10-15-13

What is up my family!!!!

Walter, that’s awesome dude. Make'n that cash money!!

Hey Dad are you still working with Richard? Him and Donna Kay are planning on serving a mission right?

Mom, I just got back from the San Diego Temple, went to the distribution center and got a few things, so I should be good I think. But I could use a couple more pairs of pants and they changed the dress code so you can get me some that are blue or green or grey or something instead of black. I got the shoes, thank you so much, you’re a life saver mama. My other ones now have holes in them and the soles are falling out of the bottoms.  I'll send a picture of how great of a missionary I've been!

So we went to the temple today. It. was. Amazing!!!!!!!! I can’t describe in words how awesome it was! We went with another companionship, elders Anderson and Adams, and elder Anderson did a baptism for one of his investigators that had passed away, which was super cool. When we got there I was just expecting to do an endowment session, but we ended up doing a bunch of different ordinances. I ended up doing about ten confirmations, recording a baptism and the rest of the confirmations, doing an endowment session, and I got to sit in on a sealing. So I had a bunch of first experiences in the San Diego temple. I don’t think it gets any better than that. And the celestial room.. I think I could live the rest of my life in there and be happy, its like heaven. You guys have to go one day. Its seriously breath taking how beautiful it is in there. 

I went on exchanges with my district leader and his companion. I learned a ton with both of those guys. They showed me that it’s important to be serious about the work, but also have fun while you’re doing it. You have to enjoy the little time you have out here because two years really does go by very fast, I’ve already been out for 4 months and I feel like I just left. But there is a time and a place for everything. Also being excited about the things you teach is very key. Nobody is going to listen to you if you don’t show that you truly believe in that something.

We had a zone training meeting last week and President Kendrick gave us some counsel that really resonated in my heart. He told us that the world is losing the ability to empathize, understanding others feelings and hardships. That’s something that we need to bring back into a world that is growing ever darker. He also talked about the atonement that helped me understand it more than I ever have. He told us "think of the most innocent person you know" I thought of Anthony. he then said " now imagine that person being flogged, carrying a wooden cross on his back, being beaten, tortured, and spit upon, having nails driven through his hands, and suffering so much pain it's unimaginable, all because of the things you’ve done wrong in this life, and more importantly, all because that person loves you." The image that formed in my mind was almost unbearable. He gave another example. He said “imagine you run over a child in your car, involuntary man slaughter, and you go to court. You can easily be sentenced up to 25 years, but the judge volunteers to take your place and do the time for you, because he loves you." Think about that for a second. There is nothing more powerful, more majestic or wonderful, than the love of our savior and what he did for us. We can always turn to him when we are in need. If we need help or healing, because he has paid the price for us and he loves us and he wants us to come back to him. I'm filled with joy that I have the privilege to share this with others.

 I remember being in sacrament meeting one Sunday back when we were in Madison 2nd ward and Bishop Zitting asked me to bare my testimony on the spot, out of nowhere. I was obviously terrified, and that’s one of the main reasons I remember it. haha. But I remember saying “I know that missionary work is an honor and a privilege." At the time I had no idea what I meant when I said that. I think I just said it because everyone else said it. Since coming out on my mission I truly understand now what that statement meant. No matter whom you are, you only get to be a full time missionary like this once and devote all your time and effort to serve the Lord. This is the Lord's work, and I am so happy I decided to serve and be a part of it. And what a wonderful time it is to be a missionary. 

You guys. Ya’ll.

I want you to know that I love ya so much Seriously. I pray for each of you every day

Stay true, and watch out for each other while I'm gone, okay?

-Elder Daniel

 

This is Jerry, he's in his 70s but says he still feels like a kid. He is the most outgoing, funny, friendly guy you will probably ever meet. He is a ward missionary in my last area, Fallbrook, and assisted us with appointments almost every week. He's convert of about 40 years. Before every missionary leaves the area he shines their shoes and gives them 20 bucks. He says he does that so he can stay humble.

 This man has inspired me to be more like my savior and to be a friend to everybody, no matter what.

 I'm gonna miss this guy.

 

Fallbrook pictures 9-23-13

 The pictures are of the amazing and loving people from my first area on my mission Fallbrook California. I appreciate each and everyone of them for their love and great examples. Thank you!

9-23-13

How ya'll doin!

Alright; I haven’t received the shoes yet. The bottoms are starting to fall out of the ones I have right now. It’s all good though. They got a little bit of life left in them. I got the Woodstock pictures, they were great. I miss the good ol' days, can’t believe that it was that long ago. Tell aunt Danna thanks!

