Week 11

Dear Family:

Talk about a crazy week. So we will start with last Monday. We were at a lesson until about 9:15ish and the person that we were teaching lived down in the Ghetto. So we got out of our lesson super late and it was dark. We were riding our bikes home, and all of a sudden this car stops next to us and says, "Hey." So we stop and they stop. Then the passenger gets out and pulls a gun on me. (Did he really just say that - I am FREAKING OUT!)

Then they all get out and they're like, "What are y'all doing around here." And we were like, "We are just missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we just got done teaching some people and we're on our way home." They're like, "That don't matter. Are y'all buying dope?" And we were like, "No. We are representatives of Jesus Christ." Then they said, "Well, y'all better get out of here and not come back or some crazy stuff might happen to y'all."

So we took off out of there. It was a super sketchy experience. I mean I felt the spirit was there protecting me (thank goodness for everyone that prays for him and all the missionaries), but at the same time, I thought that I was going to die. It was creepy but, everything is fine now (really, because I don't think my heart has started again yet). We are just staying away from there (I sure hope so).

So this week has been super dead/weird week. All of our appointments have been falling through and it's been pouring every single day this week. And, oh it's just been crazy. So we decided to go out and go tracting. We weren't getting anything. Out of a whole entire day of knocking, we got like 4 blessings and only one new investigator. So this week has been pretty DEAD!!

We have had an investigator named Fred and him and Ann are like the only two progressing in the small town of Jackson. So we decided to go through the area book and just restart and make a whole new power list and everything, because nothing has seemed to be working. So, hopefully next week will be better.

Hope y'all down in Blanding are good. I miss Blanding and I pretty much can't wait till transfers. This area is tough and just hard to deal with as my first area because there is really like nothing happening. But anyways, I know that I didn't have much to say this week, but I hope that y'all are doing good. And just know that I love you guys. You're all amazing. Keep up the good work!! Y'all have a good week.

Love,
Elder Blake

This is Ann Owens. She is amazing. She knows the gospel is true, but she is just waiting for that ahh haa moment that everyone thinks they get. But, she will realize sooner or later that this is for her. And I know that she will soon be baptized. She is the best.

 

So I wanted Elder Barraclough to take some pictures of me in one of my new shirts and this is what we got. Ha ha. I'm still the same 'Ol DB, ha ha. And I'm pretty sure that I always will be :)!

 

Charis sent me a package this week and it had a tie in it and it has a scripture on it.
Ha ha. I wore it to church and everyone wanted it. She is the Best.

 

 

P.S. Thank you so much for the shoes and the packages and everything. I love everything that you sent me. The shirts are awesome and the shoes are awesome. And I just love all of it.

 

P.S.S. Tell everyone thanks for the packages and letters. I don't have a lot of time to email everyone individually, but tell them thanks for me and to keep it up. Hearing from everyone keeps me going. I love you all!!!

Week 10 - The Reason I'm in Georgia!

This was a super rainy/foggy day and we had to ride our bikes like 15 miles to Flovilla to an appointment in the pouring rain. Then we get there, and the kid wasn't even there. So we had to turn around and go all the way back. Finally home after miles and miles of rain! It legitimately rained the whole way there and the whole way back! The top of my head isn't as wet because I was wearing a helmet, but I didn't want it in the picture because I look like a clown with it on. Ha.


Dear the Bestest Family Ever!!

So this week has been a good week. On Wednesday, we had a combined activity with the youth and the missionaries were invited. So me and Elder Barraclough and the Sister Missionaries decided to go!! The activity was Capture the Flag flour wars. So pretty much, they took pantyhose and they cut it up into pieces and then they took flour and put it in there and tied it off - pretty much it's like paintball, but with flour and you have to throw it at people. If you get hit, you have to go back to your base.

So I had my Jordan's on (his nice shoes) and I didn't want to get flour all over them (man, who does that sound like!). So me and Elder Barraclough went around the house and into the woods for a sneak attack. In the process of being in the woods, we didn't want them to see us as they were hiding their flag back there, I was hiding behind a tree. Come to find out there were ants all over the tree and I didn't know. They climbed all up in my shorts and all over my legs and arms and stuff. They just starting biting me left and right. So me and Elder Barraclough take off and I run out to the front lawn and just start rolling around and hitting myself. I take my shirt off and finally I don't feel them biting me anymore, so I quit rolling around and put my shirt back on.

