So saith Sunshine.

Jammies! :)

Momma!
How are you? I loved seeing y'all on Skype! It was so weird to see the family again!!
While you are out on a mission, it is almost like nothing else is real, and when I think back on it, it seems like I never left. Also, I swear to you that that was the shortest 2 hours of my life! It felt like I logged on and got right back off. :P I loved talking to y'all though. I'm so glad that you could see a difference in me. It is nice to hear every once and a while, because while you are out here, you change so much, and for the better too, but Satan does his best to make it seem like you are the same and that you aren't going anywhere or doing anything. I loved hearing that from Alec especially...It just about brought me to tears to hear him say that I sounded much older...and smarter. How is he doing?
I am really enjoying being obedient, I am definitely seeing the blessings that come from it. Not just with the people that I am around, but with myself a lot. I am really able to teach more clearly and I am happier. I am enjoying things so much more now, and I am having a lot of fun. Towards the beginning of my mission, it was a lot harder to get along with other missionaries because I was so young and not as 'mature' and I ended up annoying a lot of people. I can really see the way the Lord has been able to make me more 'mature' while striving to be obedient. :) I have also been able to see how immature a 21 year old can be. ;) Haha but it is all good fun.
I am OH MY GOSH!!!! LINCOLN IS COMING INTO MY MISSION!!!!!! WHAT????!??!?! HaHAHAHAHA that is so cool! I read ahead a little bit and had a freakout!! I can't wait! I so want to be his trainer!!! I might ask president if I can train him. :) That is so crazy! I love that kid so much! I can't believe that he's coming here! I am so excited! Now, send me Sawyer. :)
It's so true what you said about the femininity driving down in the world. I can't remember who it was, but there was a really good talk given on that this last conference, and I think it touched a lot of young Women. :)
This is the talk.
Where do the Medlins' live Momma? Did she find that out? Because I am probably going to get transferred soon, and I could get put in their area. :)
Tell Savannah that I say that she isn't allowed to go into Y/W's and that she isn't allowed to wear makeup until she is 16 and she isn't ever allowed to turn 16. :) So saith Sunshine.
I am so hoping that they will call me as  a ward missionary or somewhere in the primary when I come home. I would just love to help the missionaries as much as I could, and help the future missionaries while they are growing up. :) Hahah I love that your class figured out about the heater vents! I remember doing that as a kid! And I loved to put the side of my face on the ones at the church because they were cold when it was summertime! And I could hear the other teachers! I swear, Canyon is going to grow up to be such a great missionary. :) So many of the kids in your class are! Ammon is going to be President too. :) I'll vote for him.
Haha if you think those kids have it hard, try going to the MTC! Where you have a bunch of teenagers who have just turned an age where they have freedom and they can do what they want, then, deprive them of sleep, put them in monkey suits, and make them sit in a quiet classroom where they can't move around! Hahah It was TERRIBLE!!! Just kidding, but not really. I loved and hated it. :P
I will find out about a flu shot, I have to call the mission nurse anyway, I have had a small stye for about 4 weeks now :/ I have been doing the hot compresses also, and it hasn't been helping at all.
The Clows' are out of town, and I don't know when they are planning on being back, so if you are going to send anything, please send it priority to the mission office. That would probably be the easiest, then, if I don't get it before I transfer, I will get it as transfers. :)
I loved Christmas Momma, talking to you guys made it great. I could've done the whole thing without getting a single gift and I would've been just fine! :) Thank you so much for supporting me! I loved all the gifts, especially the jaw harp! I am enjoying that a lot! haha And the sweater vests are the BEST! I have always wanted one! :) I loved my gifts! haha they are all so great! And I wrote Grandma about the one grandpa sent! I loved it! I am going to send a picture of me wearing it soon! :) And I loved the Cow ties! haha so cool!! :P

The Homeless man, M***, is doing okay, he fell off for a while, but we picked him back up last night, I really don't know what to tell you about him. He is confusing me right now, and I need to figure out what happened to him. just keep praying for him. :)
We have been doing a lot of knocking lately, and I have really been enjoying it! Which is weird, because, up until very recently, I have hated knocking, but now I love it! we have met a bunch of really cool people, and we have some good appointments set up to where we can get a member to come out with us to teach them!

