Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let ya'll know that Elder Justin Denny has been out a year, as of last Thursday, October 11th! Wow! At first it seemed to go slow, but now, it is just flying by.!!! He said in his last e-mail that this just makes him realize he needs to work harder and better to get everything done that he has set out to do.
If anybody wants to be added or taken off his e-mail list, please let me know, either by the blog or by an e-mail to dennyfamily5@comcast.net
By the way Carl, I took you off the list, cuz yours has started coming back with an error.
We love you all, and are grateful for ya'lls support for Justin. Thanks and we'll see ya'll later!
Lisa and Mark and the boys
Showing posts with label Elder Justin Denny Letters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elder Justin Denny Letters. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
Justin's Letter, Jan 29
Sorry family...but this is late because I didn't post it. This is J's letter from the 29th. I'm only putting on the family part and a little other stuff. I will post the current one later (Lisa)
Howdy yall, Alright i read the blog and if yall really miss the yall's that much then i will always just have to write my letters to yall and not anyone individually. Any who, thanks for all the support that's behind me. To any in the family that is helping my family in any way is a blessing to me to know they are well taken care of. I have not gotten any packages from the christmas ones, i believe they may be as the lost pages of the BOM. and are sealed from my life. But hey they may turn up when the lord knows i'll need them most. hey i read the blog on the superbowl party and wow it sounds like it's gonna be a blast. I am really bummed when i heard all that were gonna make it there. But for yall's information, GO COLTS!!! I am just letting yall know that i will be wearing my blue and white tie that day along with my blue suit. So i'll be in the spirit and i wouldn't doubt if i got a glimpse of it somewhere, cuz we do got the McNiells for dinner that day and well it's TEXAS, so there's no way to avoid it, but don't worry i won't be caught away in the things of the world. Maybe just a play or two, lol.
Elder Meeks and I are all getting along perfectly and just love each other like crazy. We have so much fun when we are out working or even studying together. We have been having some pretty in depth studies lately too. He is so diligent when he studies, plus he really studies with a purpose in mind as he goes. We are so glad to be her for another transfer and the members are too.
As for the weather here, it's been getting warmer, like it was 68 on fri. wow you know what they say here in texas, if ya don't like the weather then just wait a while and it will change. It's so true. All the members are great and just love us to death and just want to give us so much to make up for everything we might be missing at home.
The lord is blessing us beyond belief with all those we are teaching. And we may not find to many when we tract, cuz people are pretty set in their religion out here, the lord makes up for it in all these member referrals we are working with. they truly are the best kind of missionary work. We have so many others that we are working with that i will report of as they progress further down the road.
I just want to thank all that are keeping me in your prayers. All is well out here and i'm always to keep on keepin' on. just as we always should. And since everything is bigger in texas then i will close by sending all my TEXAS LOVE!! YALL STAY STRONG!!!
Elder Justin Denny
Howdy yall, Alright i read the blog and if yall really miss the yall's that much then i will always just have to write my letters to yall and not anyone individually. Any who, thanks for all the support that's behind me. To any in the family that is helping my family in any way is a blessing to me to know they are well taken care of. I have not gotten any packages from the christmas ones, i believe they may be as the lost pages of the BOM. and are sealed from my life. But hey they may turn up when the lord knows i'll need them most. hey i read the blog on the superbowl party and wow it sounds like it's gonna be a blast. I am really bummed when i heard all that were gonna make it there. But for yall's information, GO COLTS!!! I am just letting yall know that i will be wearing my blue and white tie that day along with my blue suit. So i'll be in the spirit and i wouldn't doubt if i got a glimpse of it somewhere, cuz we do got the McNiells for dinner that day and well it's TEXAS, so there's no way to avoid it, but don't worry i won't be caught away in the things of the world. Maybe just a play or two, lol.
Elder Meeks and I are all getting along perfectly and just love each other like crazy. We have so much fun when we are out working or even studying together. We have been having some pretty in depth studies lately too. He is so diligent when he studies, plus he really studies with a purpose in mind as he goes. We are so glad to be her for another transfer and the members are too.
As for the weather here, it's been getting warmer, like it was 68 on fri. wow you know what they say here in texas, if ya don't like the weather then just wait a while and it will change. It's so true. All the members are great and just love us to death and just want to give us so much to make up for everything we might be missing at home.
The lord is blessing us beyond belief with all those we are teaching. And we may not find to many when we tract, cuz people are pretty set in their religion out here, the lord makes up for it in all these member referrals we are working with. they truly are the best kind of missionary work. We have so many others that we are working with that i will report of as they progress further down the road.
I just want to thank all that are keeping me in your prayers. All is well out here and i'm always to keep on keepin' on. just as we always should. And since everything is bigger in texas then i will close by sending all my TEXAS LOVE!! YALL STAY STRONG!!!
Elder Justin Denny
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
ELDER DENNY'S RECENT REPORTS
Hi everyone: (This is from Lisa) We got a new e-mail address, so please change it in your address books as we will be discontinuing our netzero account soon. It is: dennyfamily5@comcast.net
This week, Justin sent different letters to everyone, making them personal, so I'll just take a little out of everyone's to tell you what is going on with the people he is teaching. He is just an amaing writer and tells a great story. In an effort to edit, I hope I don't take out his personality. But it is funny, since he's writing to each person, there were NO ya'lls! (lol)
HEY DAD: Let me tell you about Will. He is our top invest. We have taught him the first 3 lessons and pieces of the fourh. We had a very deep lesson about baptism and he wishes to be baptized. We both believe that will happen. He was at our testimony meeting and was so touched by the spirit. The Lord is really showing him the light and it's growing daily. We still have some key things to teach, like the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, tithing, and etc. The basics we've covered - like, prayers, the sabbath, scirptures, etc. Satan is working on him cuz he's moving to Dallas and the area he's moving into doesn't have missionaries. I am more concerned about him than me, so please pray for him and help us. I am doing very well because of how many blessing's the Lord has given me out here. Yeah, I have a few struggles, but nothing to whine about. I love you very much.
HI MOMMY:Let me tell you about Nelly. She is from Chihuahua and her real name is Manuela. She lives with Jake her husband that's inactive. The missionaries have been teaching her a really long time and she is struggling in so many ways. Her mom has cancer and has been in the hospital, but now is released and in hospice. She is so overwhelmed right now with so many things going on in her life. We continue to meet with her so we can build up the spirit in her as she goes through these trials. I am continually thinking of Grandpa and she reminds me a lot of you, but of course without the Catholic thing. I feel as if we teach her and we have no words to comfor her, because we have no idea what she is going through. Even if she doesn't get baptized, I want to help her in anyway we can. Please send us prayers from the Lord. I'm also asking for ideas and how you felt so I can comfort her. She means so much to us and the Lord for the willingness she has to meet with us so often and feel the spirit that she as said has been missing as she goes through these times. I love you so much mom, and ask you to pray for her more than me. I am strong and can pull through with how much the Lord's giving me. She needs your prayers, please. The love shown to me truly helps me to spread love to all the children of this earth and I owe that to you.
HEY BIG BRO: Sounds like life is going well for you. I know that all you have been blessed with is because of your amazingly diligent self and hard work that you do constantly. YOu are my number one hero in the whole world and I will always have that love for you. I love to hear of how you are doing away from home. And it sounds like you are growing so well. All the strength I have to overcome trials has been from all the years of me having an older brother to look up to and admire. Your strength has given me strenth. I often use my brothers when teaching lessons. I have such a love for you and it is one of the most powere teaching tools we have - telling of family and how they give us strength to face the world. Let me tell you about Steve: He's an older brother to his little sisiter. Their mother is not much of a mothers, as she's never home to care for them. He takes control. He has a job an d take s care of the bills and food. He loves his sister so much, so he sets an example for her. He is the most amazingly happy kid you could meet with the biggest smile, ready to learn more and take what the world has to throw to him. He is selling his mustang to care for him and here. Oh yeah, he's only 17 years old and is a junior in high school. I love you more than you know. Thanks for being my "Steve."
YO BABY BRO: The day you came into this world was one of the greatest days of my life. You might think I don't remember, but I do. The fact that I was now an older brother gave me so much to look forward to, not just someone I could beat up on. I love you so much and you have always taught me to have fun in my life. You were always a strong kid and will be able to take good care of yourself. I may be in Texas, but the Lord is giving you strength that is coming directly from me.. You were a gift from Jesus Christ into my life and I know you were placed as my little bro for a reason. So my advice to you is, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, what do ya do...you swimmmmm!!!!" Always work hard and keep an eye on the finish line.
This week, Justin sent different letters to everyone, making them personal, so I'll just take a little out of everyone's to tell you what is going on with the people he is teaching. He is just an amaing writer and tells a great story. In an effort to edit, I hope I don't take out his personality. But it is funny, since he's writing to each person, there were NO ya'lls! (lol)
HEY DAD: Let me tell you about Will. He is our top invest. We have taught him the first 3 lessons and pieces of the fourh. We had a very deep lesson about baptism and he wishes to be baptized. We both believe that will happen. He was at our testimony meeting and was so touched by the spirit. The Lord is really showing him the light and it's growing daily. We still have some key things to teach, like the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, tithing, and etc. The basics we've covered - like, prayers, the sabbath, scirptures, etc. Satan is working on him cuz he's moving to Dallas and the area he's moving into doesn't have missionaries. I am more concerned about him than me, so please pray for him and help us. I am doing very well because of how many blessing's the Lord has given me out here. Yeah, I have a few struggles, but nothing to whine about. I love you very much.
HI MOMMY:Let me tell you about Nelly. She is from Chihuahua and her real name is Manuela. She lives with Jake her husband that's inactive. The missionaries have been teaching her a really long time and she is struggling in so many ways. Her mom has cancer and has been in the hospital, but now is released and in hospice. She is so overwhelmed right now with so many things going on in her life. We continue to meet with her so we can build up the spirit in her as she goes through these trials. I am continually thinking of Grandpa and she reminds me a lot of you, but of course without the Catholic thing. I feel as if we teach her and we have no words to comfor her, because we have no idea what she is going through. Even if she doesn't get baptized, I want to help her in anyway we can. Please send us prayers from the Lord. I'm also asking for ideas and how you felt so I can comfort her. She means so much to us and the Lord for the willingness she has to meet with us so often and feel the spirit that she as said has been missing as she goes through these times. I love you so much mom, and ask you to pray for her more than me. I am strong and can pull through with how much the Lord's giving me. She needs your prayers, please. The love shown to me truly helps me to spread love to all the children of this earth and I owe that to you.
