January 7, 2008

This week has been so crazy! So here is a run down of whats going on. We have 5 investigators with baptism dates and 2 that are close. 2 of them are 11 and 12. Their dad is an active member but got into a divorce and that's kinda why they have not been baptized. So we have been teaching them the lessons and stuff.
Then we went tracting and we tracked into this part member family. These guys are golden. They went to an LDS funeral not too long ago and it touched him pretty powerfully. Just with the plan of salvation and stuff. So a lot of other stuff has been happening as well and they are getting baptized on January 27th. I'll make sure I send some pics if I remember. So we will be baptizing the dad and his daughter. This guy will do anything to be baptized too. He is getting work off for the church and everything.
Then we have this kid named T. He is a stud. He comes with his girlfriend and we taught him. He says he wants to be baptized so he is on January 19th. haha. I am loving it right now. I have a new comp, Elder B. He has been out about 11 months and the other two Elders moved out. So it's just us in the apartment. haha. It's pretty awesome and our apartment is massive.
So I'm sure you heard on the news but there were 70MPH winds in Sac. and like everything got destroyed. Tons of rain too. They said it was hurricane weather and Sac has been on a state of emergency. It was kinda scary. A lot of houses are messed up and everything! That was my 1st really big storm I have ever been in. It was really intense.

Love,
Elder Squashy

January 1, 2008

I had a really good Christmas and my New Year's was a blast too!
The other two Elders live in a very wealthy area and we went to their member's house and played "game show." They gave us a ton of money and gift cards to just about anywhere if you win. It's pretty amazing. So we did that till about 10 and then celebrated New Year's. whoo hoo!
This next transfer I will have a new comp. His name is Elder B. from Idaho Falls! So that should be really exciting. I will for sure be sending a lot of pics with this letter. Everything is going great and I am lovin' my mission right now. We have a ton of awesome people we are working with as well.
There has been a lot of changes in this zone to try and mix things up. So I am getting really excited for it! We'll see how things go. I get a new comp. I'll be running the area for a little while. I am very excited! Everything is going great!

Love,
Elder Squashy

December 25, 2007

We are now at a members house just hanging out! Our Christmas has been pretty well. This morning we spent it with an awesome family and of course we got to call home.
So it was pretty cool. I had a very good Christmas and I totally loved all of my gifts.
We then played soccer during the day and now i am dead tired. Now we are at another families house. Last night was a blast though, we went to a really cool member's house and hung out there. Then after that we went and played basketball for awhile.
When we leave here we are going to go shopping, so that's it! It has been a blast. I love it.

Love,
Elder Squashy

December 19, 2007

I am doing great!
Elk Grove is going great. I was able to take part in a baptism of Don S. on Saturday. He is 32 year old. It was so awesome. We are having a lot of great success here too. there are some days where we will add about 5 new investigators. The people here are very humble and are willing to listen. there are a few families here that will be getting baptized. So that's really exciting.
Believe it or not, but I have been able to learn a lot of Spanish out here. I have started reading the BofM in Spanish as well. It's a great language and there are so many Spanish people here.
Today is our mission trip to the temple. I can not wait. Then after that I am not totally sure what we are going to do. We might go to old Elk Grove. There is a lot of fun stuff we can do there.
One of the ladies we are working with is named Kim. She lives up in the nicer area, but much of Elk Grove is pretty "inner-city." I love it. It's a blast. The people are so great. Our wards are so small! haha. It's not like Utah or Arizona, that's for sure.
We are working super hard and having a blast.

