20 June 2011

So this last week was rough, but really good.  Juan, our awesome investigator, went to the DC temple on Saturday with our stake.  He LOVED it.  He thought that baptisms for the dead was the coolest thing ever.  And he was bearing testimony on the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith.  It was awesome. He says he's not ready to get baptized, because he doesn't know all the commandments, but he's progressing a TON!  Yeah, it's really sad about our convert who just disappeared.  The saddest part is that he kNOWS he's breaking the law of chastity, but he's just too caught up in it.  Our other convert is slipping away also.  He doesn't even get embarrassed when we catch him drinking anymore.  It really makes me frustrated, because he KNOWS about his baptismal covenants.  

   Yeah, I'll try to stay awake.  As Elder Tolstrupp so eloquently reminded me when a member asked how I feel and I replied "I'm tired."  He said "You can sleep on the plane."  It was hilarious.  I'm definitely not ready to go home, but my body is just physically exhausted.  I can  barely stay awake through all 3 hours of church now, and I fall asleep in my prayers just about every night.  It's hard.  

   In other news, I get to see Mormon Tabernacle Choir tonight.  It's going to be awesome.  And side note: Don't ever move to Colorado.  It' been almost impossible for Elder Giesick to get his license.  Colorado sucks.   On Thursday/Friday, I got to go on an exchange to VA Beach with Elder Wiles, and we visited Fernando and Griszelda and also Teo and Mercedes.  It was SO COOL!  Teo and Mercedes are getting sealed on the 9th of July and they want me to be there!  I don't know how much a plane ticket to and from DC would cost???  maybe?    Fernando got the priesthood yesterday, and then I got to talk to Jaime Medina, my peruano.  It was a really cool exchange.  

  As for raging waters.... I'm going to be a freshly released missionary, still awkward, with an extra 25ish pounds on me.  I don't know if that's a great combo...  And is no one else coming down with us?  

   Well, I don't really know what else to say.  The going home jokes are getting more and more brutal as the days go on.  My ward mission leader is making ribs for me on Thursday.  We ate them with Elder Allen and they were SOOOO good.  I just have to keep my head down 1 more week.   I can do it.  

   See you next Tuesday :)

   Elder Campbell

13 June 2011

Well, that's sad to hear about uncle david.  Kinda hard to believe actually.  But, if C. Scott Grow's brother can come back after being excommunicated, it's possible for Uncle David as well.  

   Yes, Elder Giesick got the shoes and he's worn them a few times.  I thought they were pretty cool.  He wore them when we went to do service at the animal shelter.  It was way fun!  We only had to walk there, all of 4.4 miles, in 105 degree weather.  Then walk back.  But it was way fun.  We actually rescued a kitten the other night and brought it to the animal shelter.  She was absolutely adorable.  We found her playing with the hair of this drunk guy who was passed out behind a 7-11, so I picked her up and then she wouldn't leave us alone.  So we brought her in to the shelter and they let us name her.  So we named her Lola.  She was adorable, I have a picture of her.  I'll show you when I get home.

  As for my last monday, you can write me.  My companion is going to be here to check his email, so I'll come and say what's up.  

    We did a lot of service last week, which was cool.  We have mission conference this week, and afterwards, I'm going on an exchange in VA Beach with Elder Wiles.  I'm going to go visit Teo and Mercedes and I'm SOOOO excited!  We have district p-day today, we're making t-shirts adn playing basketball, so it should be way sweet.  We're still seeing lots of opposition, especially with teh recent converts.  One of them has completely disappeared off the map.  Won't answer the phone and we don't know where he moved to.  He just doesn't really want anything to do with the gospel.  It's really sad.  The other one at least came to church yesterday, so that was a big step.  I made a deal with him that if he's at church every sunday until I leave, I'll buy him a carne asada on my last day.  So, I have a question.  More of 2 requests.  On the way home from the airport, can we stop by In N Out?  I assume I'm going to be hungry, and that would be AWESOME!  Then, On Wednesday, the 29th, can we go to the temple?  It's been FOREVER since I've gone and I REALLY REALLY want to go.  Those are my requests. 

 It's going to be so weird being back in Galena Ward.  I'm going to be a member of Galena ward in 3 weeks.  THAT is weird!  And yes, I mailed a package home.  I sent it parcel post, so it could be there when I get there! haha  It's got my camera and some other stuff in it, some notebooks and pictures I think.  And my big winter jacket, which I DEFINITELY won't need here anymore.  It's SO hot out here already.  It's insane.  

    Well, I can't really think of much more, but I'll see you in 2 weeks anyway.

 Love ya 

     Elder Campbell

6 June 2011

haha, ok, if you really really want to send us some shoes, you can.  My comp said a 12,  because he has pairs of shoes ranging from 11 up to 13, so a 12 would be a safe bet.  I think a 10 1/2 would probably be good.  That's what all my other shoes are.  

  Yes, I got my trunky papers.  I had to give my departing testimony at zone meeting on friday, and so I was already depressed because of that.  And then we get home and I look in the mailbox, and there they are.  I opened them up at the table, and I was going to read the letter out loud to Elder Giesick, but I got as far as "Dear Elder Cam" and then I started crying.  It was horrible.  Like, one of the most depressing days of my mission.  talk about a double whammy!

    So yeah, last week was better. I was able to sign up for 3 classes, because I don't know which ones I need apart from these 3, and I'm going to test straight out of the spanish.  So we'll see how it goes.  My first semester back might be a really weird schedule, but we'll see.  

   We're starting service at the Portsmouth Animal Shelter on Thursday.  We're way excited.  We get these sweet t-shirts.  It's gonna be way fun.  One of the options for service is "CAT TLC"-  Cuddling with cats, playing with them, brushing them, etc.  It should be sweet.  We'll see about how much we do with dogs, because 60% of the dogs there are Pitbull/pit mixes.  So....

    Well, if I were to go to Europe, I would LOVE to go through Spain.  That would be SWEET!  But Italy would be legit also!  

    So Elder Giesick is having some acid reflux problems, so we had to go in today so he could do a berrium swallow and get x-rayed, and then on Wednesday he's going to get scoped through the mouth and scoped in the other place too.  Kind of funny.  We laugh about it alot.   We got to do service for a family last night.  As we were walking out the door, the wife says "Hey, we have something for you to do.  WE need you to pull a branch down."  There was a MASSIVE branch from one of their trees that was caught in the other branches due to the storm, so we lassoed it with an extension cable and took it down.  Tonight we're going over to chop it up for them.  

   Apparently I've been hearing about all these weather phenomenon lately.  Like, what's going on?  I hear about everything so late because hispanics don't listen to the news.  I didn't even hear about the Rapture prediction until the night it was supposed to happen.  It's crazy.  I'm SOOOO out of the loop.

   I started making smoothies last week for breakfast and it is delicious!  Best idea ever!  I can make a better smoothie than Jamba Juice!  It's great!  you should try it for sure!  

  Well, I think that's all I got.  Take care and I'll see you soon!  Loves

  Elder Campbell

31 May 2011

So those little orange things are called chicharron(there are like, 8 different things called chicharron), it's pretty much just a fried wheat pasta kind of and they pour hot sauce on it and eat it.  They're alright, I definitely don't ever have cravings for them though.

