[Note: We received this email from a member of the Church in Idaho Falls on Sunday afternoon. I referred to this email in my weekly note to Elder Call, and he responded in his email on Monday. As always, I've deleted the name of the individual to protect privacy.
--Editor]
23 May 2010
Brother and Sister Call,
I am a member of the Shamrock Park Ward, in the Idaho Falls South Stake. Today at sacrament meeting your son was the featured speaker. What a fine young man. I was impressed by both his knowledge of the gospel and his enthusiasm for missionary work. There was a great spirit attending his talk.
I thought, it is too bad that his parents couldn't see him in action today. You would have been so proud. Thanks for raising such a fine young man who could come to Idaho and help build the Lord's kingdom here.
I went away from the meeting very impressed and hope to find someone for Elder Call to teach in my neighborhood.
Have a great day,
Brother ---
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Musings, Admonitions, and Updates
17 May 2010
Dear Dad,
Time is going quickly. The 17th of May. Tomorrow I will hit my 15 month mark. That goes too fast, I remember being with Elder Burton and thinking that I still had 23 months left to go. That seemed like a really long time. But now I look back on it and it has all gone so quick. Elder Burton has been home for 3 months now and I only have 9 months left. It is kind of sad.
That is awesome that you are able to get some of that work done. Rebecca wrote me last week and she said something like, "Money doesn't bring happiness, but it can bring peace of mind." What is this book that you have been writing? Is it one about business stuff?
It makes me so happy that you are writing your life history. That is a big undertaking and takes a lot of diligence. I wish I had been better at writing in my journal my entire mission. I have written in spurts. I hope to do better with it. I have written for two weeks now everyday. I want to continue that for the rest of my mission. I also have a little journal I call my "baptism journal" where I write about each investigator that I got to help teach that was baptized. I am way behind on that. I need to get caught up in that one.
This Thursday Elder Lacey and I are going down to Pocatello. He is having an eye appointment, then his surgery on Friday. We will stay overnight, probably with the Assistants. I am going to take my journal down there and try to get caught up in that as much as I can during all of that stuff.
That is so cool that you have had a few baptisms in the ward recently and more to come. As you very well know, missionary work is so important. Of course right now some of my favorite scriptures are missionary scriptures. Two of which are Moroni 7:13 and D&C 35:12.
Moroni: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."
There are two parts: 1) Invite. We need to invite people to act. To experience and learn for themselves. As they do so there faith will increase. That is invite people to do something that will increase there faith. Inviting to cub scouts will not, in all likelihood, increase their faith. 2) Entice. We need to make the gospel something everybody else wants. That would be the "just be a good example" part that people are SO set on.
We need both parts giving 100% of each. Then we get a perfect balance. If we just invite, that is when friendships will be ruined. If we just entice then at the last day, they will ask why we never told them about the gospel. The guilt that I will feel will be too much for me to bear.
D&C: "And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation."
Too often we meet members who stand on their doorstep or sit in their chairs, while pointing to there neighbors, and tell us, "They're active. They're active too, she's in the Primary presidency. They're less-active, but they'll come to ward activities. They're active. They're not members, really good people though..." And they don't want to talk to those people about the gospel. I hate to say it, but those "really good people" aren't going to make it to heaven on good works alone. They need faith in the fullness of the gospel. And as the Lord tells us in this verse those that do good are ready for the fullness of the gospel. Ready now. Not later, not never, not once before when you sent the missionaries there a year and a half ago. They are ready for the fullness.
So that is my little soap-box cry.
I am doing pretty good on everything. Really the only thing is that my shirts are way baggy and that just gets annoying. They are still good to wear. My suit you sent is slightly baggy, but there are plenty of sisters here that are willing to help take our pants in and stuff. I have pretty much stayed about the same weight since December, so the suit is good. Thank you for offering, but don't do anything that you can't afford. I will be just fine, the Lord provides.
We had dinner with a family last night and the wife knows the Bundersons [one of Shannon's sisters, who is living in Utah]. She is from Ferron, Utah. I should have asked her maiden name, but her name now is Michelle Elison. She said she really knows Landon and Nathan, went to High School with them. She said they were a lot of fun and really good boys. So that was pretty good.
