William's October 25th Letter

2011 October 25

Hey mom my week was grand, we had lessons up the wasu. I am getting transferred to Ogden; it'll be fun because Zacherson is my companion. I don't have much exiting news, but that, I love you lots!

William's October 18th Letter

2011 October 18

My week was amazing; we have had great success here. Me and Flake are getting along swell! We have a new date and are joining in the YW's 90 Book of Mormon bowl! Which is you read for 15 minutes a day for 90 days! It’s a really cool Idea Sister White had. Thursday we found a new investigator, he is meeting with us because of his girlfriend and his brother who was baptized last year. Elder Barney is going home next week and so is one of the Spanish elders living with us, also a district leader is too, they went to Salt Lake to see the temple there. Me and Flake are on exchanges with their companions today Vaughn is with me, he’s only been out 6 weeks and he is kinda like I was back then. We got a street contact, he wanted to learn about us so I gave him a quick spiel so Elder Vaughn could fill in the gaps, he just smiled and acted like he knew what was going on. So funny, so I answered some of his questions and let Vaughn get his information. I hope he gets somewhere with him, he was sincere about learning. We heard from Paul Cardall, send that part to Jaimie or Jeff apparently he’s a famous pianist, he was amazing but I had never heard of him. We ran out of gas on Sunday, but the tank was refilled just enough so we could get to where were going. It was nice not having to walk from Garland to the other side of Tremonton. Oh yeah I guess I should tell you guys. I twisted my knee playing basketball. It’s not to terribly bad but I am going to the hospital on Wednesday because it’s stiff, sore, achy, and it’s been that way for a week so I guess it is time to see what’s wrong. Don’t worry I haven't been stupid about it I have been letting it rest so it is not permanently damaged. Just thought you should know that.

William's October 11th Letter

2011 October 11

I think it's cool that you have made it to Germany. I hope you have a great time there, my week was exciting. I had fun, got a new investigator, he is very confused he is lucky I know a little about the stuff he is talking about or none of us would have gotten anywhere. But it was a successful lesson. We have had some great things happen, one investigator picked Thanksgiving for baptism. Why on earth they want to wait is beyond me. One left and is now living with his girlfriend. Hopefully we can get the other elders to talk with them. We are having good successes with most investigators. We have bonded quite nicely in the apartment; we got free ice-cream, very good ice-cream! And we decided we'd have a social!Oh we got three kittens living at our apartment right now. And we haven't been able to get rid of them, apparently they disappeared. Hopefully into the outside and where they can cut it, they were still a month from full grown. I think that is the most exciting thing that has happened...... or Brother Carter’s pirate costume, nah the cats are more exiting and also...... I think it is more important. Well I love you guys lots see you soon bye!

William's October 4th Blog

2011 October 4

We watched it at the whites and the Stephenson’s, both really cool families. I liked the talk on the Bible and Book of Mormon, and President Monson's first talk ... 5 temples in the mission, even though most are under construction. And star valley is amazing! But I got the importance of teaching the youth and building faith and being strong. My week has been good we received new investigators a date, help a ward mission leader with his corn, and made "armor of god". Elder Flake has been really good to work with but we discovered one of our similarities is that neither one of us really wants to be in charge. I will see what I can do about that. hum.. I can't change him.

well we had fun to day we went to Logan and I got Dustin a present (Cut this part out before sending to him) I got him a license plate with his name and a 40 dollar tie (it was only 5 dollars for me) and a bag of Swedish fish, I was thinking about a cowboy hat because that’s what is popular down here but I think I'll find something else for him, if not it's only 12 dollars so maybe. I'll see how much it cost for the Swedish fish to send then decide, if it is too much I'll send the tie and license plate. But it shouldn’t be a problem.( ok delete all that)

We are having good success here, but I am noticing a trace amount of Utah Mormon disease out here. It’s not too bad but it's there and I would like to see it go away completely, but I'll focus on the work and do what I can along the way.

William's September 27th Letter

2011 September 27

My week was productive! I prepared for my talk, taught lessons and did service splitting wood and building a wall. We had a good time doing all of it. We have had a great time with the Spanish missionaries who live in our apartment; we have a greenie who is a very good Elder.