HEY BIG BRO: Sounds like life is going well for you. I know that all you have been blessed with is because of your amazingly diligent self and hard work that you do constantly. YOu are my number one hero in the whole world and I will always have that love for you. I love to hear of how you are doing away from home. And it sounds like you are growing so well. All the strength I have to overcome trials has been from all the years of me having an older brother to look up to and admire. Your strength has given me strenth. I often use my brothers when teaching lessons. I have such a love for you and it is one of the most powere teaching tools we have - telling of family and how they give us strength to face the world. Let me tell you about Steve: He's an older brother to his little sisiter. Their mother is not much of a mothers, as she's never home to care for them. He takes control. He has a job an d take s care of the bills and food. He loves his sister so much, so he sets an example for her. He is the most amazingly happy kid you could meet with the biggest smile, ready to learn more and take what the world has to throw to him. He is selling his mustang to care for him and here. Oh yeah, he's only 17 years old and is a junior in high school. I love you more than you know. Thanks for being my "Steve."
YO BABY BRO: The day you came into this world was one of the greatest days of my life. You might think I don't remember, but I do. The fact that I was now an older brother gave me so much to look forward to, not just someone I could beat up on. I love you so much and you have always taught me to have fun in my life. You were always a strong kid and will be able to take good care of yourself. I may be in Texas, but the Lord is giving you strength that is coming directly from me.. You were a gift from Jesus Christ into my life and I know you were placed as my little bro for a reason. So my advice to you is, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, what do ya do...you swimmmmm!!!!" Always work hard and keep an eye on the finish line.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Justin's Letter, Jan 15th
Peek-a-boo!
Wow it's freezing here. I heard about the weather over there in Layton and Logan from Tell Me over the telephone and wow it sounds cold. Here it's been about 30's to 40's the past week and has been raining for the past 4 days non stop too. Today it's been about 28ish and wow are the roads icy. Don't worry we are very careful, plus having elder meeks being designated driver and he's from oregon where rain is natural then we are definitely very safe. But this kind of cold is so much more different than a cold there that i'm used to. This cold it is about 30 or so and you just cannot be warm. It eats away from the inside out and then you have to add on the humidity factor and that doesn't help at all. It's been really great rain, cuz they need it here too really bad, but it's very dangerous if ya ever get below freezing and the roads ice over and then it's just chaos. We were told by president to not drive if it's icy and if we have to and crash then it's completely out of our pocket, since he warned us and all. I guess he has revelation over us or something, jk, I know he does.
Church on sunday was very dismal, cuz most stayed home because it's been so much talk about ice storms and road conditions that most didn't want to face it. But Sunday was the greatest ever because Nelly was at Sunday School, also The Austin's brought Matt and Monty, Lonnie's two boys, to sacrament and to sunday school, and Will was there too. It was like the nonmembers outnumbered the members that actually showed up on sunday. It was great too cuz Monty has made a few bad choices and wants to straighten up somewhere and the missionaries in Mesquite are going to start the lessons with him. And Meeks just asked Matt if he had ever met with the missionaries before and he said no but he would sure like to sometime. The work is so progressing beyond measure here. The only problem is that transfers are in one week and man anything could happen there that's for sure. We are really hoping we don't get a phone call, but if it's the Lord's will then that's what must be done. We are teaching a lot of families too that are all member referrals and we have fellowship like crazy coming from the ward members and they are just on a roll. Then we got another referral from Lonnie for his friend in Edgewood and well we just have so much to do now, we're just bouncin' off the walls.
I have to send my love to all who are sending me letters and anything to boost the moral of us workin', I am trying to get even little thank you's to yall, and thanks mom so much for those, they will really come in handy. I know i have so much support behind me and it just tells me i better work even harder to satisfy all yall, plus i need to make the Lord happy most of all.
As for other haps here, the past week has just been great and it will continue this way as long as we remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and have faith that he can strengthen us on his part as long as we do our part. We have been finding very well and I can truly feel all yall's prayers that are bringing us ever so many blessing i can't even tell yall the joys that have been seen in the past week.
The language is coming along alright, still working my confidence level to just speak it no matter what happens. There's those times where we are just in a group of people and I have no idea what's being said, but as long as I listen and truly try to understand the words being said, then it is slowly translated in my head. As long as I keep up my studies then it will come with time and I will be able to teach a whole lesson or do anything in Fluent Drawl. Lol!! You think that's funny, but it's true. I mean most I can understand, but then ya get some that just speak so fast or with such a drawl and with words that were come up with for easier, yeah right, speech and I just get lost so fast. Just nod and smile. But it really is progressing.
We are very well takin' care of that it's just booming blessings that we are so grateful for. I asked one of our members how well her boy was getting fed on his mission in Bulgaria, and they're not allowed to eat at members home's cuz they are so poor there it would just drain their expenses trying to make a meal. It's really put it into perspective as to how amazing the mission life is here in Texas. Also, her other son, twins actually, is in Denmark on his mission and just like me he wanted to go cold and snow, and wow did he ever get that wish. She was saying that he absolutely hates it cuz it takes so long to dress and to just stay warm at all. I thought about it a lot and am so thankful I was called here to this beautiful land of longhorns. Course then everyone just keeps telling me, "OOh you'll have fun in the summer", but hey that's to come and it's only more experience right.
There are just some of the most amazing people who come to the door. Even if they aren't
interested, they are very thankful for our work. Of course you get those some who recognize us off the bat and have been raised to just, "Stay away from those mormons", it really puts it into a very well placed perspective on how the devil has turned the world completely to cause contention in any way possible among the children of this earth. As long as we do all we can to just be nice in everything. Always remember the golden rule as stated in the Bible. And it could be about being kind in person or behind someone's back while they aren't there or just something like that, but really be kind in all you words. Maybe yall have heard the saying by Mother Teresa, about it's not between them and you anyway, i can't remember what it says, but truly live to that. To all people just love.
One final note as to how to look at any trials or struggles you may come across. You may feel down, but it could never feel as bad as the savior felt in the garden. And one thing i've learned from Alma 7, read it, is that one of the reasons he did that for us is so that he would know how to comfort any who were going through struggles. My attitude has completely changed in facing trials in the fact that.. well.. here's a story Elder Ard told me one night after exchanges.
This father and his son were workin' out in the fields doing some tilling with their mule. They had just started to work on the chores around the farm and they were going so well. Now they were also having another project going on which they were in the process of digging a well out back. Unfortunately they had both forgot to fence it off so that others would see the hole that wasn't quite finished.
One day the mule was roaming in the pasture and accidentally fell into the well. He was kicking and struggling to get out, but the hole was just too deep and too narrow to even do anything. The father and son had come out and heard the yelps that he was giving from the well. They had tried ropes and all sorts of ways to get him out but he was just struggling so much that it just wasn't going to happen.
The next best thing they both came up with was that they were going to have to just bury the mule. It was what needed to be done. So they got their spades and started to fill in the well. They threw shovelful and shovelful down and down into the hole. The mule was still struggling to find a way out. Then as he was just hit on the back with a shovel full of dirt, he was moving around and eventually the dirt shook off his back and fell beneath him. Then as he was standing there he had to step up. It continued this way and as each pile of dirt came down upon his back he shook it off and stepped up. Dirt hits him, shakes it off, and steps up. Dirt hits him, shakes it off, and steps up. He continues this until eventually the hole is getting filled in and he steps up and walks out. Dirt will continue to hit us throughout this great journey we call life, but as long as you shake it off and step up, you will eventually reach the top. And be back with The Father and The Son. Remeber that and always look up and out of the hole your in as well to keep you eye on the light and never look away.
With laughter, and love and all those grand wishes....
Elder Justin Denny
Wow it's freezing here. I heard about the weather over there in Layton and Logan from Tell Me over the telephone and wow it sounds cold. Here it's been about 30's to 40's the past week and has been raining for the past 4 days non stop too. Today it's been about 28ish and wow are the roads icy. Don't worry we are very careful, plus having elder meeks being designated driver and he's from oregon where rain is natural then we are definitely very safe. But this kind of cold is so much more different than a cold there that i'm used to. This cold it is about 30 or so and you just cannot be warm. It eats away from the inside out and then you have to add on the humidity factor and that doesn't help at all. It's been really great rain, cuz they need it here too really bad, but it's very dangerous if ya ever get below freezing and the roads ice over and then it's just chaos. We were told by president to not drive if it's icy and if we have to and crash then it's completely out of our pocket, since he warned us and all. I guess he has revelation over us or something, jk, I know he does.
Church on sunday was very dismal, cuz most stayed home because it's been so much talk about ice storms and road conditions that most didn't want to face it. But Sunday was the greatest ever because Nelly was at Sunday School, also The Austin's brought Matt and Monty, Lonnie's two boys, to sacrament and to sunday school, and Will was there too. It was like the nonmembers outnumbered the members that actually showed up on sunday. It was great too cuz Monty has made a few bad choices and wants to straighten up somewhere and the missionaries in Mesquite are going to start the lessons with him. And Meeks just asked Matt if he had ever met with the missionaries before and he said no but he would sure like to sometime. The work is so progressing beyond measure here. The only problem is that transfers are in one week and man anything could happen there that's for sure. We are really hoping we don't get a phone call, but if it's the Lord's will then that's what must be done. We are teaching a lot of families too that are all member referrals and we have fellowship like crazy coming from the ward members and they are just on a roll. Then we got another referral from Lonnie for his friend in Edgewood and well we just have so much to do now, we're just bouncin' off the walls.
I have to send my love to all who are sending me letters and anything to boost the moral of us workin', I am trying to get even little thank you's to yall, and thanks mom so much for those, they will really come in handy. I know i have so much support behind me and it just tells me i better work even harder to satisfy all yall, plus i need to make the Lord happy most of all.
As for other haps here, the past week has just been great and it will continue this way as long as we remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and have faith that he can strengthen us on his part as long as we do our part. We have been finding very well and I can truly feel all yall's prayers that are bringing us ever so many blessing i can't even tell yall the joys that have been seen in the past week.
The language is coming along alright, still working my confidence level to just speak it no matter what happens. There's those times where we are just in a group of people and I have no idea what's being said, but as long as I listen and truly try to understand the words being said, then it is slowly translated in my head. As long as I keep up my studies then it will come with time and I will be able to teach a whole lesson or do anything in Fluent Drawl. Lol!! You think that's funny, but it's true. I mean most I can understand, but then ya get some that just speak so fast or with such a drawl and with words that were come up with for easier, yeah right, speech and I just get lost so fast. Just nod and smile. But it really is progressing.