Love.
Elder Squash

December 3, 2007

I am still serving in Elk Grove. It's so sweet. But a lot different than Fair Oaks. WAY DIFFERENT. The only people we are teaching right now are African American people and it's been a great learning experience for me. I am very fortunate to take part in the baptism of Tiffany W. She is a lady I taught in my last area. On December 8, 2007 she is going to get baptized!
My new comp is Elder G. He is so funny. He totally reminds me of one of my good friends back home. We are having some pretty good success as well and that's been a blast! He loves to deer and duck hunt, it's pretty funny. He's awesome. We both made some Christmas cards that I'm going to be sending to all of you guys!
My new area is really sweet, a lot flatter! haha, so it's nice to be on a bike. The only problem is it's SO cold!! Today I am probably going to go buy me some warm clothes, cause I am dyin'. Well that's really all that's going on, the work is going great we are teaching a lot of lessons and I am having a blast. We are working very hard as well! I can't believe it's almost Christmas already. Time is just flyin'.

oh yeah,
me and Elder G. were in a very "inner city" apartment complex and we were tracting and it was dark and these 8 big guys started yellin' at us and and were like ready to fight us, and this lady was like, "aren't you guys scared here?" And Elder G. said, "No because we have the Lord on our side." They all looked at us and just walked away. It was pretty powerful. Just how much the Lord protects us out here.

Love,
Elder Squashy

November 22, 2007

I just got transferred and stuff so I have not had time to write letters or anything like that. So let people know that. I love my new area. I am now serving in Elk Grove. It's such a great place and a lot of interested people. We are being so blessed by the Lord here and are baptizing like crazy. I love it.
My new comp is Elder Gray. I love him. He is so awesome and we get along really well. He totally reminds me of a friend back home. So it's been a lot of fun. He is from Illinois. the other 2 elders we live with are from Missouri and New Jersey. So it's neat! The one from New Jersey is brand spankin' new. Fresh out of the MTC! It's so great. Believe it or not but I will be conducting zone conference on Friday with 60 other missionaries. Kinda cool huh? I'm really excited.
This area is really sweet. The people are a lot humbler and that makes the work go a lot better.
I really like my comp. He is so great and it's really fun when you got a comp that you get along well with!

Love,
Elder Squashy

November 17, 2007

Josh's living quarters :)

November 12, 2007

Happy thanksgiving! I'm pretty excited we got like 4 dinners set up for it. So I hope I get to stay in this area. We find out on Sunday... I'll be sure to let ya know...
I have been so blessed to work with a lot of in-active people here in Sacramento and the Lord has been able to bless us with the chance to re-activate 2 of them. A husband and wife, as well as another guy. They are awesome people and I just have such a great joy for the choices they have made.
The work is going great. We have 2 main families we are working with. One of them is going to get baptized but it will take some time and I feel really good about the other one as well.
Me and my comp are getting along really well. He is an awesome kid.
I'm doing really well. Tonight we are cookin' dinner for a member family... :) haha wish us luck!

Love,
Elder Squashy

October 28, 2007

We had 4 to church and that was really exciting. Things are going great. We are working with a lot of awesome people right now. We has to drop some of our investigators and I was way sad. But hey... it's okay I guess. We will be totally blessed for doing it.
It's still so hot here. Like 80's. Having no snow during halloween is so weird. I don't really like it! haha It is very nice though, I can't imagine being on a bike in the snow! haha, that would be so bad...
The work is going great! I love my roommates and my comp is a really hard worker! So we are getting a lot done.
I hope we get a baptism. There has not been one here in over 2 years. That would be so exciting! I have a feeling I will most likely be transferred after this transfer to a new area, that is kinda scary, but will be so rewarding and exciting!

Love your favorite,
Elder Squashy

October 21, 2007

Everything is going really good. We are going to go get some lunch here pretty soon at a way good Mexican restaurant. Most of my friends are just starting to get their mission calls or leave. I'm so glad I didn't wait. I am having such a great time out here and I love it more and more every day. I love the people here. I love serving the Lord and sharing the gospel... ther is nothing more rewarding than that!
I love it! I love Sac-Town! This mission is the best choice I have ever made.

