Week #54

Congratulations to Mr. Ramjoue on the job at the best high school in the world RHS. I am thrilled that I found that out through Megan after she joined on of his classes. Adrian, would it be better to continue to email you through this current email, or at your shiny new Jordan District email? I am awaiting your reply.

Anywho, I taught the lesson in Priesthood yesterday on Joy (Prieks) and that was good. There was a random guy named Mar there, who after the class, said he was "Full of Skittles''. Elder Birch then asked him how well he speaks English and he replied ''I sell moonshine with my uncle Jessie and my brother'' (Was there any mistakes, Mr. Ramjoue?) We hope he is for real and wants to meet. These are the people we look for.

Jau is still doing well. She is prepping to go to the Temple in a year, which is wonderful.

Investigators are well. We got a new one this week named El. Good guy. We will meet again on tuesday. (This is actually a serious question Mr. Ramjoue, how do you spell Tuesday? This computer does the red squiggly line under both Tues and Teus and I DONT KNOW) Anyway, El told us that he just feels inside that he lived before this life. Isnt that just incredible? Light of Christ is cool. I compare this to how I sometimes am unsure if i lived a life before my mission, but then All Star by Smashmouth comes on while you are eating a 12 oz cheeseburger with fries and you suddenly remember everything. WOOO HOOO.

The Jazz are killing it (Full of Skittles). We have a guy who tells us all the scores without us asking. (Tender Mercy?(That is still my least favorite phrase, but it fits))

Es esmu laimīgs, tas ir viss. Dzīve ir labi un man ļoti patik dzīvot te, Latvijā. Cilvēki šeit ir labāki nēka Amerikā. Varbut es te dzīvošu visu savu mužu? Redzēsim.

The church is true. 

If you want something cool to do, read Romans 7. GREAT CHAPTER OF HOLY WRIT.

Elders Jostiņš

Mom, I am sorry, the computer keeps shutting down and this is the only picture I could get on. Next week I will have baptism photos FOR SURE!

Week #53

In Latvija, the Monday after Easter is know as 2nd Easter and they have the day off and all the libraries are CLOSED. LOL

My birthday was good. Pictures will show our celebration. 

Investigators are good. We had 4 at church. Everyone goes to church on Easter and Christmas here. They are "devout" christians. LOL

The investigators were: An (Soon to be baptized media referral), Os (baptismal date on 13 of May), San (Cool guy who showed me all the Jazz updates(GO JAZZ!!!)) and J (cool guy who will also eventually join the church)

Someone send me PLAYOFF updates. I NEED THE JAZZ IN MY LIFE. JOE JOHNSONS BUZZER BEATER WAS VERY NICE!

Easter was great, God is good, Jesus is risen. No doubt in my mind.

ATA.

Week #52

Hei

How is it going? My Grandma emailed me this week. It was nice. We all need friendly reminders sometimes, so I will now friendly remind these people as well:

Jon Ruggles (I need minion Buchemi)

Adrian Ramjoue

Melissa Wood

That is all. 

Anyway, this week was quite busy. We watched all the sessions of conference on Saturday and Sunday (in Latvian) which I sort of understand now. It was good.

Met with some members and ate some food this week.

It is crazy to tell people that I live within a 20 minute drive of 4 temples, and now it will be 5 with Saratoga. As President Chugg pointed out to me, we can now go to the Temple and then hit the lake. I AM STOKED. Members here, who travel 4 times a year to Sweden are always SHOCKED. Blessings on Blessings on Blessings of a Riverton, UT boi.

>:GENERAL CONFERENCE:<

My Favorite talks in order:

1)Elder Renland - Always steller. Compassion.

2)Elder Holland - Shaking things up a bit, but still marvelous. (Although i really dont like ''Saulains Prieks" (Sunshine in my soul today))

3)Bishop Causse - This talk made me think about growing up and all the guys who put up with me.

I will now give a online shout out, due to Bishop Causse's talk, to some great guys who kept me going when I was a snotty teenager (still am, actually, until thursday) 

Steve Boehme - When I was in middle School and didnt have a ton of close friends, we would go fishing. Wonderful example of humility and all in all an Incredible guy. Me and Elder Birch (who was Boehmes ceramics student) have many wonderful conversations about being called fatties and other mean names. Great memories.

