Monday, December 30, 2013

December 30 2013 - pictures

 Riley was able to baptize Sheryl before he got transferred. 
Mistletoe Street on December 25th 
(I love Riley's sense of humor! I hope he never changes)
I know from my Christmas call that this is Riley's new companion Elder Campbell. 
He is from Mesa Arizona and has been in the mission field about 6 weeks and he as been in this area his whole mission. 

Sunday, December 29, 2013

December 25,2013 - Phone Call Home

We had a great hour long Skype session with Riley on Christmas Day.


It was really nice to see his face. 
He bore his sweet testimony a little until he got emotional and lost his train of thought
"This is what I've learned, In the end it's not all about just being a member of the church, it's about following Heavenly Father. It's about listening to Heavenly Father or not because it comes down to following the prompting of the spirit in prayer.

December 23, 2013 - Christmas

hey, luckily i got permission to email you to tell you that I will call on christmas between 1-3 California time.

love you

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

December 16, 2013 - Pictures

 The KROGHS! they are the best. Kathleen is 15 Danny is 11. PDay at the Kroghs is my favorite place to play Monopoly
 Pretty decent Sushi
 Elder English. It was a PERFECT day.
 SANTA!
 Elder English and I setting up the Woodland Viallage Christmas Tree
that is our christmas tree in our appartment

December 16, 2013

Well, I am getting transferred after all. 7 1/2 months here was a trip. I got to know a lot of people and I am really happy with how things worked out. I think one more transfer would have been a little too long, so it worked out just right, I have today to say my goodbyes and teach a few more lessons, so I am happy. :)
 
I have no idea where I could go. I don't even have a thought of where it could be. I just want to see another part of the mission and meet more people.

I'M SO ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT COULD HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!
 
Any ways. This week was really busy, we did a lot of service. We built Bethlehem for a thing that this Methodist Church does on christmas. It was tons of fun, it took FOREVER. We had used sheets of ply wood framed with 1x2's and srewed them all together, and painted, and made everything look like it was authentic with staw and palm leaves. I am happy that we got to do it.
 
Any ways, hope everything goes ok for the holidays. talk to you on christmas!

Elder James Riley Strong

December 10, 2013

HEY!
 
So this has been a great week. And this next week is gong to be VERY VERY BUSY. We have service projects a few of the days, for interfaith and local churches in the area. This Saturday we will get our calls for transfers, and we have NO IDEA what could happen. I should be leaving since I have been here for 7 1/2 months, BUT English should be leaving since his family just moved into Escondido... I guess we will have to see what happens.
 
We had a service project in Del Mar, where we cleaned up a free dental clinic that happened over the weekend. they serviced over 2500 underprivileged people. After that got over, we drove up the coast through Solana Beach and Cardiff to this Mexican place in Encinitas. It was a lot of fun! I have loosened up a lot these last few transfers, the missionaries in my mission have been a lot less strict, or straight laced since we got a new mission president. A lot of things that happen were unheard of with President Cook. I don't know how to take it. I don't want to drop down to a lower level, but I know that if I don't at least a little bit, then I am expecting more from missionaries than my mission president does. So, it is a struggle for me. It's funny because our mission is still a lot more strict than most missions are...
 
I think I told you about Sheryl, she is getting baptized on the 21st of December! ah yeah! it's going down! it went from a few months out to in 2 weeks! we have already set up everything to make it happen, and chose hymns, and people to speak. She is living all of the commandments and is sharing the gospel with EVERYONE. I don't know why I was blessed with so many rock solid investigators.. I don't ever teach a ton of people, but looking back, almost all of the Investigators that my companions and I have taught more than once have been baptized.... hmm.
 
So that's that. pretty awesome, I think.
 
Next week is the transfer meeting/ Christmas Conference, and Sister Kendrick asked me if I would be the Photographer! yeah! that's why I had you send me my camera equipment. I have to say, It has made me remember how much of a nerd I am. The sad part is, a missionary shouldn't walk around with a big slr around his neck to take pictures of things, so it just sits under my bed until pday when I can take pictures of elder English eating almonds.
 
I hope that everything works out for you.
 
It has been freezing here. I am glad I bought that trench coat from Costco, it rained ALL DAY last Thursday. and it has been fine since then. Yeah, my mission is pretty awesome.
 
Love ya!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

December 2, 2013 - Pictures

 Donavin's 5 B-day cake for breakfast at the Slater's 
 One of my favorite people Jerry (non member, married to a recent convert) gave me his old leather jacket. so awesome haha
Thanksgiving via care package