This is Michael's last e-mail from Honduras. He returns home Monday, August 9.
Today is p-day, but I'm going to work after lunch with the ZL's who don't have p-day to enjoy my last few days of preaching the gospel. I land in Phoenix at 6:20 pm (on Monday). I'm excited to see you all and a tad nervous to not be a missionary anymore. It's been an incredible 2 years, and I'm still learning how to better my teaching skills up to the last minute.
I know that the work I have done has and will be accepted by the Lord. I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that through him the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ was restored to the Earth once more. I also now have knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true.
I love you guys, and I'll be home for Christmas, and for the 9th of August.
Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
Sunday, August 8, 2010
August 2, 2010 E-mail
Well, I am now in the office and I have had a crazy week. I don't have an oficial "call" but I've been rolling with the assistants. We had a sweet adventure. We had to drive to La Ceiba to get Elder Mortensen´s suit that he forgot (he's home already), so we drove to La Ceiba in two hours, a usual 5 hour bus ride. And yesterday we got back from Copan. We went to the ruins with President and Sister Veirs. So we pretty much covered the extremes of the mission. Technically I could have written you on Saturday 'cause that was p-day, but we didn't have time, so we are writing today. I don't have an area or a comp, so I am doing work for president and also working in different areas with other elders. It's the coolest assignment ever.
So I am working as hard as I can and enjoying my last few days as a misionary as best as I can. Thanks so much for your love and support shown and sent.
So I am working as hard as I can and enjoying my last few days as a misionary as best as I can. Thanks so much for your love and support shown and sent.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
July 26, 2010 E-mail
Hey mom!
Well I have a change. I’m being put in a different area with a different comp for 10 days.... not too happy about it, but the Lord says right?
We didn’t baptize anybody, but I still hope and pray that in my next area we can baptize someone on my last weekend here. I’m just gonna work my feet to the bone (instead of 'hands' because of all the walking...). Our stats weren’t too great this week, but I still feel good about the work we did. For instance, we saved a man's life. I think the Lord will justify the lack of lessons for literally saving a man’s life.
Elder brown, Osman (our investigator), and I were walking to the park where we usually teach Osman, when we saw what appeared to be a drunk man. When we saw him all three of us walked towards him instead of just passing by, and we noticed that he had dried blood all over him. He had received several deep gashes to his neck and face and was losing blood. He lives on the street, and some punks decided to cut him one morning at about 5 am with large shards of glass. The contusions were severely deep. We were amazed he was still alive. They had missed the jugular by about a centimeter (and it was visibly hanging out of his neck) and had also missed the throat by the same distance (also visible). So we did what we could and called the cops, who weren’t the most helpful really) and, after much debate, Elder Brown and I persuaded the police to take the poor man to the hospital. We didn’t find out what happened with him, but I’m sure he is fine. It was a real eye-opening experience that I don’t hope to repeat.
Everything else is going well here, but there isn’t much else I can do for the area. We have been invited to eat by all of the leadership of the entire stake pretty much, like, this afternoon with the Stake President and his councilors, tonight with Alfredo (the non-member multi-millionaire husband of a really cool sister in the ward), tomorrow afternoon with the bishop and his family, later that evening with the second counselor of the bishopric, and tomorrow night with the family from Spain that got baptized a few weeks ago. It’s pretty cool to see the effect that I caused in the ward and stake. It is a special feeling to be loved and cared for by people you hardly know. I can’t really describe it. I’m quite sad to have to finish the mission early(to get home in time for school), because I could have stayed in the area until September. But it’s time to keep on truckin’!
Love you guys! Enjoy the last few weeks without me!
Elder Arntsen
Well I have a change. I’m being put in a different area with a different comp for 10 days.... not too happy about it, but the Lord says right?
We didn’t baptize anybody, but I still hope and pray that in my next area we can baptize someone on my last weekend here. I’m just gonna work my feet to the bone (instead of 'hands' because of all the walking...). Our stats weren’t too great this week, but I still feel good about the work we did. For instance, we saved a man's life. I think the Lord will justify the lack of lessons for literally saving a man’s life.
Elder brown, Osman (our investigator), and I were walking to the park where we usually teach Osman, when we saw what appeared to be a drunk man. When we saw him all three of us walked towards him instead of just passing by, and we noticed that he had dried blood all over him. He had received several deep gashes to his neck and face and was losing blood. He lives on the street, and some punks decided to cut him one morning at about 5 am with large shards of glass. The contusions were severely deep. We were amazed he was still alive. They had missed the jugular by about a centimeter (and it was visibly hanging out of his neck) and had also missed the throat by the same distance (also visible). So we did what we could and called the cops, who weren’t the most helpful really) and, after much debate, Elder Brown and I persuaded the police to take the poor man to the hospital. We didn’t find out what happened with him, but I’m sure he is fine. It was a real eye-opening experience that I don’t hope to repeat.
Everything else is going well here, but there isn’t much else I can do for the area. We have been invited to eat by all of the leadership of the entire stake pretty much, like, this afternoon with the Stake President and his councilors, tonight with Alfredo (the non-member multi-millionaire husband of a really cool sister in the ward), tomorrow afternoon with the bishop and his family, later that evening with the second counselor of the bishopric, and tomorrow night with the family from Spain that got baptized a few weeks ago. It’s pretty cool to see the effect that I caused in the ward and stake. It is a special feeling to be loved and cared for by people you hardly know. I can’t really describe it. I’m quite sad to have to finish the mission early(to get home in time for school), because I could have stayed in the area until September. But it’s time to keep on truckin’!
Love you guys! Enjoy the last few weeks without me!
Elder Arntsen
July 19, 2010 E-mail
Hey mom!
So this last weekend we baptized two of the teenagers of the Spanish family, the mom can’t be baptized, because she needs to get divorced and remarried and hadn’t told us, and the other kid is a little rebellious. But we still have people to work with. Just that not so many went to church this week. From 9 to 2 this week we have leadership training from Tuesday to Thursday, so we'll be a little tied up, It’s sad that for my last week in my area I won’t get to work in it too much, but that’s what the area president wants.
The zone is getting better and actually worked fairly hard this last week, so at least it’s one less of a hassle to worry about. All of the missions in the world are getting new material right now so it’s a really weird transition that I have to go through to finish it all up, but I guess it’s another opportunity to learn and be a better teacher. That, at least, will most likely come in handy later on in life.
Love you guys!
Elder Arntsen
So this last weekend we baptized two of the teenagers of the Spanish family, the mom can’t be baptized, because she needs to get divorced and remarried and hadn’t told us, and the other kid is a little rebellious. But we still have people to work with. Just that not so many went to church this week. From 9 to 2 this week we have leadership training from Tuesday to Thursday, so we'll be a little tied up, It’s sad that for my last week in my area I won’t get to work in it too much, but that’s what the area president wants.
The zone is getting better and actually worked fairly hard this last week, so at least it’s one less of a hassle to worry about. All of the missions in the world are getting new material right now so it’s a really weird transition that I have to go through to finish it all up, but I guess it’s another opportunity to learn and be a better teacher. That, at least, will most likely come in handy later on in life.
