Mom's Birthday

Aug. 31st was my Mom's 79th birthday.

We couldn't let it slip by without a 

celebration.

We had a little get together and it

was so fun to have everyone come

and wish her Happy Birthday.

Thanks everyone for making Mom's day so special.

(Grandma to some and G.G. to others)

My nephew Kevin and his son Taylor and Mom.

(Taylor has the cutest dimples I have ever seen.  He is so cute!)

 Mom helping Tay down the slide.

 Mom, me and my darling grand children!

 It's not a birthday without the birthday girl in her princess crown.

(thanks to Leah for sharing her crown)

G.G. with Emily and Camden.

I feel bad I didn't take better pictures.

Wish I would of taken some of all the grandkids that

came.  

Next year we are going to have a HUGE celebration for

Mom's 80th.

I love you Mom, you are the best friend and the best example

a girl could ever have. 

Your awesome!!!

Labor Day Week-end with the Monks

For Labor Day Week-end we went camping to

8-mile Creek out by Leadore.

It was beautiful!

I wish Natalie would of be there to make our

trip complete.

Steve, Brooke, Camden, Emily,

Sam, Hailey, Wynn and I had a

great time.  

 On Saturday Wynn, Steve and I went on a ride.  Steven 

rode his motorcycle and Wynn and I were in the RZR.

We went to Devil Lake.  (above and below)

It was beautiful but man was it a rocky ride!!!

We had a hard time getting back after getting there.

Wynn promised me he would never take me on a

ride like that again.  It was terrible.

 Here, Steve is fly fishing.

No bites but the lake was crystal clear.

We saw a huge fish but he wasn't hungry.

 Oh my, Camden is all boy!

He loved sitting in the RZR and "steering."

Whenever a bike or 4-wheeler would start up

he was looking for it.

He truly is his fathers son.

Here we are at Everson Lake.

We went here on Sunday but Steve, Brooke and Emily

visited this lake on Saturday morning.

This is where Steve proposed to Brooke.

So beautiful and not as bad as a ride as 

Devil Lake.  Still really rock but better.

We had a nice week-end.  Fun to be with the

kids and enjoy one anothers company.

P.S.  I really do have the best kids in the whole world.

Wynn and I were just commenting on how proud

we are of each and everyone of them.

WE ARE SO BLESSED!!!

Sept. 5, 2011

Hi family!

 

Sorry, we're gonna be a bit rushed today, because Elder Schiess and I are going to Ventura at 5 for ZLC tomorrow. Sorry!

 

We had interviews with president Castro on tuesday, and we got to teach our whole zone with the Assistants. We taught the ABC's of missionary work (Attitude, oBedience, and  Companionships) It was so much fun! We did attitude and i did mine from the talk "Finding Joy in the Journey" By Thomas S. Monson from the Nov 2009 ensign. It went really well! I loved it. And President Castro is so cool! He spent time with all the missionaries, and Elder Schiess and I and the assistants got to go out to lunch with him. I love him! :) He also gave Elder Schiess and I blessings, and asked me to assist in giving another missionary a blessing. He is really powerful when he speaks! Gosh, I feel really lucky to be able to serve so closely with him! Im very blessed.

 

We did alot of work this week! It was a good one. On sunday one of the less active families that we have been working with came to church! The Rasmussens are so sweet. The mom is single - her husband died - and she has 3 kids, Mosiah(17), England(16), and Liberty (14). They are amazing! Mosiah got up and bore his testimony and told how the missionaries had been coming over every week and how he really liked it. Thats a huge breakthrough because he's been a toughy! Sis rasmussen is so sweet! But if the kids arent on board, she really can't be. So miracles have been happening! We are so blessed.  We told Mosiah how when you eat, you dont gorge yourself one day then not eat the rest of the week, you feed yourself each day. And its the smae with the scriptures! You cant go to church on sunday and call it good, you have to read and pray everyday! :)

 

We went on exchanges on saturday with the Meadows ward Elders - Moak and Peacock. I went with Elder Moak to meadows. We got to help a recent convert family - the Haners - do some service, so it was way nice! We spent time in Oildae or as everyone here calls it, The 'Dale. Its probably the most ghetto part of our mission except like delano or tehachapi. Tons of drugs and gangs, and I mean TONS, but the work is hoppin! We love it!