We are very well takin' care of that it's just booming blessings that we are so grateful for. I asked one of our members how well her boy was getting fed on his mission in Bulgaria, and they're not allowed to eat at members home's cuz they are so poor there it would just drain their expenses trying to make a meal. It's really put it into perspective as to how amazing the mission life is here in Texas. Also, her other son, twins actually, is in Denmark on his mission and just like me he wanted to go cold and snow, and wow did he ever get that wish. She was saying that he absolutely hates it cuz it takes so long to dress and to just stay warm at all. I thought about it a lot and am so thankful I was called here to this beautiful land of longhorns. Course then everyone just keeps telling me, "OOh you'll have fun in the summer", but hey that's to come and it's only more experience right.
There are just some of the most amazing people who come to the door. Even if they aren't
interested, they are very thankful for our work. Of course you get those some who recognize us off the bat and have been raised to just, "Stay away from those mormons", it really puts it into a very well placed perspective on how the devil has turned the world completely to cause contention in any way possible among the children of this earth. As long as we do all we can to just be nice in everything. Always remember the golden rule as stated in the Bible. And it could be about being kind in person or behind someone's back while they aren't there or just something like that, but really be kind in all you words. Maybe yall have heard the saying by Mother Teresa, about it's not between them and you anyway, i can't remember what it says, but truly live to that. To all people just love.
One final note as to how to look at any trials or struggles you may come across. You may feel down, but it could never feel as bad as the savior felt in the garden. And one thing i've learned from Alma 7, read it, is that one of the reasons he did that for us is so that he would know how to comfort any who were going through struggles. My attitude has completely changed in facing trials in the fact that.. well.. here's a story Elder Ard told me one night after exchanges.
This father and his son were workin' out in the fields doing some tilling with their mule. They had just started to work on the chores around the farm and they were going so well. Now they were also having another project going on which they were in the process of digging a well out back. Unfortunately they had both forgot to fence it off so that others would see the hole that wasn't quite finished.
One day the mule was roaming in the pasture and accidentally fell into the well. He was kicking and struggling to get out, but the hole was just too deep and too narrow to even do anything. The father and son had come out and heard the yelps that he was giving from the well. They had tried ropes and all sorts of ways to get him out but he was just struggling so much that it just wasn't going to happen.
The next best thing they both came up with was that they were going to have to just bury the mule. It was what needed to be done. So they got their spades and started to fill in the well. They threw shovelful and shovelful down and down into the hole. The mule was still struggling to find a way out. Then as he was just hit on the back with a shovel full of dirt, he was moving around and eventually the dirt shook off his back and fell beneath him. Then as he was standing there he had to step up. It continued this way and as each pile of dirt came down upon his back he shook it off and stepped up. Dirt hits him, shakes it off, and steps up. Dirt hits him, shakes it off, and steps up. He continues this until eventually the hole is getting filled in and he steps up and walks out. Dirt will continue to hit us throughout this great journey we call life, but as long as you shake it off and step up, you will eventually reach the top. And be back with The Father and The Son. Remeber that and always look up and out of the hole your in as well to keep you eye on the light and never look away.
With laughter, and love and all those grand wishes....
Elder Justin Denny
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Justin's Letter, Jan 8th
WOW THIS NEW YEAR IS AWESOME!!! I just want to thank yall in the Denny family for posting on the blog, and for yalls comments. I do have time and permission to read that. And just for your information Rand, I don't hit return when I'm typing. It's my mom who is computer illiterate. Sorry mom, you just are. She probably edits what I write (to take out the personal business stuff) and then she doesn't put it back together right. Thanks for the pictures on the snow! I love them, then I hate them. We woke up the other morning to frost and I was so excited. Pretty sad to be excited about morning frost. But I love this place!!! If I don't answer yall, I'm sorry, but thanks for the mail. The support and love from yall is what keeps me going. Mom, if they let me get on the real bulls, then i probably would in a heartbeat, but just wait till yall see the films i have now. When we robo rided the bulls to get them prepared for events with actual riders. Oh, it's just a blast. We also have a new family who moved in to the ward from Alpine. They came here to raise race horses! Enough jibber jabber, let's get down to the best part. The work is progressing slowly, but surely. Things are falling into place and this year is just being golden so far and need to make that last always. And we will. Hey, guess what, the Buccambuso daugthers were baptized on the 6th in Frisco! It's so great. I was talking with greiner and all is well there. Well here Will who is our greatest investigator so far is doing so well. Plus we teach him in a member's home every week. but of course the devil is trying to kick him away from us, because we just found out he has to move to dallas for work, but he's still coming here to be taught when he's with his gf here in Van, TX.
The statistics were released to us on that. Those who missionaries teach just by tract out and in the investigator's homes and a one percent chance to be converted. Those who are taught in the investigator's homes with another member present with the missionaries, it jumps up to a 40 percent chance.wow. Now those who are taught in a member's home with the member present it then rockets up to an 80 percent chance. So that is the importance of member missionary work in the field. Yall play such a more immense role to our work even beyond that of what we as missionaries can produce.
Will is coming to church and gospel principles also. we are teaching him tonight and doing a family home evening with the Family also. we will teach Alma 7 and the importance of a testimony. he's doing well. Then there's Nelly, she is improving, and she is coming around to noticing how much it's blessed her life, especially with her mom going through chemo at this time. She is doing well and I believe if we keep this close contact with her then she will find the light and truly soar in this church. We had many who are giving us referrals and some that say they want to be baptized but need the lessons first, so all will come with time and hard work.
We are really being blessed by the lord and what he's given us in just this past week. It's really improving our strength as a companionship as well too. We are having the best of times now with just two weeks until transfers. Which are the 23rd, i know if i say it then it might backfire, but i hope we both stay here in canton and we have such great work progressing. We had Zone Conference on the 5th. It was so great, we spent the night with eight elders in Tyler. It was the best to see some of the new elders and all the one's known from all over the mission. These three zones are Tyler, me, Longview, and Nacadoches, if that's spelled right. We had the most amazing testimony meeting and my attitude has completely changed and lets just say i ready to go to work.
It was so great to see President and Sister Warner there and the talks they gave were just amazing. They truly are inspired over what we each do in each of our areas and they are the best parents we can have out here in Dallas, TX and around, like Wills Point of course. The leadership here is beyond miraculous and just to know that we are all in one purpose out here in texas is a blessing. I don't know if i told yall about my New Years/Golden Years Resolution: Stand up for what I believe in, AKA, BE HEARD!! Which means I have to talk to everybody! Just bring on the work and we'll tackle the beast as it says in revelations. Right now there's nothing the devil can do that will bring me down, because I know with a certainty that i can handle anything he throws at me becuase i have the strength of the lord on my side.
Also before i end i need to thank all those who are sending me things, and just tell you all how much it gives me more force and reason to push on and do my best. Yall know who you are and i'm truly thankful for how yall are truly behind me in what i do. I have even more purpose to be all that i can be because yall are behind me and with the lord behind me as well there's nothing that can push me back. I am at the head of my game right now. Well my biggest place of improvement is the mornings, 6:30 really isn't that early, but when we both just lay there after prayers and the alarms are off then we go back to sleep. Suggestions are welcomed with gladness.
I have the greatest calling out here in the Wills Point ward and wow does it only improve as time continues. "Carpe Dium", "Sieze the Day", all day everyday and then the blessings will come i can promise you that. I have a friend in The West Indies, who wrote and told me to be thankful for carpet and for a washer and dryer, ever since then i can't stop thinking about how much he is going through right now and how grateful i am to have all the little things. Look around you and the blessing are there innumerously and they are all from the one who loves us more than imaginable. We recieved an awesome talk at conference that is called, "Create Success", who it's by escapes me now, but i'm sure yall can find it. That's what needs to be done in every day life. I love you all so much that all i can do now is do my very best at where i'm at and praise he who gives me all. Our apartment is now being covered with friendly reminders all over from the church magazines. They truly help when you see the lord everywhere, especially in your home, then it guides your thoughts that just lead eternally to joy and always make you smile. In the Book of Mormon, when Captain Moroni created the Title of Liberty, he also asked that they place it at all there towers and everywhere to be seen. Do that, listen to the prophets and place that title everywhere we go. Thank you so much for yall's love and support and just always remember why we are even alive now. I have that mormonad now that i told yall about that says, "In one small moment", not it have a new saying written, "Make every moment count". Live everyday as if it were on purpose and find the joy the he wants us to find always in this life he's given us. Jesus Christ is my savior and most of all my friend. The best friend i could ever have. DC 93:45, and place your name within.
I leave you with a saying
That has come from above
To all of men and women
To always remember, "Just Love"
Elder Denny
The statistics were released to us on that. Those who missionaries teach just by tract out and in the investigator's homes and a one percent chance to be converted. Those who are taught in the investigator's homes with another member present with the missionaries, it jumps up to a 40 percent chance.wow. Now those who are taught in a member's home with the member present it then rockets up to an 80 percent chance. So that is the importance of member missionary work in the field. Yall play such a more immense role to our work even beyond that of what we as missionaries can produce.
Will is coming to church and gospel principles also. we are teaching him tonight and doing a family home evening with the Family also. we will teach Alma 7 and the importance of a testimony. he's doing well. Then there's Nelly, she is improving, and she is coming around to noticing how much it's blessed her life, especially with her mom going through chemo at this time. She is doing well and I believe if we keep this close contact with her then she will find the light and truly soar in this church. We had many who are giving us referrals and some that say they want to be baptized but need the lessons first, so all will come with time and hard work.
We are really being blessed by the lord and what he's given us in just this past week. It's really improving our strength as a companionship as well too. We are having the best of times now with just two weeks until transfers. Which are the 23rd, i know if i say it then it might backfire, but i hope we both stay here in canton and we have such great work progressing. We had Zone Conference on the 5th. It was so great, we spent the night with eight elders in Tyler. It was the best to see some of the new elders and all the one's known from all over the mission. These three zones are Tyler, me, Longview, and Nacadoches, if that's spelled right. We had the most amazing testimony meeting and my attitude has completely changed and lets just say i ready to go to work.
It was so great to see President and Sister Warner there and the talks they gave were just amazing. They truly are inspired over what we each do in each of our areas and they are the best parents we can have out here in Dallas, TX and around, like Wills Point of course. The leadership here is beyond miraculous and just to know that we are all in one purpose out here in texas is a blessing. I don't know if i told yall about my New Years/Golden Years Resolution: Stand up for what I believe in, AKA, BE HEARD!! Which means I have to talk to everybody! Just bring on the work and we'll tackle the beast as it says in revelations. Right now there's nothing the devil can do that will bring me down, because I know with a certainty that i can handle anything he throws at me becuase i have the strength of the lord on my side.
