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3 Posts are ready for your reading pleasure

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Finishing in Spartanburg

Dear mom,

T. and A. N- got baptized and confirmed this week! It's awesome! They are such a great family and I love them dearly! :D 

Other than that, only one eventful thing happened. Transfers have come up. The result is... Only one missionary in our zone got transferred- Elder Davis. That's right, I will be finishing up my mission here in Spartanburg with Elder Nair! I'm surprised because they don't want missionaries to end their missions as Zone Leaders or AP's, but I am as a Zone Leader and Elder Cardon is as an AP. But I'm glad because next Mission Leader Council, which I believe is the 30th, President Holm is taking all of us zone leaders and sister training leaders (basically zone leaders for all the sisters in their neighboring zones) to the temple to do baptisms for the dead :) Oh and we are going to have a third set of missionaries in our ward- sisters. So our district will be 10 missionaries, and our ward will have 6. Wow. That's huge. But we are still in the smallest zone of the mission, with just 2 districts :)

Anyway, that's about all for this week. Glad to hear all is well in Zion! A/C is mucho bueno! Yeah I really do wanna work at Vitamin Shoppe so if you could find out like details and how part-time the part-time position is that would be great. Like I could start with just a few hours and then do more when we get the house done. 

I love being a missionary so much! :D It's the best thing in the whole world!!!!

Love ya!

Elder Seaver

The Week has Finally Arrived!

Dear mom,

The week has finally arrived! T. and A. are getting baptized on Saturday! Please keep them in your prayers. I am so excited! I love that family so much! 

I really don't have a lot to say this week. Like, nothing at all. I guess to answer your questions, D. and N. we tracted into. The N. Family had been inviting missionaries over for dinner and different things for years, and I ate dinner there my first night in Spartanburg, as a matter of fact. It's been 6 months of working with them, but here we are! This weekend! :D

We had zone conference this week, and I saw Sister Stafford and the Pugh boys from Anderson there. They fed us lunch :) It was fun to catch up with them again. The youngest boy had scoliosis, but he got surgery for it and grew 7 inches overnight, literally- in one night. Add on two years of teenager-growing and a boy who was up to my chin when I was there now towered over me. My nose was in his chest. He got huge! Ha-ha. It was fun to see them all.

I love being a missionary so much! It is just the sweetest experience I could ever have asked for, and I wouldn't trade it for anything! There is no substitute for a mission- school will not substitute for it; family will not substitute for it. My mission has meant everything to me, and I will be grateful for it every day of my life, and forever after that!

Love ya!

Elder Seaver

Same Old - Same Old

Dear mom,

This week was awesome! We taught a ton of new people, and have a ton of return appointments this week. One I am really excited about is a couple named D. and N. All her family are members, but her dad was less-active, so she never joined. She and D. have a ton of questions, and they have sort of formed their own belief system since they don't agree with any denomination. We're going tonight to teach them. The N. family is all good to go for their baptism on the 20th. They are all interviewed and everything! I'm so stoked for them! I love that family!

It was fun to read all about your holiday adventures!

I really don't have much else to say. Same old -same old. I love being a missionary!

Love ya'll!

Elder Seaver

P.S.  

I have some concerns....................

There is a lot of stuff we have to do for school. There is a lot we have to get ready. And it's going to be expensive. I need el job. I am in good hands with you, I know. Do you think you could look for some jobs, and look at like a laptop versus like a tablet, or stuff like that? I am worrying for no reason, but I keep having the craziest dreams about school that are wigging me out a bit. :/ Also, do we still have that weight bench at home?

What is going on with Jami? When will they do the surgery? I felt horrible to hear how bad her procedure went. I emailed her that day, but she didn't respond. That's ok that she didn't, I just want to make sure she got it. She is such a tough girl. I wish her problems would all just go away and she could just be happy for Pete's sake. 

I love you mom! Also, I just thought of another thing. What about a telephono? I am so behind on technology and stuff. Sheesh.

Love,

Your missionary son with concerns but trying not to think about it so he can baptize everyone! :)

I Pray for You All

Dear mom,

Not a ton to report this week. The work is going well, and we are having a blast! 

The N. kids are going to be baptized on the 20th. I got to go on an exchange with Elder Cardon, which was GRAND! He is a great missionary. It was fun to be reunited with my good ol' MTC companion again. Great guy.

Glad to hear things at home are going well. I pray for you all, and especially Jami, every day. I know the Lord answers prayers. Simple as that!