 

It sounds like your vacations have been super fun! Hows the Subaru treating you? Do you like it? Hows the Razer? And I loved the pictures! I really do miss Idaho! There are not really lots of mountains here... Just hills. And we're in the desert! So I love to see mountains!

 

Sorry it's so short today! We just have to get done quick. But theres a quick overview of the week! I hope you are all well, and i LOVE YOU TONS!

--
Elder Matthew Monk
  California Ventura Mission
          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

August 29, 2011

hEY MOM!

Good to get your letter. Im so glad things are going so well! And thanks for the card. It really made my day! :) Tell the Kinghorns hi for me! I miss them and love them all!

Ok i have a list of things to write, so bear with me...

Grandma Monk sent me a card and she said she went to Megan Monk's and Davids reception. Did Megan get married? Haha i was just wayy confused. She also sent a picture of her and all her kids. Fun! ;) Haha tell her i loved it!

We got a new elder in our apartment: Elder Dennison from... REXBURG! haha 3 idaho boys tearing it up! :) Its alot of fun. He's a way good missionary, fresh from the MTC.

Ummm... we got to go to a meeting with all the ward mission leaders in the stake and a couple people from the high council and stake presidency. It was so good! They sat and built us up for a bit and then we all talked about ways to help our missionaries. I love to be in this position! Its so much fun, and i love to be a leader. I'm not very good at it, granted, but I love it! :)

A couple weeeks ago we went to see a less-active sister that just moved in, and when we knocked on the door, she cane outside and told us she was hoping we would come over! She is living with her boyfriend and she is pregnant (She has 2 kids from a previous TEMPLE marriage - her husband died) and he has a kid. He wants to learn about the church, and she is 100% committed to come back. She's had a rough go at things lately, but her family in the neighboring ward is SUPER strong. It was such a miracle! And she also asked us to give her a blessing when we met with her and chase least week, so that was a way nectar experience. BLESSINGS!

We went to see a less active brother in our ward as well on saturday. His girlfriend just moved in with him, and she wants to get active in something. They showed us their boat they are fixing, their garden, and their house, loaded us up with veggies, then as we got into the car, they came out and asked for a BOM for Casey. They are WAY solid! It was so cool.

We have been making cookies and giving them to select people in the ward as thank you's and we-really-want-referral gifts. We dropeed some off to our young womens pres. Sis. Meeks last night, and she almost cried! It was so sweet. when you go out of your way to make other people happy, that's when the Lord blesses you. We also gave some to a less active family that has us over to dinner, and they totally loved it! And promptly invited us over for home made burgers! :) Blessings.

yesterday they formed the new YSA ward! It was a 2.5 hour meeting and all the stake people spoke. It was real neat! and way long... But good. Its the biggest ward in California! We cover just our whole zone, and there are 2 other sets of zone leaders that cover their zones. So its a tri-zone, tri-stake ward. Its HUGE! about 1500 people on record, 200ish active. Lots of work! :)

Hmm thats pretty much it.. Pretty busy week! Elder Schiess and I are having tons of fun!

Ummm... Why dont you just put together a paragraph from this letter? Is that ok? I think that would be fine. But i would love to see that newsletter! :)

The scripture thing:

Brown Leather

Small

Gold Pages and lettering " Elder Monk "

Snap cover

Small bag, dark in color, not blue.

The bag is just to keep them nice. I know they have a cover, but yeah, I jiust prefer that. Thanks!!! I love you dearly. Thanks for all the support, and I LOVE YOU!

Also mom.. for my birthday. Could I get some brown socks? Mine are all gone... I feel silly with black one on! Haha thanks mommy! I love you tons! Also tell brooke i will write soon. I dont have time today!!! Tell her i love her and miss them dearly. Thanks

--

Elder Matthew Monk

California Ventura Mission

Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

Tate in our kitchen.