Love you guys!
Elder Arntsen
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 11, 2010
Hello all! I’m writing from my usual computer in a blistering hot Honduras. It’s been fairly cool this week for here, but today we are back to the normal humidity and heat.
Congrats to Caitlin. I didn’t study all that hard for my AP tests and got 3's on both, but it’s much better to get a 5 because the college credit is for a higher class. The general populace here wanted Holland to win as did I. It’s only because Holland had gone twice already and lost both times, whereas Spain hadn’t ever gone, and I didn’t want them to win on their first try. But no biggie.
Dad tells me that the girls have a super girly car. The ford focus... not my style, but the informer explained that it was a steal. I suppose it’s appropriate; girly car for girls. Makes sense when you really think about it.
We had a long week of hard work and it paid off, we had 9 investigators in church and we hope to baptize several before I leave the area at the end of the month. Last week I bought you all jerseys, but I’m afraid that they may be a tad big on most of you (with the exception of dad... I’ll bet it fits perfect), but they are way cool. I still want to get some other cool Honduran things for you guys. I was thinking bags for the girls, but I don’t know what for dad (mom being included in girls') I’ll probably get three different style bags and you will all have to fight over them, and for dad...? A sweet chumpa? I’ll send a picture of one so you can see. Just let me know!
We continue to work, and I’m doing my best to work even harder as the time comes to an end because I know that the last few moments of the game are what are most remembered. No regrets. Leave it all on the field. Any other sports phrase applicable. One of our progressing investigators lives on the streets and sells little cards that have psalms on them and things of that nature. He’s been on the streets for seven years; ever since he got deported from the states for murder (he is innocent he assures us); he was a drug dealer. But he is so humble now and loves the Book of Mormon. We hope for the best!
Hope all is well in the hot, hot, heat just as it is down here. Tell the girls to write me for once.
Love you all!
Congrats to Caitlin. I didn’t study all that hard for my AP tests and got 3's on both, but it’s much better to get a 5 because the college credit is for a higher class. The general populace here wanted Holland to win as did I. It’s only because Holland had gone twice already and lost both times, whereas Spain hadn’t ever gone, and I didn’t want them to win on their first try. But no biggie.
Dad tells me that the girls have a super girly car. The ford focus... not my style, but the informer explained that it was a steal. I suppose it’s appropriate; girly car for girls. Makes sense when you really think about it.
We had a long week of hard work and it paid off, we had 9 investigators in church and we hope to baptize several before I leave the area at the end of the month. Last week I bought you all jerseys, but I’m afraid that they may be a tad big on most of you (with the exception of dad... I’ll bet it fits perfect), but they are way cool. I still want to get some other cool Honduran things for you guys. I was thinking bags for the girls, but I don’t know what for dad (mom being included in girls') I’ll probably get three different style bags and you will all have to fight over them, and for dad...? A sweet chumpa? I’ll send a picture of one so you can see. Just let me know!
We continue to work, and I’m doing my best to work even harder as the time comes to an end because I know that the last few moments of the game are what are most remembered. No regrets. Leave it all on the field. Any other sports phrase applicable. One of our progressing investigators lives on the streets and sells little cards that have psalms on them and things of that nature. He’s been on the streets for seven years; ever since he got deported from the states for murder (he is innocent he assures us); he was a drug dealer. But he is so humble now and loves the Book of Mormon. We hope for the best!
Hope all is well in the hot, hot, heat just as it is down here. Tell the girls to write me for once.
Love you all!
July 4, 2010
Hey mom!
The emergency was that the zone didn’t have money and the reimbursements didn’t come, so I reimbursed everybody with my money so they could live until the end of the month. As a zone leader I get sent a certain amount of money every week to pay for the small things the church covers like transportation, but the church hadn't sent me the money for some reason, so I had to take matters into my own hands. No worries.
So the Spanish family didn’t go to church this week, and they hid from us yesterday when we went by... it’s really saddening the way that all of a sudden they did a huge 180 on us.
Moving on to the new president: president Veirs is about five foot six, way loving. He is hilarious. He gives huge hugs--almost comparable to dad's, just that president Veirs is fairly short....,
He is from Rancho Cucamonga , California and is a chiropractor. Oh, and he got me permission to come home for classes, but we don’t know when ill be coming home still.
Sorry for the short email. I love you guys.
Thanks so much for all the love and support. Tell the girls I say hello!
Love you, mommy!!
Michael
The emergency was that the zone didn’t have money and the reimbursements didn’t come, so I reimbursed everybody with my money so they could live until the end of the month. As a zone leader I get sent a certain amount of money every week to pay for the small things the church covers like transportation, but the church hadn't sent me the money for some reason, so I had to take matters into my own hands. No worries.
So the Spanish family didn’t go to church this week, and they hid from us yesterday when we went by... it’s really saddening the way that all of a sudden they did a huge 180 on us.
Moving on to the new president: president Veirs is about five foot six, way loving. He is hilarious. He gives huge hugs--almost comparable to dad's, just that president Veirs is fairly short....,
He is from Rancho Cucamonga , California and is a chiropractor. Oh, and he got me permission to come home for classes, but we don’t know when ill be coming home still.
Sorry for the short email. I love you guys.
Thanks so much for all the love and support. Tell the girls I say hello!
Love you, mommy!!
Michael
June 28, 2010
Letter for Grandma Della:
Dear Grandma Della,
I wanted to take this opportunity to cordially and lovingly thank you for helping me to serve the Lord with a full time mission. My time is coming to a close now and I have been working as hard as I possibly can to be able to bring souls unto Christ, and I feel successful. I hope all is well with your recovery. My prayers are with you. I know that the gospel is true and that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sacrificed himself as ransom for us all. I now have a testimony of The Book of Mormon; it is the word of God. It, more than anything, is what has allowed me to understand the fullness of the Gospel of Christ. I love you very much.
Elder Arntsen
Elder Brown and I are working super hard and have found a way sweet family of 4 from Spain that have come to church for two weeks in a row now. They are way sweet and intelligent. So we are going to baptize them in a few weeks. Apart from that it’s been a challenge lately to find people to teach, but we are working super, super hard to find 'em, and we are. What’s going on in the world these days? Hope all is well!
Elder Arntsen
Dear Grandma Della,
I wanted to take this opportunity to cordially and lovingly thank you for helping me to serve the Lord with a full time mission. My time is coming to a close now and I have been working as hard as I possibly can to be able to bring souls unto Christ, and I feel successful. I hope all is well with your recovery. My prayers are with you. I know that the gospel is true and that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sacrificed himself as ransom for us all. I now have a testimony of The Book of Mormon; it is the word of God. It, more than anything, is what has allowed me to understand the fullness of the Gospel of Christ. I love you very much.
Elder Arntsen
Elder Brown and I are working super hard and have found a way sweet family of 4 from Spain that have come to church for two weeks in a row now. They are way sweet and intelligent. So we are going to baptize them in a few weeks. Apart from that it’s been a challenge lately to find people to teach, but we are working super, super hard to find 'em, and we are. What’s going on in the world these days? Hope all is well!
