Transfer #7

Mom…you better save that letter I wrote you cause it’s the one and only haha!  That’s cool about Kellen.  I can’t wait to watch him play ball when I get home.  I only felt the La Habra earthquake.  But… we have had over 100 aftershocks in the past 48 hours.   I am getting transferred tomorrow.  Surprisingly, I'm not nervous for a new area.   I'm actually pretty excited!! I'm on transfer 7 and I will hit my year mark the 2nd week of transfer 9.  It’s kinda weird to think about it.  After the last couple of weeks….I’m  really looking forward to the change.  It’s time!  Right now I'm kind of feeling like I'm going back to Laguna Niguel or up to Newport Beach.  I’ve said goodbye to a ton and I’ve gotten pics with all of them.  I got a new tie from the Coe’s.  I’m sending a package home today so please watch for it.  I had a great time golfing last Monday although I am really rusty.  Let’s just say that come the 17^th and 18^th hole, I was just seeing how far past the green I can hit it from the tree box.  I shot a 91 on a 65.  I didn’t start shooting well until hole 16…that’s when I was starting to par everything.  It was just way rough.  It’s like an all par 3 course with like 3-4 par 4s and I was putting for par almost every time but you know I can’t putt so I was doubling everything.  Then…the last hole I sink a 3 and it was 250 yards out and I just crushed it right over the green for about 280 ha ha ha.  I have to give a shout out to my mission president.  I love the guy….he’s awesome.  His daughter spoke to us yesterday.  She has had 8 brain surgeries…she has an amazing story.  I will send you some pics next week.  Life is good!  Love you all!

Golf Day!

I’m pretty excited!!!  Today we are gonna tee off around three.  I’m so stoked!  I’m golfing with Matt McDonald and Elder Buhler.  It is going to be so much fun…we get to golf 18 holes.  I only wish the weather was a little better though.  Not a whole lot has happened this past week.  It has actually been quite slow.  So….last week I mentioned that I thought our District Leader was stupid.  I guess I can’t say that anymore cause now I see why he requested what he did.  I am very frustrated and so ready to be transferred.  Let’s just say Elder Buhler really likes Caitlin and Catherine is trying to pretty much set those two up.  Unfortunately I am not a solo senior companion so I don’t have a whole lot of say!  We have to make all the decisions together and even though I think we need to spend less time with the Brophey’s my companion thinks otherwise.  I went shopping last week.  I bought two pair of stance socks and I found a penguin tie for $10.  What a bargain…huh?  Mom….I’m going to Café Rio on Wednesday just like you.  Happy Birthday Mom!  You’re old but I love you anyways!  Talk to you on Monday!

Happy April Fools Day!

Kyle may not think this is too funny, but Kellen was so excited to send this package.  Kyle is always seeking and asking for "Penguin" ties.  The funny thing about this is a "Penguin" tie is just a high quality namebrand tie....not a tie with Penguins on it.  Kellen found this tie one day when we were shopping and he had to get it for Kyle.  Happy April Fool's Day!  Wish we could see the smile on your face when you open this package.

So I had a really good week last week.  We had exchanges and I ‘m not very happy with our district leader right now.  I kind of think he is stupid.  He amped a white wash meaning me and Elder Buhler might be leaving Mission Viejo on next transfers.  We are doing really well in the area, but he feels like we are wasting our time with Catherine and her family.  He doesn’t like that we help her with service projects either.  Anyway….Catherine and Caitlin have kind of had some major set backs….which is exactly what I feared.  Elder Buhler and I expressed our concerns to the President so hopefully at least one of us will be staying.  Catherine really is very close to accepting the gospel.  I would hate to see a stupid white wash move destroy this.  I would really like to stay in Mission Viejo through another transfer but I have a pretty good feeling that I will be the one to move.  I just hope that I go more coastal for the summer months.  We got to go to the Temple on the 12^th.  I always love going to the temple and I really enjoy the new movie.  The San Diego temple is still my favorite but the Laguna Hills temple is really neat.  It has a beach painting in the video room that is way cool!  I’ve attached a few pictures of us standing in front of the temple.  I don’t think I look any different but I have grown a couple of inches taller. I got to see and visit with Tony the other day.  He is getting ready to move.  He went on a two week church strike but I think he is all good now.  Oh…I forgot!  Guess what I got the other day?  I got an authentic Dale Murphy card and Ken Griffey Senior when they played for the Braves!  I’m sending a package of stuff home and I am putting those inside.  Please keep them safe for me.  I don’t have much planned for the rest of today.  We are going to go shopping and play some basketball.  I want to buy some Stance socks and maybe some ties.  You can never get sick of ties!  We are still being fed every night by ward members so no Mom….I still don’t have to cook!  Tonight we get to eat at the Area 70’s home I spoke of last week.  It should be fun…I’m pretty pumped.  Well….got to go!  Talk to you next Monday!  Love ya!