We live in a private gated apartment complex called Polo Villas.

My District.

Me, Elder Scheiss, Tate, Peacock, Gamache, Prete, Williams, & Lee

Us goofy!

A guy in our YSA ward works at channel 17 and gave us a

tour and took us to lunch. :)

I thought you might laugh at this!

Elder Schiess and I at news channel 17.

A card we made for our ward mission leader, Br. Larson.

Matt & David Morely.

He's leaving on his mission in a week!

He is such a cool kid.

Matt's letter for Monday, August 22, 2011

Hi Momma!

Well another great week! Only one hang up... Ashley didn't get baptised. Her mom in New JErsey put the hammer down, and she went home on saturday... We had the programs all made and everything ready even! But she has a good foundation and tons of support from her family here and friends, so it's ok. I know it;s the Lord's will, not ours! No worries!

Other than that, it was FANTASTIC! We had a pretty busy week. Lots of finding and teaching, so good. On sunday they dissolved the Kern River Branch (The YSA branch we are in) and they are making a tri-stake singles ward next week. So, we will be covering our whole zone as far as YSA goes, and there will be 4 other missionaries in the ward. They will each cover their respective zones. It's gonna be way fun!!

Have i ever told you about our ward? Its fantastic! The membership is around 600-700ish and about half active. Seriously it looks like our stake conference every sunday! Just a teensy bit smaller. Its way fun! And there are 2 primaries, and such. Its crazy! We have alot of fun remebebering names.

On satuurday night we went to find a less active member that is on the "No hometeacher assigned" list. we had to drive almost 30 minutes out into the wasteland west of Bakes. We got almost to Buttonwillow! But we found her, and she told us that she just got married a year ago, and wants to have missionaries over to teach her and her husband abou the church so they can get something to ground their family. WOO HOO! It was neat.

Tomorrow is transfers and elder Schiess and I get to stay together again!! :) Its good. we are getting a couple new missionaries in our district and zone, so it will be fun to have that happen tomorrow! And ZLC is next week, so thats a blast and a half! I love it! We also get to meet with the zoneleaders in the area tomorow night with the stake president and President Castro, so that will be fun.

I'm glad blake is out! If you can tell him congrats for me! I love that man! Nad get his mission address for me from his mom, would you? Thanks!

Umm.. i was thinking abou the scripture thing.. If you wouldn't mind finding a simple case for it, that would be much appreciated, preferrably blak or dark brown. Thanks! And if you wouldn't mind leaving them in the box, i would like that! Thanks momma! I sure do appreciate all that you do for me. It's such a blessing to have my mom behind me 100% of the way. And the rest of the family too! Thats a blessing.

Could I also request 1 more thing? I would LOVE pictures and prints. I love the email ones, but hard copies would be sweet. I have a pretty big photo album that i got at a thrift store for a nickel, so i can keep them. :) I just like to have them! Especially Ems and Cammo! :0 I love them! Send my love

Well, I think thats it for me! We had a great week. The church is true! It never cease to amaze me. I hope you know how much I love you! Good luck at school!
--
Elder Matthew Monk
California Ventura Mission
Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

Anderson Ranch Vacation

Last week we went to Anderson Ranch with

the Kinghorns and some of their relatives for a

fun vacation. We left on Wednesday morning

and came home on Saturday afternoon.

Loren, Steve and Wynn

On Thursday, the guys went for a motorcycle ride.

Looks like it was beautiful!

Morgan, Emily, Camden and me enjoying

the water.

Our little Camden!

10 months old

The kids played and played in the water.

We were camped right on the beach so

it was easy to watch them.

They had so much fun.

Loren and Wynn after their ride.

They were so dirty.

The Monks!

Thank goodness for the backpack for Camden.

He seemed to like it in there and it made

lugging him around so much easier.

Steve is wake boarding behind Loren's boat.

The water was just like glass.

