Letter 7-21-08

Dearest Familia,

I am doing great down here in Midland. First and foremost this week – THIS WEDNESDAY – as in a day after tomorrow, The Bushmans, the couple that we live with, are going through Utah and will drop by at the Droge Home in Bountiful. They called and talked with Joe, but I am telling you again as a second reminder. They will be there Wednesday Morning, so make sure that you are there to meet them. They will be dropping off some items, namely some of the books that I’m not supposed to have. I wasn’t aware of that rule until a little bit ago. We as missionaries are only supposed to read 4 books (outside scriptures, Ensigns, and the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith) which are Jesus the Christ, True to the Faith, Our Search for Happiness, and Our Heritage. Any other book is not allowed, no matter how good or helpful. So I am being obedient and sending the other books with the Bushmans. Also, Mom, I had originally thought that your idea of just having me buy shoes out here would be fine, but I just got thinking that if the Bushmans are going to visit, they might as well pick up the Brown shoes as well as the ties that I got from Annie and Greg’s Weddings and then no one has to pay for postage at all and I don’t have to spend 30 dollars on shoes and we’re all happy. The other thing was that it would be fun for you to meet the members we are living with in person and chat for a little bit. So remember, be there Wednesday morning. 

Joe reminded me of something very important. Fantasy Football. Joe will be in charge this year, so let him know that you are interested. Joe – I was planning on sending you an email on how to start up a private league and then give you the email addresses that you want, but I still don’t have your email address, the one right now still doesn’t work and no one has given me the updated one, so plan on a snail mail letter getting there Wednesday or Thursday giving you all the details.

So as for me this week, I can’t complain. Tuesday we actually got a baptism and I was there to witness it. The confirmation was in church on Sunday. It was Milan Eoff that got baptized if you look at the other emails. He is really smart and everything just made sense to him. He is finished with the Book of Mormon and is now plugging through the Doctrine and Covenants. It feels nice to have finally had success. After Milan got baptized though, our teaching pool took a hit. All the others I have talked about are slipping off the map except for Ginger Keyes, Cody Chambers’ mom. We got in and taught the Plan of Salvation. She is really straightforward and honest with us. If she has a question or a concern she will interrupt and talk about it. That is a good sign. She even made mention that it is stupid that people would avoid us and not be honest. She gets it for the most part and she still remembers that she received an answer, she’s just fighting it a little because she hasn’t started reading yet, but we recommitted her to read and I have hope that she will.

That’s all for me right now. I would think that it would be cool if all you returned missionaries write and tell me what leadership positions that you served in. That would be fun to hear.
Dad got the scripture again. D&C 136. I will have a new scripture next week because I forgot to bring my scriptures to email, but I will leave with 2 BoM trivia questions

1 – Who is Mormon’s grandson?
2 – Which brother did Nephi raise from the dead?

That’s all for now. Notice that I changed my signature in accordance to a hilariously funny request from Mom.

Peace Out!

Elder Adam R Droge Befriendor345

Letter 7-14-08

Dearest Family,

Well, I just barely wrote on Thursday in which I responded to letters from this week and last week and haven’t gotten any since, so today I won’t write an epistle because there is not much to write about.

Transfers are this week. If you remember my analogy from before, transfers are like the trading deadline. We’re all here as a team in Midland and every six weeks, at the end of the transfer, they will call you up and say if you’re staying or going. If you’re going, you pack up as fast as possible and get on a bus the next morning and head off to a new area just like that. It’s just like in sports. You’re playing for your team and doing all that you possibly can to make your team better, then when the trading deadline comes there is a possibility that you get trading to a different team. You have no say in the matter. You’ll just get a call saying that you got traded, and then you have to pack up like that and get on the plane to your new team and pick up from there. You can’t whine, cry, or wish to go back; you just have to press forward with that team just like you’ve been there your whole life. Such is the case with transfers, as I have mentioned. Well, I was almost sure that I was going to get transferred because I have been here in Midland for 3 transfers now. Normally you’ll stay in an area for 2 to 4 transfers. Staying in an area 1 transfer only or 5 transfers happens, but is much more rare. So I thought I was leaving, but it turns out that I will stay another transfer here in the Midland 1st ward. This will be my 4th. So as I like to say, the trading deadline has passed and I did not get traded. The Midland team wanted me here for another 6 weeks, which means I’m here till at least August 24th.

