First Transfer and Holiday

Matthew has gone through his first transfer, moving from Owensboro to Nicholausville and getting a new companion.  His new comp is a hard worker, and wants to really dig in and make a difference in their area.  This is the letter he sent Oct 14, edited of course to respect the privacy of those mentioned.

well like you said, tranfers are tomorrow, and i am leaving Owensboro. elder s is staying here. idk where im going yet. but i know its out of the zone. so i have everything all packed up and ready to leave the owensboro ghostbusters.

 

 im probably going to miss our investigator J. the most, he is an old Hells Angel, walked away from that life to take care of his family, but me and him were buds! when i told him about my past with drugs, he really opened up to us cus he felt like we were human lol like he thought we were perfect and stuff, but after that, he felt more comfortable telling us things and joking around with us.

he was the guy who yelled "NO!" at me when i started praying lol

but we had a lot of fun,

our investigator A moved to south Florida. lol

 Then on Oct 19th he sent this email

hey mom! its your son the missionary! i got the opportunity to email you before p-day and tell you what is going on! well i got transferd to Nicholasville Kentucky, im in a bike area and it has been down pouring for three days now. and i have been biking in it everyday lol quick question for Dad, my  chain keeps poping out of every gear, no matter  what gear its in. idk how to fix that so if on Monday you could tell me ya that would be great lol

well my new companion is named Elder K, he is a really hard worker, but is pretty calm and laid back, so far we have been getting along, he is super happy to have me as a companion....

we are the clean up crew for Nicholasville. lol ...and he wants to turn this area around!

but the apartment is nice, its a split home type thing, like it is the size of a normal house, but is divided right down the middle to make two apartment houses. its safe to send packages here as well, and it have changed weather pretty dramatic here, still up in the 60s but ya.

Halloween brought a heavy rainstorm in Kentucky, and so trick or treating was moved to Friday.  That meant the Elders had to stay at their apartments, so, Matt and his comp and the neighboring Elders got together and played risk, and handed out candy.  They seemed to have a great time enjoying the time to relax.  I had sent Matt a bucket of candy, it looks like he was happy with it.  

Christmas is coming soon, so, we are going to make sure Matt has the information he needs to contact us on Skype.  Can't wait to see my boy's face.  I know I'll cry.  

August 2013

Matthews letters and emails are becoming more and more positive, and filled with stories of spiritual experiences.  This last email told of an experience he had when giving someone a blessing. 

"The week has been so good! so remember _____? well the other day he hurt his knee really bad, and Elder S. offered me to give him a blessing, so when i gave it, the Spirit was so strong that my legs were shaking! and the next day he called us and he said his leg was completely better!"

Week Two in Owensboro

Matt is getting settled in and starting to really like the area.  He loves all the trees.

Here is one of his stories

"i did an exchange with some elders in Jasper Indiana, and that town is modeled after a German town, so you feel like you are in Germany the whole time! .....  they were having some German festival when I was there , it was awesome, I talked to a German person in German, it was a very short conversation cuz i cant say much in German lol but ya"

He doesn't really say a lot when he emails.  I ask him questions and he never gets around to answering them.  Today the entire email he sent was about needing a bike all of a sudden.  Apparently, he is going on more exchanges with the "bike Elders" this time, so, now he needs to get one.  We kept the money in his account that we were told to, but, he said that the bike Elders told him he would need more than that for a decent bike.  Sigh, we'll deposit more and hope he gets something that will hold up for him.

I think he'll really like being out on a bike, the countryside is so gorgeous, it should be really nice for a change from their car.  

First week in Kentucky

Matthew has been in Kentucky for a week now.  He is assigned to the Owensboro area for at least his first area.  He could stay there for a few months, or be moved around, guess we'll see.  He likes his companion, Elder S (no names will be given on this blog to protect the privacy of those mentioned, so he will be known as Elder S.

I checked their address on Google and went into the street view, isn't technology amazing.  Their apartment is in a nice area, clean and close to shopping.  Matt was told by his Mission President not to worry about buying a bike for now, not until he needs one.  He is in a driving mission for now, so, we'll keep the funds in his account just in case he suddenly has need of a bike.