Wynn and I went on a RZR ride up to the

Trinity Lookout tower.

It was a fun ride, I really enjoyed it.

This gal is working at the tower. She is there

for 5 days straight.

Just her and her dog.

She was a lot of fun to talk to. She could

tell us all about the mountains and name them too.

Rainbow Lakes from Trinity Tower.

Wynn with our new RZR.

Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

Hola Mommacita!

Well another great week in the California Ventura Mission! We had tons of fun, and a way eventful week. Let me tell you!

On tuesday we had Zone COnference here at the Fruitvale Building (Our stake center) and it was FANTASIC! President Castro is amazing! We had some great discussions, and I played the piano for the whole meeting. It went really well! Elder Schiess and I taight a lesson on why in the CVM we are a Baptising mission. It went really well! :) We have alot of really good elders and sisters in our zone.

We did alot of good work all week and have been busy LOTS. Ashley is getting baptised this thursday at 8:00! I'm so excited for her! She leaves to go back to New JErsey on Saturday to live with her mom, so we are getting ahold of her bishop there to get some fellowship and get them involved. Good deal!! I'm so happy.

Elder Schiess nad I have been getting along famously! He does get really stressed out, so that's a little tough for me. I don't really know what to do or how to make him feel better, so it's tough. But nothing is bad! We are doing so unbelieveably well!!! :) I"m very happy.

I got a letter from Bridger today! He's in Aachen and having some good times. His German is not the best, but he's doing wel. Surprisingly weird as always! :) I love him. I also got Grandma's letter. I love her! Tell her that i appreciate it, and will write soon.

Hmmm.. We don't have tons of time. We have lots to do! Transfers are next week, and we do all the transfer calls for our zone now, so that is going to be a little hectic. We should probably be emailing around this time for the next while. Today was a little late however.

So i was thinking of things you might send me next time.. I love qoute books like from apostles and prophets and things like that. Just inspirational things.. Ya know? I love your packages! they are manna from heaven! Thank you!

Hmmm. I think that's it! I hop wyou know how much I love you! You are the best mom ever! I always think how lucky I am to have you and Dad at home supporting me. i am so gratful for you both! I love hte church, and I feel so blessed to be able to serve my Heavenly Father for this time. I love you !

P.S. Tell dad to have fun on his new toy! It sounds like a blasty blast! And mom, have you chatted with Victoria lately? Just wondering because I havent heard from her in a long time. No worries though! Love ya!

Elder Matthew Monk
California Ventura Mission
Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013

Hey I though you might like to read part of my president's letter. Love ya!


Hi President Castro!

Well, this week was so great. Zone Conference was a blast, and I loved it! I felt the spirit very strongly many times throughout the meeting, and i wrote down alot of impressions. Thamk you for your great example to me and the great Missionaries in our zone! I know it was recieved very well.

We have been really busy the last week. We have continued to teach Ashley, and she is set to get baptised on Thursday, so we are really excited for that! :) Alot of good things are happening in our neck of the woods.

I've been really impressed with how active our members are in helping us in our missionary work. I love to see their enthusuasm for the Gospel and I also love to see them share it with peoeple they love! It's such a blessing. One family has us over at least once a wek to teach their son's best friend. He is progressing very well, and is praying about the book of mormon and baptism. I pray for him daily! :)

I have thought alot this week about the old saying, "What er'e thou art, act well thy part." I think this applies well to me as well us missionaries here in the Great California Ventura Mission. Alot of the time we do not know what we need to be soing or even how to do it, but if we trust in the lord, and "lean not unto our own understanding," He will bless us and guide us. So really, whatever we are (or really whatever our calling is), we should do our best to be that person and magnify our calling. The Lord will fill in the gaps where we fall short. He will protect us and take care of us. He really does love us, and I know he wants us to be happy. I have a testimony of this, and I have seen it grow in the past week from pondering about it and studying. It's great!

Thank you for all you do! Tell Sister Castro, Joseph, Samuel and Hannah Hi for me! I love you all very much,

Elder Matt Monk