Cool about the sisters in our stake. You should plan on feeding them right soon after I get home. I hope they're hot. Ha-ha j/k ;) But really.

Anyway, I don't have a lot to say today. We went and helped a member set up a new printer this morning which was fun. Technology is awesome now-a-days.

Hey that reminds me. I'm not trunky, but now that I'm thinking about it... Could you find out about job options at like Vitamin Shoppe or some place like that? Maybe look into working for Lego or Blizzard eh?

Jenni/Jake/dad (technology nerdz) what do you think I should do for a laptop/note-taking method, or is pen and paper best? I am good at pen and paper these days ha-ha- lots of practice with all these meetings we go to. 

And also. I know you all have me kindly in the palm of your hands taking care of me and all, which I really do appreciate. I just wanted to say thanks for all you do my sweet family. I love you all dearly!

I love being a missionary! :D

Love,

Elder Seaver

Bomb Diggity

Dear family!

This week was bomb diggity! We taught so much! T. N. and his sister A. (15 and 10) are preparing to be baptized next month. Their parents are members but hadn't gone to church in a long time. But they came this Sunday and it was sweet! They also have 2 adorable little kids, M. and K. (3 and almost 2). I love that family! :D We are going over there tonight to teach the word of wisdom and the Plan of Happiness. 

Man that worldwide mission president’s seminar broadcast was awesome! I absolutely loved it! We were all required to be there, and it was so worth it! I love how much emphasis the Lord and His servants are putting on member/missionary unity. The work really goes better when the members and the missionaries do it together. It is just awesome being a missionary. I love it more than anything! 

Our zone here is tiny- 2 districts. We have our district, Elder Thompson as District Leader still, and we have the Union Elders and the Union Senior Couple in our district. Then we have the Gaffney district, with Elder Bagley (whom I came out here with from the MTC) as district leader. They have Gaffney Elders and Sisters, and the Cowpens Elders. All 3 of their companionships are training. Pretty cool being in such a small zone where we can really minister one-on-one with them. It's kind of hard to explain what responsibilities of different assignments are on missions. I will do my best to explain one day, but basically all we do is relay information from President Holm to the zone, and from the zone to President Holm via the assistants. That reminds me, this Wednesday Elder Cardon is coming with Elder Nair and me on an exchange (he is an AP, and he was my MTC comp. It'll be so fun to finally get to teach with that guy! :D ). 

Well that's about it for this week. I love being a missionary! I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything! 

Love ya'll! 

Find someone to baptize this week! 

Baptize families! 

Elder Seaver

Updated Blog

Sorry I have taken so long to update James's blog-

It has been a crazy, great last couple of months.

FYI~ There are 9 new posts

Father's Day

Dear mom,

This week was indeed KILLER! My new companion is Elder Ezra Nair, he's from Chicago. He was trained by Elder Memmott right before I was companions with him, so it's a ton of fun reminiscing. He is a fantastic missionary, and we are having a blast! We worked super hard this week, and found some really sweet families. Please keep S., L., and J., and the Th- family in your prayers this week. 

Yes I got the package, thanks! That tie is awesome! And we are going to get us some sammiches after dis. 

Thanks for signing me up for school. I really appreciate all the hard work you all put in for me. I feel like I'm a bum out here making you all do so much work for me. I also feel like a bum cause I almost forgot Father's day ‘til just barely.

Dear dad, Happy Father's day! 

You already know how much I love and admire you, but I would like to share one story I really appreciate about you in this email. 

Just the other day I was wrestling with Elder Thompson when all of a sudden I smacked myself right in the face. I instantly remembered that one time I put my hand on your ankle and you went to heel-drop my hand. I expertly dodged, and you dented your own leg with the fury from above. Remember that? Ha-ha. Anyway, long story short, I have gained a very high pain tolerance from all our wrastlin, and I am grateful for it. It helps me just work through the blisters, sore muscles, chafing (oh the chafing.. Friggin’ humidity.); the mental stress and spiritual stress is also something I have learned to work through from watching your boss-master-Jedi example. Thanks for being my dad, and my sparring partner!

That's about all I got for this week. I love ya'll a ton! I am grateful to be a missionary!

Love,

Elder Seaver

Please Share Your Testimony of........

Dear family,

Big news this week as follows:

1) Elder Tonge went home Tuesday for knee surgery. That means for the last week I have been in a three pack with Elder Thompson and Elder Davis. Dream come true! Companions with Elder Thompson at last!!! :) Elder Tonge is expecting to be back by the end of summer. 

