29 August 2011

Herro Erryburry!

This week was really good. We had a branch activity on Wednesday to remember the good old days, they played a bunch of old Latino music and food. Then when it was ending and we were helping to clean up the cd switched and they played Elvis and Hotel California, it was like heaven. Then they gave us all the left over sodas. Anyways that's not so much the good part of the week.

We found a killer family. The only problem is that they live really really far away. The members tell us that it is 10 kilometers, or 6 miles away. I doubt it because last night we made the walk in just over an hour, and we had to get 20 contacts on the way. By the way, my shoes are toast. I´m just hoping that my shoes for meetings last until the Seattle airport. Too bad that that is 2 years away. haha

Well anyways, this family is the bees knees. The first time we talked to them we had been knocking doors in the new apartments where everyone says we´ll have no success, but people live there so we go to get our 20 contacts, and we knocked, saw that there was someone there, waited, nobody came, so we left. Then we were like a block away and this kid (F)comes up and asks if we had knocked his door and if so that his mom says to come over because she would like to talk with us. They had a lot of questions about what we do, and how long we´re here and all that, but then we had a killer lesson. All we have been able to talk to is the mom and her four kids. The mom is Sara, and her kids are F he's 13 and G she is 8 and two little ones.

The first lesson we had we talked about the restoration and the Book of Mormon and we left them 3rd Nefi 11. They all read it, G said she read it 5 times. So this time, yesterday, we went back and talked about 3 Nefi 11 and baptism, and they all have a date to be baptized on the 24th of September. The member we took is super cool too, said that she would pass by their house on Sunday to take them to church. Its weird, because they have money, basically all the families I have ever found and or baptized were poor. But I guess Alma is right, blessed are the poor who are humble but even more blessed are the not poor who are humble.

I. and her kids are doing alright we can´t teach them much because it is far, but they are progressing anyways.

The S's, good job on the spelling mom, are doing good. He had to work this Sunday so once again they missed out on church. We taught them the word of wisdom this week and they both smoke and he is a recovering alcoholic. But they want to quit, and tomorrow we are going by their house to set specific goals to get them going.

President taught us that if it is their goal, and not ours, it actually means something to them and we can more fully promise them the blessings they deserve, its an eternal principal, they need to use their agency, we teach them, but they decide to act. We can help them make the goals, but it is valid when they are the ones who set them. Its true.

Thank you a lot for being great parents and teaching me the right way to live and how to do things the right way. You are both great examples to me.

I love you tons
elder hawkobsen

22 August 2011

Hey family.

You'll have bells on? I might just ask for an extension... eight hours in Chile, that stinks, but I´m sure we´ll find someone to talk to haha.

I´m so jealous that you got to see a free concert in the Seattle Center, I saw Macklemore on that same stage, he is the man. That center is full of great memories, like freaklife festival.

We had zone conference this week. it was really good, but made me feel old. I was the oldest missionary there, and two of the sisters were in their last change, so they had to give their testimony in front of everyone. Next change that will be me. Oh boy. Anyways, Pres talked about working with the members, helping THEM share the gospel, you know, the way missionary work is supposed to be done.

Its super fun, new, but fun, and I really feel like it will work. That and I´m gonna be doing a lot of what we are teaching members when I get home in two years. haha. On that note, I have been thinking a lot about what you said about C, how he has been going to church with you guys. Do the missionaries even know? If you don´t think he is ready to listen, you should at least get him around the missionaries a lot. It makes sense in his situation to be nervous about going all out with him, but it sounds to me like he is pretty prepared. he is a super cool kid anyways.

Our week actually went pretty good. We found a family that the missionaries used to teach back in the day and they are awesome. Its a lady with 10 kids. yeah, 10. The only issue is that they live like 5 miles from the church. It was a long day the day we went out for them.

But it´ll definitely be worth it if they start coming to church. they all want to be baptized too.

D and D couldn´t come to church this week because he has kidney stones. Poor guy worked extra hard Friday and Saturday so he wouldn´t have to on Sunday and then he gets sick. She was also sick on Sunday. rrrgg. But they do have the paper work started for their wedding. So at least one concern is getting taken care of. Keep praying for them, they need all the help they can get.

I´m super jealous that you guys are going to ride in Yellowstone.

Sounds like a blast, they let you right? probably.

Well i love you guys a lot.

No I do not shave 1 leg anymore. Sorry if that disappoints you.

elder B

15 August 2011

What up thug.What? What up thug. What? What up thug. What? What up gangster.

Hey yáll, in this cyber (Internet place) the guy has been bumpin fitty cent for the last 20 minutes and its killing me. That guy has a mouth on him shoot. I also can´t sit still with out at least nodding my head to the beat.

So the subject of this weeks email. Gays. Remember A, from like 2 weeks ago? We had a good lesson with him, and met some guy that lives with him, at least 20 years older. So we assume he was the father. False. Last Monday night we had a lesson with them, and I asked, so are you guys family? The older, F, responded as non chalantly as can be, no, we´re a couple. You should have seen my face. I had to keep it straight, but on the inside I was DYING. We finished the lesson, turned the corner and I just let it out! WHAT!?!? gays!? hahahahhahahaha. But really, a gay couple. But they had some interest, so we went back on Saturday night and taught them about the Book of Mormon. super spiritual lesson, and they committed themselves to read it. I have NO IDEA how to teach them that they can´t make gay and get baptized, but we´ll have to pray a lot. Cuz being gay isn´t the sin, making gay is. But they definitely felt the Spirit.

