P-Day Email

Hey guys, what's up? Things are going good here. Last week was rough because the people were rude ! Everyone is rich here. They are very prideful. I wish there was a ghetto cuz they are the humble ones. I love tracting the apartments because they will listen but you go to the homes and they don't give you the time of day. One guy opened and was laughing and said seriously? then slammed the door. We both said " Have a nice day sir" and he said kiss my ***.....it was hilarious. Last tuesday I went on my first exchange.......I went over to leesburg and served in the goose creek ward from monday at 5 till wed at district meeting. It was really fun except I was on a bike !!!! And there were a million hills ! My legs were killing me...I was soooo tired. I have a new respect for those elders on bikes...its not easy. The elders there live in a huge members home. So I took a pic of it. It was fun though, good to get a change ya know? I have to give a doctrinal lesson at district meeting on wed on unity and why christs tells us to be unified as one. I am scared but its all good, just gotta do it. Then were teaching the priests quorom on sunday. Should be interesting. I guess this is part of being a missionary ! Love you all!

Teaching at Starbucks

Hi guys,
I'm glad to hear that the jazz finally beat the Spurs in San Antonio. It's about time! I'm sending a memory card with this letter with pictures on it, so hopefully it makes it ok! It's starting to get colder here. Today is overcast which I love. All of the trees have no leaves which sucks. I met people from Ugonoa and Yugoslavia yesterday. It was fun! We have a missionary coming to our mission from Pakistan. Crazy huh! We are teaching a lesson to an investigator tomorrow at Starbucks. That's where he watned to meet. It will be my first time teaching an investigator so wish me luck! That was cool to hear that Real Salt Lake won. We have an investigator with a baptism date (January 9) who is from Sierra Leune and he was watching that game yesterday. He has been an investigator for like 6 months but drinks and smokes. This guy we are teaching is someone my comp found tracting the day before I got here. Well I gotta get goin. I hope you are all doing well! I love you guys!

Love, Elder Davie

The Work Is Going Good

November 16, 2009

Hey!
It was good talking with ya'll on email. The computer was being dumb so sorry. I will try and answer any questions you may have. My comp is Elder Lee from Delta, UT. He is good. He has taught me a lot. We are serving in two wards. Both wards are huge! It rained Wed, Thurs, Fri, & Sat, but has been sunny and warm since. We just got done doing some shopping and ate at Moes Southwest Grill which was good. The diversity is crazy here! We have 5 investigators - one from Iran, one from Sierra Leone, & I love it!! My first day tracting it took like 20 doors to find another white person. I am learning to love the mission. Every day I wake up and have a greater desire to do the work. I just need to build my confidence a little. There is one lady we tracted into who said she had been praying to find out how to find more peace in her life. She is a single black lady who just moved from the hood (DC). She was in tears when she saw us at her door and heard our message. We are going there on Wed to teach her about the restoration. Pray for her! Also, we have an investigator who has been investigating the church for 6 months. He needs to stop drinking & smoking. He has a baptismal date for Jan 9th so keep him in your prayers. The work is going good. There's a good chance we could have 2 baptisms in this transfer which would be amazing. There are so many town homes here, like everywhere, but really nice ones. And the homes are so big and so nice. The bishops house is incredible. We have to part our hair because of the people here, very smart educated kind of people. The stake president owns like Shell gas stations or something. Tons of people from the ward work at the Pentagon. We are going to the temple visitor's center this week. Then in a couple weeks we're going to DC for p-day. Then in four weeks, our whole mission got invited to capitol hill to meet some senators and stuff. Scary! So we have a lot of stuff planned. I don't think I need anything. I met people in the ward who lived in Temecula. Anyways, I think that's all the news from me. Let me know if you guys have any other questions! I love you guys!!

Love,
Elder Davie

Greetings From Ashburn, Virginia

Our first letter from Brendan while in Virginia. Dated Friday, 11/13/2009.

