Letter 6-23-08

Hey Family,

Well, the scripture challenge of the week was finally solved. Wendy said it was easy, but she just didn’t know that I had a new one. Ha! Excuses, Excuses… Dad wins this time. I heard that he had it long before Wendy wrote.

Anyway, I have a new one, I don’t know how harder it is, but it’s just the weirdest story I’ve ever heard. These scriptures are the climax of the story:
“Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, till it was light. And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon [a donkey], and the man rose up and gat him unto his place. And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.”
Now that’s not cool. I’d at least have a funeral if it were me… how 'bout one more. This one is a funny one to quote:
“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
That’s a real scripture, I promise…

Ok, now it’s time to get serious. So I hear that Bruce got a job at Arctic Circle. That is way awesome. Now, Bruce, where much is given, much is required. You are now responsible for getting everyone there that knows me to send a letter… … If you fail, I won’t hit you too hard. At least get Nicky Addair (if he is still there) to send me the address of his brother Kenny, who is on his mission to the Texas Fort Worth mission.

Now this week was really interesting. We live at the top of our area with the Bushman’s. 3 times this week we had a tire pop on us. First was Elder Larrabee’s bike. Brother Bushman helped us fix that. Then my back tire got a small nail in it. We got that fixed the morning 2 days later and then at lunch my other tire gave out as well. Grr… Good thing the Elders quorum president is a bike expert. He helped me fix it. Told me I had the right tubes and gave me a ton of advice on bikes and said he’d take me to Wal-Mart or Academy one of these days and give me everything that I need. So I am set with my bike. Hopefully the tubes will last a lot longer this time. It caused us to have to walk twice this week. It took just under an hour to walk to an appointment when it usually takes 15 minutes on a bike. Man, it’s useless and very unproductive to be on foot. I thought bikes were bad since there are more missionaries with cars than on bikes here in Texas, but walking is even worse.

It was also zone conference this week. President Rose gave an incredible speech on the apostasy and how Joseph Smith is the key to conversion out here. Speaking of President Rose, he goes home next Sunday when President Robison comes. He is released upon seeing President Robison. President Rose is one of the most powerful speakers that I have ever heard and it would be more than worth it to attend his homecoming. In fact if you miss it, you will be missing the experience of a lifetime. So put this on your calendars: Sunday July 13 at 2:45 PM. For directions to the church house, visit the Texas Lubbock Mission website. If you search in Google for Texas Lubbock Mission, it will be the first link. There, in the news, there is an announcement with information in it about the homecoming and directions to the Chapel. Be there or be square.

On Saturday we went on exchanges with the 2nd ward missionaries. I went into their area and taught one of their investigators, who is the coolest guy ever. His name is Steve Conley. He played in the NFL as a fullback for the Cincinnati Bengals for 9 years. He was drafted in the 5th round out of the University of Kansas. Someone should look him up on NFL.com. That would be fun. But yeah, he is in his 60’s now and will be baptized here sooner or later. We taught him about tithing, which was the last thing that he had to be taught. He comes to church every week and loves it. He just needs to start living some of the commandments more, the word of wisdom specifically, and he will be baptized. So that is way fun. I can cross off another thing of my life’s to do list: Teach a former NFL player who will eventually be baptized.

We got a couple of really cool investigators, but I will tell you about them once they start going somewhere. We have been in a lesson drought this transfer until this past week when it has started to pick up again.Anyway, that’s all for this week. I look forward to hearing about Father’s day, Annie’s birthday, and the trip to Kansas. Peace Out!

