13th week in Oklahoma

so whats up.

things are going swell here. just lots and lots of missionary work. we are not teaching "the girls" any more, because there going to the singles ward because there technical "single". so thats kind of dumb. we are teaching this lady named sis steffens. she is a non member and she married a member. he is really cool and nice, and he just wants his wife to join the church. she is really not that interested. but she is doing this for marriage counseling or something. witch sucks on ice. because she isn't really committed. so we just gave an analogy about if your going on a diet your not going to have all kinds of junk food in your cupboard. your going to go at it hole heartedly. so we just encouraged her to just pretend that this is what she really wanted in her life. and go into all the way. because right now she isnt reading and doesn't really participate. so she isnt getting an answer to her prayer because she isnt doing the work.

really thats all our investigators, our area is slow. the members dont really give us referrals so we have to find people our selfs. which isnt a bad thing but true conversion needs to come with a friend. and the spirit. (we got the spirit part) so what we do is allot of tracking and seeing less actives. we have 400 people in the ward and only like 157 are active. so we just see them and how there doing and invite them to come to church and stuff. most of them we visit are like we just got out of the habit. and they really want to come back but its been so long that there feel uncomfortable.

so we ran into this guy yesterday and we started teaching him the first lesson. and he just comes out with all this anti Mormon stuff. and all this deep doctrine. so we anwserd his questions as best as we could but still hewasnt convinced. he said he would take a book of mormon and read form it but it just sounds like he wants to bash. there are anti mormon classes here. so it makes it really hard to teach people when they have all ready heard all these bad things about our church. like one class is called What to do if Mormons are on your door step? its really dumb. because people ask the same exact questions over and over again.

so on Friday we went to the temple. because one of Elder curtis' old investigator is going through. so curtis baptised him about a year ago so now he has been a member long enough that he could go through. the Oklahoma temple is beautiful. its really small though. its like a little mini temple. its about as big as like a church or even smaller. just one floor. its small but nice. it was build in like 2006 or something so its still pretty new. i havent been to the temple since the mtc. so i forgot allot of stuff. but still i learn every time i go there. the temple is so sweet! im glad we have the opportunity to go through the temple.

so i sent the letter on Saturday so hopefully it will come soon. it has a tape, a letter, a picture that i drew, a belt buckel, a bunch of pictures, and a Buffalo headed nickel. so hopefully you will enjoy all that.

so me and elder cutis is getting along good but. me and elder soto are not so good. he just keeps bugging me and hurting me. like he slaps me on the butt and pinches me and crap. its really starting to get on my nerves. i dont know what to do about it. because i tell him to stop nicely. but he thinks im joking with him. so i dont know wether i should just like yell at him or write him a note or something. because i sat him down and every thing and he just continues to ignore me.  his new comp is elder adair, he is really cool. he has been out for about 1 year. he has all kinds of just crazy stuff. that he caries with him. he belives in chee and stuff. and has all kind of meditating crap. but he isn't Asian at all. o well  life goes on. i havent really got to know him too well. becuse im trying to be 100% obedient and they get home late every night. so i dont have a chance to talk with him.

im continuing to go to the gym every morning. because elder curtis is going home in December. and going on a cruse so he wants to look his best so he can "slay some girls". its good that im staying active because im not in a bike area any more. so most missionary's get lazy in a car area. hopefully that wont happen to me. its so easy to gain weight here because every one here feeds you dessert. and its like a 3 course dessert to. like brownies and ice cream and then some cup cakes to take home. its really good and really bad.

so i dont thing im going to need a blanket. but maybe a sweater or a hoodie or something just for comp and personal study. it gets really cold when you get out of the shower. and if we run to the gym its cold at 6 in the morning as well. so like maybe the yellow fox one that i have or the red aropostal one. or something. just a happy one :)

the uke is going swell. i love playing it! its like the guitar but a hole lot sweeter and easier. this elder named elder Hanson is teaching me to play some really cools songs. he has been on his mission for like 18 months. and he has had the uke for 17 of those months. so he pretty good. i just learned i like to look for rainbows, and in the jungle(lion king).

that dang kc killing a deer. i hunted for like 3 years and didn't even get to shoot at one. but what ever im not mad.  >: (  jkjk so i went to a town called Chakta. and it is just full of turkeys! if your going to go hunting in Oklahoma  that's were you should go. its got lots of hills and lots of trees. its kind of a hick town but who cares right? that's were elder Curtis investigator lived so we went there after the temple for like some cake and stuff. but i saw like 10 turkeys in like a 15 min drive. so if i serve there i will be sure and make some friends that have big Fields. wink

Courtney and Zak i love yo so much you guys are my inspiration. when ever marriage comes up in a conversation i think of you two. and how i want to be allot like that. just keep up the good work. you crazy love birds. you should keep track of all the good movies that come out in the next two years and we will have a crazy cool movie party when i get home.

lauren you are one silly goose. i love you to. don't stress about the driving just relax have dad keep taking you out to practice. because practice makes perfect. i know the driving teacher can be intimidating but just act like you know what your doing. and listen to what he says. what other classes are you taking? how is the rest of your school going. are you getting it down pretty good? do you have all the teachers names memorized? just remember you only go through high school once so make the most of it! dont be a jerk to any one say hi to every one you know in the hall. don't exclude any one. look for people that need a friend and just talk to them ask them about there day. and you will be set. remember is better to be respected then popular. (just like john bytheway says) you are an extraordinary person Lauren don't forget that! i love you dont trip on the little stuff.

i love you all so much i will write you again soon. hopefully you will get my letter asap. its a good one.

When i see you smile, baby i can face the world, you know i can do any thing. when i see you smile i see a ray of light. i see it shining right though the rain.

your favorite missionary

Elder Payton Clements (cat fish)