We go back into the back and start playing again - and we won both games. I got the flag both games, because I am just beast (really good) like that. Ha. But anyways, we get home and we count the bites just on my legs and I have over 30! So I go to sleep that night and I guess I was itching my legs in my sleep because I wake up and all of the bites were all bloody and my sheets were too. Ha ha. Not a good situation, but good memories of the mission, I guess. Ha ha.

So Elder Barraclough gave me a Scottish tie because he gives all of his companions ties and it is like the smoothest thing ever! It is an inch in width and it's 100% wool. Ha ha. It's hilarious - I love it!

So one of the miracles for the week was we went and we were teaching one of our investigators - Ann Owens. She smokes and drinks coffee and stuff. But during our lesson, I got this feeling to ask her to be baptized, and I kind of blew it off because I'm not the senior companion and I wasn't sure if Elder Barraclough would be mad or something. I didn't know what he was planning for that lesson, because his companion before me asked her to be baptized two times before I got there and she said no - like wouldn't even budge at all. So I just let the lesson keep going and I read the scripture to her about "you can't run faster than you have strength to" and I got the feeling to ask her to be baptized again. But I blew it off again.

We kept the lesson going, and this time I felt the spirit like it was a huge fat punch in the stomach - like I wanted to throw up almost, like it was just burning within me to ask her. And so finally it just had to come out because it wasn't letting me blow it off again. So I kind of just butted in to the lesson and I said, "ANN. I GOT THE SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS. YOU WANT TO QUIT SMOKING AND DRINKING COFFEE AND DOING THOSE THINGS THAT YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO. AND YOU WANT SOMETHING TO PUSH YOU TO STOP, THEN I HAVE THE PERFECT SOLUTION. WILL YOU FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY BEING BAPTIZED BY SOMEONE HOLDING THE PROPER PRIESTHOOD OF GOD?"

She looked at me, and I could tell that the spirit just punched her in the face. She just looks at me for a second, and she wants to say something, but I jump back in and I say, "LET'S SET A DATE, SO THAT THAT CAN BE PUSHING YOU TO QUIT THOSE THINGS." And the oh, so sweet words she said back were, "THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, ELDER BLAKE."

So, Elder Barraclough looks at me and he is just in shock, because by then I have just taken over the lesson. And he knew that I was just feeling the spirit so strong, so he just let me keep going. And so we talked about a lot of different dates, but we didn't have a baptismal calendar with us there, so I challenged her to pray about it and when we come back on Tuesday, we can set up the calender with her. So she says okay and we end the lesson. I challenge her to read Ether 12, and then I ask if we can leave her with a prayer. She says, "Before you do that, could you give me a priesthood blessing, Elder Blake." And with the BIGGEST smile on my face I said, "Sure I can!"

So I gave her a blessing and she felt the spirit and her friend that was there felt the spirit, and our team that came with us to the lesson (Brother Niles) felt the spirit. All of us did. It was just an amazing moment for me!! And just a great miracle. I also learned from now on to NEVER blow off the spirit.

But anyways, I just love receiving letters from Charis. It just makes my life. Ha ha. She has to be the sweetest person on the face of this earth!! I just love her so much. Like anything that she says just brightens my life a little bit more. Ha ha. Then I also got a letter from Granny and I love getting her letters. She is awesome and I love her so much, too!! And I got a letter from Grams too and those are always awesome letters!! I love her quotes and everything she always puts with them. This week's was "God gave us two hands - one to help ourselves and one to help others." That's not exactly what it was, I'm sure, but that's just what I remember. But I love getting letters from them! Then I got a package from Kristy and she sent me a Brazil shirt because she heard that I wanted one. Ha ha. It was awesome. She is awesome. I just LOVE our family. It's amazing!!! Let everyone know how thankful I am because I don't have a lot of time to email and stuff. Ha.

So, this is crazy. I have been working out every day since the first day in the MTC and I am just trying to stay in shape and trying to get all buff and stuff, ya know - since it is my dream to have a 6 pack. Ha ha. So I have been like going hard almost everyday, and I'm always biking around. So I'm doing dang good and I'm getting dang good exercise and I can even see my abs and stuff, like I am totally getting there. But since I've been working out and drinking protein stuff for breakfast, I thought for sure that I was loosing weight, but nope. I went and weighed myself on a legit scale and I weigh 191.3!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha. I am so excited!!!!! (I seriously wish I was that excited about putting on weight!) It's like the best feeling ever to know I'm a big dude!! Ha ha. I love it. I just had to share that with you. Ha ha. Maybe I'm just getting fat, though, I don't know. Ha.