The church is true....the book is blue!

Things are going pretty good!!  Not a whole lot to tell. We picked up a new investigator and set a baptismal date with her!! But… we have to pass her off to another ward because she lives within their boundaries.  She set a baptismal date for the 29^th of March.  She is Muslim which is the hardest religion to convert from cause she possibly could be killed.  It was really cool though!  We taught her and she really doesn’t understand anything but when we started teaching about Joseph Smith’s vision, she started crying.  It was super sick!  Thanks for the pictures.  I really love getting them.  Kell looks good!  Is that a skinny tie he’s rockin?  So last night Catherine and I got into a hard core bash.  We bashed for 2 hours after church about the Trinity (Catherine’s church -- Remember last week she asked us to go to her church to watch her son play the guitar.  Well we went and I thought her religion was full of crap….to say that in the nicest way possible.  It was ridiculous.).  Our bash got pretty heated….the best part is we can still be close friends after so it’s all good.  In fact she is taking us to lunch today.  We are going to Rice Garden.  It’s just a knock off of Panda Express and it is just as delicious.  We have a zone activity at the church later today so I guess we will just be hanging out there.  I get to go golfing on the 24^th.  We get to golf at Costa Del Sol.  I guess it is pretty cheap.  I’ll play 18 holes with a cart for like $20.  Yesterday I ate with an area seventy…Douglas Higham.  He lives in our ward.  We talked about his upcoming meeting with Neal L. Anderson.  I hit my 8 month mark today.  It all feels pretty normal now.  It’s just like a part of me and it’s flying by way too fast.  It’s weird to think I’ll hit my year mark in my next area.  Next transfers are the first of April.  I’m not really looking forward to them.  I wanna be here till like 2 days after Mother’s Day.  I can wish but it’s very likely I’ll leave.  If I get transferred, I am hoping to be transferred to one of our beach areas.  It is so much cooler there….almost 20 degrees cooler.  If I don’t get transferred to a beach area, I could be transferred to Rancho Santa Margarita which is more inland and really hot and dry….especially during the summer.  The good thing about possibly being transferred to Rancho Santa Margarita is the Oakley Factory is there.  Anyway….it’s all good.  I will be transferred to wherever I am supposed to be.  Hey Mom….read Proverbs 9:13.  It applies to you after the morning you just had!  It’s pretty funny! The church is true…the Book is Blue!  I gotta go…talk to you next week.  Love you!

Last week it rained hard and today is hot and sunny.  Catherine sent you a video of me and my companion dancing in the rain….more like dancing in a typhoon.  Friday night we went to the stake road shows.  It was fun and I believe Catherine sent a picture of that as well.  The high-light of my week was seeing Ryan on Sunday at church.  That was way cool…kinda weird…but really good!  I didn’t talk to him a whole lot cause a random lady came in to church so I left Ryan to go and talk to her.  It was funny because Hannah and Tatum just followed me.  It was good talking for a minute with them but not a whole lot was really said.  We had four investigators show up on Sunday.  Cathrine, Caitlin, a lady named Natalia (she is just a potential but she showed up at church with a member) and some other lady that randomly walked in.  It was ward conference yesterday and Ryan went and talked to our Stake President.  Thank you for the package.  It was good….well the Life cereal anyway.  I put the candy away in the living room for whoever wants it.  I don’t eat candy or pop anymore.  When I do drink pop it actually makes me sick.  We are going to Cathrine and Caitlin’s church today.  They attend a non-denominational kinda born again church.  We are going to a concert of Christian Rock.  Catherine’s son is actually playing the guitar and singing in it so Catherine asked if we would come watch.  I am still holding out hope that Catherine and her family decide to get baptized.  I think that if Catherine were to ask her husband to he would, it’s Caitlin that doesn’t seem too interested.  She doesn’t like sacrament meeting….they don’t dance in sacrament meeting.  Exciting news this week for Caitlin.  She got a job as a parade dancer at Disneyland.  I really like my new glasses.  It is kind of nice to have a break from wearing my contacts all the time.  Well….got to go.  Love you all!

Friday Night at the Stake Road Shows....Catherine, Elder Buhler, Elder Hess

 

A surprise visit!

Ryan and his family took a trip to California.  They made a stop on Sunday, March 2, 2014 and attended church at the Mission Viejo 1st ward where Elder Hess is currently serving.  Ryan reports that Kyle had 3 investigators at church with him on Sunday.  He says that Kyle seems to be doing good and that the ward seems to absolutely love him.