We had a baptism on Saturday of Al Vaalemoen (Vall-min). That was way cool. It was the first baptism we have had since I have been here in IF South. It was neat to see, it has been a long time coming and he finally committed. I will probably write more about that in the letter home.
I will continue to pray for you.
Love,
Elder Call
Dear Dad,
Time is going quickly. The 17th of May. Tomorrow I will hit my 15 month mark. That goes too fast, I remember being with Elder Burton and thinking that I still had 23 months left to go. That seemed like a really long time. But now I look back on it and it has all gone so quick. Elder Burton has been home for 3 months now and I only have 9 months left. It is kind of sad.
That is awesome that you are able to get some of that work done. Rebecca wrote me last week and she said something like, "Money doesn't bring happiness, but it can bring peace of mind." What is this book that you have been writing? Is it one about business stuff?
It makes me so happy that you are writing your life history. That is a big undertaking and takes a lot of diligence. I wish I had been better at writing in my journal my entire mission. I have written in spurts. I hope to do better with it. I have written for two weeks now everyday. I want to continue that for the rest of my mission. I also have a little journal I call my "baptism journal" where I write about each investigator that I got to help teach that was baptized. I am way behind on that. I need to get caught up in that one.
This Thursday Elder Lacey and I are going down to Pocatello. He is having an eye appointment, then his surgery on Friday. We will stay overnight, probably with the Assistants. I am going to take my journal down there and try to get caught up in that as much as I can during all of that stuff.
That is so cool that you have had a few baptisms in the ward recently and more to come. As you very well know, missionary work is so important. Of course right now some of my favorite scriptures are missionary scriptures. Two of which are Moroni 7:13 and D&C 35:12.
Moroni: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."
There are two parts: 1) Invite. We need to invite people to act. To experience and learn for themselves. As they do so there faith will increase. That is invite people to do something that will increase there faith. Inviting to cub scouts will not, in all likelihood, increase their faith. 2) Entice. We need to make the gospel something everybody else wants. That would be the "just be a good example" part that people are SO set on.
We need both parts giving 100% of each. Then we get a perfect balance. If we just invite, that is when friendships will be ruined. If we just entice then at the last day, they will ask why we never told them about the gospel. The guilt that I will feel will be too much for me to bear.
D&C: "And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation."
Too often we meet members who stand on their doorstep or sit in their chairs, while pointing to there neighbors, and tell us, "They're active. They're active too, she's in the Primary presidency. They're less-active, but they'll come to ward activities. They're active. They're not members, really good people though..." And they don't want to talk to those people about the gospel. I hate to say it, but those "really good people" aren't going to make it to heaven on good works alone. They need faith in the fullness of the gospel. And as the Lord tells us in this verse those that do good are ready for the fullness of the gospel. Ready now. Not later, not never, not once before when you sent the missionaries there a year and a half ago. They are ready for the fullness.
So that is my little soap-box cry.
I am doing pretty good on everything. Really the only thing is that my shirts are way baggy and that just gets annoying. They are still good to wear. My suit you sent is slightly baggy, but there are plenty of sisters here that are willing to help take our pants in and stuff. I have pretty much stayed about the same weight since December, so the suit is good. Thank you for offering, but don't do anything that you can't afford. I will be just fine, the Lord provides.
We had dinner with a family last night and the wife knows the Bundersons [one of Shannon's sisters, who is living in Utah]. She is from Ferron, Utah. I should have asked her maiden name, but her name now is Michelle Elison. She said she really knows Landon and Nathan, went to High School with them. She said they were a lot of fun and really good boys. So that was pretty good.
We had a baptism on Saturday of Al Vaalemoen (Vall-min). That was way cool. It was the first baptism we have had since I have been here in IF South. It was neat to see, it has been a long time coming and he finally committed. I will probably write more about that in the letter home.
I will continue to pray for you.
Love,
Elder Call
Monday, May 3, 2010
Baptisms. . .Family History. . .(what else?)
3 May 2010
Dear Dad,
It is crazy how time flies by. It is the beginning of May and it was this time last year that Elder Bednar came to the mission. It is so weird to think that was a whole year ago already! I have been out more than 14 months now. That is kind of sad.