(DrogeTheElderTheAdamTheRichardTheMissionaryTheWas a deacon 6 years agoTheWas a teacher 3 years agoTheWas a priest 1 year agoThewill be home a day before Dave's 29th birthdayThewill be married in 3 or 4 yearsTheWill be a high priest in 20 or 30 yearsThebrother of ShawnTheBrother of ByronTheBrother of DavidTheBrother of GregTheBrother of AnnieTheSiamese twin of Adam (sort-of)TheBrother of BruceTheBrother of JosephTheBrother-in-law of BeccaTheBrother-in-law of ElizabethTheBrother-in-law of MichelleTheBrother-in-law of WendyTheBrother-in-law of MikeTheUncle of SarahTheUncle of EthanTheUncle of SammyTheUncle of NathanTheSon of LynnTheSon of MaxineTheFormer companion of Elder CravenTheFormer companion of Elder HillTheCompanion of Elder LarrabeeTheMissionary in the Midland 1st wardTheHouseguest of Blaine and Margine BushmanTheIs finally done with this listTheJust creamed Bruce once again in this long closing chain)

Letter 6-16-08

Dearest Kinship in the Uttermost State of Utah,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANNIE AND HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like life is going great up there. I hope to hear about the Birthday party / Father's day party that happened this week... Summer is up and rolling and you guys are probably about 10 to 20 degrees cooler up there. We’ve been between 105 and 110 all month long. I’ve got used to it though. Riding a bike everywhere from 3 months kinda forces me to. The wind has died down a little bit, so that is good.So I heard from Joe that you guys had a fun trip to Zion’s canyon. It’s a beautiful place down there. I would be jealous, but I’m having a lot more fun roasting in the barren desert of West Texas. Basketball camp sounds fun. It would be fun if you made the team, Joe. These past few weeks have been interestingly boring. I’ve been put in charge of this area and it has collapsed on me. We have 3 good investigators. Cheyenne Cook, Jonathan Alcantara, and Veronica Allred. Cheyenne is the 9 year old girl who is pretty much a member but hasn’t been baptized due to legal issues of adoption. Jonathan is the guy who grew up catholic, but went atheist because catholisism never made sense to him. Veronica is the lady who is married to the less active guy whose whole family is members. Outside those 3, we pretty much have no investigators. Cody Chambers, the guy who almost got baptized is dropped and everyone else is has two strikes and is about to be dropped. We have been getting no new investigators. We went on a 14 or 15 day streak of not getting a new investigator before we broke that on Saturday. All the potentials Elder Hill and I picked up last transfer have been dropped except for 3 or 4. We are in a rebuilding stage and got 78 people taught while finding (people we talked to on the streets or at doorsteps). My companion has some obedience issues and is not really too keen on listening to what I have to say, so that gets frustrating sometimes, but we get along great as long as I don’t say anything and let him continue in his apostate ways. We do go out on time and get in on time and work hard, so its nothing too serious, but he drives me up the wall on occasion. I think about the scripture in Mosiah where it says the Lord seeth fit to try the patience and faith of his people. My patience is being tried right now, so its hard, but I’m surviving. Life is still good and I am still blessed with this great opportunity to go out and bear testimony, even if no one listens. One word comes to mind, “Hakunamatata,” put your past behind you. Life is rough and times can be frustrating and sad, but we need to cry about it and move on. If we mope about all the hard times we are having then we will have a rough time in life. We need to always be moving onward with a perfect brightness of hope, knowing that good things will come from whatever happens to us. Elder Bird, the missionary I was on an exchange with while we were both on waiting for our new companaroses, taught me something profound. Why are we put in Texas, one of the hardest places to serve? Because the Lord trusts us. Us missionaries in Texas are the Lord’s most trustworthy and faithful missionaries. Why? Because he knows we can make it through 2 years of being amongst a people that hate and reject our message. This is a terrestrial place. 99 percent of the people are non-members and it seems like another 99 percent of that proportion has been taught that mormon missionaries are of the devil and are going to hell. The lord trusts us. He knows we can make it through. I always think of the sons of Mosiah who went amongst the Lamanites. We always hear how much success that they had, but what we forget is that they spent 14 years there and I can guarantee that they had a trial or two at the beginning of their missions. I’ll survive. Life is great. We are blessed to be members of the lord’s true church.

Anyway, that’s my thoughts on the week. I am out of time. I heard a rumor that dad found my previous scripture challenge, but I have not received evidence of that yet…

Quote of the day,“God isn’t just going to throw us down to Hell because he doesn’t want us, rather he would have us there, but he loves us so much that he would sacrifice have us live there with him so that we would be happier.” --Greg DrogeThink about that over this week. I’ll talk to you all later. Peace Out!