2) We had a killer week! We taught this awesome family, the N-, and they came to church! Well, most of them did. It's a mom and her twin 16-year-old boy and girl, and a little 19-month-old girl. The 16-year-old girl didn't come- but she promised to next week! They had a ton of friends that go to the ward here and didn't even know, including one of the kids' teachers at school ha-ha. We also had this guy who has been investigating for months and months come to church named R. He is an ex-Jehovah's Witness and ex-Catholic. If you just combined all the positive qualities of those churches and doctrines and add a little Priesthood, you get Mormon! It was sweet.

3) President Holm called me Saturday giving me some information about the next transfer (starting this Wednesday). Elder Thompson and Elder Davis will be staying here in Spartanburg as a companionship. I will be getting a new companion. I'm staying here as well. They are splitting our zone (the Greenville East zone) and President asked me to be a zone leader again in the new zone. That's all I know so far- I will tell you more after transfers when I know.

Yeah, there is the week. It was awesome! I love being a missionary!!!! 

That's about it for me this week! If ya'll could, I would appreciate some emails wherein you bear your testimony and share specific experiences of blessings you've received from living a specific commandment (i.e. law of tithing, word of wisdom, law of chastity, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, etc.). It would help a lot with some people we are teaching. Thanks!

Love ya'll muchly! I appreciate all you do! Ya'll are the best family in the world- I wouldn't trade you for a thing! Except for maybe a recipe for tamale pie. I'm craving that goodness! :D

Love,

Elder Seaver. 

Bold as Bold can be

Dear mom,

This week was awesome! We had interviews and a fireside on Tuesday.

Elder Tonge had some bad news about his knee, he has to go home for surgery. Torn meniscus and multi-loculated cyst mass from taking too long to get it looked at. We don't know when he is leaving, but we found out Friday.

He had to talk to Sister Holm since she is in charge of medical during interviews in the interview room, so President and I did our interview walking around outside the church. That was fun. He said "this will probably be the last formal you and I have." he then promised me that if I was bold as bold can be, not overbearing, but nearly that bold "aim for overbold rather than underbold" that I would see more success this last two transfers in bring souls to Christ than I have in the last year. So since Tuesday we did that.

We were SO bold. And we taught double the lessons we have all transfer. We put double the people on date for baptism than we have had all transfer. We had double the people come to church than we had the whole last transfer. It was awesome! I love being bold! The trick is to just start teaching people and asking them about themselves rather thank asking, "could we come in for a few minutes and share a message?" It's awesome! I love being a missionary so much!

Transfers are coming up a week from Wednesday. President and I discussed what the Lord wants for me to do these last two transfers. He said, "You came out with Elder Thompson right?" I said yes. He just looked at me and said "hmm" three times. Then he paused and said "I will pray about transfers next week. That's good to know. Hmm." Elder Thompson and I have prayed and wished to be companions for our whole missions- maybe it'll happen! :) We are getting sisters in the next transfer or two here in Spartanburg, so they may take one companionship of Elders out. We'll see. I'll keep you posted. 

I'm glad to hear the family is doing well! I wear my Team Jami shirt whenever I wanna look classy- you know I like to look classy, and that fiery red with the perfect logo on it just looks so classy. It also prompts people to ask me about my amazing sister Jami, of whom I can then share stories. Then people say they will keep her in her prayers. They may not be of our faith, but I am 100% sure God answers to every prayer offered in faith unto Him. :)

I love being a missionary so much! I -can hardly believe it! It's the most fulfilling thing in the world. It's the only thing I've done in my life with any significance. I am grateful to be here. I love South Carolina!

Love ya'll muchly!

Elder Seaver

Good Memorial Day

Dear mom,

Well I don't really have a lot to talk about this week. We are still struggling along to do the work here. Things are moving slow. But we're working hard anyway! There is another No More Strangers fireside coming up this week- tomorrow actually- and there are interviews in the morning. 

The library is closed, and I didn't want to wait to email till Wednesday, so I used my geniuseness to develop a solution. Our key in the church opens up the clerk's office, and in there I found a key to the family history library, and, well, here we are. We came here after going fishing with Soua again! Elder Thompson caught 17 fish hahahahahaha. I caught 6. It was fun! Good memorial day.

Well honestly that's about it for this week. I do have a question though. When you send me my medication (which I am in dire need of by the way, my asthma is awful right now!), can you find some kind of non-drowsy allergy medicine and some eye drops that are just real tears (free of additives, just, well, tears)? I'm dying out here from the pollen. 

