Bedbugs and Springtime!

March 10, 2014

Hi Everyone!

It seems that Spring is on the way here for us too, I hope! Although the next 2 days will be in the 60's then Thursday the high is 24, but then it got back up to mid 50's. I’m tired of the cold and wet!

That's crazy that they prescribed mom morphine! If she was out here she could get some good money for it! They love their prescription medication and meth out here. Where we are now we see a drug deal about every day, but it’s still not as bad as what I’ve seen back home believe it or not!

That's crazy Jonathan is a deacon now! It seems like he is younger than that! I’ve never played Whirley ball. I’ve heard of it, but never played! I remember when I got my first phone I was pretty excited! It’ll be nice to have my own phone when I get home again. Well just to be by myself will be the greatest thing ever! Sometimes I tell my companion I have to poop when I don't, so I can just sit in the bathroom for 20 minutes by myself.

And I’ll be sure to send Jake an e-mail! He may have some questions for you when I get done. Don't worry it’ll be funny :)

Nothing new is going on, except trying to stay busy. My companion loves to drop investigators that aren’t immediately ready for baptism. I don't think he quite understands that in this mission, you are very rarely going to have a "Good" investigator. It doesn't help him that he got completely burned by a pastor the other day. We went with a member and both the member and I saw where the pastor was going with what he was saying. But we let him set my companion up so he could learn. Essentially he got to the point about what makes Joseph Smith a prophet and not him. My companion told him that Joseph was called of God, to which the pastor said, "So you’re telling me, that what I’ve done for the last 30 years wasn't for God?" And he responded, “yes.” So we were lucky he was a good understanding guy and did it to teach him that he can’t just completely demean someone because they aren’t Mormon and that he needs to be more humble instead of tear everyone down because they aren’t of our faith. It was great. Then the member gave him a hard time too. It was nice because then I didn't have to be the one arguing with him. So I told him one thing I learned is people aren’t going to talk to you about the church or anything around this area of the country until they trust you. You have to become their friend before you even say anything about the Church, or you will make them want to leave. He still doesn't quite understand it. When I see the most success is when I’m serving with someone like me who like to just get to know them and wait to teach until the time is right and we develop a friendship because then they genuinely know you care about them. You’re not just a robot that only wants to talk about Joseph Smith.

And I’ve learned people don't want to learn about Joseph Smith. The way to go about things is talk about Jesus and His importance and reference Joseph Smith, but don't make it the subject. We are in bible country and once you focus on Joseph Smith and not Jesus they immediately are turned off!

Anyway that’s about all that’s going on now. We are moving this Saturday so that’s exciting! I’ll have to make a quote book for one of the less active members I’ll send you... it’s great. I will send the package soon, I just need to grab the pirate CD from the investigator in my last area today and I’ll send it!

Love you all!

Elder Latimer

March 17, 2014

Hi Everyone!

Well it’s still snowing here! I thought it was going to get warmer and now it’s in the 30's and ice. I’m so ready for the warm! Oh well.

That’s cool Jake finally got to go through the temple! Did he ask you about dropping the trumpet? I figured I would shoot him an e-mail :)

The investigators here are good.  We are still working with Sharri and have to move her date back because she didn’t make it to church last Sunday, but she is great and will make it I’m sure! We have begun to teach another African man from Ghana. I love teaching them because they are so open and willing to learn. One thing I have learned is that they have a lot of dreams, almost like vision dreams. Every one I have taught has told me about dreams and visions they have, and so have other missionaries. I don’t know why but it’s pretty cool. Just like in Pennsboro when we taught Jay, he told us about dreams and visions he had all the time! It is the same with Richard Yeboah, the new guy we are teaching. Although his dreams were more of a nightmare so we will have to work on that!

We did move into our new place and it’s so much better! I haven’t seen a drug deal yet! We have an upstairs, downstairs, 2 kitchens and 2 washers and dryers and just got a new couch today.  We are getting another couch and a love seat this week, and we got a ping pong table Saturday! So it’s a pretty cool place! I’m hoping they put another set of elders there as that make everything more fun!

There is a family we visit, Dwayne and Tyler. They are pretty cool. Dwayne is the dad and Tyler is the son.  He is about 19 and reminds me of Jake! He loves wrestling and likes to fart on his girlfriend too. They are a lot of fun and like to discuss doctrine quite a bit! It’s nice to have a family to visit who doesn’t put up some fake front that they are this perfect little family and watches what they say around you. One of those families that makes you feel like a normal person!