   So the correlation for those verses.  So, when we fall into sin and iniquity, we get to the point where the spirit ceases to strive with us(or abandons us).  Christ never had the spirit abandon him in his entire life, until he was atoning for our sins.  In those moments, he had to feel what it was like to be completely alone, have the presence of his Father withdraw from him, and know how we felt when we mess up and are alone.  And he even asked "Why hast thou forsaken me?"  Just kind of cool to think about, helped me understand the atonement a little more and appreciate it.

    This last week was horrible.  Probably the worst week of my mission!  Due to my companion going to richmond, I was in Suffolk adn we had to go between Suffolk and Chesapeake all week, adn I got sick and had to stay home one day, and it was just ridiculous.  I'll tell you more about it when I get home.  

     Yeah, I'm signing up for classes today.  I've had quite the time getting ahold of the info I need to be able to do it.  Lots of "We can't give that info out over the phone" and "You need to call this place to get that."  Frustrating, but I've finally got everything.  So I'll be doing that today.  I hope it was a good letter from President.  I can't believe that tomorrow is June.  I should be getting my trunky papers thursday.  That will be a sad day.  But good news!  On the 20th, we're all going to see Mo Tab at the scope arena in Norfolk.  That should be fun!

  Umm, last tuesday was the worst storm I've ever seen in my life!  And we were in the middle of it! The tree outside of our apartment got split in half.  It was crazy!  A tornado actually touched down about 5 miles away from our apartment!  It was nuts.  But we survived, so it's alright.

  Anywho, love you all, I'm going to go sign up for classes.  Take care!

       Elder Campbell

23 May 2011

3 Weeks 1 day and 14 hrs and my sweet sunshine will be home!!! 
 Hi all-
So yeah.  If you could check that (UNR sign up info) as soon as possible and call me or text me, I would appreciate it.  I also have permission to go online to sign up for classes, so the sooner I get that started, the better.
    This week has been pretty cool.  I got to sit in on one of our recent convert's patriarchal blessings yesterday.  That was really cool because he's somebody that I found down here while I was in VA Beach, and then to come back and he's a member and getting his blessing, it was really cool.  He's doing really well right now.  In other news, the other RC here just had some girl move in with him.  He met her last week and they're already shacked up.  It's really sad and he's really falling away right now.  We've got an investigator pool now, so that's nice.  Finding has been hard, but we're trying new ways and trying to not get discouraged.  

   I had a SUPER SWEET study today!  I was reading in Mosiah Chap 1 and in verse 5 it talks about how the brass plates were what saved Lehi's family from dwindling in unbelief.  It says how those that didn't read the scriptures didn't have that faith and ended up being the lamanites.  So I started thinking about all thepeople we meet everyday who say "Yeah, you need to read the bible."  yet they don't do it at all.  And look at the quality of their life?  Look at how they spend their time?  They're just like lamanites.  I don't want that to sound judgemental or racist or anything, but it's true.  Reading the scriptures gives you a purpose in life adn helps you know where you're going, and gives you the faith to get there.  It was pretty cool.  Then I read Mosiah 1:13, and cross referenced it with 2 Nephi 26:11 and Matthew 27:47.  read those and see what they have in common.  It's way cool.  Complete testimony builder of the atonement.  

   Yeah, I had heard that Kurt moved to Boston.  Don't know how long ago.  

     Well, I don't really know what else to tell you.  Think that's all I got.  I'm sure I'll think of something else once I get off, but oh well.

 Love you all.  Take care

     Elder Campbell

16 May 2011

Well hello. So this week has been insane.  Yesterday in particular.  So Erenia, the awesome lady who was supposed to get baptized.  Well, she's avoiding us.  Way sad.  But we found this guy Jose Luis Torres last saturday.  We talked to him and invited him to church and he was like "Yeah!  I'll be there!"  well, he ended up getting called into work, so he couldn't come.  So we taught him 2 times this week and he really enjoyed it.  The church that he was going to in Mexico also believes in a restauration, that God and Christ appeared to this guy, and that they restored the church through him.   Way weird, right?  But he has seen a lot of things that aren't right with that church.  So yesterday, he shows up 10 minutes early for church.  He's sitting there enjoying the prelude music.  Then in Gospel Principles, we teach priesthood organization and we did a demonstration with car keys representing priesthood keys.   He understood it really well!  He loved it!  So then in 3rd hour, we just did a question and answer session and he goes "So how are your baptisms here?"  Luckily, we have a returned missionary in class who just got home 2 weeks ago, and he was in the pilot mission that did Church tours in spanish.  So he takes them to the baptismal font and starts explaining about baptism and afterwards, Jose Luis goes "Ok, well I ask because I want to get baptized."  It was super legit!  Then he asked about marriage and we explained temple marriage, and then he asked about if the church was all over the world.  It was awesome.  

   So then, we're teaching these 2 guys that live with a member, and neither one of them knows how to read.  We  had no idea what to teach them, because everything we did, they didn't care about.  So we asked them if they wanted to learn how to read, and the one shoots up in his chair and says "I DO!!!!!!!!!!"  So we promised him that if he read the book of Mormon 10-15 minutes every day, he'd learn to read by the end of it.  it was way cool.  Then we almost got in a bash with a 10 year old (I'll have to tell you about that one later!)  Then we had a former investigator who was going to get baptized find us and tell us that she wants to start taking the lessons again and that she was testifying to her downstairs friend about us and so now her friend wants to learn also!  It was so cool!  And all of this happened yesterday! It was crazy!

    So yeah, things are going well.  Didn't get a transfer call last night, so Elder Giesick and I are staying the same.  I'm glad, I think we weork well together.  We've been trying to find new ways to find, and we're going to set up an horchata stand outside some hispanic apartments :) haha We also are thinking about going to laundromats on saturdays because that's when all the hispanics do their laundry.  

  So that's about it this week.  Oh, I also bought a new razor.  Mine had the same head and blades for like, 4 years now, and it was just hacking my face up.  So when I got to wal-mart, a nicer cordles razor was like, 8 bucks more than replacement heads, so I went for it.  But now I look more nicer as a representative of the Lord! haha

   i've had some SUPER COOL studies lately.  My studies were just kind of dying out lately, but over the past 3 or 4 days, I've had some of the best studies of my life.  I'm way excited.

   So any news about UNR?  Have they been able to get my password or anything?  President Perry said I could go online and do my class sign up if I need, I'd just need to know what website to go onto.  I think I could probably figure out my password I imagine, but I don't even know what to do to sign up for classes.  If somebody (like you :) could find out WHAT classes are needed (like, what general classes there are that I need to take and what website to go to) I could prob ably remember or figure out how to do it.  So.  That would be awesome.

    Love you all.  Take care and have a great week.

         Elder campbell

9 May 2011

This was the day after our mothers day phone call, so there wasn't much to say. 




