2010_04_11 What to buy for Clain's Mission

Week 5 Babahoyo Written on April 11, 2010

Hey, so guess what this week has really flown by and I really can’t believe that I have been here in Babahoyo for almost a whole change I feel like I just got here and it is time for changes again. Time is going to start to fly by I know it Clain will be going on a mission here soon and then I will be getting back and wow how time flies. I remember when I left Taylor was just a little baby of nine months and now she is a little girl running around and talking and wow. It is amazing how things just change. President Gamboa is always saying the quote from President Monson that the most constant thing in life is change. How true it is. I still can’t believe it, twenty months in the mission. I am getting so old. Two years is such a short time. I still have so much to do here in Ecuador, but there just isn’t going to be the time to do it. I am running out of time.

Some advice for Clain when he is in the mission is that he should never waste any time. Always have something to do even if you are walking from one place to another, memorize scriptures and quotes. Just stay as busy as you can so that you can have the most success in your mission. I miss you all very much and I love you lots. I hope that all is well and that you can feel the blessings of the Lord in your lives.

As far as things that you should get Clain, find him a really good over coat that he can take with him. It rains a lot in Oregon and he needs something that is going to keep him dry. Here in Babahoyo, it is raining so much and all I have is a little umbrella. It doesn’t do much when it is windy and the water is coming down in buckets and buckets. Get him a good overcoat. Make sure that you have good shoes, but it shouldn’t be as big of a problem for him. His feet are smaller than mine and he will be in the states where it will be easier to get new shoes in his size. Make sure that you send him with lots of anti-diarrhea pills. They are life savers here in the mission. You take two of those suckers and you don’t have to go all day long, which is a good thing as a missionary. Well, I will keep thinking of other things that he will need as a missionary, but I have been quite well with what you sent me with, so don’t worry too much. The name labels work pretty well. They peeled off of the socks, but the rest of them are still where you put them. As far as the back pack, the one that I have been using is one that the mission was having custom made for the missionaries. It has the shoulder straps, but the bag sits at about waist level and isn’t really all that big. I have used the bag that Clain gave me, but I do like the other one better, because it is smaller and easier to use. I would suggest that he finds one that he likes that sits at waist level and that looks good but that will depend on him. He can choose which one he likes. His companions will help him figure all of this out. He will need a backpack for the MTC that is for sure, so make sure that he has one, but he might be able to wait to buy his proselyting bag in the mission. Well I love you lots!

Bye,
Elder Goode


I love you Curtis. Thanks for the info. Do you have time to tell us about your week and your baptism? Did your baptism work out? How is the other one coming that you have planned later this month?

Well we postponed the baptism for this Saturday so it should work out. We have a baptism planned for the 24th of this month. His name is Christian and he pretty much asked us to baptise him. We are also working on a few other baptisms that we will have for later. We are helping one family write up a will so that when they get married they know who is going to receive all of the things when one of them dies, but I called a lawyer from Portoviejo. She helps all of the missionaries with our legal matters and she told me what I have to do so that we can get the papers ready and then get them baptised. We have another family that we found that the missionaries were visiting before and they are working on a divorce so that they can get married so that she can get baptized. So we have a few more baptisms that are going to come.

That is so wonderful son. I am so happy the blessings are coming to you. I know your hard work is paying off. I love you so much. Thanks for honoring us as parents by being so obedient and strong in the gospel. I wish you could have been with us in the temple Wednesday, but I know that you are where the Lord needs you and the sacrifices we make will bring huge rewards to us in the end. Take care this week. Always remember who you are and that you are so very loved.

Love forever and always,
Mom



Hi Curtis! Are you still on?

I am still here. What is up? How are things going? I am doing good here. It is a little hot right now, but it isn´t raining, which is a good thing.

I got busy this morning and forgot to email you mom sent me a text and said you were on. Did you have any baptisms this week? Everything is going good. I won the first old bird race Saturday from Ft. Hall. I took 1st and 2nd. After school I have to take Clain down to get his Driving Record to send to his mission. I hope you are still there to read this. I Love You!

Love,
Dad

We didn´t have the baptism this week we moved it to this weekend because no one knew about it and we wanted everybody to come to the baptism. That is cool that you won the race I know that you will win a few more this spring too.

That will be good to get as many people there for the baptism as you can. Mom is going to be busy with her new calling. It will be good for her.

