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!