Also, when you come to Georgia, come see me, okay? But seriously..lets go to lunch or something. ;)
I love you so much Momma!
-Elder Odie, Sunshine, Barker. :)

Christmas DDM (District Development meeting)

Elder Maurer wore this the whole time, and shook it slightly every time he talked.
It was so hard not to laugh!

FOOTIE PAJAMAS!!!!

This was my Christmas dinner BTW ;)
Prime rib and twice baked potato! :D
~Thank you Bro & Sis Crossen!~

Fire-in-the-belly Missionary!

Hello Momma! :)
It's me. Elder Sunshine. :)
I am having a pretty good day so far. Hahaha I am so happy that y'all are going to be lazy. :) We have a pretty lazy day ahead of us as well (Work wise) After we email, Elder Farnsworth is going to go with Elder Harris to a doctors appointment, because the other wards bishop wants to face the Columbia Elders at Racquetball, and  Elder Farnsworth doesn't really like it. So I am going to step in his stead. :) I am so excited.
I have about a 4 page letter that I am going to send to you, I just can never seem to finish it. :/ I never feel like I have said enough, and by the time I pick it up again, there is a ton to tell you! :P Isn't my life hard? haha ;)
Last night, Elder Harris and I just wanted to work, so we spent a good portion of our day knocking on doors. NO ONE ANSWERED. Haha people go to church like all day in the south! It's crazy! But it is nice because they are really receptive to the Bible, and the ones that are really being prepared for us, hear that there is a whole-nother book all about their Savior, and they get excited! :) I think one of the hardest things and the thing that we have to explain the most, is that the Book of Mormon is NOT our Bible. We have to explain to so many people that we read the KJV of the Bible just like everyone else, but you can't get the fullness of the book without the Book of Mormon's testimony. :) But I love explaining it! Back home, I'd get tired of saying the same thing over and over again, but out here when you start to explain, the spirit takes over and starts to explain for you. :) It's so amazing! And it is amazing how obvious it gets when you find someone who has been prepared to receive the Gospel. :)
God has definitely blessed my companionship for being obedient. :) And I am happier and have a big desire to go and work! I never really understood what everyone meant when they would say "Fire-in-the-belly missionaries" And now I do. When you really give everything up, and get out of the way of the work, God uses you in such a miraculous way! :) I love being a missionary!
I talked to Sister Clow on the phone just a minute ago, and she was telling me that you talked to her about my packages. She is hoping they'll get there today, and I have my fingers crossed. I promise I won't open them until Christmas morning. All except my jammies. ;) So, did you get me an ornament for this year? What is it? I am so excited to Skype in 2 days! It is unreal! I can't believe it is already Christmas! It was like yesterday that I was in the Airport and you told me, we love you, talk to you on Christmas! And you made me cry! Well, time flew by, and now it's that time. :) Haha we are going to be Skyping over at the Fengers home. They are so nice you wouldn't believe it. You really need to come here when I leave this area and y'all are in Savannah Georgia! You can stay with the Clows' while you are here. :) Or the Fengers'. :) Or any of the members that I love! :) I am so going to cry when I leave this area...Skyping on Christmas is going to be just that. :) you know me. I don't think about things like that until they actually happen, then I get the full effect. I am excited to see my loving family. :) And I am excited to show all of them that I am still Sunshine. I haven't changed. and I want to show Sawyer that I am still his "big brober". :)

Yes, my boots arrived. I wore them the other day when we crashed the ca.......ummmm...:D
Hahaha No big deal. Didn't CRASH per say. Elder Harris was driving and was pulling out of a driveway, cut it sharp in order to not bottom out, and didn't see a little brick retaining wall, and ran the side of the car into it. The only damage was to the back tire (I had to change it :) ) and he scratched it a bit and pulled some of the trim off. but we weren't even going 7 miles an hour. no one is hurt. Just his luck. :P

This week we are doing a lot a lot of biking. :) I am loving it. Even days that the car is ours, we will drive into our area, park and bike the day. :) I love the exercise. I love the freedom too! And my will is becoming very similar to His, so things that pop into my head that I want to do, are now okay to do, because they are ordained of God! :) I love it! I get up in the morning and pray that I won't lose this feeling of love that I have for the work right now. :) I just want to wake up, and knock on doors until the day is over. :)
I love you Momma!

This is us playing 'Don't break the ice' at a family home evening. :) It was my white elephant gift to give. :)

And this is what missionaries do when the video we watch is sideways. :)

I love changing tires. :)

Cyndi~ So, let's take inventory here. 

