Monday, September 23, 2013

Elder Cook's Birthday


September 23, 2013

 Dear Family:

Hi! Well this has been a pretty slow week. Elder Hawkins has been sick pretty much the whole time. This letter will be short, not a whole lot to talk about.

Monday Elder Hawkins was sick so after E-mailing and stuff Elder Cook and I wanted to look at some trucks so we went to a close dealership. It was a Ford Dealership, so I wasn't super intrigued but they were ok. One of the sales men kept asking us if we wanted to go for a test drive. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't let us drive he probably would have to, I didn't ask, just said no. For dinner Elder Cook and I went and picked it up and brought it back for everybody.
Elder Cook and Elder Wood

Tuesday we didn't do anything. it sucked ha. I saved my work out so I could take longer and not just sit there all day. Even then I was done with everything by noon. So just kinda played guitar and listened to my iPod and that's about it.
 
Wednesday night Elder Hawkins and I taught a lesson to Marsha Kemp. It was really good. He was hacking through the whole thing though. We had an awesome dinner with Rob Gifford. He is the guy that cuts out Elder Hawkins in-grown toenails. He has a cool family. He fed his baby ice-cream for the first time and she was freaking out. She would get super excited every time he lifted up his spoon. I think the most exciting thing that day was while we were biking to dinner we went past the golf course (we live right by it) and I saw something super funny. At the driving range there was a guy there with his little machine picking up the balls, but the golfers were still out there driving. I have never seen them do it during hours. He had a little cage on his wanna-bee lawnmower. The funny part was that was the new focus of the driving range. I could see the balls bouncing off of his cage.
Machine with a Cage at the Golf Course (just left of the tree)


Thursday I don't really know what we did. Probably nothing. Elders Cook and Braithweight came and talked to me about college. Neither have been so they wanted to know more about it.

Friday we called and talked to President Smart about the area. Bishop Merrill wants us to switch areas with the other elders in the ward because theirs is where all the members are and all the work. Problem is they are always gone doing office stuff. We would have to move in order for us to do it because they work on the top of the hill. President said that would be a good idea to switch if we could work out the apartment situation. So we are working with the housing coordinators to see what we can do. That day we met with Sandy again. She really won't let us teach her anything, but she knows we were sent by God. Elder Hawkins is not bold at all. So he would be just fine with going over there and just reading a few verses out of the bible and not challenging her at all. Sandy doesn't want us to be bold with her and let us know that multiple times. I don't like that though, I warned her I was going to be bold with her and then I testified about how much good change the message we want to share with her can bring to her life and that that is what we were going to teach her. She said she will think about it and that we will see. Ha she is a bit strong headed. So we left with a prayer and we will go back again this week and see what happens. I don't think Elder Hawkins liked what I did, but he isn't ever going to say that to me. If I never did it, she would never get taught anything so I don't feel bad at all ha. That night we rode with the other elders to dinner and then back to do some other things that night. We had been tracting and left our bikes in front of Bro Jones house. He wasn't there but his wife noticed they had been there for a long time and thought we had gotten kid-napped. So don't worry, there are people here worrying about me. She called us punks and told us we are lucky she didn't hide our bikes.

Saturday we had Elder Cooks B-day because nobody was going to have time for it on Sunday. I called Sister Peirce (the office Sister) and got a big lunch party all set up. She told Elder Cook he had to bring us to her house because she needed us all to go and help President set up some stuff in Hemet for when the 70 comes next week. He really enjoyed the surprise party, he wasn't expecting it. I think about half the zone was there. He also got a goldfish the sisters made. That day Elder Cook was on Exchanges with Elder Blanchard. He is super cool. He was in the army before he came out. That night we rode back with them. The ZL's live with Elder Blanchard and Elder Hugie. It got a little bit crazy in the apartment ha. Elder Blanchard has a little thing we call the tazer he made out of a disposable camera that will shock you pretty good. When we got back it was gone. Earlier that day we found out the ZL's darted Elder Hugie (darted means he can't move because of a game a bunch of Elders play) and had shocked him with his own companions tazer thing. So when the ZL's showed up the breaker got flipped and it turned into war haha. Everybody was pretending like they had the tazer. It was a bit like clue and wrestling. It was a good little game that broke the monotony of my week sitting with a sick companion. Now I almost didn't tell you that because in the past some parents have called president because they didn't think some behavior was appropriate. Don't do that! It never goes well for anybody! Especially the one who's relatives or friends called president. I wrote it so I can remember, and because it is funny. It was all just in fun and nobody was hurt and it wasn't a big deal. Yes a little in-appropriate for Elders to be doing, but still super fun. Then we went home and went to bed.

Sunday was church. That is good as always. We had another lesson with Marsha Kemp. For Elder Cooks B-day he wanted to take the last half hour of the night and go look at the Chev and Dodge dealerships at the trucks while there weren't any salesmen. It was fun and he really enjoyed it. So did I ha. A little bit disobedient, but it was his birthday. Oh-well.
 
Window Shopping for Future Dream Car (or truck) with Elder Cook



 
 
I think that is all for the week!

Love ya!

Elder Wood