So, I'm back in Indiana after a grueling year at BYU. Currently I'm just planning on finding some work for the summer and taking advantage of the opprotunity to spend some time with my family before I head back out in the fall.
Other than that... I can't remember if I'd mentioned my story that I'm writing at http://draezoln.blogspot.com or not. I update it pretty irregularly, but I'm having fun with it. I'll probably be writing a bit more over the summer until I get a job.
Samuel Stephens
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Catch up
Here's a few photos from our spring. Lynette and Red. Lynette still takes lessons once a week, weather permitting. She wishes she could be at the stables everyday, riding or not. Still think I ought to send her to Flint so she could get her fill of mucking out stalls!
Elaine's 15th birthday cake. She doesn't eat sugar these days, so I made her a watermelon cake.
James and his date for the LDS prom. That's Katie Giberson. She and James have been friends ever since her family moved into the ward when James was 3. She now lives about an hour away, but agreed to come to the prom anyway!
And Rachel lost her first tooth not long ago. You can see a picture of her on my blog!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Creed's letter 04-12-2010
Hey!
I'm still here just living it up en la republica dominicana. Things are going pretty decent. Sometimes I get a bit worn down because we still don't have light and our water is still off and on sometimes. Supposedly someone was supposed to come by and fix our light this past week but it didn't happen, so we will have to get on them to actually get out here.
That's cool that Jenine and Brandon went to visit [his family]. When are they moving out there? I want to see a picture of Brandon's gun and dad's new camera if that is possible.
I love my babemobile. I really miss it to tell you the odd truth. How is my motorcycle doing? Safely covered up or something? Because I also miss that and want to use it when I get back if at all possible or at least have it. And how about Jake's house shopping--how is that going? Are they moving again already? And grandparents how are all of them? I really like Logan UT and kind of want to think about going to school there but I still have a long time to worry about stuff like that. We have just been talking about schools lately because the zone leaders that share our area are both really close to going home. I have 5 months though that's almost one-fourth of my mission--crazy! I heard the second quarter is the slowest part of your mission though--yikes. Oh well, I will live and like it I bet.
It sounds like you guys have already gotten the horses out a lot this year. That's awesome, keep it up. I miss those types of things and didn't take advantage of what I had enough before. The chickens sound awesome. I want to eat their eggs. That's right I am an egg lover these days. The mission has changed my heart on that topic. They make eggs way good/different here. They put a bunch of oil in a frying pan or something like it and then just drop the egg in the oil and let it cook like that then flip it. They are so oily and good but unhealthy.
They put a lot of grease and fat on everything here. They put the grease from the meat they cook onto the rice they have for lunch. It is way good but super artery clogging. Hopefully I don't have a heart attack out here. I am always hungry lately though because we walk so much and our area is huge. I think my favorite treat they have here is arroz con leche. Mmm it is so good I am going to learn how to master making it before I come home and show you guys how good it is. Rice and milk--mmm so good.
Anyways about Domingo and his family. They are going to get baptized this Saturday and married tomorrow. I think the bishop will try and pay us back if we pay for the wedding. Our bishop here is a pretty good guy and works pretty hard.
We're trying to look for new investigators right now and it's proving to be a bit difficult. We are still working with Ricardo and trying to help him stop smoking and get baptized but it's a bit hard because he doesn't really want our help and thinks he can just slowly quit smoking. He used to smoke 2 packs a day but now he only smokes about 5 cigarettes which is good, but he just has to make a decision to quit and then do it.
With some luck and some faith we will have more then 5 baptisms this month but idk [I don't know] some of the others aren't looking too promising now. But I love sharing this gospel--especially the restoration. It is such simple concept and perfect plan yet the people have such a hard time getting it into their heads sometimes. Especially the Book of Mormon they do not understand what it is at all. All they have in their heads is the Bible. If you look at the flag of the DR I think it is one of the few with the Bible on it. But the work continues and is going strong.
Sometimes i wish i could be in the states like mom said in a mission easier with a house that has light and water and a car and fridge. But then I think I bet there is a ton of missionaries in the states wishing they had some people to teach and baptize like in South America or the DR. So I figure we are even.
Love you all tons and hope you have a good week.
Creed
I'm still here just living it up en la republica dominicana. Things are going pretty decent. Sometimes I get a bit worn down because we still don't have light and our water is still off and on sometimes. Supposedly someone was supposed to come by and fix our light this past week but it didn't happen, so we will have to get on them to actually get out here.
That's cool that Jenine and Brandon went to visit [his family]. When are they moving out there? I want to see a picture of Brandon's gun and dad's new camera if that is possible.