Elder Arntsen
June 21, 2010
OK, so I don’t have much time right now, but wish father a happy father's day. My new comp is Elder Brown from Blackfoot, Idaho. Wwe have lots in common, so we'll rock it out.
Everything is going well in the area. We got a reference of a family from Spain, and they are sweet. I’ll write more in depth next week.
I love you !
Everything is going well in the area. We got a reference of a family from Spain, and they are sweet. I’ll write more in depth next week.
I love you !
June 14, 2010
Busy week indeed!! I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard as this week! We have been on spiritual highs and rockin’ up this Hondo land! We’ve been knocking on doors like crazy! And we´ve found some decent investigators that didn’t’ come to church yesterday, but we´re working on it!! We found a way cool joven (young man) that is super catholic, but really understands that if he receives an answer that the Book of Mormon is true then he has to stop going to the Catholic church. The only problem is that he is a huge soccer fan, and, as I’m sure Caitlin has let you all know, it’s world cup time right now, so he is a little less enthused about going to church at 9 am when there is always a game at that same time.... but we also have a sweet family that we are working with. And lots of support from the bishop. He is so cool. I plan to keep up contact with him over facebook.
And Elder Beach has a change, but we already knew it. He has been here for 6 months already and only has one change left in his mission. After which I only have one a well... scary thought huh? But I’m staying super focused, no worries.
How is everything with you guys then? It’s been ridiculously hot and also raining like crazy when it does rain. One would think that the rain would cool everything off, but it just makes it way hotter. The people are super hyped for world cup, but have no aspirations of winning... even the players are just excited to have qualified, but don’t really plan on winning. Not the attitude I was taught when having to do with sports, but oh well. With the gospel the attendance dropped drastically last week because of the games. I only hope it doesn’t affect baptisms and the work in general.
Love you guys!!
And Elder Beach has a change, but we already knew it. He has been here for 6 months already and only has one change left in his mission. After which I only have one a well... scary thought huh? But I’m staying super focused, no worries.
How is everything with you guys then? It’s been ridiculously hot and also raining like crazy when it does rain. One would think that the rain would cool everything off, but it just makes it way hotter. The people are super hyped for world cup, but have no aspirations of winning... even the players are just excited to have qualified, but don’t really plan on winning. Not the attitude I was taught when having to do with sports, but oh well. With the gospel the attendance dropped drastically last week because of the games. I only hope it doesn’t affect baptisms and the work in general.
Love you guys!!
Jun 7, 2010 E-mail
Hey guys sorry for writing so late. We had a busy day today. Since we baptized so many last month president invited us to play soccer with him today, and then we had some errands to do so we ran a tad late. I’ll write lots more next week though.
I had a great week of hard work that didn’t really pay off because most of our investigators aren’t progressing, but we aren’t getting discouraged. Just keep on keepin’ on. My time with Elder Beach is about up. There’s a week and a half remaining in the change. I’ll fill you in better next week though!!!
Love you!
I had a great week of hard work that didn’t really pay off because most of our investigators aren’t progressing, but we aren’t getting discouraged. Just keep on keepin’ on. My time with Elder Beach is about up. There’s a week and a half remaining in the change. I’ll fill you in better next week though!!!
Love you!
Monday, July 5, 2010
May 31, 2010 E-mail
So.... we baptized a family of 4. Making the month of May a high point in the zone with 7. We passed our goal so Elder Beach and I are pretty pumped up. We have had a rough week ‘cause it’s been raining so much so we’ve been in and out of hiding from the rain and making sure the house doesn’t flood. We are way low on investigators right now, but we´ll conquer that this week so we can baptize some people this month.
Everybody is getting ready for the change in presidents, and even president Cruz is getting baggie... well at least a little. It’s just like when you know you´re about to leave and area. You just get this feeling like, "I’m leaving anyway..." and prez is feeling like that right now. Supposedly missionaries feel that way as they finish, but that hasn’t set in quite yet.
It’s been way hot lately, and it’s just worsened by the rain. But we´re battling it out.
This week we have interviews with President and also Elder Martino and Elder Ochoa are coming for a visit so we get to have a second zone conference this change. More spiritual uplifting motivation for the best mission in the world.
Hope all is well in the desert.
Love you guys!!
Michael
Everybody is getting ready for the change in presidents, and even president Cruz is getting baggie... well at least a little. It’s just like when you know you´re about to leave and area. You just get this feeling like, "I’m leaving anyway..." and prez is feeling like that right now. Supposedly missionaries feel that way as they finish, but that hasn’t set in quite yet.
It’s been way hot lately, and it’s just worsened by the rain. But we´re battling it out.
This week we have interviews with President and also Elder Martino and Elder Ochoa are coming for a visit so we get to have a second zone conference this change. More spiritual uplifting motivation for the best mission in the world.
Hope all is well in the desert.
Love you guys!!
Michael
May 24, 2010 E-mail
So here’s some huge news-- my first convert is sealed for time and all eternity!!! I sent a picture of the happy couple and me at their wedding (they were sealed in the Guatemala temple right after). I baptized him on Roatan. Eddy. He lives in an area in the zone and since we are ZL´s we went to the wedding... duh. It was sweet. So that the biggest and greatest news of my mission so far. It blows my mind.
Elder Beach and I are working way hard. And living life to the fullest. The zone is a tad rebellious, but it’s just cause were both gringos in a predominantly Latin zone, and we are also both the zone leaders, we have a family of 4 that should be baptized this weekend, but the mom has to kick her husband out of the house first. She is willing to but hasn’t done it yet.
Apart from that I’m just stoked for Eddy having been sealed last week. It’s unbelievable the progress that he has had.
Love you guys!
Elder Beach and I are working way hard. And living life to the fullest. The zone is a tad rebellious, but it’s just cause were both gringos in a predominantly Latin zone, and we are also both the zone leaders, we have a family of 4 that should be baptized this weekend, but the mom has to kick her husband out of the house first. She is willing to but hasn’t done it yet.
Apart from that I’m just stoked for Eddy having been sealed last week. It’s unbelievable the progress that he has had.
Love you guys!
May 17, 2010 E-mail
Everything is going really well here. We had a baptism of three on Saturday and Elder Beach and I are working really hard.
The jerseys are easy enough to find, the only question is if you want real jerseys or fakes. Real ones cost like 55 bucks each or something like that, but I can get fake ones on the street for 15ish. I’ll put a picture of the jersey color options.
We´re still having some tough times in the zone and I feel like most of the elders have a problem respecting. I don’t want them to revere me or anything, but just some common respect from one individual to another would be great. I mean it’s a tad over the top when they hang up the phone on you while you are calmly explaining a rule they ought to follow...
But hey. . . nobody is perfect. I’m doing my best to be patient and loving, but I suppose I hold everybody up to standards that I hold myself to, and that isn’t fair since they aren’t me. Epiphany! Have to work on that this week.
