December 30, 2013

So this week has been a pretty fun and spiritual week. The most significant event was our lesson with the Wilson family who we extended an actually baptism invitation for Jan. 18th and all 3 of them excepted. It was all I could do to not jump up and do a touch down dance, but I managed to hold it all in with a smile. We taught them again on sunday and it has been amazing watching this family progress and I cannot wait till the 18th. The other significant event was going to the baptism of Kody and Kennedy two kids who are 8 and 10 who come from an inactive, part member family. While we have been teaching them their less active mom has been in with us. And while we have been doing it we have also help here want to get re-activated and now we can focus on helping her out. Also her husband who is not a member went to the baptism and church and is a super nice guy and we are wanting to get him in on the next visit and see what will come of that. Also last night we went to go visit this older gentleman who is retired and all by himself and has been wanting to get re-activated after years and years of being inactive. Last night we talked and he told us his story and he really wants to be an Elder and have the priesthood but he cant give up smoking. He has tried a few times and the longest he has gone is a month. We talked to him about how Christ can help him and had a really good discussion. As our conversation kept on I realized that he kept saying if I quit smoking. And i stopped him and felt that i needed to tell him to change one word in that statement that could really help him get over this mentally, and that was taking out the word if and replace it with when i quit smoking, and then challenged him to just change that one word. and went on to explain more that i cannot wirte for the sake of time but it was awesome. Never have i been more directed by the spirit in a lesson. So i am looking forward to continuing visits with him and helping him along the way. Also we met with the part member inactive family on Christmas and had dinner and had an awesome time just getting to know them and letting them know they can trust us. While we were talking the conversation led to us both knowing a little bit of Portuguese and the dad told us that there is a lady here who is Brazilian and doesn't know English very well. Our eyes lit up and hopefully this week we will be able to meet with her. I am super excited for that. And finally I got to talk to my family this week! It was so awesome to hear every ones voices and talk. It really helps with the moral of being out on Christmas and it was a highlight this week as well. And every ones gifts arrived this week. Mom and kids I loved your gifts. Haha freakin Laurel man... hahaha i loved that little doll thing was hilarious. Also the nerf guns have been very entertaining, we have already had our fair share of fun with those. Also thank you for making me get fat...I have been trying to watch my food intake and i was doing very well until some people... decided to give me wafers and kit kats... i have been eating a liitle each day and i have to say i love it!!! Also mom i have already read a bunch of the inspirational stories book and have been using it a bunch in lessons. I love it thank you so much! also the tree has been up and looking festive and i forgot to take pictures of it but i will today and ill send them next week for you all. Also dad thank you so much for the whole set of boxing stuff!!! It is up hanging in our dungeon. I have loved using it so far and the gloves are perfect. I see now why you sent me those because they don't take a bunch of room up in my bag so that's awesome and im super excited for those. Thank you so much dad you are a life saver. This has been such an awesome week. Oh by the way we have our money now so no need to worry. I love you all so much and im so excited to see you are all doing so well. I hope you have a good week and again i love you all.

December 23, 2013

Hello family and friends, 

       First of all merry christmas!! So my new area is pretty awesome. Its this small town in this valley between these two mountians/hills. Its a really pretty area. We are already seeing success and we are just opening this area kinda. We just started teaching this family of a single mom with 3 sons ranging from 13-7. We just had our first lesson with them yesterday and they were super receptive and super prepared. The lord has truly prepared this family and will hopefully be ready to get baptized in a month or two. So my favorite person so far that you will be hearing about a lot is bro. W. He is a member and has a son who is 9. He is divorced and live on his own with his son. He is as of now entering surgery on his back and will have to chill on the coach for two weeks. But he cant do a lot of physical stuff because of his back so we go and help him out all the time. He is in a very humble situation but he is seriously the coolest guy ever. The best way i can describe him is a jacked santa clause. He is super cool and has done some awesome things with his life but has recently over the past few years had some setbacks. But he is awesome and we really love being around him and helping us out. Anyway we are staying in a house just off the main road. It's a pretty good size house with 2 bedrooms a big kitchen and living room. And best of all a freakin creepy basement, like seriously i will send a picture of it one of these days but just take my word for it. And right now ( mom dont read this ) we have like literally no food in our house ha. We are both visa waiters and the way things played out with how we get money and stuff. Neither of us have had any money since last week. And dont have any money to go shoppong today. We are now out of the few eggs we had and now we will be having rice and stir fry in very humble portions until we can have money. The bright side is that the members here are insane and give us an insane amount of like steak ribs and of course potatoes. So we have a great dinnner everyday. And there is a cool diner in town that is member owned so we get 50% off and free ice cream. So yeah thats pretty nice because we can eat a huge meal for like 4 bucks. But anyway everything is going great and i am super excited. This area is awesome and i can feel that there are a bunch of people here ready to listen. I love you all and i hope everything is going great back home and merry christmas!!
                Love, Elder Davis

