We got to speak with Creed on the phone yesterday for the last time on his mission. He said he thinks he will be moved during the next transfer and then that will be the final area of his mission. He also said he has not been eating much lately because he is so tired of eating rice, beans and chicken.
He also said he is tired of mosquitoes. He said their apartment is full of them. They have netting over their beds and over the table where they eat and study but they still are tormented.
He sounded like Creed--calm, laid back and strong. I'm sure these remaining months will pass quickly and we will have him home with us again. Here is the letter he sent today.
Dear Family,
It was really nice to be able to talk to you yesterday. I´m not sure what more I have to say in this letter but I guess I will try. Sounds like dad is a bit sick. I hope you get better soon and I hope everyone's health is good. My health is good and has been for a long time. I hope it stays that way. I can't believe that is the last time I will get to talk to you all on the phone! I feel bad because the relief society president has a phone that we could have used that gets free calls to the states and it would have been better reception. Is it super expensive to call for you guys?
So like I told you on the phone this week was pretty good we had lots of people in church. I forgot to tell you about some of my favorite investigators that we are teaching right now. We are teaching a couple that have some twins girls that are super fat coming up on 1 year old so they are just like little black baby balls that walk around with crazy afro hair. They make it hard to teach sometimes though. The couple is funny too the husband reminds me a lot of Uncle Bart. He is a mechanic and his humor reminds me a lot of Bart he makes me laugh a lot. They didn't make it to church for the past 2 weeks which makes it really hard for them to progress but they have come once before so I think we are still going to continue forward and get them married and baptized.
We also ran into this family that went to our last baptism the baptism of Ivan but they left before we could talk to them and haven't come back to church. So we have a day to go visit them and i´m really hoping they will have interest in the message and be able to come to church. Our numbers are super good lately but we haven't seen any baptism this transfer. A couple people are being pretty stubborn when it comes to setting a baptism date maybe you could pray especially for Ronny and Massiel so they can accept a date.
I don't know much else to say really. I read a pretty cool scripture in Romans 5 I think that talks about patience and trials and how our trials work patience and our patience brings hope. I liked it a lot it says it really clear and super true. I feel like the mission is like that a bit sometimes just a giant cycle of patience, trials and faith but in the end it all is for my benefit and helps me grow. I really love this opportunity to learn and to gain experience and I know that we are changing the world missionary power is awesome!
love you all tons
--
E. Creed Stephens
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The first photo was from yesterday when Lynette got to go to the state capitol and get hands-on experience with the legislature and lobbying. It was a long day. They left Plano at 4:30 in the morning and got back at 10:30, but she had a great time.
Another Air show photo. The cool thing about this field trip was that Brother Fujisaka from our ward was able to take the kids around to parts of the air field where the other kids didn't get to go.
I don't think I like this new blogger. It won't let me put my comments under each photo.
Dalley news
The Three older kids got to go to an airshow. The Blue Angels were supposed to fly, but they were last on the schedule, and by then the wind was blowing too hard.
Elaine's birthday has come and gone! Sweet Sixteen and already been on a couple of dates!
Creed's letter
Happy Mothers Day in 6 days!
So we played some basket ball today at this awesome court right next to the ocean side. It was really awesome and beautiful I have some cool pictures. The bad part was that it began to pour while we were playing. I guess I wouldn't say that was bad though because it felt amazing to play in. We played for a good bit in the rain but then it started getting pretty bad and we hid under the bleachers for a bit. It was pretty awesome though but I sucked it up and hardly scored any. Basket ball is really cool but I did not grow up playing it so sometimes I don't like it. After the rain stopped I was so wet and soaked I thought the sun was going to evaporate me up into the clouds, I think that's actually what happens when people get translated.
The work is going really good here. We got a ton of new investigators this week. We have also been teaching a lot of couples and families which is cool but sometimes I feel like a lot of them don't really have interest they just tell us they will listen to our message just to be nice. Only one of the new families we found came to church this week and it was just the mom. She is way cool though we talked to her a couple weeks ago and she didn't come to church and we couldn't get in contact with her for a while but some how she came in contact with 2 members of the church and they invited her. Finally we got a hold of her on Saturday and she came to church. She is way cool but super shy. We will get rid of that though. We 2 freakin awesome American missionaries of the Lord no one can deny this!
