This week's letter!

Monday, Aug. 13, 2012

Hi Mom!

Yes, I did get the package! After Michelle called you the first time I

went to the Post office and asked them and got the same response i got

when I called earlier the week before, "It should have been delivered

already if we had it!" But I made her go back and check and what do ya

know? It was there! Michelle loved the gift. Thanks so much mom! You

are the best!! :) Michelle loves you so much! Keep talking to her!! I

think its awesome that you get to help with my missionary work so

closely! I think you guys had a big part in their conversion! Putting

their names in the temple etc. THANK YOU!!!!

Things have been good for us here. I think the biggest news is Sam and

Susie have another date - Sept. 1! We're working so hard on them...

Keep them in your prayers, and the temple would be nice too! Haha

Thanks mom.

Also this weekend we are putting a float in the Tehachapi Mountain

Festival! Haha it’s going to be crazy! Bro Weaver built a playhouse a

few years ago that got raffled by Habitat for humanity and we're

trying to get the people who own it now to let us borrow it. Sis.

Weaver suggested we do a "There's no place like home" theme and go

wizard of oz. So... it should be great! Haha we got a bunch of ladies

helping us, so it should be super cute. I'll be sure to document it

and send pictures.

We went on exchanges this week! I went to Bakersfield with our

district leaders companion, and let me tell you, it was the worst!

haha sorry, negative attitude, but all he did was complain about elder

fullmer and how he misses elder hall. And all he wanted to do was hang

out with members, so it was kind of rough. We dad have dinner with the

Waite's - He is a sealer in the temple and a Patriarch - it was

amazing! He told us the neatest stories and he has the strongest

testimony. Him and his wife helped open Syrra Leon (Somewhere in

Africa) with Richard G. Scott and his wife. Amazing! They were so well

grounded, it was the best.

It’s been around 110 - 115 degrees in Bakersfield and about 95 - 100

here this past week. It’s so so hot! At night we have box fans that

blow on us at the feet of our beds, and I get a pair of socks wet and

put them on to help keep me cool. Holy Moses! It’s been hot! But

hopefully it will get cooler.

This week we'll be doing a lot of work on out float (We decided Friday

to actually do it and the parade is this Saturday...). We're

collecting shrubberies and things and trying to get a yellow brick

road (haha) so pray for us! Its gonna be great. We also have zone

conference this Wednesday, so it should be good.

I got a letter from Greg Stoecker this week! Remember he served here

like a year ago and is going to BYU and has a British accent? Well,

he's engaged for next summer! His fiancé is going to grad school this

fall in New York, so he'll finish school this year and move there next

spring. Crazy!

Life is good. Hot. Can't complain! Thanks for all you do for me! I

love you so much, and appreciate all your support! You are the best

mom, and please send my love to everyone!

--

Elder Matthew Monk

California Ventura Mission

        -  Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013 -