I will get to call home on Mother's Day this year. That kind of snuck up on us, or we would have been arranging times a few weeks ago. But yesterday an older couple told us we can use their phones. I will probably be calling at about 2:45 my time. So I guess that will be 3:45 your time. They said they will get home from church between 2:30 and 2:45. I think Elder Lacey and I decided I will call first (He said he might talk longer than I will).
The man who is letting us use his phone is Bro. Ron Wheeler he is a relative (go figure). His dad was Arnold Shannon Wheeler and his grandpa was Joseph Henry Wheeler (b. 1882). His great-grandfather was Levi Lincoln Wheeler (b. 1838). So we have Connie Wheeler Call and her father was John Etsel Wheeler (b. 1891) and her grandfather was John Albert Wheeler ( b. 1869) and her great-grandfather was Levi Lincoln Wheeler (b. 1838). John Albert was the oldest and Joseph Henry was the 6th of 8 children of Levi Lincoln Wheeler and Sarah Jane Lavender. So that means Grandma and Bro. Ron Wheeler are 2nd cousins! He and I are 2nd cousins twice removed. That is actually pretty close. I think that is the closest relative I have met so far on my mission.
We set two baptism dates! The man that we took to the temple visitor's center a couple of weeks ago, and his son. They will be baptized on the 15 May. I am so excited for them. He is a great, very spiritual man.
Transfers are this week and Elder Lacey and I are both staying. I kind of figured that was going to happen (based on things President had told me). Elder Lacey will have been here for 7 and a half months at the end of next transfer.
Other than that not a whole lot is happening.
Thank you for the email from Grandpa. Those will be really good to get. I hope that Grandma and Grandpa can get through this hard time. I will continue to pray for them.
Love,
Elder Call
Dear Dad,
It is crazy how time flies by. It is the beginning of May and it was this time last year that Elder Bednar came to the mission. It is so weird to think that was a whole year ago already! I have been out more than 14 months now. That is kind of sad.
I will get to call home on Mother's Day this year. That kind of snuck up on us, or we would have been arranging times a few weeks ago. But yesterday an older couple told us we can use their phones. I will probably be calling at about 2:45 my time. So I guess that will be 3:45 your time. They said they will get home from church between 2:30 and 2:45. I think Elder Lacey and I decided I will call first (He said he might talk longer than I will).
The man who is letting us use his phone is Bro. Ron Wheeler he is a relative (go figure). His dad was Arnold Shannon Wheeler and his grandpa was Joseph Henry Wheeler (b. 1882). His great-grandfather was Levi Lincoln Wheeler (b. 1838). So we have Connie Wheeler Call and her father was John Etsel Wheeler (b. 1891) and her grandfather was John Albert Wheeler ( b. 1869) and her great-grandfather was Levi Lincoln Wheeler (b. 1838). John Albert was the oldest and Joseph Henry was the 6th of 8 children of Levi Lincoln Wheeler and Sarah Jane Lavender. So that means Grandma and Bro. Ron Wheeler are 2nd cousins! He and I are 2nd cousins twice removed. That is actually pretty close. I think that is the closest relative I have met so far on my mission.
We set two baptism dates! The man that we took to the temple visitor's center a couple of weeks ago, and his son. They will be baptized on the 15 May. I am so excited for them. He is a great, very spiritual man.
Transfers are this week and Elder Lacey and I are both staying. I kind of figured that was going to happen (based on things President had told me). Elder Lacey will have been here for 7 and a half months at the end of next transfer.
Other than that not a whole lot is happening.
Thank you for the email from Grandpa. Those will be really good to get. I hope that Grandma and Grandpa can get through this hard time. I will continue to pray for them.
Love,
Elder Call
Monday, April 26, 2010
Investigators Progressing in Idaho Falls South Stake
Note: In my weekly email to Elder Call, I updated him on some comings and goings in the Beloit Ward, including information about the new YM and YW presidency, Mike Hobbs receiving his Duty to God award, Dan Bunker submitting his missionary papers, and the Stewart Family.
—Editor
26 April 2010
Dear Dad,
I hope that jury duty will be more exciting this time around. I actually don't think that I would like to do that very much, too much could hang in the balance and I wouldn't want to have to make that decision. Good luck to you.
