Week 11 in Plano, Texas

 It is really hard to get investigators where Jesse is at.  They get real excited when they meet people that will allow them to come back and teach them.  Keep M****in your prayers this week that he will be receptive to the message Jesse and Elder D**** have for him.  Jesse is really happy where he is at.  Transfers happen next week.  He will find out on Saturday if he will stay in Plano or be transferred.  I hope he is able to stay a while :)  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers in Jesse's behalf.

Some really big things happened this week. it has been really exiting! this is my top 5 Friday list taking place on Monday. So I will go down the list from most importance to least importance.

1. I saw a bobcat. It was really weird because I thought that it was just one on the M**** cats until I noticed that is was bigger and had a little tail.  Its face was a bit different too. I saw it from inside. When I went outside to look at it it ran away.

2. My bike decided to break down this week. After we did service I got on my bike and started peddling and my bike decided to switch gears on me without me changing gears (the left gears, the ones that control the gears by my pedals.) It was stuck in first gear and I noticed that my wire was loose. So when I got home I tightened the wire and it still didn't change. Then the high gear lever fell off. Thirty minuets later I got it to change into second gear. Still couldn't put the lever back on so I decided to duck tape it on and hope that nothing else breaks.

3. Got into a bible bash with a Catholic lady. Her argument was genetics and the ancestry of Adam and Noah (i think that she believes that the flood didn't kill everyone).  She just wanted to keep going and going and it was going no where. So we just left.

4. I saw a squirrel 

5. I made a half court basketball shot today. I'm not that bad at basketball.

Oh ya we met a guy named M**** he is interested and we gave him a book of Mormon. He said that we could come back.  M**** is living with his parents. He is going to college or ending high school. He says that he is interested and he has a friend that is Mormon. We haven't met his parents.

I do have a funny story about a cat and running. Last night we just got home from a dinner appointment and we were packing to go out and tract and there was a knock at the door. No one was home so I answered it. It was the bishop and the stake president. As I open the door, the M***** cat (they have three cats, only one is supposed to stay inside the whole time.)  made a break and ran out the door. The bishop was looking for a guy named B****. (different story, B**** moved in with the M*****. His family is in the ward. They didn't say why, but my companion and I think it is just the mother bird kicking the 20 year old out of the house. He doesn't go to school and he doesn't want to serve a mission) anyway back to the story, I told them that he was not here and they left. So I ran out to get the cat and I chased that stupid thing around the house three or four times before I caught it.

We actually went to a barber shop for a haircut. The guy that did my hair was like 90 and he had shaky hands. Two days after the cut I looked closely in the mirror and my sideburns were really off. So I had Elder D*** fix it. I will just let him do it next time.

Well as you can see there is nothing that could have made my week more fun. I hope that you all had a wonderful week. Hope ya'll have a great week.

New haircut

Christmas 2013

Family History Center at the church where the missionaries go to email.

Week 10 in Plano, TX

 Always excited to receive pictures of Jesse!  He did tell us that he is letting Elder D**** cut his hair today.  Hopefully we will see the results next week :)

     Well this week wasn't all that exciting. Just up to normal stuff again. We only did 5 hours of service this week because of New Years and the temple trip. Oh ya I did get to go to the temple this week. The zone hit a goal of 24 contacts a day for two weeks and we got to go to the temple. yay:) We tried to see the Christmas Family (the family we found on Christmas) but they were not home. For New Years Eve the M***** had us over for games. So we played with them and the N**** family until 10:30. and that is when we had to go to bed. There were no fireworks. I didn't even notice that but now it seems really weird.  Then on New Years day, the Chinese missionaries had a baptism. That was cool to watch. Then on Friday my companion and I went on exchanges with the district leader and his companion. We do splits with our district leader. We do it for two main reasons, the first is for the district leader to see how the missionaries are doing, and the second reason is to see for yourself what other missionaries are doing to find/teach people. So we don't get stuck doing the same things over and over.
     I found out about BYU and Notre dame's games when I was tracting. We ran into a Catholic that talked to us for a bit. Not interested but told us about the games. He has three children that went to Notre Dame. 
     Brother M***** went to Michigan and that is why there is a banner at their house. He doesn't support them much any more because he says that they are too liberal (big topic in Texas). Sad I couldn't welcome in the new year but I needed the sleep.
     Well I have to go now have a great day. Don't get sick. I hope that you all had a wonderful new year.

Dinner

Out on splits

Jesse and Elder D**** out on splits

Week 9 in Plano, Texas

We were able to talk with Jesse for an hour and a half on Christmas Day!! It was great to see and hear him.  He had so much to tell us and actually expanded on the stories that that he has written below.  I will add the extra info in :)  Thank you all for making his first Christmas away a special day for him.  He is loving the area that he is in and his companion.

