Young Man, You Are Absolutely Gorgeous

Mom! 

This week has been one of the tougher weeks so far. We've been struggling as a district lately. Some of us have been disobedient to the little rules and we are suffering for it. So we'll be making some changes this week in our behaviors. That way the Lord can bless us for obedience. That's the major reason He gives us so many rules. Yeah they keep us safe and whatever else, but I feel like He gives us rules so we can keep them and be blessed, not to inconvenience us. And rules are rules, after all, not suggestions.

So we were doing laundry last Monday; I saw that one of the dryers only needed 4 more quarters (someone had evidently put one in already) so I put one of mine in. It was jammed! I was finagled out of a quarter! So we pounded on it for a while to get it back when, to our surprise, we were blessed with 18 quarters coming out of the "return" slot! We made $2.25- nearly an entire extra load of laundry! :D

We were out somewhere, I don't remember where, when a lady said, "Young man!" I turned around and she said to me, "Young man, you are absolutely gorgeous," and walked away...

Do you know any Rhumatologists that may be hiring in the near future? We have a member here who wants to move to Provo this coming summer, and she is a nurse. She wants to work for a Rhumatologist. So if you know anyone, let me know please :)

So that's about it for this week. I'll close with a joke I heard from a member:

What do a hurricane, a tornado, and a redneck divorce have in common?

Someone is gonna lose a trailer.

Love ya! Glad to hear y'all are doin well!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

"Don't Ever Give Up, My Son."

 Mom!


Sweet Moses. This week I have been getting cabin fever a bit. I feel like we've knocked every door in Anderson! We are working hard, but no one seems to be interested in Jesus Christ right now. It makes me sad every time someone closes the door. I've been down in the dumps this week. I haven't cried once on my mission until this week. I don't really cry so much as I get watery eyes and depressed that these people are missing out on so many blessings! Plus the week of solid rain and 30 degree weather doesn't help..

So on Friday there was a Leadership Training meeting in Irmo. Since I'm just a junior companion right now I didn't go. Normally I would have just went and three-packed with Seneca, but they are training there so they went to the meeting, too. That put me down in Greenwood. That's a biking area, and I can't bike, so we walked all day. Elder Cahoon was my companion. That was the most fun I've had on my mission to date! He is the best! I hope I get to serve with him again! He's from West Jordan, Utah, so I'm sure we'll be able to hang after we get home. He's been out just over a year now. We found a new investigator, put him on date for baptism this month, and taught many lessons. We also went up to a person and Elder Cahoon said "Good day sir!" They responded "I'm a ma'am and we're not interested!" Ouch. Haha!

  

One day Elder Hahn and I found an old abandoned mill (not hard to do; there's about 1000 or so in the state, and 10ish just in Anderson, with 20ish in our area) and explored around in it for a few minutes. It was cool! The last report we found was December 26th, 1998. It reported assets around $17 million, and liabilities right around $17 million. They had $1,000ish left over and still had to pay the workers' salary. So... They shut down.

Well the last thing I want to do today is mention something I find hysterical, not hilarious. It's a funny situation, but I'm not laughing... I was looking at the record from the MTC a couple days ago. The Health Department had, hmm, miscommunicated I guess is the word. Or rather, messed up. I was supposed to get a Hep A shot. They gave me a Hep B. So... I am extra B immune, but that messes up the Hep A 6-month cycle deal. I say screw it, I'm fine, I'll wait till I get home and get a REAL doctor to do it.

Anywho, I love being on a mission, and I love serving the Lord!

One of my favorite quotes in the world is this:

"Don't ever give up, my son." 
That simple sentence gives me a drive to do all I can. It brings strength when I think I have none left. Where did it come from, you wonder? None other than... Starfox! Yes, video games ARE good for kids! :D

I love y'all so much!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

P.S. Mom, no I did not forget... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! You're 29! Again! Love you!!!

1.5 Million Steps So Far!

Mom,

Okay, on to the work in this area. There is nothing new to report. Just a lull in the work as we try new ways to find, teach, and baptize. Well, new ways to find and teach- we know there is only one-way to baptize. Haha.

So New Year's Eve was great! We came in at 5 for dinner, then we were on "lockdown" the rest of the evening. I fell asleep at 8ish, so I got a ton of sleep! I needed it, too, so that was good :) As you know by now, yes, the library was closed yesterday, so here we are today!