Yeah, I don't really know what else to say.  Haha  Hope you have a great week and take care :)

 Elder Campbell

2 May 2011

Holy cow, she is super hairy.  That's cool!  Congratulations Mal!  She is a little fatty.  Looks kind of like a miniaturized version of me :) hahaha  dang hispanic food.

   I think I'm going to take a semester off and work when I get home, figure out what I'm doing.  I feel like there's some big changes in my life plan coming up when I get home, so we'll see... haha

    So tonight we're driving down to Elizabeth City, North Carolina to look for hispanics down there and see if maybe we can't get that place opened to spanish missionaries.
  We should be having a baptism next week at 7 oclock, so I don't know what time you all get out of church.  Hopefully it doesn't interfere with calls, but if it does, I just want you to know, I'd choose the baptism.  No offense.  It doesn't mean I don't love you.  It just means taht I'll see you in 8 weeks!  hahahah  Erenia, from Nicaragua, she's getting baptized next week.  Her boyfriend is moving out of the house, so she'll be obeying the law of chastity.  It was sweet how it all worked out.  

   We're still struggling to find solid investigators, but I think I'm finally figuring out what PMG is talking about in finding.  We've been working on just going straight into our message on door steps and teaching people by bearing testimony and it's working out pretty well.  We had some guy that was not interested on his door step, and I just go "we share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that was restored through a prophet in these last days.  The evidence of that is found here in the Book of Mormon, and you can know about it."  And he just looked at us and then started talking about his beliefs and doubts and things.  It was way solid.  So Preach My Gospel really is inspired.  Who knew?

   My comp is doing good, his spanish is sloooooooooooowly improving :) haha  He had a really rough weekend.  His parents sent him a big envelope with all the letters and pictures that he had sent them throughout his entire mission, and they wrote a letter that said "Don't call on Mother's Day or Christmas.  We don't want to hear anything about you."  And that was it.  It was real rough.  Even worse was that it was on his birthday, so I'm taking him out to lunch today to celebrate.  Hope you don't mind.  

  So elder beckman.  Let's just say that for awhile, he was one of the most disobedient missionaries I had ever heard of.  He's really shaped up these last 2 transfers though.  It was incredible to see.  

   Umm, otehr than that, I don't really know what to say. It's been a good week.  Pretty tough, but that's how it's supposed to be.

   hope you're all feeling better and that you're sharing the gospel

       Elder Campbell

25 April 2011

Wow, so what happened to the house?  I was looking at those pictures, and I thought "Who's house are they in?"  That's weird.  Haha

  As for the easter box, they actually arrived in good condition.  The robin's eggs and reeses eggs were a little spread out in the box, but they all end up in the same place right?  haha I let my comp open the box, figured he'd enjoy it, and he sees the basket full of snickers and looks at me and goes "I love your family!!!".  He was way excited.  So thank you all very much for that, I think it really helped him.  He really enjoyed the card as well.  

    As for bodily injuries, I'm pretty sure I permanently jacked up my right thumb, and I might  have damaged my right ankle, not to mention my shin splints that never seem to go away.  My thumb and ankle both got jacked up in Charlottesville, I can't bend my thumb all the way, but it still works, so no complaints here.  My ankle seems to get better, but it doesn't stretch right in the morning when I wake up, but once again, it still works.  Shin splints seem to be going away.  I've been wrapping with an ace bandage and then I bought two calf support wraps, which seem to help a lot. We'll see today, we're playing ultimate frisbee for District P-Day.  We're also going crabbing in the chesapeake bay.  I'll take some pictures :)

   So in our ward yesterday, they did an easter "cantata" which I had never heard of before, but it was WAY good.  This one member, brother Owen, did a solo, and MAN that guy can sing!  It was incredible.  He sounds like an opera singer with this great baritone voice! Way powerful.

   So yeah, this last week was pretty good.  We've found 9 new investigators in the past 2 weeks, not all of them have been very solid though.  But we've also gotten 6 referrals in the past 2 weeks, so that's nice.  Things are looking up, but its wayyyyy hard to teach a lesson almost completely by yourself.  My companion tries real hard, but he still can't help out a ton due to his spanish, but he's improving a lot.  Yesterday in PEC, our bishop did something a little out of the norm.  He usually tears the missionaries apart for any little thing he can, but yesterday he says "Elders, we're thankful for all that you do.  I want to apologize for the lack of effort from this ward though.  We're really not doing much to help you find new investigators, which is our job as members.  We're going to change that."  It was pretty cool.  As for the set a date program, there's something that I've noticed with members.  A lot of times, we think "which of my friends could I invite?" and then we can't think of anybody, so we assume it has to be somebody new.  But here's a trick-  pull out your phone and open your contacts.  Scroll through them and look for someone that you WANT to share the gospel with.  That's who the Lord will help you with.  Do the sisters teach you HOW to find people?  Or are they just asking you to DO it?  Maybe you could suggest to them that they teach you HOW to invite people and maybe even do some roleplays for a family home evening or something?  I don't know, just a thought.  

    Well, things are good here.  I can't believe I hit 22 months yesterday.  My companion said yesterday "Elder, you've only got your MTC time left!  9 weeks!"  hit me like a ton of bricks.  

   Well, I love you all, will keep you in my prayers.  Take care and find people to teach!

         Elder Campbell

17 Apr 2011

So no, I don't think any of my friends know when I'm gettting home.  I doubt it at least.

  This week has been really good.  We found 5 new investigators and we've been working our tails off. like,  we're going towards an appointment and we've got 5 minutes til it starts so we're like "We can go  make 2 contacts in those 5 minutes."  My companion is doing good.  he's a little strange, so I'm having kind of a hard time relating to him, so it makes some of the conversations awkward, but he's a great guy.  I was amazed at his spanish when he got out of the MTC.  I thought it would have been a lot better for having spent 9 weeks in there, but he's improving really fast.  He's not a visual learner, he's more of a verbal I guess, so I have a hard time teaching him spanish because for me, making verb charts over and over and over was what worked for me.  So I don't know, I try to help him but it's really tough.  

   We had some heavy rain, but not flooding type.  Lots of lightning, but nothing scarier than in Reno. The tornadoes were in NC and about 40 miles west of us, but they still had tornado alert going for us.  It was kind of stupid.  And I think the kid at the computer next to me is Bow Wow, formerly known as Lil Bow Wow.  It's amazing.  

    So my comp is a huge fan of snickers.  He loves em.  He really will eat anything.  Like, ANYTHING.  It's quite incredible.  There's not really a ton new to report on.  THings are going good.  The 15 lbs wights are awesome.  I use them every morning and love them.  They help out a ton.  You can get very creative with free weights!  I spent the night with Elder Beckman the other night.  Him and his companion came up from Elizabeth City for the night for zone meeting, so that was interesting.  I see this one librarian here every week and she is always wearing this black wind  breaker and she has this giant lump that covers the entire lower half of her back.  I'm trying to figure out what it could be.  Any ideas?

  So you should tell the sisters in Galena Ward to take a hike.  That's Elder's territory :) just kidding.  SIsters are pretty cool usually.  But over here, they're sharks.  They'll do anything for a baptism.  I've known countless elders who had an investigator stolen by sisters who then went on to baptize them.  Sharks I tell you.