That’s crazy you all are in Washington, DC. That’s not very far! I can see why Jake wants to visit Brooklyn. It could be cool to visit those places where rappers grew up... although if it’s in the same neighborhood I doubt it’s very safe! Especially if your white and driving a nice car! 

I’m assuming you all heard about the 2 buildings in Harlem that blew up and the missing plane from Malaysia? Crazy stuff.

It is frustrating to hear about Walter Thurmond and Browner leaving, and Red and Clemons! I really liked them all. Oh well, I’m sure Pete knows what he is doing. As long as we take the Lombardi again next year! At least we still have Percy, Marshawn, Sherman, Kam and Earl!

Transfers are on the 27th so I’m almost done with this transfer thank goodness! It will start warming up then. I have a feeling I will train this upcoming transfer, but I hope not.  I like being a normal missionary, but we will see!

Just to let you know, I don’t know how or why but this last transfer I’ve been getting hives. They sent me to the doc to get checked up, and they gave me a steroid shot, and I need to pick up some prescriptions from them that are $30, so I’ll have to do that sometime soon before they come back for some reason or another. 

Anyway that’s about it!

Love you all!

Elder Latimer

March 25, 2014

Hi Everyone!

So good news is that I am getting a new companion, and I’m staying in Beckley. I will be serving with an Elder Morgan who I’ve met once or twice. He seems like a good guy. I don’t know if he is into sports or not. I do know he isn’t fat or anything though, and from what I’ve been told that he is kind of a pretty boy. But that’s all right I think it would be hard for it to be worse than it was. It’s awesome too because the area is really picking up.

Savannah who we met last week and her family who want to learn are great! Savannah has already ready all the way through Alma, and she said she will have it finished by tomorrow night when we see her! She has already begun to quit smoking. She is at 1/2 a cigarette a day.

Then there is Sharri who had just had gall bladder surgery, so we didn’t see her last week and she didn’t make it to church, but she is the one who we talked to who said she felt like the temple was pulling her in. The member who is good friends with her has already started to make plans to go to the temple with her after a year of her baptism, talk about a great member fellow shipper! 

Then there is Misty who is struggling with depression and an illness and is afraid to leave her kids. She really thinks she is going to die from it. The doctors who did surgery on her left a piece of plastic in her after and the bacteria caused problems and she was hospitalized for 4 years, and all her kids know is that she is sick. So it’s hard for her. We offered to give her a blessing, and she said she didn’t feel worthy, and we explained to her there is no one unworthy of a blessing. She still didn’t want one. So we left and when we came back she said she got a lot worse, and she thinks its God punishing her for not receiving the blessing. So she accepted the blessing the next time around. She is progressing!

Other than that not much else has been going on, just the same old stuff. Not really any really cool stories for you all this week, although we did form a group of people we call the "FDA" (False Doctrine Alliance).  It is a mixture of investigators and members who just say ridiculous things. They are composed of, Captain Alaska, Chief of Chaplains, Dr. Glory, The Watcher, Professor WV, and Peculiar Woman. They say some ridiculous stuff.  I can only think of a few, like Jesus lives in the Spirit World and ride a white horse with a rainbow mane, and the Holy Ghost is the invisible Jesus, and The Catholics assassinated Jesus and some others. I’ll have to start writing them down! People here are something else.

Oh and just wondering . .  . I’m on a knowledge pursuit.  I have downloaded all of the Journal of Discourses and want to print them out so that I can read them whenever not just once a week for a half hour. But the only thing is that it is a little over 8000 pages. I was wondering if you all would like to invest in my brain bank and help me finance the printing :) I think I can format it so that it’s around 6000 pages at least, and it’s about $50 for 1000 pages... Let me know please :)

With the glasses, when you say an allowances of $200, does that mean I can spend around that or I should look for a little cheaper pair because there is only $200?

The hives are getting better. I have to use a lot of hand sanitizer because I read what it does is lower my immune system, so whatever it is won’t affect me as much. I don’t want to get sick! I’ve never had them before. They suck! I have a bunch on the top of my feet so when I walk the shoes rub them, and they itch so bad! It’s hard to sleep at night cause it itches so bad! I have prescription cream I got too and that still doesn’t work to well. But they are getting better!

