This email is gunna stink. Not much happened this week. We had our zone conference which went very well. It was alot of fun and I learned a lot. I love feeling the spirit there and receiving counsel on different things. I was not able to see Elder Robertson there. I wish I would have. I have heard that he is doing wonderfully. I saw Elder Jensen and will see him again this week. He is doing good. He is trying to decide which one of his "lady friends" he is going to date when he gets back. He is doing well. Angleton as an area is doing well.
We went golfing this week on Monday. The Bishop's son took us with a few other members. It was a blast. I stink at golf but I made a couple really really really lucky shots. It was a lot of fun. the course wasn't that great but I'm not complaining. We got to go golfing. Elder Hansen hit a really cool shot over this huge tree. A member got pictures so I will make sure I get copies. I haven't done something cool for P-day in a while. But last week was good. As well this week we are going over to a member's house to play foosball and tennis and etc.
I talked at church this week. It wasn't a very good talk. I can talk to people in their homes and one on one but not in front of the congregation. I still get nervous. But this ward is nice to me and told me I did a good job. I love this ward. It is prolly my favorite overall ward. Sometimes we go over to member's homes and there will be other members just hanging out at their houses. Like the other day the Sexton's went over to the Ruiz's for Bro. Sexton's birthday. There is also a member of the bishopric who is moving but he is staying in a hotel for a few weeks since his house has sold and his family is in Utah. He gets fed by the members like we do. We have actually ran into him at another members home when dropping something off even. It's a really close ward. And everyone is so different but it is because they choose to talk to each other and be each other's friends.
So that is about my week. It was really slow. The slowest week I have had in a long time. But luckily this week will be better. A lot less stuff going on. Well I hate to make this so short but there isn't much else to talk about.
I love you all and have a great week!!! Happy 4th of July!!!! The ward is getting together for an activity on the 3rd so I will try to take pictures and send some. I will also send pictures soon of the ward activity.
love yall,
ELDER MARR
P.S. WHAT I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY (in order of priority)
1) Pictures
2) Pictures
3) Pictures
4) Money (for cloths and stuff. Don't think it would be lame just to send money)
5) Pants 36's
6) Pictures
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
A long week & a busy week
For some strange reason this week was very long. However it was really busy. It was the best week we have had here I think. Especially Father's Day. Soooo busy. I love it when you are busy, or you have a good plan for the day. Just a quick update on heat. It has been in the mid 90's in the day and 85 ish in the night. It has been really hot and you can't hold back the sweat. The humidity is what kills ya. You can't escape it. Shade makes no difference in the heat. Everything feels the same unless you are in an air conditioned car or home. Which is awesome.
I will start with an update of today. This email is a little later than usual because we were taken golfing by a few members. I didn't take my camera but some people did so I will have pictures. It was alot of fun. I really stink at golf so there was no skill involved but I make a few good hits. Lost 3 balls in the water but it's all good. I actually think that it was skill though because it was harder to hit the water than the green. Anyways it was alot of fun and I haven't done something for a P-Day in a while. Last week we cleaned and got hair cuts. I also went to Wharton for an exchange with ELDER SHARP. That was alot of fun but we were on foot and bikes 90% of the working day. So we were drinking alot of water.
The ward had an activity this week. It was on Friday. It was a blast. We had an investigator come and he loved it. The ward has just made him feel a part of the ward family. He loves it. He would be baptized if his parents allowed him but he was to wait a few months until he turns 18. His name is Daniel. He is a great kid. Talk about a mighty change of heart. He didn't really know the purpose of life and just felt lost. So when he heard about the Book of Mormon he read it all in under a month. He just ate it up and he keeps his testimony strong even though he does not have the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is a good guy and a good friend.
So anyways back to the ward activity. We played ultimate Frisbee and cooked BBQ for the activity. It was alot of fun. I really love this ward. The members are really nice and they intergrate us well in the ward. Everyone knows our names and a little bit about us. It is smaller. Around 50-70 people come to church every week and they are all way friendly. It is really great. The ward activity was fun. We encouraged a less active fanily to come to it and they came and it was like they were the life of the party. It was awesome. They had a great time.