"Hey,
Greetings from Ashburn, VA. I have no idea where it is, but that's where I live. So we got to the airport in DC at about 3:45. Russel M Nelson was on our flight and so he talked with President Albright for a minute. We were all welcomed by 2 AP's and President. Then we went to the mission home, about a 40 minute drive). We did some training and then had dinner (Lasagna). Then we did more training and had a testimony meeting. I was sweating it up! Then all 18 of us went to bed in the basement. They had a ton of bunk beds. We had to all be ready by 7 the next morning which meant waking up at 5. We had breakfast (Egg Casserole) and did more training. We all interviewed with President on Wednesday night. I was the first. He didn't mention anything about the memorizing stuff. Anyways then Thursday at about 12 we went to transfer meeting. I was scared to death! I met my trainer, Elder Lee from Delta, UT, and he's been out for 14 months. We are serving in Ashburn were we cover 2 wards. We go to church from 11-4 on Sundays. I invited someone to be baptized yesterday. I guess it's tradition to do it on the 1st day. She aint getting baptized though! :) We went tracting a lot yesterday but didn't meet 1 American haha. We met people from Peru, Israel, Egypt, and India. We had a mircale last night though. We had 2 appointments that were confirmed with less actives. Neither answered so we went tracting before our next appointment. It was about 8 PM and the first lady opened her door and said, "It's too late! Go to bed!" I answered, "I wish I could!" and walked away. The next door opened and it was a lady named Sheena. She was eating but threw her food down and talked with us. She wept as she told us she prayed just recently about how to find peace. The first thing my companion said when she opened the door was, "We're here to talk to you about how you can find peace in your life". Sheena is so ready for the gospel! We are teaching her the first lesson next week so keep her in your prayers. She is a single lady about 30 and is an air traffic controller. That was a great experience. That kept me going because I have felt very home sick since I got here. Every second I'm out of my comfort zone and that weighs you down mentally. Please pray for me because I miss you guys! It's hard not to think about 2 long years ahead of me. I will be find though! We are doing weekly planning and have been since 10 and it's 2 right now. It's intense! Anyways, that's the first couple days for ya. Me and my comp live by ourselves in a decent apartment. I took pictures so I will send the memory card when you send that one back. Tell everyone hello for me! Love, Elder Davie."

He's Alive

November 16, 2009

We received a few emails from Elder Davie today. He made it to DC and is doing fine! He said it's a tradition to invite someone to baptism your first day of tracting (a stranger who's never had the lessons before). He did it, but it was "not my idea of fun"! All mail goes through the mission office so I've updated the address to the right! That will be his address the whole mission. It was good to hear from him and know that he's being taken care of! We'll post a letter again as soon as we get one!

