A picture update, 6/11/2012

 Dal & the "Big Sippie"

 Patricia's Baptism

Must be the possum in his yard? Gross.

Letter #16, 6/11/2012

Hi Dallin,

 

Wow! We were excited to hear about your new area.  I looked up Keokuk and it has a lot of history.  Kind of funny history-- about how it was named after chief Keokuk who wasn't really a chief at all.  And, how the name of the town was decided by anyone who, after voting for the name, got a shot of whiskey.  Ha!  So you have your work cut out for you.  I hope you are taking pics.  Did you have dinner with the gentleman who owned the property with artifacts under it?  That will be pretty interesting.  Where are you living?  With members or apartment?  Most of our missionaries here are living with members. Are you still on bikes?

I guess there is some peacefulness in our family chaos :)  Beau left Monday and was working hard by Tuesday am.  When we finally talked to him on Friday, he sounded pretty tired.  He was on Fire Island.   John is keeping them busy.  They built speed bumps in the Walmart parking lot on Saturday night. They worked until 5 am.  He said he went to student ward, but he was super tired. 

 

Dad and I have had a busy week.  We sold the townhome!  Yea!!!  It's funny because it is to a LDS family from Cody. So, as of now, we have helped increase Lake Hills Ward by two families :)  We are pretty sure we are going to sell Crist house as well.    The market is coming up in Billings due to the big oil boom in North Dakota.  I can't remember if I told you that Dad will no longer be working in Africa.  We are in the midst of deciding what he will do through the winter.  Utah is on a serious hold for now.  The house is very quiet without you boys.  Even Dad said he missed some of the noise.

 

I'm so excited to talk to you on Sunday.  Let us know the details as soon as you know them.  I sent you a birthday package.  I hope it gets there before your b-day.  20 years old-- (this is cherry cheese cake)  HOLY COW!!  You are still that cute little boy who wasn't afraid to talk to anyone!  I'm sure that gift helps you to talk to lots of different people while on your mission. 

 

This morning's scripture Dad and I chose was Alma 7:22-24.  It's straighforward, beautiful and comforting.

 

If there is anything you need, please let us know.   We love you and miss you. Keep working hard as I know you will!

 

 . (This is a busy beehive not a pile of pooo.)

 

Love you!

 

Mom

Hey,

 

Haha why does the story about the whiskey not surprise me, It is somethin else here.

 

Answers to your Questions:

 

- We live in a shady apartment in the woods.There are four other apartments, 

all of which party all night every night. They are fun to talk to though. 

Currently there are a couple of dead possums that nobody has picked up in the 

yard that are stinking up the whole place.

-We haven't had dinner at the Trayne's yet, but we will soon. 

If you haven't heard about the Jewish girl we are teaching, Iyabo

we will be teaching her at the Trayne's house.(they are the ones with the artifacts).

-My bike is in Iowa City until I can retrieve it after Zone Conference in a couple weeks. We have a full time car, but after I get my bike we will be biking every day because I refuse to gain weight, and so does Elder Holmes.

 

This week was so amazing!! So this week we found three new investigators , and one that is new to me. On monday we had an amazing lesson with Iyabo, the Jewish girl, right here in the library. Since then we have taught her twice and she has attended church. We set a date with her to be baptized on July 14! This is a big deal for someone who didn't believe Jesus existed last week. 

We will be working to solidify that date, and there is much work to be done.

 Dylan and Justice are two highschool dropouts that are expecting a baby boy. They both smoke, yes, she smokes with a baby on board, but we taught them the Quit Smoking Workshop (same one Dave quit with) 

They are doing well! 

Heather is a girlfriend of a less active member, and we are up against the "We're living together because I can't get a divorce from my husband that's in prison for burning a house down that took the lives of three people issue". Interesting.

We cleaned the Nauvoo Temple this week. It was so amazing! 

We got to just sit in the celestial room for a bit when we were done at 10:00 at night. It was so powerful.

 

HIGHLIGHT:

Earlier this week I got approved to go to Iowa City to see Patricia Iniguez's baptism! It was such an awesome surprise. The baptism was indescribable, but I'll do my best. It might have been the happiest day of my life, other than our family temple experience in Billings. (please write the Deckers for this and tell them thank you if you want) Rob Decker gave us a ride from Keokuk. The whole district I left in Iowa City was at the baptism (the Elders I got so close to). Patricia's sister and brother inlaw, named Karen and Randy, were there from Wyoming (they are converts to the church).  Randy baptized her and it was a powerful moment. Brother Mulherin gave an amazing talk on baptism. The whole place was filled with such love. Members from the ward were there to support her, and even her other sister (the staunch Catholic) Mary Rose was there. Afterwards I stayed and talked with her LDS sister Karen. With tears in their eyes Randy and Karen thanked me and told me they knew and believed that Elder Winchester and I were guided by the Holy Ghost to Patricia's. They told me what it meant to them that I was worthy of that, and that they loved me. It was really special to me.

