September 23, 2013 - To Dad for his birthday!

From: James Riley Strong <jamess@myldsmail.net>
Date: September 23, 2013 4:29:47 PM MDT
To: Scott Strong <scottstrong73@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: sorry.

thanks dad, I love you. things are back to normal, I was just having a moment. It has been hard because Elder Despain has been having a tough time and it affects me a little bit to see him that way. I have kinda been flying solo. but I love him. Happy Birthday, I found this Corvair and bought it for you, it wasn't that bad, so come pick it up!

 

September 23, 2013 - relaxing pictures

They(someone) built a crazy cool Nauvoo Temple in the parking lot of the mission office in Vista.

A flower at the park

The best burrito from Lupitas.

September 23, 2013

Hey hey hey!

So that whole thing last week was kind of crazy. I think I just needed to decompress a little bit. But from now on I am just going to always say what I want to say in Emails... haha. not that I wasn't most of the time already, I just found that you carry a lot more as a missionary and especially as a trainer.

Well, Transfers are tomorrow, and I will be staying here in the Twin Oaks Valley ward for another two transfers because....(drumroll)........ I'm training again. And I was asked to be a district leader.

So, what I have found is, Heavenly Father has an interesting way of working with me. Whenever I decide I want to eat healthier, I get worse food shoved in my face by members. whenever I want to save money and eat out less, nobody signs up to feed us, whenever I feel overwhelmed, I get more responsibility. He wants me to only care about what is important. I want to baptize more people, there, maybe I will find someone this week. 

Michaels Baptism went great! It was perfect, I would not have expected it to be any other way. the whole thing went like this: we sang, we prayed, 3 min talk, baptized, 3 min talk, we sang, we prayed, we ate cookies, we went home. boom. baptized.

Here is the secret about Steves baptism, he has to wait until he can get off of parole. We are waiting on his attorney to set up a court date because his P.O. says he can get off, but it is taking FOREVER.

Elder Despain is worried because he doesn't know what being transferred is like. poor kid. I will miss him. he has pretty much been the coolest companion. he was a really loyal friend. I knew that he was looking out for me.

Well, that's it everybody.

Elder James Riley Strong

September 16, 2013 - Update on Elder James Riley Strong

Riley has asked me not to share his latest email but let's just say in
terms of ups and downs he is down. I think he is just putting too much
pressure on himself to be perfect. Hopefully he understands he just
needs to do his best and he won't let any of us down including his
Heavenly Father.

Please don't mention him being down in your communications with him
but please keep him in your prayers.

I'm sure this too shall pass.........

Thanks for all of your support and love for my baby.

Alice

September 9, 2013 - pictures 9/9/13

Probably the best mexi Impala in the world

the chair our friend leaves on his porch just-in-case we show up at his door. Some day he will come to church... someday...

support your local pizza place

September 9, 2013

Did you know that you can order your deceased ancestors patriarchal blessing from LDS.org? 

I just got Grandpa Nelson's (Mark Wayne Nelson), and Great Grandpa Strong's (James A. Strong) in the mail. Apparently they don't have Grandma Jane's on record, or she never got one. Same with James Mark Nelson (great grandpa nelson)

It is really interesting, I feel like it would be great for after a mission, but I don't really have time to read them during studies. 

This week

This week has been pretty awesome. There is a 12 yr old girl that we have been helping to get baptized for 4 years, but her dad wouldn't let her. Her Mom and her older brothers are members but her Dad is not. The biggest problem is that her Dad doesn't speak English, so the Spanish Elders had to help us with it. yesterday at church, Brianna came up to us and said "Elders, guess what!... I'm getting baptized." her cheeks got super red and she smiled in a very thankful and humble manner. I am so happy this is finally happening! on the.. something of October, I just realized that the 5th is General Conference, so that's not going to work.. 

Steve is stoked for his Baptism, he loves everything we give him and really loves being a part of things. I know that whatever happens there is going to be good. I don't know when I am going to be leaving but it will probably be on the 24th of September. Hopefully Steve's will happen on the scheduled September 21st.

Also, a Recent Converts son is getting ready for a Baptism. after the ward split he started getting taught by the other Elders in the ward. when we were working with him he was getting really close, but he is nine, so he has nine year old boy issues. But he is really smart and he is the Ace of his primary class that he has gone to since June, he is totally ready, he just needs to gain an attention span and stop being so stubborn. He told the other Elders that he wants to be Baptized now, and he wants me to baptize him! haha, that little punk always made fun of me and told me that he was going to wait until I left to be Baptized. But it will probably happen this Saturday.

Giving the dirty 'dido a bath!

Anyways, love you! 

-- Elder James Riley Strong

September 3, 2013 - pictures 9/3

 Elder Thunell and Susan when we were going on a hike.

 Elder Lloyd on the phone while we were on exchanges

Some road I took a picture of for some reason.

September 3, 2013

Hello.

 

So this week has been a very busy week.

 

we had Zone Conference which was tons of fun. It always gets me stoked to do missionary work. Our ward is planning a Halloween party for the community, like a trunk or treat, that should be awesome.

 

we have been running all over the place to parts of our area we've never been, meeting all kinds of different people. our area is really diverse. mostly I like going to the retirement community that Pat lives in, the people there really like us. They all ask our Relief Society President who is the manager there "Can you tell Brother Strong to come to my apartment to help me move my rug?" This last name is a curse on a mission, or a blessing I guess. But it makes people more comfortable while asking for service, I just wish the Elders Quorum would be less lazy.

 

I think that you would be happy to know that we passed our appartment inspection this transfer.

 

President and Sister Kendrick invited Elder Despain and I to the mission home for dinner tonight, and I have never heard of that happening before, so wish us luck. I have no idea in the world as to what is going down. maybe Elder Despain is going to get reassigned or something crazy like that. I just hope that he behaves himself for once... haha just kidding

 

well thats my letter. there ya go.

 

P.S. Zoe, I thought is was pretty cool you wrote me in Espanol, feel free to practice more in your letters. I had Brother Wells read it to me, the parts I didn't know, and he says "she is doing great with vocabulary and she will get the rest fine tuned in no time"

 

An Elder from Mexico is switching to English this tranfer and I asked the AP's to consider me to be his companion. It's a vain disire of mine to teach someone English. Plus, Elder Gonzolez is an awesome missionary.

 

well, love ya!

 

Elder James Riley Strong