Best Mission in the Universe

Curtis,

Where do you think I'm going to go on my mission? There will be a prize if you guess closest to where I go. How is it in Ecuador? We went pheasant hunting on Saturday with Kavin and we got 9 birds. Cocoa and Nitro had fun. They were tired when we got home. We went near Thiokol and Bothwell. I will be getting my call in about a week.

Love,

Clain

Hey Clain, how are things going? That is cool that you got to go hunting and got some birds. I think that you are going to go to the best mission in the universe, Ecuador Guayaquil North. I am glad that you are willing to serve the Lord and keep his commandments and go on a mission.

I love you lots.

Elder Goode

Curtis,

Give me the country and the date I will leave when you guess before the 17th of this month.

Love,

Clain

The date I think you will leave is on the third Wednesday in July, whatever date that is. (July 21st).

Letter to Clain, Sweet!!!

Hey Clain! How are you doing? How are your construction classes going and the welding too? Mom was telling me about all of the preparation that you are doing to get ready to go on your mission. I am really proud of you buddy!!! I am surprised that you are going to be going on the mission soon. I am really feeling old now. I am proud of you Clain. This is a big decision for you to go on a mission. There are a lot of things that you weren´t very good at when I left, but mom is always telling me about how every day, every minute you just keep getting better and better at everything.

I am proud of you I know that the mission is going to be hard, for me it sure has been. I have had companions that don´t want to get up in the morning. I have had companions that tell you every little thing that you are doing wrong, that just make you feel bad. It is hard, but you know it is also the most fulfilling time that I have had in my life. I am really glad that I made the decision to come on the mission. I have grown up so much since I came on the mission. I have learned many things such as why dad takes such good care of all of his things. When you don´t have much money, you try to reuse and make things last as long as they can. I know for you that is something that you are fairly good at, using a budget and making things last a long time.

You are going to be an awesome missionary!!! I know you will be good!!! Clain keep up the preparation and you will be better than me. I know it. Keep going strong. I love you lots!!!

Bye,
Elder Goode

Thank you Curtis. What a beautiful letter to Clain. And thanks for including the bits of testimony in it. This is exactly the kind of letter I have hoped you would write. I know Clain will treasure it all of his life. I can't wait to give it to him tonight. I love you so very much. Thank you!

Love,
Mom

2009_05_25 Week 8 Valencia Clain

Dear Curtis,

How is having a new companion?

My new companion is really good. He has had some problems in the mission, but he is doing really good. We are being obedient now and I am doing my best to be a leader.

What does he like to do for fun?

My companion likes to watch TV. Before his mission, he wasn´t working or studying, so he was just at home all day, but we are working hard now here in Valencia.

Have you eaten all your jerky?

Yeah all of the jerky is gone.

Do you need more jerky?

I could use some more if you would send it to me. My companion really likes jerky too.

You are invited to my Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Friday May 29th 2009. I am working a lot. Everyone at work says hi. I have been paint balling with Skyler a lot. We go to the foothills of Farmington canyon every time. I am trying to get Braxton and Tyson to go with us but they won’t. I am doing well in school I have good grades. I am going to try to get my scooter fixed we have to take it to a mechanic in Roy who deals with scooters. The guy we talked to in Roy thinks that they can fix my scooter for me. I put it back together yesterday. It took me a while to figure out where the parts go. I took the dogs to Ogden Bay a few times so far. They liked it both times. They like to swim. They won’t come to the truck when I am ready to go home.

What do you want me to do with your motorcycle? It is in the same condition as you left it in. Do you want me to fix it and try to sell it or sell it as a parts bike or leave it so you can fix it when you get home?

I still go to Mission Prep every week. We talk about the same topic for a month then we move on to another topic the next. The elders come every week and they tell us things that relate to the topic we are studying that month that would help us on a mission.

Love always,

Clain

About my motorcycle put it on KSL to sell, but don´t take less than $500 for it. Just say that it is having problems with the engine and that we haven’t had time to look through it to find out what the problem is. So yea, sell it as is. Put it on KSL for $650, but accept the highest over $500.

Thanks buddy

2009_04_06 Transfer to Valencia Clain

Hi Curtis,

Nitro is doing great we play with her lots. I am going to take her to Ogden Bay this week. I saved some ducks to train the dogs this summer.

