The Monk Bunch: February 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Feb. 21, 2011 Our letter from Matt

Hi family!

It was so nice to hear from so many of you today! I love hearing about how everything is going!! Thanks for the letter Dad - It made my day! And Natalie - you sent me two letters before i could even send you one!! So the ball's in your court! Hahhahah! :) I'll send you one soon, and maybe some pics :) (If you're lucky)

Well! This week was wild! I guess life isn't quite as blissful as i make it out to be in my letters, but it's still good!

- We went to Mass last monday with Pat, and it was AWESOME. A crazy lady was yelling at us in the doorway that she had found the truth in the Catholic church, and we could repent and join the Catholic church! Pat seemed kinda embarrassed, and we continued the meeting. It was odd - I've never attended one before. Alot of kneeling and standing up, and they believe when the priest blesses the crackers and wine that they ACTUALLY turn into the literal flesh and blood of the Savior. Creepy. Haha so that was an adventure!!

- In addition to your AWESOME Valentines package, i got one from the Landeens and one from the Kinghorns. They were so much fun! The Landeens were wondering if you could send them my emails. The kinghorns package was HUGE! Jerky, candy, peach rings (My favorite), etc! Please tell them thanks and that i love and miss them! I will write them as soon as possible.

- Mom, could you send me a total form my bank account? I've been keeping track of my other credit card, but I don't know how much money I have in there, and there have been a couple unplanned expenses! :) Just when you get a chance!

- Could you also send me Brennan's mission address? I miss him dearly and want to send him some sassy letters full of joy and gladness!

- I gave a baptismal invite to a couple this week! The Risdon's - JOhn and Nelly. They are in their 40's, and hopefully they will have their hearts softened! We've been working with them for a while now, and it seems like he is getting more keen on the idea. The trick is getting them to church! Agh! They just wont come! Hahah! But they'll come around. SO that's exciting!!
(I'm a missionary!!!!)

- We called our relief society president to ask her a question the other night, and she informed us that a non member friend of a lady in the ward that we've been trying to meet with lately was not doing so hot. We tried by about a week ago, and she got really mad at us and told us to never come back.... Sis. Magnusson (RS Pres) told us that later that day she tried to commit suicide, and it might not be such a great ideo to go there any more. WOAH. So we had to cross her off our stuff! Yikes. But i guess it wasnt because of us, ao no worries there.

- This week we have had some crazy/cold weather! It got down to the 40's a couple times! We had torrential rain, snow, hail, tornado warnings, lightening, thunder, etc. Holy cow! Luckily we were inside the church when this was happening on saturday! When we woke up sunday all the mountains were capped with snow and eveyone was freaking out about it, because that hasnt happened in like 20 years. Crazy!

- Also sunday a lady invited some homeless guys to church, and they came..! They reeked of alcohol and coffee. We had to stay out in the foyer with one, and he quoted scripture after scripture to us, and told us that he graduated top of his class at Brown, and speaks 12 languages. Why is he homeless? Hmm.... But that was an adventure! They both asked for money afterwords and asked the bishop for help. but Brenda (The lady that invited them) felt pretty good about herself!

(ps. they called us Staurday night looking for a place to stay.. that was weird, and kinda scary. I hope brenda doesnt tell them where we live!)

- Those suit pants are ok - They just looked bad! The fabric is just balled around the waist where nobody sees. No worries!

- We are going to do a 40 day fast this coming month in our ward for missionary work. One family fasts every day of the 40 days, and we eat dinner with them to break their fast (We don't fast - it's against the rules) But hopefully we'll begin to see alot more success from this! We're praying for it!!!!

- Do you think you could also send my line of authority sometime? I was jst thinking about it - it might be nice. Thanks!

Well, i think that's it for exciting ole Cali! I love you all! The church is true! Keep praying for us, and i'll do the same for you! Godspeed,

Elder Monk

(The pictures are the fresh fruit we picked yesterday - oranges for breakfast and tangerines for lunch, and the mountains with snow!)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sam turns 24 years old!