Letters are slowly trickling in from him, and I am gathering that he is still homesick, but, really wants to know that his family is being blessed by his service.  I have relayed to him how many unexpected blessings we have received since he left.  It really is amazing, new jobs, opportunities opening up, even his sister's graduation plans coming together so smoothly and better than expected.  Just so many blessings.

The packing I did for him ended up not being overpacking, he has had need of everything.  So glad I was able to save him some money by not having to purchase things when he arrived, he could simply focus on getting settled.

On the first day that Matt was in the Mission home, the Mission President's wife took pictures of him and his travel group.

I won't post any pictures I can't edit so, I'll be working on blurring out faces, so I can get a few of them up here, but, this one is just Matt so it's okay.

Tracking the plane as Elder Anderson makes his way to Kentucky, accompanied by 30 other missionaries, both Elders and Sisters.  He was up at 1 am and out to the bus by 230 am.  They flew from Salt Lake City to Houston, and now are on their connecting flight to Louisville. 

He called me while they were waiting for their connecting flight in Houston, and I had such a hard time not crying on the phone.  I don't want to make him sad, but, I also don't want him to think I can so easily let him go for two years.  It's a fine line to walk.  But, I got through, and he sounded so amazing.  He said his zone in the MTC became like family, and he will actually miss being there with them.  He won't miss the three hour long classes twice a day, or being cooped up in the MTC facility, but, overall, he loved it there.  While they were in the airport in Houston they felt the stares from the other people, and could tangibly feel that the Spirit they felt at the MTC was no longer surrounding them. 

His time in the MTC was just 12 days, so, a lot was crammed into their heads as quickly as possible, so, the twelve week training program in the mission field will be so much more valuable.  I spent most of yesterday reading the blog that President and Sister Woodbury started when they were first called as the mission presidents of the GKLM, and followed the journey of the mission all the way to this month.  They post transfers and new missionary arrivals, outgoing missionary photos, holidays, trainings and zone conferences, whatever is important to the mission, and tell us how all our missionaries are doing.  It will be so exciting to see Matthew in those pictures starting with today's arrival and tomorrow's transfer.  They will have pictures of the group arriving, some of the group getting settled in the mission home, and then of them eating their dinner.  There will be pictures of each missionary with their new companion/trainer.  We'll get to read all about the big events.  I won't be able to post anything here except pictures of Matthew, minus any other missionary just to protect the privacy of the other families and their children. 

I will also update from Matthew's letters and emails, but, no names or pictures of others, again for privacy reasons. 

Matt's mission begins

Today officially began Matt's mission.  We brought him to the MTC at 1230 this morning.  But first, we stopped in at the Provo temple to take some pictures.  As the temple is closed for refurbishing and cleaning we parked across the street in the overflow parking lot, and then walked the grounds around the temple.  

And then it was time to go.  I was expecting Matt to be nervous, but, he wasn't.  He hopped out of the car, and was smiling.  He was greeted by his Host for the day, Elder Lutz, and after hugs, a few tears behind my sunglasses, and all of his gear unloaded and handled by Elder Lutz, we said goodbye.  

 And so begins the Best Two Years of his life.
 

6 Days and counting...

Just 6 days and Matt will enter the MTC to begin the most amazing two years of his life.  Since I last posted Matt was ordained an Elder, and received his endowments in the Manti, Utah temple.  We have completed his shopping, for the most part, just have to get him a set of small speakers for his ipod so he can play Mormon tab etc. 

We had Matt's farewell this past Sunday June 30th, and it was so much fun.  His talk, while causing him no end of consternation, was a great success.  No one could see his hands shaking, or the papers in his hands jiggling.  He spoke about Standing Strong in Holy Places.  What a great job he did.  We are so proud of him and how far he has come.

His check in time at the MTC is 1230 so he will have time to sleep in one last time and have lunch before we leave.  The plan is to take two cars up to Provo, park up by the Temple, and take some pictures before he has to go.  Then Tim, me, Matt, and Katie will get in our car and bring Matt into the MTC.  Katie will be there to take pictures, she is amazing with a camera. 

Soooo, now we just need to get through the next few days, including tonight, which just happens to be the Fourth of July .