We have new Elder missionaries in our area. They come to mission prep every week. They taught a lesson a couple of weeks ago.

I have been working a lot. I am going to work tomorrow for 8 to 10 hours because we don't have school this week.

Did you like general conference?
Did you see the Priesthood session?
Have you killed any more mice?
What was your favorite talk?
Have you had any good experiences?
Do you want any more deer jerky?
How was the deer jerky I sent you?

Love,

Clain

Hey buddy,

Elder Robert D. Hales

How are you doing? The conference was great we had two investigators come to the conference with us. I didn´t get to see the afternoon sessions or the Priesthood session. My favorite talk was by Elder Hales, Provident Living. This talk would really help the people of Ecuador if they would practice this in their lives, because sometimes we see things that we think we need when we really don´t need them and when we buy on impulse we aren´t living prudently.

Today I changed zone and sector. Now I am in Quevedo North in the sector called Valencia. My companion is Elder Neyra. He is from Peru, like my other companions have been.

If you could, send me more jerky, I would like that very much. The jerky was very good. I guess I taught you well how to make jerky.

Well buddy, I have to go, but I love you lots. Keep going to Mission Prep. It will help you a lot. Tell them you want to learn more from Preach My Gospel, because the manual is for us to learn how to be missionaries.

I love you.

Elder Goode

2009_03_16 Week 21 Balzar Mom

Mom wrote on March 15, 2009

Hi Curtis,

Another week has gone by. It has been a pretty fun one.

I hope all is well with you. I think of you often throughout each day. I am so very proud of the work you are doing there. I hope you are working hard and enjoying more success this week. It is sad that your baptisms keep falling through, but I guess that is part of missionary work. Even those who don’t join are better off for having heard your message. Maybe the next time they are contacted by missionaries they will accept the gospel. I have heard that it takes most converts seven contacts with the church before they are willing to join the church. What you say and do may make a great difference to them down the road someday. They will probably remember a giant American Missionary who taught them with great power and authority. It is hard when you don’t see the fruits of your labor, but many missionaries find that to be the case. They don’t all baptize a lot, but they still make a difference. Keep trying and the Lord will bless you with more success.

Dad has an MRI scheduled tomorrow at 5:45. I have to take him because they gave him two valium pills to take to relax him. He won’t be able to drive after having taken those pills. I hope the MRI will show the doctor what needs to be done to help him. The doctor thought that it would be either degenerative disks or arthritis. The treatment for both is the same, to strengthen the back muscles through physical therapy. The doctor gave dad a prescription to go to a Physical Therapy place in Kaysville that has a special program for lumbar strengthening. So far, he hasn’t called to make an appointment. I know it is going to be hard for him because he wants to be home working with and training his pigeons and going to physical therapy is not going to fit into his schedule very well. With all the stuff going on at school this year, it would not be a good idea to go to therapy during school hours. He is going to have to fit it in after school and that conflicts with pigeons and with water aerobics. They are building a couple of buildings in West Point up by the city office building. One of those is going to be a physical therapy place and it is the same company that the doctor wanted him to go to. I think it is called Mountain West Physical Therapy. The problem is that it will probably be another six monthsbefore they are ready to open for business. He can’t wait that long to get this taken care of. He needs to go now. I will try to do more convincing, but I know it won’t be easy.

It will be another busy week, but we won’t get bored. There is a ward party on Tuesday night where they are going to show a movie about President Hinckley’s life. The boys have already seen it. I don’t know if dad and I will get there if we go to water aerobics. We will see. Braxton has four soccer practices again, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. There is a Stake Youth Fireside on Thursday night for the youth and their parents. That also will conflict with water aerobics class. It is hard to know what to do. Both are good choices. I think dad and I will probably go to aerobics and send the boys to the fireside alone.

My new laptop is coming along. I have installed most of the programs on it, but now I have to get all of my files transferred to it. I have spent all afternoon and evening copying them from my old laptop to my external hard drive. Tomorrow, I will try to copy them to the new laptop while I am imaging laptops at WPJH. I am typing on it now and it just doesn’t feel the same. I make a lot more mistakes typing on it than I did on my old laptop. I am sure I will get used to it eventually, but I am not sure I will ever like the keyboard as well as I did the old one. My old keys had a shiny surface and these new ones have a dull surface. They are just different. This new laptop should be faster and it has a larger hard drive, so that will be great. I am sure I will be glad to have it, but I feel sad giving up my old friend.