So many little things happened that really don't matter at all that I don't know which ones to talk about. We thought that we were going to be meeting Reshard Lewis who plays for the Magic and formerly played for the Sonics. We are teaching his father who is a really awesome guy. But instead of coming to little old Bay City we think that he flew the family out of town to be able to see them. I don't know if I mentioned this in my last email so if I did just forget that I said anything.
I just want to talk for a moment about the sacrament. I have had the privilege of being able to bless or pass the sacrament the past two weeks. I appreciate it so much more now that I know more about what it means and the results of taking it. Whenever I am able to use the priesthood it is a great blessing. I can feel the spirit as I do the things that the Savior would be doing if he were there. But he has given us the blessing of being able to be authorized to do it in his behalf. It is sooo great. I was in a bad mood for a few days and after I helped pass the sacrament I have been happy since. It makes you think about what really matters in life and putting some things above others.
Well I don't have a ton of time. Also ELDER HANSEN has been done for a few minutes and I don't want to keep him waiting. I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week this week. I also hope that everyone had a great Father's Day. I love you all.
I will start with an update of today. This email is a little later than usual because we were taken golfing by a few members. I didn't take my camera but some people did so I will have pictures. It was alot of fun. I really stink at golf so there was no skill involved but I make a few good hits. Lost 3 balls in the water but it's all good. I actually think that it was skill though because it was harder to hit the water than the green. Anyways it was alot of fun and I haven't done something for a P-Day in a while. Last week we cleaned and got hair cuts. I also went to Wharton for an exchange with ELDER SHARP. That was alot of fun but we were on foot and bikes 90% of the working day. So we were drinking alot of water.
The ward had an activity this week. It was on Friday. It was a blast. We had an investigator come and he loved it. The ward has just made him feel a part of the ward family. He loves it. He would be baptized if his parents allowed him but he was to wait a few months until he turns 18. His name is Daniel. He is a great kid. Talk about a mighty change of heart. He didn't really know the purpose of life and just felt lost. So when he heard about the Book of Mormon he read it all in under a month. He just ate it up and he keeps his testimony strong even though he does not have the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is a good guy and a good friend.
So anyways back to the ward activity. We played ultimate Frisbee and cooked BBQ for the activity. It was alot of fun. I really love this ward. The members are really nice and they intergrate us well in the ward. Everyone knows our names and a little bit about us. It is smaller. Around 50-70 people come to church every week and they are all way friendly. It is really great. The ward activity was fun. We encouraged a less active fanily to come to it and they came and it was like they were the life of the party. It was awesome. They had a great time.
So many little things happened that really don't matter at all that I don't know which ones to talk about. We thought that we were going to be meeting Reshard Lewis who plays for the Magic and formerly played for the Sonics. We are teaching his father who is a really awesome guy. But instead of coming to little old Bay City we think that he flew the family out of town to be able to see them. I don't know if I mentioned this in my last email so if I did just forget that I said anything.
I just want to talk for a moment about the sacrament. I have had the privilege of being able to bless or pass the sacrament the past two weeks. I appreciate it so much more now that I know more about what it means and the results of taking it. Whenever I am able to use the priesthood it is a great blessing. I can feel the spirit as I do the things that the Savior would be doing if he were there. But he has given us the blessing of being able to be authorized to do it in his behalf. It is sooo great. I was in a bad mood for a few days and after I helped pass the sacrament I have been happy since. It makes you think about what really matters in life and putting some things above others.
Well I don't have a ton of time. Also ELDER HANSEN has been done for a few minutes and I don't want to keep him waiting. I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week this week. I also hope that everyone had a great Father's Day. I love you all.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Ontarionumitish
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY / LATE HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR MAMA & PAPA ! Whenever holidays come up it is a little sad to be away from home. Of coarse I would not leave the mission field if I was allowed to but there are times that I miss being around family events and for being able to see family. Especially things like Mother's or Father's day. I love my Papa so much. My father has been one of the greatest influences in my life. He has shown me an example to follow and parented us kids very well. He is someone that I feel loves me unconditionally. I can see a glimpse of the Savior's love for me when my parents show their love for me. I would not be what I am today without the love and care and friendship of my father. Also I wish to say happy father's day to all of those father's or perspective father's our there.