   I think i'm good on everything over  here.  I might have lost my quad and english PMG.  Not sure on that one.  But tha'ts ok, I speak spanish luckily :) haha

  So when I was here before, we went over to visit this family Ruiz, my first baptism.  And the kid was reading the book Corduroy.  I was like "Oh, my parents used to always read that book to me! I love it!" so then last week we went over, and the kid comes running down the stairs and goes, "Elder, do you remember that book your parents always used to read you?"  I said yeah and he pulls this mini corduroy bear out from behind his back and goes "I want you to have this."  It was so legit!  Not sure if I told you that already or not.  But yeah

   Well, I love you.

  Hope you're doing well

  Take care

  Give out pass along cards

  Elder Campbell

I'm one excited mom!

So, I know it's late, but anyone who wants to go to the airport and be there to see Skyler that night, Come on down!!If there are any changes, I'll post them here too! 

***TENTATIVE***

 

CHURCH TRAVEL CWT                          DATE 19APRIL11

50 EAST NORTH TEMPLE ST                    AGENT VH/NO BOOKING REF 48CPFB

SALT LAKE CITY UT 84150

TELEPHONE: 801 240-5111                    CAMPBELL/SKYLER JAM 165120-R

FAX      : 801-240-5115

 

  MISSIONARY TRAVEL

  VIRGINIA RICHMOND MISSION

 

SERVICE               DATE  FROM           TO             DEPART  ARRIVE

_____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______

DELTA AIR LINES       28JUN RICHMOND VA    ATLANTA GA     420P    605P

DL 1178             TUESDAY RICHMOND       ATLANTA ATL

T ECONOMY                                  TERMINAL S

           NON SMOKING                                    NON STOP

                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         1:45 DURATION

                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING (DOUGLAS) MD-88

                            SEAT 34D NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

 

DELTA AIR LINES       28JUN ATLANTA GA     DENVER CO      715P    833P

DL 1539             TUESDAY ATLANTA ATL    DENVER    

U ECONOMY                   TERMINAL S

           NON SMOKING                                    NON STOP

                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         3:18 DURATION

                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 757

                            SEAT 31C NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

 

US AIRWAYS            28JUN DENVER CO      RENO NV        945P    1100P

US 6113             TUESDAY DENVER         RENO

M ECONOMY

                            FOOD AND BEVERAGES FOR PURCHA NON STOP

                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         2:15 DURATION

UA 0961                    FLIGHT OPERATED BY UA UNITED AIRLINES

                  AIRCRAFT: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A319

                            SEAT 22A NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

 

RESERVATION NUMBER(S)  DL/GI5HNU  US/EC3JS2

 

---------------------------------------------    

NORMA O - EXT 25152

.

(NO)MISSION PRESIDENT JAMES C PERRY

PH 804/ 330 9620 OFFICE 276-8766 HOME

..

11 April 2011

Sooo.  Yeah, my comp is awesome.  His name is Elder Giesick.  From Greeley, Colorado.  He's friends with the missionary who's companion got shot in this area.  Weird coincidence.  He's a convert of 19 months and his story is incredible.  He's really a trooper.  His family wasn't supportive of him joining the church in the first place, but they kind of got over it, but then when he decided to go on a mission, they completely disowned him.  In the MTC they sent him 1 email the entire time and it was just telling him how disappointed they are in him and how they don't want to hear anything from him while he's here.  But he's a champ and knows why he's here and that it's where the lord needs him.

  This week has been pretty rough.  NOt a ton of success seen this week, but we're laying the foundation for a great work.  We had a really cool contact with these two guys yesterday.  They called because they want to come to english class  but didn't know how to get there, so we took a map over to their apartment to show them adn we started talking about the church and it turns out they're from Idaho Falls(well, not originally) and they always saw the Idaho Falls temple.  Also, turns out their bosses are LDS.  So we're talking and they tell us how they're super bored waiting here for the rest of the crew to show up and how they don't have a TV, so we gave them both Books of Mormon and they were like "We'll totally read these and let you know how it goes when we come to english class."  Pretty cool.

   So on Saturday we showed up at one of our RC's house here and  he was acting kind of weird and I got the feeling he was a little tipsy, but he wasn't showing any real signs of being drunk, so we go inside and he sits us down and just starts going off about how he's never really been able to overcome his drinking problem and he feels horrible for it.  He starts crying because he doesn't have any family here and no one to support him and it was just super sad, and he tells us "I need my patriarchal blessing.  That's what is going to tell me what I need to do.  I feel like I'm slipping and I don't know what to grab onto!"  So we helped him out and we go home and then on Sunday he doesn't go to church.  So we go over last night and we see him and he's surrounded by a bunch of people adn so we walk over and he's got blood all over his pants and a bandana tied around his arm and he comes stumbling over and goes "Hermanos, I'm not doing so hot tonight..."  Turns out he got drunk and elbowed a window and a shard of glass stuck in his tricep past the muscle and left about an inch long slice in his arm, and his friends (all drunk) are trying to tell me that it wasn't them, but that he did it to himself.  So we call his home teacher to get him a ride to the hospital. So while we're waiting, everyone except one guy leaves.  And I want you to think about Korihor in the book of mormon.  Remember how he was super smooth with his words and whatnot?  Yeah, this dude starts talking to Marco and he's like "Listen to me.  I'm the truth.  What did you believe in when you came up here?  When you came up here from mexico, Who were you?  And what did you believe in?"  and he starts sayin some stuff and the spirit just DISAPPEARED.  It was scary.  Like, this guy was working some really bad stuff, and me and my comp just got this horrible, sick feeling.  So I look at Marco and was like "Hey, come to the car with us." and his buddy goes "What, am I offending you?  Is there something you dont' like?"  and he's tryin to pick a fight with me, so I just grabbed Marco and get him to our car and his home teacher pulled up and took him to the hospital, he had to get like, 6 stitches or something.  Kind of messed up.  So he's kind of  been a mess these last few days, it's  been kind of rough.

   But other than that, things are going good.  I'm not rollin in a new car yet, but they said the mission is getting its next set of new cars in April(this month), so I should have one by next month :) hahaha

  But yeah, that is the big news from here in Chesapeake.  One of the English elders got ET'd (emergency transferred) on Saturday, but we dont' know why.  He didn't do anything bad, I think it was because he has a really bad stuttering problem that he had gotten over in his last area, but here it just came back with a vengeance, so he said he needed to get out.  I miss him though.  He was sweet.  he's a 6' 8" red head.  funny guy.  Elder Beus.

   I'm sleeping surprisingly well.  I hit the pillow and I'm out within about 5-10 minutes and I sleep straight through the night.  I'm almost sleeping through the alarm too! haha never thought that would happen.  My last few companions have complained because I'm sleeping so well that I'm snoring REALLY loud and it wakes them up sometimes.  I think it's pretty funny.  

   Well, I love you all, hope you're doing well and you keep trusting in the Lord.  