Droge
The
Elder
The
Adam
The
Richard
The
Missionary
The
was a deacon 6 years ago
The
was a teacher 3 years ago
The
was a priest 1 year ago
The
will be home a day before Dave's 29th birhday
The
will be married in 3 or 4 years
The
Just beat Bruce long closing chain
(PS - Bruce, TAKE THAT!!!!)

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 6-9-08

Dear Family,

Well this week was an interesting week. Like I said, it was transfer week and my companion, Elder Hill, got sent away. It’s interesting how they do it. They call you up Monday morning and tell you if you are going or staying. If you are going, all that they say is that you are going north or south and leaving Tuesday or Wednesday. They don’t tell you where you’re going or who your companion is until you get to the area where you are staying. Elder Hill left Tuesday and my new companion, Elder Larrabee got here Wednesday. Elder Larrabee’s dad is in the coastguard so he is from everywhere. Recently from Layton and Boston being his favorite. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I stayed with the other missionary in town that lost his companion. I had a very interesting experience that I vowed not to tell anyone about while I was with that other missionary. Sorry, but I have to leave you hanging there.

So the rest of this week was a bust. We got in and taught only 2 lessons, one on Thursday and one on Sunday. We did have an investigator at church, so that is really good. Her name is Veronica Allred. Her husband, Evan, is a less-active member who’s whole family is members. His dad is even a branch president. They both were at his brother’s homecoming a while back. Listening to that got her interested in the Gospel. We have been trying to teach them more, but he is really busy at work in the oil field and is like never home and she doesn’t want us to teach her or come to church unless he is there, so that has been an obstacle because he is never home, but like I said, yesterday they randomly showed up at church. We have taught them the first lesson and are working on the second. Hopefully we will get that in sometime. When we taught the first lesson a month back it was really good. They invited us over for dinner and we had the lesson afterwards. She said she’d start reading the Book of Mormon more once summer comes and summer is here so hopefully she will start and hopefully we will be able to teach them the second lesson, the plan of salvation, here really soon.

So one more thing that is really cool. This is actually specifically for Dad. We had dinner with a member down here, Quinn Carroll. You should know him. He graduated high school from Bountiful High in 1970, a year before you. He was in band. He played the Saxophone. He talked about a cool song that he composed/arranged during the summer. It was two popular songs in that day that he put together. It was four pages long with many different parts. The whole band played it during a concert and he even conducted it when they played. He said that you should remember that song. We grabbed his yearbook and we looked through it and I was able to see your junior picture in his yearbook. It’s a small world isn’t it?

Anyway, that’s about it for this week. One of these weeks that I have nothing to talk about or respond to I’ll give you that shpeal about opposition that I really liked, but not this week. I’ll leave you hanging again.

So far no one has guessed my recent scripture trivia, so it will stand again this week.

Good Luck and Peace Out

DrogeTheElder Adam R

(PS – Bruce, I’m glad you like my closing title. Looks familiar, doesn’t it?)

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 6-2-08

Dear Family,

Life is great here in Midland. The trading deadline has past for the second time and once again I survived the chopping block and will be staying here in Midland for at least another 6 weeks. My companion however wasn’t so lucky. He got traded to some place up north. He will be leaving tomorrow afternoon and I will get my new companion either when he leaves or Wednesday afternoon.

One worldly thing to get out of the way, for those of you who don’t like worldly things, you can skip this paragraph, but my letters from Mom, Bruce, and Joe all talked about the American Idol finale so that’s all I have to respond to. Something of note to those of you who haven’t jumped the American Idol bandwagon yet, you better jump, because even Mom has become addicted from what I read, even though she doesn’t want to accept it. And if mom likes American Idol, then that means you will too. By the way, Mom, I was laughing out loud when I read your reaction to David Archuleta losing. It would’ve been cool for him to win, but let me justify David Cook. The way I judge American Idol is I try to picture myself listening to their music after they are finished with American Idol is finished and I ask myself, would I listen to their album that they put out? I’ll root for whoever sings closer to my taste and that person was David Cook this year and it’s about time that America gets it right for the first time in 6 seasons. Thanks for recording all the episodes for me. That’ll be fun when I get home. But anyway, Bruce brings up an interesting point. David Archuleta is a member of the church and only in high school. Maybe he’ll go on a mission. That would be cool, Elder Archuleta. One problem though, they’d have to send him to some foreign country that knows nothing about American media or else there would be people that would join the church just because of him and that is the wrong reason.

