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Monday, September 30, 2013

ww28 - Letter from Spain (Elder Max ) - It's Raining

Week 28 - Max - It's Raining

Monday, September 30, 2013

9:26 AM

Hola familia!

Well I am just sitting here on this rainy day here in Cordoba. Thats right, RAINY DAY!! This whole week, it has rained like 5 times. The first time was on Friday, after our noche de hogar in the capilla. We had a few minutes after cleaning up so we decided to play some ping pong for about 15 minutes. One of the hermanas looked out and saw that it was raining, so we all ran outside and played in the rain for a little bit. Even though, it was a pretty warm rain, it was nice to finally cool down! Haha

(A little side note....I won the ping pong championship that night...)

This week has been rough but great. Not tons has happened so this letter might be a little short. We had a big zone conference in sevilla on Friday morning. President and Sister Deere were there with their son Justin who just got home from his mission in Arizona. I was also able to see Elder Hall (who I worked with at Raging waters before the mission) He is such a funny kid and is doing really well. I love zone conferences because I get to talk to other missionaries that are having similar experiences as me. We can all relate and you really can see the light of Christ so strong in every one of them. The spirit is always super strong.

I talked to Hna Deere, who told me that Dad had emailed her asking about the picture that I sent with me standing under 54 degrees. Well...that picture was completely legit! haha Except I will have to add that this thermometer was right in the heat of the sun, and so it was a lot higher than the others. But it was still suuuuper hot! Haha

Hey but I am glad you guys received my photos and postcards. I hope you enjoyed them. I am excited to read about the questions that you have and what you thought of them.

INVESTIGATORS

As far as investigators go right now...we are really struggling. We have visited with Edith a couple of times, but she is now in the area of the hermanas and so they will be teaching her. We were able to meet her sister, Roxana, and she has a lot of interest. So we are praying for the Hermanas to be able to follow up and teach them.

We haven't talked to Antonio this week. Every time we go, his wife is there and she wont let us in. It is so hard because they were so close.

Jared is a new teenage kid that we are teaching. He is such a good man. Only has 15 years and loves to talk about the church and stuff. But once again, his mother works every day, and when she IS home, she wont really talk to us.

But though it might be hard, I want you all to know that we are loving the work. We have still seen so many miracles as we have run in to many menos activos and talked with them. The Lord is watching over us here in Cordoba and we are going to stay diligent in finding.

That was what our zone conference was about...finding. We have a goal set this week to find 8 new investigators. Please keep us in your prayers, as well as the people above. :) Thanks!

QUESTIONS

I wanted to answer moms questions that she sent last week. Here they are. Sorry if the answers are a little short. And if it does go on and on, you dont have to add all of these in the big letter. haha I just wanted to be sure to answer moms questions. They are, of course, the most important :)

- Finances - Going good. I am known for always have money. I am very thankful that I learned at a young age to not just spend money on anything and everything.

- Letters. I usually print them off to read them all and then find time during the day. I am now trying to find more time during email time to read them because it is getting a bit expensive to print 10-20 pages each week.

- We eat at members homes quite a bit now. When I first got here, we rarely ate...like 1 a week. But last week, we ate at a members house every single day except friday! :) It was super great. We are really working on building the trust of the members. That's how we find new people :) The hard thing is half of the members live over 2 hours away in pueblos...so it is pretty difficult.

When we don't eat at members houses, we all take turns cooking. I am learning how to make paella (I think thats how its spelled) Usually though, I cook pasta or rice. haha My comps are pretty cooks. I am still about the same in weight.

- The threesome is working out great! We are all great friend and loving our time together. With that said, I will mention that training with someone else is a little difficult. Sometimes we have different ideas of what we should do, and that leads into arguments that really shouldnt happen. But we are both learning and gaining lots of experience of how to work well with someone that has a different personality than you. It is good experience!

- There are now three Elders and two sisters. That is our entire district. And yeah, we see the Hermanas quite a bit. In fact, later today, we have a big party planned for Elder Rojas bday in the capilla. We have invited members and were hoping it will all turn out good!

I hope that answers your questions mom. If you have any more, please feel free to ask. I love answering questions!

SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK

In DyC 58: 26-33

The Lord gives us commandments to guide us. But we need to keep the commandments not because we are compelled (sp?) but because we KNOW its what's right. We have our agency to be diligent in all things, and we truly show our diligence when we use our agency and our propio voluntad (cant think of the english words for that) to keep the commandments. And if we are diligent, He will keep his promises.

Well that's about it for this week. I hope all of this makes sense. I just want to thank you all for your support. I love reading your letters so much. Your letters are what keep me going with a positive attitude. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Loving life!

Carry on! A vencer!

I love you!

Love, Elder Bassett

P.S. I dont think I will forget next week, but just in case...I want to say HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO DAD!!! Love ya Dad!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Letter from Blaine, September 29, 2103

Hey Max,

I missed you more this week than usual. I can't even remember what specifically happened, but I have felt your absence more lately. Maybe it is because we watched our wedding video last week and saw you when you were about Gwen's age. Sweet little guy. Or maybe it was watching the little video clips of you hanging around with your companions—waiting for a bus, having a snack, etc. They were simple clips, but hearing your voice speaking castellano so fluidly with your companions in that place I loved so much—I don't know—it just has made me miss you a lot. Anyway, it's fun to think that we're already about one fourth of the way through and that you are doing so well. I think things got more fun and more interesting the better I knew Spanish and the more comfortable I felt. So hopefully it will be the same for you. The mission is a classic life-in-a-nutshell scenario. Law school is another. Ditto junior high and high school. What I mean by this is that there are these experiences that you go through that are very cyclical and that have very defined beginnings, middles, and endings that are not too far apart from each other. You start off as the new guy and before you know it, you are in the middle of things, and then suddenly you realize that you are the big man on campus and just about ready to move on to the next. The mission in particular feels like a little life within a life and you even talk about it that way: you are "born," you have "hijos," you "die" when it's over, etc. It is cool that you are a fourth of the way done because it means that you are getting close to being on the older, more experienced side of things, which, in my experience, is where most of the fun is. Being one of the people that the younger ones look up to, who knows what's going on, who has earned significant experience through long hours of hard work and sweat and tears. You're on your way and I hope that you will enjoy your mission even more and more as you get there. And then, it's funny, you will suddenly be done and will be back in college—your next life-in-a-nutshell experience. You will be the new one again. You will be trying to learn things in your major and will feel just as clueless and frustrated as you have for the last six months as you've tried to learn Spanish. When you finish college, your first job will be the same way, and there will be plenty more of these things throughout life.