Get back to me on the jersey thing!
Love you. See ya!
The jerseys are easy enough to find, the only question is if you want real jerseys or fakes. Real ones cost like 55 bucks each or something like that, but I can get fake ones on the street for 15ish. I’ll put a picture of the jersey color options.
We´re still having some tough times in the zone and I feel like most of the elders have a problem respecting. I don’t want them to revere me or anything, but just some common respect from one individual to another would be great. I mean it’s a tad over the top when they hang up the phone on you while you are calmly explaining a rule they ought to follow...
But hey. . . nobody is perfect. I’m doing my best to be patient and loving, but I suppose I hold everybody up to standards that I hold myself to, and that isn’t fair since they aren’t me. Epiphany! Have to work on that this week.
Get back to me on the jersey thing!
Love you. See ya!
May 10, 2010 E-mail
Dear family,
I’m sure you all laughed. In case you didn’t know I enjoy making others snicker at what I say and do. Just an F.Y.I. so this week was pretty normal. We had 11 investigators in church yesterday and three people that will be baptized this weekend.
Just go ahead and give me a call tonight if dad’s home. Like right around 930 my time. Yeah I’ll just end my email here and await your call this evening.
Love you!
I’m sure you all laughed. In case you didn’t know I enjoy making others snicker at what I say and do. Just an F.Y.I. so this week was pretty normal. We had 11 investigators in church yesterday and three people that will be baptized this weekend.
Just go ahead and give me a call tonight if dad’s home. Like right around 930 my time. Yeah I’ll just end my email here and await your call this evening.
Love you!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
May 3, 2010 E-mail
This was a week of lying, cheating and deceiving that was unable to triumph two fearless servants of the Lord. Ready for the story? Come along with me...
The changes are always made on Thursdays, (the last Thursday for the 6 week period of time that we call a change) and last Thursday the assistants did the changes, but we are not told of who has changes until Monday, or rather, today. Now we suspected that elder beach would have a change. The assistants hinted at it all week, but they also dropped hints that he wouldn’t have a change so we were very confused. But last night I over heard one of them ask the other, "¿ya empezó a empacarse elder beach?" (Has elder beach already started packing?) So this morning he began packing and to our pleasant surprise he does not have a change.
We are going to work our butts of this change though. Felipe is doing well, but he wasn’t able to come to church this week, but we challenged him to be baptized and he understands that he needs to, he is only worried about his living conditions. He lives with his highly catholic sister, who will run him out of the house if she finds out he is even listening to us, but he risks it and come to church for our appointments. He is in mosiah in the study of the book of Mormon.
I love soccer.
We are also teaching a family of 5. they have come to church twice now and the kids will be baptized on the 15 of may, but the parents can´t because they are not married, and the wife needs to get divorced room her former husband, so we are going to help with that and then baptize the kids for now.
Random thought time: it’s so hot right now I can’t sleep at night; I love baleadas; I grew more; I weigh 190 lbs currently; my future roommate from the mission has a change; my companion juas had a revelation; i miss my dog Franklin; I’m still a zone leader!
Love you all
Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
p.s. what if my nickname was Cole instead of mike? Think about that for a moment....
The changes are always made on Thursdays, (the last Thursday for the 6 week period of time that we call a change) and last Thursday the assistants did the changes, but we are not told of who has changes until Monday, or rather, today. Now we suspected that elder beach would have a change. The assistants hinted at it all week, but they also dropped hints that he wouldn’t have a change so we were very confused. But last night I over heard one of them ask the other, "¿ya empezó a empacarse elder beach?" (Has elder beach already started packing?) So this morning he began packing and to our pleasant surprise he does not have a change.
We are going to work our butts of this change though. Felipe is doing well, but he wasn’t able to come to church this week, but we challenged him to be baptized and he understands that he needs to, he is only worried about his living conditions. He lives with his highly catholic sister, who will run him out of the house if she finds out he is even listening to us, but he risks it and come to church for our appointments. He is in mosiah in the study of the book of Mormon.
I love soccer.
We are also teaching a family of 5. they have come to church twice now and the kids will be baptized on the 15 of may, but the parents can´t because they are not married, and the wife needs to get divorced room her former husband, so we are going to help with that and then baptize the kids for now.
Random thought time: it’s so hot right now I can’t sleep at night; I love baleadas; I grew more; I weigh 190 lbs currently; my future roommate from the mission has a change; my companion juas had a revelation; i miss my dog Franklin; I’m still a zone leader!
Love you all
Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
p.s. what if my nickname was Cole instead of mike? Think about that for a moment....
April 25, 2010 E-mail
WE BAPTIZED!!!! Snuck one in to finish off the month!
Her name is Luisa and she is 14. she was coming to church, but had decided not to go anymore and then showed up to church last Sunday for the first time in 3 weeks, so we visited her on Tuesday and she agreed to be baptized last Saturday (well, actually she didn’t agree until Thursday, but only because she wanted to make sure that Dios told her to be baptized on Saturday, so she prayed and received an answer!!!), so we had another miracle! Just like all the rest of the people that have been baptized. Miracles! Gotta love ´em.!
Other story!
So last week a man showed up to church for the first time in his life. He had attended a funeral of a friend in our chapel the week before and a member friend had told min to visit www.mormon.org so he did. He started to have a slight interest in the church and came. He asked what The Book of Mormon was in church so we explained it to him and invited him to have an appointment with us. After much deliberation he accepted. His name is Felipe. It sounds like a normal investigator, but he is a little abnormal. we didn’t really think anything of him, just that he would be a normal guy that we would teach, but he showed up to the appointment with us on Tuesday having read all of this month’s issue of the Liahona, the Restoration of the Gospel pamphlet, and all of The First Book of Nephi, having prayed and asked God if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if The Book of Mormon was true and had already received an answer. His comprehension of the doctrine of Christ is incredible. He didn’t have questions like, "who were the Nephites and the Lamanites?" but, rather, "the brass plates contained up to what point of the bible?" and, "if Lehi was of the lineage of Joseph then were all of the Mayan culture also a part of the house of Israel?"
So he’s a sweet investigator!
Love you guys!!!!! Peace!
Her name is Luisa and she is 14. she was coming to church, but had decided not to go anymore and then showed up to church last Sunday for the first time in 3 weeks, so we visited her on Tuesday and she agreed to be baptized last Saturday (well, actually she didn’t agree until Thursday, but only because she wanted to make sure that Dios told her to be baptized on Saturday, so she prayed and received an answer!!!), so we had another miracle! Just like all the rest of the people that have been baptized. Miracles! Gotta love ´em.!
Other story!