This week was a rather slow one. We have been having some great lessons and we have been having things happen but the amount of people we are teaching on a consistent basis is getting smaller. We are coming up with some ways to find some new people to teach and how we can do better. The town isn't too big. So you have to take a different approach in missionary work. It is interesting though. I love this area.
This week we caught a HUGE roach. I took pictures and I will send them home in a while. I just can't believe we were able to catch it. It is so big. We didn't keep it as a pet though so you don't have to worry. We were too scared it was going to get out and be running around our apartment.
It's been hot. 89-92. It is not that fun. You are always sweating when outside. It is strange to hear that it is so cool and not summer like in Washington. Also I heard that it snowed in May in Utah. It doesn't feel like that could ever happen. The weather here is sooo hot. Like I always say. I am lucky to be on a bike. Especially in a big country area like Bay City. I really don't know how big my area is. We have a ton of small towns but not one big map. So it has to be pretty huge.
Also Zone Meeting was this week. I was able to see ELDER JENSEN ,my last companion, at the meeting. He is training and doing well. He was way excited to see ELDER HANSEN and I. Also ELDER PEREZ and ELDER RICHARDS were with him and it was good seeing them. I am sorry this is so boring. I am always at a loss of what to say in my emails.
Some of the people we are teaching are the Ruiz family. They are members who have been coming back to church the past few months. They are a great family with a lot of love. All of their kids are mature and hard working. It is great to see a family of hard workers and people with their heads on straight. I love teaching them and being their friends. That is something that I love about missionary work. You naturally become friends with those you teach. It is cool and so easy because it starts off that you are just sharing the gospel with them because you care about them then it turns into a trusting relationship. I will never forget the people that I have taught and the impact that they have made on my life. That is the roughest thing about a new area. You leave those friends behind and have to start all over again. But that is the way the Lord wants it. I love the gospel so much!!! I have seen so many evidences of the gospel in my life that I cannot deny that it is true. On top of that any time you follow a new commandment or try to be better you are happier and you can see the blessings in your life. I love that the true gospel is something that you can prove to yourself through the first step of faith. Just like Alma 32 says. If you try it you will see.
That's about all that I have. I love you all and have a great Father's Day.
love,
ELDER MARR
This week was a rather slow one. We have been having some great lessons and we have been having things happen but the amount of people we are teaching on a consistent basis is getting smaller. We are coming up with some ways to find some new people to teach and how we can do better. The town isn't too big. So you have to take a different approach in missionary work. It is interesting though. I love this area.
This week we caught a HUGE roach. I took pictures and I will send them home in a while. I just can't believe we were able to catch it. It is so big. We didn't keep it as a pet though so you don't have to worry. We were too scared it was going to get out and be running around our apartment.
It's been hot. 89-92. It is not that fun. You are always sweating when outside. It is strange to hear that it is so cool and not summer like in Washington. Also I heard that it snowed in May in Utah. It doesn't feel like that could ever happen. The weather here is sooo hot. Like I always say. I am lucky to be on a bike. Especially in a big country area like Bay City. I really don't know how big my area is. We have a ton of small towns but not one big map. So it has to be pretty huge.
Also Zone Meeting was this week. I was able to see ELDER JENSEN ,my last companion, at the meeting. He is training and doing well. He was way excited to see ELDER HANSEN and I. Also ELDER PEREZ and ELDER RICHARDS were with him and it was good seeing them. I am sorry this is so boring. I am always at a loss of what to say in my emails.
