Elder Tellez 11-27-12 email

How is everyone? I am super good. We had two baptisms yesterday. I am so happy that there is sooo much success here. There were no changes this transfer. I love seeing true converts, it always makes me good inside when someone really converts them-self to the Gospel. About the screws for the TV, I have no clue, maybe one of those cans that has a bunch of screws. I am really not sure. What happened to the TV in the living room? You could buy new screws. Tell me something new, what is going on in the world today? My world is just the same, just peaches and cream. I am just super happy. I am always happy everytime that I talk to you. I am pretty positive that we get to skype, I hope so, haha. We have a companionship goal of 12 baptisms in the month of December. I am super excited to meet that goal. Wow, I am quickly going for 15 months in the mission. Alright, it is time for me to hit the road. I love you all, bye.

Elder Everett Escobar  11/19/2012

Hey!!!

 

Good Morning! And Happy Birthday Aaron!!! 15 years old, my oh my. I was 15 not too long ago, I think. Oh who am I kidding, that was 5 years ago/half a decade ago. I did send you something, however, I sent it today because I forgot to send it before transfers and so it got packed with all of my other stuff. But anyways, 15! And I know Aaron looks just like me because of the pictures that you sent me of him. Especially the pics where he is standing in front of the fireplace and you can see my pic of when I became an eagle scout. It's pretty wild. Has Aaron seen Mrs. Lumus yet? She would probably freak out too. That's good that Aaron is already having missionary experiences, I remember trying to give out a Book of Mormon in junior high and that turned sour so I don't think that I tried to give out another Book of Mormon after that. That's good that this experience has been a success though. So pretty soon if all goes well, you will have another eagle scout pic to put on the fireplace and then it will be Danny's turn. Let's see if he will turn out like a clone too, just kidding (: What ever happened to the Ginsels being taught by the missionaries? Has anyone had any luck with the Stones?

 

Well Nashua, New Hampshire is nice from what I have seen so far. I want it to snow already, thank goodness I'm not driving. I did not want to drive during this time of the year. My companion, Elder Gibson, has 9 other siblings; just like Elder Jensen in fact, he reminds me a lot of Elder Jensen. He is from Enoch, Utah. So amazingly he is the first companion that I've had so far that is from Utah. Well it was our first Sunday in the Nashua 2nd Ward. It is a bilingual ward both english and spanish. About 5 people only speak spanish though, so it is still important that we learn spanish. I can see now since we are here in the area, why we were shotgunned into the area. The members seemed so happy to see a set of new missionaries in the ward. Our ward mission leader, Brother Yarmo, told us that although there have been recent baptisms in this area, the past missionaries for about a year now have been quite irresponsible. And we saw that the first day that we were in Nashua. We tried to find out who the elders were working with, both investigators and members, but there is no record. There aren't any teaching records or progress records at all. The most recent teaching record and progress record that we have are from December 2011, that's pitiful. Almost two full years without having any records. It's time for the cleanup crew. Brother Yarmo said that the members of the ward were not trusting the past missionaries and that the past missionaries wouldn't fulfill any of the assignments that were given to them. He mentioned (and I agree) that we being new missionaries have an opportunity to rebuild the ward because we are starting off with a fresh, clean slate. So we are starting from scratch, which is kind of bittersweet. 

 

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here. Christmas will be here before we know it. By the way, our apartment in Nashua is pretty sweet, it has a private gym and sauna, which I have hit up every day since I have been here. So could I get some more protein? I don't have any right now, oh and I need to buy some contact solution, I'm running out. Don't quite know if we will last food wise. I forgot to ask for that in the last package you sent me and yes I did get the package before I got transferred. My address now is: 1 Clocktower Place Apt #211 Nashua, New Hampshire 03063. So yea we literally do live in a clocktower. We don't quite have a dinner calendar as of the moment, because that priviledge was taken away from the last missionaries because they would waste all of their time in the member's homes. But they are trying to organize a new dinner calendar for us. All we know right now is that we only have a dinner on Thanksgiving with a member family that lives right beside us, the Candelarios. We haven't been fed yet since we've been here and I feel like we have almost eaten everything out of the apartment. So I don't know how it is going to be for the rest of the month, we may have to fend for ourselves for part of the time. Since these members probably aren't quite accustomed to feeding the missionaries anymore, that will have to change. I haven't taken too many pics so far but there is one pic of Elder Gibson. Anyways give everyone my best and Happy Thanksgiving! And do something special for Aaron, he's being too humble haha.