That Young Men's presidency will do awesome.
I'll have to write Mike and congratulate him on earning his Duty to God. His birthday is actually on transfers, about a week and a half away.
I can't wait to hear where Dan is called to serve. That makes me so happy to see that he has stayed worthy and has the desire to serve. He will be a great missionary.
The Stewarts are great people. I have many great memories of them. Especially when President Stewart was our young men's president. I think that Sis. Stewart was in the mutual program pretty much my entire time being involved with the youth.
Not a whole lot of exciting things have happened this week, but there are a few things of note.
We took one of our investigators to the visitor's center last Monday night and watched the Joseph Smith movie. It was very powerful. He definitely felt the Spirit there. He has family that was baptized a few months ago. Elder Lacey told me that the first time they met him he basically told them to get off his porch because we are a cult! Now he goes to church every week. He told us after the movie on the way home the he ordered a quad and is having his name put on it. He also said that he recently considers his religion to be "Mormon." When we meet with him tonight we are going to ask him to be baptized. I have no idea what he will say. I guess we will find out.
There is a part-member family that we have been teaching. Their two daughters committed to be baptized later in May.
It can be kind of mind-boggling sometimes. This family (like others I have met) all know the gospel very well, and seem to have testimonies. But when it comes to staying active it is hard. So then their kids don't get baptized when they turn 8 so we come in and teach. We get them coming to church in hopes that they will stay active, or that in the future they can have a place to go. The father isn't a member, and he doesn't say much, but as far as we can tell he doesn't have a problem with anything we teach. He even said a prayer yesterday at the end of the lesson.
One of our other investigators is on the edge of dropping us. She is a good lady. She told us she isn't sure she will continue to go to the LDS Church. She is going to a different church each week. She said she just doesn't think the Church is what she is looking for. So we hope we can get her to realize it is not about what we want, or what we think is fun, or what the spirit is. But we should look for Christ's church and the Spirit as described in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
I hope that things will continue to progress here.
I will also continue to pray for the family and for Grandma Call.
Keep me updated please. Thanks.
Love,
Elder Call
—Editor
26 April 2010
Dear Dad,
I hope that jury duty will be more exciting this time around. I actually don't think that I would like to do that very much, too much could hang in the balance and I wouldn't want to have to make that decision. Good luck to you.
That Young Men's presidency will do awesome.
I'll have to write Mike and congratulate him on earning his Duty to God. His birthday is actually on transfers, about a week and a half away.
I can't wait to hear where Dan is called to serve. That makes me so happy to see that he has stayed worthy and has the desire to serve. He will be a great missionary.
The Stewarts are great people. I have many great memories of them. Especially when President Stewart was our young men's president. I think that Sis. Stewart was in the mutual program pretty much my entire time being involved with the youth.
Not a whole lot of exciting things have happened this week, but there are a few things of note.
We took one of our investigators to the visitor's center last Monday night and watched the Joseph Smith movie. It was very powerful. He definitely felt the Spirit there. He has family that was baptized a few months ago. Elder Lacey told me that the first time they met him he basically told them to get off his porch because we are a cult! Now he goes to church every week. He told us after the movie on the way home the he ordered a quad and is having his name put on it. He also said that he recently considers his religion to be "Mormon." When we meet with him tonight we are going to ask him to be baptized. I have no idea what he will say. I guess we will find out.
There is a part-member family that we have been teaching. Their two daughters committed to be baptized later in May.
It can be kind of mind-boggling sometimes. This family (like others I have met) all know the gospel very well, and seem to have testimonies. But when it comes to staying active it is hard. So then their kids don't get baptized when they turn 8 so we come in and teach. We get them coming to church in hopes that they will stay active, or that in the future they can have a place to go. The father isn't a member, and he doesn't say much, but as far as we can tell he doesn't have a problem with anything we teach. He even said a prayer yesterday at the end of the lesson.
One of our other investigators is on the edge of dropping us. She is a good lady. She told us she isn't sure she will continue to go to the LDS Church. She is going to a different church each week. She said she just doesn't think the Church is what she is looking for. So we hope we can get her to realize it is not about what we want, or what we think is fun, or what the spirit is. But we should look for Christ's church and the Spirit as described in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
I hope that things will continue to progress here.