Also a couple came with some members to church this week so we will teach them and see how they are. We taught a couple this week and it was really cool they asked us what were some of the rules in the church so we decided to explain Law of chastity and find out if they were married and of course their not but they both said they are willing and told each other they love each other. I think that is the first time I have seen that in this country. Sadly the wife is an illegal Haitian so it makes marriage super hard and expensive but they say they want to be a part of the church.
Our old couple missionaries finished a while ago so I think the mail system is getting backed up without their help so I haven't seen a letter from Kate yet but I will write her. And yes you may change anything in my room if you want I don't mind.
Cant wait to talk to you all on Sunday! I think we are going to do it later at night so probably about 6 o clock your time.
Sorry my letter is so boring I cant remember anything cool that went on really
--
E. Creed Stephens
So we played some basket ball today at this awesome court right next to the ocean side. It was really awesome and beautiful I have some cool pictures. The bad part was that it began to pour while we were playing. I guess I wouldn't say that was bad though because it felt amazing to play in. We played for a good bit in the rain but then it started getting pretty bad and we hid under the bleachers for a bit. It was pretty awesome though but I sucked it up and hardly scored any. Basket ball is really cool but I did not grow up playing it so sometimes I don't like it. After the rain stopped I was so wet and soaked I thought the sun was going to evaporate me up into the clouds, I think that's actually what happens when people get translated.
The work is going really good here. We got a ton of new investigators this week. We have also been teaching a lot of couples and families which is cool but sometimes I feel like a lot of them don't really have interest they just tell us they will listen to our message just to be nice. Only one of the new families we found came to church this week and it was just the mom. She is way cool though we talked to her a couple weeks ago and she didn't come to church and we couldn't get in contact with her for a while but some how she came in contact with 2 members of the church and they invited her. Finally we got a hold of her on Saturday and she came to church. She is way cool but super shy. We will get rid of that though. We 2 freakin awesome American missionaries of the Lord no one can deny this!
Also a couple came with some members to church this week so we will teach them and see how they are. We taught a couple this week and it was really cool they asked us what were some of the rules in the church so we decided to explain Law of chastity and find out if they were married and of course their not but they both said they are willing and told each other they love each other. I think that is the first time I have seen that in this country. Sadly the wife is an illegal Haitian so it makes marriage super hard and expensive but they say they want to be a part of the church.
Our old couple missionaries finished a while ago so I think the mail system is getting backed up without their help so I haven't seen a letter from Kate yet but I will write her. And yes you may change anything in my room if you want I don't mind.
Cant wait to talk to you all on Sunday! I think we are going to do it later at night so probably about 6 o clock your time.
Sorry my letter is so boring I cant remember anything cool that went on really
--
E. Creed Stephens
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Business Trip to Sweden
The second picture shows a Scania truck on a Stockholm street. If you look closely at it, below the headlamp you can see a round lamp that is lit up. That is the LED daytime running lamp that I helped design after my last trip to Sweden in 2007. This time I was there to discuss a quotation we are making for 4 more LED lamps that will go on the next upgrade of the truck.
You can see a few more pictures on my facebook page, but we only had a couple of hours to play tourist.
And it is 75 degrees here in Madison today. We did a lot of work outside and planted tomatoes and green peppers. Our garden is almost all in. The rain has finally stopped, but there is a lot of flooding along the Ohio river. You can see it a little bit with the webcam they have set up to watch the bridge construction.
http://www.miltonmadisonbridge.com/gallery/live-bridge-cam/
-Newel
My complaint
Actually, I've got a couple of complaints. The first is that I woke up to four inches of snow today. It's gone now, but it is still pretty cold. I have a fire going in the wood stove right now. Where is that global warming everyone complains about? Bring it on!
My second complaint is that there is not much activity on this blog. I want to know what is going on with everyone on a more regular basis.I want more detail about everyone's lives, even if it is mundane and boring. I get the feeling that no one wants to post anything unless they have been nominated for a Nobel Prize.
We spent several days in Wyoming and when we got home Brandon and Jenine came up and spent a couple days with us. We brought Katie and Tagg with us so we had all the grandchildren together for a day. Now we are back to our quiet, normal existence except that Anette is sick with a cold and I am trying hard not to catch it.