 

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Everett Escobar  11/14/2012

Ohlah amegoes!

Combo aystah? Just kidding, just kidding. Yes I meant to spell that horribly, don't worry I haven't lost any brain cells on the mission. Well maybe I have, oh well. Anyways, this past week has just been a rush! The whole mission did go down to Connecticut, we split off into teams and demolished the place, both literally and figuratively. The team that I was in was completely gutting and cleaning out pretty much every inch in people's basements. I felt like I belonged on Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. It was really cool, I enjoy labor work it just feels so fulfilling when the days done. FEMA actually came down and video(ed) our whole team, I don't know if showed on the news but it's now stored somewhere. So there goes my 5 minutes of fame, not saying that I even wanted it. 3 accounted homes in Connecticut were washed away at sea, different levels of homes crumpled under one another, houses were literally flooded from top to bottom. And yes I do have some pictures. 

 

So this is probably the moment you have been waiting for. I am getting transferred to Nashua, New Hampshire, oh yes right into winter. Well I will be having a White Christmas that's for sure. I will be whitewashed into Nashua 2 Ward, I've heard rumors they are making the switch to be a Spanish Ward. Here is the test of my faith, I can almost taste it. So yes, SPANISH. All I know right now are words and some common phrases.....Sink or Swim! PLEASE LET IT BE SWIM!!! Haha. The Lord has provided a way. It's funny how right when I leave the investigators and the dinners with members go back up. Oh well that's the story of my mission. At least I will get fed well in a Spanish Ward right? I would think so. Anyways, lots of new adventures are underway I'm pretty sure, pray for me......I feel like Scrat from Ice Age, who just lost his acorn and is confused on how to get it back. I think that I may pull an Elder Groberg.

 

Well it sounds like both Aaron had a rough week. It is strange that people I know and that are my age are getting married. Why can't they wait for me to at least get off my mission before they get married? Am I not important enough to be at their wedding geez?! Just kidding, they can do whatever they want, I can give them a be-lated congrats. Anyways, hope you have a great week, I'm glad you were able to relive the days when you were in the Dayton High School Marching Band, that sounds like fun, I wish I was there to see it. 

 

Love you,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Waddell 11-19-2012

Yes I was surprised to see Victoria..... It was probably the strangest moment on my mission. I tried to shake her hand because I thought she was a new member. I didn't recognize her until she said my first name. It was weird, really weird. But thanks for the beef jerky! We haven't decided when I'll go over there. We might on Thanksgiving. We’ll see. I did get a better camera. I can get the fstop to 3.3 and leave the shutter open for half a minute. So I'll be able to get semi decent pics of the northern lights. But I need a mini tripod as you'll notice on the pic i sent my hand is a little shaky. I'm not sure what I want for Christmas..... I'll get back to you on that haha  I think we'll be bouncing around on Thanksgiving day. It'll be a good one. Oh yeah we had transfers and I'm staying here until January at least. Elder Stevenson is in Matanuska now, and Elder Collins from Western Samoa is coming here. It'll be another good 6 weeks. I'm sorry about not having a ton of details. There’s just too much that happens everyday.  I can't put it all in order chronologically in my mind. It’s ridiculous, days are so short this time of year and yet soooo long. I can't remember if I told you guys that there are going to be 100 new missionaries in our mission by February supposedly and half will be sisters. If I did forgive me, if not, forgive me haha. So that will be a cool experience I guess. I'm not sure how much I'll like it. One of the pluses of this mission was that it is small so it was pretty personal with Pres. But the work needs to go forward and it seems needs to accelerate. Well I better get going. My brain is getting fried. Thanks for the email!! Love you