To me, these things are what give life a lot of its fun and flavor. I'm scared to think of one day settling down so much that I won't feel the rhythm of this anymore, because in my life so far, it has been almost as constant as the seasons. I spend awhile being totally clueless, awhile starting to feel somewhat competent, awhile where I really start to feel pretty good about myself and my abilities, and then start over as a small fish in a new, bigger and more exciting pond. Elementary school, junior high, high school, mission, undergrad, first job out of school, second job out of school, and now law school, the pattern is always the same and has created a fun rhythm for me in my life.

I explain all this to say that right now in life, I am enjoying the season of being the cool, experienced, big-fish-in-a-small-pond guy right before starting a new cycle where I will again be the small fish in a much much bigger pond than I have ever experienced. It seems like just yesterday, I was the clueless one just starting law school. But suddenly I find myself a few weeks into my third and final year of law school and I am loving it. They say that in law school (and you could probably apply this to all of the cycles I have mentioned…), the first year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death, and the third year they bore you to death. That has been about right. Well, I was never scared to death per se during my first year, but it certainly did seem scary and important when we were new and had no idea whether we would ever get jobs or what would become of us. The second year I was worked to death in every sense of the word except the literal one (I am still alive :). It was very intense and it exhausts me just to think about it. This year, I am far from bored, but it certainly promises to be an easier, lighter year than last year. I have fewer classes where the grade really counts. Fewer finals. Less pressure from work (since I don't have a real job this year like I had last year.) At the same time, I have gotten to become much more involved in some fun stuff that I haven't previously had time for:

First, I've had more time this year so far to spend with the family. I have enjoyed getting to stay home from school and hang out with the kids on a lot of the Fridays so far. While I still usually have some work to do, I have not even had to pick up a book on a Saturday yet, which has been a real treat (last year I usually had to still work at least 4-6 hours most Saturdays and all day on Fridays). Being with the family has been great. We have done fun little trips and drives, movie nights with the kids and date nights with Kristi. We have gone to Trafalga and 7 Peaks and just bought month-long tickets to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point to go hang out there a lot during October. We have had fun birthday celebrations for Ben and myself this month and now the kids are excitedly preparing for Halloween. In fact, today, they spent basically the entire day getting along with each other and making Halloween decorations which are now taped along every wall of our house. Cute little jack-o-lanterns, witches, mummies, Frankensteins, zombies, gremlins, haunted houses, bats, spiders, zombies—you name it, and we've got it. I think the very cutest thing, if the most controversial, is on the front door. You've probably seen the decorations you can buy where it looks like a witch was riding on a broom and ran into the front door and is splattered there with the broom still sticking out? Well, Gwen made a homemade one where she drew a witch on a piece of paper and then cut out a huge hole right between the witch's legs and then she taped this huge brown paper towel roll onto the paper in a way which, at first glance, borders on the obscene, until you realize—oooohhh, it's the broom—and then seems cute if still a little dangerously suggestive. :) The whole experience of seeing it basically just makes everyone who has seen it so far laugh out loud and it is my favorite decoration ever. Gwen is so sweet and I love how much she loves Halloween (she claims to like it even more than Christmas!)

Second, as a 3L (third year law student), I have really tried to use what I have learned during the last two years to help other new people coming in. When I was a missionary, the only job I ever really wanted was to be a trainer. I didn't care about being a district leader or zone leader or AP, but I was always excited to have my own hijo and to play that role in someone's life of getting to be the one to buy them their first cana and help them master the art of the door contact and street contact, and to answer their Spanish grammar questions and have them be amazed at my Spanish and wonder if they would ever be as comfortable as I was. I don't know if it's a bad, prideful thing—I feel good about myself we I get to work with someone who has so much further than me to go—or if it's a good thing—I just like to serve and mentor others and try to pass forward to others the lessons that I remember many special people shared with me. But, good or bad, I have learned that I am very motivated by this type of thing. I love to act in that mentorship role. So this year, I have been able to put myself into that role in many different ways, so much so that this week I would say that half of the hours I spent at the school were not for me at all but were trying to help mentor others. (I should say at the outset that this is not pure service. Most of what I am doing, I get paid for from the school. However, I should also say that the pay is a small fraction of what I could be making if my goal with these hours was to make money rather than to help and mentor people.) One job I have is as a job mentor to help incoming 1Ls find work for this first summer. I started with like six people in my group but my latest meetings have bad eight or ten people showing up because I think the good word is spreading and they find what I am telling them to be useful enough to pass the word onto their friends. Getting a job has always been my top priority since day one of law school and it is something I have learned how to do and have gotten good at, so it is REALLY fun and rewarding for me to work with these students and to answer all the questions that I never really had anyone to answer for me, but that I had to figure out on my own. It is especially fun to see how valuable it is to them and how grateful they are. I feel like I am really helping people, but also getting paid for it and having a great time. It's a win win win. Another job I have is to help students learn to do legal writing. This is a whole different challenge and I work with a totally different set of 1Ls. This job isn't always as fun but it pays a little better and is still every bit as important. Here, they are required to come to me, so I don't always get the reward of them taking it as seriously as I would like or being as excited about it or as grateful for my time, but it is still really rewarding when I can help someone understand what is going on with an issue they are writing about so that they can think and write about it clearly. Finally, it is fun that I have become well-known enough for my success in finding solid opportunities in patent law that people I hardly know have sent friends my way to ask questions about the industry. This week, for example, I had a really fun lunch with an undergrad who is about to graduate in Mechanical Engineering and is considering going back to law school after a few years like I did. I wish that I had had someone to ask all my questions to when I was in his position so it was so fun to be that for him. We sat and chatted for several hours and I think he got really excited about this career path and I wouldn't be surprised if this conversation will be something he will remember as a milestone someday if he does choose to pursue this career. So mentorship opportunities like that (which are totally unpaid but the very most fun) have been really rewarding too. All of this has made this semester of law school my favorite so far.

Well, this has gotten long. I hope it hasn't been too boring for others as I have started to realize as I type that a lot of this is largely for myself as a journal entry. But this is a fun time of life that I am enjoying before starting into the next cycle where I am sure I'll be very busy and overwhelmed again as the new guy (when I start my job next year). I guess the takeaway I hope you would get out of it, Max, is to enjoy these next phases of your mission. You are already getting very good at Spanish, which will help you, and if you are already training, you will surely get lots and lots more cool opportunities to do different types of things than you have done in the past. I hope that you will enjoy the fruits of the growth that you are earning right now and that you will enjoy passing along what you have learned to others as you have a chance to do so. This goes both for new missionaries who will look up to you and to investigators to whom you will teach the gospel.

We're so proud of you and think of you often. We mourn with you when your people make bad choices or even when they just aren't ready to make good ones yet. And we rejoice with you when you send on the good news of someone committing to baptism or when you accomplish difficult goals. Thank your for letting me be there vicariously with you again. We love you and pray for you!