Some of the people we are teaching are the Ruiz family. They are members who have been coming back to church the past few months. They are a great family with a lot of love. All of their kids are mature and hard working. It is great to see a family of hard workers and people with their heads on straight. I love teaching them and being their friends. That is something that I love about missionary work. You naturally become friends with those you teach. It is cool and so easy because it starts off that you are just sharing the gospel with them because you care about them then it turns into a trusting relationship. I will never forget the people that I have taught and the impact that they have made on my life. That is the roughest thing about a new area. You leave those friends behind and have to start all over again. But that is the way the Lord wants it. I love the gospel so much!!! I have seen so many evidences of the gospel in my life that I cannot deny that it is true. On top of that any time you follow a new commandment or try to be better you are happier and you can see the blessings in your life. I love that the true gospel is something that you can prove to yourself through the first step of faith. Just like Alma 32 says. If you try it you will see.
That's about all that I have. I love you all and have a great Father's Day.
love,
ELDER MARR
Monday, June 7, 2010
TRANAFER 11
I can't believe that I got transferred. It was a shocker for sure. Only one transfer with the great Elder Jensen. So we guessed where I was going to go. We had no idea. But I had a feeling I was going to stay in the stake. And I did. Elder Hansen was in Angleton when Elder Jensen got there. After that transfer Elder Hansen left to go to Bay City. I replaced Elder Hansen in Angleton when he went to Bay City. Another note to make things more confusing, Elder Hansen was trained by my MTC companion Elder Jones in Angleton. Anyways I heard stories from Elder Jensen about Elder Hansen. I wanted to serve with him if I was getting transferred. That is exactly what happened. I bet you didn't see that coming in my email. HA! We are so happy to be together here in Bay City. He is a cool guy and we have a lot in common. He is a huge LOTR fan and a huge Office fan. We get along great and he is an excellent missionary. He has been out for almost 6 months so he is relevantly young in mission. His last companion had only been out one transfer when he got Elder Hansen.
Bay City is great. We get about 75 people to church on average and it is a small town. We cover about 6 really tiny towns in our area. The biggest being Bay City. We are 30 miles away from the closest missionaries. We have no district leader just the zone leaders in our district. So we are kind of on our own. We are the only ward that meets at our building as well. It is pretty out there in the country. But they have a library. This week we went to Matagorda. It is a small town on the gulf that had someone who had to go see. It is tiny. It has no fast food places and is pretty much only beach houses. I saw the gulf on Friday. It is nothing to be jealous of. It is nasty water and always has been. It took about 64 miles to go there and back. We have a pretty big area. I thought Angleton was big. The only difference is that there is no reason to go to the small towns unless the spirit tells us to. There are hardly any people out there.
There are some really great people we are working with here in Bay City. One of them, Johnathan Ruiz, was baptized this past weekend. He is only 9 years old but he knows 100 times more about the gospel than I did at his age and he was not even a member yet. He is the most mature 9 year old I have ever met. He is a cool kid and his family are great people as well. He is a great kid and he is very strong in the gospel for his age. I love to see it when someone excepts the gospel and lets it change their life. It makes an impact on everyone around them and helps them see the truth of the gospel. I look forward to seeing how he will change even more now that he will have the Holy Ghost. Along with him we have some great people we are still teaching. One named Dayon. He is a good kid and is also very mature for his age. He is 18 and he is a really nice and caring kid. Most of the people in his living situation don't turn out as good as he is. I think it is because his parents are good parents who have values and teach there children what is right and what is wrong.
It has been sooooo hot here this week. Today has been refreshing with the rain but it has been a scorcher lately. We were tracting yesterday and we were sweating really bad. It gets really humid and hot quick. It was in the mid 90's this week for most of the week. The heat just kills me. luckily this is a car area. I was dreading getting transferred to a bike area in the summer. That would be tough. I don't envy those Elders that get to be on bikes for the summer. There is some interesting weather news. They predicted alto of hurricanes for this year. They usually do but this year is more that it has been in a long time. They predicted 3-7 major hurricanes to get into the gulf with a 76% chance of hitting the U.S. So we might have a hurricane. I hope we don't because of the damage it brings and destruction.
Some more facts about mission life and the area I am in now. Elder Jensen is training a new missionary as well as Elder Robertson, my old companion from Friendswood. Elder Jensen didn't want to train but he will do good. Elder Robertson is excited to train. He has been in Galveston for 3 transfers by the end of this one and will most likely be there for one more to end his mission.. That would be weird. He would have served almost equally in Sugar Land, Angleton, Friendswood, and Galveston . He never got a taste of the city. Also in Bay City there are 92 churches. It is pretty crazy.
