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