Wednesday, June 12, 2013
6/10/13 email to Mom
Hey!
Happy sealing
anniversary! I forgot to bring Andrew's email address. Dang it! Will you tell
them I said Happy Anniversary.
Nayakere and her six
kids came to church on Sunday for the first time! We were waiting for
them and they showed up late. I was so anxious waiting for them, pacing back
and forth. They enjoyed it. It was so good! They are working towards June
29 for baptism!
There is an active
lady in the ward and she has a daughter who has been less active. She
is pregnant and unmarried now. The mom really struggled with this.
She goes to a therapist and the therapist told her "It is not your job to
judge her. It is your job to love her." This really hit me hard. I've been
trying to apply this with the people in my district and the people we talk to.
It is so true though. It is the Savior's responsibility to
judge.
This morning I studied
Alma 11:43. I am so amazed at Father's plan for us. It makes sense. The
blessings available to us are wonderful.
I love ya'll. Have a
great day.
Love Elder Alpin :)
Hello. Thanks for the email. I am doing good. I'm grateful for the example you and dad are setting.
Love you :) Have a
great day
6/10/13 email to Dad
Hey! I memorized Doctrine and
Covenants section 4 this past week. The deacons quorum in
one of the wards read it every Sunday in class. They were going to memorize it and we said
we would do it with them. And we did! It's a good section. I am glad your ward
feels like home. I fell for the first time on my bike yesterday. We were coming
down this big hill so I was going kinda fast. I went to turn to go into a driveway I didn't brake fast enough and hit the curb. It was kind of funny. Earlier
this week Elder Bennett crashed on his bike too.
Thank you for the
letter. I enjoyed it.
Love Elder Alpin
Hello Elder,
It has been an
interesting week and it went by quickly, but I did have time to complete the
D&C reading/listening. Had several hours Friday morning while waiting
for brakes to be put on the van and then finished on Saturday. It was
cool sitting in Sunday school yesterday and know the lesson because I had just
listened to it and was able to remember much of it. Started reading the
Pearl of Great Price Sunday and should be able to finish quickly. It was
very comforting to be in our home ward yesterday for services since we have
been in different locations in the past 5 weeks, it felt like home for the
first time since we moved here. Turned in your picture for the Missionary
plaque that was ordered...have not seen it yet.
I'm guessing that your
legs are just getting accustomed to the bike riding and knowing that the temps
have been hot, I can only imagine the sweat you are producing...a family curse
for sure!
Remember that this
time on your mission is usually the hardest and during those tough times that bring
into question your purpose and maybe even some loneliness, just remember that
it is the time to strengthen your relationship with your Heavenly Father and
Jesus Christ. There will be times throughout your life to come that you
will be grateful for the tough times and the things you learn that help you
survive and grow. READ D&C 122:7-8…This is a time to be strong, be
obedient and work hard. "my son, that all these things shall give
thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
I love you Matthew with
all my heart and pray for your safety and success as well as your
happiness...be of good cheer and continue to share your smile with everyone!
Love,
Dad
6/3/13 email to Mom
Hey!
I am doing great
today. Ryan and Kristin are moving to Bay City! That is weird. He won't be in
the Branch presidency anymore! Everyone is moving oh man! Tell Uncle Scott I
say hello! I got my bike from Walmart like two weeks ago. We live in a members
basement. The Palacio's are there names. They are mexican and speak spanish.
Yes we still get fed every night. Last night's dinner was soo good. Teaching
has kind of slowed down this week. We don't door knock super much lately. We
don't go to the mission office on Mondays. We never did. The zone leaders pick
up the mail for the entire zone and we get it from them. No I haven't seen
Elder Weight he is in a different zone. Of course the people are welcoming!
Elder Bennett does not like to run. I always get stuck with the people that
hate it. That is ok though. We have zone work out Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday we have district work out or just do it at our
house. Talking is going good. I email at 10:30ish for an hour and half. We get
mail at like 2ish. Nope I am still not wearing my glasses. James said he would
add me on facebook. 14 people? Cool. What does VT mean? Yesterday Mony Mony and
Achok got the Holy Ghost! I had the chance to confirm Mony. Last Tuesday it
poured. We don't ride our bikes when it rains hard so we walked. We got soaked!