Also before i end i need to thank all those who are sending me things, and just tell you all how much it gives me more force and reason to push on and do my best. Yall know who you are and i'm truly thankful for how yall are truly behind me in what i do. I have even more purpose to be all that i can be because yall are behind me and with the lord behind me as well there's nothing that can push me back. I am at the head of my game right now. Well my biggest place of improvement is the mornings, 6:30 really isn't that early, but when we both just lay there after prayers and the alarms are off then we go back to sleep. Suggestions are welcomed with gladness.
I have the greatest calling out here in the Wills Point ward and wow does it only improve as time continues. "Carpe Dium", "Sieze the Day", all day everyday and then the blessings will come i can promise you that. I have a friend in The West Indies, who wrote and told me to be thankful for carpet and for a washer and dryer, ever since then i can't stop thinking about how much he is going through right now and how grateful i am to have all the little things. Look around you and the blessing are there innumerously and they are all from the one who loves us more than imaginable. We recieved an awesome talk at conference that is called, "Create Success", who it's by escapes me now, but i'm sure yall can find it. That's what needs to be done in every day life. I love you all so much that all i can do now is do my very best at where i'm at and praise he who gives me all. Our apartment is now being covered with friendly reminders all over from the church magazines. They truly help when you see the lord everywhere, especially in your home, then it guides your thoughts that just lead eternally to joy and always make you smile. In the Book of Mormon, when Captain Moroni created the Title of Liberty, he also asked that they place it at all there towers and everywhere to be seen. Do that, listen to the prophets and place that title everywhere we go. Thank you so much for yall's love and support and just always remember why we are even alive now. I have that mormonad now that i told yall about that says, "In one small moment", not it have a new saying written, "Make every moment count". Live everyday as if it were on purpose and find the joy the he wants us to find always in this life he's given us. Jesus Christ is my savior and most of all my friend. The best friend i could ever have. DC 93:45, and place your name within.
I leave you with a saying
That has come from above
To all of men and women
To always remember, "Just Love"
Elder Denny
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Justin's Letter, Jan 1st
Hey there gang,
Sounds like yall had a blast for new years, it was an eventful night here too. So we went to bed on time as usual, but at about 11:30, a car pulled in and was pulled over by the cops in our lot, then the car took off as the cop was getting out and then another cop flew by after and well it was new year's in texas for ya.
Thanks yall for the support that's given all the letters, packages and emails.. they just make my weeks and days. I love to be kept up on the haps there and that's just perfect. I will
not always be able to respond, but when i don't it's good cuz then it means we're really
busy. I know have a mormon ad on my wall that says IN ONE SMALL MOMENT, and if you look it up you can find what it looks like. With a leaf and J. Smith and the first vision, and
my learning from this area truly has been to make every moment count.
Well we are having the best of times still here in canton. It's going very well. The
work is progressing in many different directions, some good and some bad. Nelly is one of
our top people. She is going very well and keeping her reading done and does her reading
with the member she lives with too so that's very well. Her two main struggles are letting
go of the catholic church because of how she will be shunned by them if she's baptized or
by even coming to our church. And she feels the spirit there too, we tell her of the
truths that the spirit testifies of and how it can be anywhere, but not in it's fullness,
course not said that boldly, but you rm's know what i mean. Then there's Will, who is a
members boyfriend who actually came to us because he wants to know the basics of what we
believe, He is doing more than keeping his commitments, he's reading, praying, and he
reads more and teaches himself. We came to teach him the second lesson which is the plan,
and he had read all about sacrament and the prayers and what's done, it was amazing. And
he was at church. The only setback, of course there always is one, is that he lives in
Tyler, which is a different ward so we will eventually have to turn him over to that ward.
Hope he still goes well.
Oh YEAH, one of the members brought his girlfriend to church, and they came up and want to schedule to retake the lessons for her and the member looked at me and said, You're still green huh? Still need your first baptism? (It was funny!) All in all the work is constantly progressing and well I just love it. When we get so busy that we just collapse in bed after nightly planning is when we really get the best nights rest too.
Well, texas is just making me fall in love with it every day more and more, but i just
tell my self, remember there's no snow!!! Yall are gonna be totally siked when ya get my next sd card, cuz we bucked bulls for the Austin Family and their place. IT WAS SWEET!! Matt gave us a tshirt and we help them buck there bulls with this robo rider, you'll see it on the video. Hope yall can see those, let me know.
There are lots of stories to tell, but you'll just have to read them in my journal, which still has room so don't worry. I have written every night too, doing very well, which is hard cuz we have no time for anything, but i will make time for that mom, i know what you're thinking. Mission work first, then journal, then me time, cuz that's hard to come by too. I love yall more than ever and please give my love to all you see that i just don't have time to write. I am only growing larger and stronger in my testimony.
If yall truly want to hear me speak texan i can, but don't got nothin to holla about cuz is only temporary. But i can say that i'm not having any trouble with the language, it's progressing well.
Well this pday is going well and only getting better, plus tonight we are eating at the
mcneill, and also teaching the austins for there fhe, and we're praying that matt will be
there and we can teach him to. I Love TEXAS!!! And it's truly lovin me back!! Hope yall
are great, well i know yall are, cuz no news is good news.
Always remember to count your blessings, A new scripture i came across in study was in Mosiah 4:27, study it it's an amazing scripture, well to add to all the other amazing ones i've
come across. Sorry no poem, but that scripture i leave with you.
Elder Justin Denny
Canton, Texas
Sounds like yall had a blast for new years, it was an eventful night here too. So we went to bed on time as usual, but at about 11:30, a car pulled in and was pulled over by the cops in our lot, then the car took off as the cop was getting out and then another cop flew by after and well it was new year's in texas for ya.
Thanks yall for the support that's given all the letters, packages and emails.. they just make my weeks and days. I love to be kept up on the haps there and that's just perfect. I will
not always be able to respond, but when i don't it's good cuz then it means we're really
busy. I know have a mormon ad on my wall that says IN ONE SMALL MOMENT, and if you look it up you can find what it looks like. With a leaf and J. Smith and the first vision, and
my learning from this area truly has been to make every moment count.
Well we are having the best of times still here in canton. It's going very well. The
work is progressing in many different directions, some good and some bad. Nelly is one of
our top people. She is going very well and keeping her reading done and does her reading
with the member she lives with too so that's very well. Her two main struggles are letting
go of the catholic church because of how she will be shunned by them if she's baptized or
by even coming to our church. And she feels the spirit there too, we tell her of the
truths that the spirit testifies of and how it can be anywhere, but not in it's fullness,
course not said that boldly, but you rm's know what i mean. Then there's Will, who is a
members boyfriend who actually came to us because he wants to know the basics of what we
believe, He is doing more than keeping his commitments, he's reading, praying, and he
reads more and teaches himself. We came to teach him the second lesson which is the plan,
and he had read all about sacrament and the prayers and what's done, it was amazing. And
he was at church. The only setback, of course there always is one, is that he lives in
Tyler, which is a different ward so we will eventually have to turn him over to that ward.
Hope he still goes well.
Oh YEAH, one of the members brought his girlfriend to church, and they came up and want to schedule to retake the lessons for her and the member looked at me and said, You're still green huh? Still need your first baptism? (It was funny!) All in all the work is constantly progressing and well I just love it. When we get so busy that we just collapse in bed after nightly planning is when we really get the best nights rest too.
Well, texas is just making me fall in love with it every day more and more, but i just
tell my self, remember there's no snow!!! Yall are gonna be totally siked when ya get my next sd card, cuz we bucked bulls for the Austin Family and their place. IT WAS SWEET!! Matt gave us a tshirt and we help them buck there bulls with this robo rider, you'll see it on the video. Hope yall can see those, let me know.
There are lots of stories to tell, but you'll just have to read them in my journal, which still has room so don't worry. I have written every night too, doing very well, which is hard cuz we have no time for anything, but i will make time for that mom, i know what you're thinking. Mission work first, then journal, then me time, cuz that's hard to come by too. I love yall more than ever and please give my love to all you see that i just don't have time to write. I am only growing larger and stronger in my testimony.
If yall truly want to hear me speak texan i can, but don't got nothin to holla about cuz is only temporary. But i can say that i'm not having any trouble with the language, it's progressing well.
Well this pday is going well and only getting better, plus tonight we are eating at the
mcneill, and also teaching the austins for there fhe, and we're praying that matt will be
there and we can teach him to. I Love TEXAS!!! And it's truly lovin me back!! Hope yall
are great, well i know yall are, cuz no news is good news.
Always remember to count your blessings, A new scripture i came across in study was in Mosiah 4:27, study it it's an amazing scripture, well to add to all the other amazing ones i've
come across. Sorry no poem, but that scripture i leave with you.
Elder Justin Denny
Canton, Texas
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Justin's Moved!
12/11/06
HowdyFirst news first to tell yall that I am getting transfered tomorrow. It is just so hard leaving all the people i've grown to love so closely here, including those we've taught and yet to teach as well. We never did get any of our baptisms, and that was really too bad, but it's all good and i am now just curious where they wish to send me and with who. Well i had a really hard time saying goodbye to the families and never did get to say goodbye to any investigators, but they will come to the lord hopefully.
As for the poem for the week.
Well, It's time to say goodbye to Frisco
And hello to where?
I just don't know
The time passes ever so fast
What is future soon becomes past
You must take hold of the time at hand
Or it will just slip through as if grains of sand
The present is prescious and as should be treated so
Cuz in just a glance, it will come and go
Farewell to loved friends and families
Some changes made, do not come with ease
But look forward to all that is to be
And all you've experienced will strengthen thee
Two steps forward as I have learned
Being able to move on, is something earned
All that's been gained, keep that in heart
And you will find, you've done your part
As you move forward, learn and teach
And many boundaries you will breach
Change can be good or bad for some
But what's important are things to come
Keep in mind all the future that is always looked forward too and you'll find it shall be difficult at time as i have found, but with an eye steadfast on what truly matters then you shall be comforted and never be alone in you changes. I love yall so very much i can't express it in any ways over email, but i know that you can feel it always. Keep thy spirit with you and remember what's truly important in this life.
12/12/06
Transfers were this morning and i have now left frisco. Goodbye Frisco.... Hello.............. CANTON, TX!!! Canton is out near Tyler, which is the zone. It is actually the area called Wills Point Area, but we live in canton. It's out east and small towns. My new companion is Elder Spencer Meeks from Oregon, and he's been out 10.5 months now. Well the new area covers towns called Canton, Wills Point, Myrtle Springs, etc... and many other small towns. It's a whole lot of nothing out here. But it's great to experience new places, so far anyway. I am in a car area, so have yet to even use my bike
So yall have it and send me lots of presents, well all I really want for christmas is support. All financially, emotionally, and especially spiritually. Yall ready for the new address...
