chicken” anything or “Braaak” anything are terms of endearment that our family uses in reference to Jonathan. It began the first 6 years of his life when his “chicken feathers” on the top center of his head would NOT comb down and always stuck up!  “Chicken head” was the first term of endearment, and it grew from there.  Now those terms are packed with 19 years worth of memories and special ‘meaning’. ;)


Also, you may wonder why there are so many emails. It's because we happened to be online when we received the first one - so he was able to answer the 2 or 3 we had previously sent, then also answered the ones we sent while he was online and he was able to respond immediately. That is not going to be a normal occurrence from what we understand. 

Enjoy reading. :)

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Email 1:  (Mom had asked him if he preferred emails or handwritten):   Hand written letters would be cool, but it's much harder to reply over email with them.... tell you what, do one of these two things... or both. Either write hand written letters, or write one email... or do both... but the big one is, try to keep the emails to one email.... simply because it's easier to read one and reply to it than a bunch. MAYBE you could just save a draft and anytime you want to write something, write it in there, and then like Sunday night or Monday morning send it. If you want to... I'll take any and all writing of any kind and be happy about it. :)

I have already felt so many blessings come from the tiny amount of work Ive done so far and I can't wait to dive deeper into it. :D I'm gonna keep this email short and write more on another one…

I love you very, very much.

Elder Nine

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Email 2:  Hey you two!!!.....sooooo I need a bike asap... I hope this doesn't come at a bad time but I really do need to know what to do........ Email back before 1030 and we can talk about it!!!!!!

- Elder Nine

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Email 3:  (In reference to the fact that he missed the huge “Welcome” that the 300+ members in the Bakersfield area threw for all the new missionaries arriving on 8/5):   Yes, I did miss it, but it was for a good cause. Our travel group got split and Elders L (in my MTC District) and L and myself made sure that the Sisters with us got there on time. :)






Click HERE to see a video of the airport welcome


(In reference to his Dad telling him how he’s now teaching the younger group of scouts, just as he had once taught Jonathan in Scouts):   You have taught me well and I am taking that great pool of knowledge and using it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Thank you for teaching me. I am glad that these other young men can partake of you knowledge, experience and love just as I did. It will make real men out of them. :)

(His dad told him he’s now being somewhat of “DJ” sometimes at church activities where he would normally be attending anyway):   hahaha DJ Growly Bear!  Brilliant name. Keep it.

(His dad told him he found one of his old scout books and will be using it next to teach the young scouts):  I am glad that my work here can help in another back home too. It's starting to hit me what kind of effect this work can have in my life and everyone and everything in it. :)

I love you Braaky, taker care, and be cool.

-Elder Chicken

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Email 4: (Mom had said sorry for writing long and numerous emails and I’d try to keep them shorter):  Not shorter just one big one if possible haha... Don't be afraid to write, its just easier to have it all on one screen, if possible. :)

And yes, more details to come.

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Email 5:
I’m adding daddy to this so you can both see...

I am in the P/L area-ish... RV 1st ward!!! :D It's AWESOME !!! Although it is a bit "hilly" here....by that I mean 'very'. hahaha. And the wind hates me. But it's good for me.

My comp is Elder N and he is so cool!! I'll try to attach a picture... I think it'll show up as DSCF0160.JPG...... I hope. 





Let me know how the pics turn out and if they are pics or if you have to open them and where they are on the email (bottom, where I placed them, etc.)

The area is awesome!!! I kinda already talked about it. And I'm short on time....again.....

Elder L was in my travel group to Bakersfield!!! That's super cool!!!! He's an awesome missionary. :D

The Elder I did that role-play with was a cool Spanish-speaking Hispanic Elder. :D He and I got along great and we really did work very well together.  Cool that she (the Mission Home secretary) complimented us about it though!! :)

President and Sister W are AMAZING AND SO NICE! :D I love them so much! And yes, we did get held up at SLC airport ALL DAY... Elder L and L were with me and we made sure that the Sisters that were with us got there on time. We are heroes. :) Haha!

I do get the pics very nicely. :)

Here's a pic from me.  It's DSCF0041.JPG.  I'm with Elder C.  (I'm giving you the file name because I don't know how the pics are coming through)





For mailing, send it to the mission but use USPS!!!!! The post office... If you do that, they forward it to my address, same day from the mission home... So use the post office, normal mailing, USPS....

I'm glad Emi will have a chance to be in a good organization with good music. That's the important part. :) It makes a huge difference in your life... I didn't realize how much of a difference until recently. I'm almost out of time so I will have to abbreviate the end of this email...

Emily, those are some awesome thoughts on those scriptures and I can't wait to hear what you think about verse 28!! There's no set answer so I'm glad that you are thinking about it yourself and trying to understand. It's very important that we learn the scriptures and try to live what they teach. :)

Boss is a very cute dog. :D And cool that you got to go swimming!! I've done pet-sitting before and it's fun. :)

I am having a good time here and my first companion is AWESOME! :D I have to go now so I'll talk to you guys next week!

Here are some pics before I go! (I had to split the email because of memory limit per email - lol!)

DSCF0036 is Elder V (from Canada) in his stud-puffin PJ's. Haha!





0044 is Elder A and me when we met up at the MTC.





0052 Is my District at the MTC!! :D




The email won't let me put on any more pics...more next week!!!

Mama, I have one last thing for you... I was at a members home last night eating dinner and sharing a message. During dinner Brother F asked Elder N and I to share the testimonies of our mothers. Just to get us thinking and as a reference to Helaman's Sons... which is very applicable to me. ;) And the scripture came to mind when the Sons of Helaman say: "We do not doubt, for our mothers knew it". I do not doubt. For you knew it. And you have taught me. I love you, Mama.

… To mail things just use USPS from the post office and mail it to the mission home/office... You must needs use USPS because they forward it same-day to my address... otherwise it'll take a few extra days... ILY. Braaaak. I'm getting booted off...write me a hand letter when  I can buy a bike. I need one asap.

Lots of love and more to come,

Talk to you guys next week :)

Love,
 
- Elder Nine

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