Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Washer Flooded...


Dear family,
 
     I don't have much time today to email because we have to email on Tuesday instead of yesterday and because we have apartment checks as Zone Leaders.  But the new ward is going great and we had 5 more baptisms this past weekend and it was awesome.  

Also the washer flooded and we had an inch of water to come to come home to after shopping.  FUN!  So we have cleaned most and now are working on the drying everything completely out.  Well I am very sorry for the short letter but I love you and I am working very hard.  Be a missionary every day please!!!!!!!!!!  You will not regret it ever but you will if you don't.  I love you all so much and am greatful for your support to me and your prayers.  You are always in mine.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Zone Leader Dream Team


Dear family,
 
             Being transferred has been great and my new companions Elder Burnett and Elder DeWitt are great.  Elder DeWitt is waiting for a visa to go to Argentina so we are training him while he is here.  We don't know how long he will be here but it should probably be about a month to 6 weeks.  Elder Burnett is my companion who is a Zone Leader with me and he is a GENIUS.  He is very smart and works really hard.  We get a long really well but there are a few little obedience things I have had to clean up with our companionship but we will be exactly obedient always.  I have been getting a feel for being a Zone Leader and when you actually do it right you realize you have a LOT of responsibility and influence a lot more people.  I love it but I still have a lot to learn.  The branch here is much smaller than the ward in Fresno but it is still all spanish and the members are super supportive here.  The work is on fire and we just had a wedding on Saturday and a baptism of the husband on Sunday.  We have a ton of other baptismal dates and I will be sending some pictures of them as they come up.

              I am glad to hear as well that everything is going well and that everyone is conquering the world in the Neeley family haha.  Congratulations to Josh on being an official doctor kind of almost.  What speciality is he doing by the way?  Also why did Eleanor get her scuba certification haha?  But that is cool.  Ruth!  That is awesome that you did so well and that you are going to be the next olympian from Beaver County like that one girl from Rochester but with out the steroids.  Also I am glad that the New York trip was awesome and that you got to visit and spend some time together and see the Fishlers, well part of them.  Also I heard that Ryan was there from Grandma, so tell him (as well as everyone of course) that I love him and miss him a ton.  Also thank you so much again to everyone for my birthday stuff and especially to Alex for the farting dog card!  It was great haha!!!!!!!  Well I love you all so much and I love my mission and am so glad to still have another year.  I miss you but I would be no where else right now.  I hope as I said in our call that you are all missionaries every day.  I don't just say it cause I like to hear myself talk or cause it is the cool thing now but really I hope and pray everyday for you and that you can be missionaries in you own life.  There is no greater joy.  I love you all so much!
 
-Love your son/brother/grandson/nephew/cousin/uncle/friend Elder Neeley

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Getting Things Rolling...


Dear family,
 
             I am very excited to talk to all of you and hope that all is well.  As for Mom and Grandma and all other mothers/wives, happy early mother's day and happy early birthday to Mom and Grandma.  Cards will be in the mail so be looking for them.  When we all talk I will know if I am getting transfered or not so I will let you know then.  I think I probably will but I definitely wouldn't mind staying here some more if the Lord wants me here.

             I got to go to the temple today and that is why I am emailing today instead of yesterday.  The temple was AWESOME and I was so glad we got to go.  I do miss it a lot but because we can't go very often it does make it mean way more when we do get to go.  A member and his wife took us and he said it was his first session he had done in english and he said he didn't even know some of the words.  It was way good and I hope that you are all striving to make it to the temple monthly.  I know that there are so many blessings to be had in temple attendance, personally and in the family.

            Which speaking of the temple tell Shannon that I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for her to get married to Frank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am very sad to miss it but I am so happy for them.  That is fantastic.  Please let her know that I love her and I am super happy for her and Frank.

            The work here is going alright and we saw Alejandra who smokes again last night and we reset a baptismal date with her.  She kind of fell of the map for 3 weeks and now we recommitted her to read, pray, come to church, and to be baptized on the 26th.  She really likes us and knows that the church is true so we gave her some tough love and said "we know you need to do this and more importantly you know you need to, so let's get it done".  I am excited for her and we are going to be working hard with her and we are praying that her rude x-husband doesn't get in the way again.  As for Javier and Sandra, they didn't come to church cause he is still working and she wasn't able to come.  So we are moving there date back and we are going to tell them that they need to come to church in order to be baptized and that they can't miss a Sunday.  They really want to be baptized so we are just going to lay it out and they will make it happen.

           I have felt like I have been in a lull the past couple weeks but we are really turning things around and I love being with Elder Hafen.  He is awesome and even though he is young in the mission he still corrects me and keeps me grounded.  He just gets it.  I need to be more humble and loving towards him because I need the correction that he gives me but my pride always tells me I don't.  Pride is the worst!   But we are getting things rolling and we are excited!

           I am glad to hear that everyone is doing well and that everyone is busy.  I keep you in my prayers and miss you but I love being here so much and know with out a doubt there is no where else I would rather be.  I love my mission and can't even think about leaving it.  I know there is a lot going on at home as far as the end of mission is concerned but I will only do what the Lord tells me is best.  If it is extend then I will and if it is to go then I will.  I teach way too many people about sacrifice brings blessings to not sacrifice a little more time of mine if it is what the Lord wants so we will leave it to Him and I will follow Him.  I love you all so much!  Keep being missionaries every single day!  Don't live with the regret of not acting.
 
-Love your son/brother/grandson/nephew/cousin/uncle/friend Elder Neeley