Last week we got a really short e-mail....then the week got busy so I didn't get around to posting. This weeks was better. Didn't realize how long this has gotten...ya may need to take a break in between and come back later! ha ha ha
Here's some back and forth stuff. Enjoy!
August 9, 2010
Mom & Dad write:
When you say "send food"...what does that mean??? snack foods? food food? candy food? don't you have a Fred Myers to buy groceries????
Wow...thanks for that long heartfelt letter...ya ya...I know...your busy....but ya ain't never too busy for the mama...just sayin'....but we totally understand!
hey by the way...when you do send actual letters....will you try to remember to scribble something on a piece of paper for Kasey....draw a penguin or something.....throw her a bone....oh and....how about a birthday note?? uhmmmm.....Aug 8th......remember????
Did you get your box yet???? With Auntie Cathy treats?
Sending off another box....it's pretty empty since you are not in need of anything....but that's a good thing.....working on the coat shipment.....are you cold???
we love you!
Mom & Dad
August 9, 2010
Skylar replies:
no its so hot. i got a coat from a departing elder so im good. its a nice one. just junk and snack food. my gut does not need it though. haha. still up like 20 pounds now. i need to get more exorcise. i will send kasey another letter. i couldent remember if she sent me one back. but i will do that today. try dating letters so that i know how long they are taking to get here. i will send her a birthday note too. i got the bax with kathys treats and will get on that letter too. so musck to do haha. but i will make it work!! love you
August 9, 2010
Skylar replies again:
i plan on going to school for either music production and recording. but good point with the whole weirdo thing. hahaha. good times. good times, ummm. i would say just send stuff to the mission office it is the best way. no new companion. but russia is my favorite for some weird reason. umm. so today is my 2 month mark. i will be sending home my planner from my 1st trasfer(every 6 weeks) it should be somthing cool to look through. just make sure you let howell show the quorum.umm. elder bednar is coming to the mission in a month to talk with us about how awesome the OPM is. my testimony has grown so much. i have leaned the full ward setup and how it all works. and how much inspiration is involed in every step of the lord work. well love you guys!!
oh and tell grama and pa they have a letter on the way. love you sorry i only had 15 min today. lots to do. YIKES
August 9, 2010
Onnie's Survey:
Where do you do your laundry? my apartment in the washer in dryer
Are you cleaning your toilet often (even UNDER the lid)? once a month
Is your apartment inspected by your mission president wife? no, Brother and sister Jensen do that
Do you wash your hands and use sanitizer often? when i use the bathroom
How long are you studying the scripture each day? 2.5 hours
How many hours do you spend tracking each week?14-20hrs usualy but it depends on how much we are teaching.
How may investigators are you teaching now?6
Are your waterproof shoes really waterproof like the store said they would be? i have not had the oppertunity to test it. it has only rained once.
August 16, 2010
Onnie's Survey:
Do you have any investigators who have baptisms scheduled?NO...............:(
How many people are in the ward you are serving in?140 only half are active
Is the area a safe one? Keizer is but salem is a little scetchy.. haha
Do you have a vacuum cleaner and are you using it?every week
How often are you washing your sheets?every 2 weeks, pillow case every week
What do you eat for breakfast?cereal, bagal, yogert
Is it cooling off there?nope.............wait........nope.
Where is your companion from?Plesent grove,UT
When does he go home?in 35 days...im counting it for him
August 16, 2010
JR writes:
Hey, what is going on in that part of the world. We are all well here and I thought I would try to figure out how to Email you with out your Mom
Doing all the typing. It's Monday morning and overcast here with a chance of rain but you know that that means there's a better chance that it won't than will.
Went to Bo's farewell yesterday and could not belive that He's leaving already. Time is just flying by here It seems like you just left. How are you doing. Any disappointments.
Stay strong and close to the lord and all will work out. I know that's what I am doing on this end. Mom got the lease for the shop so I think the lord is watching out for us and
Of course there is all kinds of support from the family. I know that we are all being blessed for your service to the people of Portland. We have had family home evening and family prayer and we have not missed a Sunday of going to church, so there might be hope for us yet. Is there anything that you need? We have a box to mail today that has a few goodies but let me know if there is something you can't go with out and will get it on it's way. I love you and am so proud of the man that you have become. Remember that its only threw the
Hard times that we learn to be greatfull for the easy ones, so learn to be greatfull for what the lord has placed in front of you at this time and all will be well.
