Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Louetta Week 18 - Last Week in this Area!

Mom, 

Texas is going great, it is consistently about 50-70 degrees out and sometimes hits 80. I hate it, and I want some snow. Not going to lie, I am really jealous of all the snow that you are getting. But, I guess you will be the ones laughing when it is 100000 degrees this summer. Oh well, I will deal with it.
 
Well this was my last week in Louetta, and the sad part is that we are going to be Whitewashed (meaning both missionaries are transferring). I have no idea why, we are on the verge of so many good things. I am actually really sad that I am leaving all of these people behind. I hope whoever comes in takes really good care of everyone. 
 
This week was a  normal week for us here. Tried finding whoever was ready, and helping those that we have. It was sad that we couldn't have the baptism on Saturday, but he came to church yesterday so all that is left is teaching him a little, and then he can be baptized (and the interview). Also, we finally got to teach someone who we have had coming to church and all sorts of activities, which was awesome. He took everything really well, but says that he is just wanting to know everything a bit more. It was fun because we got to play volleyball with him at the church with a bunch of other people on Friday. It was really fun, and everyone there played really well. I will miss going and doing all of that stuff. On Saturday we helped one of the menos activos we visit move (same ward still) and it was really fun to help him with that. 
 
That is basically it, I will miss this area a lot. And I look forward to the next area I will be at.
 
I'm off to hang out with the district. I love you mom.
 
I love you all!!
 
Elder Atkinson (Nic)
 



 

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Louetta Week 17

Hello mom,

I took pictures this week, so I hope you are happy.
 
My foot is feeling OK, I didn't get any Epsom, but I am seeing the doctor today (earliest they could get me in).
 
I'm jealous over how much snow you are getting, this last week it has been consistently about 70-80 degrees out, and I am hating it! It is the middle of February, I want snow, and cold, but noooo, its practically summer here. I haven't used my coat since you sent it too me, it has just been too hot. 
This week was pretty good, I was able to do service on Tuesday, which was really fun. We went and helped a menos activo weed in his garden. I never thought that I would have so much fun weeding, but I did. It was fun to do a little something different than the normal missionary work.
 
The rest of the week went pretty normal, searching, teaching, etc. Something cool that happened this week was that we got to teach someone who we haven't seen in a while. It was so much fun! We had exchanges on Friday and Saturday, I was with Elder Christensen, and everything went pretty well. We got to go see some menos activos. We had stake conference this weekend, which was pretty fun. I felt like I was able to understand what was being said, but there was always times were I had no idea. Elder Dan Jones from the 70 came to talk with us. He only spoke English, so he had to have a translator, which was a pretty cool experience.
 
Now something sort of a downer, we are not going to have a baptism this week. Our investigator wasn't able to make it to church yesterday, so we have to wait at least one more week. I'm kinda bummed because I'll probably be gone.
 
I love you, thanks for keeping me in the loop for everything!
 
Elder Atkinson(Nic)
 



 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Louetta Week 16

MOM!!
 
That is cool, about William Bradford (relative finder said he is one of our ancestors). I probably saw him but thought nothing of it. Keep looking for Adam (Nic says he found our genealogy back to Adam, somewhere we hook up to royalty?), he is there (at least for me he was). It's kinda difficult having so many generations in the church, because I try to look for ancestors that haven't had their ordinances done, and there is nobody! It is frustrating. 
 
Anyways, last week was pretty awesome. We had a good week, we were able to go and teach our investigator some more. Then there is this other one that we have not taught yet, but he has already come to church twice, and went to a baptism on Saturday. The baptism on Saturday (not one of ours) was awesome, we had both of our investigators come, and they all had a good experience there, and they were both at church the next day. It is awesome that I am experiencing all this success, and it is just my first area. This week we are going to be teaching them and trying to continue to protect them from Satan. I love being out here, and I know this is where I am needed. It is fun everyday going and seeing these people, and trying to find more people. It is fun seeing them grow in understanding and knowledge. 
 
