Hey everybody! It's that time of the week again. My favorite day and time of the day has arrived at last! I will start off by answering dad's questions. My feet are as wet as can be in the weather here. Whether we are walking or bicycling, we get very wet. I would love to try the shoe protectors because I was actually going to look for some at the store today because there is no possible way to keep my shoes from getting soaked all the way through. Yesterday was the rainiest day yet and we got caught out in the worst of it. I was soaked all the way through my coat, shirt, and all the way to the bones! We had to change clothes at home and then finish the night because the other ones were too wet to go out in. My shoe size for the shoes I have here is 44 (that's what it says on the bottom and there is no tag inside), but my gym shoes are about a 11.5 size. I am staying pretty warm, but bundle up every time I go out because it is either raining very hard or if it's not it is getting ready to. I got a $40 haircut for free at this salon place called Ethos because a member owns it. It looks so good, but I still miss dad's haircuts. My umbrella works, but my backpack gets wet from the rain and everything inside it so I might look for a big one at the store today.
We eat probably 4 dinners with members per week. When we don't eat with the members, we make our own dinner at home from our groceries we buy on P-Day. The Turners always have dinner they offer us, but we usually only eat with them on Sundays. They always offer though and are very generous. We don't eat with them every time we don't have dinner appointments because their dinner schedule is usually different than ours and we have plans during when they eat. We eat with Kim Zepanta, a member, lunch every Wednesday and we usually do service for him before. We have, as I said, about 4 meals per week with members and do the rest on our own. Depending on where we are, we either eat lunch at a fast food place or go back home and eat. We usually always eat dinner with members or at home.
We tract every day for at least a few hours. We always plan specific people to visit, as well as areas to tract that we have never been before. The Dreier family had Halloween plans on Sunday so we will teach them tonight instead of on Sunday when we usually do. We are excited and will see how their commitment to read the B of M and pray went. We saw some of them at church on Sunday, which is always good. Ginny Delaplane is a less active member who has a son, Gabe, who is 8 that wants to be baptized. Since he is at the appropriate age, we don't do the baptism ourselves, but we are teaching both of them the lessons and it is great. We teach Josh Whittrock (a less active member) each Monday at about 1:00 after district meeting and lunch and he likes us coming over. His wife is not a member and is never home when we go, but he relays our message to her when she gets home.
Corey Vaumbar is a YSA who is less active, but we are teaching him the lessons again and he has lots of questions that we are answering and he is coming to church again. YAY! Brenice and her son Tevyn (12 years old) are investigators who are progressing and we are hoping to be able to baptize them by the end of the year. We are reading the B of M with them and answering their questions about the POS (Plan of Salvation). They have lots of questions, and we love to answer them and teach them. Keep all of these people in your prayers. We have lots of potential investigators, but most of them are not there when we try to stop by. It is discouraging at times, but we keep trying. I wish our investigator pool was bigger, but we work with what we have. We also work with the Tilleys (less active members) and Lori Anderson (also a less active).
The work is good sometimes and slow other times. We were in the rain all day yesterday and had only one person ask for us to come back while tracting for a few hours. Most people didn't even answer the door and the ones who did turned us away quickly. It's their loss, not mine.
After I finish the E-Mail today, we are going to Wal Mart to shop and then we are eating lunch and going to the East Stake Center to play games and such (we are never sure what exactly we do till we get there. Some days we have all 24 elders in our zone there, while other days we only have 12 or so). Basketball is usually what we do, though. Dodgeball is fun and we also played a game called signs that you might or might not know of. It is very fun and I have played it before. After P-Day ends at 6, we prepare to teach the Driers at 7 and then have some people to stop by before 9 when we turn in. I did my laundry and cleaned and studied already this morning. It is not raining right now, but is very misty and foggy outside, as it always is if it's not raining. We will not see much sun for the next few months I'm afraid.