Friday, December 13, 2013

Hey family! Not much has happened this week that is huge! A lof of typical stuff! Quentin L. Cook came this week to speak to us and his talk was really good! It's weird thinking that im already done with the MTC it went by so fast. I've loved it here but im so ready to go and actually do everything we have been talking about! I cant wait to give everything i am to the lord and let him shape me to the best man I can become so I can bless the lives of His children. Im already a different kid and its only been a few weeks. I think you will all like the this Elder Davis better! I am confident in the lord's ability to help me follow the spirit and help me say and dow hatever i need to best help the people of Idahoa. 

I hope you all like all the pics i sent, i feel bad for not sending any so far, but since i did I did have less time to email. So I will talk to you all later and i love you all!!!!

Love, 
Elder Davis 

Kelsey's note: Just click on the picture and it will make it bigger!

Elder Davis ironing  Elder Woodward. 

Elder Davis and Elder Foland. 

Elder Davis is off to... Twin Falls Idaho!!!!

Below is the email we got from Elder Davis last night:

"We have not received your visa to travel to Brazil. You will be serving a temporary assignment in the Idaho Twin Falls Mission until your visa arrives." So there you have it! I will leave on Tuesday and will be taking a bus from here to Twin Falls. I am so super excited to serve the people in Idaho. This has to be a quick email but I just wanted to inform you where I am going. And we will have to plan how I will get warm clothes because it is very cold there if ya didn't know. I really am excited to go to Idaho. My district says that maybe this will convince me ot go to BYU-I when I get back because that's where they are all going but we will wee. I can email more on Friday when I have more time and give you an update. But I love you all and I know the Lord has a plan for me there and I am going to give all I have to helping the people in Idaho.

December 6, 2013

Responding to your dear elder about the weather it has been pretty cold. The other night we all went out bare feet in our shorts and did snow angels and ran around then warmed up in the showers! It was really fun but freezing cuz it was late at night! (before lights out). Then on Wednesday i was out for like 2 and a half hours because our district was asked to host the new missionaries but the district asked to direct the traffic bailed cuz they didnt wanna be out in the cold and they asked for volunteers, so long story short i was outside directing traffic in a suit and a yellow vest for two hours. And it was a fun experience it was a good change of pace from being in the class all day. It was kinda funny looking at all the new missionaries and what not. But this week has been great as always, Elder ballard was supposed to come talk to us on tuesday but he got stuck wherever he was and a 70 came with only an hour and a half warning and gave an incredible talk for an hour, those men are insane and so in tune with the spirit. Other significant things one of the other elders from the other district elder kampf, the one i work out with, loves working out with me and i love working out with him and since we are having such a dandy time with it we have created a plan. He is already out of college and has like crazy coaching license for soccer so when we get back he is going to coach in colorado and we are going to get a beat up ware house and he is going to be my trainer and im going to get into boxing competitions and its going to be awesome, so just a heads up on that. And we are both serious about it soooooo. we will have to see how that plays over but yeah. Oh and also i went to the doctor because i had an over acidic stomach, but i got medicine and no need to worry its all good :) like seriously it just made me hungry and i would just wake up in the middle of the night and have to eat something. Also kelsey, i would invite you to get me red bulls or coke. I must be mistaken cuz i really thought you actually loved me for a second. I wont make that mistake again. Im still loving it here at the MTC portuguese is getting better every day, my companions and district and zone are great. I am not the district leader any more because you only can be it for up to three weeks but its kinda nice to not have to be in charge per say but they all still expect me to kinda take control of things even though ive been trying to take a back seat. The hardest part about the MTC is the sisters, Its like wow, you are attractive and you are serving the lord as well, makes the attractive ones that more attractive. But you dont have to worry because all the elders make fun of me because whenever an attractive sister talks to me i freak out and stumble across my words. I try to avoid them at all costs though, but sometimes they talk to me and yeah i freak out. But dont worry, I am so focused on getting prepared to go serve the lord out in the field and im dedicating everything i have to it with remaining focused on what im here to do and who i represent. It was funny when i was getting my blood drawn the older nurse asked me if i was scared of needles and i said no ma'am only sisters. and she laughed it was funny. So thats the update for this week!

Elder Foland and Elder Davis!