E-M-A-I-L

Dear Elder Darcey,

Here we go again!

It's been another week! I hope it's been a good one for you guys. We have been blessed with some unexpected things.

We had Zone Conference on Tuesday. The main thing that happened, was that we had a visitor from Salt Lake. Brother Littlefield from the missionary department came again, and talked about similar stuff as the last time he came. But instead of talking about being "a little bit better" we talked about striving to give your all. He talked about how we were being obedient, we just needed to be more convicted.

Also this week we started teaching several kids. We also were able to go to a ward Halloween party. There was lost of people there. I didn't really get any good pictures there, but it was a real good time.

We also helped build a fence. (funny story) This was a service activity for a member in one of our wards. We were cleaning up the backyard and building a fence. Of the two sections I assembled neither turned out terrible. But another member managed to put one together where the fence posts are slowly getting taller across the section. When he took the section apart and put it back together, it was better... but still not quite right. It was very funny.

Anyway there are photos of that on the Album. Also we had a ton of snow and cold. It's gone now but it was still cold for a few days.

The end

-Elder Darcey

LTPS 

It's Email'n Time!

Hi I am emailing this week as I might as well.

Anyway, despite my best efforts, you have apparently found out that I have been called as DL. dang. Well, I guess it was inevitable.

I am over the Ucon District, that covers three areas. The Sisters in Menan. The Elders in Ucon and us. In Rigby South. As far as what I do, is rather simple. I help support and uplift/train/follow up with the missionaries that I lead. Every week we hold a meeting called district council, where we talk together, have a training, roll-play together or whatever. I am responsible for those meetings and what happens in them. Also on Saturday night I call each of the companionships in the District and we talk about their week, any successes or any challenges. Then I report to the zone leader and by doing this, the mission can adjust what council they give us at zone conference, and also I can try to do more personal trainings at District Council. Ta-Da. 

I was called at transfers. So about a week and a half ago.

On to the week!

The week has been rather normal. We had a baptism on Saturday for A girl named Ali, and Bodie and she were baptized on Sunday. It was actually kinda hard to do because the confirmations were at the same time in different buildings, so we had to split with members to go to both.

It was a good time.

The other fun thing was when we helped pass out some flyers to a trunk or treat we ran into some people who had just moved in, and wanted to learn. So we setup a lesson for this week. That's going to be exciting. 

I think that's all I can write right now. We have to go. 

The place I was writing from closed so I had to finish this on phone so as such there is no end card. 

Rose: Baptism

Thorn: uhh. Someone said we would be eating homemade pizza then we didn't. :/

The end

-Elder Darcey

Where the Email Things Are

Hi it's time for an email!

This week was awesome!

The most important thing happened on Saturday But a ton of other stuff happened that I have to talk about as well!

Tuesday, I said goodbye to Elder Cluff and Elder Corbett who were both finished with their missions. I spent the day with Elder Bahr in my area. Then that night I stayed at their place in Rigby East. 

Wednesday I made my last brownies for the Rigby District as when transfers happen on Thursday, my area was going into a different district. Then I spent the day with the zone leader, as his companion had also left. So we spent the day frantically going from his area to mine and back. We cleaned his apartment in preparation for transfers, and neglected mine so it was real gross from all the junk other missionaries had left behind. Anyway, after a few late night meetings and such, we were home to be excited about the morning.

Thursday! Transfers. I yet again hung out with the Rigby East Elders until around 11 when we were supposed to be at the transfer site. We arrived and waited. Eventually it all happened, and I had a new companion, Elder Colon (pronounced Cologne) and we went to work showing him around the area. He has been out for about 4 months, and his last area was Firth. He is really cool. He is from San Diego, and has family from Puerto Rico and Panama. Anyway,

On Friday we did a ton of visits and cleaned the house much. Also got everything ready for someone we have been teaching to be baptized on Saturday.

Saturday a ton of different things happened.

First we helped with an Idaho ERC Exercise (ham radio thing. they were basically testing all the stakes in the state to see how fast they could gather some specific information and report back. (say in the event of an emergency.))

Then Bodie got baptized (awesome)

Then Stake Conference (good. our mission president was there.)

It was a good day (true)

Sunday was also Stake Conference

News comes in a newspaper... does Email come in a...?

Hello yesterday was transfer calls. Also this week we were in a trio with another missionary, Elder Corbett.

Anyway The week was a normal one. We set a guy on date to be Baptized this Saturday, so that's real awesome.

Other than that, though, nothing out of the ordinary... other than General Conference!

So now I talk about that. We had the opportunity of watching it in several different families houses. Saturday morning at a church with the rest of the zone, afternoon with a cool family, and Sunday morning and afternoon with similarly awesome families. 