     Well I had an awesome Christmas. A Christmas miracle happened. We actually had people listen to us on Christmas and I got my first lesson with an investigator! (They had a goal to make 24 contats a day during the Christmas holiday.  They had knock many doors Christmas day.  These investagators didn't answer the door when Jesse knocked, but after a few mins got in their car and found the boys and asked them to come back to their house so they could hear their message.) We gave them a Book of Mormon and they said that they will read it. They did say we could come back in a couple of months after they read it. We will check up on them in a week and a half.
     Other then that it was a slow week. It is amazing how fast the spirit of Christmas leaves some people. Before Christmas they seemed so nice when they said we have a church and we know Jesus, now when they say it they seem so mad. oh well.
     The ward Christmas program was really good. There are a lot of really great singers here.
     Thank you for all the people who want to make me fat(add sarcasm) ( he has actually lost weight out in Texas.  Getting back down to his running weight without running). I am so grateful for all of the packages.
     I hope that you all had a great Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

Some of Jesse's packages under his tree.  I love all the chips on the bookshelf.  Glad he is eating so healthy!

A Christmas Selfie

The M***** Family would put the Elder's Packages under the tree as they came to the house. 

Week 8 in Plano, Texas

     We are so excited to be able to talk to Jesse on Wednesday!!! We were able to chat back and forth on Monday for a little while.  He is doing really good and his spirits are high.  They haven't had much success with teaching new investigators, but are doing lots of service which he loves.  One of the members there in Plano e-mailed me the picture at the bottom.   They both offered the prayers during our Christmas Sabbath meeting yesterday - Elder D**** gave the opening prayer and Elder Jorgensen the closing prayers. It was perfect, as Bishop  comments about the Spirit of Christ centered on how the Spirit of Christmas involves missionary work and serving others. 
Merry Christmas to ya'll!!
     Well howdy ya'll. This week in Texas has been great except for the cold and the rain. The beginning of the week was warm, but then it just got cold and wet and windy. Most of our work is spent tracting still. Most people just say no thanks and shut the door. Then this week I got two new experiences of tracting. I had two people right in a row open the door and slam it immediately after just looking at it. Then another guy told us no thanks he worships Satin. I don't know if he was joking or not but he just got in his car and left.
     We had a specialized training on Friday and it was Christmas themed. We had to buy a $5 present before we went to the meeting and put a lunch in it. We don't have much lunch items at the house so we went to a gas station and bought a sandwich and some chips for the lunch and I bought glow stars for the present. At the meeting we put the presents in the back of the gym. Then we all lined up and the presents were given out a random to the other missionaries. I by far had the best gift. Everyone wanted to see it and there was a huge crowd around me. (see the picture) The autograph says "all my love and best wishes Nance" Then afterward we watched our Christmas movie. I watched Ice Age. There wasn't much else that happened this week. The picture was the highlight of my week, it was so funny.
     Well I hope that ya'll have have a great Christmas.

Jesse's amazing Christmas present from the Christmas party.  It is a picture of one of the sister missionaries.

His Christmas Tree

Taylor made Jesse a Christmas pillowcase for Christmas

Jesse and Elder D****

Week 7 in Texas - Transfer to Plano, TX

We were so excited to get Jesse's letter this week and see him so excited and happy.  Thank you all for your prayers in his behalf.  Our prayers are truly answered!  Merry Christmas to all of you and we look forward to speaking with Jesse in a week.

hello everybody.
     Well as you know I got transferred to Plano and I love it here. The big changes are I am staying at a members house. There is dinner planned for most every knight.Ii can understand everything and not just pieces. We are on bikes and We tract more.
     I am staying with the M**** Family. They are a really nice older couple. Sister M**** is a ward missionary. Everyone around here thinks that their house is strange because it has a basement. I live on the second story. The house has a main floor, downstairs and a basement. Then it has a second and third story and it has an attic. We stay mostly to our room and it is way smaller than the apartment. We do have a mini fridge the only problem is that is our main fridge.
     Since it is a biking area we do bike a lot and it is really fun. The first two days we had to walk because there was still ice on the ground, but it warmed up and it rained so all the ice is melted.
     My companions name is Elder D****. He is a really awesome elder.
     The area is nice, we really only have one investigator right now. The rest of the time is spent tracting or doing service. We do service at three main places. One called Minies food pantry. ( the  people who run it say that sometime next year that they have a spot on Good Morning Amercia, but I don't know too much about that right now) Then we serve at a thrift shop called Support Your Troops. My first day the person who runs the thrift shop gave us each 25 dollar gift card for our service. Then they gave us a pair of brand new dress pants. Wow. I am so lucky! The third place is a senior center where we will call out BINGO. I haven't been there yet, it was supposed to be on Tuesday but that is the day i got transferred out here.  I am really glad that the weather warmed up. It is supposed to get into the 50's. 

My new Address is, 2608 stone creek drive Plano TX 75075
Oh I almost forgot I got chewed out by one of the families I visit because I said "you guys" instead of "ya'll". They really take it seriously out here. So I will talk to YA'LL  L8TR.

Shoes that he bought for $25

Ice storm in Carrollton TX

A nativity made out of bullet casings

Room in Plano Texas

Apartment in Carrollton, TX

Room in Carrollton, TX

Letters and pictures sent to him

 More pictures from his little cousins (Sorry don't know how to turn the picture)

High School Football stadium

At a ward Christmas Party

Week 6 in Texas

We were so happy to hear from Jesse today.  He seemed really upbeat and excited about his transfer this next week.  He is experiencing weather that is new him.  It was kind of exciting and weird, but I am sure it will get old really quick :)  Thank you for all your prayers in his behalf. He is truly being watched over and cared for by the Lord.