Thanks for all the sports updates dad. It sounds like Walter is finally making it into the big leagues. Has he grown any since I've been gone? haha. He'll probably be taller than me by the time I get back. It sounds like scout is going well too. 

Chelsea is going to Canada!!!? What?!! And she's speaking Spanish??? That’s crazy! By the way, can you get Matt's email for me?

Did you get the package I sent you mom? It should’ve got there Thursday.

Alright, ya’ll’s minds are about to be blown. I have some pretty crazy news. Alright. Ready?

Okay, last Thursday is when President Kendrick made the calls to all the missionaries that are training and district leading. We were at our district meeting talking about goals for the area.... when we got a call, and guess who it was from? We went out into the hall and My companion answered it, and I'm thinking "yup, Elder Thompson is training again." then he said "hold on president, it’s for you Elder Daniel" ....I about had a heart attack. haha, So guess who will be training a new missionary starting Tuesday? That’s right, THIS GUY!! I'm terrified and excited at the same time. They usually wait until you’ve been out at least a year before they make you train... I’ve only been out three months... And that’s not it. We had are transfer calls on Saturday and I found out I'm leaving Fallbrook. Do you know what that means? I will be "whitewashing" into a new area with a greeny, which ultimately means I will be training a new missionary in an area neither of us are familiar with. My greeny is going to be my geeny buster; your "greeny buster" is the comp you get right after your done training who is usually a very experienced missionary. I have no idea where I'll be going or who my comp is going to be. My guess is Delmar, Carlsbad, or Oceanside. I'll let ya'll know next Monday. It'll be good, I hope. Can I ask you guys to pray for me? I would really appreciate it. I'm going to need it. It’s funny, I've been praying harder than I ever have to be a better teacher and a better missionary. I'm going to take a wild guess, but I think this is the answer to my prayers. They always said Heavenly Father had a sense of humor right?

Alright, I love you all. I can't believe how fast time is going by. It's already been three months since I left. It'll be Christmas before you know it!

 Read your scriptures every day, even if it’s just a page or even a verse. Pray always, in the morning and at night. And never stop going to church. The world is growing ever darker, I get to see and hear things first hand out here, and boy there's a storm coming. We need to be doing everything we can do to stay strong and never lose sight of the light.

Look out for one another while I'm gone and stay true, alright?

-Elder Jon Daniel

 

Que pasa Mi Familia!!

Are the Fellows and the Campbell’s in your ward now? Did I tell you I ran into Kent and Brandon Campbell at the MTC?

I haven’t received the watch back yet. I did receive the sheets, thank you so much! They are no longer holy. I also received the bike tubes, they are amazing!

Don’t get stressed out! Say a prayer if you ever feel overwhelmed, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a missionary, it seriously helps.

Jeffery, Walter, and Dad keep up the good work with church. I know it’s hard and it sucks sometimes to go, but I promise you that you will always feel better than you did after you leave.

Can you tell Jeffery to send me my old skate stickers? They’re in my shoe box with the rest of my old stuff. (Unless he has any lying around)

This week was interesting. We have been meeting with this guy named Omar for a while who has been investigating for almost a year. The thing about Omar is that he doesn’t want to make any commitments, read, pray, go to church, or do anything really, but he still likes meeting with us. So we brought one of our ward missionaries with us, whose name is Jerry. Super cool old man in his 80s who is a convert, is friends with everybody, and is super funny. Anyway we had our first really solid lesson with him in a while, he usually talks our ears off and we never really get a lesson in, but this time we left a huge impact on him. Well probably bring Jerry with us more often, although Jerry likes to hijack lesson sometimes, haha. It’s all good, he a great guy. So hopefully he starts keeping commitments, acting by faith, and seeing the fruits of his labors.

We met with a referral named Lara for the first time last week who is investigating because her daughter is dating someone who is LDS. She is a school teacher so she is very analytical and intellectual. She ended up bashing with the member we brought with us a little bit and that kind of stunk, but she still has questions so were meeting with her later this week. so we'll see how that goes.

Something really random happened Thursday when we went to go pick up our dry cleaning, we ended up talking to the old Asian lady that works there, we couldn’t understand her too much though, she didn’t speak a lot of English. Anyway, she expressed that she was going through a hard time and had some health problems as well. She said she believed in the same Jesus and she asked us for a blessing. She’s not a member, we never met her before, and so I was very surprised that she knew what that was. So she took us to the back of her shop, through the jungle of suits and dresses, she pulled up a chair and I gave her a blessing with the help of Elder Thompson. So that was pretty cool, I felt really good afterward.

I wish I could write more because I have more to say, but I have to go.

I love and miss you guys, I think about you and pray for you all the time.

Stay true and look out for each other, alright?

- Elder Jon Daniel