Church today was good. It was all about being peacemakers. It is interesting how the lessons all correlate that way this year and the Bishopric has been having the speakers speak on the same subjects, too. Today, Anita Rose, Kolten Kay and Brother Soule, our high councilman spoke. They all gave very good talks. I was very impressed with Kolten’s talk. He spoke for almost fifteen minutes which I thought was very amazing for a boy who has always been very shy. He is going to make a good missionary. He has about a year before he can go. He is a little older than Clain.

I get to speak in church next week on the blessings of having a missionary. I am only supposed to speak for five minutes. It sounded like they were going to have all of the mothers of missionaries speak. There are five right now. Jane Marquardt, Lisa Schneiter, Chris Jenkins, myself and Rita Greenwell. I am not for sure who is speaking though, that is just a guess from what Matt Taggart said. I jotted down lots of ideas while I was at church. I will have to do a little bit of research this week and pull something together. What would you say is the greatest blessing we have received because you are serving a mission? Give me several answers in your reply. How has serving a mission helped you? Also, could you write a paragraph for me to share with the ward while I am speaking.

I am sorry I haven’t been writing to you as much. I thought I would have more time after the wedding, but going to water aerobics is taking up a huge chunk of time, six hours a week, and soccer is back again. I have also been playing too much on Facebook. I have got to do better. However, we have been having some fun. I let Braxton and Clain both sign up for accounts on Facebook. They started playing some of the games that are on there. Two are farming programs, My Farm and FarmTown. You can send your friends animals and trees and you plant crops and harvest them. The problem is that it takes so much time to keep up with the planting and harvesting. I have been playing with them and it has been fun, but it is time to give it up. I harvested all of my crops on FarmTown and sold all of my trees and animals. I will just let my farm sit dormant. I told the boys it is going to be winter on my farm for quite a while. I have enough money that if I ever want to go back and replant, I could. On My Farm, I have earned enough money to buy a house, a barn, a chicken coop and a woodyard. It was fun, but I have got other things I ought to be doing, so I will give up the virtual farming. As soon as my crops are ready to harvest, I am going to be done with this program, too. I need to get back to scrapbooking and family history and writing letters to my favorite missionary. I need toget Clain working on studying for the ACT test online and Braxton has too much soccer stuff going on. He is going to have to give up at least one farm. It has been fun to just play with the boys a bit though. Shara also has had farms, but she hasn’t spent as much time on there. It reminds me of that summer when we all played Gameboys and had so much fun just playing together.

I have connected with some old friends on Facebook and some cousins. That is nice. I wish I could find some more of my old friends. I will have to keep trying. Maybe more will join over time. Facebook is growing by leaps and bounds every month. It is fun to see photos of friends and their families and the things they are doing. It is interesting how many people we meet in our lifetimes. Some stay friends forever and some for only a while. I hope when we get to heaven we will remember them all and the connections we had with them here.

I had a friend request this weekend from a guy named Tim Hunter. He was a friend of mine all through elementary school, junior high and high school. He lived in Wellsville and we had classes together. For a while, when I was in junior high, he was a boyfriend of one of my good friends. I remember going with them on Halloween one year. We went to the school carnival and then just sort of wandered around Wellsville trick or treating a bit and I think we soaped a couple of car windows.When we were Seniors in High School, Tim and I were put in charge of planning a Stake Youth Conference to Ricks College. He had always been shy and quiet, but I was so impressed with his leadership abilities as we planned for the Youth Conference. He had to conduct all of the events at the Youth Conference as well. I sat by his side through most of them. The one I remember the most was the Testimony Meeting on the last morning we were there. He bore a beautiful testimony with great love for our Savior. He was so humble and I remember feeling the spirit so strong as he spoke. I was grateful to have had the opportunity to serve with him in this capacity. It was funny that I had not thought of those memories for years, until he asked me to be his friend on Facebook. I guess my memories are all still there, just hidden away till something calls them forth. We have been having a little conversation back and forth on Facebook. It is sort of fun to remember and to catch up with him. He is married and has four kids and one grandson. It looks like one boy is married and one is in the military, then he has two younger daughters.