Love,

Blaine

Letter to MfMM

Dear Max,

Do you know what MfMM stands for? My favorite Missionary Max. And you are! We just got home from a missionary Devotional over at the institute and it made me miss you. It was similar to the program that was held the night you were set apart. It was very inspiring with lots of beautiful music, short video clips and testimonies from converts. And it always only lasts an hour with President Swain giving a short, concluding message. It was cool how well attended it was - probably almost 400 people. I looked up at all those handsome Elders singing and thought of you. I hope you get opportunities to sing on your mission. And to play the piano. I miss hearing your piano so I hope someone gets to enjoy it.

First is the "RS report." I am learning and growing and appreciating my calling. I can see the Lord's hand and help in all that I do. Last night was our big dinner before the RS general Broadcast. I have such amazing counselors and secretary. It is so neat to serve with such diligent, talented women. I am humbled. We planned for 200 people, just in case, and had at least 150, maybe more, show up. We served Lion House soup and rolls along with salad and brownies. Dad helped me set up, and Janey came early and also helped. Nancy and Kath came and supported me, too, so that was comforting. I just felt really satisfied with how smoothly everything went. We told the girls to invite their moms/grandmas and that was really a good way to get people there. There was just a nice spirit and then the actual meeting was so fabulous and full of the Spirit. All of the RS general presidency spoke, along with president Monson. They talked a lot about keeping our covenants and bore such powerful testimonies. Do you get broadcasts like that in Spain? You probably get them delayed?

Then today I taught in one of the Relief Society's in the stake. President Evans asked me last minute to do it (he had to reorganize a new bishopric at the same time) and I was grateful it all went well. I haven't had a lot of experience teaching and it is not something I feel comfortable with, but I felt so blessed and strengthened as I did it. I feel The Lord helping me so much in this calling. He is helping me to make weak things become strong, or at least stronger! Sabrina is in that RS (Bishop Erickson's ward) and she was really good to make comments and make me feel comfortable. I am inspired by these YSA sisters. Lots of insightful comments were made.

Oh one more YSA thing. The ward dad serves as high councilman to (Taylorsville 3rd) got a new second counselor today. It is Peter Brienholt. Pretty fun, huh? Maybe Nick will like that news better than anyone. Nick was always the big Peter B fan. And dad will be sitting next to him every week in sac meeting. I hope he sings. (Funny thing is dad never loved his singing. But we won't tell him that.)

I attended our JN 2nd ward sacrament meeting today as it was the Primary program. I miss those kids. They did a fine job. It was Ned and Cristinne's last Sunday in our ward as they are moving into their new home this week. Ned was released as Young Men's President. Jon Allred was sustained as president, with John Nelson as 1st counselor and Uncle B as second counselor AND scoutmaster. Oh. Merrill Hutchinson was also released. (He is not doing well and expected to maybe not make it through the week. So sad.). You cannot believe how many deacons we have now. All my primary boys turned into deacons! Brent has his hands full! It was fun to see Bishop Paul Nelson on the stand surrounded by Bro. Orgill and Bro. Lindsey (aka Ryan). I miss our ward.

We are looking forward to General Conference. We are going to invite Easton to come up if she would like to. It's also dad's birthday week so that is always fun.

I sent a list of questions last week that I do hope you will answer. I think about you every day and wonder how you are doing. Dad and I absolutely loved the pictures and videos you sent, especially the videos. It was fun to hear that you still have the same sense of humor as you would talk holding the camera. And it was really cool for me to hear you speak Spanish. Kind of like when you learned to read - a mom just feels proud. What a neat skill!

I got Chris Cahoon's address. I almost forgot and then Caroline called me today to get your cordoba address. She said Chris asked for it. Hopefully you will hear from him. It is:

Campus Box 3701
6515 Wydown Blvd.
St Louis, MO 63105

Well I hope you have a great week. I always look forward to hearing from you. Keep smiling. Keep drinking water. Keep serving your companions. Keep reaching out to those around you. Keep praying and reading and studying. Keep talking to everyone you meet. Keep teaching. Keep the Spirit!

Lots of love. Have a great week.

Love, mom

Sent from my iPad

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Fwd: Merril's status

I thought ya'll would want to know that Merrill's days are numbered. I love Merrill and Joans strength during this time. No need to do anything... just pray for their comfort.

Love Dad.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: bret bassett <bretbassett@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: Merril's status
To: Joan Hutchinson <jshutch99@msn.com>, Wendy Bassett <wendy.bassett@gmail.com>

Joan - you and Merrill's faith is so amazing, it is ike a rock. Ya'lls example, your consistent faithfulness, your courage, and every ounce of strength you have is a blessing to us all. This is an incredible, sacred time. May you both be filled with comfort and peace. Our prayers continue to be with you.

We love you both! Love Bret and Wendy.

On Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 9:45 PM, Joan Hutchinson <jshutch99@msn.com> wrote:

Hello everyone,

Sorry to keep you in limbo regarding Merril's status. But I hope you understand that as his health declines so does my free time. I've had this page open for almost two weeks hoping to finally get the latest news out to all of you. I do appreciate your interest, love, concern and prayers as well as the many acts of service that have been provided us. Both Merril and I love you all so much and wish to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

It's hard to know where to start, so much has happened over the last month. Sometimes I worry I get telling too many details so if you are one who wishes to skip the particulars, jump down to the last paragraph.

It seems that most of what our challenges have been since the time of Merril's last hospital stay through the second week of September were issues surrounding his drain tubes. There was an infection at the site of the biliary drain which cleared up but then the bile started leaking out the site instead of from the drain tube. Of course, these things always happen on the weekend and by Sunday night, the slow leak had become a steady stream. By midweek, the tube was replaced and a longer stint put in. Then Merril started vomiting because the G-tube wasn't draining so we ended up getting that replaced too. One morning I went to hook up one of Merril's antibiotics and found his arm swollen up about twice it's normal size! They discovered a blood clot had developed in his shoulder due to the PIC line and decided to pull it out and insert a new PIC line in his right arm instead. About that time Merril started having sever pain in his lower, right rib. I started giving him morphine drops to give him some relief but he couldn't take a deep breath without feeling like someone was stabbing him and coughing was excruciating. So off we went to Huntsman again where they tested the stint in his liver and after finding that it was draining the bile wonderfully into his intestine, they pulled the biliary tube out for good. A few days of dwindling leaking from the wound and we kissed that whole chapter farewell!

