March 25, 2013

Hello Family,

Here is a picture of Bob last Saturday at his baptism.  Yesterday he received the Aaronic Priesthood in sacrament meeting and then right after he went up and sat at the sacrament table and blessed it in the same meeting. It made me so happy to see him up there doing that.

 

This week something happened that was awesome!!!! One of our less actives that we meet with and are teaching is preparing to go back to school. He was working on his math skills so on Saturday we went and I tutored him in algebra. That was sweet and I am surprised that I remembered everything.

Also, I sang in church on Sunday again. This time Elder Lloyd and I sang The Spirit of God. It was the hymn book version, but we did some harmonies and some acapella parts and some solo parts instead of just singing the straight melody for 4 verses. It was sweet.

Oh yeah, I guess I should tell you that I am staying here in West Linn for at least another 6 weeks. Tomorrow is my 6 month mark if you were curious. Crazy right? I am going to be here for 7.5 months at least before I leave here. Normally, people stay in their first area for just 6 months. That's alright though, because the people here are sweet and the area. Elder Lloyd is also going to be staying in the area so obviously we are going to be companions.

Surviving without candy for a week was rough, but that just made it even better when I got your package in the mail. Thanks!!! I was able to do it and no I didn't feel any healthier than I did before.

That's about all this week. Oh, I also am going to try and take more pictures this transfer, because I only have like 2 pictures with Elder Lloyd so far and it's been 5 weeks. I think our family has camera problems.

Love you, Elder Udy

March 18, 2013

Hello Family,

This week we had Bobs baptism. It was super great. He is one of those guys that I am going to remember forever. He has become one of my best friends on the mission. I got to confirm him in sacrament meeting yesterday. That was an exciting (yet freaking scary) experience. The Bishop said I did it right though so that's good I guess. I look forward to him going through the temple in a year. It will be great.

Also, not this last week, but the Wednesday before my district challenged me to not eat candy for a whole week. Sooo this week I haven't eaten a single piece of candy. It stinks because members have been giving us sugar things all week. It's alright though because in a few days I can eat it all. I have really gained an appreciation for when members give dessert after dinner. That's the only time I have eaten sweets this week. Did I just blow your mind?

I did get more information about the new missions that are being formed here. They are taking like half of our mission.  They are moving 3 stakes to the Vancouver mission and 2 to the Salem mission. Those are estimates. I don't remember the exact numbers, but I may end up being in a new mission. That would be interesting. I still have 3.5 transfers before then though.

Anyway, Love you.

Elder Udy

March 11, 2013

Hello there,

This week was sweet actually...surprise!

First of all we had zone conference this week. That was pretty fun to see a lot of the missionaries that I came out with. Also, President Morby gave us a bunch of awesome instruction about the Book of Mormon along with the Abrahamic Covenant. There was also a demo of how to avoid cancelled appointments. Also, he said that we are allowed to email friends! Yeah! President also said that he doesn't know much about the Salem and Vancouver missions coming. All he knows is that the change is going to happen on July 1, 2013 so he said until then just work hard and what happens will happen. They don't tell the mission president anything until the right time.

I think I might get transferred soon. The next meeting is the 25th of March. I'm not sure though, because this area has a ton of stuff going on right now. Along with that the roads are super twisty and confusing. I have no idea how I know them so well, I guess just over time I learned them. Now I am learning quicker ways to get places rather than just one way to get places. So I might end up staying for one more transfer here, but if the normal continues then I will probably leave. We will see.

Driving has become a lot less stressful. The roads here are super narrow and the parking is super small, which I am getting used to. So far, I don't have any points against me. I am kinda OCD about getting points. I have gotten a bunch of warnings, but no penalties yet. Elder Manwill got like 2-3 penalties a day. My goal is to never ever have one.

