November 24, 2009

Ryan showing his winter fashions

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope it goes well. I know it'll be amazing for me! We get to actually watch G rated Disney movies, so we're gonna start at 4 in the morning and watch movies untill dinner. Then we're goin to a big gymnastics place and planyin around in there till we go to bed. So i'm def excited. I'm still trying to think of a way to convince our mission president to let me watch the Cowboys or Longhorns on Thanksgiving, but it's very doubtful.

So funny stories... I had my first lady give me a dirty look for buying dr pepper. she actually came up all snug and was looking at my grocries and was like oh dr pepper huh? I was like ya gotta have it and started talking to her. I found out she has a 19 year old son and asked where he's serving. Turns out ms self-rightous has a son who's not exactly headed in the right direction... kinda knocked the smug off her.

We also pulled up to an appt and talked to the drunk guy. He thought we were gonna jump him. It was pretty funny.

But best part of the week was at church. This lady went up to give a talk. She started by talking about how she prepared the talk. then she just read the first line of Called to Serve and sat down. Shortest talk ever. And there was only one other speaker. I felt bad for him but he did well.

Things are goin well here. Gettin cold. Fairbanks is awesome, I'm learning a lot from him. So I go to the Hospital too much. Sat morning we were playing Dodgeball for zone sports and Elder Fairbanks totally messed up his pinkey... didn't dodge the ball. so now i've been to the ER twice and the doctor 3 times in my short stay here. He's in a soft cast for a while. It's funny watching him try to cut stuff up at dinner.

But everything happens for a reason. He's been on out here for a while and gettin ready to head home. He had some things he was worried about and was asked twice if he wanted a blessing of comfort. Both times he declined. so Sat morning he got a blessing for his pinkey by one of the Zone Leaders and it started with words of comfort. What was said was exactly what he needed to hear. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much and helps us as much as he can. When he wants us to hear something from him... we'll hear it. Even if you have to have your pinkey broken to hear it. it was truely a testimony builder.

I love being here so much. The only complaint I have is it's going by too fast. I was scared that I'd be too slow but I wanna sign up for another mission just so it'll feel like i'm gone for 2 years.. not 2 months. I know this is where I'm supposed to be and i'm learning a lot more than i'm teaching other ppl. It's the best thing to see someone's life change for the better as they feel the spirit in their lives and accept Christ in their lives. Any time I bear my testimony or read the Book of Mormon I truely feel the Holy Ghost in my life, and I want this feeling to continue for eternity. The great thing is it can, and with my family. So I encourage any members to try to read every day. Start the day off right. and anybody who isn't a member to give it a chance. I know it's the word of God and another testiment of Jesus Christ. I know God talks to prophets just like he has in the days of old. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He loves us all the same, and wants to continue to be a light in our lives. I'm just trying to help people see the light.

Yall have a great Turkey Day, Go Cowboys, and don't be afraid to write.


Elder Pearson
 

All the Texans in the Utah Ogden Mission in the actual Ogden area (before Elder Shonk went home and they lost one)

Art By Ryan

He sent a letter with a drawing.  Ryan said Aunt Laurie wanted to see a picture.  So here you go.  Art by Elder Pearson.

November 17, 2009

This week i got a new companion, Elder Fairbanks. He's awesome! we're having a real good time. He was a Zone Leader in this area a while ago, so he knows a lot of ppl. We have one kid, Abe, getting ready to go on a mission to Australia. So to prepare, he's going everywhere with us. Things r going great.

It's gotten a tad chilly again. The lowest it's been while we've been out and about that i know of is 22. There's snow everywhere. We've started teaching youth lessons. Pretty much, anyone in high school who wants to meet up at this one house and we give a 1/2 hour spiritual thought or lesson. We're gonna do it once a week. The last one was pretty good, pretty good turnout.

So last week on wed, my left foot started killing me. I couldn't walk on it. so i eventually went to the doctor and he looked at it. I guess i had a cut i didn't know about and it got all infected and what not. so it started spreading until i couldn't walk and would have gone up my leg if i didn't go to tha doctor. so i got an antibiotic shot in the butt and some pills to pop. it's doing a lot better, still looks pretty sweet.

So i sent my camera's memory card home 2 weeks ago with all my pics and videos from the MTC and my first transfer out here. Somehow on the way home in the mail, it got messed up and is of no use. So no new pictures for a while, sorry. kinda sux.... but it OK, because i know Lil things like this are Satan trying to bring ppl down and the work is too important to let that happen.

