Dear Family,
It's about time I write you guys huh? I'm really
sorry, hopefully you aren't disappointed in me or bummed in anyway. It's just
been crazy busy lately. I don't even remember the last time I sent a letter
home. Elder Ht time? Boy this mission is amazing! I've learned so much and I
can truly say that I've become a better servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and a
better son of our Heavenly Father. I've had so many experiences and so many
miracles witnessed that have really strengthened me and my testimony! It amazes
me how much the lor's hand is in this work and it's not even me. I'm just lucky
that I get to witness all of it! I feel I learned the most in Sudbury, especially
when I was with Elder Ht. He was such a good person and a great missionary. We
had so much fun together. So many memories will be kept. One of them I will
never forget was when we were walking to an appointment in the freezing cold,
snow up to your shins, and snow piled up on the sides of the roads 8 ft high!
And we would just mess around and throw each other in the snow and just wrestle
and have fun! We killed it missionary work wise! We worked so hard and it paid
off! We had hit standards of excellence 14/18 times we had together! Found so
many investigators, I just wish he could have experienced McKenna's and Chris'
baptism. He deserved to see to see the fruit of his labor the 10 months he had
been there! That ice castle crew was fun too! Elder M is another one of my
buddies, best buddies that is. Elder B too. I can't believe he's been home for
about 2 months now! I had so much fun being banished up there. District
meetings were fun over Skype, will never forget those! They were a pain to be
honest… but cool experience haha. The Sudbury Ward was probably my least
favorite to be honest, but they're nice people. There's always the people in
the Ward that you gain really strong relationships with in each area that you
serve in. I would say that the R's and Brother Bn , oh and also Bro Bt (Ward
Mission Leader), they were all so cool! I got they're emails and they emailed
me last Monday which was really cool. Oh and someone else that emailed me the
other day was the J's Family. I don't know if you remember them or not but me
and Elder Ht helped reactivate them. The family of 6 that sadly moved to a
whole new area but apparently they are doing really well and they are
preparing for the temple to be sealed!!
That makes me so happy! Have I ever told you how much we drive in Sudbury? Holy
cow, seems like everyone was all over Sudbury so we would go from appointment
to appointment, we also covered Manatullin Island and that's 2 hours out there
and don't forget the meetings you go to as a missionary, there's another like 2
or 3 hours depending on where it is! I'm surprised that I'm not fat right now,
me and Elder Hz pretty much rode our bikes all last transfer to save K's. So we
rode our bikes where it is reasonable, it was quite the work out and very hot! Elder Hz sadly was
my least favorite companion. He didn't work hard but at the same time he
thought he deserved to go up in leadership. He thought way to much about what people thought of him
and he wasn't very Christ-like to be honest. I felt like I was babysitting him
and carrying him and the area on my shoulders but that's ok I learned a lot.
He's a funny guy and was pretty charitable believe it or not. That's one thing
that I liked about him was that he was willing to help and give. Elder P who
was the zone leader for the 2 transfers I was last up there, was really cool.
He has a pretty thick Haitian accent. He's the one who knows 5 different
languages, gave tours in the Amazon, pro soccer player and a convert to the
church. Me and him became the best of friends. He's one of the most humble
people I know. Always think about others. We love talking with each other and
have lots of inside jokes. We were really sad to have separated to our
different areas. He went back to Toronto, and really that's where he is suppose
to be. Elder V my best friend from Mexico got transferred to Toronto as well!