  Alyea informed me that I have 79 days left.  Will someone beat her for me? haha

    Elder Campbell

4 April 2011

Sooooo.  Transfer calls last night.  I was freaking out, because Elder Allen and I wrote down all the possibilities, kind of like an NCAA  bracket, and it wasn't looking too good for me.  Only ones that we figured were really up for transfer were ones that I don't really get along with.  So we're sitting on the couch freaking out(me at least, because he's going home), and the phone rings, and it says "Mission office".  SO I'm thinking, "ok, the AP's are calling from the office.  That's cool."  Well Elder Allen picks up the phone and Pres. Perry says "Elder Allen.  I assume you heard the prophets advice today in conference.  Get married.  That was a recurring theme in conference.  Everyone was talking about it.  Be creative.  Be loving and get married.  That's pretty much the pre-game show for Tuesday.  I guess you know I want to talk to your companion."  So he passes me the phone and Pres. goes "Elder Campbell, you know the drill. The Lord wants you to train again.  So I need you in richmond Thursday at 8:50.  Wish I had more time to talk to you, but I've got to make a  lot more calls.  See you thursday."  Hahahahahaha I was like "NOOOO WAYYYYYYY!"  Elder Allen goes "man, I'm super jealous.  I wanted to train again.  I want to stay one more transfer adn train him with you!"  It's funny how much LESS I was freaking out this time.  It's just like "Ok, lets do it all over again. hahah"  so yeah, that's the big news for this week. 

   I thought conference was great.  I was really surprised at a lot of the talks.  I thought there would be a lot more repentance, but I guess it makes more sense that if families are under attack, we need to learn the doctrine of the family.  It was interesting to see how many talked about getting married.  Poor Elder Allen, as if people weren't already making jokes about him going home, he's just been getting railed on by people "Oh, you heard the prophet.  Your next mission is to get married.  Getting transferred to Utah."  He's super checked out though.  THis whole weekend he's just been like dead weight.  I don't blame him though.  I probably will be too :) haha

  So we've started looking through the phone book lately to find hispanics, and we found this name real close to our apartment and we go to knock on the door and this hispanic looking guy opens, like, looks straight up mexican.  Elder Allen starts talking to him in spanish and the guy just gives us this stupid look and elder allen goes "I'm sorry.  I thought you spoke spanish."  and the guy jsut makes this angry face and slams the door.  It was wayyyy funny.  

  Other funny story.  So we've been going to the laundromat every monday since we got here.  On saturday, I'm talking with Hna. Vazquez on the phone and I just for some reason decided to look outside and the door to this little shed that's attached to our apartment is open.  So I decided to look inside, and we found we have a washer and dryer.  I was like "Hna. Vazquez, do we share a washer and dryer with our neighbors?" (because she lived in the apartment before) and she just starts laughing and I'm freaking out going "We have a washer adn dryer now!"  it was great.  Reminded me of that episode of king of the hill where they go to Japan and spend the whole week in the welcome room of their super nice hotel room.  I felt like an idiot.  

  So I bought 2 15 lbs. weights today.  I'm way stoked.  Hopefully my new companion will want to run with me in the morning to the church.  It's like, 1.2 miles roundtrip to the church and back, so I'm hoping to start doing that 2 or 3x a week.  Elder Allen doesn't handle mornings well.  He sleeps straight through the alarm adn I have to pretty much body slam  him to wake him up, so going outside to workout isn't really an option, even though by the time he comes downstairs, I'm usually asleep on the floor.  So we'll see how it all goes.  

  So how do you enjoy the new car?  And what did you do with the element?  I'm gonna miss that car.  We should be getting a new car real soon.  We're at 50688 miles or something and the church replaces them at 50000, so we're a bit over.  But I guess there's like, 2 other areas who need new cars soon, so I might be rolling around in a fly new car for the last month of my mission, we'll see :) haha

   Erenia is doing alright.  Haven't seen her lately because of her crazy work schedule.  She had to go to the hospital yesterday because of her blood pressure(she's got diabetes and a slew of other health problems) so she couldn't come to conference.  But she's definitely going to get baptized.  She should be moving out in teh next few weeks, so as soon as that happens, she can get baptized :)  Prayers!!!!!

   Well, apart from that, I think that's all the exciting news to tell you about.  Glad you liked the pictures.  It took me about 2 hours to go through and caption all of them.  But it'll help in the future.  I've been failing on my journal lately, so  I'm hoping my companion is a journal writer so I can get re-motivated to to it.  

  Well, I love you all, hope you have a great week.  

       Elder Campbell

28 Mar 2011

So this last week has been kind of rough.  We had a couple drop us (alma and alberto).  He got baptized into a pentacostal church while the sisters were teaching them, and when we talked to them last week, we asked what they thought about getting baptized on the 2nd and she says "My husband, no.  Me, I don't know.  I doubt it.  Why do you want us to get married before we get baptized?  It doesn't say that in the new testament.  It just says repent and be baptized.  Alberto asked the pastor at the pentacostal church if us not being married was a problem, and he said no."  Then 3 days later they dropped us.  They didn't understand what fornication was I guess.  It's way sad to see that 'fornicating' has become part of the main stream culture.  People say "Oh, i'm moving in with this person."  When they should really be saying "We're going to fornicate."  It's ridiculous.  But it's not like the Lord didn't tell us that this was going to happen in the last days :( Our investigator pool is really shallow (like, 3 people), but we've started working with the RC's here a lot, teaching them how to do missionary work.  They're awesome guys and we're definitely going to be seeing miracles with them.  

  So on Saturday, we went to another baptism in VA Beach(2nd saturday in a row), and it's cool because with both of these baptisms, 2 of my converts were involved.  The first one was a 17 year old girl named Ana Vilcherres from Peru.  She was found by my convert Jaime.  Then on saturday, I got to see Teo baptize his nephew David.  It was way cool to see that.  I've gotten to see a few of the fruits of my efforts already.  It's a great feeling.  But finding people has been really tough lately because the sisters here before us did a ton of knocking all the time, so this place has been sufficiently knocked, and I'm just exhausted/tired/fed up with knocking, because it just isn't effective.  I heard about this study that the church did that found that the people who get baptized and stay active the longest are those who have a professional career.  It also found that they are never found knocking.  Why?  Because they are at work during the day.  They can only be found with member referrals.  Now, I know, not a ton of hispanics have professional careers, but the same logic still applies.  The hardest thing now is that our nights are full from 5-9 usually, but it's all that time before 5 that we have to fill up with something effective, and it's DANG HARD! haha  Any ideas?  What would you do to find hispanics during the day?  We sometimes stand outside the hispanic stores and talk to people as they come out, but we can only do that for so long.  What are some other ideas you could think of?  We're doing english classes and playing soccer afterwards, so we'll see how that turns out.  I just don't really know what else we could do.  So that's where the members are coming in.  I hope you can now see the importance of members in missionary work.  If we want the church to GROW and for members to be "hot members" and not "luke warm", the missionaries need your help.  So talk to your co-workers.  Make new friends.  Don't worry if you get rejected.  Pres. Perry was teaching us how we will be blessed more for following a spiritual prompting but screwing it up than for not following it at all and missing an opportunity.  