This week, while contacting this guy, the guy said something that made me think. He talked about how he believed that Joseph Smith had a vision, but in that vision he saw a demon, not God/Christ. Also, he said that the vision was against the Bible, because Paul said that there shall be no other gospels. He believed that we had another gospel and then he invited us to repent. The way he said it was super convincing and he made it sound so intellectual. The part that really made me wonder was when he talked about how I have been in a closed environment my whole life and that this is all I have ever known. That really made me wonder. If I wasn't born into this church, would I change my life around to be a part of it? I don't really know.

Anyway, other than that, A member gave me 12 pairs of socks. They are really comfy.

Oh, also I went on an exchange with a missionary named Elder Burge in my area and we met a guy that tried preaching to us about his church. We talked and ended up teaching a brief version of the restoration to him. Also, we gave him a BoM and he said he would read and share it with his pastor.

I love you all, have a good week.

Elder Udy

March 4, 2013

Hello family,

Hmmm...well this week was interesting.

I will start I guess by telling you about our new investigator that we found to teach. Last Monday we were shopping and a guy named Cruz came up to us thinking that we were salesman for the store. We told him we were missionaries for the church. He then went on telling us about his belief in god and all his stories about being possessed by demons and stuff. He is very good at feeling the spirit. After he told us he agreed to take the lessons. We have taught him twice and he came to church. We will teach him again on Thursday. It was such an interesting experience with him. Also, it has been really cool to see him learn more about the church. He doesn't accept all the ideas every time, but he says that he feels the spirit when we teach him which is sweet.

Bob is still planning on being baptized on the 16th. He is such an awesome guy. Now that he has the tools and a foundation of the gospel I think as he continues learning I could see him being a future bishop one day. He has a thirst for knowledge and he realizes how simple and logical the gospel really is. He is married to a member and that's how he found the church. He is also very excited for his baptism. We took him to a baptism in another ward to show him what it was like. He didn't have many questions, which is good, because that means he understands. I am excited.

An experience that happened to me yesterday that was good and bad. We were talking with these members and after making a few connections with them I asked if they had any relatives that lived on Emerson Ave. They said no. I then tried to tell them which of our relatives lived there and I couldn't remember at all. That is a good thing, because that means that my mind is in doing missionary work. It is pretty obvious why it's a bad thing. I later remembered who it was. It is pretty weird, because just like that experience I can slowly feel my life at home fade away. Have you guys realized that I have been in this ward in West Linn longer than our ward at home?

Elder Lloyd and I are getting along great! It's funny because when Elder Manwill and I tracted we wouldn't usually go back and follow-up. We just wrote down the people that sounded interested in what we had to say. Now Elder Lloyd and I are basically going around to all of them and following-up to see if they read the BoM or whatever. There have been some people that possibly will end up taking the lesson, but none quite yet. A lot of stuff in the works.

What else happened...

I guess that is it. Umm thanks for the prayers.

OK bye

Love, Elder Udy

February 25, 2013

Dear Chad,

GO ON A MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise you that it will be the best thing that you have ever done in your life. Besides, there aren't going to be any girls at BYU now anyway. Also, school will be there for another 50 bazillion years. Your opportunity to serve the lord is a short lived opportunity. Just ask mom.

Dear family,
This week has been interesting. Elder Lloyd is a good guy. He is super optimistic about the work and has some ideas as to how to help the work progress in this area. He has been out only 6 months. He just graduated from greenie status. I have been helping him to get to know the area. It has been hard to get him around to meet the people because 1 of our investigators is in jail. Long story. On the other hand our other investigator basically set his own baptismal date for March 16 which is way awesome. That is going to be a good day. I hope everything works out so that goes through. This is Elder Lloyds first time being in an area with two wards so it was hard for him to sit in church for 8 hours. Hopefully he will get used to it.

Other news is that I am sending pictures this week. The first one is from when I went to Voodoo doughnuts. I am eating a bacon maple bar. The second one is from transfer day. That was my last day with my trainer Elder Manwill. I will miss him a lot. The third is of me with my new companion Elder Lloyd.