So last week a man showed up to church for the first time in his life. He had attended a funeral of a friend in our chapel the week before and a member friend had told min to visit www.mormon.org so he did. He started to have a slight interest in the church and came. He asked what The Book of Mormon was in church so we explained it to him and invited him to have an appointment with us. After much deliberation he accepted. His name is Felipe. It sounds like a normal investigator, but he is a little abnormal. we didn’t really think anything of him, just that he would be a normal guy that we would teach, but he showed up to the appointment with us on Tuesday having read all of this month’s issue of the Liahona, the Restoration of the Gospel pamphlet, and all of The First Book of Nephi, having prayed and asked God if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if The Book of Mormon was true and had already received an answer. His comprehension of the doctrine of Christ is incredible. He didn’t have questions like, "who were the Nephites and the Lamanites?" but, rather, "the brass plates contained up to what point of the bible?" and, "if Lehi was of the lineage of Joseph then were all of the Mayan culture also a part of the house of Israel?"
So he’s a sweet investigator!
Love you guys!!!!! Peace!
April 18, 2010 E-mail
So this week we worked really hard and had a way cool missionary activity. We told everyone that it would be a county fair kind of deal with games and food, but we told them to hold onto the rope (that we had run from one end of the hall to the other) and to go to the end. We were going for a "hold to the rod" deal and everybody got lost in the vapor of darkness. No arrived to the tree of life. But we had a really cool lesson afterward and everyone that came learned something. But not so many people came... at all. Minor setbacks. So were trying to build everybody up. My comp and I are best buddies and are working really hard and well together!
The zone is pretty slow here (it’s not the biggest baptizing zone), but we are working really hard. The huge family stopped progressing so we´re looking for other investigators. So that’s fun!!
Not much has happened really. Hahaha. Love you guys!
Peace!
The zone is pretty slow here (it’s not the biggest baptizing zone), but we are working really hard. The huge family stopped progressing so we´re looking for other investigators. So that’s fun!!
Not much has happened really. Hahaha. Love you guys!
Peace!
April 5, 2010 E-mail
Today is my birthday... I have also just finish 19 months in the mission. i only have one hand left... what the heck. I haven’t felt the time pass by.
We are teaching a family of 11, but no one came to church again... the city is rough. Everyone is super busy and work and has a lot of money and doesn’t really care. And the members are super apathetic so it’s fairly hard to retain people since no one really cares to help anyway. It’s like retaining number one is the only priority.
We are teaching a family of 11, but no one came to church again... the city is rough. Everyone is super busy and work and has a lot of money and doesn’t really care. And the members are super apathetic so it’s fairly hard to retain people since no one really cares to help anyway. It’s like retaining number one is the only priority.
March 29, 2010 E-mail
So my new area is---- SAN PEDRO SULA. Yup. The downtown super city. My comp is elder beach. I’ve known him forever. Ever since we went to the islands together (he went to utila and went to roatan) and now we´re comps. We live in the same house with the assistants (elder mortensen - the once believed cousin and future roommate and elder Masaya - de Guatemala) so we have lots of fun. Elder beach is from Utah and is planning on moving in with morty and I in January. He goes home one change before me. So I got to have the coolest experience this week. I don’t know if you all remember about Eddy. He was the coolest and last minute baptism on roatan. Well he lives in San Pedro now with his member of the church fiancée and is getting married and sealed in may. It is incredible to see how much he has progressed. He knows everything now and is going to beat me to exaltation!!! I was so close to tears when I saw him.
My area doesn’t baptize a whole lot, but we have the biggest chapel in all of Honduras. With central air conditioning (no big deal to you guys, but way big to me) and life is good. I’ll talk to you later! Love you!!!
My area doesn’t baptize a whole lot, but we have the biggest chapel in all of Honduras. With central air conditioning (no big deal to you guys, but way big to me) and life is good. I’ll talk to you later! Love you!!!
March 22, 2010 E-mail
I baptized the family of 7. We don’t know the changes yet. Pres is redoing them as I write, but there are changes this week. I really don’t have much to write about because I’m just so overly enthused with the Villafranca family being baptized. I’ll send a picture! Love you guys!!!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
March 15, 2010 E-mail
OK here is that family story. We dropped one but the other one is getting baptized Sunday morning before church. It’s a family of 7, and they are goldens. Incredibly awesome. They all came to church and we showed them the baptismal font, and they were all really excited. Then, as they were leaving, the dad pulled us aside and asks, "Do we need to be married in order to be baptized, cause we aren’t married..." yeah... they had lied to us because their kids don’t know that they aren’t married yet. So we convinced the stake president (who is a lawyer- the church has no power to marry here) to marry them on Sunday morning. Now we are on a mad rush to get all of the paperwork done by Sunday. But this family is so worth it.
We are pretty sure that president is gonna pull me out of the area in the changes next week. This is what he said to me, "le voy a sacar de su area" he never tells us what he is gonna do, but I guess we´ll find out if he does it. He believes that the dust makes me sick (well it doesn’t help), on a side note, you would be surprised how dusty it is in this country. With all the humidity you´d think that there wouldn’t be dust at all, but there is tons. Plus the humidity makes the dust thicker so it rests in your lungs making it difficult to breathe (I am over exaggerating... ). So it looks like ill have a change next week. We’ll see...
I’m planning on getting my GPA up. But I really need to start choosing classes too by the way... could you look into that for me please? I don’t have the leisure of free time here.... I need to take Spanish 3?? Something or another for the RM´s get started in math and sciences as well. And for now let’s go with physics teaching major and Spanish minor so could you please keep being the best mom in the whole wide world and help adjust my class schedule? Avoiding the morning hours because lacrosse practice is from 7 am to 9 am now. Every day so the earliest class should be around 10 am or later. Thank you!!!
That’s all for now! Love everybody!
We are pretty sure that president is gonna pull me out of the area in the changes next week. This is what he said to me, "le voy a sacar de su area" he never tells us what he is gonna do, but I guess we´ll find out if he does it. He believes that the dust makes me sick (well it doesn’t help), on a side note, you would be surprised how dusty it is in this country. With all the humidity you´d think that there wouldn’t be dust at all, but there is tons. Plus the humidity makes the dust thicker so it rests in your lungs making it difficult to breathe (I am over exaggerating... ). So it looks like ill have a change next week. We’ll see...
I’m planning on getting my GPA up. But I really need to start choosing classes too by the way... could you look into that for me please? I don’t have the leisure of free time here.... I need to take Spanish 3?? Something or another for the RM´s get started in math and sciences as well. And for now let’s go with physics teaching major and Spanish minor so could you please keep being the best mom in the whole wide world and help adjust my class schedule? Avoiding the morning hours because lacrosse practice is from 7 am to 9 am now. Every day so the earliest class should be around 10 am or later. Thank you!!!
That’s all for now! Love everybody!
March 8, 2010 E-mail
Speaking of missionary experiences; did you know that I am a missionary! What chance! haha I wish I had read/ studied/ opened the scriptures before having come on a mission a tad more often, so I think that’s great.
About the dorm—I will have my own room, and only with 3 other people so that’s a really nifty feature... plus one of those three will be my mission buddy/ what we thought was my cousin elder Mortensen. That’ll be bomb, then in winter semester another buddy from the mission may move in, and with hope, fasting and prayer clinger will be able to transfer to the Y and move in with us too! That will be downright dope.
