Week # 69 ~Lone Survivior

Merry Almost Christmas,

I love this quote from the files of President Weston,

"Time of general calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm."
(Charles Caleb Colton) 

I am the lone survivior, all three of my other companions have moved on.  This was a fast one for us.  Pres. Usually keeps us for a lot longer in one area!? 

I have a new companion as of yesterday, his name is Elder Wilson.  I call him Wilson after the volleyball.  He is very chill and I have not gotten much out of him yet. I do know that he went to a year of Utah State University and wants to do a major in animals something.

 I will have my work cut out for me getting him to open up or even talk.  We did go and see the gingerbread displays it was great.  It really got me in the mood for Christmas. I will send some pictures of them.

I got your 2 packages, the giant one and the little one.  Yes I have been opening the packages and presents.  I am trying to catch up with all the gifts to open.  I have opened 1-10 already.  They are awesome.  Thank you for all of the love in the packages that you send to me.

We have zone conference on the 17^th.  It will be a fun one with Christmas coming.  I cannot wait, I will take pictures and send them to you.  I will also set up Skyping and let you know of all the details. 

Until next week,

Lone survioir, Elder Vance

 Elder Wilson & I at church on sunday.

 Ginger Bread House Display

Week # 68 ~Red Neck Christmas

Hello My Family,
 
A quote from President Weston’s quote book

 "You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving" (About St. Francis de Sales).

So this week has been way better in the area. I am feeling great. We are walking door to door and we have the car every other day and we are trying to teach people.  We are trying to talk to a lot of people to see if they are interested in us teaching them or not. It has not been very successful as of YET! We do have dinner appointments are almost every day, wich is very nice and appreciated.

The weather here is very warm or very cold. Nebraska is very bipolar.

Temperatures below 0 one day and up to 60 degrees the very next day.  Coat to short sleeves and back again.  Exercising is going good I am running/doing push ups and situps every day.  We even ran 3 miles the other day.  When it was warm. 

I have transfers coming up, but I am sure that I am staying in the area. Also Lakeview is closing again!  Elder Hammond is going to another area for about a week and then coming back to re-open it again. They are not living with us anymore.  They are going to live with a members home and we are going to be alone in the apartment again. I am sad about that. It is a lot of fun having four people to talk to.  They are great missionaries and I really enjoy them. I have not gotten the package yet, I do not know where it is.

Love Elder Vance

This is a yard that is a Nebraska redneck Christmas. Too FUNNY!

Week # 67 ~ Temple Trip

Hello Family,

A quote from the files of President Weston,

 "Never give up while there is hope; but hope not beyond reason, for that shows more desire than judgment." (William Penn)

 So this week was a full week of not getting into any ones homes. We even had some of the people tell us to never come back.  Besides that we went to a activity called pie night at our church.  It is a night that you eat lots of pie and desserts for a few hours.  It was really good and they had a lot of really good pies there. 

The next day we had Thanksgiving dinner with some members. I was super stuffed and after that we were talking with some of the other people that were invited to the dinner and we found out that star wars episode 7 trailer has come out.   We cant see it! Every one says it is really good so I will have to watch it when I get home. 

Best I saved for last,  on Friday we went to the Omaha Nebraska Temple!! I got to go threw, and in the celestial room I said probably the most powerful prayer that I have every said. I could just feel the spirit around me and it going through me as I prayed. It was an awesome experience.  I am grateful for the opportunity to go to the temple. 

To answer Tyson’s questions about my schedule:

My agenda is wake up at 6:30 work out till 7 shower shave eat till 8 study, read book of Mormon, comp study, conference talk till 10:30.  Go out and see people till 12 eat lunch till 1 then go out and work some more until 9 p.m.   Then we get ready for bed and plan for the next day and go to sleep at 10:30

I Love You All,

Elder Vance