My jaw isn’t too bad, but I still can’t wait to get it fixed. The crookedness is bugging me! Is there a way I can start braces on my mission? Or do they not allow that? Is there a way that at some point I can get my birth mark removed? Or is that not really possible? Just wondering!

How does the warranty on my watch work? It’s still working and things just the rubber on the band is slowly falling off and has a few small scuffs on the face. How would I go about getting that fixed? I’m assuming the warranty convers it, and I may just have to send it to you all?

I was thinking about School and BSU or SVU. And with SVU I’m wondering if you all could possibly get in contact about the football program :) If there is a way i could walk on or be able to play there that would seal the deal! Just another reason for me to keep in shape. I think I’ve told you all, since I’ve been little my biggest dream is to play D1 ball, although SVU isn’t D1 or 2 or even 3. I don’t know but I would love to suit up again! I don’t know if there is a way you all could talk to them about that? A member told me their program for physical therapy is only a minor there. So if I do go there it may only be for a year or 2, however long it takes until I need to transfer to finish school. But I don’t know, I’m still thinking and trying to decide! 

That’s about all that’s going on here. I will send my camera card and package to you all. I have a CD in there I made for Jake that has a talk or 2 on it I really liked! And of course the Christian Pirate Folk Medal CD! Along with some ties I just grabbed and tossed in because I have too many!

Love you all!

Elder Latimer

Oh and how is march madness going?\

NFL Free agency and UW Football?

Love you!

March 31, 2014

Hi Everyone!

Things are going well here, Elder Morgan (my new companion) is great and not from Utah! He is from Anaheim, California. We get along well and should have some fun this transfer! This past week was rough though because we only had about 30 miles left for 5 days until we get more. So we walked a lot in the rain and snow! It was miserable and hard to get work done. But now that’s over, and we have about 10 more miles for today and we get more! It’s nice cause today is sunny and supposed to be around the 60's and up to the 70’s later in the week. Spring is here finally after 2 inches of snow on Sunday!

Savannah, Misty, and Sharri are doing well. We couldn’t see them last week because of miles, but we should be able to see them all this week! We just started teaching Richard Yeboah again. He is from Ghana. We had a great lesson with him where he asked great questions and had concerns resolved. He told us: “I don’t care who is right, I just want to know who is right so I can do it!" So we committed him to read and he has. He also wants us to come back Tuesday to meet his fiancé who is moving in with him from France! So I think its progress that he wants us to come to talk to her!

We also have a referral we are contacting today that sounds promising! It is someone the sisters who are in our ward met, and surprisingly gave him to us. We have had a problem lately with the sisters poaching. Their top investigator (where the wife wants to get baptized) in is our area, but they won’t tell us where they live or let us teach them. Lately President Pitt has been getting strict about boundaries, and they wonder why they aren’t progressing anymore. We think it’s because we have stewardship over the people in this area! It’s actually been a mission-wide problem of sisters poaching!  It was funny we found out their top investigator was in our area when Elder Morgan got here and the next day was correlation. So Elder Morgan decided to play stupid. (The sisters think that we think that they are in their area.) When the sisters brought up the "Kincaids" and talked about their progress, Elder Morgan asked, "hmm… where does she live?" To which the sisters kind of stalled and stuttered and after about 30 seconds sheepishly said... "Beckely.”  Then they continued to make excuses why they are teaching them and not us and why they won’t turn them over to us. So we hope to keep giving them a hard time until they do what they need to!

And I can ask President Pitt about it [studying the Journal of Discourses]. I do know a lot of people who have a couple talks printed from the JoD, and I don’t plan on studying them during personal study time, but just in my free time. I have made sure to not take everything as doctrine in those. President Pitt told me one time that a way to know if it is true doctrine other than prayer, is to ponder it, and if it begins to connect dots and there are no holes in it, you can begin to assume it is true, but do not take it as doctrine until you have studied and prayed. Anyway, they would be great if you could print out a couple volumes and send them that would make it easier and cheaper. Would you be able to send all of them eventually? Maybe just a few volumes every now and then? I know I won’t be able to read through all of them on my mission, even my lifetime maybe? But it’s just that much more to choose from!

That’s cool that Jake and Jonathan are speaking at the same time! I always here about you all talking about Joe singing and how great it is, but I’ve never heard it before!