We had a great time! I will now quickly go over some of my favorite talks given.

In no particular order, I really Loved Elder Bednar's talk about the cheetahs and about being constantly vigilant about keeping watch and continuing to be prepared for any possible danger. 

I also loved Elder Uchtdorf's talk, where he called back over and over to his last talk given in April. I think if there was only one talk that I could push people to watch it would be this one. I really get the feeling that his assignment as head of the missionary department is really influencing his talks.

Finally I loved Elder Johnson's talk about Satan's three D's and how we can continue to avoid and overcome the adversary. 

Anyway,

Rose: Good Week and Good General Conference.

Thorn: I have to get used to a new companion this week. His name is Elder Colon. He will be my companion on Thursday. I don't know anything about him. He is rather new. (but not brand-new)

-Elder Darcey

LTPS 

When you think about it rationally, you don't really need Emails

Hey Everyone. It's time to write. So I write. Hopefully I can type out my ramblings ok.
This week a lot didn't happen.

A lot of the people we tried to visit weren't home. 
A lot of the lessons we tried to teach didn't happen.

The pie I tried to make was "ok" at best. 
(And my companion is going home early.)

So it's been a real kicker.

BUT a couple that I was teaching in Ashton
finally got baptized! and I was able to go up
and support them. 

It was really awesome, and it is so cool to see
 where they have gotten to over the last 
months!


All of this just because someone was helpful
at the hardware store. 

But that's a story for another time.
So cool.

Anyway that's the important stuff this week. I know, not much. 

If I had to choose a thorn for the week, it was that nothing happened.

My rose was that I didn't burn my pie, even if burning it would have been an improvement, 

because it would have at least been more interesting than the perfectly mediocrity that I got.

The worst part of being Email, is the snot

Hi I was sick this week!

Monday nothing at all! no sickness! I felt great!

Tuesday I was dead! no healthy at all!

Wednesday was the same, except we had District Council. I don't really remember a lot of what was talked about.

Thursday was the day before we were to meet with Elder Bednar! I still wasn't feeling so hot, but we were able to get out for interviews with president and for some visits in the evening.

Friday of course is the cool day because we spent 3ish hours with Elder Bednar. I got a lot of different things out, but mostly it was from these talks that he had us read beforehand, and that we discussed during the meeting. Ask in Faith    Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins    Converted unto the Lord    Seek Learning by Faith

Anyway it was really cool, I also have several quotes from him to highlight his sense of humor.

From the top:

"We'll try not to ruin the photo" (sitting down for the mission picture)

"Alright! Let's go to church!" (after the picture is over)

"Don't write home and tell your mom I said the word 'stupid'!" (after saying the word 'stupid')

"Do you really think your smoothness is what gets people to join the church‽"

"I may look small, and old... but trust me you do not want to mess with me!"

It was an absolute delight! In the end we held a big discussion about those talks and then he turned it into a meta-discussion about our discussion and how we can teach like this. It was cool.

Saturday and Sunday happened but nothing much important happened, nothing can really compare to Bednar, so that's it!

-Elder Darcey

LTPS 

Where the Email goes, no one knows!

Hi it's time for a good Email.

Last Monday I of course went to Yellowstone, There are many pictures waiting on the album and also some videos maybe. Anyway, on to the week!

On Tuesday was Zone Conference. I actually have a lot to say about this one because it was kinda funny how many things didn't quite go as planned. The main event was a seventy who came and talked about blessings and not blessings from being faithful and stuff. It was actually really good.

 Later in the meeting though, we had Pres Simpson get up and try to talk about the missionary Daily Schedule, the only problem is that he was talking about a schedule that has been outta-date for three years. so the poor guy gracefully gave up when all the confused questions were answered and the record set straight. 

Also our Vehicle Coordinator had previously announced a competition for the mission, where whatever companionship had the best car at zone conference would be given one of the brand new rav4 hybrids that the mission recently acquired. The only problem is that in order to even qualify you had to have your fluids checked by a car place and then have them print a paper that said it was all good. So at zone conference he did this thing where he had groups of people sit down based on criteria until he got to the final winners. "If you drove to ZC stand up! you can't win if your car isn't even here!" *Everyone stands up* "If you have your fluids sheet keep standing! Other-wise sit down!" *Almost everyone sits back down*. There were only two companionships that were able to qualify for the win, because everyone else decided they couldn't be bothered. That was actually hilarious to see how the mission collectively decided they wouldn't be motivated by a new car. I don't know where I am going with this story but it happened so I wanted to write about it.

Wednesday evening we had several meetings in our Stake, also we WERE going to have a lesson with two kids that are ready to be baptized, but they ditched us! So that was sad.