 I imagined a mission would bring about special experiences, but I think only the tounge of angels could sufficiently describe them. It reminded me the gravity of my calling. 

I have so much to learn myself, in fact I am nothing compared to Jesus Christ,

 but to be set apart with this calling is priceless.

 There is no greater experience or purpose thus far in my life.

 I know the Lord guides this work.

 

So as I was writing this  I got a call from President Jergensen himself. He just told me that I had a special assignment. Some unexpected things happened and the Lord wants me back in Iowa City 1st ward! I will be finishing the training of a struggling Elder who is being emergency transferred into Iowa City as of thursday. That means I will be in my same apartment in the same ward in IC, only I will be with an Elder who is wanting to go home. This assignment will be for at least six weeks maybe more. 

So my vacation here in Keokuk is over, again right when the work was beginning to progress.

 I will also not be able to work the Nauvoo Pageant now. 

Elder Holmes and I have become really good friends too. 

But as President Kimball said, "Give me mountains to climb". 

This will be a serious mountain from what President told me. 

So on Sunday I will be back there, and I am so excited to talk to you guys! 

Please pray for me.

 

I love you,

Elder Tall

 

Chels & Dal

Dal I am so sorry about that disappointing news about the transfer. Kinda annoying that the other Elders weren't doing anything, how do you go out on a mission and do nothing and feel like it's ok?! I am sorry, but I am sure that there are investigators that are looking for the truth and HF knows that you will find them and work hard to serve the people in that new area. I bet the investigators are so ready in your new area, they are probably just waiting for you guys! I hope you have the greatest experience in this area just like you did in your last area. How's the new companion? Are you able to communicate with the Zone Leaders that took over your last area so that you can hear and know about the converts you worked with? I hope the zone leaders keep up with the area and work as hard as you did. 

Anyway, I bet is it so hot there! Do you go through shirts like crazy? Do you have a washer and dryer? Take some pictures of where you are and your apt. I wanna send you some of your favorite drink but I don't know if it would be inappropriate... Choffee... how do you spell that? Let me know what you think. We are praying for you to get used to your area and that you will always have the spirit with you to guide and direct you and to give you comfort during this time of change. I pray that you will feel that and know that we are always thinking about you. Just an update: Norah is 4 MONTHS! Crazy because that means you have been out for almost that long... time flies by. Vance is obsessed with blueberries and McQueen fruit snacks. That is what he always asks for and refuses to eat anything else... awesome. Vance struggles with the heat so we do a lot of water activities with the friends around us. Norah is starting to sleep through the night... yeah!! Well by through the night I mean 5 or 6 hours so that is pretty good. Anyway, we love you. I can't wait to hear about this area and the people you serve! I hope you are happy and spreading your sunshine:) I love you brother!

love, 

Chelsea and fam

HI!!

It is pretty hot here ha. It is right on the Mississippi so it is really humid. We will be doing our laundry at a member's home. He lives in an old abandoned halfway house that is huge. It is a whole other world over here ha. Its so awesome though. I am growing so much spiritually and studying is getting way easier!

 

I am so gald we have Norah to keep track of my mission months as well as being the cutest baby in the world.

 I can never keep track of how long I have been out.

 

So yesterday while I was writing this very email a girl came into the library that the Elders were teaching before I got here. They have been trying to get back with her for a while. She is Jewish. But anyway, she was obviously very distraught emotionally. She was telling us about her trip to San Fransisco, and how she met a 45 year old man there that she fell in love with (she's prob 20). She is very intellectual, and said that it was the one man that she found that completely took away her homosexual tendencies. After she explained all this craziness and thoroughly tore my heart out ( there is alot to her story), the spirit told us when the time was right. Elder Holmes and I taught her about the atonement, and how the gospel is built to allow struggles to help us grow, and we assured her that Jesus Christ felt all that she is feeling. It really meant alot to her, and though she is Jewish, we knew that the time prepared for her to learn about Jesus and what his role in her life was now. We asked her how she felt right at that moment, and she paused for about ten minutes. She was wrestling with herself about it so much. It seemed like forever, like when Ammon allows King Lamoni to pause and think for an hour. She finally replied "I can't believe I am saying this, and it has been months of emotional trauma, but I feel calm...safe even" We paused for another minute or so to allow her to feel it, and when the spirit said it was time I replied

 "That is the Holy Ghost, it is the power of God, and he is telling you that what we have taught you today is true.