     Nothing really happened from Monday to Wednesday. On Thursday night, it was heavy rain and the temperature drooped 50 degree. When I woke up in the morning, there was an inch to two inches of ice on the ground. It was weird because it was white like snow, but all it was was a layer of ice. The grass froze straight up and the ice was on top and every time I took a step on the ice on the grass I could feel the ice sink but none of it was breaking. Even when i jumped it didn't break. So, we couldn't use the car for three days. Plus we have nothing to scrape the car off with.       
     Friday, the first day of ice, we went out tracting and knocked on one house and we talked with a guy for about 30 min. Then we got a text from the assistance to stay home. So we went home. The apartments that we were knocking were about a half mile from home. We get there and we played Monopoly. Then we get another call from the district leader and he said to knock the apartments around us for the day. We knocked on one and no one answered. Then we remembered that we had a dinner appointment at six at the E***** families house about 2 miles from the apartment. So we walked there and on the way there was this hill and there were three cars stuck on it. The first car almost made it but was still sliding back. The car behind was just tailgating and had to stop when the car in front got stuck and the third car got impatient of waiting at the bottom and tried to gun it and go around, but also got stuck where the second car was. All three of them were spinning their tires. We watched for a little bit, but then we got cold and hurried to the house. We got there at six and stayed there until nine.
     The next day was the same conditions, but it was colder with the wind. We went to some apartments about a mile away to knock doors then we got cold and we visited a less active. We talked for about half an hour and they invited us to dinner. We left and tried to go to an appointment next door to the house we ate dinner at the night before. Last night, we asked the sister that gave us dinner if she would go with us to the appointment. She said yes. So we went to her house first and we talked for about 2 hours with her family while she got ready. Then finally she was ready and we went to the house. With no one answering the door. (I don't like it when people say a time to come back and they are not home during that time.) So then we went back and ate dinner with the D***** family. By that time it was seven thirty and was too cold to do anything else so we went back to the apartment and played monopoly again.
     Then Sunday the roads were still bad so they cancelled church. We get a text from a lady named J**** telling us that she will be hosting a pioneer sacrament at her house. So we went there. She lives next to the E******. It was supposed to start at 11:30, but it didn't start until an hour later. We had to wait for the E******family. It lasted for two hours. It was cool. It was like an actual meeting. We had the sacrament and people gave talks including me. It was my first unexpected talk on my mission. After that we tried the neighbor again with no luck. Then we remembered we had to write a paper on how to be a successful missionary. So we studied at the E***** home until 5. Then J***** invited us over for dinner and we had dinner there.  We talked with her and her family until 11 and they gave us a ride home.
     Oh I almost forgot. On Friday I got a call to be transferred to Plano. It is an English speaking area. I leave on Tuesday. It is not to far from here. The area that I am in right now covers my new area.

I am really excited and ya I am happy to go to an English area. Hopefully I will be able to understand what people are saying.  I will be able to pick up the package tomorrow at the transfer meeting. 

      Oh, and guess what? I GOT MY BIKE PUT TOGETHER!

      I was really jealous of Mikaela this week. I have only ran twice since I have been here. Oh well, I think that Plano is a bike area so I will be able to get some endurance there. One thing that I forgot to mention to everyone is that we had a zone meeting and last month or the month before, they met some kind of goal that they had and President D***** gave everyone a signed autograph. He was not there at the meeting though. He signed some of them President D***** and some of them D***** D*****. I got one that said D***** D*****. How has your week been?
Well I hope that you all have a great week.

Week 5 in Texas

     Jesse had told us that President D***** said that the mission is heavy on Spanish speaking Elders and there are not enough English speakers. This next transfer he will be sending Spanish speakers to English areas for a couple of months or just permanently.  This is something that Jesse would like to do because he feels that the language is just not coming along.  We told him we would support him either way.  Please keep him in your prayers this week.  We want him to be happy serving the Lord.  I know Jesse feels of all your love and support for him.  It gets him through the tough times.  

     Not much really happened this week. It was really slow. No one was really around and we spent most of our time on knocking doors.
     The weather got nicer. It is in the 60's. It is a lot better then it was when it was in the 30's.
     For thanksgiving we got to eat two dinners. One at a investigators house. We didn't even know that they were going to feed us. They told us to come by at 5 on Thursday and we did. Then they sat us down at the table and we ate a turkey dinner. Then we had one that was planned at 6 at a members house. We had a Mexican soup and then they gave us cheesecake. That was a lot to eat in that one day. other than that the rest of the week nothing happened.
      If you have something that you want to send me I would hold off until next week when I get to talk to you again.  It is transfers and i don't know if i am staying or not. They have also said that missionaries are really bad at sending a box to the right missionary after they are gone because it is something extra that they have to do and it just ends up sitting in the apartment until the last possible second.
Thank you for all your support.
Jesse

Here is Jesse's Christmas Tree.  Thank you for sending messages to fill his tree :)