Monday January 30, 2017 Kamiah, ID

Ok…
1. How was your zone conference? What was the big news that you got?
1. Zone Conference was amazing. So much good stuff and a lot to learn about. The big changes were in the schedule. They moved our planning time to the morning and gave us a little more freedom with when our studies take place and they shortened them a little. But I really like it.

2. It seems like you're staying in good shape. What are you doing to work out these days?

2. Umm I think it’s mostly because I try to eat healthy. I do mostly pull ups and ab workouts. I can’t wait for it to warm up so I can run.

3. Who was your best lesson with this week? What did you teach them about?

3. Hmmm best lesson was probably with Odei who is on date for the 4th. So he’s doing awesome. We read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with him. That book is pretty cool, you should read is some time.

4. How many people/families do you teach each week?

4. Depends on if you count members or not. If you count members its 6-10 families a week. But we usually try to teach at least a lesson a day.

5. When you travel for zone conference do you stay overnight? Where?

5. We spend the night in Lewiston. 

This week has been good. I really liked our zone conference. It was full of really good trainings and I learned a lot. The only problem I have is that they always take the whole day and we don’t get any work in our area done. This week we have been working a lot with our investigator Nan Anderson. She is so amazing and I really can’t believe she isn’t baptized yet. She has been taught for like 2 and a half years but she now is really ready for baptism. So we will have an interview with her on Saturday and then the baptism on Wednesday of next week. Besides that, not much has changed.

So this month we have been really focusing on repentance. We have learned so much about this that I want to share it. The actual word repent when translated into Hebrew means to turn or to return. So that changes the way I think about repentance already. When we hear the word we think of hard punishment and rebuking to be made right. But really it’s not that at all. It’s us changing ourselves to become more like God. I’m so grateful for the power of the atonement and the amazing chance we have to change and to turn ourselves to Christ. It really isn’t that painful at all.

Well love ya! Talk to ya later!

-Elder St. John  

Elder Freighner burning a shirt for his year mark.

 

Monday January 23, 2017 Kamiah, ID

Well this week hasn’t really been that interesting. Answers to questions… 

1. How's your weather been?

1.The weather has been slightly warmer and rainy. Which is not a good thing because it sort of melted the snow so we have a lot of slush and its really easy to get stuck. So I hope it just all melts away but it probably won’t.

2. Do you enjoy driving everywhere in the winter or would you rather be out there walking/biking?

2. I do enjoy driving. It makes it a lot nicer than trudging through the slushy snow.

3. Are you tired of winter?

3. Yes.

4. Who was your best lesson with this week? Tell us about them and the lesson.

4. Our best lesson was probably with Ashley and Cody. They’re a small young family that we found a while ago but they have just recently started investigating. They have a lot of potential but their lives are just really crazy right now. So things have been a little spotty with them. 

This week has been slow. With the bad weather and the normal things that happen on a mission we have just had a bit of a slower week. But that's ok because it’s over and now it’s a new week and it looks good. So not too much going on just the normal day to day.

Sounds like you were excited about the car. I’m glad you got it, but good luck figuring all that stuff out. I wish I could be there to figure all the cool little things with it. So are you going to sell the van? Or have you already worked on that? Does the new car have a good sound system? I guess I should probably ask dad that question.

A lot of people’s roofs here are caving in because of the really wet snow. The snow is wetter up here.

Well I can’t really think of anything else that went on this week. Next week we have to go to Moscow for a zone conference on Wednesday so that should be good. It’s been a while since we had a big meeting so this one should be fun. Also we will be watching a big worldwide broadcast to missionaries on that day too. There is supposed to be some big announcements. I’ll keep you posted. Well thanks for the emails! Love ya!

-Elder St. John

Monday January 16, 2017 Kamiah, ID

Well I’m almost not surprised about my sisters hands...life sounds expensive this week. How were the medical bills?

1. Do you need me to send socks? If so, how many?

1. Yes I would love some socks. Just a couple of pairs like 4 would be nice. Just plain black. If you can find athletic ones that would be great. They last a lot longer and are better on my feet. I mean like not dressy ones. Does that make sense?

2. Did anything happen with transfers?

2. Not too much. We are both staying which is nice and also means that I’ll spend the first 6 months of my mission in Kamiah. Also first 6 months! Can’t really believe that I’ve almost been out that long already! That’s 1/4 of my mission. I know it probably doesn't feel like it’s been that fast for you but it feels a little fast for me. But a really long time too. It’s weird. But if every quarter of my mission goes this fast then that would be crazy! Also the Orofino sisters are getting swept with Elders. And Grangeville is getting a new trainee. So it’s a lot of change in the district. Just not much for us.

3. What things have you been cooking for yourself?

3. Well when we get the chance to cook for ourselves we make a lot of different stuff. We cook pasta, chicken, I don’t know, all sorts of stuff. But that’s really only once a week if that.

4. Did you try the catfish? Or fish tacos?

4. Yes I tried the catfish. It turned out ok. It was decent but not my favorite fish. Maybe that was because I’m not a good cook. We made some tilapia too but not tacos yet.

This week has been pretty similar to yours. Just normal stuff going on. We have been teaching at the Mason’s house a lot because that’s where our “on date” is living. We also found a new investigator and I hope he will start progressing this week.

We did some service for Debbie also. We shoveled off her roof that had a ton of snow on it. That was fun. But not too much new stuff.