In the family of 7; five have come to church and have received answers to their prayers, but the father and oldest son work on Sundays, but the oldest son also knows that the church is true, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet, so we just gotta help him find another job. The family really is incredible and really understands. It’s way awesome to teach a family so big that is already married and willing to keep all of their commitments. They dropped coffee cold turkey; they were making 5 pots a day... it’s incredible.
Just warn the girls: don’t mess up the cars that I’m gonna be driving... and warn their dates that I will hurt them when I get home. I just want to be there one time when a guy comes over to pick one of them up. I plan to be polishing one of the shotguns and waiting with a sharpie to write the kids name on a shell... just so he knows what’s up.
Now that I’m down to 6 months you guys have to decide if you want scripture cases or not, cause it takes a few months some times. I need decisions s.t.a.t.
Have fun with the YCL's!
Love you!
About the dorm—I will have my own room, and only with 3 other people so that’s a really nifty feature... plus one of those three will be my mission buddy/ what we thought was my cousin elder Mortensen. That’ll be bomb, then in winter semester another buddy from the mission may move in, and with hope, fasting and prayer clinger will be able to transfer to the Y and move in with us too! That will be downright dope.
In the family of 7; five have come to church and have received answers to their prayers, but the father and oldest son work on Sundays, but the oldest son also knows that the church is true, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet, so we just gotta help him find another job. The family really is incredible and really understands. It’s way awesome to teach a family so big that is already married and willing to keep all of their commitments. They dropped coffee cold turkey; they were making 5 pots a day... it’s incredible.
Just warn the girls: don’t mess up the cars that I’m gonna be driving... and warn their dates that I will hurt them when I get home. I just want to be there one time when a guy comes over to pick one of them up. I plan to be polishing one of the shotguns and waiting with a sharpie to write the kids name on a shell... just so he knows what’s up.
Now that I’m down to 6 months you guys have to decide if you want scripture cases or not, cause it takes a few months some times. I need decisions s.t.a.t.
Have fun with the YCL's!
Love you!
March 1, 2010 E-mail
Got the valentines and Christmas letters. Thanks a lot.
The Seventy visit was cool. He gave me a pep talk about finishing strong... haha. we all got to meet him for a moment and he asked me how much time I had left in the mission to which I replied, "I have some time" (I always have answered that so as not to think about it at all) and he starts off with the "don’t get baggie and finish strong" it was kind of funny. But I learned a lot of great techniques and also a lot from the spirit that he brought.
I dint have too many fond memories of a tale of two cities... actually none of sophomore English whatsoever...
This is for Megan: I UNDERSTOOD THE FIRST TIME THAT MRS EVANS IS RETIREING...ITS NORMAL... MOM AND DAD WILL RETIRE SOME DAY TOO, AND THEY DESERVE IT JUST LIKE MRS EVANS DOES. That is all.
Of one of the two families almost all of them came to the stake conference yesterday. Yesterday we got to hear pres Eyring, elder Christofferson, and elder Costa (it was a video conference for Central America) and I really have high hopes for all seven of them, but for now only 4 are progressing. the eldest brother has a really good job (for here) tending bar at Applebee’s, and the dad is only home on Sundays so he likes to sleep all day (he works from 6 am to 10 pm) but the 4 that came to church really do comprehend and 3 have received spiritual confirmations of the truth of the message.
I’m starting to feel my time in the mission since I finish 18 months on Wednesday... that’s way awkward. Time is slipping by way fast...
Tell everybody I say hi!
Love you guys!
The Seventy visit was cool. He gave me a pep talk about finishing strong... haha. we all got to meet him for a moment and he asked me how much time I had left in the mission to which I replied, "I have some time" (I always have answered that so as not to think about it at all) and he starts off with the "don’t get baggie and finish strong" it was kind of funny. But I learned a lot of great techniques and also a lot from the spirit that he brought.
I dint have too many fond memories of a tale of two cities... actually none of sophomore English whatsoever...
This is for Megan: I UNDERSTOOD THE FIRST TIME THAT MRS EVANS IS RETIREING...ITS NORMAL... MOM AND DAD WILL RETIRE SOME DAY TOO, AND THEY DESERVE IT JUST LIKE MRS EVANS DOES. That is all.
Of one of the two families almost all of them came to the stake conference yesterday. Yesterday we got to hear pres Eyring, elder Christofferson, and elder Costa (it was a video conference for Central America) and I really have high hopes for all seven of them, but for now only 4 are progressing. the eldest brother has a really good job (for here) tending bar at Applebee’s, and the dad is only home on Sundays so he likes to sleep all day (he works from 6 am to 10 pm) but the 4 that came to church really do comprehend and 3 have received spiritual confirmations of the truth of the message.
I’m starting to feel my time in the mission since I finish 18 months on Wednesday... that’s way awkward. Time is slipping by way fast...
Tell everybody I say hi!
Love you guys!
February 22, 2010 E-mail
Well I didn’t get the valentines package yet, but there’s hope for tomorrow!
This past week we worked way, way hard, but all of our appointments fell through. We taught like 15 lessons all week, but we found 2 incredible families of 6 and 7. So this next week we are gonna be working with them a lot so they can come to church. I got a little sick during the week, but after a priesthood blessing from my comp I was 100 percent in 5 hours. So we just kept working hard.
On Tuesday we went to a hospital nearby to be translators for a missionary doctor that was performing free cataract surgeries so that was way fun and cool.
There’s an area 70 coming in tomorrow to do a meeting with the mission so that’ll be good.
I heard that the new mission pres is a gringo from Rancho Cucamonga Cali. Pres Bear. But I’ll have a few months with him actually. All of July and most of august (assuming that pres lets me come home a few weeks early that is...) so it’ll be a different thing, but changes are good.
I forgot its winter Olympics this year...in Canada right? Vancouver or Toronto, I don’t recall. That’s cool though.
I’m sending bunches of pictures, so no worries! Love you guys!
This past week we worked way, way hard, but all of our appointments fell through. We taught like 15 lessons all week, but we found 2 incredible families of 6 and 7. So this next week we are gonna be working with them a lot so they can come to church. I got a little sick during the week, but after a priesthood blessing from my comp I was 100 percent in 5 hours. So we just kept working hard.
On Tuesday we went to a hospital nearby to be translators for a missionary doctor that was performing free cataract surgeries so that was way fun and cool.
There’s an area 70 coming in tomorrow to do a meeting with the mission so that’ll be good.
I heard that the new mission pres is a gringo from Rancho Cucamonga Cali. Pres Bear. But I’ll have a few months with him actually. All of July and most of august (assuming that pres lets me come home a few weeks early that is...) so it’ll be a different thing, but changes are good.
I forgot its winter Olympics this year...in Canada right? Vancouver or Toronto, I don’t recall. That’s cool though.
I’m sending bunches of pictures, so no worries! Love you guys!
February 15, 2010 E-mail
I’m doing better. My new companion is cool. He’s from Guatemala and speaks a lot of English so we'll get along very well. I forgot my card again. I’m sorry. I haven’t gotten a valentines package yet... maybe tomorrow.