Thursday Not too much happened, we had a lunch/lesson with a guy, honestly it didn't go to well, because he and the member we brought got on endless tangents.

Friday I was on exchanges with my District Leader Elder Bahr. The day went really well other than nobody was home and we had three lessons fall though. But we were able to do a lot of other work, that needed to be done, and also contact lots of potential fellow shippers for the people that had lessons drop. So all in all it was a good day. I also ran into a member that I knew in Rigby East so that was fun as well.

Sunday we wandered into a ward that was having their primary program. There were-- I kid you not-- 200 kids on the stands. It was insane. I looked behind me and there were no seats anywhere. All the way back to the stage. I haven't seen that many people in a building other than West Yellowstone.

I think that's it!

-Elder Darcey

LTPS 

OH YEAH I FORGOT ELDER BEDNAR IS COMING TO THE MISSION ON FRIDAY AGGGAGAGAGGGGG!!!!!!!

YELLOWSTONE Visit

Hey family. Quick one. I am on my way up to Yellowstone today, and wanted to send anything even if it isn't amazing.

Anyway the major stuff that happened since Wednesday was a ward party that was cool, me speaking twice on Sunday, and a cool Bishop Youth Fireside we were invited to. 

That's the coolest stuff. I will probably be able to send another email on the way home around 4 so i will try and include the best pictures in that one.

-Elder Darcey Once during our missions we get to visit Yellowstone.  After a couple of false starts and cancellations, I finally got to go.  I went with a group that included my previous companion, Elder Harvey and a second cousin, Elder McGuire, who should be in Hong Kong but is in Yellowstone, go figure.  AND is my second cousin from Francis, Utah, who knew.  

Yellowstone Falls

E-mail for my real friends and Real Mail for my E-friends

Hi all.

I know that it is Wednesday, and that typically I Email on Monday and not Email on Wednesday, but we decided to swap it around this time for no particular reason.

Ha! Just kidding, we went to the temple this morning and so we had to move our p-day. That's why I am Emailing today. 

This week was a blast. It started off on Monday with another odd experience. I assume most of you have heard this Odd story, I am sitting in my apartment in the morning. Just when I barely started to not be totally still tired, I hear steps outside our door and then some knocks. I open the door to find gifts that were not expected at all! And also a Bishop I haven't seen in more than two years! Crazy! I guess that's one way to start a Monday off. (thanks btw. A lot!) 

Tuesday Wednesday and the start of Thursday were spent with another Elder whose companion finished his mission so he needed a place to stay until Transfers. Those days were spent getting ready for that. We had the opportunity to go to a ward party on Tuesday. We got there as it was starting to end, but still had a great time getting to know everyone. 

Friday we had appointments with most of the people we are teaching, some are progressing and some aren't, but the work continues. 

Saturday I don't quite remember what we did right now. 

Sunday was fast Sunday, we had a long meeting with a family Elder Cluff is really close with, and also almost got to help with primary, but then they didn't need us :/  Elder Cluff is a challenge, but I can help him.  

Monday was a day where we didn't prepare. But we did get to again go to a ward party. This time we were early and helped do a ton of cooking. That was actually really fun. We helped clean up and I watched a guy dump two whole cans of raid into a wasps nest. He looked a little frazzled.

Tuesday was yesterday. We had to clean the house as we were having a housing check that afternoon, we also ran into a Birthday party for a kid of one of the families we are teaching. So that was unexpected fun. 

Today we woke up at 4:30 to make it to the 6 am temple session. That was awesome as usual. After shopping, Elder Cluff had to go to a dentist, and I was really sad because the Family History Center was closed, and so I am Emailing on my phone. That's also why there won't be any new pictures for a few weeks. Oh also I can't do a good Email next week either, because I am finally taking my Yellowstone trip. The last one didn't happen ask me to tell that story another time, but I will get to go this next week and it will be good. 

I can't even put my end card up when I am typing on phone. I guess I will try though

L.A.R.P.

ELDAR darCeY

Where the Email goes... Nobody knows.

Hi Everyone! the time has come at last for an Email

This week has been great! lots of stuff to do and lots of things happened!

Also Sunday Night / This Morning were transfer calls! So I will reveal what happened at the end of the Email.

The rest of last Monday was spent playing board games of various variety, and then in the evening we went and taught a girl named Ali. She has been coming to church with her friend for a while, and wants to be baptized soon... So we have been teaching her each Monday, This time we were teaching the Plan of Salvation. She didn't really ask any questions, but we have prepped for a more interactive lesson this week.

Tuesday was also a blast. We met with many of the ward leaders in our area. It seems like there are always more though. That's what happens when you cover a stake!