Elder Ht did too! I don't know if I'll ever make it to Toronto Haha! I might
just be in the outskirts all of my mission! Before I move on to talking more
about Napanee and Elder Hn I wanted to mention one of the investigators we were
tracting. She was the one in Manatullin Island who was referred to us by one of
the member in the branch. We were over to her convenient store and would teach
her the lessons and I would always have a special feeling about her. She's
something special that's for sure. She has great Faith. I mean she was a pastor
at her own church, but the things that she would bring up, the concerns that
she had, the things that she held close to her heart was all highlighting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints and the gospel! I would just be in such aww and astonishment of how
prepared this lady was. And now from what Elder Hz told me over email is that
she has a baptism date! That makes me so
stoked and excited! Napanee is
beautiful!! "God's Country". It's definitely not like Toronto! It was
pretty fun adjusting to this area trying to get to know everyone in the church
of only 30 and then trying to build the teaching pool up from really nothing. I
found out the other day from Elder Sh (the Elder who served here before us)that
he was struggling with depression here and that he also had a companion who was
going home. And so he said they really didn't do anything cause the Elder who
was going home didn't want to and he was a very controlling and 'do it my way or
the highway' type of Elder and so nothing got done for the 3 months they were
here! Isn't that so good!??? It's sure fun and very educating being here so
far, and it's making Elder Hn a man! He's such a good guy! He's made such great
progress so far. My baby! He played football all of his life and he's pretty
funny! We have a good time, he gets a little stressed out and trunky but he's
getting a lot better. This whole training and district leader think really
reminds me of Georgetown!! It's pretty freaky how similar of experiences they
are. Napanee looks a whole lot like Georgetown. We've seen that pizza place
that you told us that Avril Lavine went to and is her favorite. Haven't gotten
to it yet but it's something we plan on doing very soon! We've got a bunch of
crazies in the Branch but that's alright, it gives it character. I would say
75% of the Branch are old elderly people! but they sure are kind and know how
to cook and feed us! Never been more fed in my life! They sure are kind and I'm
starting to get to love the people here in this Branch! District meetings are
great, a lot different than being over Skype! Sister D, Sister G, Elder C,
Elder C, Elder O and Elder and Sister H. They are all awesome and so kind. I
love them all, I love helping them as well. Love learnig from them. If there's
one thing I've learned about being a leader in the church is that the best leader
is the best follower! One who is always willing
to learn and to be humble and to follow the footsteps of the best
leader, Jesus Christ. Going exchanges is pretty fun as well, you get to learn
from each other! The other day we were on exchanges with the sister
missionaries, JK JK! Oh mom, calm down! We don't go on exchanges with sisters!
Haha but if you are wondering if sisters ever go on exchanges, and Brooke you
may want to know this for you mission pretty soon, that there are sister
training leaders that go on exchanges with the regular sister missionaries! So
it's pretty cool! And they're pretty much sisters that look over and help the
other sister missionaries! Hmmm I wonder what else you guys might like to know.
The apartment is nice, clean, and in a nice area as well! Not like Sudbury
where we lived in the most sketchy and ghetto area! The church building is
small! Lots of old retired people here that like to go out and eat. President
and Sister Clayton are awesome. I like President Shields more than Elder
Clayton but I like Sister Clayton more that I like Sister Shields! Haha but
they are all great. We are helping 2 LA's go to the temple this fall, so that's
exciting! The leaves are beginning to change! It's going to be very pretty
here. Everybody loves Tim Horton's here still! Poutine is delicious! Everyone
makes pie or cheesecake for dessert here in Canada! Random thought: So as you
know, I've gotten a 23 on the ACT. And I keep thinking about it and really want
to get a better score and I know I can. And I'm not really sure why it keeps
popping in my head but I heard you can take it again after the mission for
BYU-I. I believe you have to get at least a 25 and a 3.75 GPA to get quarter
tuition. And I really don’t want to pay for everything or have you help pay for
everything. I know there are little scholarships that you can apply for as well
but would that help? I keep hearing about people and even missionaries that
they have an academic scholarship or a athletic scholarship and I know that I
could get better, but BYUI doesn't have
school sports. I don't know, I'm in a pickle. I just want to save as much money
as possible but I feel that BYUI is still the place for me. Any advice? Obviously
being away from school for 2 years and then taking the ACT isn't the best idea,
but at the same time I feel like I'm just as smart and athletic! But it's not