Unfortunately, the extra volume of bile flowing into the intestine caused new problems. Merril started having a lot of cramping in his abdomen and his belly started distending. On Monday, the 16th, I reported our oncologist about the problem and she scheduled a paracentesis (a procedure where they drain fluid that has accumulated in the abdominal cavity) for Tuesday. We happen to have an appointment at the U Hospital with the infectious disease doctors Monday and they took a bunch of blood to run new cultures to see if Merril's blood was clean from the super bugs he had at the time of his septic shock in August. Then Tuesday, we went to the U Hospital again for the paracentesis. They used ultrasound to look for pockets of fluid, then inserted a catheter in the belly and and drained over a liter of fluid. It did little to relieve the bloating or the discomfort. The ultrasound did show that Merril's intestines were dilated, which indicated there are more blockages, but that was a matter to discuss with our oncologist. Because we had an appointment with her that Friday, we decided to wait until then to address the matter. Tuesday evening, we were surprised to get a call from her. She asked if Merril was bleeding anywhere and I replied that I wasn't aware of anything. Apparently, they had found his blood counts were low and she was scheduling a transfusion for him on Thursday morning. Until then she wanted me to watch for signs that he might be dipping into dangerously low levels and if that happened to rush him to the ER. Luckily, we made it to Thursday without any major problems.

It was interesting that Merril had a very restless sleep Wednesday night. One of the times I woke up with him, he told me of a dream he had that he was at the hospital for another procedure. The doctor removed his intestines and handing them to Merril instructed him how he must hold them in a specific way to avoid any further problems! He woke up really disturbed and in a panic, poor guy. The next morning, he asked for a medication we were given to help with anxiety. After thinking about it he admitted that he was feeling stressed about going back to the infusion room up at Huntsman. I was a little surprised. Here Merril had been going in for chemo treatments for six months, cool as a cucumber. But now the thought of going back had him turned upside down. We had a prayer and were so grateful when we got to the hospital, they put Merril in a separate room off to the side with a bed and more privacy. He was even able to watch The Price is Right which he has become hooked on since spending so many weeks in the hospital over the last 20 months.

Friday we saw our oncologist. During the previous 3 days, Merril's feet and thighs had started swelling, as well as his bloated belly and I decided it was time to find out our options. The doctors said they knew the cancer tumors were bleeding in Merril's intestines and they were obstructing some of the movement as well. But they didn't feel Merril was strong enough to do any more testing let alone the procedures it would require to fix the problems. His blood test showed he wasn't absorbing the nutrients in his TPN (Intravenous feeding) and that his liver functions were starting to fail. All IV fluids were causing edema (The fluids were pooling in his body according to gravity- if his feet were down, his feet would swell; if his feet were elevated, his thighs would swell.) The doctor also explained that at this stage, we could expect new problems every day and we needed to decide if we wanted to spend our days driving to Huntsman for more intervention. I started asking all the hard questions: if this, then what? If that, then what? We were told if we stopped all fluids, Merril would probably last two weeks.

Have many of you ever played the game, "Would You Rather?" You have to choose between two ridiculous or awful choices such as "Would you rather never be able to sit down again OR never be able to lie down again?" When we left the Huntsman that day I felt like we were having to play a cruel, real life version of that game: Would you rather have fluids and swell up like a big water balloon until you develop seeping sores OR go without fluids and die in two weeks?

That night Merril just wasn't quite ready to give up and he requested I hook up his TPN. As a result, the next day, his mid section began to collect fluids and he just became more and more uncomfortable. The decision became easier the bigger he got and he finally relinquished. By Monday, the fluid was building up in his hips and sides and we stopped all IV hydration. In the meantime, Merril's strength was diminishing. Wednesday, we spoke to the doctor and allowed her to turn Merril's care over to hospice. A hospital bed was brought in that night and not only did that help Merril get more comfortable but made caring for Merril a whole lot easier for me. The Hospice nurse came Thursday and Friday, we received visits from the Hospice doctor and later from an aid. Now it is simply a waiting game. I'm so grateful Merril is not suffering with a lot of pain. He's terribly uncomfortable from the edema and miserable with a horrific case of dry mouth. It's interesting that I used to be up all night dealing with pumps, antibiotics, flushes and bandage changes and now that has all transitioned to being up all night with filling up water jugs, cups of ice chips, swabbing Merril's mouth and hygiene issues.

It is now Sunday night. The house is quiet from a day filled with friends and family stopping by to say good-bye. I've never been through anything like this to predict the future, but I feel the end is near. Merril was barely able to stay engaged in conversations with his visitors and usually fell asleep after the first few minutes. But as exhausted as he was, he still would ask people about the trip they just took or how the new job is going, etc., always showing interest in others before himself. He even cracked a couple of jokes, eyes closed and voice faint. Last and most important, he was sure to encourage everyone to live the gospel in some way or another. I've said it before, but I must say it again: I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have this courageous, strong, generous, steady, faithful, selfless man as my husband and best friend. I thank God for giving me the last 20 months to grow to love him more deeply as I have had the honor to care for him. The coming days will be sacred and precious and I will treasure whatever time we have left to share this journey together. Thank you again for adding to the sweetness of this experience. Love to all.

Week 28 - Dad - Know that you know...

Week 28 - Dad - Know that you Know...

Sunday, September 29, 2013

8:51 PM

Dear Elder Max,

This is one of my favorite hours of the week. Sitting down to share my life and thoughts with you, and with all my good kids. I hope that my testimony really shows through as you read these letters. I hope you KNOW that I know. That is probably one of the greatest things to gain a testimony of… to know, that you know.

I appreciated Elder Hollands talk last conference where he told the story about the little boy who said, "I can't say that I know, but I can say that I believe"… and then he lavished praise on the boy for beginning his honest search for truth. But if that little boy was still saying "I don't know, but I believe" in 50 years from now, Then I suspect Elder Holland would say, "Boy, what are you waiting for?! You can know… you should know… you would be able to help so many more people, you could be so much better of an instrument in the hands of the Lord if you knew and could move ahead as someone who knows...rather than as one who has to wade their way through life weighing everything said, evaluating every scripture read, and analyzing ever argument thrown in your face. When you know that you know, then you start at a different place. When an argument is thrown in your face, rather than wonder…. "I wonder if he's right? He's a nice guy…" You say, he's where I was when I was 10 years old… How can I help him learn the truth so he doesn't have to waste his life experimenting….

Does that make sense?

I love the Book of Mormon. I love reading about the Anti-Christs who attacked the prophets and the teachings of the church… and I love the simple faith that the prophets had in arguing with these anti-mormons. Some of the arguments of people like Korihor or Nehor and Zeezrom, etc. have been affecting people's testimonies since the beginning. But Alma, Ammon, and the prophets of their days didn't sit back and say "He's a nice guy, I wonder if he's right." No they jumped in and took the proverbial bull by the horns and tried to establish truth, not all others to question it...causing a loss of faith for all who heard him.

I'm so glad that Mormon, in compiling the TBOM took the time to share both sides of the argument. And I'm glad we see the commitment these prophets had in proclaiming their knowledge, their conviction.

I pray for all my kids that you know you know. And I hope you know that I know.