Love,
Elder Squashy

October 15, 2007

Hey dude,
I have been so busy lately. It's been insane. The days just fly by! It's nuts, but everything is going great. We have 9 investigators we are working with right now. We had 5 out to church, and we committed two to baptism last night. One of them accepted, but the dad wants to take it a little slow, so we'll see I guess.
The weather is cooling down. 70-80 during the day and in the morning it rains a ton and it's super foggy. It is so pretty! You would not believe it, man I love it here, it's so awesome. This whole area is just so green and pretty during the fall it's great!
So I have a new comp named Elder E. He has been out 5 months, so it's two young guys. He is about 5'6". haha. So that has been pretty funny. We get along great and I know we are going to have a lot of success together as well. So I'm very excited for that as well.
Right now I am going to Target to buy some cd's. I love the soothing music and those instrumental hymns.

Love,
Elder Squashy

October 8, 2007

Things are going really good. We are working with a lot of great people right now. So I will keep you posted for sure.
I get my new comp tomorrow and I am very excited for that. He seems pretty cool. He called me last night and we talked. So that should be good. I am staying in this same area! And I am glad too. I love the people we are working with and the awesome members! They treat us really good here! That's for sure, I'm going to try and send pics ASAP.
It's hard cause I have zero time, but I sent mom a lot awhile ago. It's going very well, the weather has cooled down. It's just perfect now!!
I hope you continue to live by the gospel. I can promise you it's the only way to find that true happiness.

Love,
Elder Stout

October 1, 2007

I just bought some desk supplies.
The mish is going great. We are really progressing and working hard, so its been really good. We had 6 investigators at church on Sunday.So it was a very busy day. So it's going really good. We will continue to work with them. It's 2 families and I think we can baptize both of them. Next transfer should be a good one.
The weather is getting really cold. Lots of rain and cold. So the mornings I am always freezing! haha we are going over to a members house tonight to hang out and eat because today is p-day. They have kids our age that are getting ready to leave on missions in April.
Well, that's really all for me, it's going really good.

Love,
Elder Squashy

September 23, 2007

The weather has been cooling down a lot. It's still high 80's, but that beats 100! haha. I dunno how you do it dude.
I have tried to work as hard as I can, all the time. Because I just do not want to regret anything. My time out here is so short.

Love,
Elder Squashy

September 17, 2007

Hey Dude!!
I just got done watching The Best Two Years, so I decided to write a letter.
So everything is going really good dude!! It's been so much fun. It's amazingly hard, but I love it, I really do. It's such a great opportunity to learn and grow.
I spent like 80 bucks today on food, stamps, paper, etc. UNBELIEVABLE! haha. I could not believe it.
I don't have a ton of cool stories for you right now, but I love hearing from you.
It's been so hot here.

Love,
Elder Squashy

P.S. About 30% of the people here speak Lao. It's insane!

August 16, 2007

The MTC has been a blast and I love being the district leader.
Everything is going great. Everyone has been really supportive and it helps a lot! I'm really looking forward to California. I know it's only been a week but it's gone by so fast!!
The Spirit is so strong here. Every day I have an amazing experience and I love it! It's been really great. I know I am really going to miss the MTC once I am gone.
See you in 722 days!!

Love,
Elder Squash

August 13, 2007

I haven't heard from Abby yet. I am so excited to share this experience with her. The MTC is insane. It's the longest hardest thing I have ever done. But there is something about it that makes you want more. I was called as district leader, awesome, eh? There is ten in my district. 8 going to Sacramento, and two to Jamaica. It's pretty sweet. My companion is named Elder Jones, he is from Tabiona.

Love,
Elder Squashy

August 11, 2007

I've received a lot of goodies. I love getting stuff :) and you know me, I will eat ANYTHING!
The MTC is the hardest thing I have ever done. But I really enjoy it!

Elder Squashy

Josh requested...

that I post his letters on a blog. As a dutiful sister, I am going to start from his first letter and get it caught up. Josh sends me a letter every week... so once it is caught up, I will then post once a week when I get his letters. I have a lot of pictures to share as well. I am not sure why he told me to, since his friend has a blog going, but I think he wants his stories posted since he can't write to everyone all the time.

Many letters will have stuff left out-- as it is directed to me and personal. Other than that, I will share everything else with you. Also, most likely every letter will not be posted-- nor will every letter be in it's entirety. Although it will be typed exactly like Josh wrote it. I am also going to protect names throughout (not use last names, etc.).