Exchanges, Temples and...Rats???

Exchanges are on Tuesday...and I am staying in Fillmore !

Monday was GOOD. We had a zone activity. It was zone dodge ball, so like 30 Elders and Sisters in big gym so that was really sweet. That's all I got to say there. (So glad he has so much to share with his family at home lol ;-) )

So Tuesday..TEMPLE DAY !!!!! Monday night I planned on setting my alarm for 5:15am but set it for 4 instead so I was up really early but it was okay since I was so excited. We left at 6am and got to the Temple about 8am because of the traffic (it was so bad!)

LA Traffic

The Temple was so beautiful. I loved it so much and the grounds were just gorgeous. There was a nice pool in front of it and the sun was shining on it, oh man, it was great. 

Inside was huge. The sessions hold like 200 people I think they said. It was massive. And the Celestial room was BOOM WOW JUST UHHH WOW. (I think Elder Routledge was impressed by the inside of the LA Temple). 

After our session, we went to see the Visitor's Center and I saw a HUGE statue of Jesus. It was so cool and I got lots of pictures so don't worry, wipe that sweat drop off your forehead. (First of all, I don't sweat ;-), Secondly I very rarely worry....yeah, right :-D )

Elder Hunt and Elder Routledge

Wednesday was just a regular, busy day. We were doing service at a less-active members house, cleaning out a shed/closet in his backyard. We opened it (after it hadn't been opened for 3 years!) and there were rat droppings to the galore. Like piles. And so we continued on as the family was moving and had to go through it. Well the rat (or rats?) ate all of the stuff in there and the dad had a lot of collectible items in there. He was a little mad but it was okay UNTIL...we found it !!! I heard my companion go, "mmm...ahhhh" very quietly like it was nothing, just a quiet, surprised sound, nothing big. Then I looked down. And BOOM, I saw a rat dart across my foot !! I kicked my feet in the air and pushed past boxes, almost knocked Brother H. over and screamed so loud !! Then, if that was not bad enough, the 9 yr old girl comes out and says, "Who was screaming like a girl?". I told her it was a rat and she looked at me and said, "Oh, please. The rat's here are nothing. The rats in New York are like dog sized", then I got a "pfft" and she went back inside. THEN to make matter worse, my companion and Brother H were dying laughing. So ya, that was fun. Other than that, a slow day :-D 

Ventura County Fire

City of Fillmore Fire 

I am getting fire patches from every place I serve in and some of the firemen I've met want some Okotoks fire patches. (This is mostly for Larry, but I thought this was a cool idea that Kevin had. To get fire patches from everywhere).

Thursday we did a blitz in Santa Paula and I made a cool discovery. So Elder Deam I were walking down the street and we see a little kid. He asked us if we had the mail and we said no. He asked what was in my bag. I told him church stuff and opened it. He then stuck his head inside and I was like, wow, what the heck and so I pulled out a Restoration pamphlet. He was like, "Oh it's Jesus" and I said yes, it is and then he said, "I need to learn about Jesus too" so I gave it to him and he was very happy. 
The next cool thing was I met a family whose last name is Harker ! And guess what, they were from Alberta, Calgary, Lethbridge and Cardston so that was cool 

Friday was good but sad. We had weekly planning and went to ihop again and taught a girl named Daisy. It was sad, though, because my companion got a call to be a Zone Leader. We don't know where, but it means he is leaving and I really like him. He is a good guy. 

Saturday we got our transfer calls. I am staying in Fillmore but Elders Hunt, Clarkson and Hidalgo are all leaving, so I am the lone wolf in Fillmore. My new companion is Elder Robinson but I won't meet him until Tuesday.  

We taught another investigator lesson and then went to a member's house so Elder Hunt could say goodbye and I got to hold a wild lizard. That was cool.

Then what we did was cool. We went to a local park and drew the Plan of Salvation in chalk on the sidewalk and got a few new investigators from it, so that was sweet.  

 After we taught Robert and Vicky again (They are the family that is wanting to get baptized all together) and they fed me a big birthday dinner and we shared a good message and everyone sung Happy Birthday to me, so it was a good day. I also got lots of cake haha. 

Sunday was church and I had another birthday dinner at Sister P's. Then we went to another sisters and they fed me more. It was a blast and Elder Hunt said goodbye. He has a few more people to say goodbye to, but we are having a big camp out in the living room for our last night. 

It was good until the fight. 

So...just to be clear, I am okay and I am telling you this just so you know that mission life can get crazy. And this is my crazy story of the week. 

So last night I went to go check my clothes in the dryer. The dryer is broken so it takes like 3 hours to dry. Well Elder ?? had my clothes out and I thought they were done but they were still damp so I commented that they needed to go back in. We started to argue a bit and then he pushed me away. So I stepped in to get my clothes and he just LOST it. He grabbed me and threw me at the garage door (That's where our washer and dryer are). I bruised my arm and cut my side. Well Elder ** got made because Elder ?? attacked me. Elder ?? is huge and so is Elder **, and so Elder ** stepped in and then he got attacked. Elder ** fell to the ground and Elder ?? jumped on him. After that I grabbed Elder ?? and pulled him off and sort of pushed him to the side. He got up and relaxed finally and I told him that my clothes need to be dry so he said "fine" and took off. 
I am okay, so no worries there. We all made up and it's all cool, just my cool story, so ya. 

**So, I was a little freaked out when I first read this. Okay, a LOT freaked out. It seems like things got very heated, but these young men were able to work things out between themselves. This has made me realize just how difficult a mission can be. Missionaries leave EVERYTHING behind to serve for 2 years (or 18 months for Sisters). They are with someone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do not have the option of taking a break from each other. Missions can be very fulfilling, forming life long friendships and changing lives, but sometimes they can be hard. With that being said, I am so grateful for a son that made the decision to serve a mission. I am grateful for the Elders he has served with so far and the things they have taught him. I wish these young men nothing but happiness and success as they continue serving - Tammy**  


I mentioned in a previous email that I have been struggling a bit. It was just because it was a new change. I am doing so well. It is still a little weird but I promise I will tough it out. Sometimes I get a little trunky (A term used that refers to being a bit homesick) and I think about home too much sometimes. A few things I see make me miss home, but don't worry. I am surviving and I promise you I am not hurt or sad, but doing so well. I have hard days, everyone does and sometimes I miss you all so much, I want to come home, but I won't. As for the little tussle, I am okay, I promise :)

Well, on that note, I have got to go now, sooo I love you Mom, Dad, Shelby Scott and everyone else. Muah and I'll talk to you next week an I am staying in Fillmore :)  Goodbye for now.