Sam turned 24 last Saturday on the 12th of February. I can't believe my baby is so old. I remember when he was just a little guy how he used to suck his thumb and rub my nose at the same time. I still remember the smell of his breath. Oh, I loved that time of life, I used to spend hours in the rocking chair reading stories to my little ones. Where has time gone? Now, Sam has graduated high school, fulfilled a 2 year mission to New Zealand, got married to the neatest girl around and is about to graduate from college this Spring. I am so proud of him, Hailey is a lucky girl. . .

Sorry, I have had problems getting pictures to load onto my blog. Please excuse the many posts, it should all be in one post but I couldn't make it happen.

Enjoy part of Matt's journey. . .

Loving it! Feb. 14, 2011

Everything is going great so far! I'm lovin it here! This week we...
1) went to Santa Barbara and toured the old Mission (the picture i sent). It was built in the 1780's and was really cool! But you could definitely tell what they were missing! Haha!
2) Went on exchanges. I went to Goleta with Elder Blanchard, one of our Zone Leaders. It was awesome! He told me that they haven't had a baptism there for almost 3 years :( But we talked to a lot of people, and got a couple new investigators! We knocked on one door, and nobody answered, so we were leaving, and this lady came to the door. We started talking to her about prophets etc. and she sounded really interested. We asked if she was religious and she said no, but she reads from the bible daily and LOVES it. She invited us to sit on her porch and talk for a while and we gave her the 1st lesson. She said she has severe dyslexia and has a 3rd grade reading level. The only book she has ever been able to read and understand was the bible... so we gave her a book of Mormon and she agreed to read and pray about it, Joseph Smith etc. etc.! It was amazing!! But i was totally glad to be back in Carp.
3) We met with Wayne and Pat (Our catholics) and read scriptures with them and a couple friends - Nancy and Suzanne - and it was good as always. But... nothing is happening. AS i have said, wayne has read the BOM 9 times and is totally ready. But we need to get them to church. So we're going to a legit mass with them this afternoon and then for our wednesday meeting we're doing it at the church. We're going to give them a tour and maybe show them a movie about the restoration or something. I'm so excited!!! i think we can really break through with them!!
4) we had Zone COnference in San Luis Obispo (about 240 miles round trip, and every companionship HAS to bring their car for inspection... and we only get around 900 miles a month) But it was amazing! Thomas S. Monson came and it was pretty good. JUST KIDDING! haha sorry :) But we had a great lesson on The Fundamentals of PMG - what they will be teaching to new missionaries in the MTC starting in May. Its just the basics on how to begin teaching etc. and it sounds AMAZING! We have to learn it now, so when the new missionaries come. The whole meeting was awesome! On the way home ELder Manning and i stopped in Santa Barbara and got Panda Express on the way home. Yum!! :)
5) Um i washed my pair of black dress pants from Sam's, and i think i might have ruined them :( The fabric just knotted up all over the waist (on the outside) and down the legs a little. I thought i could wash them? I didn't dry them, i just took them out and hung them up... so i don't know. But i'm very sad because i really liked them!!!!! :( :( but oh well, life goes on!
Like i said, today we're getting haircuts and going to mass. (I hope they don't convert us!) But hopefully if we go to their church, they'll come to ours! Pray for us to get through to them. We really need it!!!
Tell Caitlyn that i've sent her a letter but it came back to me, so i sent it to her house. Hopefully she got it??? But i get her letters. And austin has written me a couple times too. Tell Natalie to update me on her love life! Bahaha just kindding! (But seriously). I hope the Archos thing is working out for you! I'm way excited to get some music going on here! I'm anxiously waiting!! :) We have a cord that can charge it here, but there was an old motorola cord either in my room or on that box that fit it. (It's the same size as dad's phone and mine and sams cell phones).
Well, i love you all tons! The other pictures are of Me and Elder Blanchard, Elder Manning and I at the Santa Barbara mission, Me at the mission as a "Monk" monk! and me sitting in a really old chair in the mission.
I love you all so much! The Valentines made my week!! I look forward to hearing from all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Godspeed,

Elder Monk

P.S. Happy Birthday Sam! I love you tons. Good luck in School! I'm praying for you!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Week 2 in California!!!