Love you, Have a great week DAD
August 16, 2010
Skylar replies:
hey dad! i just sent you a letter. i am glad to see that you guys are recognizing the blessing that come from the gospel! i hope that moms boutique is going well enough to hire me when i get back. ha ha. i cant believe that Bo's time has come. that means Ive been out almost 3 months. geese!! time flys too fast. but i am learning so much. and cant wait to see you up here. it seems life its a ways away but it will be hear before you know it. ha ha. Disappointments..hm mm. yes its too hot and we have no progressing investigators. but we just keep on keepin on ya know. if you haven't got the jacket yet than that's good. i found one in another elders apartment. and traded him a big one we had for it. that's how us missionaries do things up here. i will remember that my witness will come after a trial of my faith. talk to you later! love you!
August 16, 2010
Mom & Dad write:
Hey buddy!
Today was Bo's farewell. He'll be at the MTC on Wednesday! Kylee is getting his address for you so you can support the "bros".....
I still have your box...I'll mail it Monday....
Are you allowed to have scout newsletters and stuff from home to keep you up to date on the happenings of the ward are you needing to seperate and focus on the mission? Let me know k?
Not a whole lot going on. First week of school was good for the girls. Kylee has to be at seminary at 5:20....ugh!
She wants to go out with Jordan Woodard...Dad has a huge problem with that.....so I'm working on him....but he's your friend...should I let her????
Let's see what else???? We're pretty boring people....
We love you!
Mom & Dad
August 16, 2010
Skylar replies:
I am so proud of him!! he will do great!News letters are fine. She will be blessed for it. I would say yes. i went to Vegas with him. and i have met his family. they are good people. trust me she could do a whole lot worse. he kind of annoyed me but if she like him than i say go for it. hes a good kid and is a good influence on her. i would trust him. i am just surprised that she want to go out with him.??? but hes good people.
i heard that you have been doing family home evening. Thats AWESOME!! I'm so proud of you guys. i know that you don't like doing it but i know that you will be glad you did. things have been tough but i am still happy! we have brother and sis Parkhurst as GRAMA and PA type missionaries. they are so funny. she should be giving you an email sometime.
nothing much going on here. i think a questionnaire would be the best way to let you know whats up. theres just to much going on.umm. so ya love my mom. time is flying. about 21.5 months left. crap! i am so not ready for life! hahah. hey you should look at mormon.org. its really cool! its not lame like the old lds.org (witch is being remodeld by the way)
Love you!
August 23, 2010
Dad writes:
Hey Elder, How are things.
Is the weather get cooler there yet? Its like the tropics here, we had rain on Saturday and it's so muggy.
How are you doing with your companion.
Are you eating well?
How is the Bike working out?
Do you have alot of ward refurals or is it just door to door?
how's your mission leader has he been replaced yet?
Are you able to get back to your peeps or are you just writing a few each week?
Been a pretty said week for the Castlegate ward. We had one return to our father in heaven this week. I'm not sure If you remember the Burrells, But Brycen was hit
By a car, He was 2. The funeral was said but one of the most uplifting that I have ever been to and you know I've seen my share. What a relief it is to know that they
Will get to see him again and be a family. Having a knowledge of our fathers plan helps with all aspects of life and death. On a Lighter note the ward campout is this week
And I'm so ready to get out of this heat. Bo and sis Anderson are in charge of it and I think It should be fun. Bo should be at the MTC and Josh has already been out a year, How
Time does fly. Hope all is going well, I miss you but am so proud to call you my son, and I know that your Father in Heaven feels the same. Tell your companion Hi for me and thanks
For putting up with you. Love you Sky have a great week and let me known if the is anything you need. By the way Did you get you card and get it activated so we can put some $ in it. Love Ya Dad.
August 23, 2010
Skylar replies:
Hey Guys. Bike is fine now. just some minor fixes. card is active and good to go. it started cooling down allot too. That's too bad about the burell boy but you have the right mind set. I haven't been able to get Hold of josh at all. i think at this point hes either not eating the mail or just ignoring it. IDK though. Things are going really good here. we are doing allot of tracking but are getting ready to start collect the elect witch is designed to get more members involved in the work. i fell off my bike 2 days ago but I'm all good. only my pride was hurt. haha. i rolled right out of it. Still getting fed every night and still gaining weight. thanks for tha satchel box. i am enjoying working out to music. FYI: there is only a few walmarts in all of the mission and they are all way out of the way. Same with sonic. i Luckly am Right next to one. but theres only 2 more in the entire mission. President dyches will be here until my year mark. Can you get me Bo's email and address so that i can talk with him please?
