Pennie Visits Cub Scouts

Last week, Jayson's cub scout leaders asked if we could bring Pennie to cub scouts. They were talking about taking care of pets and they needed a visual aid. She was pretty well behaved. However, her favorite part was running around the church building.

This is before the boys came out...

she was just getting warmed up for them.

The boys loved her, but she wasn't so sure about them.

As a reward, afterward, we let her run around like a crazy dog.

It was a fun outing for her!

Derek letter 10-8-12

There's me with "Shorty" the horse. It was chilly that day and I borrowed a jacket from Mike. I also made the pumpkin brigade out of candy corn pumpkins that I bought last week. No way anyone is taking down those pumpkins. 

Family,

 

This week has been fabulous with conference and everything else going on. As far as the work is concerned, it was another tough week because we had to drop a few investigators and therefore we didn't have many things to do. In addition, nobody seemed to be answering their door for the whole week in Wamego for some reason. We also had no car this week meaning lots of biking. Woo! On friday, we biked from our house in St. Mary's to Wamego for service at the Health Ministries and after service, we went and biked to St George for an appointment. On our way we stopped and tracted a few homes scattered in the middle of farm homes. That's where I met Shorty the horse. We then biked back to Wamego a little later and had a great and rewarding weekend. Saturday was bomdiggity with conference coming up. When President Monson got up and made the now seemingly ho hum temple announcement, I thought "Oh, that's cool. Tuscon needs a temple too." But I never expected that other announcement where men can go at 18 and women at 19. We got a text from a sister in our branch today who has an 18 year old daughter that has now started her mission papers and has always wanted to serve a mission. I think this announcement is great because now we can get more sisters into the field then ever before since they have less amount of time to get married, hehe. But as for the talks, I really liked Elder Oaks on Saturday. I haven't seen him come out like that in a while. That story about the children sleeping on the floor and wanting to be adopted was in Kansas City. Some parents can be so...mur. On Sunday, my favorite overall talk was by Elder Holland and becoming more Christlike. Do we love God? Then feed His sheep. I also liked the talk (I can't remember who it was by) where they told the story about how a successful missionary came home and was asked how he became so successful, he said that he imagined every person who he tracted into entering the waters of baptism in white clothing. I actually tried that when we were tracting in-between sessions yesterday. Nobody promising came from it but I felt good inside to leave them with something to think about. With conference also came suit season. I will be wearing a suit every day until next conference in April.

 

I liked that talk about President Eyring and his sons too. President Henry J Eyring sure is a great man. That's awesome that Cody is getting going on his project! What's he doing again? I'm going to send the letter I finished writing to him this morning tomorrow so you should be expecting it this weekend or Friday or something like that. I don't know if you should send him to the BYU summer semester. What if he gets a job? Or just doesn't want to because I just got home? But whatever floats your boat I guess.

 

I'm proud of Pennie for finding that rat. Good team up to be able to do that! Ooh! So this Saturday I am even more excited than General Conference because we get to go to Independence to watch Gladys Knight and her choir!!! It's like a testimony meeting/music. So it's a combination of it. Mike, Pam, and us will leave on Saturday early-ish so that we have time to go visit the temple and then go to the visitor's center to watch the perpose of life video and also see all the sweet stuff there too. After, we will then get in line like an hour and a half before it begins and attend the 4:30 showing. I'm and giddy with excitement and cannot wait for that more than conference. No more biking either because this week we did a lot of biking: biking from our house to Wamego 2 and a half times (that half time, Elder Clare got a flat tire so Mike had to pick us up.). I like biking at times, but going up and down these hills is not fun sometimes. But I know it's for a good cause because Heavenly Father will bless us with people to teach. It may take a while, but we will be blessed with baptisms and new investigators. One of these weeks it ought to happen. If not, I'll lay the foundation for missionaries in the future.

Tyler Jensen is WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! I never knew that he was getting married! I don't have his address or I would write to him. Ohwell, I technically went on a date his his future wife first so it's all good in the hood. I expect a letter from him. I got one from Uncle Gene but taht was a while ago. I already responded by then. That's awesome that Sister Fice wants to get active again! Marshall was a good kid and got his eagle done. Remind me who Sister Callahan is again? I think she moved in right before I left or something. That's an amazing thing you got to do with the combined activity. I wish I could've participated. I'm sure Tyler will greatly appreciate it. Well, I can't really think of anything else to say. I love you Dad. I love you Mom. Don't forget it. As fire-like trials come your way that is the time to turn on the ignitors and power ahead. Just remember the hymn "Press Forward Saints". I love you all and all those that read this or just love missionary work. I kind of combined responses from both Dad's and Mom's e-mails. So sorry if anything seems out of order or anything. Love,

 

Elder Sutherland

 

PS: My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

Derek Letter 10-1-12

This was the only picture this week. We were biking in St. George when we saw some alpacas in someone's backyard. I thought you guys would laugh at the sight. 