In 5 1/2 months he's had.... 

One eye Dr visit, one ankle injury, three bike wrecks, one car wreck, an ER visit, a dog rescue....am I missing any? Oh yes, a jammed thumb and lacerated forehead, and a partridge in a pear tree..... 

And, of course, these are only the ones he has told us about!

God never forgets to answer my prayers!

Thank you to The Cipriano Family for the picture and song!

Hahaha I love the song that they sang in primary! We had our little Christmas party the other night, and I got to sit on Santa's lap and take pictures! I heard Brother Cipriano sent you one. :) I love that man, I promised him that I would come back and visit him as soon as I can, so you have to hold me accountable to do that, okay? ;)
My week has been pretty fun. :) Crashed my bike, went to the ER, took the car to get it fixed, they won't let me do it by myself. :(  and we met a bunch of way awesome people that we are working with! There is this one guy named M*** D****. He just came out of being homeless for years, and he loves the LDS faith. God has prepared him in so many ways! He loves movies, and he rented one that was called "New York Doll the movie" And it was about a band that was getting back together, and the lead actor is LDS! He was like "Hey! I know them!" :) God is pointing him back to us in so many ways. He is very goofy and loving, and he is the most humble man I have ever met. I love him so much, and I am excited to see him get baptized on January 4th. :)
The bike accident was dumb. I swerved to miss some branches and when I corrected my swerve, I lost control of my bike, and slid sideways. The only real damage I got was I scraped my palm a little on the landing, and I think I hit my helmet. I got up and kept biking, but the next day my neck was pretty sore. I guess I jerked it the wrong way. After a day of just babying it and taking Ibuprofen, I called the mission nurse and she told me to go to the ER and have it looked at. The people at the ER were really nice and got me in very quick. They had a muscle specialist and a physical therapist come in and check me out, and he massaged it a little and did some other things that were weird and helpful at the same time, then he put this weird tape stuff on my neck and back that is supposed to help with inflammation. They gave me a prescription for Flexeril (I think is how you spell it) and some Ibuprofen. They also gave me a prescription for pain medicine, but I didn't fill it out because I didn't need it. I have been steady on Ibuprofen, and I take one muscle relaxer right before bed. I have only taken two. I am doing fine though, It hasn't been hurting at all yesterday or today, and I can use it just fine. I am okay Momma, I'm sorry that I hurt your son :/

Bike is fine. :) Your boy is fine. I promise. :)  Not even hurting any more. :) Please don't put my bike on the roof..I need it to do missionary work! ;) I'm sorry to worry you. I really was trying to avoid a doctor so that I wouldn't worry you, but I am just fine. :) All Sunshiny and great!

I am so excited to talk to y'all on Christmas! We are going over to the Fengers in the morning and they are letting us do it over there, we will be able to figure out all of the details on the phone beforehand. 

I love these people so much momma! I am going to be so sad when I leave!

We did a little exchange thing on Saturday because the Columbia Elders needed to have someone interviewed for baptism, and Elder Harris had to be the one to do it, but we had like 3 appointments at the same time, so we exchanged and I went with Elder Farnsworth into my area, we just biked. The other Elders took the car because we were going to be going with a priest from out ward, Well, we went out, and all of our appointments fell through, so we relied on the Lord to tell us where we needed to go, we ended up running into a lot of people we had been trying to get a hold of, and taught 3 really great lessons with this kid. :) He is getting ready to leave on his mission, just waiting on his call, so it was really cool to have him out with us and to be able to answer the questions that he had about what to expect. :) Well, we did this until about three. And we weren't switching back until 5. IT started POURING rain. :) I like the rain. Elder Farnsworth and I got to bike in the rain for about 2 hours on Saturday, and it was crazy! haha we were so wet! We were having a ton of fun though. :) Just picture me, soaking wet, riding a bike, smiling and singing to myself. :)

We have been doing a lot more biking lately, but you will always hear that from an Elder. We are always trying to conserve miles :P That's one thing I am going to be very exited for when I get back, I won't have to pay attention to how many miles I go a day! :P We try to see people on our way to appointments, but sometimes we have to get right out and right to the far parts of our area to be sure we'll get to an appointment on time. I find myself praying to myself throughout the day, just asking for strength to continue onward and praying for opportunities to teach people. :) And God never forgets to answer my prayers. :)

We have some pretty big hills in our area that we bike up, so when we are in the car, I am extra thankful that we have a car. People are being much nicer to us with the Christmas season coming so fast. 9 days!!! That's so crazy! Do you remember in the airport when I called and you told me "Talk to you on Christmas!" Well, that's almost here! So fast! I can't wait to Skype with y'all! I know I am going to cry! :P
I have to go Momma, I love you!
Merry Christmas!
Your Sunshine! :)

The extend of my external wreck damage. :P

There was a pocket for my nametag, the Doctor got a kick out of that :P

I am okay, see :P

Merry Christmas!