1570 South Buffalo #7B
Canton, TX 75103
There yall go and that's home sweet home for the next six weeks. I love yall so much and hope all is well. Send my love to all and sorry, but no poem today cuz it's not pday and i'm just writing to inform you of the transfer.
Well I love ya tons and gotta go, so talk to ya monday.
HowdyFirst news first to tell yall that I am getting transfered tomorrow. It is just so hard leaving all the people i've grown to love so closely here, including those we've taught and yet to teach as well. We never did get any of our baptisms, and that was really too bad, but it's all good and i am now just curious where they wish to send me and with who. Well i had a really hard time saying goodbye to the families and never did get to say goodbye to any investigators, but they will come to the lord hopefully.
As for the poem for the week.
Well, It's time to say goodbye to Frisco
And hello to where?
I just don't know
The time passes ever so fast
What is future soon becomes past
You must take hold of the time at hand
Or it will just slip through as if grains of sand
The present is prescious and as should be treated so
Cuz in just a glance, it will come and go
Farewell to loved friends and families
Some changes made, do not come with ease
But look forward to all that is to be
And all you've experienced will strengthen thee
Two steps forward as I have learned
Being able to move on, is something earned
All that's been gained, keep that in heart
And you will find, you've done your part
As you move forward, learn and teach
And many boundaries you will breach
Change can be good or bad for some
But what's important are things to come
Keep in mind all the future that is always looked forward too and you'll find it shall be difficult at time as i have found, but with an eye steadfast on what truly matters then you shall be comforted and never be alone in you changes. I love yall so very much i can't express it in any ways over email, but i know that you can feel it always. Keep thy spirit with you and remember what's truly important in this life.
12/12/06
Transfers were this morning and i have now left frisco. Goodbye Frisco.... Hello.............. CANTON, TX!!! Canton is out near Tyler, which is the zone. It is actually the area called Wills Point Area, but we live in canton. It's out east and small towns. My new companion is Elder Spencer Meeks from Oregon, and he's been out 10.5 months now. Well the new area covers towns called Canton, Wills Point, Myrtle Springs, etc... and many other small towns. It's a whole lot of nothing out here. But it's great to experience new places, so far anyway. I am in a car area, so have yet to even use my bike
So yall have it and send me lots of presents, well all I really want for christmas is support. All financially, emotionally, and especially spiritually. Yall ready for the new address...
1570 South Buffalo #7B
Canton, TX 75103
There yall go and that's home sweet home for the next six weeks. I love yall so much and hope all is well. Send my love to all and sorry, but no poem today cuz it's not pday and i'm just writing to inform you of the transfer.
Well I love ya tons and gotta go, so talk to ya monday.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Justin's Letter, Dec 3
Para mi familia,
No don't get your hopes up cuz there's no way i'm going to even attempt writing this in spanish. My spanish is improving, but mainly on the understanding not speaking, sorry. It is coming along though. GUESS WHAT!!!!! YOU"RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!!!! IT SNOWED!!! no joke on thursday we got tons of snow, at least for texas. Make sure you tell the garcias. All yall that had such little faith and said i would never see it. I have seen it and took some video on you may get it soon if you haven't already. We built a snowman, it was only the size of my fist, but still it's a snowman. It was so awesome. We set up our christmas tree and it's kinda bare underneath, but that's alright. So I hear you are talking to the lotts alot about the haps here and they are such an awesome family. I have pix to send ya, but they won't get out until later. She could probably email ya some. Well that was the definite up to this week and that's only the tip of the snowbank, cuz we got SNOW!!!! On the 1st and 2nd we had the frisco nativity and it was awesome, there were 501 nativities set up in the gym and even a live one inside with a mary and joseph. And outside a live one with Mary, Joseph, Angels, Wisemen and Shepherd. It was so cool. There were performances all day and it brought so many nonmembers in to see what we had done and how we celebrate christ. It's hard to see how many out here feel that we aren't christian and don't believe in christ. Life of the mormons is way different outside of utah.
So tonight we have some numbers to report to president. 4 BAPTISM DATES!!! FOUR!!! So awesome and we will get those to him. We are planning on Steve Warner, The Buccambuso Girls, and The DeYoung girls. It's so awesome I am totally a very blessed greeny with all the success that we are having here in frisco, plus the member work is starting to shoot off the charts. The best referrals are from the saints, keep that in mind. I hope yall like the package i sent home, thought you might enjoy that, and the pix on the card as well, especially the Longhorns and Santa and the "Honk if you love Jesus". Elder Cranford and I stood on the street for only an hour and a half and got 301 honks. It was so much fun to see everyone smile and laugh and really remember the reason for the season. One guy who had his window down and didn't honk, i yelled back as he passed, " HE STILL LOVES YOU!" Man it was a blast Well transfers are coming up soon, It's so amazing that i've already been out for 8 weeks almost. I wish it would slow down cuz it's going to fly by too fast. I am pretty sure that elder greiner and i will both stay here for one more transfer. But it's whatever the president feels from the lord is the best place to put us. Well yesterday was the christmas devotional. I hope yall watched it somewhere, it was awesome. I loved pres. faust talk and the story he told of anonymous service is the service to god. Yall will have to look it up if you didn't hear it. Well let me give yall my poem of the week:
Yall have seen how it snows in Utah And know the feeling of cold
Thinking you understand the meaning of ice Just come on out to Texas and then you'll get told
We had a blizzard, okay it was light But the snow is not what makes you shiver
It's the humid air that freezes to your body And burns you down to your liver
The wind chill here is beyond freezing And just eats right through your skin
But being from there helps me out tons Cuz where i've lived, cold there's been
Now my comp is from california And he always thinks he's going to freeze
He has to put on his snow gear When it's just 50, with a slight breeze
The weather out here is somewhat like home And has made this season glow within
This is by far my favorite time of year The birth of him without sin
Well that was pretty good if i do say so myself. As for christmas here, the lights are just amazing. Plus frisco is really rich area and they just go all out at any chance they have to put up lights. And mom, I haven't seen any luminarias here at all, how sad, but i'll keep my eyes peeled. No one here is quite that humble if ya know what i mean. There is this one house that has his lights set up to a radio frequency and when it plays a song it dances to the music, SWEET!! Love yall so very much and wish you the merriest christmas ever. Elder Denny
No don't get your hopes up cuz there's no way i'm going to even attempt writing this in spanish. My spanish is improving, but mainly on the understanding not speaking, sorry. It is coming along though. GUESS WHAT!!!!! YOU"RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!!!! IT SNOWED!!! no joke on thursday we got tons of snow, at least for texas. Make sure you tell the garcias. All yall that had such little faith and said i would never see it. I have seen it and took some video on you may get it soon if you haven't already. We built a snowman, it was only the size of my fist, but still it's a snowman. It was so awesome. We set up our christmas tree and it's kinda bare underneath, but that's alright. So I hear you are talking to the lotts alot about the haps here and they are such an awesome family. I have pix to send ya, but they won't get out until later. She could probably email ya some. Well that was the definite up to this week and that's only the tip of the snowbank, cuz we got SNOW!!!! On the 1st and 2nd we had the frisco nativity and it was awesome, there were 501 nativities set up in the gym and even a live one inside with a mary and joseph. And outside a live one with Mary, Joseph, Angels, Wisemen and Shepherd. It was so cool. There were performances all day and it brought so many nonmembers in to see what we had done and how we celebrate christ. It's hard to see how many out here feel that we aren't christian and don't believe in christ. Life of the mormons is way different outside of utah.
So tonight we have some numbers to report to president. 4 BAPTISM DATES!!! FOUR!!! So awesome and we will get those to him. We are planning on Steve Warner, The Buccambuso Girls, and The DeYoung girls. It's so awesome I am totally a very blessed greeny with all the success that we are having here in frisco, plus the member work is starting to shoot off the charts. The best referrals are from the saints, keep that in mind. I hope yall like the package i sent home, thought you might enjoy that, and the pix on the card as well, especially the Longhorns and Santa and the "Honk if you love Jesus". Elder Cranford and I stood on the street for only an hour and a half and got 301 honks. It was so much fun to see everyone smile and laugh and really remember the reason for the season. One guy who had his window down and didn't honk, i yelled back as he passed, " HE STILL LOVES YOU!" Man it was a blast Well transfers are coming up soon, It's so amazing that i've already been out for 8 weeks almost. I wish it would slow down cuz it's going to fly by too fast. I am pretty sure that elder greiner and i will both stay here for one more transfer. But it's whatever the president feels from the lord is the best place to put us. Well yesterday was the christmas devotional. I hope yall watched it somewhere, it was awesome. I loved pres. faust talk and the story he told of anonymous service is the service to god. Yall will have to look it up if you didn't hear it. Well let me give yall my poem of the week:
Yall have seen how it snows in Utah And know the feeling of cold
Thinking you understand the meaning of ice Just come on out to Texas and then you'll get told
We had a blizzard, okay it was light But the snow is not what makes you shiver
It's the humid air that freezes to your body And burns you down to your liver
The wind chill here is beyond freezing And just eats right through your skin
But being from there helps me out tons Cuz where i've lived, cold there's been
Now my comp is from california And he always thinks he's going to freeze
He has to put on his snow gear When it's just 50, with a slight breeze
The weather out here is somewhat like home And has made this season glow within
This is by far my favorite time of year The birth of him without sin
Well that was pretty good if i do say so myself. As for christmas here, the lights are just amazing. Plus frisco is really rich area and they just go all out at any chance they have to put up lights. And mom, I haven't seen any luminarias here at all, how sad, but i'll keep my eyes peeled. No one here is quite that humble if ya know what i mean. There is this one house that has his lights set up to a radio frequency and when it plays a song it dances to the music, SWEET!! Love yall so very much and wish you the merriest christmas ever. Elder Denny
Monday, November 27, 2006
Justin's Letter, Nov 26
Hello yall and hope your thanksgiving was awesome. It definitely sounded like it was.
Thanksgiving was a blast. In the end we only had 4 dinners and that was definitely enough.
I wasn't doing to bad actually as long as i rationed to one plate a house and one dessert
a house, i was usually pretty hungry by the time we got to our next house. As for elder
greiner, we had to come back to our apt. and he...well let's just say he made room for
more by clearing it out of him. Yeah, it was gross! But hey, that's what we do as to not
offend anyone! So lesson to you, is don't ever be too forceful when you have the
missionaries over for dinner. It might not be so good for them that night.
Pres. and Sis. Warner are the greatest parents i have here and i can always call them. I
will be calling them tonight, because i've been having trouble staying asleep at night.
