Dusty's Mission

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Dusty's Email -- 10/26/2009

Hey,

First off, Mom please don’t donate any of my trophies! Sounds like the fall festival is going to be pretty fun. The trunk or treat is always a lot of fun. I haven’t gotten my package yet, but I`m sure that its gotten here, but I won’t know for about another week or two. But I`ll let you know if I got everything.

Dad, Elder Heward is one of the District Leaders in the zone here. He was also in Tecamac with me for my time there, first was a missionary in my district and then was a District Leader there for a transfer. He and I got transferred here together. So I’ve gotten to know him pretty well.

I didn’t know that Adrianna Foy was already home. That’s crazy to think. Wow! time is just flying by. Yesterday I hit 16 months.

The week was good. At the transfer meeting on Tuesday, a lot of changes were made. Many of them surprising changes. There was another change like the one last transfer. Remember, I told you guys that both my companion and I were new here, that President took out both of the past Zone Leaders and put us in here. President did that again in one of the zones. Pulled out the two zone leaders and put two newbies in. One was Elder Pickup. The changes were good to us, we got some missionaries that`ll help out a lot here if they apply themselves.

But the week was real calm, my companion and I baptized 3 people yesterday. The service was really nice. The people that we baptized were just ready for the Gospel - just that type that when they saw us they knew that we had something that they wanted and needed.

We have counsel meeting with President Bulloch on Wednesday. It`ll be nice to see him. But I have to run. I hope that all is well back home.

I love you guys, thanks for your letters, support and love.

Elder Howard

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Dusty's Email -- 10/12/2009

Hey

First off, I can’t believe that Monk is cumin to an end....I’m completely unfocused and can’t work now...thanks mom...;)

The week was extremely busy. It didn’t rain that much but it did rain today. We had our zone conference this week. It was in Pachuca which is an hour away, so Tuesday afternoon we went to Pachuca to set everything up and then stayed at the house of the missionaries in the area. The conference was Wednesday and it went really well. I felt that our part of teaching went well and so did the part of the APs and President Bulloch. After the conference we talked with President Bulloch and he gave us the chance to ask him some questions. Whatever we wanted to ask him. It was real cool to have that question and answer period with him.

Thursday we spent in Xicotepec Puebla. We went out to baptize some people out there because there aren’t any missionaries there. Friday and Saturday we did divisions with other companionships in the zone. By Sunday after our baptismal service we were pretty wiped out, but ready to start another week.

Thanks for sending me the talk that Elder Holland gave. I’m real excited to read it.

I didn’t know that Paige is getting married...that’s insane. Tell her, if you can, that I said congrats, and to Jared also.

Yes, we save a little bit of money by washing our clothes by hand. Yes Dad it takes about 2-3 hours every Monday to wash all the clothes. I have replaced some of my garments but there are still some originals that I have from home. But they are holding up well.

I like the quote that you put Dad, it was hard for me to understand it at first. But I read it a couple of times and understand the meaning of it better.

Things are well, the zone is improving in some aspect every week. I think that the zone conference really helped out, and I think that we will keep improving. We found out about transfers this week. I’m pretty sure that my companion and I won’t be touched since we just here. We have talked to President Bulloch about some changes that we would like to make in the zone. We’ll see if he makes them or not.

But I have to run...I love you all and thanks for your letters and your support.

Elder Howard

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Dusty's Email -- 10/5/2009

This last week was a good one. Yes Mom I did the new Bible that’s been printed in Spanish. I don’t know if you watched the special the Church had on it after the first session of conference, but it’s the King James version but in Spanish, with the all Joseph Smith translations, headings at every chapter, footnotes and all. It’s cool.

The conference was amazing. I loved Elder Holland’s talk. Such power. There is no doubt in my mind that he is an Apostle of the Lord. The declaration that he made was just amazing. I really enjoyed President Utchdorfs talks, the one in Priesthood, and the one that he gave the on Saturday about Gods love. I couldn’t see all of it because there were some broadcast problems, but what I saw I enjoyed. There was a comment that he made that I really enjoyed. He said that even “the coldest winter has the hope of a warm spring”. It’s so true. There are ups and downs in life, but we have to always have the hope that something better is coming. It helped me out a lot because I don’t feel like we got the hang of things here in Tulancingo yet. We work hard, but things just aren’t falling right. But his talk really helped me to keep pushing through, hoping for the warm spring.

I enjoyed just about all the talks from the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency. I`m excited to get the conference edition of the Ensign to be able to study it and pull things out that I didn’t get in the conference. President Utchdorf is my favorite speaker. All of his talks were awesome, but the last 3 conferences his talks have helped me the most. There is so much I want to say about conference, but it’s just amazing. How great it is to hear from a living Prophet, and Twelve Apostles that God has called today!!

It didn’t rain all this last week, surprisingly. The sun has been out in full swing, which has been good because we`ve had to wash our clothes by hand and the clothes dry a lot faster when there is sun.

Mom, I`ll be expecting your package here in the weeks coming up...

Dad, I did get to see all the sessions and in English, so I was able to hear the voices of the Apostles as they testified. The music was also awesome. Dad, when you watch the conference from Sunday in the afternoon the Tabernacle Choir sings “Oh Lord my Redeemer” and it is just stunning. It put Elder Holland in tears.

Not much new. We have our zone conference this week so I`ll be able to see President Bulloch and the APs.

But I have to run. I hope that all stays well and tell Cj to write me and tell me how he`s doing.

Elder Howard