I love Elder Farnsworth!

This is one of my favorite pictures. :) I balanced my camera on a vine! :)

Our wonderful photographer and Bishop's sons...

This is one of my favorites, Zakary. :)

How great is my calling!?

Hello Momma! I love seeing the pictures of the snow! I think I miss that the most. Here, the South has too much pride to actually snow, so instead it just gets about 20 degrees and starts to rain, then it will rain ice for a little, then the humidity in the air will freeze, and we will be riding our bikes through a frozen fog. :P It is so weird! We get all bundled up and bike like big marshmallows. :) You'd laugh at us if you saw us! I am very thankful for our members, because they'll see us and pull over and drop us off wherever we need to go.
Last night, our Elders Aquarium President picked us up, came to an appointment with us, then brought us back to his house to help wrap a couple presents, and to drink hot chocolate. :) YAY! Haha I knew how to wrap the presents very well because my momma taught me how. :)
I am thankful for members with dogs, because I miss mine so much. haha I get to play tug-o-war and scratch plenty of bellies. :)
I can't believe Carlin is home! It is weird to think about how long he's been gone. He and Brandon Peterson felt like they were gone way longer than 2 years, or maybe I was just more conscious of things in this time. :) If that makes sense at all :P
Haha I got weird looks when I started laughing in the Library about the bear in the big blue house and me not wanting to get sniffed. I remember the video you showed me. :)
I miss you Momma, the other day, I thought about that video you showed me of the missionary coming home off the plane and his Momma wasn't there yet, the one where he picks her up and hugs her for like 10 minutes, and I just cried. I know that's how it's going to be when I get home, I just know it. I am crying right now just thinking about it. :P I'm a baby when it comes to my Momma. :) It is crazy that I have been out for 5 months though! So fast! Time is seriously flying by! I am excited for Christmas so I can Skype with y'all. :) I am so excited to see your faces! I miss you so much Momma! I am having so much fun though! I am doing so well, we are now in our car-share as you know, so we are getting used to biking a lot of the time. :) I enjoy it though! It has been really weird with the temperature lately. The other day it got to 81, then below freezing the next. I'm so confused :P

I wanted to tell you a story. The other night, we stopped at a young couples home right before we headed in for the night. I am not going to mention names because I am sworn to secrecy. The wife asked us if we wanted anything to drink and I said sure, so I followed her into the kitchen, she opened the fridge and asked if I wanted a soda, I said sure. When she opened the fridge, there was an Ultrasound magneted to the fridge..haha She closed it, handed me the soda and I just looked at her with a smile and said, "umm...." she followed my eyes, her jaw dropped and she just looked at her husband. We all started laughing and she yelled, "I told you someone would find out!" Haha He said, "missionaries seem to always know things before everyone else" :P It was so funny. They told us that they haven't even told their families yet, and that we would never ever be heard from again if we told anyone. :P So I'm telling you. :) That's THAT story.

Another story. :) We have been working around the parts of our area that we haven't worked before, and we are doing a lot of knocking. I don't particularly like knocking, because I think it's boring :P But that's just my ADHD. We were knocking in this little neighborhood, and we knocked into a preacher. Oh joy. Haha he was very nice, surprisingly. But he did bash with us a bit, but it was in a very different way than I have ever Bible-bashed. He spent about 15 minutes trying to prove to us that Elder Harris and I were prophets. um...he said that if we go do the Lord's work, that makes us prophets. We have an appointment to go back in a week, so I hope we can help him to come to the truth. :) Satan is so good at what he does. I can really see what he is doing more clearly. I feel so bad for him. Knocking is getting fun though! We are running into a lot of people that are much friendlier because we are listening to the promptings of the spirit, as well as how close it is coming to Christmas, there is a special spirit in the air. :) People in the South are very hospitable especially around the holidays.

