Osage Beach

Well sorry I am in Camdenton today. This week was pretty good. By the way Happy Anniversary; one of my investigators J, had his anniversary this weekend too. He has had the same girlfriend since seventh grade and they have been living together for 3 years I think. They are still not married haha yeah I think it will be a while. So I heard Chris got pulled up to Varsity; that is pretty awesome. Sounds like from Dana's letter that everything is really good; I also like the story of the less active lady bearing her testimony I thought that was classic fourth ward. Also good for Thomas pumpkins in the pool, genius. Well as for my week same old, same old, we went looking for a lot of less actives I think it was Thursday that we went up to Stover which is in our area but it is pretty far especially with a mile limit, but I think we drove about 130 miles that day just trying to hunt some people down and did fairly well. We met two guys that are both less active and one of them has a throat cancer and he goes into surgery this Friday so we are going back this week but when we were talking to him every other minute he would spit up a nice pool of blood into a dish, mmmmm. They were nice guys though. I also saw my official dream house this week and I have said that about three people's houses but it was this one for sure it was beautiful I am going to buy it someday. The only thing is I didn't take a picture of it I was like "ahh geee wiz" but whatever I know where it is now. Our investigators are still the same just trying them to overcome smoking and blah blah blah it will happen next month fa sho. If I don't get transferred the calls this week I hope I stay I really like this area but I have never been in a area for more than three months maybe I'll break the curse this time around at least I hope so. I guess another thing that is cool is that Fall is upon us it won't snow until the middle of November at least that's what the members say, but the leaves changing are awesome I'll take some pictures. All the yellows, browns, reds, and purples are pretty cool. Well I am sorry I don't have much to say but that is all I can think of. I am sending pictures though they are a thousand words per pic at least that is what I hear.

Osage Beach

Well this week was pretty good kind of the same as last week a lot of finding and trying. About the documentary I have to watch it first to make sure it is appropriate because Elder Babb and Woods came up to our area and sometimes we can get a little crazy but I so it should be coming next week sometime. You asked about others, Logan is in Mexico he says he hasn't felt more out of place but he says he has a good comp and he is having a good time. Nelson is doing good he just left his first area and he is in a really nice place so he is excited. That is about all I know bout them. Things are going good here since we only have two suburbs and they probably only consist of like 15 houses we go country road tracting which is a dirt road that has trailers so can't really promise much about being visiting sketchy people, because they are all over the place. Don't worry though I won't go down to Ivy Bend which is a magical place where every rapist, murderer, and meth head in Missouri gathers. The police told the elders before us that they shouldn't go there unless they have a police escort and even the police themselves don't go there unless they absolutely have to. So don't worry I will stay away from there I have only been out there twice and that was twice to many. Well it is getting tough out here I hate cold weather and it is getting colder with every day I hate it. I am going to shoot myself when snow starts falling. Investigators are doing good still kind of stuck with them: Dj is still struggling with smoking the two daughters are just still not sure but they are reading now so it should be getting better. J is still struggling with Word of Wisdom and I don't think marriage is happening anytime soon. So... yeah... bummer. Brother N who is less active with a part member family got out of jail and has a good job so we are going over there more which is better and I am super glad something might come out of that. That is about it. Yeah a lot of work to do. Sounds like everything is good and dandy at home. Seth is awesome, a temple is going up, Stephen is going to leave for his mission ( I am actually pretty close to St. Louis) and life moves on. I am happy for ASU brother Howell keeps me updated. Have a good one family.

Osage Beach

Well it is very hard it is really weird I don't know why but if feels like everyone is dying I am so sad that Grandpa is gone there are so many good memories that have been shared with Grandpa. I also have some bad news Rick the guy that me and Elder Babb were teaching he passed away Sunday morning. Elder Babb called me up and he seemed super bummed. Rick was the old crazy guy that loved us and we would go to his trailer and he would watch Ellen before we could talk to him about church and stuff he was the one with four toes. Yeah so the weekend was pretty sad. I am sorry I don't have my Bolo I left it in my trunk back at home. President Shumway shared with me a scripture it is Alma 40:10 I believe it talks about the souls of the righteous and how they will dwell in paradise. It might not be verse ten but it is around there. Well I am doing pretty good I guess I'll tell you about Archibald he is nice he says I am pretty chill and that it is a pleasure serving with me. He has about 3 months left, just doing our best to find some people in this small town to teach we are kind of running short on our teaching pool since we dropped a lot of people. This week we invited J one of the people with a date to be married that went pretty rough he exactly doesn't have a huge desire to be married I think but he has been living with this girl for like who knows how long. A long time I'm sure so that was kind of crazy. DJ is doing okay still smoking but she loves us and the church we started teaching her oldest daughter as well and that is going pretty good so hopefully some good will come out of all of that. Conference was really good I feel like there was a huge focus on Repentance and doing our duty and bringing in any less active, part member, potential, Investigator that is out there. My favorite talk was Eyring in priesthood session he talked about how the Bishop would call him up and take him out to visit people in the ward and they would kick the beer bottles under the couch, or they would send the kids to answer the door because the parents wouldn't want to talk, and stuff like that. It feels like that for me every single day but he said that he felt that it was more for him than those he taught and I feel the same way with every rejection and slammed door we get in our face it is sad but that only helps me in a way. Even Christ was rejected and he was the greatest teacher that the world will ever have. Not saying that I am even close to Christ but I feel like I learn to love people better with every rejection kind of weird but that is how it feels. Well that is basically all I have this week. Best wishes to everybody back at home.