So this here is Fred. And this is why I am here.

I know he is the reason that I got sent to Jackson.

He came to church. And by the way, I had to give him those

pants, shirt, and tie! I'm a nice guy, aren't I?

So anyways, the picture that I sent to you of Fred - the black kid that was at church - he is adopted. His mom died when he was little and he got adopted to this baptist family and moved from Cali to Georgia. He was baptized into the church when he was 14 and now he is 18 and he hasn't been to church since he was 14. So, we got talking and stuff and he is really sad about his mom and stuff. He didn't know anything about baptisms for the dead even though he is LDS. So we taught him that and then he really opened up to us and said that him and his girlfriend are super serious. She isn't a Mormon, but wants to be baptized, but her mom won't let her so she has to wait until she is 18 (SHE WAS AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY ALSO :) )

But, they are just getting super serious and he wants to get married in the temple and stuff. But, he also wants to go on a mission and stuff. He just doesn't want to leave his girlfriend. So he asked me if I have a girlfriend and stuff and I had the opportunity to tell him that I did and that I love her so much. I talk to him about the blessings that you receive from going on a mission and I told him that my final goal is to the temple and taking the love of my life there with me so we can be together for time and all eternity. I told him that it is a commandment, pretty much, for every worthy young man to serve a mission. And he was really happy after we had that talk.

Now him and his girlfriend have talked about him serving a mission and everything. It is awesome. I told him that from me going on a mission, I know that my future is in God's hands and that if it's meant to be, it will be. That really hit him, and he took me aside at church yesterday and told me that if it weren't for me, he wouldn't be where he is today and he wouldn't be thinking about a mission or anything. So I am super excited about that and I know that he is one of the many reasons that I came here.

So I don't have much time left, but yesterday we taught Priesthood and blessed the Sacrament. Next week we have to teach Gospel Principles, ha ha. So things are pretty busy! And our branch is really growing. It is amazing to see!!!

I loved to hear all of your insight on Jacob 5! That is awesome! Thanks so much!! Hope all of you have an amazing week!! God bless, and may the spirit be with you!!

Love,
Elder Blake

Pretty old house.

Cool river. Ha ha.

We stopped in this little garden area on the way home,

so we could get out of the rain for a sec. Ha.

Doing some nice poses. (Apparently trying to look like the statues.)

I promise I don't always look like this!

Ha ha. That would be awkward back in the day to poop (his words, not mine) like right across from each other. Ha ha. They had like no privacy. Awkwardddddddddd!

My shoe after dealing with all the exercise and rain!

Yep, it's falling apart.

Brazil shirt from Aunt Kristy!

Tell her thanks so much for the package and shirt!!!

Here is my desk. The whole point of sending this picture

is so you can see that I have all of the flavors of the

Dasani drops and even made one of my own. Ha ha.

I made a bulletin board in church (Capture the Flag activity).

Week 9

I had to include something I drew.

 

Dear The Best Family EVER (including Charis)!!!

 

Y'all are the best. So I am freaking out. Ever sense I read that my Visa is done, I have just been so excited/nervous. Ha ha. It just don't feel right to be leaving already, but I can't wait. I am "Muito Nervoso" though. Ha ha.

 

But anyways, thanks for that fasting, momma. I also fasted for my visa, although it wasn't a 24 hour fast and that's not the only thing I fasted for. It still means a lot that everyone has been remembering me in their prayers, because I have definitely felt it this week. I have received so much revelation and have had so many good experiences this week, I just don't even know what to say. It's super crazy how good this week has been.

 

So on Tuesday I went on exchanges and spent a couple days up in Stockbridge with Elder Cotton (the District Leader). He isn't able to drive so I got to drive around Atlanta for a couple of days which was super nice. While I was there, I learned so much and was so humbled. I just had so many humbling experiences last week, it's been crazy.