Elder Tellez 11-19-12 email

Hello family, I'm sorry I haven't been writing alot. Solamente quiero que sepan que les amo mucho. Todo está bien aquí en México. Bautizamos 2 personas ayer. Fue un servicio bautismal muy espiritual. Bautizamos una mamá con uno de sus hijos y esta semana vamos a bautizar un hijo más. La siguiente semana son los cambios entonces les voy a decir lo que pasará. Creo que ya me voy. Pero les aviso. Tambien hemos tenido clima frio aquí. ¿Como se sienten que Obama es el presidente toda via? A mi fue una noticia horrible. I hope you understood all of that or were able to translate it. I have been teaching lessons really spiritual lately. The president has my money and I am going to Xalapa tomorrow to get it. Ok, I am actually going to go so that I can go to Veracruz to sign my Visa stuff. :o) That is my clown face. Have I told you yet that I miss american food? Well I do. Thank you for the quotes and the jokes gramma. Thank you for everything everyone. I love you all. Bye Bye.

Elder Waddell 11-12-12

hey hey hey I’m doing well. Sorry I’m not going to use correct punctuation or anything. I just used that all up in my letter to president. Beef jerky wouldn't hurt me toooooo bad. Yes, it is indeed cold. I think the coldest I’ve been outside so far was -24 or something like that. Eventually cold is just cold haha, no I haven't been outside long enough for that to happen but I saw that happen to a kid who was walking home from school. I'm hoping to have one or more transfers here then leave in January. I feel like I can do more here but my mission is suddenly looking shorter so I don't want to stay for a 4th when I can be somewhere else on a different adventure. I don't speak Spanish very often. Supposedly my accent had gotten better..... I'm not sure how that works. Yes, I voted here in Alaska because my ballot never came and they can't refuse a voter. But the election was called well before people were done voting here. I wrote in Pres Jon Beesley for state legislator.  haha Yeah it's definitely getting to the dark time. We came out of church yesterday at 4 to the sun setting. We still have over a month before it gets to the darkest point.
The work is going really well. We're pretty consistently teaching more than I've taught in my mission, finding new people, seeing little miracles. Our Jewish investigator let us borrow a "tanakh" the Jewish study bible. It's interesting. It's in a different order than the KJV but to us it pretty much says that same thing so far. But man the more I get into that stuff the more I love the Book of Mormon. It really is the keystone of this, and can help us in sooooo many ways. And it's nice to know that the heavens are open and God speaks to his children. The author of this didn't stop speaking when his book went to press. Thanks for the email. I hope the broncos destroy and more importantly the texans haha cuidense 
Elder Waddell

