Basketball = Investigators

Things are still going super duper here in Stockton.

Right now we're in shorts and stuff because we get to play tennis today, booyah. Stockton may not have a "Walmart's" but we have nice public tennis courts. Go figure. 

This week wasn't as awesome as we planned it to be, but we were still super busy and saw lots of people and also picked up four new investigators and one potential from playing basketball with the polygamists. I also scored six points in my game, just sayin'. Don't worry about the baskets I missed, that's irrelevant. 

We've got a part member family in the ward, the LeBarons, as in the crazy fundamentalists from Mexico. The dad, Marden, is sweet, and his oldest daughter and son-in-law pretty much want to be baptized. They're a little iffy on the prophet thing, which is a typical polyg concern, but General Conference is coming up, so that should hopefully take care of that. 

What other amazing things did we do this week...oh yeah, 

So yesterday, we went down a wrong road to go to dinner, and turned in a guys driveway to turn around. Then he came out. So Elder Allred OTMed (Open Thy Mouth, Moses 6:32) him and he's sweet. So that was pretty awesome. Got a Book of Mormon placed and all that jazz. Cool beans. 

Did I tell you guys about Alvin last week? Let me check. 

I hate this e-mail system, I can't find anything. Give me another minute. 

Oh yep, looks like I did. He's that Army opera singer who knows more than you. He's now officially an inside joke. We have dinner with that family again on Sunday and we both secretly hope he comes so we can laugh more. 

We're having a lot of fun, if you can't tell. 

We listened to this talk, "One Can Make a Difference" about this kid named Kent Williams. Every single one of you should go find that talk and listen to it because it's amazing and made me feel like poo and want to be awesome like Kent Williams. Then on Sunday we got a million more talks from Brother Brigance, a member in the ward, and we've been going ham-on since then. So many good talks that make you want to be better. 

Okay, spiritual time. I'll tell you about our lesson with the LeBarons because it was awesome. We kind of did the beginning getting to know you points, and asked them what concerns they had before we began teaching because they basically know everything already so it's kind of boring and rude to teach them like they don't know anything. Marden talked about prophets for like 10 minutes straight because he's a talker. Then we talked about how to gain a testimony, and used the Restoration lesson to talk about revelation. I used one of my favorite scriptures, D&C 88:63-64,67-68, and then we asked Sister LeBaron, who is a member to bear her testimony and she was awesome amazing and it was sweet. Her story was perfect and we explained how if you are really looking for the truth, you will only it in it's entirety in this church, and once you have found it, nothing will be able to shake your testimony. It was sweet. 

Well that's this week as far as I can recollect. Keep being awesome folks. 

Oh pictures. Here let's see what I've got for you. This one embedded is Elder Allred and me at the Brigances wearing my signature glasses with my signature paunch and my signature thumbs up expression. 

The two attached are the Bentonville Reunion at last transfer point (can't remember if I sent you that one already) and me pondering on our beautiful truck about days past gone on Memory Lane. Enjoy!

Polyg Kids and Army Brats

Hellooo Family!

Great week. Really great week. 

On Tuesday, we started teaching a Book of Mormon class at "The Ranch" where all the fundamentalists live. We got about ten people out which was awesome. Mostly one family, but we were just glad the came out! We weren't exactly sure what to expect, but we're super excited for the potential and what we can possibly do in the future. It's so awesome to be able to offer these people a more structured learning experience. They're awesome, they just don't go to church because that's what happens when you're a member of a small apostate group and leave the headquarters because your leaders are all crazy. Now they just need to get over the plural marriage thing and join the true church. 

Things are super duper with Elder Allred. He is actually personable! I hear that Elder Sandoval is doing well in Greenwood, so good for him. Hopefully he figured a few things out. Elder Allred is a ton of fun though, and very real, which is a nice change. Down to earth people are the best. Now we can forget about ourselves and really get to work!

Haha, I just got an e-mail from Elder Reese, "The Most High and Mighty Zone Commander." That kid cracks me up. 

What else awesome happened this week?

Oh, we played basketball with the polygamists on Friday. Except I'm fat and was really bad. Elder Allred was good though, so hopefully he'll win their trust and baptize them all. I'll just teach about the Book of Mormon or something. 

Last night we had dinner with a cool family in the ward, except the oldest daughter invited her boyfriend and now he's an inside joke between Elder Allred and I. Alvin was raised by an opera singer, so his musical taste is really snobby. Also he's in the Army and taught us that you don't kill people with pocket knives, you kill them bear knives. He's had training. Also he knows more than you. About everything. 

Shoot dang man, I'm trying to remember all the awesome things that we did this week because there were a lot of them.

Oh, we got lost on the ranch which was terrifying. I'm pretty sure there were a few guys with chainsaws just waiting to murder us. We spent about half an hour driving around in circles. But then some of our investigators saved us and told us how to escape the creepy backwoods of polygamist Missouri.

Well, that's about all that I can think of this week folks. 

Our new motto here is "Tomorrow we're getting skinny" 

So far the tomorrow part is working great. 

Love you'uns

Elder Christopher Drake

Pictures

All right, hopefully this works. 

So this one embedded in the e-mail is Elders Powers, Reese, Me, Smith, and Mo'unga at transfer point on Thursday. I swear, that day was like Christmas. So many missionaries I love. This was our Bentonville reunion picture. Elder Reese is a big fancy Zone Leader now. 

The others are at Tommy's baptism and me petting a turkey. The baptism was so awesome, and we're looking forward to being able to teach Tommy some more when he gets off the road with his dad. Things are looking up.

Freeeeedom

Free at last, free at last!

Okay, so six weeks with a bad companion wasn't as bad as centuries of racism and slavery, but still. It's a good feeling. 