We are working with a man that we found just 2 days ago, and he is just coming out of being homeless. He has very little, and spends most of his time thinking of things that he can do for his 14 year old son that lives in Georgia with his mother. He is probably the most humble man I have ever met. After our first lesson, he gave us some of his favorite caramel corn. :) He was so happy to see us happy by something that he was able to give us. He is always thinking about giving, this gospel is exactly what he needs. Yesterday after church, he called us just to tell us that he has been reading the Book of Mormon, and that he is very excited to see us again tomorrow. :) I love being a missionary! How great is my calling Momma!?

My thumb is doing very well. Not as good as I wish :P But it is great. It hasn't been hurting too bad, I still can't bend it too far without it hurting a bunch, but I can use it just fine for writing and biking and all that. :)
I did get my Christmas countdown, and I LOVE IT! Haha such a cool idea! I am loving the ornaments also! Such a good idea! You should patent it. :) I also got your letter with the pictures, and I am very jealous! I miss The Who group! I am so glad Sawyer is coping well. :) Also, I thought Todd was Greg in all of them! Holy cow! He's huge! haha I miss that boy terribly. Is he doing alright? I love you Momma! I don't a have ton of time, so I am going to send this. :)
Love you!
You're the best Momma there ever was!
Also, we got to watch the scout program the other day, and I wanted to tell you, Momma, you earned your Eagle, but they gave the badge to me. :)
Thank you so much for all you do Momma, I love you too much!
I love you more than Sawyer does! ;)

The Fengers.
 They take good care of us. :)

best...food...ever...!!!!

24 days of Christmas! :)

The Elders in my apartment think these are the coolest things in the whole world. :)

It's all fun & games till the Bishop dislocates his shoulder...

Okay, so I haven't gotten a package yet, I think this transfer messed everything up, because none of us have gotten any mail in over a week. With it being a holiday, and having transfers a day early, I think everything is just all out of whack. I should be getting mail today though, so I will be watching for it. :) You can always send mail to the Clows and I will get it faster. Even if it is a letter. :) I am writing you back about the letter you wrote me when you sent my sweater. :) I hope I'll finish it today, I will do my best. I just get so carried away when I start writing! :) I hope y'all can read my handwriting!
I have been able to email Elder Sherwood, Elder Whitehead, and Elder Hardman! The first two were in my MTC zone, they are both in Uganda right now :) And the last one is Little John from camp! :D Haha I am loving it! I am excited to get your letter!
See, this is what happens when I start to write an email before I read what you've said. You answer my questions before I ask them :P
The picture you and Sawyer got came from Sister Bonni Crossen They have had us over a lot lately and we are gaining a lot of trust from all the members. :) The Crossens live in Southern Utah, but they are down here for his work. This next year they should be moving to Vegas. :)  I love them!
Thanksgiving was weird :P We had planned to go see about 4 families, and eat a little with each of them, but we ended up being a little behind on time because the new sister came into the area, and she had no clue what was going on, so she changed all the plans and stood-up 2 families. They just didn't show up, so after our dinner, we went to one of them and ended up eating there too. So that was 2 Thanksgivings.
Our first one was with the Crossens, and we ate SO MUCH!! haha then we went to the Fengers and they fed us, Then we went to the Clows' and hung out there for a little while. :) I am going to try to have Sister Clow send you her recipe for corn-bread stuffing/dressing! SO GOOD! Hahaha.
We started off Thanksgiving, However, with our wards Turkey bowl, but because we have virtually no youth, it was us 4 elders, and the bishop and his son, but we had tons of fun!..until Bishop fell and dislocated his shoulder :) Haha he's a trooper. But we spent Thanksgiving with a bunch of amazing families. :) I never want to leave this area! I love it too much! haha :) I'm so happy!
I thought it was ironic that I wanted to go somewhere cold, and this is supposed to be the coldest winter they have had in a while! haha My luck, right? ;)
I love it! People let us in when it's cold! :)
I was curious if you COULD send me a couple of things...I would love to have boots out here...service projects are a lot easier in the cold or mud with boots. :) I miss them.
Also, if you or Sawyer find any country Christmas music, I would appreciate that! I bought a Muppets and John Denver Christmas and we have been listening to them for a while. :) Or Relient K? I know they have some good Christmas. I'm sure Sawyer wouldn't mind putting something together, :)
I love you Momma! Have I ever told you you're a good Momma?!