Also the family S of awesomeness didn´t make it to church, but they are progressing with the scriptures and really want to get baptized, today we are going with a member and we´ll teach the importance of going to church every Sunday.

I have zero flight plans, I don´t get them till right before I leave.

Maybe you should email the mission office to find out. Lets not pull an RM.

Today I officially turn 22 months old. flip. AAAHHHH I'M LIKE THE CRYPT KEEPER!!!

We gave talks yesterday, it was good. I talked about missionary work with the members. My comp talked about the doctrine of Christ. I was the concluding speaker, I felt pretty cool.
No news from the BYU yet?

I met a guy from Georgia the other day, he is a southern baptist and won´t change, says he, but it was good to do a contact in English with someone who actually speaks it. Southern accent and everything.

Well have a good week.
I love y´all.
elder hakobsen

8 August 2011

Hello familia

I got your package last weeek, it was the best ever. And then this week I got email letters from all the kiddos, awesome, I can´t believe what S almost did on high adventure, ps if you don´t know about that story I didn´t say anything. Oh yeah, there is an elder in my zone who lives in Beaverton, Elder W. He plays football and got a scholarship to U of O, but turned it down to play at the Y. He is an oro, and he is super funny.

Anyways, the work. We are focusing on working with the members, helping them share the gospel with their friends, it is starting kind of slow, but we are starting to get it around. On our own this week we found a family. The S's. They are d and d and their 4 kids, N(10), J(7), F(6ish), and L(5ish). They used to listen to the mishaladies, but lost touch this last summer. They talk about how the Spirit comes to their house when we teach them, and how their kids are calmer in the lessons and how even afterwords the kids sleep better. They weren´t able to go to church this week, but they are on track to get baptized soon. They live a hard life, but they are great people please to pray for them.

About the pants, I meant like long john type pants, but if you can´t find any or its too late no worries, you can just give me the late bday present of being at the airport when I get home, oh yeah, did you get the flight plans? Other elders from my group said their parents already have them. Not that I´m trunky, I just don´t want you to pull an RM on me hahaha.

My companion is still wicked awesome, I taught him how to throw cards this morning, and we ate rock hard brownies that I made last night, they hardened overnight and I had to use a knife to get them out of the pan today.

This last weeks district meeting was awesome, we started by reading about Nefi´s broken bow and we related it to missionary work, having faith, involving the members and having to change plans, we got a lot more out of it than I expected it was a really spiritual moment. Then we talked about the ways members can help and we practiced to talk to the members, it went really smooth, we did it as a counsel not as an Elder Barry lecture, and I liked it a lot.

This week we had a ward counsel meeting, and it was really good, the branch hasn´t had any excitement or even meetings of leaders for a while, so there is a lot of work to do, but it was really good, I was able to speak up in it, voice my opinion and I feel like this place is going to go through some big changes, I just hope they let me stay here to see some results.
Thank you for being such a great family.
I love you a ton.
Elder Barry

1 August 2011

Herro errybody!

How is it hangin?

So I´d like to start this e-mail off with a story. This week we were out doing contacts in a part of the area called la Aguada and I was in a terrible mood. Basically I was ready to bust some faces in. Our awesome investigator D had just ditched us and all of the contacts were jerks. But then as we clapped a door, my comp kinda made a face and he paused before talking to the lady. I thought it was kinda strange, but shook it off. She refused, big surprise, and then he was like ¡dang! I was like... what. He said look! and pointed to his pants. The dog of the last contact had walked past us and in the split second when he brushed against my companion he URINATED all over his pants. Whats more, it was a cold windy day, so he got to freeze his leg off with every gust of wind. And all the dogs for the rest of the day ran up and sniffed his leg. I laughed my fanny off.

Anyways... this week, it was a high stress week. Basically all of our investigators decided that they were too cool for school. We´re stuck almost starting over. We did find an awesome guy, A. His sister recently passed away and we talked about how he can see her again. It was a spiritual lesson, but he didn´t have time to let us into his house, we´re going back today at seven. Nobody came to church, and I think that P and L are avoiding us. But in better news, my scabies is gone! just a couple scars are left. But they´re mission scars so its all good.

My new companion, elder E is awesome. He is from Chile and only has two changes in the mission. He is good and obedient and we get along really well. Today we had steak sandwiches for lunch and cleaned the house like madmen.

Its super weird how old I am getting. Last week hermana K, the one who talked alot when I was her dl, went home. Crazy. Both elder T and elder M from the mtc are the assistants, and everyone else from our district in the mtc is a district leader. I counted the days I have left the other day but I don´t want to say it, its scary and makes me a little sad. I am going to miss this place.

Not that I don´t miss you guys, but I am gonna cry like a baby when they make me go home.

Anyways, we have hope and faith to keep the la Paloma train going, keep up the good work back in m-ville I love you guys a ton.

elder b