bothering me enough to distract me from the work at all. One thing that has
changed about me is that I know how to talk to people in any situation and then
relate it or steer it to talking about the gospel! It's a good skill to have in
life talking to people you don't know and having conversations with people. I
remembered it bothering me so much
before I came out, especially when me and Dad went home teaching. He'd
be the one to do the lessons and I would always be really nervous and wouldn't
know what to say. It really did frustrate me. I think you could remember Dad
the conversations we would have about it after. But now I can participate and
be fully engaged and truly love being there! I can't wait til we go again! I
thought I would write a quick story that well, by the time you get this letter
you will have already heard this a little bit in my weekly emails, but I'll try
and go in more detail. So me and Elder Hn were driving and I got a distinct
impression to turn around and we were driving back the way we came from and the
HG told me to turn on this street in Newborough, an area in the outskirts of
Napanee. So we got out and I assumed God wanted to have us tract that street…
and the very first door we knock on Angie opens the door. And so I start the
convo and get a basic understanding of her beliefs and I was able to go from
there. Elder Hn gets nervous and deer in the headlight in contacts like this so
it's basically me and her talking. And so I pretty much taught her the
Restoration on her doorstep and gave her a book of Mormon and told her to look
over the Restoration pamphlet and the book and to pray and ask. Cause in the
convo she had mentioned how her life wasn't good at all and how the world is
more wicked each day and how there are so many churches today. So it was easy
to teach the Restoration to her and to testify. I could literally see her eyes
sparkle and see something click. We went back about a week later since she told
us that she would like some time to read it and to pray. She had read 20
chapters of the book! Which is pretty rare that an inv would do that but she
hadn't received her answer yet! So we went back a 3rd time to talk more about
how to receive an answer and we read 3 Nephi 11 with her as well and she really
enjoyed it. She said give her one more week and we can come back and see if she
got her answer! But holy cow she was telling us that she had a really hard
life. She was raped 2 times when she was younger, her parents were killed at a
young age. She was into drugs and was living in the streets for awhile, tried
to commit suicide twice but failed both times and she knew that she was
supposed to be here for a reason but didn't know exactly why. But we told her
that this is the reason why! The gospel! She says that she truly want to
believe us but at the same time there
are so many other churches that are saying the same thing and how Jehovah's
Witnesses came to the door and such. So she's had a huge trust issue her whole
life and she says she only has two friends that she can count on! But I think
she really likes us and is beginning to trust us! I sure hope she gets her answer!
She's amazing, truly prepared. Well I miss you guys a ton! Brooke I can't
believe you are a junior in high school. Seems like yesterday I was a junior
playing basketball and such. I miss you and I hope we can do more stuff
together after the mission! You can show me how to make a true delicious drink
since you are the maker of it! Amber I can't believe you are a teenager and
your birthday is coming up, that's crazy! Some of my favorite memories with you
are sleeping outside and talking! And looking for the big dipper! Everytime I
look up into the night sky I think of you! Keep
being an example and work hard! Maleah, I can't believe you were
baptized. You are getting so big, you are going to be bigger than me when I
come home! Promise not to beat me up? I can't wait to play with you again and
watch movies! Remember when you would
give my piggy back rides!? you were so strong! I can't wait to see you again!
Love you sisters so much. I wish you could know how much I truly do! I wish I could
write you everyday but a mission is busy! Well Mom and Dad. I can't believe I'm
more than half way over with my mission! I think often of you guys and how I
couldn't and wouldn't make it out onto a mission without you and the things
that you taught me. You are beyond generous and kind and I know that the Savior
is pleased with the way you raised me
and the way you are raising the other 'chillens'. I wouldn't change the hard
times we experienced for anything cause I wouldn't have learned and become the
man I am. I wish constantly that I would have shown more appreciation and
respect to you guys and I hope you can forgive me! And a BIG THANK YOU guys for
the examples you are to me. I love you guys more than words can describe. Love
you all forever and always, even into the eternities!!! For the gospel makes it
possible through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus! And Hoorah, Hoorah, Hoorah
for Israel!!! God bless you all! Colten, Coco, Coltyboy, Jojo, Jojonator, Dudes, and Elder Beddes
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