I love you all. Have a great week.
love,
ELDER DEVON J. MARR
Bay City is great. We get about 75 people to church on average and it is a small town. We cover about 6 really tiny towns in our area. The biggest being Bay City. We are 30 miles away from the closest missionaries. We have no district leader just the zone leaders in our district. So we are kind of on our own. We are the only ward that meets at our building as well. It is pretty out there in the country. But they have a library. This week we went to Matagorda. It is a small town on the gulf that had someone who had to go see. It is tiny. It has no fast food places and is pretty much only beach houses. I saw the gulf on Friday. It is nothing to be jealous of. It is nasty water and always has been. It took about 64 miles to go there and back. We have a pretty big area. I thought Angleton was big. The only difference is that there is no reason to go to the small towns unless the spirit tells us to. There are hardly any people out there.
There are some really great people we are working with here in Bay City. One of them, Johnathan Ruiz, was baptized this past weekend. He is only 9 years old but he knows 100 times more about the gospel than I did at his age and he was not even a member yet. He is the most mature 9 year old I have ever met. He is a cool kid and his family are great people as well. He is a great kid and he is very strong in the gospel for his age. I love to see it when someone excepts the gospel and lets it change their life. It makes an impact on everyone around them and helps them see the truth of the gospel. I look forward to seeing how he will change even more now that he will have the Holy Ghost. Along with him we have some great people we are still teaching. One named Dayon. He is a good kid and is also very mature for his age. He is 18 and he is a really nice and caring kid. Most of the people in his living situation don't turn out as good as he is. I think it is because his parents are good parents who have values and teach there children what is right and what is wrong.
It has been sooooo hot here this week. Today has been refreshing with the rain but it has been a scorcher lately. We were tracting yesterday and we were sweating really bad. It gets really humid and hot quick. It was in the mid 90's this week for most of the week. The heat just kills me. luckily this is a car area. I was dreading getting transferred to a bike area in the summer. That would be tough. I don't envy those Elders that get to be on bikes for the summer. There is some interesting weather news. They predicted alto of hurricanes for this year. They usually do but this year is more that it has been in a long time. They predicted 3-7 major hurricanes to get into the gulf with a 76% chance of hitting the U.S. So we might have a hurricane. I hope we don't because of the damage it brings and destruction.
Some more facts about mission life and the area I am in now. Elder Jensen is training a new missionary as well as Elder Robertson, my old companion from Friendswood. Elder Jensen didn't want to train but he will do good. Elder Robertson is excited to train. He has been in Galveston for 3 transfers by the end of this one and will most likely be there for one more to end his mission.. That would be weird. He would have served almost equally in Sugar Land, Angleton, Friendswood, and Galveston . He never got a taste of the city. Also in Bay City there are 92 churches. It is pretty crazy.
I love you all. Have a great week.
love,
ELDER DEVON J. MARR
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
TRANSFER 10
Wow. Time flies by way too fast. So here is the update on transfers. Elder Jensen and I talked a lot on our theories about what was going to happen and we weren't even close. Elder Jensen will be training an English missionary here in Angleton and I am getting transferred. I have no idea where I am going but I am excited to go to a new area. I will miss this area a whole lot. Angleton is a great place with a number of great people that I have gotten close to. I will especially miss Elder Jensen. We have had such a good time together as missionary companions. He is also one of my best friends. He is a great guy and I am very sad that we were only able to be with each other for one transfer. But that is what the Lord wants for each of us. I am willing to go anywhere but I just hope that it is in a car. This week in the daytime averaged around 92 degrees and some days in the afternoon getting really humid and up to 97 degrees. That sounds real hot but I am pretty used to it by now. It really isn't that bad. I am going to freeze when I go back home in a year. I heard that it has been rainy and cold in the 50's in Washington. That is crazy. I don't know if I will like the cold as much as I did before the mission.