Well good luck on finding a car. Finding the car you want sounds hard. It’s hard to find one with that 3rd row of seats so good luck. Keep me updated. What color is the one you’re looking at? And tell my sisters to stop hurting themselves. Love ya!

-Elder St. John

 

Monday January 9, 2016 Kamiah, ID

Hey!
Answers to questions…

It was good to see your baptism picture. How is he doing this week? Do you have much more contact with the new members after their baptisms?

Mike is doing good. he is still trying to find a place to live. We try to have as much contact as we can to make sure they stay members but it’s hard sometimes because things get busy and we have new people to work with.

How has your weather been this week? Anything crazy?

Nothing too bad. But yesterday we had some freezing rain so all the cars had a sheet of ice on them and the roads were pretty bad. But nothing too bad.

Did you have to travel anywhere weird this week, or were you able to mostly stay in the area?

We went to Lewiston for zone training but that was about it. 

Ok first thanks for the recipes. A member gave us some frozen catfish so I thought I’d try it out! I’ll let you know how it goes. We have all those spices so no need to send them.

This week has been a pretty uneventful week. We went to the Mason’s and they had somebody new for us to teach. His name is Odie and he’s on track to be baptized in Feb.

So in our zone training, President had a few things he thought he would ask of us. One of those things was to improve this year. He said that we can’t expect to do better just by doing things the same way. So along with that he brought up a few things our mission could change. The one that I needed to fix was my socks. He brought that up specifically so I will be sending all my fun socks home. I might need some normal black or gray socks.

Earlier this week we had lunch at the masons (yes we spend a lot of time there). They made a giant hamburger. And when I say giant I mean giant. Like 12 lb of meat giant. It was a monstrosity. I took some pictures so you can see. Elder Chamberlain ate way too much and threw up that night on the side of the road. He’s ok now so no need to worry. He just ate too much.

Well besides that transfer calls are next Sunday. But I don’t think I’m leaving. So another 6 weeks here in Kamiah! One thing our mission is doing this year is having a topic to study every month. This month is repentance and it’s been way cool to see all the different scriptural stories of repentance.

Well I hope you survive the snow there. I think it’s really funny you got stuck in the same place I did last year. It was like the same time of year too! haha! Also suggestions for the car...don’t get a Dodge or a Honda crossover ever!!!! Subaru is the best by far. The Crosstrek is the only crossover I like. But it doesn’t have more than 5 seats. I think the Forester is bigger but I’m not sure. One thing to look at would be a Nissan Rouge. those are pretty nice. My preference would be to not go for a Ford but it’s whatever you want. Good luck finding a good one. The only thing besides those that I can think of are suv's but I know those are way expensive. Well thanks for your emails! Love ya!

-Elder St. John

 

Monday January 2, 2017 Kamiah, ID

1.Did your baptism happen yesterday?
1. Yes it went really well! I’m very proud of the progress he has made. It was hard work to get him there and I’m glad he made it.

2. Were you allowed to do anything different last night for New Year's Eve? Probably not, just thought I'd ask.

2. Nope.

3. Are you allowed to wear any cool socks with your suits or just when you're at your apartment?

3. I can wear my cool socks when I want to. I don’t all the time.

4. Are you doing pull-ups every day now?

4. I do pull ups really often now. And they’re great.

5. Any new investigators to tell us about?

5. Well the next investigators we will work on will be a small family. Their names are Ashley and Cody. I’ll keep you updated on what happens with them.

6. I saw on the Facebook page that you were at the mission home this week. Tell us about that?

6. Yup for the new missionary meeting. It was a really good training. The trainers got a q and a with Pres. so that was really cool. We got some really good help and reminders of what makes a good missionary and a good trainer.

7. When you drive to Spokane, how long does it take you?

7. From Kamiah it takes like 4 hours. From Lewiston it takes 2 and a half.

Well this week has been snowy and good. The work is starting to pick up again despite the bad weather. We had Mike’s baptism and then we found a couple new people.

So this new year will be my blackout year. Or the full year that I’ll be on my mission. Crazy! One whole year without any family or friends but one full year of intense spiritual guidance and blessings. So I’m excited to see what this year brings.

I’m sorry you were sick. You need to drink more orange juice. I still buy that every week.

Ok so I have a few questions.

 

1. Ask the Heflin’s if they know a family with the last name Morse. I met an elder that is from Tucson and he knows Riley. 

2. How do you cook catfish?

3. What’s the recipe for our really good fish tacos?

Well thanks for your emails! Have a good week. I’m off to play marshmallow dodge ball! 

-Elder St. John

 

Monday December 26, 2016 Kamiah, ID

Hey! So yeah it’s hard to think of things to write about after we just talked. I’ll try and take more pictures. By the way, I know I mentioned this but that calendar you sent is way cool! I love it!

Our church was canceled. There is a lot of snow here. Thank heavens we have a good truck or we would get stuck so many times.

I have emailed Brittney and Grandma Bonnie and I will email Tyler and Grandpa Mark in a second.

You would really like the house I face timed at. It’s beautiful. Like a Mapleton house. well I’ll send some pictures and stuff. If you don’t have any questions for me I guess this is it. We have to go to Spokane on Wednesday for a meeting and then we will be having a baptism for Mike on Saturday. So an exciting week planned!

-Elder St. John