I heard from Joe that you guys are all going on all kinds of fun trips now that I’m gone. Not only are you going to the big vacation this summer, but you all decided to take off to Zion’s canyon. That’s no fair… Don’t worry, I don’t need vacations. I’m on a better vacation so ha!

Bruce – In answer to your question, I’m sorry that that video we made got deleted. I’m not sure if it’s on my flash drive or not. I can’t remember. Greg and Wendy have that flash drive so talk to them and make them check. Sorry. I hope it is. Let me know what you find out.

Anyway, about me talking more about my experiences, I’ll promise that I’ll talk about anyone who might go anywhere that we’ve taught more than once. Cody Chambers is at a standstill right now. We did teach him about opposition so I hope that helps and he did bring up that he has slipped up with smoking, so that is something we’ll have to work with. He has had an incredibly hectic work schedule, so we haven’t met with him in a while and he hasn’t been to church in a few weeks due to his work. Melissa is pretty serious about coming back, but she has had some medical issues and hasn’t made it to church the last two weeks because of it. She has pushed Cody a lot to get baptized, so that shows her desire.

A few others worth mentioning: First, Chris. He is a guy that has done a lot of bad things in his life. He has tattoos up and down his arms and had a house arrest ankle bracelet on the first time we met him. However, he does want to change his ways and become a better person. He is familiar with the Bible, so that is also good. We read 2 Nephi 31 with him and talked a lot about baptism. We found he wasn’t on parole and has never been to prison, so we extended a hard baptismal commitment, that is where we set a specific date, and he accepted it, but the problem is he said he wants to get baptized in his mom’s church when he does get baptized. Hmmm, wrong answer. We’ll have to teach him about that more.

The second person we taught a second lesson to is a guy named Jonathan Alcantara. He is about 20 years old. He grew up catholic but it didn’t feel right to him so he turned atheist. Recently though, his girlfriend re-sparked a religious interest in him so he no longer feels atheist, but he is confused and in the dark about which religion is true. That is the type of situation we like. He was actually a referral given to us by a member, so that is even better. The first two lessons, the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation, made a ton of sense to him, we just need to get him to read the Book of Mormon and come to church and we’ll get him.

Last, but not least is a young Hispanic couple, Junior and Lupé, that we have taught a few times. They have never been much on religion, but they like us coming and talking with them. He, like everyone else, works in the oil field, the same type of work Cody Chambers does. They do huge 12 – 16 hour shifts with very few days off. It is horrible and hard to teach and get them to come to church. He is always working and she doesn’t want to come alone. We’ll see what happens with them, but at least they invite us in, so that’s a step forward.

That’s about everyone right now that has real potential. Everyone else is people we’ve taught once and never seen again or are trying to get back in. I’ll keep you updated. The opposition discourse from President Rose will have to wait because of the fact that I had people to talk about so keep in touch.

So I thought my scripture last week was going to be harder to get, but Wendy nailed it, so I have to try harder. Here’s my best shot for now:

“Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.”

Try to get that one. Until next time, peace out!

DrogeTheElder Adam R

PS - someone give me Joe's email address. The one I have right now isn't working.

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 5-27-08

Dear Family,

I am writing this on a Tuesday. Why? Because yesterday was a holiday and the computers were closed everywhere. Holidays are all wonderful and joyous and everything outside of a mission, but not on the mission. Holidays are horrible because everyone is gone, those home don’t want to talk, and we can’t email. Good thing it was P-Day. We almost didn’t email at all this week, but district leader decided to do it today, so you guys are all lucky.