This week we had another baptism—a returned missionary’s boyfriend. He’s way sick. He came to church after being baptized in a white shirt and tie (and jeans, but one step at a time...). We are working super hard with my new comp cause elder Gomez was already feeling trunkie of the 6 months in the area, so he didn’t really want to work too hard, but now we are!
We have a family of 5 that we are teaching that is already married believe it or not, and they came to church for the first time last week and they really liked and understood everything. Our area is a really richer area so I’ve learned to deal a little bit better with rejection (although I’m sure it’s nothing as bad as in the states). But there are always people.
Funny story: my stake president got me a really sweet shirt that is impossible to find in the states. A 2009 Cardinal’s Super bowl champions shirt. haha. Its way funny. Now we know what they do with all the shirts that the make for the losing team... they send them to hondoland!
Hey I sent you guys a card awhile back... did you ever get it?
Love you guys! Talk to you next week!
P.S. when people look at pictures of me from the start of my mission they tell me I look different now. Do you guys think I look different than now than then?
Love you guys!!!!
This week we had another baptism—a returned missionary’s boyfriend. He’s way sick. He came to church after being baptized in a white shirt and tie (and jeans, but one step at a time...). We are working super hard with my new comp cause elder Gomez was already feeling trunkie of the 6 months in the area, so he didn’t really want to work too hard, but now we are!
We have a family of 5 that we are teaching that is already married believe it or not, and they came to church for the first time last week and they really liked and understood everything. Our area is a really richer area so I’ve learned to deal a little bit better with rejection (although I’m sure it’s nothing as bad as in the states). But there are always people.
Funny story: my stake president got me a really sweet shirt that is impossible to find in the states. A 2009 Cardinal’s Super bowl champions shirt. haha. Its way funny. Now we know what they do with all the shirts that the make for the losing team... they send them to hondoland!
Hey I sent you guys a card awhile back... did you ever get it?
Love you guys! Talk to you next week!
P.S. when people look at pictures of me from the start of my mission they tell me I look different now. Do you guys think I look different than now than then?
Love you guys!!!!
February 8, 2010 E-mail
Thanks mom! You are the best!
Everything is going well in the economic crashing in our house I assume then...that would be was sick if you could get Morty in my apartment. He’s the one I thought you said we were cousins. So we just tell everybody that we are. That’s why he emailed you. (You’re his aunt... ) He’s the assistant and it’d be way fun to have him as a roommate.
Yeah it’s really weird that Jessie is pregnant... Leah told me that a bunch of girls from my ward are too. And here I am... lowly missionary. People are off getting pregnant that I knew before they were even married 17 months ago.... haha so Tyler won’t meet his first nephew or niece until its a year old. hahaha
In the later news in the Honduras San Pedro Sula mission, my comp has a change, finally. ´Nuff said. And this month is really short. There’s only gonna be 3 weekends because we´re having stake conference on the 28th so it’ll be rough to baptize. But I’m working hard and studying hard and praying harder. Oh! a convert of mine is having her second daughter in a few months and asked us for names I pitched her the three most important girls names for me and she really liked one in particular and is thinking of naming her daughter; Melanie Kay. So I have a child named after me and mom may too! Fun!
We played basketball today. I recall playing in college and high school and being alright, but here I’m like Michael Jordan who has stepped on the court once again
Love you guys! Thanks for all your support! It’s really appreciated.
Everything is going well in the economic crashing in our house I assume then...that would be was sick if you could get Morty in my apartment. He’s the one I thought you said we were cousins. So we just tell everybody that we are. That’s why he emailed you. (You’re his aunt... ) He’s the assistant and it’d be way fun to have him as a roommate.
Yeah it’s really weird that Jessie is pregnant... Leah told me that a bunch of girls from my ward are too. And here I am... lowly missionary. People are off getting pregnant that I knew before they were even married 17 months ago.... haha so Tyler won’t meet his first nephew or niece until its a year old. hahaha
In the later news in the Honduras San Pedro Sula mission, my comp has a change, finally. ´Nuff said. And this month is really short. There’s only gonna be 3 weekends because we´re having stake conference on the 28th so it’ll be rough to baptize. But I’m working hard and studying hard and praying harder. Oh! a convert of mine is having her second daughter in a few months and asked us for names I pitched her the three most important girls names for me and she really liked one in particular and is thinking of naming her daughter; Melanie Kay. So I have a child named after me and mom may too! Fun!
We played basketball today. I recall playing in college and high school and being alright, but here I’m like Michael Jordan who has stepped on the court once again
Love you guys! Thanks for all your support! It’s really appreciated.
February 1, 2010 E-mail
Yeah I’m having a great time here!
We had a rough week of real hard work and January is over. It’s been really a long month since there hasn’t been a single change the whole month, and there aren’t changes until February. I’m pretty ready for changes though, ‘cause having a comp for 3 months is really wearing me down. But I’m still working really hard. The zone did pretty well this month and I’m pretty sure we did the best in the mission 2 months in a row now, so that’s cool.
I’ve been on splits a lot so I haven’t really worked in my area, but trying to help everybody out a little. Love you guys!
We had a rough week of real hard work and January is over. It’s been really a long month since there hasn’t been a single change the whole month, and there aren’t changes until February. I’m pretty ready for changes though, ‘cause having a comp for 3 months is really wearing me down. But I’m still working really hard. The zone did pretty well this month and I’m pretty sure we did the best in the mission 2 months in a row now, so that’s cool.
I’ve been on splits a lot so I haven’t really worked in my area, but trying to help everybody out a little. Love you guys!
January 25, 2010 E-mail
Hey mom sorry I’m writing so late. This morning we went to Tela to go to the beach and we played ultimate Frisbee all morning, so up till right mow I have internet. And it’s almost 6 so I really don’t have much time to write. But everything is good down here right now. Being a zone leader stinks ‘cause everyone just complains. The kid that wanted to go home is home already. He needed to go home, and let’s leave it at that. But it was awkward taking him on the bus ride to talk to president.
I got the letter with the pictures of the bug and all the articles. Some of the Elders didn’t believe that it was me on the newspaper. haha. The bug looks great. Now we just have to decide on a color.
We baptized again this week and have another getting baptized this weekend. So, I am still working pretty hard up in here. I have interviews tomorrow so we'll see what prez thinks of the work we've been doing here.
Thanks, love you!!!
I got the letter with the pictures of the bug and all the articles. Some of the Elders didn’t believe that it was me on the newspaper. haha. The bug looks great. Now we just have to decide on a color.
We baptized again this week and have another getting baptized this weekend. So, I am still working pretty hard up in here. I have interviews tomorrow so we'll see what prez thinks of the work we've been doing here.
Thanks, love you!!!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
January 18, 2010 E-mail
Story of the week--Since last Monday I have worked with my companion in my area only yesterday. We went on splits with other missionaries every day. Mostly just ‘cause there’s a new elder who wants to go home. So I wanted to help him a little bit to figure things out. But he’s pretty determined to get out of here. He’s only been in the country for a month... I didn’t get bit by a dog this week, but almost. There was this huge dog that looked really calm (a house dog, not street dog), so I extended my hand for him to smell, and he almost took it off (the bars on the fence were a lot wider than I thought—haha).