Osage Beach

This week was pretty good a lot has happened well we have officially two baptisms set up for November second. J who is the man and DJ we are teaching Dj's daughter N but she is still not sure she just needs to read. I have a pretty funny story for you this week at least its funny to me I hope you guys enjoy it. So I was on exchanges with our District Leader Elder Montano and we were teaching J the Word of Wisdom because he has a few minor problems with it. He was pretty ecstatic about the whole thing; I told him the first step is to remove all temptations and right then and there he got up in the middle of me saying that got all the beer from his fridge and gave me his tobacco and said here you go. After we said a prayer and finished up he was looking at his Busch Lite and was like "oh s___ what have I done" but we comforted him and then we went outside and opened it all up and dumped it in a dumpster. He was doing pretty good for the first couple of days and then Saturday his mom was getting married and at the reception he drank...a lot he showed up at our door a little after 6:30 A.M. on Sunday right as we were getting up and was like, "yep I turned into bad J last night" We said that it was most likely gonna happen and that he could still overcome it; well after talking to him he took us to the diner close by and bought us Biscuits and Gravy it was sweet then he went home got dressed and came with us to church. As for other news elder Horlacher is getting transferred and I am getting Elder Archibald who I know a little. As far as other people we are seeing DJ and N are pretty good it is going to suck getting her to quit smoking she goes through a pack when we are teaching her not to smoke, I guess it is better than crack. N just needs to read and she will commit to baptism and DJ's oldest daughter who has gone through a lot actually wants to talk too. This last week she was free from work and school so we taught her the Restoration and if we keep meeting her consistently then she will be baptized too. So good things are happening. Again why is everybody dying the news about Jake is a bummer. I swear I don't think I am getting that old why is everybody dying it is strange. So Brother Howell keeps me updated College football wise he is a bigtime fan so He knows that he needs to give me an ASU update. I am glad about Wisconsin and I had a little more hope for Stanford I predicted the loss but not by that much that stinks. Seems like they had a really rough game I hope they bounce back though I still have hope. Yes! everybody in Missouri smokes, drinks, and has awesome beards. Brother Stokes in our ward has a glorious beard it goes down past his chest. I am going to have one just like it. Jesus had a beard so can I. Sorry for emailing on Monday again we are hanging out with Camdenton elders again. Elder Heywood

Osage Beach

What up family okay I am sorry I told you guys I would never email Mondays but I am in Camdenton for the day so I have the oppurtunity to email on Mondays because their Library is open on Mondays. The baptism went really good I'll send you a picture it was a good bunch that are in it with me. To be honest this week was a little crazy first part of the week we had exchanges with district leader then a day later we had the Assistants over for an exchange and then two days after that the Zone Leaders came out with us for an exchange so a lot of running around but it was all good. So J is going to be baptized Nov. 2 he one of our investigators he is a really cool guy later this week we are going to go hiking with him. He is doing good just needs some time he needs to be married and stop drinking both easy things just have to get the deal done and all that stuff. Dj and N are our other investigators who are going to be baptized they are both girls one is a mom (DJ) and the other is her daughter. They are pretty set to go the mom just needs to give up smoking which will take some time, but all is goods in the woods. Notice I didn't say hood because we don't have hoods up here just woods. This last week I went to a Jamaican restaurant with my companion and one of our zone leaders elder tateouli (not quite sure if I spelled it right) we had a good time they had a few legit jamaican chefs that came out and talked to us. The dude was straight out from Jamaica and his favorite artist was Boys II Men and Backstreet Boys. Nothing wrong with either band but it caught me off guard I thought he was going to be reggae all the way but I was wrong. Another interesting thing is that we had the Laurie Hillbilly fair this last weekend not going to lie it was pretty lame it was like the Houston Carnival but for an entire town and I am pretty sure more people show up for the Houston Carnival. My companion Elder Horlacher bought a cane he is kind of like Chris when Chris was really obsessed with brief cases but he buys canes and hats and some other stuff, but that makes it all the more better being with Elder Horlacher. So I haven't told you the last couple of weeks I keep forgetting but something awesome and amazing happens about once a week. We have this guy in the Ward named Bro. H just a normal down to earth guy and he has had surgery so we go and visit him and what not. Well the guy and his wife have five monkeys and we go in and teach then we say whats up to the monkeys. They are capuchin (not sure if I spelled that right) but they are sweet and only one of them is mean. The most of them wear diapers and a few sleep with them. Oh man it is crazy but their house is really nice though it smells a bit like..... Well I think that is all I have for now. Peace