Anyway, a few thoughts on my mind before I get into the letter too far. First off, what are the gas prices up there in Utah? Down here they are 3.80 a gallon for normal unleaded and for diesel in is 4.50. It is skyrocketing and that is ridiculous. Food storage suddenly sounds like a great idea in case truckers go on strike.Sounds like everyone had fun on the Father and Sons outing. Hey Dad, thanks for the pictures. It was cool seeing my home ward again as well as family. I have evidence that they are all alive.

Hey Annie – I have some homework for you. I was reading in the church news about the sister missionary that collapsed in England and died. That is a horrible story. What was worse is that the last name and place she was from was very familiar. Lindsey Spjute from Farmington, Utah. Remember in band the big Tuba player, Russell Spjute? Well, that’s not a very common name. Figure out if they were related in some way then report. It will give you an excuse to write another letter.

One of my highlights for this week was reading Greg’s letter. Thanks for that. That was a wonderful discourse about the justice of God. I enjoyed it and it gave me things to think about. Another very interesting thought arose in my mind because of that letter. If I was born and raised in Texas, would I accept the gospel? I’ve put myself in their shoes, tried to think of what they have been taught via scriptures from the Bible and from their preachers and I’m not sure if I would. It makes me feel grateful that I was born and raised in the Church.

Wendy got that passage of scripture that I left last week. It was 2 Nephi 4. I wasn’t meaning for it to be hard, it was just what was on my mind and I thought that it was very appropriate to what had been going on in my mind. If you want a difficult challenge, try this one:“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and their children for ever! Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak into thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgements, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.”

Anyway, I’ve had some requests and softly been cried repentance unto. People want to hear more about missionary work and about experiences that I’ve had. I’ve noticed that I’ve been slothful in that aspect, so I will try to be better. That is why it is important to write, because I don’t always know what to talk about and I didn’t realize that I was being slothful. I’ll try to be better. But to be honest, I have told you about every single investigator that is going anywhere and keeping commitments. But Adam, you have only told us about one investigator! Exactly! Isn’t Texas great? I can tell you all about the investigators that don’t keep commitments, don’t come to church, and many of whom we teach once and never see again. I can mention all the times we spend hours knocking on doors and all the rude people, but I haven’t because I’m not sure you want to hear that. Let me know. There are some things that I can talk about and a few spiritual discourses that I can give via studies and meetings and I would’ve today, but I have no time. Look forward to me talking about what President Rose told us about opposition the other week. Stay Tuned.

Stay strong. Stay firm in the faith. This is the truth. Elder Droge has now left the Building and ran out of time.

DrogeTheElder Adam R.

Elder Adam R Droge Alienator345

Letter 5-19-08

Dear Family,

My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me. And upon the wings of his spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even to great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them. O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions? And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. Do not anger because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions. Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make that I should shake at the appearance of sin? May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road! O Lord, wilt thou encircle me about in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy. O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or makes flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Now that you are all in tears because of this wonderful poetic psalm that I have written, I’ll admit, I’m quoting this from somewhere. Brownie Points to those who tell me where it’s from. I’ll give you a clue. This person says he’s not a good writer. Ha! Whatever! I thought it was good to write that this week since everyone had a hangover from talking to me on the phone and neglected to write, except Bruce of course. He had an American Idol update to give me. Which by the way, I know all of you are cheering from the David Archuleta from Murray, but GO DAVID COOK!! I’ve never had an American Idol season go my way, so you might as well vote for Archuleta for that reason, but hey, there’s a first for everything, right? I’m also glad that there are a few sport fans out here because no one has given me a sports update in a long time. I was preaching to everyone that the Jazz would beat the Lakers and of course everyone had to make sure that I was aware of it when the Lakers eliminated the Jazz. Grr… Oh, well. I heard it was one heck of a series, Jazz taking LA to game 7 where they lost by 3 points, having 2 shots to tie it at the end and missing both. It’s kinda fun, one of the ward missionaries down here just came down from Utah, having recently graduated from BYU, was a sports writer for several different papers, and is now a weekend sports broadcaster for channel 9 news. So I hear a little bit here and there, I even got into a big NBA conversion during dinner with a member who is a huge Lakers and NBA fan. That’s still not an excuse not to update me because I still haven’t figured out what happened in the NFL draft or NFL free agency… Don’t worry it’s something I hardly think about, but it would still be nice to know. Thanks to Dave for the updates he has given. One more thing, it would be fun to see how I did in the Fantasy Basketball League we (Dave, Joe, and I).