We taught a lesson on Wednesday and a family gave us some talks. One of them is Hugh B Brown a profile of a prophet. It is an amazing talk. We taught a part member family, they are cool and we enjoy doing it. We read from the Book of Mormon and talk about what it is saying. We are good friends with the wrestling coach and football coach. It’s fun to talk with them, about the sports; they help with referrals and Sister Wise the football coach’s wife gives us haircuts at her salon. We are working with a family to get the daughter baptized, and praying the mom comes around. It has been a good week.

Yes I am still in the garland area; we just live out of town about ten or 15 miles. My talk was good. I gave a pretty good 10 minute talk; it would have been a better one if I hadn’t ran out of room writing it, and less time to fill. I had to get 15 more minutes. That impromptu talk dad taught us saved me, as I was the last speaker! But it was a good time out in the country, and then we came home for a youth conference and refreshments. I ate an incredibly hot pepper the other day, I now know what spicy is. Oh it takes an hour and a half to get to Park Valley.

I have both little journal and a big journal, and a more secular part can be found in my big journal and a mores spiritual part in my little journal. Actually I am behind in my "journal" and need to catch up, I of course have kept detailed or as detailed as I could, record of when the apostles come, but I write so much and have to catch up! The little plates (it was a quote from Nephi) are my mission memory book.

Here is my official statement:

I do well in keeping a record in my journal all though I do miss days and have had to back track, it is good to be detailed in the spiritual accounts of the days, if I miss a day and it was little down to my opinion (important wording here) I make a lesser account of that days proceedings. And if I deem it credible a greater amount, usually on days I have missed, if I do not miss I make a full and rather accurate account of that days proceedings. I find when I write down things of the day I learn more from those experiences. It is important to do this because we need help in remembering such things. And to review those things which strengthen our testimonies of Christ. Now here is the pearl of wisdom I impart, that if we review the days weakness we are strengthened by it, and thus strengthening our testimony.

And if anyone wants details on that they can write me a letter and ask!

ok I don't have much time left but the point is we now know what we are weak in or strong and we can come before God with it and have it strengthened or refined, and that is a testimony builder, oh and mention that Nephi had two journals.

William's September 20th Letter with Pictures

 2011 September 20

 I have had a great week this week.  We had transfers and I got Elder Flake who is from Camano Island WA. He is a cool guy; I like him a lot so far. We are related threw William Jordan Flake. Every one asks if he is from Snow Flake AZ. I love this area; we had to set up a few lessons and the Spaniards moved in so we moved our desks into our room. We had zone study, and met a lot of auxiliaries, went to ward parties took old fashion pictures, and we cleaned up our books got everything organized and started finding our way around. We have had a few lessons and will be getting new investigators, we have had fun with the new set up, and finally got our drier plugged in, which is good because we have been worried about it. I am giving a talk this Sunday in Park Valley; use Google Earth to find it and see how far away it is from Deweyville where I live now, amazing! I love my mission and have had some great times. I love you lots.  Have a great week!

Elder Divis

 Elder Zacherson and Elder

 Jadin's Baptism

Elder Divis, Cody, Elder Koozer

William's September 6th Letter

2011 September 6

My week was great, we had a game of soccer, I scored 2 of the 4 point my team made, and the other team scored a lot more. It was mostly fun though, we had a great baptism on Monday, and we went through a corn maze. Not much else has gone on. Dinner last night, we went to a family’s house, and their grandpa was there. We were all having a good dinner when he reads my tag, then he says grandpa’s name! As it turns out grandpa had been his branch president and had ordained him to the office of Elder, while they were in the marines. It was a cool experience he gave me his info to send to grandpa, but I don't have it because my companions aren’t good at planning or listening to pres. oh well I'll send it next week, it will work out. I can't send any more pictures, and I have to get some from some elders cause I didn’t have my camera I don't have any more exciting things to say, oh we hit a duck, it was funny he wasn't paying attention to us he was looking north, like just checking “okay that ways north so if I go south...” he turns ..." what the heck is.." smack and that is what happened. Oh and next month John Bytheway is speaking to the youth and we were asked to go. Yeah! Mild sarcasm he’s cool but we'll probably just go take a picture with him and leave to get some work done. It’ll be cool any way.