We just started laughing because it kind of sucked. There was nothing we could
do about it though. We have been talking to two different families from Sudan.
They are all related. It's funny. They all have like at least six kids too. I
love all the little black kids they are so cute! Yesterday we went over to
Niakere's house. We invited her to be baptized. She didn't accept nor reject.
We went in the back yard and played basketball with her kids. It was so fun.
There is this guy from France that is here learning English for three months. He is a bishop
back in France. His name is Maglueah. He is so funny. We saw him at
temple square a couple weeks ago when we had our lesson with James. He asks us
"Do you have the power?" We have to respond confidently "I got
the power!" I love him though. He cracks me up. He came out with us last
night to some lessons.
The other day we were
riding our bikes and these Samoans were like "Elders! Stop! Come
eat." We told him we had somewhere to be and kindly said no thanks. Then
like three more samoans came out and were like come eat. You don't reject an
invitation to eat from Samoans. We go in the backyard and there is Samoans
everywhere. They take us over to the food. There is one of the big coolers that
is full of some kind of noodle stuff and they take a cup and just scoop it on a
plate. They had like 3 pigs they roasted.They just piled food on our plates.
Elder Bennett scooped up some food and one of the ladies was like "Elder!
Why you eat so little?" and scoops more food on his plate. It was so
funny.
Things are going
great. Love you and miss you! :)
6/3/13 email to Dad
Hey Dad!
Thank you so much for
this letter. It was very uplifting. I'm so excited that you are reading the
scriptures so much. I still have to finish the Book of Mormon and it's been
like 3 and a half months. So do you walk everyday? I'm glad to hear that! Love
you lots.! Thank you for being so awesome.
Elder Alpin :)
To the servant of the Lord...Elder
Alpin,
It is my hope that
this day finds you of good cheer and obedient in all things that you have been
commanded to do, in this thing you will find everlasting joy that you may touch
the hearts of those who seek the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
which truth will bring eternal blessing to them and their posterity!
Matt, I am so
comforted in your daily protection of preaching the word that thou would take
no thought for yourself but only that of lost souls who seek the goodness of the
Saviour and the plan of happiness, even the plan of salvation! As I sit
here typing my eyes are filling with tears of joy that through the spirit of
God my heart is filled with thoughts of you and who you are and what you stand
for and your great desire to be good in all things.
We went to the
Campbell's house yesterday to visit with Grandma & Grandpa and met the
"other" Campbells in order to enjoy to youth of our grandchildren,
Lily & Owen...it was a great visit in many ways. As your Grandpa
& I were talking about many things we began conversation about you and the
narration of your current circumstances as we understand them and the stark
differences between your new area and your previous assignment when Grandpa
said; boy, I hope that Matt does not lose his smile because of the things he
might be exposed to in the world...WOW...if you don't know or believe the power
of your smile and the goodness it radiates then here is a testament of the
impact it has on others.
Be of good cheer my
son and bring your joy and that of the gospel to all you come in contact with,
may the spirit of God be with you in all you do for by doing so even the
difficult situations you may go through will be so much easier when your are
full of love and joy and happiness!
My love for you is
strong and know you can do and have the desires of your heart if they be
righteous! Thank you for including so many of your friends and family in
your journey, the letters, cards and emails have a great impact on each in ways
you may never fully understand, but know this my son...what you do is so
important!
My reading of the Book
of Mormon was completed quickly, like 4-5 days...WOW...what powerful spirit, I
spent almost every waking moment around my daily schedule. I would read
until I fell asleep and when I could not read, then I would listen on my phone
and sometimes do both at the same time...it was most incredible to follow along
in a way never before experienced by me. This morning while walking I
started the D&C and believe this will be completed quickly also, then the
Pearl of Great Price and then the Old Testament.
Love,
Dad
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