You'll never guess where I just came from! That's right, the Anderson City Health Department! I got my last Hep B shot today, just like the doctor at the MTC ordered. Yum. Haha. 

To answer your question, we had 1 dinner, 2 families were in attendance, on Christmas.

So my step counter you sent me broke... It quit counting! But I got a new one, so we're ok. I'm over 1.5 million steps so far! I don't know if that's a lot compared to average, but it's a lot more than I thought!

We got some more ties at Goodwill, and the register calls ties "Men's lingerie," so I was wondering- where have these ties been?! Who was wearing them as a loin cloth or whatever to get it registered as lingerie?! Ew.

Go to a store and find a perfume or an oil or soap or something scented as "tea olive". It smells amazing.

That's about it for SCCM this week.

I love the heck outta all y'all! Literally.

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

Holy Moses it was Fantastic to See Y'all

Mom!

So we were given permission to email today since the libraries were all closed yesterday. Not much has changed in 2 days... But holy Moses was it fantastic to see y'all! I can't believe how different everyone looked! Except for you and dad, y'all looked about the same. It was so awesome to be able to talk to everyone! I can't believe I've been out for 4 months already. It's so crazy! It seems so slow in the moment, but time has flown looking back.

We went to the mall on Monday cause we both had Christmas cash, and no email, so lots of time to kill. It was fun for a while, but, as you know, shopping blows, and we got really tired, really fast. :p

I have been realizing lately, as I think about high school and whatnot, that, contrary to how I thought I'd feel about it, I only have good memories about it. I thought I'd grow up and tell my kids one day that I hated it, but turns out it was a lot of fun being in high school. Minus little tiffs and whatever (which is normal for everyone) it was fun. I'd never want to go back, but yknow. ;)

Yeah, Sean emails me pretty much every week, and I write back as soon as I can. He keeps me updated on all those friends I've got :p I love hearing about his life, and how he's realizing the Gospel's influence in everything. It's incredible to see, from this side, how y'all are changing and growing; even though I am missing it, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Yes, I SKYPEd from the Woods' house. They, and another family, the Pabsts, fed us a waffle dinner. Jenni woulda loved it, and it was stinkin’ delicious! Brother and Sister Woods are so awesome, and I'm so thankful to be friends with them. Their kids are so funny, too. It's always an adventure going there :p

Well that about sums up everything I've got. I really love you guys. Even though I miss home still, I'm not homesick anymore, yknow? It's like, yeah it'd be nice to be there, but this is home for now. I love serving the Lord and the people of Anderson, and I'll love coming home in 619 days, 8 hours, 46 minutes, and some change (who's counting anyway?)!

Love y'all!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

Drum Roll Please

Mom!


Our week has been slow otherwise, and we are struggling to find new investigators. We have one, C B (his step-mom called you not long ago), who is going well, though he will probably not make the covenant till January. Oh well...

So we need new brakes on our car, and no one up in Anderson will take Elder Hunt's (the senior couple Elder in charge of the cars) credit card over the phone. More on that later.

So transfers are Wednesday. We get a call each Saturday before transfers saying who will stay and who will go, though no info on where they're going or who is coming in. Drum roll please............ I will be........... Staying in Anderson! I will be here until at least February 1st, meaning I will be able to SKYPE y'all! I will also be receiving a new companion!

So some news. Remember Elder Thompson y'all wrote for me? He came out with us and he is training a new missionary. He has to go down to Columbia on Tuesday, and he will be in the 12 week training program with a new Elder for, well, the next 12 weeks. We're all wondering what will happen since he can't drive (didn't turn in all the paperwork...) and new Elders can't for at least a month. :p

I will ask President on Wednesday if I can look. We go to the Library every Friday anyways to check out mormon.org. I think he'll be ok with it, but we'll see. We'll talk more on Sunday about that.

Is there any new Singulair in the box you sent for Christmas? If not, in the next email can you tell me how I can get some? I've been out since Wednesday and I'm feelin it...

So Dad, thank you for teaching me how to not scrape when I drive and to take care of my ride. Everyone that drives our mission cars, aka the Lord's cars, either doesn't care or doesn't know how to take care. Elder G scrapes the car on what seems to be flat ground all the time! And they all park like sheep right in the pack... Shame shame... Hopefully I get to drive this coming transfer, but we'll see. Either way, my new companion will not be sheep-parking :p These poor mission cars don't need any more dings...