Well, I left you hanging last week, so I will take care of that. During my second transfer here, back in April and May, you may remember a guy named Cody Chambers. He was all fired up and wanting to get baptized, but it fell through. He got opposition and questions arose. He couldn’t handle it because he stopped doing what he was supposed to do. He stopped reading, praying, and coming to church. He has now turned completely cold and doesn’t want to be taught anymore. However, like I said before, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m hoping it’s not a train, but that’s beside the point. If you remember, when Cody was all fired up, his mom, Ginger Keyes, came to church and to the musical fireside that the mission put on. She didn’t come after that, so we were just confused. Well, when Cody started going cold, we felt like we needed to see his mom, but we never did because she lives out in the boonies and we weren’t sure how interested she was anymore. Well, after about a month or two, in late June, a few weeks ago, we got a referral for all the way out there, so while we were contacting that referral, which ended up being nonexistent, we stopped by Ginger. She let us right in and we had an amazing first lesson. At the end of the lesson she realized that we were an answer to her prayer. She was praying for guidance in her life that morning or the evening before, then we showed up. Prayer works and the Holy Ghost exist. That’s for sure. She said she wanted to help out Cody and also her husband, who is an inactive member that hasn’t gone to church in over 30 years, since he was a teacher.

Our baptism is good for this Tuesday. The guy I mentioned last Thursday is getting baptized. That is way amazing. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a baptism. Since… umm… hmmm… wait a minute… I’ve never had a baptism. This will be a first.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. The guy in Midland 2nd ward, Steve Conley, the former NFL player that I talked about a few weeks ago, got baptized. That is cool. It doesn’t count as my baptism, but that is still fun. By the way, no one did research on him via NFL.com or such. Ye fiends of the infernal pit. Get on that! … 

Well, that’s all for this week. Peace out Drogeites. Oh yes, and just so you know, I beat Bruce in the longest ending war. He threw in the towel. Yay!!

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 7-10-08

Dearest Family,

We took our P-Day Thursday this week due to meeting the new Mission President, that's why I'm writing right now. President Robison is awesome by the way. He was exactly what I thought he would be. He met eand exceeded expectations. Its going to be a great 19 months with him as head.

Sounds like everyone is having a great time. Well, let me rephrase that. It sounds like the Bountifulites are having a great time. Bruce and Joe are enjoying themselves via Smallville, a new Kitty that is like a twin of like 2 or 3 other kitties we’ve had and takes me down a trip to memory lane when I see the picture Joe sent to me, and yardwork.

Oh, by the Way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! 55 years old and a senior citizen discount at Arctic Cirlce, who would’ve thunk it. Time goes by fast, doesn’t it?

So there was a question about that phone call you received on the fourth of July. Tracy Manning was calling from Midland, Texas. The Mannings are the coolest family in the ward. They are recent coverts of about 10 or so years and love the missionaries. The message was specifically for Mom. She has kept in contact with the moms of all the other missionaries that have served here in Midland 1st ward for the last few months. She was just calling to say how I was doing, give you an update, things like that. She had asked me what I wanted you guys to send me; that was the other part. Nothing huge. I was wanting some casual P-Day shoes that weren’t dress shoes or basketball shoes so I thought of either buying a pair or having you guys send my casual brown slip on shoes that I always wore back home. Those are in my box downstairs. I was also noticing the ties of the other missionaries here and I was told that it didn’t really matter what color tie you had as long as it wasn’t a ugly tie so I started wishing that I would’ve brought the 2 wedding ties that I left home, you know the nice yellow one from Greg’s wedding and the peachish one from Annie’s. When sister Manning asked what I wanted sent to me those are the 3 things that I thought of. Send those if you feel like being nice, but no rush. It’s not like they are too terribly necessary. Also mom, she said you could call her whenever you felt like talking or if you need anything. I realized after she hung up that she assumed that you had caller ID and failed to leave her number. I mentioned to her that you don’t have caller ID so she said she’d try back. In case she has forgotten, I don’t know her cell phone, but their house is xxx. Brother Chester Manning’s cell phone is xxx.

Congratulations to Dad for winning the scripture challenge. That story in judges is a weird one that I read while hammering through the old testament. It comprises of 2 or 3 chapters I believe and the one in Corinthians was quite funny, but don’t be too stressed, there was a JST in it that corrected it to say women aren’t supposed to rule in church, not speak. As tradition, here’s the next one:“If thou are merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and Thanksgiving.”There you go. You all obeying that commandment? We’re told we must sing and dance while listening to music whenever we are happy.

So onto me and my missionary experiences over the last week. First off, lets discuss one of the fellows that I believe that I mentioned last week. Milan Eoff. As a reminder, he has been jumping from religion to religion all his life and never felt like he came across the truth so he kinda gave up on organized religion. However, in the last few years he had seen the missionaries from our church pass by his house and he kinda wanted to talk to them, he didn’t know why, but they never did. Well, then we knocked on his door and he let us in. He almost didn’t, but then he decided he needed to. Well, it was all downhill from there. He knows the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and he feels like he has finally found the manifestation of the truth that he had been looking for all his life. Do you know why? Well here’s why. We’ve always been taught a small formula growing up that we have taken for granted sometimes. The classic Sunday school answers. Read the Book of Mormon. Pray. Go to Church. Guess What? IT WORKS!!! Milan started reading the Book of Mormon and has found that he loves it. Said he, “The Book of Mormon teaches so much about Jesus Christ that it’s not even funny.” He’s a way cool, way funny guy by the way. We’ve knocked on his door just under a month ago and he’s already halfway through 3rd Nephi. Holy Cow! I wish I could read that fast. He just can’t put it down. He prays every night and he also started coming to church regularly and BOOM! He believes. I wish everyone would do that down here, but they don’t. Most don’t. Bishop Heller told us the other day that if everyone in the ward would pray twice a day and study the scriptures daily that the ward would be translated. The problem is that that will never happen. We as members need to repent! Read the Book of Mormon daily and pray twice a day. It will help. It really will.