Osage Beach

Hi there Momma Bear everything is going good our baptism for T is this Saturday I'll send you a picture you'll see what a true Missiourian looks like. Yeah Logan is in the MTC I got a small message from him and he seems to be doing good. He told me that the Gospel is true and like every other MTC missionary that means that he is enjoying for reelz. He said his companion is a little odd but we are all kind of odd. I was so sad to hear about Katie I read her email before yours and I was excited beyond all reason then very sad but I can assure you that all my prayers are going to be focused for that little baby. If it Gods will that it will live,it will live. And Kimberlee now that is weird where do these random weird illnesses come from and why do they keep happening in my stomping grounds? Well I wish the best for her. Things are starting to wind down season wise here in Missouri it is still green and warm but I can feel it in my bones and to be honest even though I hate the cold this will be the first time I ever live in snow so I am kind of excited but two weeks into winter and I'll probably be complaining. Trees are not really turning yet but it sound like near the end of September they all fall victim I can't believe we are in September and almost halfway through by the end of this week. So things are going good in Laurie I have the feeling that I will be here for a long time but anything can happen. Most of our investigators are pretty non-committal so we are at the pivotal moment of dropping the lot of them and finding newbies in a town of 900 which can be hard. Only few are progressing. T will be baptized and confirmed the only problem with him and his wife (who is already baptized) is that they live about 50-60 miles from church and their car is a piece, and all the members on this side of the lake aren't the kind of people who have the time or money to pick them up so we run into problems there. Others are J who is a nice guy and he likes to learn but I don't think he has a real desire to be baptized I think he is learning just to learn. Then we have DJ and N. DJ is a girl and Naomi is her daughter and they are doing good and probably our best chance of joining but DJ has a very bad habit of smoking and I think it will be hard to crack her habit. I personally think if the daughter goes through with it that will be the best chance we have so wish us luck on that. But those are all the ones who we are keeping as investigators. So talk about the biggest miracle of the week Dad watching a TV show I never thought I would see the day. The end is surely coming soon! haha Jokes! Jokes! but really that is strange. Oh and the dude you are thinking of with the limp is Dickie Bennett he is also Daniel Faraday on lost but his role as Dickie was better. Well that is all that is happening with myself, the church is true and peace out!

Osage Beach

So I am sorry I am writing Tuesday but tomorrow is very busy so we chose to write today. Basically I will write any day of the week except for Sunday and Monday those are the days the Library is closed.

Well this week is good we have a baptism coming up for the fourteenth and his name is T he is the one who lives in the shack and has all the dogs and goats and cats and whatever else. He is a very quiet but nice fellow and it will be cool to see him baptized. We have just been visiting a lot of people and trying to do our best. This last week was the only week where I would have agreed that is was hot, but it wasn't AZ hot. I just hated the feeling of being sticky especially dressed up in Missionary attire it bothered me but oh well. So this last week since I wrote... we had a Zone Conference Elder Ellis the area seventy spoke and it was very good and as always very inspirational; missionaries need that every one in a while.

After the Zone Conference we ran out of miles to drive the truck so we were forced to walk to where ever we went and it just happened to be the hottest week in the year. So we walked and visited our peeps. There are a few people that are pretty promising and hopefully will be baptized soon. We have the P's who are a young couple that are really nice. S the girl is very nice but shy and J is a real character he reminds me of someone but I can't seem to remember who it is... Well they are doing good they are just busy like a young couple always is and we need to get them married and all the good stuff like that. Piece of cake, the good thing is that they don't have terrible word of wisdom problems like the other 98% of Missouri. Whhhoooo Hoooo. Well the other Investigator is DJ who is a girl and N her daughter they are pretty promising just encouraging them to read. She unfortunately has a smoking problem but we will work with that. Also we have to find them a ride to church because they don't have a car so a lot of work to do but it is easier then getting the gopher out of his hole.

With the holiday the lake was crowded yesterday just as it is on the weekend, we tried fishing but had no luck. But on the weekdays especially early morning the lake is calm and just trying to torment me. Well it has been good. I'll catch you guys later. Logan goes to the MTC tomorrow. I think Colton gets his call this week. Well lot going on. Peace.