 I know this is true." Elder Holmes testified that he knew it was true. 

We asked her to pray before she read, start from the beginning, and meet with us on Friday. 

I am so excited to see what happens with her! Pray for her, her name is Iyabo (ee-yah-bo).

 

If you could send that story or whatever to whoever you think should read it that would be good. I didn't put that in Mom's email because I was done with her's by the time Iyabo came in.

 

Anyway, I miss you Ches. I hope all is well. Keep in touch with Beau a lot while he is in Alaska please, especially if you feel prompted. It is a rough place, he needs much more support than I do where he's going.

 

Love you,

Elder Tall

Letter #15, 6/4/2012

Hi Dallin,

 

This will be a shorter letter.  I'm a little behind in time. 

 

We are excited to hear where you are now.  I hope you work as hard in your new area as you did in the last.  Only one thing is certain in life and that is Change.  There a others in your new area who need your spirit and love. You will be fine and your friends and investigators in your last area will be watched over.  That is the Lord's way.  It happened all the time with Paul in the New Testament.  He was always so sad to leave the area that he was teaching in because he loved the people.  But there are always others.

 

As you probably know, Beau leaves today for Alaska. We are full of excitement, anxiety and tears (well, maybe the tears are only mine:) ).  We had a nice get together last night with Ben, Caleb, Chase and Vander.  They shot guns from the back deck and played the usual stupid war game.  We all look forward to the day when all of you can have a great reunion.  You boys have made great life-long friends here. Gwendalyn made special cinnamon rolls for him.

 

Dad is getting busy with his work. We will be continuing to orgainze the house. We are feeding the missionaries faithfully.  We still have the sister missionaries.  They are both brand new to the ward.  Do you have sister missionaries in your area?

 

Well, tell us about all you are doing.  We pray for you and you companions.

 

We love you-Be happy and thankful!

 

Mom

Hey!

 

I am sitting in my new area. Oh man!

 

I am in Keokuk Iowa ( get a map this is cool). Keokuk is in the southeast tip of Iowa right on the Big Sippie. Just north of us about ten minutes is where the saints crossed the river into Illinois and built the Nauvoo Temple. When driving on the freeway, which runs along the river, you can look straight across at the Nauvoo Temple up on the hill. Ill get pictures soon. It is a miraculous view to look across the massive river and see that. Now, if I were standing and looking at the Temple like that, then directly behind me, or directly across from the temple is a plot of land where they have found ancient ruins underground with some sonar technology. The church does not want to dig it up, but supposedly this is where a city named Zarahemla was, not the capitol, but a city. They have also found lots of artifacts with Reformed Egyptian characters on them, such as the ones on the Gold Plates. A man in the Keokuk branch owns this plot of land! We will soon be having dinner at his house and I guess he knows a ton about this whole thing, so I should soon have some cool facts for you all.

 

My new companion's name is Elder Holmes. He is from, you guessed it, Utah, and he is the District Leader. He is awesome though. We have a lot in common, music, rock climbing, backpacking, the whole thing. He likes competition swimming and water polo though. He is a great missionary and I can learn alot from him, but he thinks I will be the companion to help him rely on the spirit more, and loosen up a bit. I am learning alot about missionary work from him that I did not know before. I am so glad I didn't train, and I know that the transfer was meant to be. I am excited to see what we can do together this transfer. 

We have a pretty extensive "battle plan" drawn up.

 

This area has a little branch with about 100 households on the roster. about 30 of them are actually active, so needless to say we have much work to do. I am so fired up! I am trying to control my fire though and work smarter, not harder. I would draw a parallell with engines. If I could harness this fire into something useful, like an engine does with fire, then I could be like Ammon! Any missionary could. Thanks for your prayers with studying! I am loving it. I am discovering how to harness my fire!

 

Also I recieved a call from President Jergensen. He interviewed Patricia himself to be baptized. He said he wants me to make it a priority to find a way back to Iowa City for her baptism! I found a ride! So we will most likely be going if all goes according to plan, I am so excited for that. Her family will be there from Wyoming and everything. He NEVER does this so there must be a really good reason.

 

In this area I will be working on a lot of Word of Wisdom issues. It is a small town. The smaller the town it seems the bigger the beer cases and cartons of cigs here in Iowa.

 Also this is a real Mississippi River town. I havent seen one house yet that is younger than 60 years. 

The whole town is like a moist, ghetto version of the old tree streets in Billings.

 

Love you guys!