I will also continue to pray for the family and for Grandma Call.
Keep me updated please. Thanks.
Love,
Elder Call
Friday, April 23, 2010
Physically Demanding Weekend; News from Ammon West Stake
19 April 2010
Dear Family:
This week has been pretty good. We had a crazy weekend, though.
Friday night we took a nonmember family to the Idaho Falls Visitor's Center. We went in to see the Joseph Smith movie, and even now they still have one or two boxes of tissues on every row. The family looked kind of confused about that. But during the movie, the mother started crying when Alvin Smith was dying. She would cry periodically throughout the rest of the movie.
At the end she could hardly say anything. She was so choked up. Then she said, "Now I know why they have so many boxes of tissues here!"
Then on Friday night we went on exchanges in the Central stake with Elder Potts. On Saturday morning at 8 o'clock all four of us helped a nonmember family move to the South stake, That took until noon. (On Friday morning we had helped another family move, too."
Then on Saturday afternoon we helped one of the ward mission leaders in the Central stake do yardwork. Again, that was all four of us. Then we went to a dinner appointment. Just as we were walking out of the dinner appointment, the ward mission leader called and said his basement had flooded! He needed our help. We arrived at about 6:30. Every room in the basement had some sort of water damage. As we walked on the carpet, the water would just squirt. He had a ton of stuff down there. It took us until 1:00 a.m. to finish the night's work! Then we didn't get home until 1:15 or 1:20 or so. We didn't get to bed until closer to 2:00 a.m., and we had to get up at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. It was the longest, most physically demanding weekend of my mission so far.
Sunday we were absolutely exhausted. But it was a very good day! The family that went to the Visitors Center with us came to church! We think they even bought their young boy some Sunday clothes. They had expressed some concerns about being accepted, but at church several people came up to them and introduced themselves, and the family was very excited. Then, after sacrement meeting, two or three boys came up to their son and asked him to go to class with them. That made the parents so happy. Then other people came up and helped the parents feel comfortable at Sunday school.
That ward had a girl speak who is going on a mission to Hungary, so there were a lot of people there from different parts of town, including one family from the Ammon West Stake. They had helped us reactivate a family. They told me that that family had just gone to the temple on Saturday! That makes me so happy to hear all that.
Thank you again for all of your letters and support.
Love,
Elder Call
Dear Family:
This week has been pretty good. We had a crazy weekend, though.
Friday night we took a nonmember family to the Idaho Falls Visitor's Center. We went in to see the Joseph Smith movie, and even now they still have one or two boxes of tissues on every row. The family looked kind of confused about that. But during the movie, the mother started crying when Alvin Smith was dying. She would cry periodically throughout the rest of the movie.
At the end she could hardly say anything. She was so choked up. Then she said, "Now I know why they have so many boxes of tissues here!"
Then on Friday night we went on exchanges in the Central stake with Elder Potts. On Saturday morning at 8 o'clock all four of us helped a nonmember family move to the South stake, That took until noon. (On Friday morning we had helped another family move, too."
Then on Saturday afternoon we helped one of the ward mission leaders in the Central stake do yardwork. Again, that was all four of us. Then we went to a dinner appointment. Just as we were walking out of the dinner appointment, the ward mission leader called and said his basement had flooded! He needed our help. We arrived at about 6:30. Every room in the basement had some sort of water damage. As we walked on the carpet, the water would just squirt. He had a ton of stuff down there. It took us until 1:00 a.m. to finish the night's work! Then we didn't get home until 1:15 or 1:20 or so. We didn't get to bed until closer to 2:00 a.m., and we had to get up at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. It was the longest, most physically demanding weekend of my mission so far.
Sunday we were absolutely exhausted. But it was a very good day! The family that went to the Visitors Center with us came to church! We think they even bought their young boy some Sunday clothes. They had expressed some concerns about being accepted, but at church several people came up to them and introduced themselves, and the family was very excited. Then, after sacrement meeting, two or three boys came up to their son and asked him to go to class with them. That made the parents so happy. Then other people came up and helped the parents feel comfortable at Sunday school.