I have not been to the office yet, so it (I sent him a package) probably is there, but I haven't seen it. Good job on the missionary work, keep it up and so will I! It's cool that X got to talk at stake conference, but I am also a little sad for him because it is a big responsibility. 
 
I love you so much, keep up the good work, and keep everyone HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!
 
Nic (Elder Atkinson)
 
After this email we were able to chat back and forth some.  Those that were at stake conference this week may appreciate the below conversation.  Our mission president spoke and listed a bunch of things we should teach our kids before they head out on missions.  One of which is to take care of ingrown toenails......and the next day I hear this......
 
Me: What are your plans for the day? Anything fun?
 
Nic: Umm, nothing too fun. I might go up to the office to check out my toe. I think it might be infected
 
Me: What happened?
 
Nic: Ingrown toenail, I tried to tear it out, but it didn't come out like it usually does.
 
I guess at least he had a clue of how to take care of it!  This is the first week, though, he didn't send pictures.  I am hoping he corrects it next week.  What I am worried about however, is that he will feel he needs to send me a picture of that infected toe.....:)
 
Thanks for reading, and caring.  We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.
 
Leisha


 
 
 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Louetta Week 15

Mom, and everyone else!

My week went pretty good, our investigator is coming along great, he came to church yesterday and has a baptismal date for the 21 of February. Our other investigator just got a hernia removed on Thursday, so he couldn't come to church because he was still recovering.

Elder Hernandez is doing great, we get along well and have fun together. I think sometimes we have too much fun, because we get off topic a lot. Its OK though, we get done what we need to get done.

This week I had to go up to Oakcrest (the other Elders in our district) on an emergency exchange because the driving elder got an eye infection, and the other couldn't drive. So I went up there to drive him around and be his comp while his eye recovered. It was fun to go and see a different area, I didn't know where I was going there, but oh well. While I was up there, a member took us to an Argentine restaurant (one of them was Argentine) and I had a milinesa, which was so delicious. That was pretty much my week.

I'll pray for Luke, Joe and Kellie are lucky to go to England, and I am sad that I missed the grandparents. It would have been really fun to see them. What did you all do for the super bowl, just stay home and watch it or go somewhere? 
 
Can I ask a favor from you? Could I get a copy of that middle name document thingy that we did (each of our kids had to learn and write about the person they were named after), and the places of you and dad's birth, your marriage date as well as where it took place, and the birth and marriage dates for both sets of grandparents? That would mean a lot to me, thanks!
 
I love you a lot!  Nic (Elder Atkinson)
 
 

Louetta Week 14

HOLA! Mi madre favorita (y las otras personas)!

This week was pretty awesome. Last week I wrote about one of our investigators leaving, and us not knowing where he is, well this week he contacted us and we were able to continue teaching him, which is awesome! He went to a baptism that the Hermanas had on Friday, and then the kid that was just baptized was able to talk with him and bore testimony to him, which was awesome. On Saturday this investigator took us out to eat, which was fun, we talked about the baptism the night before, and other random gospel stuff. Something else really cool that happened was that someone that we contacted on Tuesday, just told him what times our meetings are at,  showed up to church on Sunday, it was awesome. This week we saw a lot of the members, trying to get less actives to go to church and what not, and that was pretty much all the cool stuff that happened.
 
Oh, last p-day, we played some basketball, and then we ate habaƱero peppers, don't do that they kill you, one is fine, but don't ever eat 2, the second one is killer. It was fun to do that, but it hurt quite a bit.
 
I am sorry I am not there to help shovel and clean, I know you miss me as a work horse, but why did Kiley not help you, shouldn't she be nicer than that? (I did it early and was letting her sleep).
 
I am jealous that Carissa is going to speak Tongan, I hear the Polys here speak in their own language and it is awesome, and she is going to understand it! She will have to teach me when i get home.

I love you all, best wishes!
 
Nic (Elder Atkinson)
 
 What it looks like to eat two habanero peppers