Thank you for all you do for me and for the E-Mails and letters and all you send me. It makes my day and makes me look forward to night time when I read them before I go to bed. I love getting John's E-Mails. I love hearing how things are going for him over in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Forgive me if I spelled it wrong. That's awesome how they get to baptize in the river there. We had ours in the Stake Center. He seems to love it over there. I hope things continue to go well for him and please continue to send his E-Mails if you can. Thank the Schouten's for sending us his E-Mail so you can send it to me.
Well, now let me get to my list of things to tell you. Did you get the Christmas Package forward E-Mail? It basically says that if there is one package for Christmas, send it to the Mission Home Address, but any other ones after that you can send to the address of where I am staying. President and Sister Greer simply want to make sure everybody gets at least one package. I finished the B of M on October 28th at 8:39 a.m. and loved it and started over again. My goal is to finish it before the year ends!!! Thank Greg and Angela Bates for the package, stationary, candy, and letter they sent. They are so awesome and I appreciate all they do for me, too. I will send them a snail mail letter as soon as I have a moment. Could you send me their address just in case I forgot to write it down? Thanks. I have noticed it usually takes 3 days for your letters to get to me in case you wondered. That's usually when I receive them, which is awesome. Brandon, I am so jealous that the In-N-Out opened up after I left. How is it?
Elder Cashin has a video of his yard and house and family here. It is so cool. Would it be possible for you to send me one somehow? If not it's totally ok I was just wondering because that would be so freaking awesome. Brandon, I heard the good news this morning, the Giants took it all. Congratulations! I wanted them to beat Texas and I'm glad the Yankees weren't in the final series. Go Giants!
Tell Taylor Eggertsen good luck for me. I hope his talk went well on Halloween and I thought about him. He will do so great in the Mission Field! Tell him that I will be thinking about him tonight and tomorrow as he departs.
BYU had a bye, I understand. I also understand Utah eeked by another lucky win against AFA. Go figure. I wish BYU luck the rest of the year and think about them every Saturday. The Turners' phone #'s are these: the home # is 360-256-6788; Randy's Cell # is 360-921-0046 and Deette's Cell # is 360-608-4203. How do you say her name? Good question! It is pronounced like this: Dee ette. I hope that makes sense. They will call you if they get a chance, too.
I am going to put my pictures on a CD at Wal Mart today and then send you a package that has the CD and a paper that tells what each picture is. I will also enclose the baptism program and a letter. I may not get it off before I E-Mail you again, but it will be coming as soon as I get everything together. Thank the Caspers for the package, TONS of candy, and thoughtful letters they wrote me. It absolutely made my day! Jon-Phillip sent a package with an awesome card and tons of Halloween candy and it was so thoughtful and meant a lot. Then brother and sister Casper wrote letters, too. I hope Sister Casper recovers quickly and she is in my prayers. I miss them all and love to hear from them. I sent a letter yesterday that they should hopefully get within the next few days. I am so lucky to have such great family and friends who do wonderful things for me all the time. I have so much food to eat it is great! My grocery list isn't as long as it has been before. All I have to get today is milk, soup (and a frozen lunch for this week), batteries, a blue pen because mine ran out of ink as I finished the Casper's letter, and another notebook because mine is all full!
I love writing all of you and it is definitely my favorite part of P-Day (although whooping elders in basketball comes in a close second)! The members are so nice here and provide help whenever they can. I had and have so many meetings on Sundays it is crazy. We get to the church for Mountain View PEC at 7:30 and are usually at the church until dinner. We have PEC meetings, Missionary Correlation and Coordination Meetings, 2 sacrament meetings, 2 gospel principles classes, and 2 elders quorum classes each week along with talking to people we need to before and after and in between classes. The primary program went on out here a week ago from last Sunday and it was so funny. It reminded me of home and all the primary kids in our ward! The ward choir is starting their Christmas songs already. It's crazy to think that it's already November. We don't have time or else we would do the ward choir, too.