This week has been great. we have been teaching less than usual but we have been making them count. we have started teaching this marshalleese man named Richard Abo.
he trly has a desire to know the truth and he has been keeping all of his commitments. We have also been teaching Trini Areola. He has been taking the lessons for almost a year. He wants to be baptised but is very honest with himself and wont until he knows for asurety that these things are true. We have tried everything to help him feel that but nothing seems to be working. Dawna engleson has a simmilar situation. Only she knows these things are true but cannot quit smoking. She has recived many Blessings and has been praying dilligently. We think that we just need to focus on her testimony of the Atonment of Christ.
We have also been teacing Titus dewit and Aqua Tillman. Titus is a recent convert and Aqua is less- Active. They fight allot, usually leading to the cops being called. But we have seen the gospel change there family. they Seem to be fighting less and less and they are both looking happier every day.
I cant believe that Elder Hawkins is going home in 3 weeks. I am going to miss his example of obedience and diligence. But at the same time i am excited to change things up a little. I know that the lord has so much to teach me through the companions that i will have.
This week i had an experience that changed me. We were at a door talking to a minister for another church. He asked me what my title Elder ment. He told me that i eas not old or wise enough to have the title. Foolishly I answerd, trying not to offend him, "Elder is just a tiltle givent to missionaries who volenteer to serve." Afterwards Elder Hawkins rebuked me for being ashamed of my priesthood. So i went home and Studied out the priesthood. And through studying i came to know of the sacredness and the power and athority of my calling
well love you guys, stay strong and remember to do the simple things. they will give you the stranth you need to carry on. the gospel was designed to bring families closer together.
Love you lots!
August 23, 2010
Onnie's writes:
I got the following email form Skylar. he sounds better and better every week. You are so blessed that have such a great son who is doing his best to serve faithfully. Good job raising him!
Onnie's survey:
Can we email you pictures?yes
How many emails/letters do you get a week?2-3
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) rate your missionary experience.8.651 but we will see after i get out of my greeny area
What color socks are you wearing today?black always
Have you had any encounters with local wildlife?yes a squirl racoon and a wackjob aka crazy hobos
Have you found a new favorite food/restaurant in OR? What is it?sherries its like dennys. but we dont eat at alot of resturaunts.
If you could have one prayer answered right now, what would it be?umm to 5 ok.
1. to be able to see people as christ sees them
2. to be master teacher
3. to be able to recognize the spirit more fully
4. increse my faith in prayer and finding
5. to have greater faith in my piesthood
(great question)
August 23, 2010
Skylar replies:
Thank you so much for the love and sopport you guys give me. your family is a great example for what i want mine to be like someday.
This week has been great. we have been teaching less than usual but we have been making them count. we have started teaching this marshalleese man named Richard Abo.
he trly has a desire to know the truth and he has been keeping all of his commitments. We have also been teaching Trini Areola. He has been taking the lessons for almost a year. He wants to be baptised but is very honest with himself and wont until he knows for asurety that these things are true. We have tried everything to help him feel that but nothing seems to be working. Dawna engleson has a simmilar situation. Only she knows these things are true but cannot quit smoking. She has recived many Blessings and has been praying dilligently. We think that we just need to focus on her testimony of the Atonment of Christ.
We have also been teacing Titus dewit and Aqua Tillman. Titus is a recent convert and Aqua is less- Active. They fight allot, usualy leading to the cops being called. But we have seen the gospel change there family. they Seem to be fighting less and less and they are both looking happier every day.
I cant belive that Elder Hawkins is going home in 3 weeks. I am going to miss his example of obidiance and dilligence. But at the same time i am excited to change things up a little. I know that the lord has so much to teach me through the companions that i will have.
This week i had an expiriance that chaned me. We were at a door talking to a minister for another church. He asked me what my title Elder ment. He told me that i eas not old or wise enough to have the title. Foolishly I answerd, trying not to offend him, "Elder is just a tiltle givent to missionaries who volenteer to serve." Afterwards Elder Hawkins rebuked me for being ashamed of my priesthood. So i went home and Studied out the priesthood. And through studying i came to know of the sacredness and the power and athority of my calling.
love you guys
--
Elder White