   Anywho.  I'm fitting more into my pants lately.  Which is sweet :) about time! hahaha  I'm trying to eat in as much as I can, but Elder Allen LOVES to eat out.  He's going home in 8 days, so my next companion better buy a lunch box as well.  Now we just need a weight set and we'll be alright! hhahaha working out in the apartment at 6:30 in the morning is the worst thing ever!  It sucks!  it's too cold outside to go run, but we don't have any workout equipment inside.  Lets just say that couches are very very tempting in the morning.  Having a gym would be a huge blessing!

 So have you heard that VCU is going to the final 4?  Crazy right!?  I heard BYU got hosed in their last game.  Everyone just bodied up on Ferdette and just shut him down.  Our ward mission leaders wife is all too eager to talk about the tournament with us :) haha I won't complain.

   We went to a fireside last night in VA Beach, a missionary fire side.  The whole thing was based around Jesus Christ and testimonies of him, but it kind of turned into the Hna. Vazquez farewell show.  She had a bunch of people from Chesapeake and Henrico come to it and she shared her testimony.  It was good, but I think it kind of lost the focus of Jesus Christ.  

   BTW-  I got bit by some bug on my forehead, and I have this lump the size of a quarter on there.  It sucks.  Everyone stares at me.  I thought it was a gnarley zit at first, so I tried popping it and it just started bleeding.  Now it lookes even gnarlier.  Someone told me to take some benadryl.  Hope that works.  

   Well, I think that's about all I got.  If I think about anything else I missed, you probably wont hear about it.  And yes, I'm SUPER STOKED for general conference.  I can't believe it's been 6 months already.  I'm freaking out.  These 6 weeks have been the fastest of my mission.  LIke, once you hit the year mark, it just starts hitting mach speed and there's nothing you can do to slow it down :(

    Love you all, take care, do missionary work, find people to  baptize

            Elder Campbell

 

 is it really only a month and a half til I talk to you again?  Crazy

21 Mar 2011

So I guess this week I'll just do a big update for everyone.  The coolest news is that on Friday night, Elder Wheatley and Elder Andrade-Estrada(my son) came down from Richmond  and stayed the night with us so that my son could baptize some 17 year old girl in the beach on Saturday.  They inform me that Maria(the lady that I found in Richmond) was getting baptized on Sunday, and she wanted me to confirm her.  So I was like, "Oh man, we're supposed to have a baptism on sunday!" I was freaking out!  So it turns out that Erenia didn't get baptized on Sunday, but that's ok.  On Saturday, I'm making all these calls to get a ride up to richmond so that I can confirm Maria, and everyone is just like "uhhh, I don't know...." In their defense, it's like a 2 hour drive up there.So as a last resort, I call Sergio, a recent convert, and ask him for a ride. He goes "Thats an answer to my prayers.  My company called me yesterday and wants me to work on Sunday, but I don't want to work on Sunday and I didn't want to come up with an excuse and lie. But now I don't have to."  So right after church we 3 pile into his red convertible mustang and we took off.  In Newport News we decided to put the top down, so we cruised up to Richmond with the wind blowing through our hair :) it was sick! haha

   So we get there and all these members are like "Woah, you're back?"  It was fun.  But then we pulled Maria out of Relief Society a few minutes early for her to change, and when she walked out and saw me, she almost passed out from surprise!  She was like "oh my gosh, you didn't tell me that he was coming!!!!"  she started crying and it was way sweet.  Her adorable daughters were there too and they were soooooo cute.  So she gets all changed into white and we're taking pictures and she looks at me and goes "I'm so nervous!"  I was like "Don't be, Elder Andrade-Estrada is really good at baptizing."  She smiles and goes "I'm not worried about that.  The dress is see through!"  It was way funny.  Well the baptism went well and then I confirmed her and it was AWESOME!  Confirming people is the coolest thing ever I think.  I'm also way stoked because she's the very first person I've found on my mission that got baptized.  POR FIN!

   In other news, Erenia, our awesome sister with a baptismal date, her truck got stolen last night.  She's talking with her friend on wednesday about their relationship because she REALLY REALLY wants to get baptized.  So we're seeing a ton of opposition with her.  It's about time. Everything was going super smoothly with her, I was wondering/worrying about when the opposition would start.  

  The time is just flying by here in Deep Creek.  With Elder ALlen going home, it seems like it's flying even faster.  We've been talking alot and reflecting on our missions and it's interesting to see.  It's funny to see how much we've changed since we came out.  Especially me and Elder Wheatley.  Having him here on Friday was like we were back in the MTC.  At the baptism on Saturday, about 5 minutes before it started, the VA Beach Elders say "Hey, the three of you are giving a message in the interlude."  We were like "Thanks for the heads up!"  So we just walk up there without any idea about what to do, and we just went for it, and the spirit was just super strong and it worked out great.  We get done and a few people say "Wow, you were all super unified and it sounded great!" it was sweet.  It's just so awesome how much the spirit can work through you when you've been out for a while.  Like, it's just normal.  I think a lot of times as missionaries we take that for granted, just how much the Spirit really works through us.  It's incredible, but after so long, it just kind of feels normal.  That's one of the things I think I'm going to miss the most after my mission, so I'm going to live it up while I can!

  It's hard being here in Deep Creek, because the hispanics are concentrated in like, 3 areas, and so those three areas have been knocked again and again and again.  So we're going to start looking through the phone book and stalking that way.  Should be pretty fun.  Had some success with it in Charlottesville.  Any other ideas on what we could do to find hispanics?  

  I also got chewed out by a lady in North Carolina.  We were calling all over trying to see where would be the easiest to get a marriage license for illegals (I didn't tell her it was for illegals), and this lady in North Carolina lit me up after she asked me some retarded questions.  SHe asked me where I was and I was like "Portsmouth" and she goes in this nasty voice "Then WHY don't you just get it in Portsmouth?"  I was pissed.  Sometimes I just wish I could light people up too.  One of the benefits of not  being a missionary :) haha

    So congrats on the new car.  I tell the story sometimes about how Grandpa Campbell messed me up in my perception of how you get a new car.  I remember when he had just bought the Crown Vic, and he got a flat, so he just took it to the dealer and got a  new car.  So for a long time, that's what I thought you do.  I just figured that when you get a flat tire, you got a new car.   I should be getting a new car down here in Deep Creek soon.  The church rotates them out every 50000, and our is at 50168 or something.  So maybe before I go home, if I'm still here in Chesapeake,  I'll be rolling around in a brand new car :)  That would be cool.  So hows the traverse?  I saw one the other day, and they look like a giant jelly bean on wheels.  I don't know what Chevy has been thinking lately.  I think their cars are kind of ugly.  The new Lexus Hybrid is SWEET though!  Seen a few of those rolling around here.  But the most popular car with the population here (70% blacks) is the Chrysler 300 or the Dodge Charger.  

   We're going to play ball today on a college-ish size court. Should be way sweet.  I'll hopefully be sending you some pictures of the baptism today(Marias). It was sweet.  Wish you could have been there.  I also got to see Teo and Mercedes on Saturday.  They're prepping to go to the temple :))))))))))))))))))  HOW SWEET IS THAT!!!!!  I love them so much!  They're awesome! 