I haven't planted any garden yet because it has been too dang cold and wet. We have almost 200% or normal snowpack and it is all going to melt at once. Our stake has already stockpiled thousands of sandbags for the expected flooding. Luckily they just put a much bigger culvert under the road down from our house so we don't expect water to back up into our property. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
I can finally see the sun, so I guess I'll go feed the horses and chickens. I'm serious about the more info situation. I'm also expecting to be nominated for a Nobel Prize, just so you know. I'll post more about it when it happens.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Latest from Creed
Party people
We had one partying week this week. It was awesome. We worked super hard and found some really cool people. One day we got a reference and when we went back to contact it we found a family of 10 and they all listened and paid attention to the lesson we taught. The next day we found a little family of a mom and 3 kids and she said she really needs a church or some sort of activities for her kids to go to. She also asked us the awesome question of what do I have to do to be a member of the church? So that was an awesome contact. We had a lot of lessons this week but sadly when Sunday rolled around none of the people we had found came to church. It was a major bummer but I think if we work hard this week we can get them to church next week and then its all downhill to the font from there.
Even though we didn’t have any investigators in church we have been seeing a lot of inactives come which is super cool. One lady named Sister Sosa has come the last two Sundays and we had visited her a while ago with the Relief society pres and she told us good luck with her because they had tried before. Her family owns a bar and they are some of the last people you would expect to be members but I think she is starting to change. Were also visiting a 16 year old inactive who came last week and he has a few friends in the church he is way more interested in the church than you would expect a 16 year old boy to be, I think it may have to do with the girls in the church. Who can blame him?
My comp is pretty cool. He is originally from Columbia and he spent like 10 years there. Then he moved to Alaska and now he lives in Lehi Utah his dad flies Blackhawk helicopters I think so that is also super cool. He is super good at MMA so Jacob better watch out because my comp will teach me how to rip him apart with my fist and heels. He just got back from Aruba and so he also speaks Papiamento so that is also pretty cool.
Today my comp and all the missionaries from the Islands ABC had to go talk to president and pick up some luggage they left in storage before they went out to the islands so that is what we did this morning. Who is that little red head girl in the wagon with Tagg? Those kids look so big and different I can’t wait to play with them.
Anywho I love you all tons and I’m trying to be like Jesus. I still have a lot of time to learn and I need it too.
love you all
Creed
We had one partying week this week. It was awesome. We worked super hard and found some really cool people. One day we got a reference and when we went back to contact it we found a family of 10 and they all listened and paid attention to the lesson we taught. The next day we found a little family of a mom and 3 kids and she said she really needs a church or some sort of activities for her kids to go to. She also asked us the awesome question of what do I have to do to be a member of the church? So that was an awesome contact. We had a lot of lessons this week but sadly when Sunday rolled around none of the people we had found came to church. It was a major bummer but I think if we work hard this week we can get them to church next week and then its all downhill to the font from there.
Even though we didn’t have any investigators in church we have been seeing a lot of inactives come which is super cool. One lady named Sister Sosa has come the last two Sundays and we had visited her a while ago with the Relief society pres and she told us good luck with her because they had tried before. Her family owns a bar and they are some of the last people you would expect to be members but I think she is starting to change. Were also visiting a 16 year old inactive who came last week and he has a few friends in the church he is way more interested in the church than you would expect a 16 year old boy to be, I think it may have to do with the girls in the church. Who can blame him?
My comp is pretty cool. He is originally from Columbia and he spent like 10 years there. Then he moved to Alaska and now he lives in Lehi Utah his dad flies Blackhawk helicopters I think so that is also super cool. He is super good at MMA so Jacob better watch out because my comp will teach me how to rip him apart with my fist and heels. He just got back from Aruba and so he also speaks Papiamento so that is also pretty cool.
Today my comp and all the missionaries from the Islands ABC had to go talk to president and pick up some luggage they left in storage before they went out to the islands so that is what we did this morning. Who is that little red head girl in the wagon with Tagg? Those kids look so big and different I can’t wait to play with them.
Anywho I love you all tons and I’m trying to be like Jesus. I still have a lot of time to learn and I need it too.
love you all
Creed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)