 

So to start it off, me and Elder Cotton were trying to find this one less active member and we went and knocked on this door and no one answered. So we went to the area book and we looked up his first name. So in the area book right above Brother Todd (the person we were trying to find), there was a David Tulley. So by accident, Elder Cotton looks at David and then Todd and mixes them up. So we go to a neighbors house to ask if they know him and there is a kid walking home. So we don't normally ask kids, but we just had a feeling that we should. So we go and ask him if he knows a David Todd and he is like, "Ya, he is like my best friend." So then we were like, "Are you sure because he is like 60." Ha ha. And he's like, "No he's like 15."

 

But then he told us where he lives and we ended up going to find his house and David Todd's dad is the one we were looking for. So if we wouldn't have mixed up the names, we wouldn't have found him. So we taught him for like 2 hours which was way longer than it should have been, but he just had like a million questions. So that was good and in that one day, we had 7 lessons, 7 blessings, and 2 people commit to be baptized. So that was super awesome!!

 

So anyways, on Wednesday we went to the temple and I had a question in my heart and I was praying about it and I was just trying to be as humble as I possibly could be. In the Celestial Room, President Harding (his Mission President) came up and was talking to me and it was like an answer to my prayers. Everything that he was saying was so amazing and I loved it so much. Like I am so excited to be out here serving and I wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

 

So yesterday at church I had a feeling to read through Jacob 5. So I didn't get to it ,but this morning I got that same impression to go read through it. And I was like why? Like that's one of the most boring chapters in the Book of Mormon. Like why should I read it? But I just felt prompted, so I did. And I challenge each of you to go through and read JACOB 5. And when you email me next week, let me know what you felt from reading it and what you learned from it. Because now I can say that JACOB 5 is my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon. The message is so strong. You may have to read it more than once, but when you do and you see what it is truly saying, you will be stunned just as I was this morning! When I told Elder Barraclough about what I thought of that chapter, he was like, Wow, I have never thought of it that way. And then we just went through and picked it apart and looked at every little detail. It was just amazing.

 

And I have one of the most amazing stories I have ever had anyone tell me in my life. Brother Farley told us something that he has never told anyone before and it was a huge punch in the face. I'll have to tell you, but it will have to wait a couple of years because it's too spiritual to be sent over email. (I hate it when he does that! But, I guess I will just have to be patient - even though I am dying to know right now!!)

 

But anyways, thanks so much for the package momma.!! YOU'RE AMAZING AND THAT PACKAGE TRULY MADE MY LIFE!! AND THANKS GRANDMA FOR THE COOKIES. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE BIT OF IT!! I sent a package home with a bunch of keep sakes in it so don't lose it, ha ha.

 

I'm so happy to hear that all of you are doing so good! Just keep on a keeping on. God bless all of you!! I love you all so much and I am so happy to be out here helping the Lord harvest His field. Because the time is at hand and we need to prepare to meet our maker.

 

Tell Grandma Blake thanks for the letters and Everything. I hope all is well at home. And let Grandma Balch know that that quote she sent me that said, "When you find you're at the end of the rope, you will find the hem of His garment" - tell her that is like the BEST quote ever! I'm looking to hearing back from ya.

 

Remember to read JACOB 5 and let me know what you think. It's an amazing chapter!! I love you all so much and I remember you in my prayers everyday. I KNOW FOR A FACT THIS IS THE TRUE CHURCH. I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY HEART THAT GOD LIVES AND HE LOVES US. I HAVE HAD TOO MANY EXPERIENCES JUST IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN OUT TO EVER DENY THAT. I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST, WE CAN BECOME PERFECT LIKE HIM AS LONG AS WE USE IT IN OUR LIVES. I KNOW THAT THOMAS S MONSON HOLDS THE KEYS TO ACT IN GODS NAME AND THAT EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS STRAIGHT FROM THE MAN HIMSELF.

 

I LOVE ALL YOU SO MUCH AND I WANT TO BE WITH Y'ALL FOREVER. SO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE ONLY WAY TO THAT IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS, AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS CHRIST I ASK THAT HE BLESSES ALL OF YOU WITH THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CORRUPT WORLD AND TO WITHSTAND THE EVIL OF THE DEVIL.

 

YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! Y'ALL HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!

 

Love,

Elder Blake

 

 

This is Sister Cox. She is a lady that has so many problems and I feel so bad for her. Her family won't come visit and they won't answer when she calls. They won't even tell her that they love her. And I guess that the guy that was her Power of Attorney took all of her money or something.

 

Spiders are everywhere here.