MTC Pictures

The Church is True

November 8, 2009

Hey!
So I saw Dennis twice today! It was awesome! I am feeling about 95% health so all is well. It is a blessing to be healthy! So I leave on Wednesday morning to start my service in the "field". I have mixed emotions. First I'm scared out of my mind. Not just scared, but terrified! But, I was also terrified to come to the MTC and now I feel myself not looking forward to saying bye to some people here. Some people you meet are just good people! People who affect your life just by being themselves. I have met a couple people like that, both of which were in quarantine. I met an elder who is going to Tahiti. He leaves tomorrow. Guess where he is from? Hesperia, CA. So ofcourse I told him about Dad. Ofcourse he didn't know him. The second person I met in quarantine was a 21 year old from Equador. Elder Baderon? He speaks minimal english, but we still built that friendship and trust as if we knew each other for much longer. His love for the Gospel and for the Savior is so apparant that I felt it without him communicating it to me. He has shown me how to serve and how to love our Savior in a way that I will never forget! I'm so excited to go to DC. I can't wait to share my knowledge and my testimony with real people who are looking for something in their life. What a joy it is to stop my life and devote ALL my time to invite others to come unto Christ! What a sacred and overwhelming thing it is to wake up every morning and put on my name tag stating that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I am literally called to "say and do what He himself would say and do if he were personally ministering to the very people who he has sent unto me". I am excited to overcome another fear of mine, for I feel as if I've grown after coming to the MTC. The thought of coming to the MTC used to invoke feelings of fear, my stomach would be in complete knots! As I am preparing to leave this wonderful, I am faced with those same feelings. Sorry if this letter caught you off guard or sounds like I'm rambling, but I wanted to express these thoughts with you. For the first time, I feel ready to share the gospel. I know without a doubt that the church is true! I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't know that. I wouldn't have spent 3 painful years repenting and preparing to serve if I didn't know it was true. I ask you guys to remember and say your prayers, study the scriptures, come to know Christ and to love him like he loves us. You will see so manhy blessings if you do that. Well those were my thoughts going through my head the last couple days. This will probably be my last letter from the MTC. I will try and call from the airport though. Thanks for your guys help in getting me here! Being a missionary is that hardest thing ever, but I love it! I will call wed and write / email the first opportunity I get from DC. be sure to keep a lookout on the mission blog for my pic! Crazy! I can't believe I'm really doing this! Well, I love you guys so much! Thanks for all you do for me! Even though I'm not home, you still take care of me! I love you!!

Love,
Elder Davie

Bring on DC baby!

Pray for Mike

November 6, 2009

Fam!
What's up ya'll? I am feeling so much better. I actually miss the guys from quarantine though, met some good people there! I sent you a memory card that has a few pics on it! Hope you like it! I'm getting a huge cold sore on my lip, ouch! We had an elder in our district go in for appendicitis surgery. We just can't stay healthy! So Nate, I'm glad to hear Wes Matthews is doing his thing! I like that dude! Nate, what's the best way to call from the airport? Use a calling card or do I just need to bring a bunch of quarters? Also, did you buy a visual for the plan of salvation or just make one? So tonight at the referral center, I got an online chat. He is 30 and is done partying and wants direction in his life. So I taught him the first discussion. He was having a hard time understanding the difference between prophets and pastors. He was asking some tough questions. It was a great experience. He said he will go to church on Sunday which I don't know what the odds are that he really will, but you never know! It's an amazing feeling to know that maybe, just maybe I planted a seed? I don't know ... he didn't want to schedule another chat so pray for him! His name was Mike! Pray in family and personal prayers that he will feel impressed to go to church! That would be awesome!! Well, I gotta get ready for bed. I have another long joyful class filled day! I love you guys so much! Be good ya'll!

Love,
Elder Davie

Apple Bowling

This letter was actually put in the wrong mailbox by our mailman and our neighbor brought it over to us today, so it's a few days old....dated November 3, 2009.

"Hello!
How are you guys? I'm glad you had fun at the Jazz game and had a great Halloween. SO I got swine flu I guess and now I'm sitting in quarantine for the next 5 days. You can't leave the floor. You can sleep whenever you want and study whenever. The last couple of days were rough but I'm starting to feel better now! I'm in a room with 3 other elders. One's from California and going to Tahiti, one's from Sandy going to New Zealand, and the other is straight out of Ecuador going to California. He's been at the MTC for 5 weeks so he knows minimal english. It's not to horrible in here. I should be out of quarantine on Friday and then I can go pick up a CD that I ordered that has all my pics on it and then I sill send it to you guys! They bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner to our rooms. It's always cold! And the showers have no hot water! How lame is that?! There are only 5 of us in quarantine on this floor. There were like 10 but 5 got out today whcih was a blessing because I couldn't stand them sometimes! They were playing "Apple Bowling" in the hall until like 11 PM and then again at 7 this morning! The last thing you wann do while you're laying in bed sick is to be kept up by a bunch of weirdos apple bowling. That's when I pinched myself to see if this was a wierd dream, but nope! It's real! I've been here for 32 1/2 hours but who's counting! I am bummed I'm missing out on class and other things that were helping me. Our distric is very united and they were ver kind to me and helped me! Well I'm gonna hit the sack! I'm feeling much better so no worries! I love and miss you guys!