Sorry. This came because I've been reading chapters Mosiah 27-Alma 44 and it's been such an inspiring couple of weeks. It reminds me how grateful I am for strong missionaries, and their willingness and courage to do what's right...to do what the Lord requests…

Here's 3 of my favorite missionary scriptures hand picked for you…

The first 15 years of the Reign of the Judges (after they got rid of Kings), In those 15 years, Alma and the Sons of Mosiah had gone out and preached to Lamoni and all the Lamanites. And 10,000's were converted… and converted so much that they wouldn't pick up weapons any more. So when their wicked brethren came upon them they chose to lie there and die… rather than break their covenant. So that was so cool. But the flip side of the coin was that there were 10,000's of their brethren who died and who's souls are presumably lost. Sorrow and Joy. That is what missionary work is all about.

Alma 28:13-14

14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life.

You are now in the vineyard, and as you give that light of Christ to others, your joy will be amazing. But as you see others die in iniquity, then you will sorrow exceedingly. So focus on those who the lord has given you to bring the light of Christ...and as you strive to give it to them, you will experience joy.

As we pray for the people you are teaching, we are praying for those you are teaching. In this scripture, we see Alma praying not only for the Brothers of Mosiah, but for those they taught and baptized. He prays that they will never fall away. And that is our prayer for those you teach as well.

Alma 29:17

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.

I love this missionary discussion that Alma had with Korihor. He was seeking to cause all to become secular. And Alma was trying to show him the error of secularism. Korihor accused Alma of teaching for money. And he all but laughed at Korihor's ignorance. And that's how I think of you as a missionary. You are out there doing all this...without a penny. In fact you do it and you pay for the priviledge.

Alma 30:33-35

33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment-seat; and then we have received only according to law for our time.

34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren?

35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain? And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes such joy in their hearts?

We love you and pray for you.

There gospel is true! I know that I know it.

Loves.

Dad

Letter from Kristi

Hey Max!

I'll just write really quick before Blaine comes and kidnaps the computer from me to write you, ha ha :)

Things have been going great lately. I've taken up bike riding! That might be a little generous to say I've taken it up, but my amazing neighbor who biked the Alaska-Canadian Highway this summer has invited me to go a few times and loaned me a bike trailer to haul the kids. I already had a ghetto $20 bike (which is so awesome that it just randomly switches gears whenever it dang well pleases! ha ha). We are really lucky where we live to be right on the edge of civilization :) Literally a block away from our house is all farm land and fields with lots of great roads and hills for biking. Plus you get the most amazing views of Utah valley to boot. Seriously, I have fallen more and more in love with Saratoga Springs in the past few weeks, I just don't think anywhere else in Utah has as amazing of views. I'll try to get a good panoramic shot on my next ride :). So there is one monster hill right by our house and I made it all the way to the top of it without stopping one day this week and I was so proud of myself. I just burst in to tears at the top. I really didn't think I would be able to do it and I felt so accomplished when I made it. Glad I finally have something in common with the crazy exercise Bassetts, because no matter how many times I try I just honest to goodness HATE running and have always felt sad I couldn't share that hobby with the fam (and every single woman in the Utah community!). Hopefully I can keep up with the biking craze! And hopefully the kids don't grow too much because Ben and Ivy are pretty squished in that little trailer!

The weather has been perfect lately (except for two REALLY COLD days), it's just been real chilly in the morning and at night and then perfectly pleasant during the day. I love sleeping with my windows open and enjoying the fresh crisp air.

We were able to go on a drive through the canyon tonight with the family. I was a little disappointed that it was overcast, but otherwise it was just lovely. We walked up to bridal vail falls and the kids loved it. It's funny with kids this age because I swear we have gone to that hike every year that we have been here but each time we go they don't remember it from the last time and are just fully amazed at how beautiful and big it is. It was really nice. Then we kept on going on our drive up past Sundance and Aspen Grove. The colors were really bright and beautiful back there, and there is some fresh snow up on timp so it was really just gorgeous. I remember being in Texas before and people complaining about how they missed the seasons, I didn't really. I really hate the cold. But the more I think about the more I am really going to miss fall. Not winter. At all. But I will miss fall a lot!

Today was about the happiest day of my life. The kids got along SO GOOD! Which is so rare! Apparently they all had it in their minds that today was the day to decorate for Halloween. So they all got up early and went downstairs and created all sorts of decorations, and then hung them up all over the house to boot! They used every inch of tape we had in the house and there are so many papers hung up all over. Sometimes I feel bad that I am not a perfect decorator and that I don't have a million handmade crafts to decorate for every holiday - but I think if I was like that then it would probably bug me to have fifty random drawings of frankenstein, ghosts, black cats, etc. hanging all helter skelter throughout the house, but as is -- I am so grateful to have kids who love to create and am happy to proudly display their creations all over the place ha ha. Anyway, they got along extra good today, and tonight while reading scriptures Gwen invited Ben and Ivy to sit by her on her chair. I think I actually heard the heavens part and angels start singing the hallelujah chorus. That one event might be enough to get me through six months of them not getting along - just so long as there is a glimmer of hope- that's all I need.

We had parent teacher conferences this week and it sounds like the kids are all doing great. We all really miss you and pray for you all the time!

Well Blaine is here to steal the computer away from me!

Love ya Max, keep up the good work!

Love,

Kris

Stef's conference commitments

Hey Max,

Well it has been a good long week :). I am always grateful for the chance to go to bed each night and start fresh and clean for the next day. Its amazing how the Atonement helps us do that, otherwise can you imagine how weighted down we would feel as each day would carry over the mistakes and stresses of the day before it....and the day before that....you get the point.

I have been reading a book called The Gifts of Imperfection. This book has been super enlightening! The author is not a member of our church, but she is a researcher and is pretty spot on with a lot of things (as far as the scriptures/gospel teaches us). The book says that these gifts (that come from being imperfect) are courage, compassion, and connection. It talks about how we need to let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are. Like I said, it has been super enlightening. I just finished it last night after the RS session of General Conference and I am going to start it again tonight, there is just so much in there. One of my favorite parts says this: "We should wake up each morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I AM ENOUGH." I think that's a concept a lot of us struggle with, I know at least I do. We have that question in us always are we enough??? Letting go of that question and knowing we are worthy of love and belonging is a way to live wholeheartedly. Its something I have been trying to work on. :)

What a better time to work on things than with the approaching general conference. I just love conference! Nick and I started this thing when we got married that the whole week before conference we would only listen to Church music and NO TV. This year we have added NO ELECTRONICS. We talked with the boys a little bit about sacrifice today and they were willing to join in with us. Even though our family's favorite things are watching shows and listening to music, we are willing to give that up for this week to get us prepped for conference. We made a little chain (from the Friend Magazine) of things we can do each day to prepare and we have been praying (even the kids) for the speakers to be inspired and us to be able to focus and feel the spirit as we listen. I have high hopes that it will be a spiritual experience for our whole family, but I will try to not hope to high as we know from a previous conference that " we love loud boys" and that is what I have! :) I do get excited to ponder on "inspired questions" to ask in my prayers and listen to receive answers as I watch or study the conference talks later on. Hopefully it can be a great experience for you too! Do you get to watch it in English or Spanish? Its always more relaxing and inspiring in your native language- at least it was for me- but great if you get to see it either way!

