Matt's letter for Feb. 27, 2012

Hey Mom!                                                                        
Monday, February 27, 2012

ok ok crazy week. Zone conference was good but first; let me tell you some stuff!

Monday we were reading scriptures with John and another exchange student from Saudi Arabia came down and asked if he could join! We taught him about the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ and he said that he wants to learn more! We also got him a BOM in Arabic!  :) He is gone to Saudi Arabia for a month, so when he gets home. We'll teach him! But if he converts, I guess he can be killed when he goes home. We talked to president and he said we could teach him though! Woo! His name is Raed.

We got to do a lot of tracting this week. It was AWESOME! It just feels good to go and do good things, even if you don't get to talk to a lot of people. It felt good to work really hard.

We had Zone Conference - Way good! It was a real dumping of spirit. We taught about Teaching for Understanding and then we role-played teaching in front of everyone! Yikes! But it went really good.  President talked a lot, and it was super good. He just has such a strong spirit. Love him!

Friday we had dinner with Kristi Eide and her mom, they live in Malibu Lake. Beautiful! They are so sweet. We played our lame board game and then watched the reflections of Christ DVD - Another Testament. Awesome! Kristi is less active, but a sweetie pie. We love her lots!

We also taught Bree. She is so sweet! We talked a lot about her brother Robby on his mission, and her testimony. She is so solid! We love her tons. Then we accidently left our phone at her house, so we had to use our neighbors to call her and get it... it was great! haha! :)

We have little GPS things in our car that track our driving and speed, and at zone conference we got little card, and whenever we drive we have to log in and then if we do something wrong, it tells us and reports it to the president! Yikes. I guess our mission was chosen randomly... It’s crazy though. His name is Tiwi.

Saturday we played ultimate Frisbee with the ward and some non-members. It was way fun! Then Ryan Henley (Our investigator that’s getting baptized April 6) bought us frozen yogurt. We set up with our Ward Mission Leader to watch the Joseph Smith movie at his house that night. We taught Jennica Webb in Agoura (Her dad films NCIS) then headed to Chris' for the movie. While waiting to start we were goofing around and sliding on the wood floor, and I got the BIGGEST splinter in the bottom of my foot. YIKES! Chris' dad pilled it out for me, and him mom saved the evidence (That i taped into my journal). It was NASTY. Now i can't walk at all! It hurts a lot. Haha! But it’s ok :) Crazy times!

Well, that was pretty much our week in a nutshell! Nothing too crazy. Its good to hear from you! I got the newsletter - thanks!! Sounds like everyone is doing great. Sorry that the fence blew over. That sucks! But you'll get through it! :) I love you tons! Have a good week!

--

Elder Matthew Monk

  California Ventura Mission

          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

Me on a big hill over Newbury!

The view from a big hill over Newbury!

 You can see Camarillo and the Channel islands! Woo!

This ones for sale...! You should get it! :)

Us at Ultimate Frisbee! It was a fun game! :)

Just an update. . .

It seems like all I have been posting lately is

letters from Matt.  

I looked at my disc on my camera and there

were just a few pictures I can share.

We got to babysit in January while Steven and Brooke

went to Utah to a Dr.'s appt.  Sounds like

Steven will be having surgery on his eye in

March.  

I hate that he has to have surgery but  we loved

watching the kids.

(They are so cute!)

I love them with all my heart.

 Camden loves playing my my tupperware drawer.

I remember a picture so close to this of Emily.

 On February 13th, we celebrated Sam's 25th birthday.

I find it so hard to believe that he is that old.  I remember his

birth like it was yesterday.  I remember the smell of his little

baby breath.  I remember kissing that little blonde head.

Oh, I miss those years of having a baby in my arms.

So proud of him and all his accomplishments!

So happy that he has a cute little bride by his side

to share his life with.  

We are all blessed so much

and to this I give all my

gratitude.

 We also celebrated my Mother-in-laws birthday.

She is on the left and my Mom is on the right.

Two of my most favorite people in the world.

I love them both.  

 So yesterday, February 22, the wind was so bad.

Look what happened to our fence. . .

Yip, what fence?

photo's and letter from Matt

Monday, February 20, 2012

Hey mom!

Goooooooood Week! No complaints from over here.

I finally got you some pics! Here you go:

LA Temple

LA Temple

Elders Monk, Cook, Christensen, Hamilton

Christus

Palms on Santa Monica Boulevard + Ocean

LA Temple

PCH Toward Malibu

Me and John (Sun Jian)

The Knapps and us at cho cho san

 View of new apartment living room

Kitchen

bedroom/closet

Elder Brodie and I in our new ZOne T Shirts "We're Legit" Edler cook and Elder Eldredge made them

The sky by the TO Temple

We went to Claimjumper for lunch with Jun, and there was a sick bike, so we got our cameras, the guy came out, he said we could sit on it, and told us that he built it custom and it cost $70,000.00. Holy cow!! Lucky :)

 So there ya go! I hope you like them :)

We have zone conference this week in Newbury Park (So right here) and Elder Brodie and I (We're both zone leaders) are doing  a breakout on Teaching for Understanding. It sould be good! We have some responsibility, but mostly President and the assistants are in charge. It will be good!  If you are called to be a zone leader it's for however long the Lord and president want. Not too bad! So its not a mission long thing.

Next week we have another ZLC with a guy from the MTC (Bro Heaton) , so that soud be good! Crazy lots of meetings.  And speaking of meetings (Keep this on the Down Low please) A member of the 12 will be coming to our mission on the 10th! We don't know who for security reasons, but it sould be cool! So we're having a mission conference with everybody! I can't wait! :) Haha lots of meetings.