I love my babemobile. I really miss it to tell you the odd truth. How is my motorcycle doing? Safely covered up or something? Because I also miss that and want to use it when I get back if at all possible or at least have it. And how about Jake's house shopping--how is that going? Are they moving again already? And grandparents how are all of them? I really like Logan UT and kind of want to think about going to school there but I still have a long time to worry about stuff like that. We have just been talking about schools lately because the zone leaders that share our area are both really close to going home. I have 5 months though that's almost one-fourth of my mission--crazy! I heard the second quarter is the slowest part of your mission though--yikes. Oh well, I will live and like it I bet.
It sounds like you guys have already gotten the horses out a lot this year. That's awesome, keep it up. I miss those types of things and didn't take advantage of what I had enough before. The chickens sound awesome. I want to eat their eggs. That's right I am an egg lover these days. The mission has changed my heart on that topic. They make eggs way good/different here. They put a bunch of oil in a frying pan or something like it and then just drop the egg in the oil and let it cook like that then flip it. They are so oily and good but unhealthy.
They put a lot of grease and fat on everything here. They put the grease from the meat they cook onto the rice they have for lunch. It is way good but super artery clogging. Hopefully I don't have a heart attack out here. I am always hungry lately though because we walk so much and our area is huge. I think my favorite treat they have here is arroz con leche. Mmm it is so good I am going to learn how to master making it before I come home and show you guys how good it is. Rice and milk--mmm so good.
Anyways about Domingo and his family. They are going to get baptized this Saturday and married tomorrow. I think the bishop will try and pay us back if we pay for the wedding. Our bishop here is a pretty good guy and works pretty hard.
We're trying to look for new investigators right now and it's proving to be a bit difficult. We are still working with Ricardo and trying to help him stop smoking and get baptized but it's a bit hard because he doesn't really want our help and thinks he can just slowly quit smoking. He used to smoke 2 packs a day but now he only smokes about 5 cigarettes which is good, but he just has to make a decision to quit and then do it.
With some luck and some faith we will have more then 5 baptisms this month but idk [I don't know] some of the others aren't looking too promising now. But I love sharing this gospel--especially the restoration. It is such simple concept and perfect plan yet the people have such a hard time getting it into their heads sometimes. Especially the Book of Mormon they do not understand what it is at all. All they have in their heads is the Bible. If you look at the flag of the DR I think it is one of the few with the Bible on it. But the work continues and is going strong.
Sometimes i wish i could be in the states like mom said in a mission easier with a house that has light and water and a car and fridge. But then I think I bet there is a ton of missionaries in the states wishing they had some people to teach and baptize like in South America or the DR. So I figure we are even.
Love you all tons and hope you have a good week.
Creed
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Two Busy Weekends - Plus Summer Plans
We have had a couple of busy Saturdays. Last week, Mariana, Isaac, and I had our temporary black belt test. We had to demonstrate our knowledge of all the Taekwondo techniques we have learned in the last two years. We had to do 8 out of the 13 forms, 8 out of the 22 one-step sparring, 8 out of the 22 self defense techniques, and then we had to fight 1 person for one minute, 2 people for another minute, and 3 people for one last minute. Then we had to break boards and bricks, and then remember our Korean terminology. Everyone did pretty well, with a few minor mess-ups. Isaac was really good at sparring 3 opponents. Because she isn't 15 yet, Mariana had to break a board with her knife hand instead of a brick. You can see the board flying to pieces above. For our final black belt test in June we will have to do the same kind of test over again, but our instructor will choose different groups out of the forms and self defense, etc.
Today we moved Isaac's Eagle project ramp and started to install it. It is being used by an older man who lives right on the hillside overlooking the river. The first picture is the view from his house. His driveway is about a 45 degree angle and has a switchback in it, so it was quite a trick to maneuver a truck and trailer full of ramp parts up it. (Luckily another ward member did the driving.) We got about halfway done before we got worn out, so we will have to finish it next Saturday.
We are starting to make our plans for summer vacation. Right now we are considering flying out on July 20 and returning on August 2. We are thinking of driving up to Logan and staying overnight with Grandma and Grandpa Stephens, then going up to Yellowstone for a couple of days. Other than that, we haven't made many plans. Does anyone have any input or suggestions for our visit?
-Newel
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April fools day
Dear family,
Attached are some pictures of our April fools day morning. As we looked out our back window this is what we saw. We got about 6 inches of new snow but with the temperature we will have this afternoon it will probably melt before dark. The two deer were out under the apple tree when we first looked out. Went up to the canal east of our house and took the icture across the valley of the Newton mountaians of the Canal. The picture of Ruth I took earlier as we were going over to Bear Lake.
Dad and Ruth
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