Proof that it gets cold in SC! haha

Thanksgiving :)

 This is the Fengers who fed us, they are wonderful people!

Sister Clow loves to send y'all pictures :) and I love asking her to take them! We had fun helping them remodel, and we get to go over to help paint soon too! :) That was the first day we had to bike in a while because we have had the car, but now that E. Farnsworth is here, we have it every other day. :) 

I am actually doing a lot better on warmth now! I have my thermal G's, earmuffs, a hat, gloves, and sweaters and scarves! :) I just have to buy an ugly Christmas sweater now! ;) 

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Happy Thanksgiving from South Carolina!

Momma!  I will be staying for at least one more transfer. :) Yay!
We are losing one of our sisters and an Elder out of our apartment though :/
 Elder Gundersen and Sister Eames are both going :( They leave tomorrow morning, early. It'll all be good though. Elder Gundersen is a total goof, but I will miss him a lot. I love his spirit. :) He's probably the nicest kid you'd ever meet in your whole existence. We have nothing planned for today, other than doing everything and anything that he wants to do. :)
Sister Clow is the absolute best! We recently moved the boundaries for the Elders and Sisters a little, so they are in our area, so we get to visit them all the time! Sister Clow told us to stop in any time we were hungry or needed anything, and she would take care of it. It's like I never even left home! She is the greatest, she and Brother Clow! :) I wanted to know why on earth you were awake at 4:30 am though??! Haha they texted us at 6:40 am and told me you were on the phone with her, and I was very confused :P
I love the Book Of Mormon so much Momma. I am so sorry that I gave you so much grief about me not wanting to read. If I could go back in time and slap myself, I so would. I wish I had the knowledge I have now back then. I could've been doing so much good among my friends and family! I am very excited for Thanksgiving, we have a couple of members feeding us, and I think Sister Clow might make me mashed topatoes just like daddy does. :) I love it here! I never want to leave! Haha The day I get transferred I will cry like a child.
It is about 30 degrees outside. The cold here is so much colder than anything I have ever felt in Utah! It is such a humid cold that it just soaks through your clothes and makes you and your clothes freezing! haha I have been carrying my inhaler lately because the air is cold and there are a lot of wood/coal burning heaters out here, so biking gets pretty hard in this cold air. I am doing well though. :) Luckily I have some nice, warm thermal G's and a couple very warm scarves to keep me toasty. :)
I should be online on Thursday, maybe Wednesday. I should be emailing then, if not, I will just text the Clows' and have them tell you I love you and how I am doing. :) Maybe we'll go see them and I'll send you a picture! I have made an oath to wear a lot of really ugly ties, so if you ever see one, please buy it and send it. ;) Haha so me, right? I am loving the other package you sent me! I was really needing a sweater, and the one you sent is soooo warm. :) Thank you so very much. I will be watching out for the package, if you send it to the Clows' it will always get to me faster. I still need to send your ornament home. It is the one Sister Clow bought for you, I am still looking for a special one though. :) This week is supposed to be very cold, and it will probably rain the next 3 days, so we might get some ice. haha :) The baptism went flawless, and I will send you some pictures of it!
I love you so much Momma!

That's her Momma on the left, and her daughter on the right, and that is K**** T***** in the middle. :)
She's the best!
Now a 3 generation member photo!

And this is me this morning in my nice, warm scarf :)

We got to go to the temple last Wednesday!

Little pigs BBQ

It is easy to smile when I am this happy!

Our district bowling :)
~love the little photo-bomber

He looked right into my soul and smiled at my spirit.

