12-17-13

This is the only picture I took this week. If you can't see what I'm scared about, look in the corner of the house and you'll see this evil bear/beaver looking thing sticking up out of the ground. I don't know why these people have this but I think it's funny every time I pass by it.

Family,

 

Yeah, I was defintiely relieved after talking it out for a little bit as Dad said that I needed to do in order to feel a little better. I actually feel a lot better now especially after our zone meeting that we had in Salina this past Friday. I learned a lot but the main thing that I got was how you can make your mission seem so much better if you just had the right attitude. So after the meeting, I told myself "I'm a missionary! The best time of your life!" so now I feel lots better and don't care what anyone says about the church that may seem negative. The week started out rough as it almost always does, but picked up over the weekend as it always seems to do. We have 3 appointments tomorrow too so hopefully that will go well. Friday we also had our Christmas party. After the Halloween party and seeing how many people there were there, the branch kind of over-prepared for the event. But I liked it and there was a lot of food and a loooooooooooot of left-over cake. Yesterday was a good day too. Before church, we had choir practice. We're singing "A new star over Bethlehem", "Come thou long expected Jesus," and one other song that I can't remember. I like it but we do these really really weird warm up stuff for our voices that don't help. I miss brother Peterson directing. Can he do it here AND there please? What songs are you singing for choir? I'm sure it'll be great to hear. During Gospel principles, we had a lady who is less-active that we met a little over a week ago come to church. She has been less-active for 15 years or something like that (maybe even more) and knew that she needed to come back. So that was an awesome moment. In priesthood, the young men's president asked us to teach the first lesson to the priests so that they could get ready for their missions and especially for next year's youth curriculum. That was fun to do that and they seemed to enjoy it too. Later that night, we had an appointment with a single Mom who is one of those golden investigators that does everything you ask. Her biggest hang up, though was tithing. After having the member-present explain tithing a little bit and us testifying about how if you give it a shot, then watch and see the Lord's blessings pour out upon you. She uses every penny she has right now for the use of her daughter, home, and truck. She accepted the principle and will defintely soon get baptized...once we set a date for her. On Saturday, we got to give the only person we have with a baptismal date a priesthood blessing because he's been getting back spasms and is very unhealthy. I love using the priesthood for the benefit of others. It makes me feel so good. This was just overall a good week but I have a ton of letters to write after all the letters I got last week, haha! I also heard the news on Friday about the shooting in Connetticut. Isn't it so great to be on your mission and not have to worry about the news and stuff? It is a sad story but happy because those kids are now going to dwell with the person that gave them life in the celestial kingdom. They don't have to suffer anymore here on Earth and experience the evil therein.

 

That's great that your new job is going so well. I hope students tehre are nice because you know how some high school students can be. Have you heard much swearing yet? I'm sure you'll get a full dose of that eventually. Your assigment this week is to send me pictures from the wedding, tell me how it goes, and to say Hi to Rifka for me (and Tyler too). So about our call for Christmas, I asked around last Monday and yes, I will be able to skype. What will happen is I will call you (don't know what time yet. I guess you'll just find out when I call you) right before I get on and get your username and you get my username so that we can find each other. I don't know how to do that because skype back home was just all of my facebook friends. So if Dad knows, could he please send me a letter telling me how to do that? Or maybe I could ask brother Yearout. Whatever, we'll figure it out. It will last about 30-40 minutes because that's what our mission president has established. So just a recap: Yes we can skype; I will call you right beforehand to exchange usernames; we get on and somehow find each other. I still have to work on Christmas but I think it'll be fun to do so. The call will most likely be coming in the afternoon. So don't go anywhere. Elder Black got his big Christmas package this past week and I'm looking forward to your new one and will open it on Christmas day unless everything is wrapped. 

 

Well, I can see that the city of Wamego is slowly yet surely opening their hearts to us. While there are still those that are opposed to us, there are lots who like talking to us. Hopefully I should be getting another baptism in the next month as explained in the paragraph above. How's Cody's eagle project looking? Is he on his way to getting his eagle by the end of the school year? That would be sweet. How's wrestling going? The kid that I told you about that wrestles here and is in the priest's quorum here has been getting looked at by several colleges for scholarships, he is that good. I would like to see him wrestle Cody. That would be cool. Other than that, how's life going in general for everybody? When are Caitlin and Billy moving? I hope to get tehir address soon. Oh, before I end the e-mail here, I will be sending a package to Cody and Jayson with the Harvester and one other thing in there. I know they will love to destroy each other with what I will send them. Elder Clare got it for Halloween and I don't need it so... yeah. Well sounds like an awesome week for everyone last week and this week. Good luck with all the flowers and wedding stuff! I won't be sending another e-mail next week because the library will be closed for Christmas eve. Until then, adieu. Love,

 

Elder Sutherland

 

PS: "Attention life forms. I come in peace. I mean you no harm. But I just wanted to let you know that some of you may now survive the next 48 hours. But those of you that do survive will be kidnapped and experimented on. So just a recap: I come in peace, I mean you no harm; and you will all die. Hail Galaxar."

[Hopefully Cody knows the real quote]