Well we are praying for you and hope that its a great week. Remind yourself, YOU ARE ENOUGH! The Lord works so well with those who are weak as we let Him!

We all love ya,

-Stef

Another great week

Dear Max,

I'm always excited to read your fun, positive letters and I certainly admire the great attitude you keep even in the face of adversity. Such an attitude is something we would all benefit from having a little more of. It was very fun to see your pictures of people, places, scenery, etc. What a beautiful place you are serving in - in a lot of ways I'm very jealous that missionaries have digital cameras now which allow them to take as many pictures as they want, and to look at the picture and make sure they captured what they wanted to. I left on my mission right as digital cameras were coming out - I took a regular camera on my mission and have a whole bunch of prints upstairs. Someday I hope to convert them all to digital files. Someday... I am curious if there are rules or regulations about when and how you are allowed to use your cameras. With a digital camera I'm sure there is a heightened temptation to feel more like a tourist taking pictures every where you go. Are there rules about picture taking?

Things here are going well but are very busy. School continues to keep getting busier. One thing I'm grateful for is the fact that most of these masters level courses aren't necessarily packed with mid-terms tests and things like that. It's much more hands on which means things like reading Harvard cases, and then using business principles we learned in our undergraduate degree to help resolve the case. Lots of discussion and debate not so much material memorization. I enjoy school but it's definitely wearing on me. Bret, Clay and Ned are all doing well. Bret is loving his Chinese program at school and is starting to learn (slowly) how to read. He's made a lot of progress since he started school and it's encouraging to see him get excited about it. For the first time ever, he bore his testimony in church today. We don't do the whole mic-pass-around thing and so he walked up all by himself, sat there until it was his turn, got the stool all set up and bore his testimony. It was sweet and simple: "I know my family loves me, and I know the church is true...". He's such a good little boy. Clay is in a pre-school class and is loving that. He is probably reading even a little better than Bret is. It's interesting how much Clay wants to learn to read and really cares about it. It seems like most of the day as the kids run around and play you can almost always hear them either reciting the alphabet or counting just while they play. It's pretty funny. Neddy is a hoot. He has more passion than either of our other boys. He gets really energetic about almost everything and loves to play with his big brothers. His 4 little teeth are sure cute and I won't be surprised if he's walking here in the next few weeks. He can stand quite well already.

Stef is a trooper. Me being busy means more work for her. She keeps and amazingly positive attitude through it all as she is often forced to be the one to put the kids down at night, or make sure everything is taken care of when I'm gone all day long. She also has to put up with tired grumpy me when things are stressful at work, school, church calling, and I'm not getting enough sleep to boot. We just keep pressing on trying our best to enjoy the journey. We've both committed to get to sleep VERY early tonight. A good nights rest always helps.

As for my church calling I had a neat thing happen today with a young man I've been trying to work with for basically years now. He's my home teaching companion and every month without fail I go to his house to see if he'll come with me, he usually isn't there and if he is, he had to go somewhere or has some reason not to go. 2 months ago I almost made the choice to not even try to go and get him (literally every time I go he's not there) but I felt prompted to still just run over and try. He answered and was actually willing to go. It was a miracle. I got a number I can text him on and I was able to get him to go again with me today. He even said the prayer at the end of the visit. I know he's thinking about a mission and I hope I can be a positive influence on him to go. He's been coming to church more and (based on the prayer he said HTing) I firmly believe he's been trying to pray more too. I was very impressed with the humble quality of his prayer. The Lord is truly aware of all of his children's needs.

My quick thought for the day comes from the lesson to the young men today on fasting. Sometimes (and maybe it's just my observation) I feel like fasting is not a very well kept commandment. It's easy to justify skimping on this one (not fasting, fasting half way, etc.) I'm never sure how many people really do it, and of those who do, how many really fast the way we are commanded too (I'm as guilty of this as anyone). As we talked about this today with our teachers, It became clear to me one of the great purposes of fasting which is to show our physical, mortal, natural man body who's the boss. It's a powerful metaphor of our agency and that we have complete control over our natural man desires. Going through this mini sacrifice once a month is a great way to humble our bodies, strengthen our spirits, and really turn our hearts to God. It was on my mission when I first really learned the power of fasting with a purpose. I felt like month after month I saw miracles occur when I would fast with a specific purpose.

We sure love you and pray for you every night. Keep the faith and carry on.

Always be good.

Nick

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Amazing Photo

Have any of you seen this gigapixel yet? This is seriously incredible. Looking at it kind of reminded me of the first time I used google earth. Who did we know that was actually attending the BYU v Utah game that night. See if you can find them in the crowd.

http://gigapixel.panoramas.com/brighamyoung/football/20130921/

Missionary iQ questions - Dad's answers

After I sent the iQ questions to Max, Stef threw out the suggestion that we should play the questions together. I thought that would be way fun. So I went ahead and filled out a card form me. Feel free, to fill out the card with your answers as well, it took me about 30 minutes and was a lot of fun.