Elder Waddell 11-5-12

Hey hey. Things are going pretty well here. It's getting a little
chillier. It was -13 this morning. So that was cool. Did I tell you
guys we plug in our cars here so they'll start in the morning? Yeah I
think I should be good with the timing coming home so I won't stress
about it. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the Bieber concert I guess haha.
Man the girls are going to have all their fun before I can get to them
next September.  I hope Megan doesn't get lepto or something, that
lagoon water is gross. So the paper that you sent me was just the
application for the ballot. I haven't gotten the ballot so I doubt my
vote will count... ha I feel like the election will be a little bit of
a distraction. But it's not really a bad distraction. It's something
we need to know about. Fairbanks is doing pretty well. It's getting
cold. I'm not sure how much I'll like that but we'll see. Transfers
are coming up in a couple of weeks so we'll see if I'll stay. More
than likely one of us is leaving. I'm hoping to go to Juneau for a
couple of transfers because there is a Spanish area there. But it
would be cool to see the southeast in the summer. I'm
pretty sure I'm going back to the Spanish branch eventually. It's just
the when part. Oh cool news. So normally every 2 weeks 700 people
download the missionary papers but since the announcement it's been
4000 people with half being sisters. So in February we're getting
100 new missionaries. Half of them will be sisters..... It's kind
of weird. I'm not sure how I'll like that. But we'll see what happens.
 We'll go from about 130 missionaries to 230 missionaries in a
month. We're going to blitz Alaska. Recently I have realized a little
more the power of the Book of Mormon.  Like I said we're teaching a
Jewish Rabbi. She hasn't bought into the fact that the messiah
has come, but she's reading the Book of Mormon and becoming more
and more open to the idea and we're pretty positive she'll gain a
witness eventually and be able to take part in the Atonement. The Book
of Mormon was brought forth to the convincing of Jew and Gentile that
Jesus is the Christ. No other book can do what it can do. It fulfills
its purpose in inviting the spirit into the lives of those who read it
and giving a piece of evidence of the workings of God with mankind.
It's pretty amazing how it works. Yes, things are going well in
the Fairbanks 5th ward. I wouldn't really advise living here..... but
the people are great and some things  make it worth it to live in
a place as dry and cold as Fairbanks haha! Well let me know how things
are going. Love you

Elder Tellez 11-12-12 email

Hello everyone!!!!! How are you all doing? I'm awesome. We had a baptism yesterday. We were actually supposed to have two but one never showed up. Ahhhhh, it is a long story. I'll write it in my journal and you can read it in 10 months. Time is going by sooooo fast. I haven't gotten the money yet but I'm sure I'll get it soon. I'm sorry I don't write that much. I'm feeling better this week. I'm losing weight and feeling as healthy as a horse. I do exercises every day. We have some more baptisms this week. Time to go. I love you all.

Elder Everett Escobar  11/05/2012

Hey! 

Well it's pretty exciting over here! So yes Danny, I am okay (: We haven't been able to do much teaching this week and I will explain why within the next few sentences. The church all along the east coast is getting a lot of praise. Our zone and several others were sent down to help in the hurricane relief and wreckage in Connecticut. It was and still is pretty bad, many places in Connecticut got hit hard. President Packard had told the governor of Connecticut that he would bring the whole entire mission to help if he had to. So far 3 out of the 8 zones in the mission have been serving in Connecticut. But President Packard just announced that we as a whole mission will be going down to Connecticut to help. Can you just imagine, over 200 missionaries, plus other volunteers dressed in yellow 'Mormon Helping Hands' vests marching into these ransacked neighborhoods and helping everyone who is in need. That's awesome! 'Forget the National Guard (they're just security), bring in the Mormons!'-anonymous bystander. It's funny because pretty much everyone that we have helped so far has expressed that they are voting for Mitt Romney! There was one house that we walked up to and from the house we heard, "Hey! Here come Mitt's boys!" Then someone else in the house replied, "That's good cause we need'em." I love people's comments on who they think we are, it's just funny. But yes we have been given a lot of praise pretty much everyone up and down the streets wanted to get a picture with the 'volunteering mormons' and post it on facebook. The whole mission is coming to Connecticut this coming Friday and will stay there through Sunday. That's the game plan as of right now! By the way, have I told you that I love using a shovel? Cause I do, this is the first time that I have used a shovel in a while. Yesterday was stake conference, it was really good. However there was one sister that was sitting on the stands that looked pretty much like mom, so I was a really confused at first. I knew that it wasn't really you mom, although from time to time I would question it, by the end of the meeting I was still a little weirded out. Anyways, its good to hear that everyone is doing well. Aaron in his band contest. Danny trying to health-mindedly eat so that he can be as tall as a basketball player. Responding to Danny's letter: 'You can't wait for me to come back?! Well there are some times where I do think of home and can't wait to go back home. And I can say as well that it's not the same without you, Aaron, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa being here. But at this moment it's not quite time for me to come back, plus I will be back home before you know it. After this school year and at the end of summer, right before you start school again; I will be back home and yes it will be fun. It's good that you are praying, are you reading? How is Aaron doing with his reading and praying? Keep it up and go on a mission when you turn 18, for sure.' By the way, have you decided when you would like to pick me up? So that I can report back to President Packard on the matter. Just so you know we do have someone feeding us on Thanksgiving, haven't quite gotten to Christmas yet though. Can you believe that I have spent 7 1/2 months here! Transfers are coming up and I got that feeling... I will know for sure on Saturday if I am being transferred. Sorry for not having pics this time, I didn't want to chance messing up the camera in the hurricane relief, anyways, 