That ward had a girl speak who is going on a mission to Hungary, so there were a lot of people there from different parts of town, including one family from the Ammon West Stake. They had helped us reactivate a family. They told me that that family had just gone to the temple on Saturday! That makes me so happy to hear all that.
Thank you again for all of your letters and support.
Love,
Elder Call
Monday, April 19, 2010
Expressions of Love for Grandmother; Thoughts on Family History
Note: In my weekly email to Elder Call, I informed him that his Grandmother Call has been diagnosed with cancer and will be undergoing chemotherapy beginning this month. I also shared with him the progress I've made on my life history—it's now up to 165 pages.
—Editor
19 April 2010
Dear Dad,
I know that the Brumbles will do a great job on Easter Island. I hope that Jared will be prepared to serve a mission, he would be a great missionary also. Have you heard any news about Dan Bunker. I haven't heard from him for a few weeks and I think he said he was going to come home and submit his papers from Beloit Ward, is that still the plan?
That is absolutely astounding that you have written so much about your life history! I can't tell you how much our family is going to love that. Just think if your dad or grandparents had a life history that long. Do you know if your parents have written a life history, journal, etc? Rebecca mailed me some copies of things from the Call Connection that they wrote about their early life. They were fascinating to read. Also, consider if Omer or Cyril wrote life histories. As far as I can tell they didn't, but their children and gandchildren wrote some life sketches of them.
Thank you for telling me about Grandma Call. That is very sad. I hope that she does alright. I will keep her in my prayers. Tell her that I love her and am proud that she is my grandmother.
On my mission so far I have met several people who have been close to passing on. I was asked to give a blessing to one man that was near death. We tracted into him and his family. Apparently he had been lingering on for an extended period of time, just hanging on, though he was hardly coherent. There were probably 15 family members or so in the room. One son said that a blessing of release might be necessary. He passed away a few days later. However, the peace that was in the home was strong. A family with knowledge of life here and in the hereafter. The Holy Spirit was extending his sacred calling of comfort that visibly affected the family. I am grateful for that.
Spring has finally hit Idaho for good I think. That is a blessing! It has fluctuated for the last several weeks.
Thank you for the email.
Love,
Elder Call
—Editor
19 April 2010
Dear Dad,
I know that the Brumbles will do a great job on Easter Island. I hope that Jared will be prepared to serve a mission, he would be a great missionary also. Have you heard any news about Dan Bunker. I haven't heard from him for a few weeks and I think he said he was going to come home and submit his papers from Beloit Ward, is that still the plan?
That is absolutely astounding that you have written so much about your life history! I can't tell you how much our family is going to love that. Just think if your dad or grandparents had a life history that long. Do you know if your parents have written a life history, journal, etc? Rebecca mailed me some copies of things from the Call Connection that they wrote about their early life. They were fascinating to read. Also, consider if Omer or Cyril wrote life histories. As far as I can tell they didn't, but their children and gandchildren wrote some life sketches of them.
Thank you for telling me about Grandma Call. That is very sad. I hope that she does alright. I will keep her in my prayers. Tell her that I love her and am proud that she is my grandmother.
On my mission so far I have met several people who have been close to passing on. I was asked to give a blessing to one man that was near death. We tracted into him and his family. Apparently he had been lingering on for an extended period of time, just hanging on, though he was hardly coherent. There were probably 15 family members or so in the room. One son said that a blessing of release might be necessary. He passed away a few days later. However, the peace that was in the home was strong. A family with knowledge of life here and in the hereafter. The Holy Spirit was extending his sacred calling of comfort that visibly affected the family. I am grateful for that.
Spring has finally hit Idaho for good I think. That is a blessing! It has fluctuated for the last several weeks.
Thank you for the email.
Love,
Elder Call
Monday, April 5, 2010
Expecting Miracles in Idaho Falls South Stake
5 April 2010
Dear Dad,
Things are great here in IF South. My new companion is Elder Lacey from Iowa. He has been out 9 months and is doing a good job. We cover 7 wards and a singles branch.