Wednesday morning I made more brownies because the cream I got on Monday to make whipped cream was totally forgotten about and stayed in the car for a sad day. So I couldn't make pumpkin pie, as there was no whipped cream, and if there is no whipped cream, then what is the point of pumpkin pie. So Brownies! for District Council. They turned out alot better than last weeks brownies. I was using a recipe that a family in Ashton served us. When I first had them I thought they were tricking us and just gave us fudge. but turns out they are just thick brownies... huh.

Transfer news is I am not going anywhere and Elder Cluff is also going nowhere, and staying with me and we still cover the whole stake.

Speaking of Ashton I guess I never talked about some of the coolest people I had the opportunity to teach so far on the mission. The Powell's are people I taught in Ashton. They moved from Arizona around March. My companion and the ward and I helped them move into their house, and then we didn't really have any contact with them for a while. Until, we were at a dinner near where they moved and the family asked us if we had met them. I mentioned I had but my (new by then) companion had not yet. So we went by that night, and they were the most inviting people ever! We taught them until I left, and they are currently planning on getting Baptized September 26th. I am super excited. 

Thursday morning we did service for a family in our area. we had the whole district there. We were taking apart some of their hedges and cleaning them up. I don't know quite what happened, but my finger got caught inside of the glove I was wearing and suddenly, it was bleeding under my nail. So pictures in the Album. It's all healed now, but it hurt then. That afternoon I went on Exchanges with the DL Elder Mera. We visited more people and setup lessons with some of the people we were teaching. 

Friday was some ward meetings and some lessons that were canceled last minute. 

Saturday was spent dying of heat. Not super bad but it was kinda hot. 

Sunday morning we gave talks. The youth speaker gave an amazing talk about missionary work and having the light of christ. I followed that up with using the atonement to be a good example and to help others feel the spirit, and Elder Cluff followed me up with how it works in practice with a friend he had back home. It was good. That evening we had dinner with some awesome members. We made stovetop s'mores and also the husband was a chiropractor so he adjusted us. I'll be honest I don't obviously feel better, but I definitely don't feel worse. So I'll take it. 

And that was the Week! Transfers are this Thursday, missionary work continues and it's all a fun time up in Idaho. 

Did you skip to the end to read about transfers?! Naughty! The news is somewhere in the middle now...

And it's light grey to make it harder to read...

And it's tiny too...

If you didn't skip to the end. I apologize for jumping to conclusions like that.

The End

STOP! It's Email Time

 Dear Family!  Well, this has been a week!  There's a lot going on that I won't write in an email, but will try to call.

Tuesday morning I made brownies for district council on Wednesday. But most of em didn't make it til then. We also visited a guy named Jason that has been meeting with missionaries for a little while, he is pretty interesting. He definitely has been prepared to meet with missionaries, it's just he also has had a crazy life and has some preconceived notions about other people. But he loves church, and loves when we come over. I think change is going to take a bit for him though. 

Wednesday, we had District Council and also interviews with President Hurley. This was my first with him, and it was really cool to see the differences between him and President Nelson. He didn't talk much. Asked questions and then waited for a while. Everyone liked the scraps of the brownies I brought. I disguised them by putting them on a plate. So it looked like the whole pan. After that we walked around and tried to meet our neighbors. We caught a lady home who was a Baptist minister. She was super nice. It was kind of funny. We were walking away and it seemed as though there was a bit of a contest to see who was going to get the last, "Have a nice evening," in. 

Thursday was a ton of planning and another quick lesson with Jason. 

Friday we did similar as Wednesday but with our car and not near our house. 

Saturday we worked most of the day at a booth at the Rigby fair that was going on. We had a ton of copies of the Book of Mormon, and a big sign, and there were four sets of missionaries there. Sometimes we would wander around and talk to people and Sometimes we would hangout at the booth. It was really cool because I was able to see lots of people from Rigby East--my area a year ago. So that was good. In the evening Elder Cluff hurt his hand (purposely), so we had to go to urgent care and see if it was broken. We got home at 11 and I was really tired.

Sunday was church and some meetings. The last thing we did was visit a family and share a message, I talked about charity and how at the start of the mission I had trouble loving the people and really getting into the mood of the mission.

 Elder Pope (recently gone home companion,) in every prayer he said he always asked for more charity. I have really noticed the need of it on the mission. Especially in a more member area, lots of people are looking for reasons to leave the church, and it's really easy to get offended by something someone does. But charity helps us look past the failings of people.

Everyone has problems, and we can instead of getting offended, we can help and reach out.

the end

Rose:  Going to the fair and helping out

Thorn: Saturday night Urgent Care and driving in the dark