Just making cookie brownie bars or whatever they're called.

 

Week 8

Dear Family :)

Well pretty much this week sucked and we had almost every appointment fall through on us. Ya, Erin has started ditching out on us now and it's super annoying. We have been working our butts off and sweating our butts off and it seems like nothing is going our way. We go tracting and just get doors slammed on our faces. People won't even let us pray with them and they are just jerks about it too. Like we go up to doors and we're just super sweaty and we just have people laugh at us. Like I had a guy hit me on the shoulder and then he got his hand all wet and then he just started laughing and said good luck. Ya, it sure seems like everything has been going bad this week.

We have like no investigators down here. It's a recent white washed area so there is like nothing and we have to search for everything. Even the less active families are not welcoming us - minus a couple of cool ones that love us.

But anyways, we ate at a less active family's house last night and they feed us some pig. Like the whole pig was cooked, then they pulled meet off of it and cut it up and then pretty much stuck it in the oven with a bunch of grease. This food just don't agree with me down here. I woke up this morning at 2 and I felt like I was just getting stabbed in the stomach. It was horrible. So I went to the bathroom and started puking and everything. It wasn't good and I still feel like crap.

I've had a headache all week, but it's probably because I am learning so much. But it's fine, I'll pull through it. It just sucks being sick and having to walk around all day. But, anyways, I think that my stomach is starting to have a problem with milk, like Grandpa's. It just don't agree with me anymore. Like eating cereal or having a glass of it with my sammitch (yes, that is how he spelled it) or anything. It sucks. You should see what milk grandpa uses and I'm going to try some of it and see if it works.

But, anyways enough with the negative and more with the positive. There's another week down and only a lot left. Ha ha. But at least I'm still going. Me and Elder Barraclough get along good, most of the time. Ha. But I have to do all of the cleaning. I don't think he likes to. Ha ha.

But umm, we have a few good investigators. Tim and his wife and 9 kids. They're all black. And Kelvin, he's black. And Fred, he's black. And Erin, she's black. Ha ha. We only have one person that we visit that is white and that is James. He has tattoos and piercings everywhere, but we did set a baptismal date for him. But, he hasn't been there the last few times we have tried to talk to him.

So about the packages and stuff. I thought you had already sent one. I was super excited. I've been waiting for packages and letters all week (man, I feel way guilty now!). But ya, you have to send everything to the office because who knows when I will get my visa and that way I can guarantee getting it. But just anything and everything sounds good. Just send whatever you want. I just want something from home. It's been too long! (I wish I could go to Georgia and cook him meals for a week!)

I want some more pictures, too. Try and find one of me and dad to send me, like one with his tattoos showing because that is super good help to show people that my dad is a great LDS dad and he has tattoos. Like a lot of people around here are just like super afraid and everything because they have tattoos or something like that. So it's good to show people things like that, just as long as dad don't care though. Make sure it's okay with him. But just anything is good. I'll take anything. Ha ha. I'm sending you a package home of some stuff that I want to keep safe, like to go in my Book of Remembrance or whatever.

But, anyways, is there a warranty on these shoes that we bought because they are already coming apart. The red ones that you sent me are already ruined to where I can't even wear them anymore. The bottom fell apart and just crumbled pretty much. And then the black ones that I just got at Mr. Mac, like the soles are coming apart from the shoe. It's not good like when it rains, my feet just get soaked.

But anyways, I'm pumped up for Jordan. That is so awesome that he is starting. I am so excited for him. And I'm excited that dad's work started back up again. That's amazing. But anyways, I hope y'all are doing good. I am going to know 2 languages when I get back - southern ghetto and Portuguese. Ha ha. Anyways, I love all of you and you are all amazing. Let everyone know that I love them and that they are the best!!!

Send me a picture of the baby bump! I really wanna see it! Ha ha :)

Make sure and tell everyone thanks for everything!!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!
Elder Blake

P.S. Sorry I didn't have much to say this week. Hopefully next week I will have more. Ha. Love ya.

P.S.S. So riding down a hill on Wednesday my bike pedal fell off and so we have been walking all week. On Friday I bet we probably walked at least 15-20 miles - no joke! We walked to an appointment on one side of the town then to the other. And as you can tell, I'm still not used to the humidity!

Talk about weird. I ain't never seen a Second Baptist Church,
only First Baptist churches. And the sign kills me.