Yes, I did hear about the 58 new missions. Did you know that there is going to be a Vancouver mission and a Salem mission opening up? They are probably going to end up taking missionaries from us to fill the spots there. That would be interesting if I got transferred to a new mission. I have no idea when that will be happening, but it will be during my time on a mission.

Oh. I wanted to tell mom something funny. Well...first off thanks for sweet letters mom! Also, I shared something from your letter this week about trust with my district leader and guess what...he asked me if I would share it in district meeting...Looks like I am doing the spiritual thought. Oh well. It's not the first time.

I have been out for 4.5 months now. How crazy is that? Time is flying by.

Not sure what else to say. So I guess I will call that good. Love Ya Bye.

Elder Udy

February 20, 2013

Hello,

This is Elder Udy reporting in.

I guess the most exciting news is that I got a new companion yesterday. His name is Elder Lloyd. We have a lot of stuff in common because he is really into drama. I told him that I was in choir and we are able to socialize about that. He is from all over, meaning, that he has been in Philadelphia, Texas, and Utah. He knows Chelsea Milward from our old stake. Crazy. I can't wait to get to know him. The scary part about having a new companion is that he has no idea as to what is going on in the area. I am the oldest missionary in the area, which is a scary thought. He will get the hang of it though.

Cool news. I just became the designated driver! That's fun, but it also means that I am the one that has to know where everything is. I am also the one that is responsible to take care of it. I feel like I am more of a leader now that Elder Manwill left. Maybe it will be good for me.

Last night one of our less actives that we are teaching was in the hospital so we went over there with our Bishop and gave him a blessing. I was the one that sealed the blessing. That was pretty cool! It's kinda weird how words just come to your mind as to what you should say. He went home that night so I must have done something right... Also, first time giving a blessing with my new companion. What better way to start off a relationship than by exercising the priesthood with him.

Valentines day was cool. It was sweet because we went to one of the less actives houses that we are teaching for dinner. Guess what their last name is...Valentine. So we ate at the Valentines on Valentines day. They are so awesome!

I have gained 5 pounds so far on my mission, but I am not sure where it went. Maybe it's muscle from walking/tracting so much. One can only hope.

Alma 32:21 is about how faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things right? That was off the top of my head if you wanted to know. If I am wrong then...oops.

Hope you all are well.

 

Love, Elder Udy

February 11, 2013

Hello there,

 

I bet your excited to hear what I have to say this week about what happened. hahahahahahaha.

Umm alright soooo I have a funny story to write about. The Staskawicz family found my blog on the internet. Noah, if your reading this, HELLO! special shoutout for you, can't wait to come over for dinner tonight. Super funny though that they found my blog and read it. Oh! and by the way, their name is Polish not Finnish like I said before.

 

Ya, this is Elder Manwill's last week on his mission. Crazy to think that he is going home. All the talk that has been going on lately about it makes me feel like I am coming home soon, but that is far from true. I still have work to do out here and things to learn. Elder Manwill said that once you finally become comfortable with teaching and being a missionary your mission ends. So if that is true, then I still have some time before I get good at being a missionary. So yeah next time I email I will have a new companion. We'll see what happens. Hopefully we will get along. I'm sure that we will.

 

Yes we sang this week at church. It went super well. We told president and sister Morby that we were singing and they showed up to hear us. That was super awesome! They are such amazing people and they support us in everything. They are very personable people with big hearts. You can just tell that they love us.

Lets see...O yeah this week I went on an exchange with one of the zone leaders for a day, Elder Davis. He is such an awesome guy! We had a lot of fun. At the end of the exchange he said that he was testing me to see where I was at and to see if I knew the area.  He said that I did pretty good, so that's a good sign.

 

Say Hi! to Grandma and Grandpa, and tell them that I enjoy the letters that they send! I have been meaning to write them back, I promise. Umm I hope they have fun on their trip.

 

Anyway, my time is done.

 

Love you all, Elder Udy