They are:
Sunnyside Ward
Shadow Mountain Ward
Cedar Ridge Ward
Summerfield Ward
Shamrock Park Ward
Home Ranch Ward
Park View Ward
Community Park Branch (Singles)
We are going to see miracles here in the next few weeks.
The President of the singles branch is President Kevin Call. Owner of Farr's Candy and Ice Cream. He comes from the Star Valley Branch of the family. He is pretty nice and everybody in Idaho Falls seems to love him.
General Conference was very good. Our zone watched it at the IF Stake Center on 1st street.
It was spring break here this past week and the week before it was getting pretty warm, but it tricked us and we had a few flurries of snow. We are supposed to be able to take our suit coats off at the end of April Conference, and we have, but it has been in the 30's which isn't very warm.
I wish that I could be doing family history research right now! Outside of family and friends that is probably what I miss the most. It was kind of funny--we went to a man's house the other day and he told me that when he first saw me he thought, "He looks familiar. I should know him." It turns out he spent a while in Rigby and knew a bunch of Calls there. He said we all look similar.
I had one family in Pocatello we were eating with kept looking at me kind of funny, especially looking at my eyes, and asked if I had family in Bancroft (just outside of our mission--that is where a lot of the Chesterfield Calls went when Chesterfield became a ghost town). They told me that my eyes looked just like the eyes of some Calls they grew up with over there.
I hope that work will provide itself for you and that you will be given the inspiration to know how to get new clients.
Last night we had a lesson with a couple that wants to get baptized. They pretty much told us that the first time we met them. It was our first lesson last night. We had a brother from the ward with us. We had plans to set a baptism date for the two of them. This area just really needs a baptism date to kick-start things. We had plans to share a short, powerful first lesson (as we are instructed too) and invite them to be baptized and we both (Elder Lacey and I) felt very strongly about needing to do that. But it just didn't quite work out the way we had planned.
We ended up setting another appointment to come over on Tuesday afternoon, and we hope to set a plan for him and his wife to get baptized.
Thank you for all of your support.
Love,
Elder Call
Dear Dad,
Things are great here in IF South. My new companion is Elder Lacey from Iowa. He has been out 9 months and is doing a good job. We cover 7 wards and a singles branch.
They are:
Sunnyside Ward
Shadow Mountain Ward
Cedar Ridge Ward
Summerfield Ward
Shamrock Park Ward
Home Ranch Ward
Park View Ward
Community Park Branch (Singles)
We are going to see miracles here in the next few weeks.
The President of the singles branch is President Kevin Call. Owner of Farr's Candy and Ice Cream. He comes from the Star Valley Branch of the family. He is pretty nice and everybody in Idaho Falls seems to love him.
General Conference was very good. Our zone watched it at the IF Stake Center on 1st street.
It was spring break here this past week and the week before it was getting pretty warm, but it tricked us and we had a few flurries of snow. We are supposed to be able to take our suit coats off at the end of April Conference, and we have, but it has been in the 30's which isn't very warm.
I wish that I could be doing family history research right now! Outside of family and friends that is probably what I miss the most. It was kind of funny--we went to a man's house the other day and he told me that when he first saw me he thought, "He looks familiar. I should know him." It turns out he spent a while in Rigby and knew a bunch of Calls there. He said we all look similar.
I had one family in Pocatello we were eating with kept looking at me kind of funny, especially looking at my eyes, and asked if I had family in Bancroft (just outside of our mission--that is where a lot of the Chesterfield Calls went when Chesterfield became a ghost town). They told me that my eyes looked just like the eyes of some Calls they grew up with over there.
I hope that work will provide itself for you and that you will be given the inspiration to know how to get new clients.
Last night we had a lesson with a couple that wants to get baptized. They pretty much told us that the first time we met them. It was our first lesson last night. We had a brother from the ward with us. We had plans to set a baptism date for the two of them. This area just really needs a baptism date to kick-start things. We had plans to share a short, powerful first lesson (as we are instructed too) and invite them to be baptized and we both (Elder Lacey and I) felt very strongly about needing to do that. But it just didn't quite work out the way we had planned.
We ended up setting another appointment to come over on Tuesday afternoon, and we hope to set a plan for him and his wife to get baptized.
Thank you for all of your support.
Love,
Elder Call
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