Not sure why, but i just fall asleep then few minutes later i am woken up by something.
It's not worrisome bad, i am probably getting about 2-3 hrs. a night, the only problem is
it affects my studies and our times at church and lessons. So it's only happened like 4
days now, so i'll let ya know what's going on. I know how to deal with these types of
things now, after that year at USU.
Well christmas is definitely here already and it sure shows here in frisco. We went on
exchanges with the ZL's and we saw some awesome christmas lights and i'll send some pics
home soon so you can see 'em. Christmas in Texas is so cool, well i could definitely use
some snow. It's been great here! I just love this season! Especially the lights and the
music. Greiner hates music cuz his dad always played it like at halloween and so he got
pretty sick of it, but that's cool.
As for our companionship it's going a lot better. We still have our disputes, but we tend
to work them out really well. It's coming along, and we realized we looked at each other
the other day and said, Wow we've been together a long time, and it's only been 4 weeks.
Time is flying. Exchanges are on the 13 Dec, but we believe we are both staying here so we
can really be effective. The work is great and we are doing very well in getting the
members more excited to do their part. If you ever have an opportunity to give a referral
to the missionaries then do it. I know it's different in utah. Here the neighbors you have
you'd be lucky to have two other families on your street to be LDS. Wow the world is
different. But that's what i love best here is being able to learn all i can while i can.
I'm glad the ward there is going good for yall, and wish you the best there. You should
see the faces out here when i tell them that my family moved the day after i reported.
First instinct is like on the RM, but then i do tell them all the story and they relax a
little, but it's definitely a great conversation starter.
Hey guess what Elder Greiner got. He ordered a universal remote that turns off any tv, and
it works!! It's so cool, when we ever are teaching and the tv is on just one click and
it's gone. It's great to show to members too, they just totally love us here.
The greatest thing out here is the members and working through them is definitely the most
effective. They have us over for dinner all the time.
Oh yeah, tell aunt amy to hold off on sending me the stuff for the shephards pie, cuz we have so much food and dinner apt. that it's crazy. On thanksgiving i gained 6 lbs by the end of the day, of course with my blessed metabolism i'm back down to where i was originally.
Let me give you my poem for the week...
When you get into that mood that takes you so high
So far above the problems of the world
Keep up that attitude and strectch beyond the sky
And all the answers will be unfurled.
Well that's been my attitude for this week and i leave you by saying, Enjoy this season
and always remember the reason for it. All the unity it brings to the world and the joy
thats being spread. Take hold of that and run with it. This is definitely my most favorite
season of the year, and i'm now realizing that cuz i'm here. And it's still christmas. The
lights, the joy, and most of all the love. Christ is the reason for the season. God be
with you as you serve others and spread happiness to all you encounter. Charity never
faileth. I love you all so much and hope you all sieze the day, "Carpe Dium".
Happy Holidays, YEEHAW!!
Elder Denny
Thanksgiving was a blast. In the end we only had 4 dinners and that was definitely enough.
I wasn't doing to bad actually as long as i rationed to one plate a house and one dessert
a house, i was usually pretty hungry by the time we got to our next house. As for elder
greiner, we had to come back to our apt. and he...well let's just say he made room for
more by clearing it out of him. Yeah, it was gross! But hey, that's what we do as to not
offend anyone! So lesson to you, is don't ever be too forceful when you have the
missionaries over for dinner. It might not be so good for them that night.
Pres. and Sis. Warner are the greatest parents i have here and i can always call them. I
will be calling them tonight, because i've been having trouble staying asleep at night.
Not sure why, but i just fall asleep then few minutes later i am woken up by something.
It's not worrisome bad, i am probably getting about 2-3 hrs. a night, the only problem is
it affects my studies and our times at church and lessons. So it's only happened like 4
days now, so i'll let ya know what's going on. I know how to deal with these types of
things now, after that year at USU.
Well christmas is definitely here already and it sure shows here in frisco. We went on
exchanges with the ZL's and we saw some awesome christmas lights and i'll send some pics
home soon so you can see 'em. Christmas in Texas is so cool, well i could definitely use
some snow. It's been great here! I just love this season! Especially the lights and the
music. Greiner hates music cuz his dad always played it like at halloween and so he got
pretty sick of it, but that's cool.
As for our companionship it's going a lot better. We still have our disputes, but we tend
to work them out really well. It's coming along, and we realized we looked at each other
the other day and said, Wow we've been together a long time, and it's only been 4 weeks.
Time is flying. Exchanges are on the 13 Dec, but we believe we are both staying here so we
can really be effective. The work is great and we are doing very well in getting the
members more excited to do their part. If you ever have an opportunity to give a referral
to the missionaries then do it. I know it's different in utah. Here the neighbors you have
you'd be lucky to have two other families on your street to be LDS. Wow the world is
different. But that's what i love best here is being able to learn all i can while i can.
I'm glad the ward there is going good for yall, and wish you the best there. You should
see the faces out here when i tell them that my family moved the day after i reported.
First instinct is like on the RM, but then i do tell them all the story and they relax a
little, but it's definitely a great conversation starter.
Hey guess what Elder Greiner got. He ordered a universal remote that turns off any tv, and
it works!! It's so cool, when we ever are teaching and the tv is on just one click and
it's gone. It's great to show to members too, they just totally love us here.
The greatest thing out here is the members and working through them is definitely the most
effective. They have us over for dinner all the time.
Oh yeah, tell aunt amy to hold off on sending me the stuff for the shephards pie, cuz we have so much food and dinner apt. that it's crazy. On thanksgiving i gained 6 lbs by the end of the day, of course with my blessed metabolism i'm back down to where i was originally.
Let me give you my poem for the week...
When you get into that mood that takes you so high
So far above the problems of the world
Keep up that attitude and strectch beyond the sky
And all the answers will be unfurled.
Well that's been my attitude for this week and i leave you by saying, Enjoy this season
and always remember the reason for it. All the unity it brings to the world and the joy
thats being spread. Take hold of that and run with it. This is definitely my most favorite
season of the year, and i'm now realizing that cuz i'm here. And it's still christmas. The
lights, the joy, and most of all the love. Christ is the reason for the season. God be
with you as you serve others and spread happiness to all you encounter. Charity never
faileth. I love you all so much and hope you all sieze the day, "Carpe Dium".
Happy Holidays, YEEHAW!!
Elder Denny
Monday, November 20, 2006
Justin's Letter, Nov 20
Howdy yall from the Lone Star State,
Hey, I'm allowed to get on the blog once a week; I can't write on it, but I can read it, so thanks to all of you for posting stuff so I can keep up with the family haps. Andrea- I loved your picture! That's awesome! Congrats to yall.
For letters and packages, send them directly to me now, cuz it's taking forever to get word back and forth:
Elder Denny
8083 Stonebrook Pkwy #1014
Frisco, TX 75034
As for thanksgiving we have now six appts and are still climbing, everyone just wants to feed us. We have some that will have non members so they are at the top of the list. And we do get to play in the turkey bowl here cuz it will have many less actives and non members so lots of chances to reach out a hand of friendship to them who come. Well it's been hard to get a hold of steve cuz he works everynight and goes to school every day, but it's coming. And the others we're striving at as well. I'll let yall know if we have progression for anyone. Oh we did start meeting with gustavo, who i believe i mentioned in the last email, but he's brazilian and 7th day adventist and man does he know his scripture. Our religions are so close, but so very far away. He's out of town now and so won't see him for a couple weeks, but i'll let ya know if you remind me sometime.
So on sat. we blitzed an area for the sisters, which 6 elders and 2 sisters focused our entire efforts on one ward area, cuz sister rolfe has been sick and they're losing some of the work. We exchanged and i was with Elder Ard, our dl. we had an amazing time, we tracted, which was good since greiner doesn't like tracting. We had tons of contacts and many really good lessons with members and got some really promising referrals. Of course all the numbers are the
sisters, but hey we're all on the same team right? We even had the zl's helping us too.
Well today's pday and we're going out to play some flag football and run all of our errands. I have to fill my meds, and hey i filled my memory card so i am now deciding on how i'm gonna get all that to you. I think it's going to be best to just buy another and send home my full one and then switch off. Plus on my full one there is some short films of me for yall to watch, sorry if i'm a bad camera man but it'll just have to do. I only had about 5 min left so they're short clips of me. I'm not sure when i'll be able to get that out. I have a collection of stuff i want to send you, so you can get packages from me too, but not sure how i'm going to do it, since greiner doesn't send letters to his fam, then we don't ever go to the post office to send things home, but i'll get them out soon enough.
Well we had dinner with the Warners, (mission president and wife) which was awesome. They are like my parents here and especially sis. warner and all she does. Well we have zone
conference on wed, so i'll let ya know how that goes if i remember.
Oh yeah, we're getting new furniture cuz some members are getting rid of some and they called us first! AWESOME!! we'll have another couch and love seat. it's just great. So we sent the dinner calendar around in relief society in 2 of our 3 wards and let me tell you that i might just end up gaining weight for once in my life and we still have to pass it to the third ward. It's cool too, cuz we already have 2 christmas appts. so that's going well how much we're all one big happy family out here. Oh and dad it's christmas that i get to call home on, and are you still going to be at gma's so i know where to call? Let me know. As for my poem for the week, here goes nothin'
When one person falls and hits the ground
They believe no one notices, cuz they didn't make a sound
You lie there and struggle to regain your feet
And pray to the Lord that you'll never be beat
When all of a sudden there comes a hand
From no where His help comes and tells you to stand
I am pulled up and assisted all around
You feel so loved and your heart begins to pound
You thank Him for everything He gives
And praise Him for the way that He lives
He says to me that I will never leave you
Restores your faith and hope is like new
You stumble again and this time you're caught
His promise remains to never leave your spot
As you turn to Him for help, He takes everything in
The torment, pain, suffering, and sin
He takes it all because he loves you so
And asks that you have Him wherever you go
Using His guidance will never be a crutch
It's because of His love, He's helped me so much
Turn to him always and you shall ever have joy
Things of the world shalt never annoy
You're blessed and givin' one eternal friend
Who will be there to catch you even unto the end
Thank you all so much for all that you my family, my friends have given me and that definitely comes out in my poems. I love you all so much and ask you to enjoy this holiday season. We were driving to little elm where the dl lives and it was lit up in lights saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season" It made me smile and think of what these holidays truly are for. Family is key to his gospel and enjoy this thanksgiving, and don't worry because i am very well taken care of even when i'm alone. But it's impossible here to go unloved because of the kindness of all the members. It's time for me to end now and bid you adieu. I hope all is well and if not then you know who to turn to. I give you my blessing and love and care. And if you need anything then email and i'll try to get answers as soon as possible even though it takes a week to get back.