Elder Allred is sweet. He actually talks more than I do which is really weird, but I don't mind at all. He's a great missionary and we're having fun. 

We had a Zone Conference on Saturday that was awesome. Elder Callister and Elder Southward both spoke and did an awesome job. I need to get a tape recorder so I don't have to desperately scribble down notes anymore. 

On Tuesday, we are going to start teaching a Book of Mormon class out on the Ranch, which is going to be awesome. We'll be pulling from the Seminary and Institute manuals mainly, and hopefully we'll get a good showing. I'm excited to get out there and have us missionaries be a bigger part of the community. I feel like now that I don't have to worry as much about my companion, we can focus on the people and really get things rolling. I'm excited. 

Other news... Oh I got to pet a turkey. I'll send a picture of that. That was over at a member's home. I need to send pictures of their house too, it's sweet. And round. 

It's been great being able to visit with and get to know the members and our investigators. It's kind of hard to do that when your companion doesn't want to. We've been having a lot of fun. 

This week should be awesome, I can't wait to get things rolling. I have a feeling that this transfer is going to go by really quick. 

Love y'alls,

Elder Christopher Drake

Transfer Week Once Again

Hullo, family! 

I am staying, Panda is going to Greenwood Arkansas. 

It's been tough. Poor old Panda has had his ups and downs, good times and bad. I wish I could say I'm going to miss him, but I'm looking forward to not worrying so much about my companion. Hallelujah. 

Had a baptism this week! Tommy, who is 19. I've told you a little bit about him. Sweet guy. We were excited. And I think Bolivar, an area in my district, has a baptism this week too. Waiting to hear back from the First Presidency about the fundamentalists that want to be baptized. Good good things happening. 

Oh yeah, the weather is warming up too. That's nice. 

Man. I am tired. It's been a long one. I'm super grateful that good things are happening. I'm hoping to really pick things up with my new companion too, whom I've heard is sweet. 

Other than the baptism on Saturday, things were pretty uneventful this week. Stayed real busy and had some fun. Stockton is pretty cool when it's not freezing or snowing or both. 

Welp. It's been less than interesting I suppose. I forgot to bring my camera like always, so I'll send you all a picture next week! 

Love you!

Elder Christopher Drake

Another pretty good week!

Tommy's baptism was moved to this Saturday instead because of the weather and sick people. So we get to look forward to that. Again!

Another snow storm hit this week, wasn't too happy about that. Well, it was more of an ice storm, and that's what really stinks. The roads are awful and our poor little truck needs tires and windshield wipers really bad. Hooray for red tape! 

Cool story for the week: 

At a less active's house two weeks ago, we met a lady, Ronita. We shared the lesson that we had prepared about the Book of Mormon, Ronita participated more than this less-active fellow did. At the end of the lesson, we extended the invitation to read the Book of Mormon to both of them, but Ronita responded, "I won't read it, I was always taught it's false doctrine." 

Fast forward one week. 

So on Friday, we go back, and Ronita is there again! We showed "The Restoration" to them. Ronita actually got up and left because, "In her old church any time there was a video playing it was of starving African children" and she didn't want to see that. So we convinced her to come watch it. Then Eddie, the less-active guy figured out that it was about Joseph Smith and I think he was embarrassed and said "Oh, you probably won't be interested in this." BUT it didn't matter. She wanted a Book of Mormon and if church hadn't have been cancelled she would've come to church. 

Blamo. 

So that was cool. I always appreciate when people who are open to the Gospel just kind of plop down in front of you. It happens a lot to missionaries. 

So that's my story for the week, it was a good deal. I'm ready for Summer though. 

Hope you all had a good week! 

Love ya, 

Elder Christopher Drake

Hey Fam!

Good news: President called last week and talked to Panda on the phone for an hour and a half. I don't know what he said, but it's been working. I'm still a little wary, but I'm enjoying the change! He talks and makes jokes now, it's great. We'll see how we go from here. 

Bad News: E-mail is late today because I spent most of the morning throwing up. It's really a shame, because our ward mission leader invited us to cut wood at five (which I honestly love doing), and now I hate lasagna. I used to love lasagna =/ 

Other good news: I got to spend my morning watching Church videos. "The Testaments", "Special Witnesses of Christ" then I finished it off with both "The District" series's's'. 

More good news: We have a baptism slated for this weekend! Woo! Also some fundies are getting baptized but that's gonna be a while. Still waiting to hear back for more from President Shumway who's waiting to hear back from some Salt Lake head honchos. 

Even more good news!: Elder Callister (who's the man) and Elder Southward (who I'm pretty sure is pretty the manish too, but I don't remember) are coming and we're having a special Zone Conference thingy with them. Elder Callister spoke at a Stake Conference a few months ago in Rogers and was so awesome. He's got my vote for next apostle. Because it works that way, you know. 

Hm. Other newsss....I got to go on an exchange this week with the Elders in my District over in Bolivar.  I got to meet a guy who was baptized in November at the age of 98!! His wife is 94! She was already a member. I think that's got to be close to a record or something. They were really funny. Mostly because they couldn't hear and kept changing the subject. They're in great shape for being close to 100 years old. 

Don't by off brand Oyster Crackers. They're not very good at all. The problem is, the Supermarket here is the only one within 45 minutes so their prices are stupid expensive. It was 92 cents for generic crackers, and 2.49 for the good stuff. At least they're more bland though. 

Okee doke folks, I've gotta get hoppin so I'll talk to y'alls next week!

Oh also, here is a picture of Me, Elder Hansen, Elder Reed, and Elder Powers attempting an Abbey Road picture. It turned out okay. Needs more beard though. 

Elder Christopher Drake