  Well, think thats it for the week.  Take care.

    Hand out pass along cards to hispanics

 Elder Campbell

14 Mar 2011

So.  What a week.  They're just FLYING by.  I can't believe I've been here almost 3 weeks already.  It's insane.  But, we had an AWESOME church yesterday.  So we had a lesson with 2 of our investigators on Saturday night, Alma and Alberto.  We committed them to church.  He had to work, but she said yes.  Then like, 1 hour later, we get a call from her and she says "I can't go to church tomorrow.  I'm going to be too busy."  I was super fed up at that point.  Maybe it was my pride combined with the fact that the day hadn't gone well at all, but I just sat there for a few seconds and then started asking her "Do you think that God wants you to come to church tomorrow?  Do you want to feel the same peace and tranquility that you do when we're over?"  and I kind of guilt tripped her, but she said "ok, I'll be there."  And she showed up!  And we had Erenia there and then 3 less actives! and our 3 regulars!  It was the most hispanics we've ever had at our ward!  And the coolest part?  Jay E. Jensen spoke.  Don't know why.  He just decided about 3 weeks ago that he was going to come speak at our ward.  And it was sick.  He didn't really share one cohesive message, he just talked.  But it was great! 

   We're scrambling to get Erenia baptized this saturday.  She wants to get  baptized so bad, so we're trying to teach her everything before saturday, but it's really hard when she's working 15 hour days 6 days a week :(  but she's a trooper.  We've had to start teaching her over the phone on her lunch breaks.  I taught her about Joseph Smith and the first vision today.  It was way tough.  But we have faith that it's going to work.

  So my pants are finally back from missionary mall.  Not sure if I told you. My blue suit pants ripped in the crotch back in december.  So I've been down to just one suit since then.  I don't know how, but I lost my other pair of blue suit pants back in december of 09.  So I don't know how I'm managing.  

    We've been getting fed dinner about 3 times a week here, the members are awesome.  My goal is to not eat out for the rest of the month.  I have an excuse for the chili's bills :)  We went on exchanges and our district leader wanted to go to chili's and then saturday was my comp's b-day.  So.  But I bought a lot of vegetables and fruit last week, and I"m going to live the word of wisdom how it says to!  That's the goal at least.  We had a member text us on saturday at like, 8:40 in the morning and she said "going shopping soon.  what do you want?"  we thought maybe she texted it to her husband, so we were like "Sorry, this is the missionaries." and she was like "Yeah, I know.  What do you want?"  We were like "Oh no, we're good for now, but thank you."  And so she texts back and says "TP?  Laundry detergent? Paper towels? Snacks? Milk?"  so we were like "well, we would appreciate any of the following: fruitsnacks, granola bars and chips, and then laundry detergent would be awesome :)" and so she showed up at 4 in the afternoon with a box full of pretzels, chips, dip, fruitsnacks, granola bars and a big bottle of laundry detergent.  It was sweet!  Our ward is legit!  

    Man, what is going on with the world.  I heard bits and pieces about the earthquake in Japan. Something about a nuclear power plant exploding or somethign?  I don't know.

  In other news.  One of my recent converts, Jaime, flew back to Peru on Friday.  Supposedly he's coming back in like, May or something.  I had no idea he was even leaving.  I'm kind of glad he did though, because his family treated him like a slave.  They would just leave him at home all day to take care of the kids while they went out and did whatever.  So I'm glad he's back at his home and can finally enjoy life again! haha

   Well, you're all awesome.  Love you mucho.  Take care 

         Elder Campbell

7 Mar 2011

Skyler James Campbell to Jeff, me


show details 10:34 AM (4 hours ago)



So we had a total miracle last week. We visited this former investigator, and we started teaching him and he wasn't really interested, but his aunt sat in on the lesson with us and we invited them to church and she said yes. So she came and then two days later we're talking with her and she goes "I loved church. I felt so good there, peaceful and tranquil. I want to go spread the gospel like you two do. I want to help people. And I decided that this is the church that I'm going to go to from now on." So we set her for baptism and she was super excited! She's the coolest! Her name is Erenia and she's from Nicaragua. Way legit. We shared Mosiah 18:7, 8 and 10 with her(I think) and said "these people had the same desires as you. You want to help people, you want to be a witness to God, and you want to be clean. Then this is the way to do it. Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the authority of God?" and she just looks at me and smiles and then says "Yes. I will." It was SOOOOOOOO sweet. She's so awesome. The whole ward already loves her. She's had a really hard life and she's just such an amazing person.

So yeah, I'm in Chesapeake stake only this time. When I was in VB, we covered VA Beach stake and Chesapeake stake, but when I got transferrred to Chesterfield to train, they threw Hna. Brewer and Hna. Pitchforth in here to open the area. And now I took it over :) And it's awesome :) My companion is sick. We teach so well together and we've got eachothers back in everything. I feel like I finally have a companion who can back me up when I'm teaching or finding. Not that my other companions weren't good, but I just feel like I can really trust Elder Allen when we're teaching. It's legit. He's from Orem, UT and goes home in 4 weeks :( I'm finally going to bury a companion... We've got 3 people with pretty solid baptismal dates and we're working with another 2 who have kind of fluffy baptismal dates. But it's aight. This last week has been insane. I've just been so unbelievably tired. I can't remember the last time that I woke up and could hardly walk because I'm so tired. I can't see straight or stand up straight. I guess that means we're working hard? We're working our tails off down here.

I wrote on a lot of those photos right? I thought almost all of them were captioned... Luckily I'll remember enough for the first few weeks that I'm home to be able to caption those that aren't. Wow, so you finally got your trunky papers? Mine luckily won't be here until about 3 weeks before I get home. Still gives me time. SO yesterday in church, they passed around a meal calendar for us. First time in my entire mission. People just love spanish missionaries. It's way funny. This one lady signed up 3 weeks in a row. She thinks we're awesome. It's way funny. THe ward takes pretty good care of us down here. It's a lot different than some of my other areas. The families here seem to actually like one another. They talk to eachother and know what's going on with everyone else. It's how a ward family SHOULD be.

Soooo, what else is there? I'm sure there's something else to tell you, but I don't remember. Doing laundry at a laundromat is actually pretty fun. 2nd time doing it since the MTC(does that even count as a laundromat?) Who knows. Umm, well, I think the GMC Terrain is cooler than the traverse. But I don't nkow how many people it seats. But it looks a lot cooler. And sounds cooler. Terrain. Say it with me. But in a manly voice.