Enjoy

Dad

iQ Game - Missionaries - Bret's Answers

Sunday, September 22, 2013

6:40 PM

Missionary Work	iQs
Which would you rather:	Wear the same tie every day of your mission or wear the same pair of shoes --- Same Tie Lose your prescription medications or lose your scriptures--- Scriptures… I can always get my notes from the online scriptures again… (use the online scriptures and keep notes out there) Live in a country where you cook your own meals but the food is amazing, or where you have a maid cook for you but the food is mediocre at best --- Maid cook for me. IF I had to cook for myself I'm afraid no matter what country I'm in, I wouldn't do what was necessary to make it amazine. Be a Mission President in a country where you barely speak the language or a brand new missionary who speaks the language fluently but doesn't know the gospel well? --- Tough one. I'd almost say anything would be better than be a mission president with all the pressures and worries that go to those amazing leaders. But serving a mission without a testimony would be tough...way tough. I'll go with Mission President. Be a non-member looking for the truth for 2 years with no luck but then who then finds the missionaries OR be a missionary who spends his whole mission looking for someone to teach who then you find the last week of your mission --- I think I'd rather be the Missionary who had to work for 2 years to be good enough for the Lord to lead to the people seeking the gospel. Get a package from home, or a good letter from a girlfriend/boyfriend --- Good letter Be an Elder where the people are living in the streets and have little food or water but are humble and want to be taught and baptized, or a missionary in a luxury location where everyone is wealthy, living large, but have no desire to change their lives? --- Easy. Living on the Street teaching and baptizing. Be in a mission where everyone wants to be taught, but no one wants to be baptized or a mission only a handful want to be taught, but they all want baptism. ---Tough. I think I'd rather teach/baptize a few rather than waste time teaching, but no one wants baptism. Be called to a mission near your home, or be called to a foreign land where the people are atheist and not friendly to religionists --- Salt Lake City West Mission, here I come.
Which is worse:	Receiving a 'Dear Jane/John' letter the first month of your mission, or receiving a 'Dear Jane/John' letter the last month of your mission ---First Month… get the pain over with. Losing your companion at a bus station and not being able to find him/her for 3 hours, or accidentally sleeping in until noon and getting awoken by the District Leader --- Lose companion for 3 hours… they are both an accident, but I thrive on knowing that I am at least perceived as a worker… I'm afraid being caught asleep, although an accident, you would forever be known as the lazy Elder who sleeps. Being transferred the day before the baptism of one of your favorite investigators, or living so far from your favorite convert, that when they get sealed as a family, you are unable to join them ---- Transferred before the baptism. Having an investigator cancel their baptism the day before and choose have you never come back, or find one of your investigators drunk but they still want to learn and be baptized someday --- Drunk but desirous A companion who leaves clothes laying around, hair in the shower, and never does the dishes - expecting you to do all the domestic work OR a companion who is too afraid to preach the gospel, and you have to do all the teaching and testifying ---I have to do all the teaching and testifying. Being sent home early from your mission for sins committed prior to your mission, or not confessing to your mission president about sins committed on your mission and living with the guilt? --- Sins before my mission which I confess to... A member who is drinking, or a non-member breaking the law of chastity? Tough one! I think the law of chastity still applies to non-members. So even though it isn't counted against me poorly, you still develop habits and relationships of corrupt thinking which will tempt and cause problems for you when you are baptized. Know the gospel is true but not be able to share it effectively, or be called upon to bear testimony when you are struggling with your own testimony ---- Can't share what you know.
Rate how much you:	Like: Eating with Members - ---1 - One word - Mondongo Like: Knocking on doors to find people to teach ---- 2 - At least there is the entertainment factor to see how people deal with strangers on your doorstep. Like: Giving out a Book of Mormon --- 3 - I have such a strong testimony that I can only hope they'll read it. But the act of giving it out is sometimes hard. Like: Getting email from home --- 5 Like: Asking members to find people for you to teach. --- 4 Sometimes they have something which is great. Like: Transfer Days - where you are moved from the Area? --- 5 I always like new places and the joy associated with discovery Like: making the baptismal challenge on the first discussion? --- 4 - I always say "If you came to learn this was all true...wouldnt you want to draw closer? Like: Transfer Days - where you are left in the Area? ---2 - Unless of course the work is going gangbusters and I hate to leave unfinished work… then it would be a 5 Think: That missionaries who came out at 18 (Elders) or 19 (Sisters) are just as well prepared as you? --- 4 - I don't think a year matters. I think they would probably be better prepared because they have just come out of seminary, and they are more humble.
Rate how much you believe:	Believe: That EVERYONE must be baptized to enter the Kingdom of God.--- 5 - And I believe it more everyday, and feel this compulsion to figure out how to make a difference. Believe: That setting goals impacts the number of baptisms you have. --- 2 - I know Goal setting helps focus your efforts… but it doesn't make you more effective at finding and teaching with the spirit… I'm open to some convincing on this one. Believe: The Lord will direct your path, and take you to those he has prepared for the gospel? --- 4 - I don't know that he is directing every step of your mission...much of your time is given to you to figure out what would be beneficial. But when there is someone who the Lord has prepared… if you are humble he will take you to them. Believe: That the Priesthood in the LDS Church is the only valid priesthood on the earth to perform ordinances that carry into eternity ---- Easy - 5 Believe: That keeping mission rules and being obedient, will increase your ability to find, teach and baptize? ---- Tough one. I think obeying is critical to being a good missionary… but sometimes being a zealot on the rules can, I believe, sometimes make you focused on the wrong thing and the Lord has as hard a time reaching you as he does the missionary who is selfishly breaking all the mission rules because he thinks the rules don't apply to him. I think there are sometimes 'spirit of the law' reasons you might not do something you have been asked to do. Having said that my answer is 4. Believe: That Joseph Smith saw an Angel and translated the Golden Plates? Easy - 5 Believe: The gospel has the answer to all of life's ills? - Easy - 5. And if we can just continually stay connected to the spirit and seek for revelation, we will be blessed...regardless of the challenges that come our way Believe: That families can be together forever?---- Easy 5. But I think families will look different than we teach it on the posters. It won't be Father, Mother and 5 little kids sitting around a fireplace singing songs and roasting marshmellos. I also don't think we can even imagine yet the joy and happiness that will come to those in an eternal family… it will be unbelievably wonderful.
How much $$$ would it take:	For you to knock on the door of the Largest Catholic Cathedral in town, and ask the Priest if he would like to discuss the merits of the Book of Mormon to him and his Parish ---- No Amount - It wouldn't take money, but it would take an Angel (or a Mission President) to give me that assignment. Scary. To buy a copy of the Book of Mormon for every person in your Area - I'm going to say in our Area we 2,000 people in our Ward boundaries - so around $2,000. For you to attend a Gay Pride Rally and try and teach the Law of Chastity in a polite and Kind manner? If I had a really solid companion, I'd do it… but not for money. That's priestcraft… preach for fame or fortune. For you to sit in the lobby of the closest "Family Planning" clinic and teach the doctrines that Families can be together forever? --- I would do it if I had a really solid companion. For you to clean out a set of outhouses for a service project if the local Prison asked you for your help? ---- That one they would probably have to pay me for - I can find a lot of other service projects which are not as demeaning as cleaning up prisoner poop.