With all my prayers and love from this great state of Texas
Elder Denny
Hey, I'm allowed to get on the blog once a week; I can't write on it, but I can read it, so thanks to all of you for posting stuff so I can keep up with the family haps. Andrea- I loved your picture! That's awesome! Congrats to yall.
For letters and packages, send them directly to me now, cuz it's taking forever to get word back and forth:
Elder Denny
8083 Stonebrook Pkwy #1014
Frisco, TX 75034
As for thanksgiving we have now six appts and are still climbing, everyone just wants to feed us. We have some that will have non members so they are at the top of the list. And we do get to play in the turkey bowl here cuz it will have many less actives and non members so lots of chances to reach out a hand of friendship to them who come. Well it's been hard to get a hold of steve cuz he works everynight and goes to school every day, but it's coming. And the others we're striving at as well. I'll let yall know if we have progression for anyone. Oh we did start meeting with gustavo, who i believe i mentioned in the last email, but he's brazilian and 7th day adventist and man does he know his scripture. Our religions are so close, but so very far away. He's out of town now and so won't see him for a couple weeks, but i'll let ya know if you remind me sometime.
So on sat. we blitzed an area for the sisters, which 6 elders and 2 sisters focused our entire efforts on one ward area, cuz sister rolfe has been sick and they're losing some of the work. We exchanged and i was with Elder Ard, our dl. we had an amazing time, we tracted, which was good since greiner doesn't like tracting. We had tons of contacts and many really good lessons with members and got some really promising referrals. Of course all the numbers are the
sisters, but hey we're all on the same team right? We even had the zl's helping us too.
Well today's pday and we're going out to play some flag football and run all of our errands. I have to fill my meds, and hey i filled my memory card so i am now deciding on how i'm gonna get all that to you. I think it's going to be best to just buy another and send home my full one and then switch off. Plus on my full one there is some short films of me for yall to watch, sorry if i'm a bad camera man but it'll just have to do. I only had about 5 min left so they're short clips of me. I'm not sure when i'll be able to get that out. I have a collection of stuff i want to send you, so you can get packages from me too, but not sure how i'm going to do it, since greiner doesn't send letters to his fam, then we don't ever go to the post office to send things home, but i'll get them out soon enough.
Well we had dinner with the Warners, (mission president and wife) which was awesome. They are like my parents here and especially sis. warner and all she does. Well we have zone
conference on wed, so i'll let ya know how that goes if i remember.
Oh yeah, we're getting new furniture cuz some members are getting rid of some and they called us first! AWESOME!! we'll have another couch and love seat. it's just great. So we sent the dinner calendar around in relief society in 2 of our 3 wards and let me tell you that i might just end up gaining weight for once in my life and we still have to pass it to the third ward. It's cool too, cuz we already have 2 christmas appts. so that's going well how much we're all one big happy family out here. Oh and dad it's christmas that i get to call home on, and are you still going to be at gma's so i know where to call? Let me know. As for my poem for the week, here goes nothin'
When one person falls and hits the ground
They believe no one notices, cuz they didn't make a sound
You lie there and struggle to regain your feet
And pray to the Lord that you'll never be beat
When all of a sudden there comes a hand
From no where His help comes and tells you to stand
I am pulled up and assisted all around
You feel so loved and your heart begins to pound
You thank Him for everything He gives
And praise Him for the way that He lives
He says to me that I will never leave you
Restores your faith and hope is like new
You stumble again and this time you're caught
His promise remains to never leave your spot
As you turn to Him for help, He takes everything in
The torment, pain, suffering, and sin
He takes it all because he loves you so
And asks that you have Him wherever you go
Using His guidance will never be a crutch
It's because of His love, He's helped me so much
Turn to him always and you shall ever have joy
Things of the world shalt never annoy
You're blessed and givin' one eternal friend
Who will be there to catch you even unto the end
Thank you all so much for all that you my family, my friends have given me and that definitely comes out in my poems. I love you all so much and ask you to enjoy this holiday season. We were driving to little elm where the dl lives and it was lit up in lights saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season" It made me smile and think of what these holidays truly are for. Family is key to his gospel and enjoy this thanksgiving, and don't worry because i am very well taken care of even when i'm alone. But it's impossible here to go unloved because of the kindness of all the members. It's time for me to end now and bid you adieu. I hope all is well and if not then you know who to turn to. I give you my blessing and love and care. And if you need anything then email and i'll try to get answers as soon as possible even though it takes a week to get back.
With all my prayers and love from this great state of Texas
Elder Denny
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Justin's Letter, Nov 13
11/13/06
Dear Family, I love hearing all about the haps at home and really wish i could be there, but i know that yall can make the best. Well let me talk to you about the work.The Buccambuso family are set to the first week in december so that sat. will be their bapt. and then steve just has to get his consent form signed and he will be able to choose a date. That's coming along really well. we have some others that are coming too, but those are at the top of our list. I'm so sorry, that i can't make this as long as the other one, but we have a jampacked pday and have so much to do.
I don't even know what to say now, i just feel like last week i had to tell you everything and now you know all so i'm all empty. Sometimes, Greiner and i don't get along very well and it's effecting our work , but it's improving with time. Sometimes all ya have to do is let time take it's course and all will work itself out if you work at it. You have to be diligent as in DC 58:26-28. Read it and make a FHE out of it, cuz we talked today about it in Comp study. Oh, so some of the other elders in our district, Ard and Cranford, stayed the night last night so we could hang out on pday. It's so much fun when they come over and we play settlers of catan forever and just enjoy each others company. We are all going to play bball later today with the zone leaders and maybe some others. I have lots of things to get done today and it's tough when you want to play, but then never have time after to get laundry, mail, groceries, etc.. after you're done playing.
K, so ya know how thanksgiving is coming up. Of course all the families want us to have places to go. We were talking with the bishops of one of our wards and he had said he had 4 tday dinners once, so as a challenge we're shooting for five, cool huh! We're up to three right now and it's still a long way till tday, so i know we'll get a lot of love that day. We had a member over for study a couple times and he leaves the 29, for sao paulo and he's jazzed. he wants to be so involved with everything and anything we do it's awesome. He's gonna do great and we're teaching him and ourselves tons of stuff that will help us in the future. Study time is key when you need to learn more on how to focus on certain people you are teaching.
Oh so we were using "tell me" this morning for weather and heard it snowed in layton this morning, i am so jealous, we get nothing but rain here and sun, this is going to be the hardest winter season ever.
There are ups and downs, if i could compare this to anything it would definitely go to my first sem. at usu, except here i can't even call my family. I know i need to grasp the concept of focusing on all the good that's happened so far. We've been having so much success with all of our investigators and especially less active members. I am really conecting someway with all those that i am not so much trying to give them the church, but more along the lines of being a friend. If you're a friend to all then all are a friend to you.
As i leave you with this letter then i want yall to know how important friendship is. I thank you all for, not just being my family so we have to love each other, but that we all care deeper than just our bloodlines, that we have a bond of friendship that can never be broken. Now i'm feeling all excited to get on with my day. Focus on the good in life, cuz all the bad will do is drag you down. I love you all so much. You're son and brother, and most of all eternal friend,
Elder Denny
P.s.
To continue on with the focus in life,
Not looking upon what gets you down
But to gaze upon good things you've done
And mostly, getting rid of that frown
When you smile sencerely just thinking of best
There's no way that you could feel sad
It's just not possible to feel two things
If you just smile then you can't feel bad
Look and see the achievements you've made
And how they have helped those in need
Every action has a reaction
Every single word and deed
Be a friend to all you see
You can never have too many friends
Now that you have all them to turn to
When life just throws you some bends
Notice the sun and warmth it gives
Just by shining it's light
The effects you have in just an instance
Simply by doing what's right
Dear Family, I love hearing all about the haps at home and really wish i could be there, but i know that yall can make the best. Well let me talk to you about the work.The Buccambuso family are set to the first week in december so that sat. will be their bapt. and then steve just has to get his consent form signed and he will be able to choose a date. That's coming along really well. we have some others that are coming too, but those are at the top of our list. I'm so sorry, that i can't make this as long as the other one, but we have a jampacked pday and have so much to do.
I don't even know what to say now, i just feel like last week i had to tell you everything and now you know all so i'm all empty. Sometimes, Greiner and i don't get along very well and it's effecting our work , but it's improving with time. Sometimes all ya have to do is let time take it's course and all will work itself out if you work at it. You have to be diligent as in DC 58:26-28. Read it and make a FHE out of it, cuz we talked today about it in Comp study. Oh, so some of the other elders in our district, Ard and Cranford, stayed the night last night so we could hang out on pday. It's so much fun when they come over and we play settlers of catan forever and just enjoy each others company. We are all going to play bball later today with the zone leaders and maybe some others. I have lots of things to get done today and it's tough when you want to play, but then never have time after to get laundry, mail, groceries, etc.. after you're done playing.
K, so ya know how thanksgiving is coming up. Of course all the families want us to have places to go. We were talking with the bishops of one of our wards and he had said he had 4 tday dinners once, so as a challenge we're shooting for five, cool huh! We're up to three right now and it's still a long way till tday, so i know we'll get a lot of love that day. We had a member over for study a couple times and he leaves the 29, for sao paulo and he's jazzed. he wants to be so involved with everything and anything we do it's awesome. He's gonna do great and we're teaching him and ourselves tons of stuff that will help us in the future. Study time is key when you need to learn more on how to focus on certain people you are teaching.
Oh so we were using "tell me" this morning for weather and heard it snowed in layton this morning, i am so jealous, we get nothing but rain here and sun, this is going to be the hardest winter season ever.
There are ups and downs, if i could compare this to anything it would definitely go to my first sem. at usu, except here i can't even call my family. I know i need to grasp the concept of focusing on all the good that's happened so far. We've been having so much success with all of our investigators and especially less active members. I am really conecting someway with all those that i am not so much trying to give them the church, but more along the lines of being a friend. If you're a friend to all then all are a friend to you.
As i leave you with this letter then i want yall to know how important friendship is. I thank you all for, not just being my family so we have to love each other, but that we all care deeper than just our bloodlines, that we have a bond of friendship that can never be broken. Now i'm feeling all excited to get on with my day. Focus on the good in life, cuz all the bad will do is drag you down. I love you all so much. You're son and brother, and most of all eternal friend,
Elder Denny
P.s.