Anyway, that Lego x-wing sounds superb! Did you take pictures? 

Thanks for being such an awesome family! Love ya'll muchly!!!!!!

Elder Seaver

Gaining Momentum

Dear mom,

This week we did a lot of good work. The family that let us SKYPE are the R- family. They are awesome. He is from Canada and served his mission here. She is from here, grew up in that house, and she tells us stories of carrying bricks down the road to build the LDS church we now go to. Pretty cool. They have a daughter, R., who is somewhere in her 20s. They’re a cool family. We are teaching R.'s friend A. now. She has come to church twice. She is cool. 

Elder Tonge has an injured knee so we stay in a lot so he can rest it. We go to the doctor tomorrow. I understand his difficulties, and I don't mind doing whatever it takes to help him get better so he can enjoy his mission.

You can only read through the area book so many times before my mind goes—

HIVEJWIAJFEIWA*explosion*UJHIJWAVE *UTAH!*  

Hahahahahahahahaha!

But other than that the work is going well.  We are gaining momentum here.

I am tired as heck.

Dad, I saw the email about my talk topic- that sounds awesome! I can think of a bunch of stuff already. Do you think they would let me give the young men or elders- whoever I teach, mom wasn't sure- an assignment to do before I get home so we can talk about it on that Sunday when I teach ‘em? I want ‘em to read that same talk and Doctrine and Covenants section 4, and section 121:34-46.

Hey question, are you sending me Singulair any time soon? I could really use some of that good stuff. :)

Love ya'll greatly muchly mucho!

Elder Seaver

I Love M.E.

Dear mom,

MAN THOSE BABIES ARE CUTE! AHHH!!!

Anyway, that behind us now, I pretty much told you everything from this week. Except for us going to visit the S. again after talking with ya'll. The husband M. is still not home. He is in Charleston for a while, and comes to visit every so often. But J. and B. and L. and M. JR and H. are all doing fine and we are going to start teaching them again on Friday. They were so excited to see us and we were excited to see them and they said they are now ready to get into church for good. I am excited as heck! :)

Hey, comment on the mail thing- yes Lori has been taking care of me in that respect. She is a great lady. I love her and appreciate her a lot! I don't mind not getting mail because really it was just a distraction. I would be worried about what was in the box 'til we checked, and then wonder what was in the letters 'til we were done planning so I could read it. Now I can focus on the people here instead of at home. Blessings come in disguise sometimes eh?

As for the 23^rd- As far as I know it's just going to be me. But yeah, I am definitely driving up to Eagle, Idaho (not Ogden) to see Elder Thompson speak. It'll be fun! I met his family straightway after seeing ya'll and they are hilarious! It'll be fun to meet them in real life too.

I know my time with each companion has taught me a lesson or two that have blessed my life forever. I trained Elder Horne, and I got to go on an exchange with him on Friday. It was a blast to be reunited with him! He is a fantastic missionary. He is a blast! And now I'm a great grandpa- I trained him, he trained Elder Cook, and now Elder Cook is training Elder Adams. Ha-ha! :)

So. I already emailed Jenni, but just to be clear cause I typed fast and was busy looking at pictures of sweet babies. I don't know how college works at all. I just know mechanical engineering is my major, I will live at home this semester, and I will find a job when I get home. So whatever classes they think would be best to start with, including that week before math refresher is what I want to do (they being the masters of BYU, Jenni and Jake). :)

Ya'll are great! I love ya'll muchly! :D

Elder Seaver

P.S. Today I asked my mission president about doing a layover in Detroit so I could see the babies. I plan on finding out if that's possible in the next couple weeks. We'll see.

P.P.S. Jami, tumor girl, I have recently heard a joke I think you will enjoy.

What do you get when two drums and a cymbal fall off a cliff?

·      Da Dum Tss.

 What do you get when an entire marching band falls off a cliff?

·      A good start.

Mother's Day

Thanks mom for being awesome! I love you so much! 

I realize I never sent you a Mother's Day card- with SKYPE I totally spaced it- but I hope you know I respect and admire and love you more than I can ever express. 

I am grateful to have a mom who in the same sentence can tell me she loves me and tell me I smell like a dog. I am grateful to have a mom who makes me sandwiches when I'm just too dang lazy to do it myself, but still pushes me to excellence when she knows what's good for me. I'm grateful for a mom who earned her eagle scout- I mean, who helped me earn my eagle scout. 

I love my mom!

Love, 

Your handsome son Elder Seaver