E-mail 04/25/2011

Hello Wonderful Family!!

This week has been awesome!!

After coming back from the church last Monday, we walked up the stairs to our apartment. Elder Eames went first and he said hey you have a box, I said no, you have a box. He said no, I'm not Elder Matthew Durrant. I almost pushed him down the stairs when I passed him to get it. I was so happy! The cookies didn't last a week, and Elder Eames would like the recipe for them. I took a few pix which I will send later. Thank you!

We are starting to teach a family who was referred to us by Pres. Collins. The Mom started learning on a military base, so when she came here we went over to get to know them and see how ready they were. The first two visits we were unimpressed, they didn't seem as "on fire" as they were made out to be. When we dropped by a third time, they fed us pizza, and his Mom and three of his sisters were there. We talked about the church, answered questions, and testified. Marie, the one that was on base, testified about the Joseph Smith and who he was. It was so awesome, the Spirit was there. When we asked if we could come back, they said can you come tomorrow. When we went over it was Marie and Caesar her husband, their two girls, 4 and 3, and their friend. We brought Pres. Katschke, the Elder's quorum president. He did a magnificent job. He talked with them, joked around, answered their questions. For some reason she thought I was funny. I didn't say much, but I guess it was my facial reactions made her laugh, weird. My opinion of them has changed completely. they are going to make awesome members.

With Bruce we have taught him everything, so we went to a members home and had a testimony meeting with him, we bore our testimony, then we invited him to give his. He did and it was simple and so good. The only thing he said that is holding him back, is that he wants to be more knowledgeable about the scriptures, don't we all. WE are going to try and help him with his concern.

For Easter, the bishop, invited us over for dinner with his family. They had an egg hunt, and we ate good. All of their children are grown so they come over and bring their children. It was fun.

I think I'm getting fat from all this candy I'm eating O).(o I like candy, it tastes good.

We were on bikes this week and it rained, a lot. It was good though, it shows others our dedication to the work. The thunder and lighting was so cool. I think we saw the makings of a tornado, but we had to go to bed. We took a short cut home. It was through a little swamp. My feet were soaked. It was so awesome though. Riding bikes in the rain is funner than in a car, but a car is nicer, and we get it this week, yea!

I love you all very much and appreciate all that you do! May the Spirit be with you!

Elder Durrant

Hello --- Peeps!

Yummmmm Peeps

Peeps yum yum yum

Chug, chug, chug

That’s right Sixteen in my mouth!

Cookie Monster!

Rabbits like cookies too!

I‘ve got a jar full of dirt!
and guess what’s inside?!

E-mail 04/18/2011

Hello fantabulious family!

This week has been wonderful! We went through our investigators and dropped the ones that weren't progressing and the Lord blessed us with new ones. It was really crazy, we went to seek a referral from a member, but they weren't home so we tracted. The second door over the guy argued with us whether we were soliciting or not and we told him we didn't want to argue with him and left, then like two doors later the guy answered and said come on in, without us saying a word. It turns out he is baptist and he recently got reacquainted with his daughter after twenty years and come to find out, she's L.D.S. so he become curious and happenstance we showed up. We taught him and gave him a Book of Mormon, he said we could come back. That was an awesome thing that happened. We also found a guy who lives within walking distance of the church and is a tattoo artist. I thought that was funny.

We had a lesson in our ward mission leader's home and he made us dinner as well (Mac and cheese, with real cheese{I like the box, but this was good too} and brussel sprouts, those are really good. I have never had them before I started eating at his house, yum) We taught Bruce the first lesson again and it went awesome. He is ready for baptism, he just needs to pick when he wants to do it. He is so solid, when we invite him to things almost without fail he has been there, he has not missed a day at church, granted he was late yesterday due to oversleeping, nevertheless he is awesome.

The Assistants checked our apartments Friday. Of course we failed miserably....oh, you know me too well, there were only a few things they wanted us to do, plus it helped, we knew in advance because Elder Eames is the District Leader and that info slipped through, we didn't cheat to badly.

We are on bikes this next coming week. I love bikes! Having a car is nice, especially when it rains, but I like riding around.

Missionary work is awesome as ever, this week has been better that the previous week. Having a positive attitude helps you have a good week. I love missionary work, and I love this area! My companion is OK, too....Just kidding, he's awesome!!

I love you all! Thanks for the letters/E-mails! May the Spirit be with you!

Elder Durrant

Br. Ramey, our old Ward Mission Leader
with his Tweety Bird.
I Love that car!
(86 Pontiac Firebird)

E-mail 04/11/2011

Hello marvelous family!

This week has been awesome! we have been biking all over, and I found a basket on the road that I attached to my bike, it is so sweet! We have been teaching a lot of people. At church one of our investigators came for the first time, and I helped find her through tracting (it works) back in Jan. I have good reason to believe that she enjoyed it a lot. Paula wants to postpone her baptism because she wants to wait for her husband, he gets out on the 20 or around there. Irregardless she wants to be baptized. She is even already going to choir! We went to choir as well, as soon as we walked in everyone cheered and were so happy. they said that we sang pretty good, or at least we didn't sound like gargling nails. ;)

Bruce is still getting ready for baptism, he may move his date back because he doesn't feel ready, but he is solid and I have no doubt he will be baptized and make a great member.

The Spanish elders that live close to us didn't want a shelf so they gave it to us. Now my desk is clean :O ! I don't know what to do, I can actually see my desk!

Our District is staying the same except Sis Gilman left and Sis Lamb came back, that will be good for Elder Eames, if I wasn't enough to deal with he has four sisters to worry about X( He is doing a great job though, he is an awesome missionary and a great companion, we get along great.

Oh, and that little baby that We gave a blessing to a few months ago, recently we gave another blessing and this time all four of my fingers fit on her head, and a few days later her Mom called and said she is doing just fine. What a miracle that was!

WE also have a lady who "is on fire" moving back from a base doing training and learned the gospel there and "Will be ready to be baptized when she gets [here]". We have not met her yet but she seems really solid. hey, free baptism number...J.K. We will make sure she is taught properly and knows what she needs to and is ready for the big commitment she is going to make.

Things have been going great over here, it's starting to get hotter. We can take our suit coats off at 65, we have had them off a lot recently. It is fun riding in the rain too. Missionary work is great!

I love you! May the spirit be with you!

Elder Durrant

E-mail 04/04/2011

Hello wonderfully awesome family!!

This Wednesday is transfers, and we found out this morning if we are moving.

We set two baptism dates this last week, It is so wonderful!! One is with a guy named Bruce for May 7, he is a good guy. He has just been soaking in what we tell him and we joke around with each other, he has come to church every week since we have been teaching him and he watched two sessions of conference. He also went to an institute class by himself and they discussed polygamy and the area book and cleaning the temple, etc. He asked us about that stuff and so we told him and he was all cool about it. He is a stud!

Paula is a member referral and she is going to be baptized on Apr 22. That's two days before Easter, and she will be confirmed on that day as well.

I get to serve here in White River another transfer with Elder Eames! I love this area! Elder Eames is so fantastic! I will be going on six months here. We have been working hard and striving to serve with our all.

Conference was amazing! we wait at the church. I liked pres Monson in the Priesthood session, he was very good.

I love you all and May the Spirit be with you!

Elder Durrant