To continue on with the focus in life,
Not looking upon what gets you down
But to gaze upon good things you've done
And mostly, getting rid of that frown
When you smile sencerely just thinking of best
There's no way that you could feel sad
It's just not possible to feel two things
If you just smile then you can't feel bad
Look and see the achievements you've made
And how they have helped those in need
Every action has a reaction
Every single word and deed
Be a friend to all you see
You can never have too many friends
Now that you have all them to turn to
When life just throws you some bends
Notice the sun and warmth it gives
Just by shining it's light
The effects you have in just an instance
Simply by doing what's right
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
JUSTIN is in Frisco, Texas
Hi everyone!
We finally got a letter from Justin in TX and we wanted to share some of it with you. I'll create an e-mail list and send out a weekly letter from him if you are interested. So, if you want to be included, reply to this blog with your e-mail address and I'll put you on! (Sorry K, the capital letters and aren't all there!)
Dear Everyone,
Well I'm here in my first area; Frisco, TX, just north of Dallas. My comp's name is Elder
Christian Greiner and we are getting along pretty well. Today is our first pday and so i'm here at the library giving this whole email thing a shot. So just to start off, for mail and all that jazz just send it to the mission office:
Elder Denny
Texas Dallas Mission
13747 Montfort Dr. Suite 120
Dallas, TX 75240
It's easier just to send it all there and it will be forwarded to me wherever i am, but if you do need a specific address then just let me know. Thank you so much for the package, even though
greiner feels like he's lonely, cuz well he's a convert to the church and his family doesn't exactly support his mission, so he doesn't get too much mail.
Well we are covering three wards here in frisco and we have six prime people that we are
focusing on right now. Last night we just committed two of them to baptism and hopefully
shooting for the 18th of Nov, so pray for the buccambuso family in not delaying the salvation of their two girls katie and elizabeth, 13 and 8. We have others that are doing really well and
progressing immensely and by the end of this transfer(six weeks) we are hoping for many to
come unto the waters :) But it's really the feeling you get when lizzy buccambuso looks up at you at the end of a lesson and says, "When are you guys coming back". It's undescribable what goes through your heart at that moment and just can't wait until i see them come up out of the water and given the gift of the holy ghost. So, all in all the work's great, we even did some street contacting and talked with about 15 people or so, hope all goes well with them too. Well greiner doesn't find effectivness in tracting, but we've done a few doors here and there, but all the work here in frisco is all about working through the members and making friends to their neighbors and coworkers and getting them interested about the church and then refer them to us. Three of the six missionaries in my district are converts and all three came to the church through friends, not missionaries. That shows how much a friendship has an effect on people. So it's up to yall now to be a member missionary at all times.
Now, let's see...the weather here is awesome, so far anyway. It hasn't gotten above about 68 in the day and it's stayed really cool and nice. We had a huge rainstorm last night that lasted all night, which is just ending as we woke up and could still be more today.
So yesterday was my first sunday and everyone here is so amazingly welcoming and they bring us home to feed us and everynight we have dinner apt. So to everyone who thinks that 3 hrs of church is too much, well we are in church from 7 am to 6 pm, it's crazy how much we have and get to know everyone just through the sundays here, i have a ton of names to work on, but that will just come with time.
Our apartment is actually pretty nice and we even have a washer and dryer so we can do
laundry when it's needed, we have a dishwasher, and just amazing furniture that is so comfy, and even too comfy when you study in them and fall asleep. My study is going great by the way, i read our search for happiness, true to the faith, and just started our heritage, all very awesome books and recomend them to all. I learned so much about many aspects of the church. Well i'm starting over the BOM and started on wed and am already to 2 Nephi, so that's going strong. It really makes a difference in your day when you read the scriptures, i know every one always says that, but it truly does.
Oh yeah, guess what?!?! This one is for mom and grandma, but I am in a bilingual area, Greiner is actually called to spanish speaking, so i am developing my spanish quickly, but still need
some work. We have a lesson with a house maid for one of our members tonight and it's
spanish, so i'll do a lot of nodding, oh did i forget to mention that frisco is probably the richest areas in the mission, the houses here are huge and being missionaries we are welcomed and fed like kings, but don't worry i still weigh the same, for now anyway. Since Greiner is a spanish elder then in the mornings he has language study for an hour and in that time i am reading a verse of english BOM and then verse of spanish BOM, just like in the other side of heaven, but i'm not doing it straight, too much work to do for that kind of study. By transfer i'll have tons of new learnings under my belt.
Another cool thing, we have a car, and as a matter of fact there are no walking areas in this mission, all car and bike, and greiner hurt his back in the army and can't ride a bike so as long as i'm with him then we drive. But now i feel stupid for buying a new bike, that won't get used too much, also feel stupid about the coat we bought which i'll never wear here cuz it's too big, but i guess i was just being a boy scout and being prepared right. right? RIGHT!
Well i don't know how much you want to know, but just give me a snail mail and i will reply, cuz i've already found out that we do live off mail, at least when we go to the box, but all other times it's focusing on the work. I love the work, even though my love to study gospel every day wasn't too high at home, when you get out here it's really all you want to do is read, study, pray, teach, and bring anyone and everyone to the truth that we've taken for granted because we've grown up in the church. Be thankful daily for what you have and pray often and thank the lord for everything, it may take a while on your knees, but it's worth it forever and for always. We pray at least 30 plus times a day alone, comp, and travel, etc.. it's amazing how much you rely on prayer when that's all you really need to commune with our father in heaven. Lots of love and hope to hear of the haps at home. I've yet to run across a real texan cuz everyone here is from cali and utah and all rich too.
So much love to all who read this and i miss...well only miss you a little bit cuz it's so amazing out here, don't ever pass up the chance to partake in what i've been in for only a month now.
All the love from me to you,
Elder Denny
We finally got a letter from Justin in TX and we wanted to share some of it with you. I'll create an e-mail list and send out a weekly letter from him if you are interested. So, if you want to be included, reply to this blog with your e-mail address and I'll put you on! (Sorry K, the capital letters and aren't all there!)
Dear Everyone,
Well I'm here in my first area; Frisco, TX, just north of Dallas. My comp's name is Elder
Christian Greiner and we are getting along pretty well. Today is our first pday and so i'm here at the library giving this whole email thing a shot. So just to start off, for mail and all that jazz just send it to the mission office:
Elder Denny
Texas Dallas Mission
13747 Montfort Dr. Suite 120
Dallas, TX 75240
It's easier just to send it all there and it will be forwarded to me wherever i am, but if you do need a specific address then just let me know. Thank you so much for the package, even though
greiner feels like he's lonely, cuz well he's a convert to the church and his family doesn't exactly support his mission, so he doesn't get too much mail.
Well we are covering three wards here in frisco and we have six prime people that we are
focusing on right now. Last night we just committed two of them to baptism and hopefully
shooting for the 18th of Nov, so pray for the buccambuso family in not delaying the salvation of their two girls katie and elizabeth, 13 and 8. We have others that are doing really well and
progressing immensely and by the end of this transfer(six weeks) we are hoping for many to
come unto the waters :) But it's really the feeling you get when lizzy buccambuso looks up at you at the end of a lesson and says, "When are you guys coming back". It's undescribable what goes through your heart at that moment and just can't wait until i see them come up out of the water and given the gift of the holy ghost. So, all in all the work's great, we even did some street contacting and talked with about 15 people or so, hope all goes well with them too. Well greiner doesn't find effectivness in tracting, but we've done a few doors here and there, but all the work here in frisco is all about working through the members and making friends to their neighbors and coworkers and getting them interested about the church and then refer them to us. Three of the six missionaries in my district are converts and all three came to the church through friends, not missionaries. That shows how much a friendship has an effect on people. So it's up to yall now to be a member missionary at all times.
Now, let's see...the weather here is awesome, so far anyway. It hasn't gotten above about 68 in the day and it's stayed really cool and nice. We had a huge rainstorm last night that lasted all night, which is just ending as we woke up and could still be more today.
So yesterday was my first sunday and everyone here is so amazingly welcoming and they bring us home to feed us and everynight we have dinner apt. So to everyone who thinks that 3 hrs of church is too much, well we are in church from 7 am to 6 pm, it's crazy how much we have and get to know everyone just through the sundays here, i have a ton of names to work on, but that will just come with time.
Our apartment is actually pretty nice and we even have a washer and dryer so we can do
laundry when it's needed, we have a dishwasher, and just amazing furniture that is so comfy, and even too comfy when you study in them and fall asleep. My study is going great by the way, i read our search for happiness, true to the faith, and just started our heritage, all very awesome books and recomend them to all. I learned so much about many aspects of the church. Well i'm starting over the BOM and started on wed and am already to 2 Nephi, so that's going strong. It really makes a difference in your day when you read the scriptures, i know every one always says that, but it truly does.
Oh yeah, guess what?!?! This one is for mom and grandma, but I am in a bilingual area, Greiner is actually called to spanish speaking, so i am developing my spanish quickly, but still need
some work. We have a lesson with a house maid for one of our members tonight and it's
spanish, so i'll do a lot of nodding, oh did i forget to mention that frisco is probably the richest areas in the mission, the houses here are huge and being missionaries we are welcomed and fed like kings, but don't worry i still weigh the same, for now anyway. Since Greiner is a spanish elder then in the mornings he has language study for an hour and in that time i am reading a verse of english BOM and then verse of spanish BOM, just like in the other side of heaven, but i'm not doing it straight, too much work to do for that kind of study. By transfer i'll have tons of new learnings under my belt.
Another cool thing, we have a car, and as a matter of fact there are no walking areas in this mission, all car and bike, and greiner hurt his back in the army and can't ride a bike so as long as i'm with him then we drive. But now i feel stupid for buying a new bike, that won't get used too much, also feel stupid about the coat we bought which i'll never wear here cuz it's too big, but i guess i was just being a boy scout and being prepared right. right? RIGHT!
Well i don't know how much you want to know, but just give me a snail mail and i will reply, cuz i've already found out that we do live off mail, at least when we go to the box, but all other times it's focusing on the work. I love the work, even though my love to study gospel every day wasn't too high at home, when you get out here it's really all you want to do is read, study, pray, teach, and bring anyone and everyone to the truth that we've taken for granted because we've grown up in the church. Be thankful daily for what you have and pray often and thank the lord for everything, it may take a while on your knees, but it's worth it forever and for always. We pray at least 30 plus times a day alone, comp, and travel, etc.. it's amazing how much you rely on prayer when that's all you really need to commune with our father in heaven. Lots of love and hope to hear of the haps at home. I've yet to run across a real texan cuz everyone here is from cali and utah and all rich too.
So much love to all who read this and i miss...well only miss you a little bit cuz it's so amazing out here, don't ever pass up the chance to partake in what i've been in for only a month now.
All the love from me to you,
Elder Denny