Love Elder Davie

P.S. I fly out on Wednesday, November 11th, so I will try and call ya'll from the airport. Love ya!"

Pressing Forward

November 3, 2009

Ashley-
How are ya? Not sure if you heard the awesome news or not, I have Swine Flu! And the test where they stick that thing up your nose is not enjoyable! I started feeling sick last Saturday (Halloween), it got worse Sunday, then got unbearable on Monday so I went to the health clinic where they confirmed my suspicions. so I had to sit in the "sick bay" room and wait for a worker to get me. He took me to my room where I was told to pack a small bag of reading and study materials. Once I did that we got in this electric cart thing and he drove me to "quarantine" or "isolation" or "prison" as I like to think of it. So now I'm sharing a room with 3 other infected elders. I'm on Tamiflu again. We can't leave this floor so basically we have a small dorm, bathroom, and hallway. They deliver breakfast, lunch, & dinner and it's cold and gross. The showers have no hot water. Basically we read & study & sleep all day. They told us we can sleep whenever we want. I got here yesterday at about 1:00 and have to be here 5 days. No class which sucks because that's where I learn a lot. So the past coupld days have been miserable and have been a test of my faith and patience. Today I am feeling much better though and I feel like things are moving forward once again. I had great support from my district. I loved hearing about your Halloween. It puts a smile on my face when you talk about Dal. I'm glad he still remembers me! I'm glad he's not allergic to Darla! Well, I better get going. Thanks again for all your letters. Sometimes that's what it takes to keep myself pressing forward!! I am feeling much better though so it's all good. I love and miss you guys!

Love,
Elder Davie

Letter to Dallin

November 3, 2009

Dal!
I miss you tons! don't forget how much your Uncle Brendan love you and misses you! Be good for mommy & daddy, ok? I will talk to you next Wed when I call from the airport so make sure mommy answers it! I love you bud!!

Elder Davie

Update

We received an email from Elder Davie this afternoon that said he is out of quarantine and doing much better. He got four shots yesterday and a "bunch of pills" and about four hours later he was feeling 90% better! Thanks for all your prayers!

Swine Flu

November 1, 2009

Yo!
Just a heads up I've got the flu I think. I am going to go to the health clinic since I have a fever. They usually require you to stay in quarantine for like 5 days so if you don't hear from me, that's why. I'm not sure if you can still write letters there or not because I don't think you can leave the building. I feel miserable, but my roommates just gave me a blessing so hopefully the rest of tonight won't be too horrible. I will be fine though so don't worry. I will keep ya posted!

Love,
Elder Davie

P.S. Health clinic is closed Sundays so I will stop by tomorrow morning. Love you guys!

Officially Sick

October 31, 2009

Hey!
How are you guys? Just as I expected, today was VERY long. I think I am officially sick, but don't want to say anything because I don't want to go to quarantine. I will lose out on too much. So I'm just dealing with it which isn't fun. My alarm clock fell off my bed and broe so I bought a new one at the bookstore for like three bucks. How's Emily's new job? Tell her thanks for the letter! So what did you guys do this weekend? I forgot it was the weekend. All the days just blend together. We started teaching the plan of salvation today. It was rough! Help Nate!! Did you use visuals? Any ideas? Keep draining those 3's Nate! I used to play ball at gym here, but they get way too serious. So I now play 4 square which sounds childish, but it is good times! Tomorrow night after our fireside we get to watch the Joseph movie. Should be fun. Also tomorrow me and my comp get to teach our district for 10 minutes on why we need prophets. Piece of cake! There's one elder in our district who loves to call me Mr Clean because I am going bald. He said the glare of my head blinds him during class. It's hillarious. Me and him get along the best so its fun. He is going to South Dakota though. Anyways, don't forget to change your clocks! I love you guys!
Love,
Elder Davie