We went to the Knapps last night for a minute, and sister Knapp was telling us how she worked for AMGEN when she was like 20 and was basically a CEO for them. She was telling me about pills that people take when you are on Chemo, and wrote down some stuff for Dad. Haha I think you guys have everything under control, but she wanted me to tell you, so here ya go:

Nausea-

ZOFRAN

Animea or fatigue-

EPOGEN

AMGEN has programs for pts to reduce cost.

So there ya go. Do what you will with it! She helped develop EPOGEN and she said it is still counted and a miracle drug, and that its really good. :) haha

Things are me are most excellent. I'm glad its warm up there for ya! We have been rubbing shoulders with some pretty ritzy peeps lately.. Its crazy here.

I cant think of anything that I really want or need. Thank you for the Shirts,I will hopefully get them soon! I love you and appreciate all your support. THANK YOU! I love you X 1,000,000,000!

Love,

--
Elder Matthew Monk
  California Ventura Mission

          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

Feb. 13 ,2012

Hey Mom!

Well, no pics again this week... we are at a different FHC and there are no slots, and I forgot my card reader.... SORRY! I'll send some next week.

Sounds like there’s a lot going on! Sam did email, and he said they're having a boy! WOO! That’s so exciting. Good for them! They’re in my prayers.

Umm we moved, the apartment is so nice! I'll be sure to send ya some pictures. I'm still sorry for that! Its fun for me to send pictures, because then it feels like you can see into my life! Haha

We have ZLC tomorrow in Ventura, so that will be good. Did I tell you I’m still a zone leader? Senior zone leader at that? I'm so blessed though, I have the best companion. He is from Ririe actually, but went to school in Rexburg. We have so much fun! We also got Zone T shirts made that have the LA temple with "Thousand Oaks" across the top and down the side it says, "We're legit" Haha! The last elders had them made, and they just came in. we're blessed!

We spent a couple days either moving in, or setting gals with companionships. We went with every companionship and set 3 goals they want to achieve before the end of the transfer, took their picture, and put them all up in our apartment, so we can see them and their goals, and follow up with them! It’s great. Off to a good start!

On the 3rd of March, Brother Heaton from the MTC is coming to ZLC, so that should be awesome! He's the director of MTC stuff for the church. Crazy!

I did get your package!!! Thanks so much!!!! I love you. It was great! I loved the pictures so much. THANKS! Do you think I could still get some new white shirts? Mine are now more of a "Poop" color. You are the best! I really appreciate all your help.

Last transfer was probably one of my hardest. I have felt so unconfident, and its been so weird! I don't know where it came from, but the adversary has been working hard on me. Elder Brodie went through a lot of the same stuff, so we have been helping each other SO Much. I know that President Castro is called of God! I see it in my companion. I am SOOOOOOOO blessed. I wish you could just see inside my head and understand how i feel. There aren’t words for it!! The Church is true.

Yesterday at Church, a former investigator (That still comes with his girlfriend) came to us and told us that he has been working thru a lot of stuff, and set his own baptismal date of March 31. Wow! We are going to work with him and help him get there! Miracles left and right.

Tell Natalie to stop being a pile and write me! I miss her tons!! I want her advice and encouragement. I love hearing from her because she knows what i'm going through. Tell her!!!!! Thanks:)

We went to Brittany Spear's house last week on our drive through Lake Sherwood! It was fun! :) hahaha sooo many famous people here! And we went by Jackie Chan's house as well on our way to Malibu Lake. FUN FUN! :) I'm blessed.

Well, that’s about it for me! Sorry no pics... I’m working on it! Thanks for all you do! I love you and miss ya tons! Keep in touch!

Love,

--

Elder Matthew Monk

  California Ventura Mission

          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

From Matt

Monday, February 6, 2012

HI Mom!

Well, lots of changes today. So Elder Cook is going home tomorrow, so is Elder Christensen. Also, the church bought us a new apartment, so we're moving out of our foursome. Yikes! The apartment is SICK. It's brand new, new carpet and paint, everything. One bed, one bath, washer and dryer, porch, underground parking, everything. Wow! All at a cheap $1,650.00 a month! WHOO! We are so blessed. My new companion is Elder Brodie - his family lives in Rigby. :) Another Idaho Companion! And he is already serving here in the Westlake ward, so not too big of a change! Haha! He is a really great missionary, and I am so excited! :)

JOHN GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! We baptized a man from communist Beijing China!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s pretty exciting! Guess what else? That morning we had our stake president's meeting and President Castro came and brought Jose L. Alonso of the 70. WHOA! Then the whole Castro family came to the baptism with Elder Alonso! There was also the stake president there, and 3 or 4 high councilmen! There were probably 60 or so people there. It was an amazing experience. The spirit was so strong! We got to confirm him on Sunday, and it was so cool. After his baptism he read his testimony to everyone in English. It was so sweet, and so sincere! He is definitely amazing. Last night he told us that he wants to go on a mission. WOW! There are not words to describe the feelings. That was definitely the highlight of the week. Crazy crazy.

Well today is just packing and moving! I'll send pics next week. Thanks for the shirts and the wallflower in advance. I love you so much, and I appreciate your sacrifices to help provide for me! I couldn't do it without your love and support. I LOVE YOU! 

Elder Matthew Monk

  California Ventura Mission

          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013