So Brandon Flowers, the lead singer for the Killers, has a mormon.org video. The song on there is addicting! I wish I had it... I don't know if it's missionary approved though... :/

Um.. Steve Jobs died?! When did that happen?! DID that happen? I heard about it in passing. Is it true? Details please!

I heard a silly joke the other day: A woman was speeding down the road and was pulled over by the State Trooper. The Trooper walked up to her window and she said "Are you gonna invite me to one of those fancy State Trooper Balls?"

The Trooper looked at her in puzzlement and said "State Troopers don't have balls, ma'am."

Blushing, the Trooper let the woman go with an ashamed wave...

Last thing, last night I had a dream I was hanging out with Sean and some new friends he had. One of them asked my name and I responded, "Well am I still on my mission in this dream?" The person I was talking to nodded so I said, "I'm Elder Seaver. But when I decide I'm not on my mission in this dream I'll be James." Haha. What? Weird...

Well that about sums up the week.

I love you all so much!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

White December

Mom!

Holy Moses I'm almost done with my 2nd transfer! Phase 1 complete. 

So this week has been slow for us, like the last few. We're struggling to find new investigators, and all the people we are "teaching" are rescheduling our appointments, so we never get to teach them. President asked us to make December a "White December" where every companionship baptizes (White cause we wear white, not racism or snow...). I'm worried we won't baptize this month!

So I'm reading the War Chapters in Alma right now and I am loving it! When I get home I'm writing 2 books: 1) Comedians of the Book of Mormon, a collection of all the funny verses in the scriptures, and 2) Teancum - The First Rogue, an in-depth review of Teancum and his mad ninja skills. That's my retirement plan.

So I was checking out family history on new.familysearch.org (by the way, did you get my email about that?) and there is a button on my name that says "find a wife". I wanted to press it haha :p

Ok to answer the question: No we do not get copies sent to us. Supposedly there is a pile we can look through of old Ensigns and a few copies of the newest issue at every Zone Conference or Transfer Meeting, but I haven't gone to one yet :p

The first Zone Conference I'll ever have is tomorrow. The primary focus is about mormon.org. We'll finally know why President asked us to get ward members to have one! I've been dying to know (By the way, have y'all made one yet?)! It'll also be a fun Christmas party for the last half. President asked us to all fast the day before so we arrive at Zone Conference fasting, which means today from 1-tomorrow at 12 we're fasting. Fasting on a P day when we're at the apartment most of the day is gonna be hard. All that food....

Hahaha Chumlee! I love that pug, and miss him dearly. I'm glad he's doin ok, and that bed sounds AWESOME! Can't wait to try it out during our (Chumderbolt and Jimi Lightning) brotherly sleepovers when I get home haha.

Jon is gettin hitched! And Leslie! YAY! I'm so stinkin happy for them! 

As a coincidence I decided to shine my shoes (they are lookin good, too!) before we came to email today. If I hadn't, I woulda got here before your email! Divine inspiration? You decide. I think it was. The Lord loves me :D

Love you all dearly!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver

This Week Was so Dull for Us

Mom,

This week was so dull for us. We baptized everyone we were teaching and we're stuck tracting most of the time now to find new peeps. It gets old fast. We are teaching a couple, T and D, who live with a member, R (an old guy who is mostly blind now). R and T are friends, so when T and D were home-hunting (R having just bought a new house), R invited them to be his roommates. It's great for us as we teach, but they are not progressing very quickly...

SKYPE time will probably be later in the day. We're going to the Woods' house (the couple that you added to my Facebook) for dinner and that's where we'll do it. I'll call you on the phone just before. Dinner will probably be 2-4 your time, so around then. The only trouble is that there is still a possibility I will get transferred to a new area... Pray I stay in Anderson with a new companion!

I am excited for Christmas! I got super pumped for the holiday season yesterday. We went to the Anderson Christmas parade, which was fun, and we handed out cards afterwards. Then we went to the Busby's house to watch the Christmas Devotional from the First Presidency. It rocked! I really can't wait to talk to y'all, even if it does end up being just on the phone.

Y'all should get a mormon.org profile up so I can see em! Tell everyone else to get theirs up, too! Family and friends, everyone!

We met a 7-foot man the other day! He was moving so we offered to help. He was about done, so we just talked to him for a bit instead. He was moving to go be a preacher at a church in Columbia.. So he's probably not gonna get baptized any time soon :p

Ok well... Love y'all!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Seaver