I fulfilled my life-long dream and learned how to do a Rubik's cube. Ha ha.

 

 

I had to buy this backpack, and it's already super sweaty.

That thing is a life savor because without that i would already be dead.

 

And yes, this is what I eat. I hate having to make my own food.

There is never anything to eat.

 

And then here is drawings of the whites and the blacks.

Ha ha. I'm a pretty good artist, aren't I?

First Georgia P-Day

Leaving Elder Williams at the MTC. He was such a bro he got up at 1:00 AM with us to go and see us leave!

What's up everybody? How y'all doing?? Ha ha. Georgia is wild. The humidity is ridiculous, I'm so not used to it. I sweat my butt off every time that I go outside or anything. Ha ha. But anyways, I am doing good. Other than I ate at a members house last night and I have been sicker than a dog ever since. This real southern food ain't doing me any good. Both times that I have ate at a members house I have got super sick. And this time it is worse than the last. My stomach is just twisting and turning, but anyways who cares about that. Ha ha. I'm doing great.

The people down here are so much different than the people anywhere else. Their southern accent is to dang thick it ain't even funny. Ha ha. The lady's house we ate at last night sounded exactly like Paula off of Paula's home cooking or whatever that food channel show was called.

But anyways, so right after transfers like my very first day in the mission field, we get to our area and head out to go tracting. And we are just going door to door and then we see these two girls sitting out on their porch. SO we go up there and start to talk to them and one of them had to leave but was pretty interested. Then the other one stayed and we talked to her for a long while. We just gave her the spill and then I shared a few experiences and told her a couple stories. Then we got to pray with her and everything and it was super good. Then we set up an appointment with her.

So we leave and she was super excited to hear more. So we go to her house for the appointment and we knock and no one answers and we knock again and no one answers. So we sit down on her porch to start writing a note and her dog starts barking up a storm. So we go to put the note on the door and she comes out and says that she is sorry. She fell asleep and her dog woke her up. She asks us to wait a minute while she gets dressed so we can come in.

So we wait then we go in and we teach her the first lesson and we give her a Book of Mormon and stuff. She is just loving everything and then she says, "Can I tell you guys something?" And we were like of course. So she says, "The day you guys showed up on my porch I had been praying that God would send me some help and then you guys showed up!" And we were like that is awesome. Then we asked her if she would like to come to church with us and she said she had to work on Sunday, but she had already gotten two Sundays off this month, so she could attend church with us - and that was even before we taught her for the first time. So the Lord has prepared so many people for us - we just have to find them! Anyway, our next lesson with her is today at 2, so it should be really good!!

This area is super sketchy. There was a huge drug bust where 30 people were arrested and it was like a block down from where we live. We were going with a member to teach a less active and we drove by and SWAT was there and there were like 40 police cars and everything. It was pretty crazy. Then this week it was in the paper. And then on the other side of town where one of our potentials lives there was a shooting and stuff. It's pretty wild.

Man, everyone around here is black. Everyone you see is black. Everyone you talk to is black. And everyone you teach is black. It's just crazy. The only whites are the members and they don't even live in Jackson. They live in Monticello. Ha Ha. So this is crazy stuff that I'm not sued to but I have the Lord on my side so I'm not afraid.

The dogs are scary though. There are pits and boxers and crazy looking dogs everywhere. I've already been chased and there is nothing like the adrenaline pumping through your veins after a dog chase. Ha ha.

But anyways, I learned how to read notes for the piano and stuff because they said I might have to play. I learned how to play "Choose the Right" and "Keep the Commandments." Ha ha. I'm pretty excited. Just the right hand though, not the left - yet.

So Elder Barraclough's bike tire popped so we needed a ride. We were telling this potential about it and he said he would take us to Locust Grove so we said okay. This guy is like 300++ pounds and has all kinds of medical problems and stuff. Ha ha. It was crazy and he had to make like a million stops and then he stopped to eat. Then he asked us to help clean his car, so we stopped at a car wash and it just went on and on and on. So like 10 hours later we finally made it back to Jackson.

Buy anyways, the spiders out her are FREAKIN RIDICULOUS!! They are GIGANTIC!! SO GOSH DARN SCARY!!! We went to knock on this one person's door and no one uses their front door, so there was just this huge web over the whole entire door and the spider that was in the middle was black and yellow and long and fat. It was probably the size of my hand. It was so dang scary. I took off and booked it back to the road and Elder Barraclough just laughed. Ha ha.