Have you ever:	Taught a Preacher for another church --- No Helped someone stop smoking? --- No, but I've tried on numerous occassions. I hope my example has helped others. I remember tracting out a blind guy on his front porch smoking an old black stogie. We taught him the gospel and he asked if we allowed smoking. We said no. He said, because even thought these black stogies made him blind, he's so hooked he could never stop. It made me sad. Not written about something that happened to you on your mission, to spare you family from worrying about you? --- I was arrested - or better said detained by the local police. Then found out they had thrown out the Jehovah's Witnesses out of the Country, and they wanted to see what religion we were. I did tell mom about the time a bus almost ran me over when my front wheel broke off. Suspected that your girlfriend/boyfriend at home is in love with someone else, but keeping you going, just in case this other thing doesn't work out? - No in fact I had a really cool story where an investigator who was very friendly heard I had a girlfriend at home (I had to show him the pictures because he thought mormon's were gay) anyway, he said, that for how pretty Wendy was he guaranteed she was 'cheating' on me. After realizing 'cheating' meant have sex, I told him I had no doubts whatsoever that Wendy wasn't having relationships of that sort while I was away. It was such a comforting feeling to know that in the church we hold those things sooo sacred we wouldn't even consider do that sort of thing.
Would you...if…:	Give up eating chocolate if it was a mission rule --- Gulp… Yes! Buy a ticket home if you got a Dear John/Jane from a loved one at home who was dating your best friend ---- No. I would figure that whatever the Lord wanted for me would happen. Fast if your favorite investigator was struggling with their testimony --- Yes. Go on National TV and bear your testimony if the Mission President Asked you to?---- Yes, but boy I would certainly do I could to anticipate questions and be sure I had some sharp responses that I practiced with my companion. Tell your Mom in a letter home, if you were held hostage for a day by political zealots --- No, I'd save that wild story for when I got home.
Do you agree or disagree:	You should baptize a person as soon as they say they want it, rather than wait for them to prove their faithfulness by coming to church many times, stop smoking 2 weeks, and read the Book of Mormon. ---- There was a time I would have said DISAGREE (Wait till they have weeks or months of faithfulness) but I don't want to have their sins on my head, and I believe that the baptism is simply the gate, they then have to keep a walking down the path. IF they stop coming, the Lord will still have their names and will send out his shepherds to gather them home. A YM should go on a mission as soon as he can, regardless of how prepared he feels he is ---- Nope. I think this is a sacred 2 years in a young man/woman's life. And if they aren't prepared what a waste. P-day should be a whole day rather than end at 5:00 ---- I wish. But 'should' it be…? Nay. Members should work really hard finding people for the missionaries to teach. ---- Absolutely. It is a Ward and Bishop's responsibility to rescue..thanks heaven they have missionaries to help them...
First thing you think of:	Places to use the bathroom when you're away from your apartment ---Bushes (you gotta remember I was in Paraguay where few had indoor plumbing) Reasons you believe in the Restoration --- Without it, we would have all been lost… and the Lord loves us too much to allow that to happen. Reasons you came on a mission --- I believed the gospel. I felt prepared. I knew HF wanted me to. I knew my parents, wife to be, and all expected me to do what was right. And I was up for the adventure. A mix of all those things. People who would be disappointed if you had not come on a mission --- The Samaniegos, There were about 10 investigators that I felt needed me and my testimony to help pull them through. I wish there had been more. Scriptures that describe the Doctrine of Christ---- 3 Nephi 11 Your Favorite Scripture ---- Too many to call out a favorite - But here's 1: Moses 1:12-16 When we have seen the glory of god, the temptations of satan have no fire, no pull. Commandments that are not hard for you to keep - Coffee, Alcohol, Tea, Tobacco, Drugs… Chasing wild women (unless it's mom)… hanging out in bars. None of these appeal. Most difficult mission rule to keep ---- it wasn't so much a rule, as just the expectation that everyting I did would be productive… it wasn't. I had many hard hours trying to figure out, NOW WHAT? Gratefully, I never had an experience where I asked myself SO WHAT? Things you enjoy studying ---- Language. I got ahold of a spanish version of the book "Building a Celestial Marriage" and spent hours studying that. Was it approved? I didn't really ask. But it helped my language which was a good thing. Things you don't enjoy doing --- Feeling guilty that I wasn't doing enough or being effective enough. I wanted to, but there were times when I couldn't find joy Things you would like to do on P-Day but never take the opportunity to do ---- go out to the Chaco and see the indian tribes who had been baptized
List in order of preference:	Blessings of Serving a Mission: 2. You learn to do Hard Things, 1. You Learn the Gospel, 3. You Make some eternal Friends Doctrines of the Gospel: 2-The Restoration shows the Love of God for all his Children, 3-Obedience to Commands Yields Blessings, 1-The Plan of Salvation Programs of the Church: 2.Family History, 1.Temple Work, 3.Missionary Work Ways to Serve: 1-Lead the Music, 3-Collect Fast Offerings, 2-Go on a Service Proejct Commandments: 1-Law of Chastity, 2-Word of Wisdom, 3-Law of Tithing Parables of the Savior: 2-The 10 Virgins, 1-The Prodigal Son, 3-The Lost Sheep
Expose:	Name 3 places in the mission you would most like to serve---- Paraguay, Africa, Asia Name 3 Things you miss most as a missionary -------- the comraderie of being a missionary at the same time and with these good other missionaries at the same time. Kind of like when Alma ran into the Sons of Mosiah, or when Ammon met up with his brothers. There's just this magic connection of belonging to the same people who are doing the same thing you are doing. Name 3 things you will do differently as a member of the church when you return home from your mission ----- have missionaries for dinner (not to eat them, but to feed them), be a better home teacher, participate online in discussions and putting up my testimony for others to ponder. Name the hardest day of your mission ---- I remember I was coming back from the restroom and I realized that I did NOT want to go back into that room with my companion. He was the hardest companion I'd had (and would ever have) and I couldn't bear the thought of going in there again. But I also couldn't bear the thought of being a failure… and so I stood there almost ready to weep, because I was traumatized by my inadequacy. Name the biggest surprise of being a missionary - after studying for 2+ months in the MTC and feeling like I knew enough of the language to get by, and then when I got on the play to go to my mission, I had little kids (2 years and younger) walking past me just yaking at their parents… and they spoke so good and so fast, I couldn't understand a word they said. I was shocked I wasn't better prepared. Name the strangest thing that you've seen on the streets of your mission - Dia de San Pedro where everyone partied all night shooting off fireworks, walking on pits of hot coals, burning effigies of Judas… and did I mention the fireworks? They were like bombs! No government control. So that strange spectacle (until we had to go to sleep). Also the incredible thunderstorm where there were hundreds of bolts, but now thunder. And last, it would be the bus drivers who would stop the bus, step up to the wheel of their tire and relieve themselves right in the middle of the city… bizarre. Name the coolest thing you've felt as a missionary - When I was trusted by the President to open a new area with a greenie - Zeballos Cue with Elder Pederson. I was humbled and excited. Name a missionary you have been inspired by that you would like to emulate ---- I loved Jack Sturgeon, Elder Elsworth, and Gary Long. They always inspired me. The elder I would not want to be was Elder Combs. Nuf said.
What best describes your...	Time left on a mission: Too much or Too little Love of the Scriptures: Zealot or Could care less - Zealot (I love them and wish I had discipline to do more with them...write books, create maps, collect lists of all kinds. Love of the Area where you serve: I feel like Helaman's love for the stripling warriors or Jonah's love for the people of Ninevah. -------Like Helaman's love for paraguay Mission: Hardest thing I've ever done or Best thing I've ever done ---- Hardest thing Trust in the Lord: Ask and it shall be given unto you, or "Did you think I would give it to you save you thought to ask" ----- We have to work for our blessings… can't JUST ASK.

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