Now onto more important matters, missionary work. We now have 3 ward missionaries to go out with us in the day, so that is good. Our baptism last week didn’t happen. Its kinda sad, but understandable. Cody Chambers had been receiving some opposition that caused him to have second thoughts about what he was doing. He wanted to wait a little longer to make sure that he knew what he is doing is the right thing and also he wants to make sure he can keep all the commitments of being a member. It will happen. It’s just a matter of time. It’s a process that shouldn’t be rushed. We’re here to prepare people for exaltation, not increase church membership.

Anyway that’s all for now. I’m excited to read all of your letters now that it has been 2 weeks since I’ve called and I know you all want to start writing again. I’m sure I’ll get a letter from Mom today or tomorrow because it didn’t come Saturday like it usually does, and Greg mentioned an epistle that should get here Wednesday or Thursday. Bruce will be writing me telling that Syesha went home (that’s a guess by the way, I don’t really know) because there’s no way the Davids go home instead of her. Those are guaranteed. And I’m sure everyone else will want to write in order to keep up and get as much credibility as Bruce and Joe have right now, and Mom of course. Peace out all.

Droge

the

Elder Adam R

Elder Adam R Droge

Alienator345

Letter 5-12-08

Hey Peoples of in the distant land of Utah!

It was good talking to all of you again. It did seem really short, but it was great. Because of the fact that I talked yesterday, I don’t have a ton to say, but I’ll see what I can do.

So Greg and Wendy, I totally forgot to mention this, but… HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!! It’s been one whole year, can you believe it? Probably not. I’ve almost been out 3 months on a mission. Time sure flies.

So I got an email saying that my email failed to make it to Joe, so someone make sure that he gets the email from this week and last week if he didn’t already. I always look forward to letters from Bruce and Joe, because they write every week. Joe didn’t this week, so I was wondering what was wrong, but that may be it, so make sure he gets this letter and last weeks as well.

I didn’t hear much from Bruce and Joe while calling, but yet I remember that I never said much. Anyway, Joe, how have you been? Any success with the Lawn Mowing business or has it snowed again? Can you believe that 7th grade is almost over for you? You’ll be half way through Junior High in a few months. Isn’t that really weird? Make sure you tell me if you make the Basketball team next year. Keep practicing every day and you will have a good shot. So are you going to do football next year at all?

Sorry that I called when Byron was gone. I read the email that said that 5:30 would be the best time for everyone, but I could only call when I did. We had dinner after Elder Hill finished calling his home and had to go out and work because there were some people that we needed to get caught up with that evening.

So Bruce, it sounds like you had a really fun elephant rock trip. That would be exciting. So is it fun to Spencer in the ward? I know it would be awesome for me. American Idol update: Remember how I said that David Cook was going to win it this year? Ever since his first audition I liked him and now he is still in with only 4 people left. Bruce, how does it feel to be almost done with Junior High? You will be in High School in a few months. Isn’t that crazy?

So there isn’t much that I can think of on my end. We do pretty much the same thing every day and we already talked about a lot yesterday, so if you want to know anything about me, make sure to write and ask.

So Byron, I read that first email about the watch finally. The watch is really nice. I figured that it set automatically, because I could only change time zones so that it really cool and it is nice that it is solar powered. It has served me well, so thanks a lot.

Anyway, that’s all for now. Stay strong and true till the end of time, which will never come. Feel blessed that you live and Utah and feel grateful for the gospel because the percentage of people in this world that have the truth is slim to none. Have a great week.

---Elder Adam R Droge
The Alienator