What is Respect, views by a Missionary.

2. Do you use the rain coat we sent with you or do you use something else that's easier on a bike.

2.Well it's actually sitting at the mission office because it was to heavy for me to carry around, I usually just endure the rain. it's not so bad because I'm in a car area.

3. Name one unusual thing you saw this week.

3.Well we've seen some few interesting things, not sure if I should include them in the e-mail. For example, A really large man working shirtless in his yard, with an extremely Hairy back

4. While you have served have you seen lots of medical sadness's that if the people had good health care things might be different for them?

4.Yeah I mostly see people with facial deformities or leg deformities. I think that's due to not being well cared for when they are young.

6. Tell us what you ate for dinner this week, did you cook it?

6.Well this week we haven't been fed alot so it's mostly stuff we cooked yourself. I recently have been making pap because it's cheep. I don't eat it all the time though. Bishop made a public announcement to the ward that we need more food (we didn't tell him to) so we'll see what happens. People bring alot of frozen meals to church on Sunday so those will help us stay healthy

7. What is one thing that you wish you could bring back with you but your not sure you will try to because of space or cost.

7.I wish I could bring everything but there's not enough time to think about stuff like that

8. What was church like for you this Sunday without a calling?

8.Nice! I can focus on missionary work

9. If I sent protein shakes over would you drink them? Would it help you eat better?

9.Yeah it probably would but I don't know if that's to practical

10. How many times have you been sick while serving, I recall the one phone visit at Christmas the first time you sounded like you had a bad cold.

10.I haven't been sick too much, mostly just if I get a head cold. I'm recently recovering from that actually.

11. Have you had to use the meds, that we sent while you have been there?

11.Yup

12. Do you have heartburn ever anymore?

12.Sometimes, those previcid really help.

13. Do you wish that you had a water bottle that had filters or even maybe a hydro back pack that you took with you?

13.No I can get one of those at the mission office, but I don't really need it here

14. You are using your contacts up right, keeping your eyes healthy by not going over to many months of wearing them correct?

14.Yes I'm using them, I admit I have forgotten to change them a few times but it's all good

15. If you made a documentary film of South Africa that would affect many possible changes for their country what would be your focus? Lack of fathers, Medical issues, homelessness, orphanages,

15.I'll have to ponder that one

16. One thought about respect and what it means to you?

16.Well respect to me is like being patient with others even with all their weaknesses. It means treating them with kindness even if you don't feel like it.

Well this week has been pretty good, the best thing that happened is that we went to a hospital to teach sick people. that was pretty cool. We met a guy who had surgery on his leg and he was very intrigued about the Book of Mormon, unfortunately he was reluctant to give us his telephone number so we'll have to see if he calls us, It happens, so were waiting. We also went on exchanges twice this week which was really cool. I was with Elder Larson the first time and he's a super great missionary. He's been out about 7 months and while on exchanges, we taught for the first time on his mission, a white father led family.  He got really nervous and kind of forgot how to tactfully teach and started rambling on about alot of things and tried to answer every one of their questions all at once. I hardly got a word in. After talking with him about the situation he realized he needed to relax a little bit so the next time they met with the family, they were calm and collected and the family is now preparing for baptism. The next exchange was with Elder Nhlabatsi he is from Swaziland and he is way humble. he's doing great work, the only concern he had was that he is having trouble understanding Elder lechner. I gave him some good advice about communicating more with his companion and last we heard they are doing much better. Saturday was a little tough, most of our appointments fell through and it was getting us a little down. By the end of the day I feel like I learned a little lesson in gratitude though because when I wrote in my journal I realized that we did a lot of good. We actually met some very good prepared people and we taught our favorite family Clyde and Nicky, earlier that day we did service by helping someone move in to their new house. I guess it really just matters where your focus is. If your focus is on the positive you will feel positive, if you focus on the negative you will feel negative. Sunday was good, we had a small fireside and Bishop talked about missionary work, The ward is really excited now so we'll see what comes of it.

On Sun, Jan 30, 2011

So this week our family blog joined the Internet MTC, whats that you say well its a person who is willing to allow their site to be searched when a word or information is looked up that lists things that have to do with our church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Or links their blogs to sites that has to do with the sites that the church has. Also there is a site that hosts Meridian magazine that tells all kinds of inspirations stories that are Church affiliated and they ask that you link good things to your facebook, or twitter or your blog so that those who are looking for information find sites that carry our opinion's and positive statement's about the gospel helping to teach and give insight instead of negative or incorrect perspectives when google is used in a search to find an answer to words like God, Family Home Evening, Missionaries, Family, Jesus Christ etc. This will help those seeking answers to the Mormon belief ahead of the time that the proselyting Missionaries knock on their door if they have been looking to see what we believe. So I love that the first song on our blog is I hope they call me on a mission but I do have to update and change to some more primary songs that are more about family and the Gospel.

This week I feel more and more like we live at the high school wrestle room after school. Mc worked to be ready for State but he only won his second match and it was a double elimination so he ended up out. C won those two boys in Wayne county and they were 112 pounds instead of 103 he beat the first kid but the second kid they would one get 2 points ahead and then trade over to the other getting 2 points then trade back so C only beat by one point in the end. He told me that I needed to write that out more clearly for you. I think because he wrestled kids that were heavier is why. This weekend he went to Enterprise and took third place. All the kids were juniors or seniors so it was very tough for him but he felt good and the whole team came in 2nd. J has helped by keeping the little boys with her every time I have to take the older boys some place. I think really she would rather that then taking them anywhere. She got Jer to eat a ton of no bake cookies with peanutbutter along with chicken. He is so stressful because he seems to survive on nothing but pedisure and somehow we have got to get him to eat other things. Today they went horse riding and April was so hyper and poor Hobbles was sweating he is way to out of shape. Arab seemed just fine and just wanted to stay close to Hobbles as usual.

I made a goal to get 8 miles in of a run and I did it of course every inch of me hurt from Wed till Sat evening in varying degrees. J whimpered because her calves and shins and thighs hurt from biometrics and C and Mc ached from wrestling. C was so bruised after Enterprise and even has an eye that got a black spot so it kind of is half shut. But we are all excersized for the week thats for sure.

Just so you know the getting ready for Church this Sunday was much better then last Sunday and less of an argument. The speakers talked about being Forever Families and to put our feet in those shoes of others that had not attended the temple. The loss of how they must feel at not having a linked chain to those ancestors. I am so glad that my family is a forever family and that we have been sealed to each other. Even when there are days where we all struggling to be kinder, more respectful and learning to get along at least we are forever connected to each other because your Father cared enough to desire that his partner be sealed to him forever in the temple instead of just on the earth until we die. Anyway without a few struggles we never realize how much better peace can be.

Dad says "that he loves you and wishes you the very best in your endeavors". "Don't get discouraged and pray always". "You will never regret the work that you are doing." "I need to take the time to write a longer letter but it seems that time just moves to fast"

Dad is doing the taxes this week and passed up going skiing with the youth and Mc who will go for the first time without us. He is instead going to watch C at the Region wrestling at the SVC center.

Love all of us