The following is from Matt's letter this week:

Well, this week, we tracted into two college girls going to Westmont - a Christian college in Santa Barbara - living in Summerland. Betsy practically grabbed the BOM from us and we went back on Thursday and she was there with her roomate AnneMarie and a boy that may live with them? im not sure... But we had a great discussion and we asked them to read and pray about the BOM and they agreed they would! So that was really cool. They were kinda acuainted with Reality - a local church that really appeals to younger poeple and they have rock bands etc. (It sounds way fun) but they preach alot of anti mormon stuff... But they will be ok! We had to turn them over to the missionaries over the YOung Single Adults ward, so that kinda sucks! Haha!

We also met with Fred - they guy with the cars - and he agreeed to come to church with us! In a few weeks, because he is still in a boot for his hurt foot. But he sounded really interested and excited!

We also met with a guy named Harry. we found out that missionaries have been meeting with him for over 7 years! AGGHHH! so we asked him what the deal was, and why he wouldnt get baptized, and it basically came down to the committment. Its really a lifestyle change! ANd i think his wife doesnt want him to... But we challenged him to pray to know if he should join, and we promised him he would get an answer. So we'll check on him sooon!

The work is great, theres alot! One elder got pneumonia in OIldale and was staying with Sis. Murri at the mission home, but an authority told them that was bad, so it was go home or have a parent come out. So... his mom is out here as his companionfor the next transfer (4more weeks) and they are staying at the Snellings - a family in the ward. We had dinner with them last night and then per tradition, we played apples to apples. FUN! WE also went to the Bartholics - a part member family in the ward - and had lunch with them as they watched the superbowl! It was hard to not watch the funny commercials! So we left pretty quick haha!

Targhee

On Saturday, January 5th, we went skiing at Grand Targhee with Sam & Hailey.

It was so foggy and pretty cold. I have't been skiing since last year. But, it just

took a couple of runs and I was hooked. It is so much fun! After lunch, the

fog cleared some and we totally enjoyed ourselves. It was just so great to

get out and enjoy this Idaho Winter.

Cutest Grand babies in the world!

I babysat the kids last Thursday.

Captured the cutest picture,

just had to share.

Emily is 3 and Camden is now 3.5 months

and oh, so much fun.

Matt's first week in the mission field

On January 31, we received our first e-mail from Matt in the mission field. Sounds like he is doing well and loving life. He sent pictures! Aren't digital camera's the best? What did we do without them! Remember when we used to have to wait forever to get pictures? Now, it is instant and I love it.

This is a group of missionaries visiting the the Cross of the Buenaventura mission up on the hill over Ventura, Oxnard and Thousand Oaks.

Matt says: "I'm in Carpinteria, a pretty little-ish town about 25-30 min south of Santa Barbara. Its beautiful! We're right on the coast, and we live with Bro. Sears. His house is 131 years old and is TOTALLY COOL! Everything about it is perfect! His wife died about 3 or 4 months ago, so he's kinda lonely and tells us stories from his youth and the war ALL THE TIME! It's way cool! I keep taking little videos of him, because the stories are AMAZING! I'll send some if i get a chance. He's 91 yrs old by the way, and we live in the back upstairs of his house and there's a kitchen and bathroom. Its pretty old, but it works! :)

We tract everyday up in Summerland, about 15 min north of us. It's a pretty wealthy neighborhood right on the coast with tons of hills and really cool houses! I guess some people are rich, and others are not too rich... Haha! We give out alot of cards, but we don't get into alot of homes... But thats ok! We're planting seeds."

Here is a picture of outside of the house. Matt's companion is Elder Manning and he is from American Falls, ID. Two Idaho boys should do well in California don't you think?