I’ve heard all about the mudslide. People here when they hear I’m from Washington all ask me if I have heard about it and ask if I had family there. Thank goodness we don’t! It sounds terrible. It’s weird to have something like that happen there. Washington seems to never have any crazy natural disasters!

That’s too bad about Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmon and Golden Tate, they were great players! At least we still have the key players like Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Russel Wilson, Marshawn and Percy Harvin! Superbowl bound!

It’s weird not knowing about March Madness. I’ve followed it for the longest time, and last year I was in Kentucky where they are all UK fans so they kept me posted, even though UK wasn’t even in the tourney, and now they are in the final 4... Crazy!

With the glasses, I’ll need new frames, or just get contacts.  The frames I have are kind of junk. I only have one arm and that one fell off and the rims are kind of bent! So I’ll look into contacts probably! And how long did you all say i would need braces for the surgery? Keep me posted on school, and BSU is still sounding good, but we will see what you find out!

OH! We found out what the bites were coming from They weren’t hives -- stupid West Virginia doctors. The medicine didn’t do anything because it was bed bugs!!!! Those things are nasty! So we had to spray down our beds, and then bomb the room.... and then after all of that they were still alive! Those things are crazy! So we had to throw our beds and box springs away and now have to sleep on the couch for about a week until our new beds get here. I’m glad I’ve never had to experience those before, and I don’t want to ever again! You can’t kill all of them really I guess. The only way to get rid of them is to get rid of your bed!

That’s about all I have now let me know about the JoD and what you can do!

Love you all!

Elder Latimer

P.S 

Have you been able to get the Richard Sherman Jersey signed? 

Thanks!!!

April 7, 2014

Hi [Everyone]!

Things here are good, not much else to report other than we did get to see every session of conference and watched the two on Sunday with Sharri, one of our investigators. She seemed to really enjoy it! I really liked Elder Holland’s talk and Elder Bednar’s.  Elder Packer had a pretty cool one too, although I was afraid he was going to die.

Spring here keeps struggling. It gets up in the 70's for a day or two then it drop down to the 40's and rains for a couple days, then back up, then back down. It is supposed to be in the 40's and 50's with rain until the end of the week, and then it begins to warm up again. I can’t wait for the green because it’s kind of ugly here when everything is dead. Unlike Washington where it’s always green. It’s not as bad as Utah though.

Anyway Elder Morgan and I are getting along well. It’s nice to have someone who knows how to talk to people and the doctrine! So we try to keep busy although this week has been slow. We have had a ton of appointments set up and then they all fell through. We only taught like 2 or 3 times this week and 2 of those were Sharri. Sad to say we got new beds and everything. And we both got bites last night! We bombed the room 3 times and sprayed it down and they still are around! They are insane. I don’t know what they want us to do. I

mean we just moved into this place like 4 weeks ago!

How should I go about getting glasses or contacts? Should I set up an appointment and then e-mail you all so I can get the money part ready before I go in? I’m excited to be able to see again! Thank you for getting the Journal of Discourses! Starting from the beginning would be perfect!

About pictures, I’m sad to say I don’t know where the card with the pictures on it went! I’ve been searching for it for a week or so now! It had a bunch of pictures with families and the pirates! I’ll keep looking, and I forgot to send the pirate CD in the package! I’ll have to send it another time.

I did get all the e-mail's about SVU and I’ll keep thinking about it.  My companion told me (and you all told me) there are less people there than there were at LHS. I don’t know how I feel about that. Seems like it would be kind of boring, but I’ll keep thinking!

Thanks for getting my watch fixed! That will be nice! I don’t have another watch to wear as of now, and I was thinking about buying a cheap little one but I can’t really afford it with the mission money. I need to eat! 

And I didn’t know UK and UConn are playing (in the NCAA championship)! That’s crazy! It’s too bad I can’t watch. That’s ok, next year I will!

Not too much has happened this week, except we did knock on a door and a Mexican guy came to the door and yelled "AMIGOS!" and let us right in. It wasn’t until we sat down we realized neither of the two there spoke a lick of English, so we stumbled and tried to use makeshift sign language, and the Spanish words we did know to talk to them.  We managed to set an appointment for Saturday at 5. We have a member that speaks Spanish so that will be interesting! Something I never thought I would come across in West Virginia!

Oh and is there some way we can do a 3 way Skype session with Jake too on Mother’s day? That would be pretty cool!

Love you all!

Elder Latimer