Momma! And Family!
This week was great! We were able to do a lot of things that we had been trying to get done in the past month, but time would never allow.
Seeing David A. Bednar was such an unforgettable experience! I wish Y'all could've been there to hear the words he spoke, and feel the spirit that entered the room when he did. It wasn't really a talk, or him preparing anything, he just showed up, started to talk for like 5 minutes, and then started to ask certain people questions. It was a big session of religious Q and A with and Apostle! I am the luckiest 1 out of 200+ Missionaries that were there. At one point I had a comment/answer to a question he asked as all, and I raised my hand and got to stand up and speak directly to him, and he talked directly to me. I felt so raised up. Nothing could've brought be down that day! And, after he talked with us for what seemed to be the shortest 3 hours of my whole entire life, we all got to walk up and shake his hand. He looked right into my soul and smiled at my spirit. :) There was so much love in that mans eyes.
Also, I was surprised that I was looking right into his eyes, because he was my height. :) Haha
My question was "How do I completely give myself to God on my mission" And he never called on me, but by the end of the meeting, my question was answered. :) When I talked to him, his question was "What do you notice about this pattern, The Lord's pattern, that we are using today? And my answer was to the effect of "It's amazing how, even if you don't get to 'voice' your question, the spirit answers your question, and all the other ones you didn't know you had." :)
Being a missionary is good. Just good. :) I have all the freedom of being 2076 miles away from home, yet I am learning to be exactly obedient and to 'act 40' as president Holm says. It is weird doing service or something where I am in normal clothes, because I will say, "hi, how are you" to someone, and they'll just look at me weird. I am liking wearing a suit every day. I never ever ever thought I would. :) Haha But I get so much joy of pushing past the uncomfortableness of knocking on a door or talking to a random person on the street, and having them accept what we say. We build a relationship in such a short amount of time it's amazing. But I love it so much and I wouldn't give it up for anything. :) Also, we get to go to the temple this Wednesday morning! :D
Thank you for telling me about the family! I miss y'all so much! You have no idea! Well, you probably do, because you made me. But I have been praying for each one of you individually daily and I love hearing how everyone is doing.
I am going to send the SD card this week, I promise. And now that I have promised, I have to do it. :) haha I just need to put my mind on those things that I need to get done, and work on not chasing that squirrel down the road. :) Haha how can you ask me what I want for Christmas?? I am a missionary! ;) I have the Gospel and people to teach it to! ;)  I have no idea Momma...I have everything I could ask for...well, it would be nice to have my Momma. :) haha
Thank you for everything Momma. You are the best Momma ever. all the other Missionaries are jealous. :) Haha I love you so much! What can I send y'all for Christmas?? (I found your ornament!)
I have  to get off. I love you so much Momma! I pray for you every day and I think about you always! I will take tons of pictures this week and be very careful with my money. Promise. :)
I love you!

So, this is the picture he sent with no explanation. We figure the caption could read.
"In our family, this is EXACTLY how a 40 yr old behaves." or "See Grandpa, nothing has changed".
Take your pick.
Also, we are naturally assuming he is is literally chasing squirrels down roads ;)

Baptism

Momma!
Yes, The Clows' are my favorite ever. :) So much. They are the absolute best. If we are ever hungry or anything, we can just pop in and Momma Clow will cook us something to eat and sit and talk with us for a while. :) When I leave this area, I am going to cry. I love it here so much!
I haven't heard from Kyle or Kenny. I actually haven't gotten any mail in a couple of days. No one in our apartment has. I think they may have messed up something at the mail office, I'm going to call in today. The baptism on Saturday went awesome! There is a theme for 'Baptism day' where everything that can go wrong, does. And nothing works out until the very last second. But, everything ended up going without a hitch. And, I got To baptize T******! My very first baptism on my mission! And Elder Sumner got to come back for a couple hours because A****** wanted him to baptize her. It was so cool to see him again! I missed him so much! haha The baptism was so full of the spirit, and when I think back on it, even though it was only 2 days ago, I can't remember too much, because it all flew by. I love knowing that I was able to assist them in learning about the gospel so much. :) Now we just have to get their Momma divorced and then married so we can baptize her. :) She is ready for it, it is just the legal things that we have to take care of. :P Also, I got the box with the Garments and the scarf, I love it! I wear it whenever it is chilly :)  I'm impressed that you were able to make it so fast! The whole apartment, except Elder Harris is pretty sick right now. We all came down with a pretty bad cold that kept us all down most of yesterday, and we don't feel too hot today. We were afraid that it might be Pneumonia, because I gave a blessing to a member that was sick, and they later found out that that is what she has, but it doesn't seem that bad, so I doubt it. But I bought some NyQuil and DayQuil and I have been sucking on cough drops so I can get back on my feet. :) Everything is going so great! Transfers are 2 days before Thanksgiving, so I don't know if I'll still be in this area or not, but we'll see very soon. :) I love y'all so much! Thank you Momma! :)  My time is up and I have to go, I will take lots of pictures at the baptism this Saturday ;) I love you!
Also, I heard there was a hurricane in the Philippines, have we heard from Barry? Is he alright?

Daddy and me :)

~I know this one is out of focus, but it is so great of the two of them~ Cyndi

After Baptism Ice cream celebration!

Catfish huntin'