But anyways the coolest part of my letter today is definitely this. I FOUND OUT THAT FIREFLIES ARE REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were biking home really late, like 9:00 from a lesson and they were everywhere. I freaked out and tried to catch them, but I didn't have anything to catch them in. Ha ha. That is like my life long dream to have a jar of them, but I didn't have a jar. Like, I always thought that those were fake because they are on like Disney movies and stuff. But, nope. They are real and THEY ARE THE COOLEST THINGS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, anyways, let me just leave you with a couple quotes. "COMPARED TO GOD, MAN IS NOTHING . . . BUT YET, WE ARE EVERYTHING TO GOD." Ain't that the truth!! I love this quote and just thinking about it definitely keeps me going!!

And then another quote from one of the Elders. It's hilarious. Ha ha. He said this is how a talk went with him and a Baptist. "How do you know Joseph Smith saw God?" and the Elder said, "WELL, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK GOD. HE WAS THERE!" Ha ha ha. Super funny, right?!

Well I am glad that Jordan is just going beast at football!! I knew that he would!! And I'm glad that Kolar is liking it! They are both STUDS!! I think about you guys all the time. Hope y'all are doing alright!! I sure do love you!! Let everyone know that I love them and tell them thanks for everything. Love all of you guys. I know this church is true and I love this gospel more than anything!!

Love,
Elder Blake

Send everything to the mission home.
Elder Dylan John Blake
112 Governors Square, Suite A
Fayetteville, Georgia   30215-4864

And my apartment address:
Elder Dylan John Blake
124 Cedar Street, Apt A2
Jackson, GA  30233

But remember to send everything to the mission home.

Is all I can say is this humidity. WOW! Yea, that's after an evening out tracting and teaching. Ha, pretty crazy!

In the plane. I got so dang sick on the plane rides. Like my ears plugged up so bad, then finally I was able to get some sleep. :)

Church Building.

Georgia.

My favorite person now is Adam Baswell. He is a less active and we had to bike 15 miles on the highway to get to his house, but when we did, we just talked it up. He is super into hunting and so I told him I was too. And we talked forever! He asked me if I wanted to go hunting with him, and I told him I can't. Then he said in two years I better come out and hunt with him. He showed me all of his guns and took me in his man cave and everything. And here is Georgia, it's year round bore hunting season and during deer season, each person gets 12 tags - 10 doe and 2 buck because they are just over run with them.

P.S. Oh yea. We are on bikes, ya know? Yea, we have to bike to Flovilla and stuff and that's like 15 miles away on the highway. Ha ha. Thank heavens for Gramps taking me on bike rides all the time!!!

P.S.S. I forgot to add something. When we pray with the people around here, they just butt in the prayer whenever they feel like it and share their feelings also. It's super weird. But it's funny, too. The first time it happened I almost started laughing, but I didn't. Ha ha. They say Lord and Jesus so much it ain't even funny. But, anyways, I love you guys so much and hope y'all are doing good!!

This is Dylan's mission area.

 

 

Then Dylan forwarded this letter to me from the church.

 

 

Dear Elder Blake:

 

Visa Status

 

By now you are aware that your visa to Brazil has not yet been approved. While this is undoubtedly a disappointment, please know that we are doing everything possible to secure your visa. We will notify you immediately when it is received. We ask that you and your family members not do anything, such as call or e-mail the consulate, to try to secure your visa more quickly. Such actions may actually slow down the visa process already in place.

 

While you are waiting, your mission experience in the United States will prove to be a great blessing in your preparation to serve in Brazil. We encourage you to work hard, remain focused, and be involved in all aspects of missionary work. As you serve the people in the Georgia Atlanta Mission, your testimony and ability to teach will increase, you will set the pattern of study and hard work for the rest of your mission, and you will come to love the people.

 

May the Lord continue to bless you and your family as you dedicate yourself to preaching the gospel to those who are seeking and ready to accept your invitation to come unto Christ.

 

Sincerely,

Eduard Gavarret

Assistant Executive Director

 

 

Apparently someone is causing waves - I promise it is not me!!! I have done all I can - sending in the papers, fasting, and praying. I am relying on the Lord and realizing that it does not matter when WE want his visa to come. It is all on HIS time, not ours. First comes the test of faith - and then the miracle!