Well, 20 minutes left and I still have to E-Mail President Greer so I will address everybody now. Dad, I love getting your letters. They are always full of excellent things. I love to hear from you and appreciate all your advice and support. Keep me updated with any news from home and anything I might or might not want to hear! I love hearing anything! How did your lesson go on Sunday? I'm sure it went well. Did you have any funny jokes in there?! I miss watching boxing on Saturday nights and traveling around with you. I love the mission stories you share with me. It gives me confidence and always brightens my day.
Oh, before I forget, Elder Cashin will most likely be leaving this transfer, which I believe is on November 17th, in which case I will be in charge in this area! Yikes! My new companion will be older than me obviously, but I will be the "experienced" one in this area. Scary to think, eh?! Also, I found out that Elder Cashin didn't get his license to drive till he was 18 and he is an awful driver and hates to drive and so that might be why we have not had a car. If he leaves, I hope we get a car!!!!! Anyways, thanks for all you do for me and for you love and prayers and support. It means everything to me.
Mom, I loved getting your mini package last night with your GREAT letter and the magnet and quotes. They are great and I will keep them nearby where I can look at them often. I love getting your letters as well. They always make me smile. How often do you still get to golf now that it is raining over there? Probably still every day, eh?! I bet things are not the same out there without me, huh? Keep golfing and doing well. Thanks for sending John's E-Mail, too. It is great and I love getting them. How is Jordan doing at BYU, if you have heard? I love the picture he gave me. It is on my desk with the family pictures. Sister Turner was watching Iron Chef and Unwrapped on Sunday night and I told her that we watched that show on Sunday nights! It brought back good memories. I can't wait to hear from you again! Thanks for all you do for me and for your love and support and prayers. They really help me keep going out here.
Brooke, Rocky, Jacob, Taylor, and Hayden, How are things going over there in West Bountiful?! I hope they are great! How are things going for Rocky at the rec center? Any new clients? What are all of you up to? Brooke, how are the boys doing? I miss them so much. I am picturing Jacob without some teeth and it is pretty funny! I miss all of you and you will all have changed so much when I get back, especially the boys and Hayden. I wish I could be there, but they are in my thoughts daily, as are you and Rocky. Hang in there and take care.
Bran and Anni, what's up? Bran, how is Cutler's and school? Gordon wrote me and I wrote him a few days ago. He is the half tuna on wheat guy that comes in at night. I assume you got him my address. So the Jazz are doing good I hear! That's awesome! Go Giants also! Also, keep me updated on BYU please as the season nears an end. I bet we finish 6-6. I am still calling it! Everybody is into the Oregon Ducks here. People consider themselves Oregonians here because Portland is the nearest big city to them. Anni, keep up the good work at Guadalupe, if you are still there, and all other things you are up to! I miss you both! Erin, you are off to Nauvoo, eh?! That's awesome. What a fun experience. Be safe and take advantage of such a neat experience. I hope to hear from you soon! I miss you, too.
Well everybody, I need to get ready to write President and finish up, but know that I love you all. Oh, by the way, Brother Child is awesome and took pictures of us, as you know, tracting. He dropped us off there because it was a few miles to bike/walk. He gets us rides when he can for far distances, but we do lots of biking and walking. It is so wet here!!! Anyways, I miss you all and appreciate all you do for me and you love, support, letters, prayers, etc. Thank all the ward members, family, friends, neighbors, etc. for all they do, too. I miss everybody, but know this is where I need to be. I will continue to work my hardest and try and try and try. It isn't always easy out here, but the hard times make the good times worth it. Although it is always wet and pretty cold, it makes the appointments indoors even more worth it. I know that I am supposed to be in Vancouver right now and will work my hardest always. I know that I am nothing without the HG to guide me and without guidance from above. Take care everybody and know that I love you all and think about you DAILY! I will look forward to writing you next Tuesday. Now it's time for me to go kick some trash in basketball!
Love,
Elder Matthew Larson Bates
P.S. I love you all so much!
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