Good Times

Letter dated Friday October 30, 2009:

Hey Guys!
I'm glad you're getting all my letters! Thanks for the package. The mask is hillarious. What is the tape for? I ordered a cd with my pictures I have taken so far so I will send it when I get it! There should be a couple of videos on there too. Tomorrow is Sat which is no bueno! 8-12 class, 12:45-5 class, 5:45-9 class. It is a very long day! Also, I am not feeling very well! Oh well. So I got like 6 letters today, it was awesome! I hope mom and Nate had fun at the game. I'm jealous! So word on the street is that I snore really loud. It's hillarious. My alarm clock fell and broke. Good times! There was a new district that got here on Wed. Their classroom is right next to ours. Their teacher asked us if each companionship would talk to one of her companionships because they are struggling and a few are contemplating going home. Me and my comp grabbed the 2 elders we were assigned to talk to and went in an empty room. As me and my comp talked to these elders, tears were shed and hearts were touched. The spirit was amongst the most strong I have ever felt. Testimonies of the atonement were shared and I felt God's love. I am so grateful for this experience. Two weeks ago I wouldn't have been able to share my testimony and give advice to our fellow brothers who are serving the Lord. Pray for me and pray for them! I am teaching the plan of salvation for the first time tomorrow in TE so wish me luck! I got a package from my work with cookies so that was nice! Our swine flu guy is back so I'm back with just my comp. Well I am getting tired and it's almost bed time. Thanks for all your support! I miss you guys! Go to church on Sunday & keep the Sabbath day holy!! Love you!

Elder Davie

Emailing w/ Mom

B: Hey mom its brendan, are you there?

M: YIPEE. Yes I am. How are you feeling??

B: ughh....not too good. I don't know what the deal is. I have been so sick since sunday! My throat has never felt like this before! Im gonna ask the doc today for some medicine for it. Its miserable ! But I'm hanging in there!

M: If your throat hurts that bad you may have strep throat or something. Did you leave your winter coat home on purpose or did you just forget it? You are going to need it to stay warm in DC.

B: I have been in quarantine since Monday. The doc comes every day but he's just rude. Today I need to ask him for throat medicine though. So ya quarantine is really boring. You can't go outside. Your isolated to this 3rd floor of this building for like 6 days, but they said it shouldn't delay my departure to DC.

M: Did the Dr. give you any medicine at all? Do they still make you work or do they let you lay down and sleep. How do you get your meals? Do they bring them to you??? It must really be a bummer to be sick and not have your mommy there to take care of you. I miss you so much. I finally started cleaning out your room.

B: Ya he gave me tamiflu and told me to take advil ....but its not doing the job. They deliver our breakfast lunch and dinner....but I have only had a handfull of things to eat since sunday cuz i just have no appettite cuz my throat. I will talk to the doctor when he comes today and see what he says and let you know. They don't make us work no....We can sleep whenever we want....and we have preach my gospel and scriptures and stuff to study. Miss you a lot too! I am doing really well though besides the whole sick thing....I was just in the zone ya know then bam this hit me and slowed me down...Hey I only have a few minutes left so I will keep chatting as long as I can but if I get kicked off I love you so much ! Thanks for your love and support !!!! :) I love you so much !!!!!!! Can't believe I can say " I'm on a mission"! its the best feeling...... Love you mom!!!!

Letter to Dallin

Hey Ash & Dal:
Thanks for all your letters! I love it! I love hearing from you! I am a little under the weather so that makes the days a little longer. Tomorrow is basically class all day, it's rough! Every day here feels the same. It's weird. I usually have no idea what day it is. I forgot to tell the fam in their letter so mae sure and tell them that I got my flight plans. I leave on November 11th. I gotta go, but I love you guys!
Love,
Elder Davie