 

LOVE YOU!

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Everett Escobar  10/30/2012

Hello,

We are alive and okay! Me and Elder Jensen are actually alive, we have power, and we are back in Newport. To me this hurricane was pretty pathetic and a lady that works at Walmart, who previously lived in Corpus Christi, TX agreed with me. However, the residents here keep saying that we got hit pretty hard....yea whatever. The most you see here is just some trees/branches/leaves on the ground, other than that that's it. So we are okay. This past week was good in gaining new investigators and in taking pictures. One new investigator that we received this past week was from a part-member, less active family. Apparently the husband is less active, his wife (Laura Girard) is not a member but has had the discussions from the missionaries before. However, now she feels like she is ready to be baptized and both her and her husband have already set a goal to be sealed in the temple around a year's time. So yea golder than golden. We received another investigator from a member referral given to us, her name is Diane. And the day we knocked on her door, was the day that her ex-sister-in-law died and she was pretty distraught about it, she talking and just unloading all the weight she had been feeling and carrying on us. We were definitely supposed to knock on her door that very day. During our first visit with her we learned that she is surrounded by mormons and that she already has a Bible, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and a Doctrine & Covenants. Finally two more people that we can work with. Michael and Justin St. Pierre are still a little out of it lately, it's quite unfortunate. So in the pictures you will see us on the cliff walk, our halloween costumes for the trunk-or-treat, etc. It was a good, interesting week. Oh my, the adventures that come along on the mission.

Love,

Elder Escobar

Elder Everett Escobar  10/22/2012

Hey!

 

An Earthquake! I didn't feel it, I don't know what day or time it happened. But I guess it would make since if we didn't feel it, because Newport is an island. I don't know, I guess if I was supposed to feel it, I didn't recognize it. And President Packard told Elder Jensen that he will be training, so....I'm going to have a grandson! 

 

Along with leaving a transfer early, apparently that is impossible because I can't leave no sooner than 30 days before August 31. So President Packard said that he felt that I need to go to school this next fall semester. So he said that I won't be leaving in the July transfer, but I will be leaving in between transfers. So I would be in a trio my last few days in the mission. He said that I could leave August 1 at the earliest but he wanted me to talk to you, he has given me permission to call you anytime for applications to school and just anything related to departures. He wanted me to talk to you on when I should leave the mission, I could leave anytime in August. How long did the whole family want to stay and tour the mission? There is plenty to see it's just up to you, how much time you actually want to spend up here. So let me know. As for schools I feel like I should spend at least 1 semester Lee College to boost my GPA back up and then if I want to transfer somewhere after that, I can do that. As for things that you could send in your next package I need some more deodorant and baby aspirins. 

 