This week was alright. I don't mean to sound like it was bad or anything but it was a little slow. People left town for the weekend and were working more hours to be able to take it off work and stuff. So we had many canceled appointments and many people we could not get lessons with after the first few days of the week. So we tried to find new people to teach and to follow up with some people we haven't seen in a while. It went alright. We had a good time this week it was just that not alot happened. It was one of the most basic weeks and slow weeks I have had but that is how it goes sometimes. It
Somethings I will talk about are the mosquitoes. They are terrible. Elder Jensen a few days back got bit 17 times on his legs. They are relentless and there are a ton of them. We have heard stories from people that a few years back they got so bad out in the country that sometimes they would swarm and a cow would try to run through them but they would swarm it and attack it. Sometimes cows died because so many of them get into it's nose and throat that it clogs it and the animal can't breath and dies. I know that is sad but that is how many mosquitoes we have here. They have trucks that drive down the streets that spray stuff to keep the mosquitoes away from he streets and houses. It helps a little and from talking with the people here the mosquito problem has gone down a lot in the past years.
Also so more weather updates. We have had a few thunderstorms barely pass over us or go by us a few miles away and they are awesome. I love thunder and lightning. It can get so loud and it sooo cool. Elder Jensen told me a story one time about lighting. He and another missionary were driving their car at night back to the apartment. There was a thunderstorm and it was right on top of them. Then they see a huge flash and thunder louder than they had ever heard it before. Right when this happens their mirrors blow out. A lighting bolt had hit a few feet away from the car causing this. They pulled over in shock and waited for things to die down. A few days later they went to the mission office to get new mirrors.
Anyways life is pretty good. I just hope I don't get a bike area in this heat. But now that I said that I probably will. The Lord likes to give you things that will challenge you and things that you may not want at the moment. So we will see what happens. I did love being in a car though. It was sweet!
Sorry this is all I have to say. Life is good it just is about the same. I will have a lot to say when I get transferred into my next area. i will tell all yall all about it. I have an inclination that I might be staying in this stake, but we will have to see.
I love you all and I hope that you have a great week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
This week was alright. I don't mean to sound like it was bad or anything but it was a little slow. People left town for the weekend and were working more hours to be able to take it off work and stuff. So we had many canceled appointments and many people we could not get lessons with after the first few days of the week. So we tried to find new people to teach and to follow up with some people we haven't seen in a while. It went alright. We had a good time this week it was just that not alot happened. It was one of the most basic weeks and slow weeks I have had but that is how it goes sometimes. It
Somethings I will talk about are the mosquitoes. They are terrible. Elder Jensen a few days back got bit 17 times on his legs. They are relentless and there are a ton of them. We have heard stories from people that a few years back they got so bad out in the country that sometimes they would swarm and a cow would try to run through them but they would swarm it and attack it. Sometimes cows died because so many of them get into it's nose and throat that it clogs it and the animal can't breath and dies. I know that is sad but that is how many mosquitoes we have here. They have trucks that drive down the streets that spray stuff to keep the mosquitoes away from he streets and houses. It helps a little and from talking with the people here the mosquito problem has gone down a lot in the past years.
Also so more weather updates. We have had a few thunderstorms barely pass over us or go by us a few miles away and they are awesome. I love thunder and lightning. It can get so loud and it sooo cool. Elder Jensen told me a story one time about lighting. He and another missionary were driving their car at night back to the apartment. There was a thunderstorm and it was right on top of them. Then they see a huge flash and thunder louder than they had ever heard it before. Right when this happens their mirrors blow out. A lighting bolt had hit a few feet away from the car causing this. They pulled over in shock and waited for things to die down. A few days later they went to the mission office to get new mirrors.
Anyways life is pretty good. I just hope I don't get a bike area in this heat. But now that I said that I probably will. The Lord likes to give you things that will challenge you and things that you may not want at the moment. So we will see what happens. I did love being in a car though. It was sweet!
Sorry this is all I have to say. Life is good it just is about the same. I will have a lot to say when I get transferred into my next area. i will tell all yall all about it. I have an inclination that I might be staying in this stake, but we will have to see.
I love you all and I hope that you have a great week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
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