Well, I htink that's about all I got so far. My area is awesome. The church is true. The story of David and Goliath is sweet (check out David's pump up speech to Goliath right before he sinks a rock into his forehead. 1 Samuel 17. Legit)

Love ya mucho

Elder Campbell

28 Feb 2011

SO, my new address is

 

 

1153 Hodges Ferry Rd.

Portsmouth, VA 23701

 

Our apartment is super girly because sisters opened it up and the ward was SUPER STOKED to have them, so they really  helped them girly it up!  They left us a ton of sticky notes all over with little notes of encouragement.  It's pretty funny.  I'm with Elder Spencer Allen from  Orem, UT.  He goes home in 6 weeeks.  But we have a goal to baptize 5 people before he goes home.  We have 3 people set with baptismal dates, adn we're going to set 2 today I think.  SHould be really sweet.  I've been able to see a few of the people that I saw when I was in VA beach before.  Like my very first baptism, Jose Manuel Ruiz.  We stopped by them last night and when I walked in, he didn't really remember me, but his dad Gilasio immediately goes "Hey!  Elder Campbell!"  and then Jose comes up and goes "Is it really you?"  it was way funny.  I guess they were going a little bit less active, so we're going to help them reactivate themselves completely.  There's a little bit of drama going on between the VA Beach branch and our ward out here, because the VA beach branch used to cover both VA Beach stake and Chesapeake stake.  But since we are now open out here, the members who live in Chesapeake area are suupposed to come out here, but the branch president in VA Beach just keeps giving callings to the members here to try to keep them there.  Even after he was told by the stake president to release all Chesapeake members from their callings.  So it's kind of interesting. 

   But it's going really good here.  We're seeing some good success.  We had an investigator at church yesterday and she loved it.  We had to go into Relief Society to translate for her, because there's no sisters in the ward who can translate.  But it was funny. 

  July 10-15?  Well, I haven't really been able to make a ton of plans for after my mission, so as far as  I know, I should be able to attend.  And after I get home, you can totally all come with me to visit Virginia!  That would  be SWEET! 

  No snow here, but we've had lots of rain lately.  And wind. I forgot about the weather being right on the ocean! 

     Well, I think I'm alright for now.  I'm going to buy a new pillow today, because the ones here are junk and I can't sleep at night. 

  

Dad- How's the new job?  Anything fun or exciting?

 

 Love you all.  Have a great week.

   Elder Campbell

22 Feb 2011 Scratch that last post title!

OK, I got a little excited and moved up Elder Campbell's coming home date by a couple weeks. The correct time is 16 weeks from today. 

FYI- My exit date is on June 28th.  So, Anywho. 

   That's awesome that Bailey loves the book of mormon!  Me too! 

      Things are picking up here in Charlottesville.  WE have one lady set for baptism and she came to church on sunday and LOVED it.  We don't really know how to help her though.  SHe's way tough.  Her name is blanca.  We've also got this family that we're starting to work with.  THey're cousins of this recent convert family.  Way sweet people.  Turns out that the dad called in for a book of mormon like, 8 years ago in Arizona, but themissionaries just knocked on his door and handed him the book and left.  Weird.  But they're AWESOME! 

   My camera arrived and I almost haven't put it down since!  Oh, before I forget...

    I'm getting transferred on Thursday.  Down to Chesapeake.  Deep Creek.  We're going to be in a group, but it's gonna be SWEET!  I covered that area when I served in VA Beach, so I pretty much already know my way around.  Don't know my address yet, but I'll know next week :)  My companion is going to be Elder Allen, who goes home in 6 weeks!  haha He's going to trunk me out so much! 

  So are you going to go to England?  Only $1,000 on the spot!?  Not a bad deal...

 Haha 

  So who's molly's fiancee?  I'm so lost on this whole thing I have no idea what's happening.

   So cool story, last week we were on bikes for 3 days, and we saw so many miracles.  We were at this corner of a street waiting to cross, and this recently returned missionary rides up to us and says "Where are you going?"  we told him we were going to knock, and he says "Can I come with you?"  so we asked where he served and he says "In LA..."  and we were like "HECK YEAH YOU CAN KNOCK WITH US!"  It was sick!  Then we ran into like,  3 people we had been trying to contact forever.  It was just awesome.  In other news, my trainee from back in Chesterfield, well he's down in VA Beach right now.  He got in a huge fight with this member family, and so they called Pres. Perry and told him they weren't coming back to church until he got transferred out.  Ridiculous, right?  I couldn't believe him!

   Well, everything is going good, next time you hear from me, I'll be in Chesapeake.  So.  Love you all a ton.

          Elder Campbell

PS-  What's Jackie Barden's address?  I want to write her back, but I lost her address...

14 Feb 2011 13 weeks and counting!!

Not much of a letter today due to his companion's computer problems, but, here it is...


So how's the job?  Hopefully it's going great and you're loving it.

So, what HAVE I taught you since I've been on my mission?  I was just thinking the other day,  "I haven't born a lot of testimony or what not on my misson to my family."  We'll see though.

   Well, I'm going to give the rest of my time to Elder Wiles because his computer locked him out, but we set someone for baptism last week and then we had a miracle referral as well.  He's a 17 year old named cristian and he's AWESOME!  He does community service on his own and he asked us to come visit him!  He's legit!

  Anywho, love you alll  and hope you're doing well.

7 Feb 2011

Apparently theres a ton of opposition in our entire mission, but our mission president said that it's also throughout the entire church.  He told one of my district members about a prophecy of Pres. Hinckley about how there would be opposition like we've never before seen, and there would then be no more lukewarm members of the church, and then we'd experience unprecedented growth.  Or something like that.  But it just seems that everyone is getting slammed lately.  The sisters in my district have been sick for a whole week.  They didn't go out once last week.  Poor sisters.  They're way awesome, and they were still trying their hardest to work even though they could barely leave their beds.
  Congrats on the job finally!  I knew it would all work out.  It wasn't when you wanted it, but it came when you needed it!  That's way cool!  I totaly forgot that it was superbowl sunday yesterday.  I had to be reminded like, 7 times.  I guess that's cool the packers won.  Brett Favre is probably crying still.  
   I talked to Pres. about this area, and he was like "Elder, I think this is one of the hardest areas in the entire mission.  But I appreciate your attitude about it."  So we talked about what needed to happen, and I think they might be sending in sisters next transfer.  Which I wouldn't mind at all.  But in good news, we just set up an appt with a less active who is reactivating herself and her 11 year old daughter wants to get baptized.  She only needs like, 2 or 3 lessons and then she's good to get baptized.  ANd her mom wants her to get baptized.  So we're praying that we can make that happen.  And we've got a few investigators who are actually interested.  Things are slowly slowly slowly looking up.  WE've got zone conference in Richmond tomorrow, and today my companion and I are going to the family history center.  He wants to do all his work because his family is converts but they're all less active, so we're going today to see what we can come up with.  The consultant there is opening it up just for us :)  
   Well, I still want to thank you for sending me the quad.  I have only put it down when it is absolutely necessary.  And that BYU shirt is the most comfortable thing I have ever worked out in.  THanks a ton.
    Well, I love you all and I'm grateful for all that you do.  I almost had a mind meltdown yesterday.  I forgot that after February comes march, and so I said to my comp "General conference is next month" and then I started freaking out.  It was horrible.  Everyone keeps reminding me that I've only got 4 months left! 
 HINT: Don't talk to a missionary about how much time he has left when it's under 8 months.  It will just make him sad and upset.  
   Well, have a great week :)
                                                               Elder Campbell
Revelation Chap. 315 I know thy ^aworks, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 16 So then because thou art ^alukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will ^bspue thee out of my mouth