Well this week, Newport Ward seems so far to be doing better in feeding us, we have 5 dinner appointments for this week! Finally but hopefully it lasts throughout the next few weeks. This week was filled with meetings and member appointments, not so much appointments with investigators. However, we found a new investigator tracting and right before I wrote this e-mail, a lady walked up to me and asked for a 'Mormon Bible' and that she would even pay for it. Of course I didnt make her pay, come on they are free, but I did ask her why she was so eager to get a Book of Mormon. She said that tomorrow was her husband's birthday and that he is very fascinated with Mormons and so she went to several book stores trying to find a Book of Mormon for sale, but never found one. But she found US and the book/gift that she wanted to give her husband was free! And we gave her several pamphlets and pass-along cards to go along with the book! She even said that they had just moved here and that she and her husband want to come to church!!! In my mind, I was like, "What the heck is going on? I feel like I'm on Punk'd!" A new family of investigators just feel into our laps. Finally the dry spell is over!!! We have something concrete. But nobody at home or on the mission until now has ever asked if they could buy a Book of Mormon from me. Yeah that is one to write in the journal. Anywho, let me know how long you want to spend up here when you come pick me up, I can get a hub (place that we can stay) from Sister Shearer (she already offered to host us, if we were to stay for a little while), I will have to get her phone number and give it to you.

 

Love you very much,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Everett Escobar  10/14/2012

Mi familia!

Todo está bien. Ha sido una semana muy bajo y rápido. We have had quite a few meetings this week, but the work has been in somewhat of a drought, can't seem to find 'actual' investigators. The temperature is dropping and many people just stay secluded in their homes now. So when we knock on their doors they probably think that we are either salesmen or jehovahs, so they don't even bother coming to the door. We have been riding our bikes a lot lately. I heard that this winter is supposed to be really bad, so we probably won't be on our bikes for very much longer. I have seen more Mitt Romney signs pop up! But at the same time, most of the people that see us riding around, mock and point the finger of scorn at us. Kind of makes me feel like I am in Lehi's dream. Where the people in the great and spacious building laugh at those whom are holding to the iron rod. Over the past weeks I have been pouring over the ward records. And have found that the actual church attendance almost perfectly correlates with actual home/visiting teaching. As of right now the ward about 20% of its members actually attending church and 20% doing their home teaching. Members may whine and complain that we don't have a big ward, but that's their fault. Because they themselves are just letting the ward (it's members) seep through the cracks until eventually they are lost! So Elder Jensen and I have made it a goal to strive to see everyone that is on the ward list this month. And we are doing that by calling up the home teachers and going out with them to see the families that they have been assigned. Some of these families that are less active are part-member families as well. This past Sunday we had 7 less active members come to church after we visited them that week. So we are already seeing some results. Newport Ward, has the potential to be a big ward it's just up to them to reach out to these long lost members. If they would just do that, we could have 4 or 5 times as many members than do now. It's frustrating, but you probably might find that in Liberty Ward too. That's a idea for the missionaries. Get a Home Teaching List from the Ward Clerk and help the member's visit everyone in the ward, it's way more effective than tracting and you gain the trust of the members.

 

Anywho, I think your week sounds way more exciting than mine. Aaron has asthma! That kind of stinks, well at least that mystery has been resolved and thankfully he can still have fun in band. Danny got into a fight to save another kid, that sounds fun! And he a bonus prize, he got a black eye! That must have made him look even more tough. Dad is good and well. And Mom got acupuncture, did that hurt? I still don't know how that works, if it doesn't feel at least uncomfortable. Aunt Jean is going through tests. That is amazing that they have the new procedure/operation now to where they can go through the rib cage, instead of having open heart surgery. 

 

Oh by the way, since the announcement in General Conference about the age change for missionaries. We received the announcement that the Massachusetts Boston Mission will be receiving 50 new missionaries within the next few months!!! Ridiculously awesome! And they are having to create new areas in the mission. This week we will be have interviews with President Packard and so I will not only talk to him about school but also about the speeding citation. And yes time is flying by, it's kind of disgusting. Tell Aaron and Danny, that they can be missionaries now, they don't have to wait till they are 18. And once a missionary, always a missionary. Well gotta go!

 

Love all of you a lot,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

 

PS It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It's almost here...

Elder Everett Escobar  10/08/2012

Hey!

Man, oh man, oh man...insomnia?! Ha I know how he feels, ever since I started my mission I haven't slept very well. So now I am taking melatonin every night and that helps a lot. 