I wanna end with my testimony that Christ's true church he set up was lost, but has been completely restored. That we do have Prophets who are mouthpieces for our Father in Heaven. That God loves us all so much and give us commandments as opportunities for happiness and to show our love back to him. Already, I noticed I've started to take for granted the gift that we all have as members, the Holy Ghost. It's such a powerful thing and isn't limited by words like ppl are. It works through your feelings and tells you what's right and what we need to do. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be out here today. I'm grateful to live in a time that we have the priesthood, God's authority, here on the earth and we can strive to be like Jesus. I know we all come short, but all that's asked of us is to keep trying. To endure to the end. Then, we can look our Savior in the eyes at judgment, tell him we did what we could, and he'll embrace us with his love. I love my family for preparing me for this mission. I love ya ll for supporting me, and those of ya ll who have written me so far. I've felt God's love so much in my life and I'm here to give other's the chance to understand it in it's full potential.

Elder Pearson

November 10, 2009

Hey Everyone, how's it goin? My transfer is already over! it's crazy! Tomorrow i'm gettin a new companion, Elder Fairbanks, who appearantly is awesome! so i'm excited. I'm staying in the Washington Terrace. Now i just gotta stay another transfer after that to have a good Xmas. Because this transfer ends Dec 21st.

So good stories this week. We were eatin dinner with this one family. One of the kids asked me how long i've been out and i said 3 1/2 years. i said i signed up for 2 missions. the father asked the kids what his fav song was and all 3 of them started singing a song to the tune of Fara Zchoka. it quoted 2nd Nephi 9:34 which says "wo unto the liar who shall be thrust to Hell" it was hilarious. i got it on video. Best dinner ever. I finally had jello... about time.

We went down to the Ghetto part of our area to teach a guy for the first time. There was a Ginormous evil dog going crazy as we rode to the fence. the dog was chained to the house by the door. so we put our bikes in the yard out of reach of the dog and as we walked up to it it layed down and was happy. then it decided it wanted to play and started jumping on me and taking playful bites. only problem is it was as heavy as me and it's playful bites hurt. The thing is just lucky it didn't tear my suit. When we got to the door, the guy said we were the first ppl ever to get to the door without him in the yard. feels pretty sweet.

My last story is from sunday. we were supposed to give a talks in the 13th ward at 11:00. We realized at 10:50 we were at the wrong building and had to book it to the right one on our bikes. as we walked into sacrament meeting one of the counselors announced we were here and asked us to join them on the stage. we made an entrance. Then during my talk, i gave my goals joke i gave at my farewell talk. Which completly disses the U of Utah. At the end of sacrament the bishop went to the podeum and said it was his job to correct false docterine. and he said i had some in my talk. I got terrified. i was trying to think what i said that was contrary to our beliefs. but he was only talking about the joke. big relief. and i talked to a guy who has family in Waller. that was cool.

I sent my memory card to my mom last tuesday so there should be some new pics soon... a lotta new pics. That's about it for the email. we're teaching a lotta ppl. working really hard. and having a blast. I love bein a missonary, but i miss yall.

Elder Pearson

[mother's note - the memory card is corrupted and I am trying to see if I can recover anything.  I am sick with the thought the pictures are lost since those will include his first baptism, etc.  Stay tuned for more]

November 3, 2009

How's everyone doin? No real funny stories this week. Just pure business.

When i just got to this area they combined two areas together so my comp and i have been doing the work that 4 missionaries before us did. but they're about to split it again. so the work will be better. we'll get to know more people and help our investigatores more.

we're teaching a 12 year old and we sang her a hymn. this made her mad and she told us to come with a rap next time. so i wrote an awesome rap for her next time we stop by. i forgot it at home, but it's good.

I just learned that the Highschool in my area (ginormous btw) is the school they filmed High School Musical at. i havn't been in it. but the outside is pretty cool.

So when i heard i was going to utah for my mission, i thought i'd have jello every day. It's their state food. but to my suprise, i havn't had any jello since i came out of the MTC. 5 weeks with no jello. it's a suprise.

We're teaching a couple who aren't married, but living together. so we can't baptize them until one of those things change. we finally confronted them about it on sunday. i was scared because i doubted they'd care. we had 2 show up at their appt. and drag them to church that day. but they actually said they've been talkig a lil about it. it was cool. they're great ppl, we just need to get them motivated to attend church and wait for stuff till they're married.

i ate lunch at a place called wingers yesterday. The food was decent. but as a side dish, everyone had fries, and for some reason they gave me celery. i was mad. who put celery as a side-dish at a resturaunt? Trash.

well those are my rants and raves. how are yall? Write me! Lemme know how ur all doin. PEEACE