I need to make some phone calls this week and talk to your grandparents. It has been too long since I called them and too long since we visited them. I thought maybe we would get up there today, but I couldn’t. I was asked to read a part in a Relief Society program we are doing next week and they were practicing this afternoon. I am a narrarator. It is not hard. I just have to read the part off a paper and I don’t have to dress up in anything special. The program is about the Ten Virgins. The sister missionaries were going to be the narrarators, but we don’t have sister missionaries anymore, so they had to find someone else to do their parts.

Clain said the two new Elder missionaries spoke to them in Missionary Prep this morning. Elder Shanner told his conversion story and the things that helped him the most with joining the church. Clain seemed very impressed with them. I was excited to get Elder Missionaries here again. That will give Clain more of a chance to go with them to teach. The Ward Missionaries are Brother and Sister Roskelley. They are supposed to be taking the Laurels and Priests with them to teaching appointments. So far, Clain hasn’t had a turn. They wanted to start with the older ones first. I imagine he will get some turns before he turns 19. I am going to try to have the missionaries come for dinner sometime. I told Lorilee Roskelley to let me know when they had their next dinner appointments to setup and we would try to feed them. Are you having much success with the members helping you with missionary work?

The members are helping some more than others but I guess it just goes to show how dedicated different people are to the gospel. Some help every day or every week when they have time and can, and others only help when we ask for their help and there are others that don´t help even when we ask. I guess it depends on the person.

Are you eating as well now that you are going to different members homes? I wondered if that was why you had been having stomach problems and diarrhea. Is it any better or worse? Do you think it is from bad water?

We are eating good here in Balzar, but President Ruiz says that he isn´t eating as good now as he used to. He says that his wife doesn´t worry about the cooking as much when it is just for the family. I think that part of the problem is that we are eating in different members houses every day and that not all of the members boil the water or use water in pomas that have been purified so I think that I am getting a few parasites or bacteria but nothing serious.

Please tell us some of your latest experiences with teaching. What is the best thing that has happened to you this week?

We had an interesting experience yesterday, Sunday. We had church in Balzar. We had lunch, then we went to Palestina in a bus. We changed where we meet in the other part of the branch so that it is easier for our investigators to come to church. So we invited our investigators tochurch and then we had church in the home of the Samaniego family and then we did a split. Elder Alcocer went with Tito Mora, a member and I went with Hno. Samaniego and we visited our investigators in Palestina. We met up about 7:20 in the city center where the busses pass forBalzar.

We met up and took a bus to Balzar. After about five minutes in the bus, two men left their seats and pulled kitchen knives and began to rob the people in the bus. The official in the bus that had all of the money that had been collected from the passengers jumped from the bus while it was moving so that they couldn´t rob him. They wanted cell phones, but we don´t have cells here in the mission. One robber asked me for my cell phone. I told him that I didn´t have one, so he hit me in the face knocking my glasses off into my lap. He went on to take the cell phones from us. I took the money from my pocket, less than three dollars and I took my watch off to give to them if they returned. One of them returned, but this time to Elder Alcocer and asked for his cell phone. He responded that he didn´t have one. The robber got mad and threatened to kill him. He took off his watch and took out three dollars and gave to the robber and then took his name tag off and offered it to the robber, too, but the robber didn´t take the name tag.

The robbers assaulted one man, because he wouldn´t give up his cell phone. He was ok, but he was cut up a little bit. The robbers left and all of us continued on our way. A bus behind us radioed that they had picked up the official of our bus and that he was ok. Then our bus stopped in Balzar and waited for the official to arrive to continue on its way. Elder Alcocer recovered one of the dollars that he had given to the thief because he was in a hurry and it fell out of his pocket. Don´t worry! We are fine. We lost two dollars and a ten dollar watch that wasn´t keeping time very well and the crystal was broken, too, so we didn´t lose much at all.

Did you get any packages?

No I didn´t receive the packages, but I will call today and talk to the pouch monkey to find out what is going on.

I haven’t had time to do anything about the music for Elder Alcocer yet. I am having a struggle with it because it isn’t legal for me to copy that music for him and I can’t to buy it all for him. I could probably buy a couple of the albums for him, but not all of them.Which albums are his most favorite ones? I am trying to be honest, but also charitable.

I forgot that it is illegal to copy music. Here in Ecuador copyright laws don´t exist. Well they do, but nobody follows them.