President Chugg - Same thing here with the fishing. We fished A LOT and will fish EVEN MORE when I am home. One of the guys who treated this fatherless boy as his son. I remember being so excited to go fishing for the first time. We went on a monday nightto Pelican bay and caught some cats. 

SIDE NOTE: I love to make jokes about not having a dad, as most of you uncomfortably understand, but I had anywhere from 5-10 guys who filled that roll, and I am GREATFUL.

Mike Bohling - Also fishing. Great example of being able to have fun and be serious about the Gospel too. He would also steal every Crappie I ever was going to catch, and he wont let me forget about never catching one either.

Tom Hildebrand - When I had nothing to do on saturdays, Tom would invite me over to watch Utah games. He was a wonderful Teachers advisor.

Trent Earnshaw - We always just got along. Also would fish. Always made me feel welcome in every situation. Also a great teachers leader.

Jim Groethe - A great teacher who was actually never officailly my teacher, but nontheless had an impact on me. Helped me through a lot of rough times and helped me see the good in everything.

Steve Schaber - Another great teacher. I had many teachers who cared individually about me, but im not sure if a teacher has ever cared about his students more. Kept me going through some hard months of senior year, and for that, I am quite grateful.

Stewart Hudnall - One of the only guys whose sarcasm made my humor seem wet. I always enjoyed going to his class, because it was always uplifiting for me (although it was often uncomfortable and sarcastic, but that is where I thrive) In the words of a horrible country artist ''Its a great day to be alive, I know the sun is still shining when I close my eyes'' I dont actually see how to fit this in well but anyone in that class will understand.

Joshua Briggs - The most humble man I have ever met. Had him as a teacher all 3 years. Helped me through the tough times with genuine care for me and my well being.

I would also like to shout out all my friends parents but we DEFINANTLY dont have time for that. I am straight running out of TIME!

If you are all still reading, good job. I know that most of the people who read these dont know these guys or for that matter care about my young mens leaders and teachers. I do, however, understand the importance of looking back and seeing how the Lord always places the right people in our lifes, at just the right time, and I KNOW that the Lord has done and will continue to do that for me.

INVITATION TO YOU ALL

Think of the people in your life that have helped you along and thank them. 

When we show our gratitude for what God had done for us, we begin to recognize our blessings bigger and brighter.

Loves

Week #51

Hi

I was a kid in a candy shop this morning as I went to the ''Stūra Maja'' or ''Corner House'' today. It is a very large and nice white building on the corner of Brīvības Iela (Freedom street) and Stābu Iela. This building was built in 1912 and had many flower shops and grocery stores, as well as offices and apartments. 

In 1940, when the Soviets arrived, it was the perfect building for Interigations. Today, I stood in rooms that held prisoners and saw first hand the KGB methods (tourture, humiliation, execution, etc) Absolutely disgusting, but soo very interesting for my brain.

I am happy to have the knowledge that I do and the Peace that comes from our savior, Jesus Christ.

If you have not seen it yet, go to mormon.org and watch the churches Easter video. It is (in my opinion) the best video the church has made. SERIOUSLY GOOD!

Ja was succesfully dunked and has given the Holy Ghost and is now the sassiest 65 year old in the Church. She seriously reminds me of my grandmother, Linda, who has not written me for 3 weeks. Post dunk, she turned and said to the congregation ''Ļoti Patikami'' (Very Pleasing).  She later said her only thought was ''Žel ka man bija jākap ārā" (Pity that I had to come up(*out of the water)). She is GREAT.

Me and Elder Birch are well. We met with a referral today who is PREPARED AS A HORSE and will soon be baptized. GREAT JOB! (Of course, it is God who does all the work, I am simply a chubby redhead servent)

Met a cool lady in Jelgava on an Exchange. We were walking in an area with few people and just felt like we had to keep walking. We then, at the last moment before turning away, met a former investigator who wants to meet again! GREAT JOB!

That is it, I have no more. Tee hee. Also, I forgot my camera at home and am deeply sorrowful that I wont be able to send Picture of 1) the baptism and 2) the KGB house. 

NEXT WEEK I WILL REPENT AND DO BETTER! tee hee.