Family,

October has begun and that means only one more week of wearing short sleeves outside. Once general conference starts, we have to wear suits everywhere because it starts getting chilly around here in the mission. It really feels like the seasons here are much more defined. For example: leaves start changing colors, it starts getting cooler earlier, and football is in full swing. Speaking of football, I wanted to remind you that I don't want any more sports updates for the rest of my mission. I have realized that they have become a distraction and tend to pull my mind away from the work a little bit. Thta little bit is all it takes for the spirit not to dwell in my teaching. As for my teaching, it has been better and better ever since I left the MTC and especially since I finished memorizing  all 5 lessons and the baptismal interview questions. All I need to do is just pass them off then I will be able to drive!!! I should be able to pass them off later today. (That was cool. The tornado siren just went off outside the library. Don't worry, I think I'm safe.) It sounds like the ward has been going through a lot in the past few years. Our branch just launched the new branch mission plan to the members so that we can get a little more work. The third hour yesterday was all about that. I think it will benefit the town as we move forward in making this branch into a ward one day. Also, the ultimate goal is for our new small building to become a stake center. I think that will be tough but I think we can do it. Dang, you definitely had a busy Sunday yesterday. Our branch didn't do a fast and testimony meeting. I think we'll do that in the second week in October...I hope. It wouldn't surprise me if we didn't have one at all. Oh, so in church yesterday I saw some of the worst parenting in my entire life (the worst has all been on my mission so far): This sister was sitting in front of us with her grandaughter and literally beating her up in the pugh instead of taking her out or at least do what toddlers do. All her grandaughter was doing was talk a little louder than normal and be a little fidgety. Uggh, parents like that make me sick because the spirit totally left the room when that happened. Ohwell, it's over.

Hey, those were some good pictures of that van they drove to Seattle with. I hope the animals are fine with it, haha! I'm sure you're glad to be alone for a little while. Just to let you know, I did get Cody's letter last MOnday and responded to him this morning. I don't know if I'll send it because I haven't finished it yet. I'l try to do it sometime tonight after I write in my journal. If not, I'll finish it next Monday because P-Day is the only day I'm allowed to write letters. Also, you DO NOT need to get me another watch. I found my old one in the trunk of our car. There was one other thing I wanted to say but I didn't get to it. Anyways, I saw that Michael got his call to Tahiti. What an experience that will be for him. We had some one open their call this past Saturday. He is going to the Rosario, Argentina mission and should collide with Michael in the MTC when he almost leaves. Hopefully it won't take that long to get the visas to them as it has been in the past. About Sister McMullin, that totally does surprise me too, but I won't say anything more than that. I loved going over there and home teaching her family with brother Hatch. There are some people in the branch who also have problems that they talk to the branch president about. Of course, there's this one family who hates him and will never go back to church until he's out as branch president. Yes, it was because he offended them about a personal matter. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend them, but whatever. Are you going to transfer Dallin's records to Seattle? That would put his name on the roster so that the missionaries there could talk to him. Sorry if that was a rude thing to say about the sisters here. It's just their reputation among the other elders around the area. I should honor them better and strive to respect them for taking time out of their lives to serve a mission. About transfers, Elder Clare and I are together for at least one more transfer. We'll see when November rolls around.

This past Saturday, Wamego had their annual Oz Fest to kick off October. Since this is the town where the Wizard of Oz originated (hence the line "we're not in Kansas anymore"), there was also the last living Munchkin there. We could've taken pictures but we had more important work to do. Since it's October now, that means I will get my ballot. I want to be able to get it as soon as possible to be able to have time to mail it home to you first. Or do I mail it to the people who do it? I don't know, whatever. I'm really looking forward to general conference this weekend and hearing from the prophets and apostles about the subject of life, especially the priesthood session. How was the relief society session? Oh, I forgot to ask you: Does Sister Beebe need any more pictures of my flat stanley? Congratulations on making a decision to Caitlin! I hope it'll be fun living in DC and being able to see Greg a lot more now! Oh, man. I am really tired right now. Anyways, I know I am missing a lot of stuff to say to you but I just can't think right now.

Love,

Elder Sutherland

PS: "Running, I better start running. Running"

"btthhhh"

"Sprinting! I just need to Start Sprinting! [Crash!!!!] Sitting. Sitting. Bleeding."

"Btttthhh"

"Who's there?"

"bttthhh"

"Okay, that's enough."

"bttthhhh"

"I'm warning you."

"bttthhh"

"I'm a sponge!"

"bttthhh"

"AAAAHHHHHH"

"bttthhh"

"Oh. It's only you...Well that solves my balloon problem but I have a bigger problem. You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you? Balloon bttthhh has bttthhhh enough bttthhh air bttthhh thanks bttthhhh bttthhh bttthhhh bttthhhh. Oh, I get it. Balloon travel. Thank bttthhh you bttthhh!"

"You're welcome."

...

"Don't worry, Spongebob. I'm coming back for ya."