Yeah, we heard about Haiti. That’s nuts.
That’s about all. Talk to you all later.
Love ya!
Yeah, we heard about Haiti. That’s nuts.
That’s about all. Talk to you all later.
Love ya!
January 11, 2010 E-mail
"What is your mission policy about parents coming to the country to pick up missionaries? Is it done? Would you want us to?”
Yeah it’s done here and there, but to be honest I would prefer not. Especially if I’m gonna come home a few weeks earlier. Because you will want to go to Roatan, and I will not be allowed to swim or scuba so I’d miss out on all of the attraction of the island that I already missed out on. If you want to we can come down here for Christmas time to meet everybody? That´d be fun.
Thank you, dad, for the wonderful sports update and the great recap of the cards game. I’m delighted to hear that old man Kurt still has his heat. (And people say he should have retired after he won a Superbowl, and in the meantime the Rams haven’t had a winning season since he left......)
Congratulations, Caitlin for the shut out on the varsity game.
And now for the story of the week—I have two words for you--dog bite. Oh, yeah, it happened. Don’t worry; it wasn’t anything big, no blood, no rabies (it’s a members dog), and, yes, I kicked it very hard several times.
This dog tries to attack us when we walk in the house, but they held it back. Then, while in the house, it snuggles up next to me and lets me pet it, but when we leave they forgot about the dog. As I was opening the gate it came up behind me and bit me on my left calf just below the knee (ripped my pants a little). I screamed out (without cussing, I might add), and then tried to kick it. It dodged the first, but I faked on the second and waited for it to dodge and followed through hard to the chin. It kept barking so I repeated, kicking it once again in the bottom of the head. It kept barking so I did the same thing, but this time hit it in the sternum knocking it over so that it cried and ran away. Yes, it’s true.
Other than that, nothing to report. It’s been really cold lately (for Latinos and gringos alike), but I’m no longer sick. I’m on some antibiotics still and some allergy pill. We still don’t know what the cause of the huge lips could be, so we went to the doctor a few weeks ago and he said, "bueno de verdad podría ser cualquier cosa en mi opinion como profesional..." which, interpreted means, "well, it could be anything in my professional opinion." Thanks, doc..... big help.
Just working hard and trying to be like Jesus.
Love you guys!!! Peace!
Yeah it’s done here and there, but to be honest I would prefer not. Especially if I’m gonna come home a few weeks earlier. Because you will want to go to Roatan, and I will not be allowed to swim or scuba so I’d miss out on all of the attraction of the island that I already missed out on. If you want to we can come down here for Christmas time to meet everybody? That´d be fun.
Thank you, dad, for the wonderful sports update and the great recap of the cards game. I’m delighted to hear that old man Kurt still has his heat. (And people say he should have retired after he won a Superbowl, and in the meantime the Rams haven’t had a winning season since he left......)
Congratulations, Caitlin for the shut out on the varsity game.
And now for the story of the week—I have two words for you--dog bite. Oh, yeah, it happened. Don’t worry; it wasn’t anything big, no blood, no rabies (it’s a members dog), and, yes, I kicked it very hard several times.
This dog tries to attack us when we walk in the house, but they held it back. Then, while in the house, it snuggles up next to me and lets me pet it, but when we leave they forgot about the dog. As I was opening the gate it came up behind me and bit me on my left calf just below the knee (ripped my pants a little). I screamed out (without cussing, I might add), and then tried to kick it. It dodged the first, but I faked on the second and waited for it to dodge and followed through hard to the chin. It kept barking so I repeated, kicking it once again in the bottom of the head. It kept barking so I did the same thing, but this time hit it in the sternum knocking it over so that it cried and ran away. Yes, it’s true.
Other than that, nothing to report. It’s been really cold lately (for Latinos and gringos alike), but I’m no longer sick. I’m on some antibiotics still and some allergy pill. We still don’t know what the cause of the huge lips could be, so we went to the doctor a few weeks ago and he said, "bueno de verdad podría ser cualquier cosa en mi opinion como profesional..." which, interpreted means, "well, it could be anything in my professional opinion." Thanks, doc..... big help.
Just working hard and trying to be like Jesus.
Love you guys!!! Peace!
January 4, 2010 E-mail
Yeah, man 2010. And in the year 2009 my feet never touched American soil.... weird, huh.
So the work-- my companion has got me a tad down, but we are working pretty hard, even though he doesn’t want to. We had 2 confirmations yesterday (of the two kids that couldn’t come last Sunday), and right now we have an amazing investigator named Helsy. I think I may have mentioned her to you before. She is a newlywed of a less active member and has lots of questions. Her big doubt is the Book of Mormon as scripture. But this week we had a really good lesson with her. She expressed to us her doubt, and we told her she needs faith and to ask. She understands, but wants proof. I told her that the bible is full of proof, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot unless you receive an answer from God first. But in the end I shared Ezekiel 35:16 and 17. She really understood and said she feels like she’s closer to an answer. She told us that that night she knelt and prayed for the first time in her life. Then she read the first 3 chapters of the Book of Mormon. Her favorite part was when Lehi named the river and valley for his sons. She said the poetry was very familiar. So I asked her if she had ever read the Psalms (it’s the most read part of the Bible here), and she realized herself that the way the Psalms are written is with the same type of language. She is awesome.
We were Zona Celestial of the month of December with 44 baptized and confirmed. And so we got to play soccer with President today. Ttomorrow we have to go to San Pedro and also on Wednesday for meetings. That’s how prez wants it.
Hope all is well with you guys! Love ya!
So the work-- my companion has got me a tad down, but we are working pretty hard, even though he doesn’t want to. We had 2 confirmations yesterday (of the two kids that couldn’t come last Sunday), and right now we have an amazing investigator named Helsy. I think I may have mentioned her to you before. She is a newlywed of a less active member and has lots of questions. Her big doubt is the Book of Mormon as scripture. But this week we had a really good lesson with her. She expressed to us her doubt, and we told her she needs faith and to ask. She understands, but wants proof. I told her that the bible is full of proof, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot unless you receive an answer from God first. But in the end I shared Ezekiel 35:16 and 17. She really understood and said she feels like she’s closer to an answer. She told us that that night she knelt and prayed for the first time in her life. Then she read the first 3 chapters of the Book of Mormon. Her favorite part was when Lehi named the river and valley for his sons. She said the poetry was very familiar. So I asked her if she had ever read the Psalms (it’s the most read part of the Bible here), and she realized herself that the way the Psalms are written is with the same type of language. She is awesome.
We were Zona Celestial of the month of December with 44 baptized and confirmed. And so we got to play soccer with President today. Ttomorrow we have to go to San Pedro and also on Wednesday for meetings. That’s how prez wants it.
Hope all is well with you guys! Love ya!
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