I bought some replacement blades for your razor on Ebay. I will send your package as soon as they arrive here. It should be in a day or two, so I should mail the package this week.

I love you lots. Be Goode and obedient.

Love always and forever,

Mom

Hi Curtis,

It is good to hear from you. Please write and tell me more about what you have been doing this week and give me any ideas you have for my talk. I am glad that no one was seriously hurt during the robbery. It is sad that people are like that all over the world. Some just don't understand the joy of working to earn what they deserve. They think that getting things the easy way will bring them happiness. They are so wrong.

You said you were wearing your glasses. Are you having problems with contacts or solution or are the glasses just easier?

I have been wearing my glasses because the air here is dirty by the end of the day when I wear my contacts my eyes are tired and I wake up the next day with my eyes red it is better with glasses.

Another Missionary Mom sent her son's blog address recently. He is in the Guayaquil South mission. I couldn't believe all the smog that was in the air in his photos. I imagine it is probably a lot that way all over. They burn their trash and probably don't have a lot of laws to protect the air and the environment yet. I am glad you have the glasses to use.

Is it a hardship for the families you eat with to feed you out of their budgets rather than you paying them for the food? I am sure they will get blessings for their sacrifices. Are you able to make ends meet easier now having the extra money you used to give to the mamitas?

Did you get a chance to mail me some photos?

I worry that the pocket knife package is not going to arrive. Tyler Walke sent a package home and he put two Ecuadorian pennies in the package for his little sister. His package had been opened and the pennies removed and the letter he wrote was also missing. They have to be x-raying the packages to have found the pennies, so if they would open his package to remove the pennies, I am quite certain if they x-ray your package and see the knife they will remove it or you will just not get the package. Tyler's package was taped back up crudely and sent on to his family.

I have been teaching the people here in Ecuador and helping them come unto Christ. The blessings that you have received that I am on a mission; Do you remember your experience when I had the rash? You felt the spirit in your life. You felt peace that all was well. You are becoming more sensitive to the spirit. I assume that you are doing ok with your finances and not having any problems. That is a blessing too.

Yes. All of those are great blessings. I feel the spirit much more often in my life. I know you are safe and protected and that brings me great peace each day.

Some of the other missionaries talked of the many scriptures you have been asked to memorize and the deadline that is approaching to have them memorized by. How are you doing on your memorization? Do you feel you will have them all learned in time? What are the consequences if you don't get them memorized? Who do you have to pass them all off to? I look at this as another great blessing in your life. When you get these all committed to memory you will have such a huge advantage and will be well on your way to becoming a scriptorian. I hope that your amazing memory is helping you with this task.

I am doing good there are nine different list that we have to memorize, so about one a week. I am pretty sure that I will have it all memorized in time. We have to pass off all of the lists to our Zone Leader. I think that if I pass all of the scriptures off, that when the deadline comes, I will be able to become Senior Companion. Right now, I am Junior Companion, but there are companionships that both are Senior Companion. There has to be a Senior Companion in the companionship at all times.

Well I have to go. I love you a lot. Bye.

2009_03_02 Study Preach My Gospel

Dear Bishop Hipwell,

Hey! How are things in the states? In Ecuador, things are going good. I have had many wonderful experiences here. So far, I have baptised 6 people during my mission, but our missions aren´t about the number of baptisms that we have or the number of lessons that we have. It is about how we serve the Lord; if we are obedient to all of the rules or just the ones we want to follow; if we are focused on the work or if we are here to sight see; if we truly want to bring souls unto Christ or just want to say I baptised thousands on my mission. I have learned that everything we do down to the tiniest thing, down to whether we are in our bed at 10:30 or 10:31, can make a difference. Maybe it is only a minute of sleep, but when we are obedient in all things, this is when we can receive revelation and when we will have success.

Tell all of the Priests that they need to study the lessons in Chapter Three of Preach My Gospel because they are the most important thing here in the mission. If they don´t know the doctrine, they can´t teach it. Have them prepare now so they don´t spend the first six months of their missions learning the lessons before they can become effective teachers. Learn it now.

Thank you for your support. I appreciate your prayers. I know that through your faith I am being protected and having success in my mission.