By the way, Fascimile number 2 in Abraham is really awesome. Study especially figure 6 and you’ll find out why.

Does everyone remember that we almost got a baptism in May but it fell through? Well, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ll tell you why Monday. Stay Tuned. I’m out of time.Peace Out All!!!

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 6-30-08

Hey Family!

What is up? You must all be having tons of fun because you all forgot that I was on a mission in Texas. That’s ok. I forgive you. Its nice to get letters and thanks for those few select people who actually write consistently. I think its funny how very few people actually feel obligated to write and give me a bunch of excuses on why they don’t have to write, yet half the family threatens to disown me when I even say that I won’t send a letter. It’s funny because I’m the one that has absolutely no time to write and you all do. Don’t worry though, I don’t care if I don’t get letters and I don’t know why I am even talking about this, but I really have nothing to respond to. If you don’t send a letter, I’m not even going to be disappointed, but I’ll know who actually cares by seeing who takes 5 minutes out of their life each week to drop me a note. Anyone, I will move on and talk about me because I’m the one who everyone expects to hear about. ☺☺☺☺☺

By the way…. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST SAMMY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! I feel horrible. I have been so caught up in the missionary work that I forgot Sammy turned a year old. I guess that 8 month year old Sammy that is in my camera is the one that is stuck in my mind. I just thought that he was going to stay that age for the rest of his life. Guess not.

There were no takers on my two easy scripture trivias from last week. I guess they stand another week.

So I have an assignment for everyone. Go to the website YOUTUBE and search for Elder Johnston. That is the funniest video. It is a video of a missionary that was in this mission. He likes to rock out to certain music and most people know that, so one day his companion secretly turned on the video camera and turned on his favorite song, a jazzed up version of a child’s prayer and “went to the bathroom” and that’s where the video starts. So he is at his best because he is in his natural state with no one watching him and he has no idea that he is being recorded. Check it out and tell me how you liked it.

So I have a friend that got his mission call to North Carolina. I was thinking to myself that that was way cool, then I thought to myself that I know someone that lives (or lived) in North Carolina. Julien and his mom Catrine McGregor. Then that reminded me… NO ONE HAS GIVEN ME JULIEN’S ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND HIM A NOTE!!! Someone should do that. Remember that I have his phone number in my (Bruce’s) phone.

I think there is a conspiracy against me. You have all pledged not to tell me anything about football, NFL or BYU. Just feel lucky that there are a few people out here that I have gotten a little information from, like how Bryan Kehl got drafted in the 4th or 5th round, BYU was ranked in the preseason polls at #12, and a dude on ESPN.com predicted that BYU would go to a BCS Bowl Game against Oklahoma. The NFL offseason is almost my favorite thing to follow and I’ve heard a few things about what happened in free agency and the draft, but not much. And also be glad that there are people that watched the NBA playoffs, because absolutly no one from Drogeville said anything about that. Your conspiracy won’t work, I’ll get my information somehow, so you might as well write and tell me what happens. Thanks to Dave for telling me who the Jazz drafted. That was fun to hear.

Investigator update:

1- Milan Eoff – He is a 58 year old guy is the coolest and funniest guy ever. He is real smart and likes the message. He has searched his whole life for a religion and never found one he liked so much, even though he was baptized 4 times. He came to church yesterday and liked it. He made mention that he needs to be baptized. Now we just got to make sure that he knows it is true

2- Elmo, Gloria, and Brandon Minjarez – We originally talked to Elmo and he invited us back, so we set up an appointment and he wasn’t there. Nothing new, so we gave his son Brandon a card and told him to give it to his dad. No one ever calls the card, but this guy did, so we went back. Turns out he has lived a hard life and has just moved to Midland with his wife Gloria and son Brandon to start over and search for a church. They are all three commited to baptism, but they got sick and Gloria had to go to the hospital so they weren’t able to go to church and couldn’t and had to reschedule the appointment we had when we were going to set a baptisimal date. Once they get better we’ll go over

3- Robert – This guy is a really cool new investigator who has felt the consequences of not following God and has commited to put his life in the hands of God and will join the church if its what God wants him to do. He said that he was like a modern day Joseph Smith, searching for a church. He mentioned that his wife will be really excited when she finds out about this. He would’ve come to church, but he has a 3 week old daughter that isn’t supposed to go outside

Anyway, that’s all for now. I have to go. Talk to you all later.

Elder Adam R Droge

Alienator345