Well, this morning we went to the temple. It was a good experience. This past week we went on a lot of exchanges with the zone leaders and with the missionaries in the district so we did quite a bit of traveling and not as much actual work. This week we are focusing on unifying the members of the ward. And this month we have set a goal to contact most of, if not all of the members on the ward list. Because we should have over 300 members but we only have 50 or so active members, it's ridiculous. I think it is a result of not doing home teaching. We are hoping through the finding of these long lost members we will gain a few more new investigators as well.

I loved General Conference! And about the new ages for missionaries, I think it was good that they made the change. It is usually between that year from 18-19 that we lose a lot of active members anyways. I'm not too sure if I'm too fond of it yet being out on the mission right now, because quite frankly I have never met an 18 year old missionary before. So we'll  have to wait and see. But so far I think that it is good. I think that we will have a lot more missionaries, male and female now. So I have to say that I don't have my backpack with me and my camera is in my backpack, so no pictures this week ): Anyhow, love you!!! Hope you have a great day and week! I will be talking to President Packard soon about 'End of Mission' stuff. I keep feeling like I'm getting OLD as a missionary, I hardly know anyone in the mission anymore /: Their all gone, by the way Elder Yim left this past Friday, his parents flew all the way from Hong Kong and picked him up. I remember him hitting his year mark with me...pretty soon you will be picking me up...I don't truly know what to think of that, it just goes by so quickly.

 

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Everett Escobar  09/24/2012

Hey-Low!

 

So I got my flu shot, but Elder Jensen was very reluctant. I don't think he likes needles very much. Oh well, we had a good week. We traveled on bikes the whole week pretty much (to save up our last bit of miles), must admit that we are a little sore but it's alright, nothing we can't handle. We gained 2 new investigators (Meyleen and Erki) this week and apparently they already know that the Book of Mormon is true. I questioned them on it asking, 'So how do you know that the Book of Mormon is true?' and they responded, 'Because every time we read or pray about it, we feel a good/comforting feeling and it makes us want to do good things in our life.' Right after they said that, in my mind I thought, 'BINGO: We Have a Winner!' Then Elder Jensen and I explained that these feelings are promptings from the Holy Ghost and we talked about receiving answers to prayers. So that was a breakthrough for us. Michael is doing alright, he just needs to get himself back together (Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall), his son came back. We don't have any details, all we know is that his son is in a rehab center and it was discovered that he is bipolar ): However, apparently both Michael and his son, Justin (who is in rehab) are diligently praying and searching through the Book of Mormon. So that's a good thing, I think that it will take time but they are on the right track. So it sounds like the Kingwood Republican Women's Fundraiser wasn't as grand as was expected. President Packard has recently changed some of the rules in the mission by putting more responsibility in the missionaries hands, agency is key to the building up of Zion. Sounds like changes are still happening in the ward as well. This week we had a ward open-house event which was good we had a few non-members. We have been assisting the Young Men's President a lot because his presidency has just been wiped out of existence with stake callings. So on the topic of being feed, the member are doing better and yes we don't have very many active-members in the ward. There are probably only 8 sisters in Relief Society (so yea) and the rest of the sisters are in Primary. So this week we are getting feed 3 times, but the fridge and the shelves in our apartment are pretty much empty....): So we have been going through food like crazy, it just doesn't seem to last. But the ward is doing better in feeding us, it was worse at the beginning of the month. Everything is getting better. I hope Aaron and Danny are keeping out of trouble (; and you might as well add Dad in there as well. He apparently didn't treat you right by not giving you enough notice or time haha. Well hope you have a great week and hopefully I can last frugally on my debit card for the rest of the month. Did grandma and grandpa get my card yet? Just curious. Anyways will see you in less than a year! (: and ): Take care!
 

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar (Missionary/Son/Grandson/Brother/Friend/etc)

PS: I heard that things are stirring up intensely in the Middle East, not good. Here we go again. We pull the troops out then we may push them right back in.