Thank you,

Elder Goode

2009_03_02 Week 19 Balzar Dad

Mom sent Curtis some photos this week with her email to him. Skyler Gailey is Curtis's best friend. He has had some health problems which have kept him from going on a mission. Skyler went on a hunt this week for wild boar.

Skyler Gailey's new truck.

The wild boar Skyler shot with his bow and arrow.

Dear Curtis,

How is everything going? Are you feeling ok? Did you have any baptisms this week? I hope so. I can remember when we had baptisms. It was so neat.

I have had a bad week with my back. I finely figured out that ice was not helping it. The ice was putting it in spasms, so I could not move much at all. Saturday I figured it out that heat was better for it. Then it started to feel better.

Yesterday after church, we went to Shara’s and I had Rob and Jeff give me a blessing. Things are going to be better now. I also have a Dr. appointment in a week, on the 9th, with a new Dr. that deals with back and spine pain. I have had to wait a month to see him.

I put the boys in for the hunts. They have a new youth Elk hunt. It is in November, so I put Clain in for it. It is over by Vernal. This will be the last time Clain can put in for that hunt. I also put Braxton in for the deer hunt.

Anything exciting happen this week to you and your comp? Any types of new bugs, birds or animals you have seen? The Snow Geese are here. I have seen thousands of them. I wish you could shoot them here, but it is only open in the north zone. We went over to 1300 and took some videos of them landing and taking off the other night. It was cool.

We has a pep assembly this morning so I had some time to email you. Class has started, so I will check back later. I Love You.

Love,

Dad

We didn´t have our baptisms this week. We had some setbacks, but that is ok.

That is cool. I hope Clain can draw out for the hunts, especially the youth hunt. Tell Clain to enjoy his last year of the hunts. I know he still has more than a year before he can leave on his mission, but time sure flies. I can´t believe that this is my fourth change here in Balzar already. Tell Clain to study Preach My Gospel Chapter Three. It is important that he knows the lessons before he leaves for the mission. It will give him a head start in his mission. He won´t spend the first six months of his mission learning the lessons and how to teach them.

Tell Skyler to email me.

Dear Curtis,

I forgot to ask you have you received your package with the knife yet?

I Love You! Love, Dad

Skyler has been sending you emails. We found out he has been sending them to the wrong address. Did you get your package with your knife yet?

Oh well, tell him to send me a message to the correct address. No I haven´t received the package yet, but maybe this week I will.

Sounds good. He said he was going to send you one to the right address. I guess he has not done that yet. Anything interesting happen to you this week?

This week, I was in Palestina visiting a family there. Many of the houses here are built on stilts. This family was the same. Their house is about six feet above the ground, with a ladder to enter the house. After our visit, we were leaving the house, first Elder Alcocer and then Benjamin Samaniego, a teenage member, that was with us, and then I left the house. The ladder had about six rungs. I stepped down one and then when I went to step to the second one my foot slipped and I fell and landed on my but in a sitting position on the ground. I think it is the fastest I have ever left a house in my life. I am fine! No damage, just my pride, but we all had a good laugh about it anyways, so it is ok.

Well, I have to go, but tell Skyler “Felicitaciones para su chanco” or congratulations for the pig. It looks like a good one and should taste really good.

Bye, love you,

Elder Goode

2008_12_30 Birthday Card for Braxton

Braxton got a card from Curtis today in the mail. He was so excited to hear from his big brother.

Nov. 3, 2008

Dear Braxton,

Hey buddy, how was your birthday? Things are crazy here in Ecuador and I'm sorry I forgot your Birthday, but I'm sending you a present late. I'm sure you will like it.

How is soccer going for you? The mission is going good for me. I had a young man accept to be baptized last Saturday, the day of your birthday. I wish I could send you a bottle of Inca Kola. It is way good. You would like it a lot. I'll bring some home at the end of my mission for you along with some Pony Malta. Both are yummy. Take good care of my puppy. Take her hunting lots, ok? Start preparing for your mission. It comes sooner than you think. I love you lots Buddy.

Elder Goode

This was on the back of the card.

I'm really sorry this is so late Buddy. I sent this once with one of each type of coin and they sent it back so I am going to re-send it without the coins. I'm sorry Buddy. I love you lots.

Elder Goode

He sent the card through the return pouch mail and sending any money in the pouch is illegal, so I am sure that is why it was returned. Maybe he can send the coins with his next CD of photos in a padded envelope through the regular mail.