Hey mom, dad, and family!
Well The first week was pretty awesome! I'll start with the good news ha ha. My very first day was interesting we knocked a lot of doors, Which I don't like very much.... but it is not to bad. while we were knocking we found one guy that let us in and we talked for a bit and then taught him the first lesson. in my mission we always invite them to be baptized on the first lesson! ALWAYS so we did and he said no but he invited us back which is really cool, he is a vegan though and said that him and his wife would make us dinner so that will be interesting ha ha. also that same day we met a family of 4 and taught them. they are going to pray this week about being baptized it was awesome! we are also teaching a few less active families and recent converts so that is really nice. but the most exciting news is that a family of four contacted a family in the ward and want to get baptized they came to church yesterday and loved it, it is truly amazing! so that is kind of what is going on with teaching. I love teaching so much and i always feel great afterwords, but the contacting people and stuff really is not fun I am not a huge fan of that.
Church was great. I am in the Yorba Linda 4 ward so that is my area, and it is the richest part of the mission. there are some HUGE houses and some sickkkk cars. my companions name is Elder Aller and he is awesome. he is from Arizona, he is an mma fighter and a really cool guy we are getting along great and we teach really good together. we work hard and are trying to be very obedient. he loves working out so we are doing that every morning..... I am so out of shape! but overall I like where I'm at and love my companion.
I am trying really hard to stay focused and not to think about home but it is really hard I think about fishing a lot and how much I love and miss Wyoming (cali is dirty and not very pretty ha ha) there are 3 million people within the boundaries of my mission! that is crazy. I really miss everyone and am trying to just dive in. it is easy when we teach but while we are finding people its hard.
mom, in my package could you send my soccer ball. Also can you send stuff about my alive at 25 class! I might be able to drive if there is record of a defensive driving class. I hope i get pictures soon. and if you see my friends tell them to write me please! the mail just goes to the mission office and i get it on thursdays so make sure you get it there by wednesday
Also i really want to hear from kevin, in detail so tell him he better do that :)
my mission president has some crazy rules but I know he is inspired so i will follow them. we cant play any sports with members or investigators which sucks but o well i guess. it is pretty hot here and I don't like it ha ha cuz everyone has a pool and I want to get in! I still haven't seen the ocean but I'm sure I will soon.
Dad I am so glad I got to talk to you I was super upset when I didn't get a hold of you. but everything turned out ok. I hope everyone is getting ready and excited for school and everything is working out good in laramie. o ya! please send a small pocket knife too i found out i can have one! send whatever else you want I cant really think of anything right now but I know will think of something this week.
Well i should probably get back to work but I love and Miss everyone a lot, I cant wait to hear form you again! just know I am doing alright and that I do love teaching :) you guys mean the world to me!
Love
Elder Doug Baldwin
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Email from July 21
Hey everyone!
well things are going pretty good for me, It has been hard but I have grown so much it is awesome. I get homesick somtimes and miss everyone but I pray a lot for the Lord to allow me to just focus on the work and then i always feel better and get re focused. my companion is still not doing well. he got better for a couple days but then went back to the same old stuff. he is a really cool guy and i really like him but he just isnt ready for the field yet. I dont think he will be travling with me but we will see.
I got my travel information. I leave on July 27, we leave the MTC at 5 AM and our flight is at 8:37 I am the travel leader and am in charge of 13 missionaries! ha ha kinda scary But I am looking forword to be able to be a leader, I am not sure if I will get to call but I really hope I do we land in Cali at 9:37 their time so if i can call I bet it is around those times, sorry I'm not much help. send my stuff to the mission home please. i think that will be the best thing.
It sounds like Louis Lake was awesome! and everyone had a good time, man i cant tell you how hard it is to not think about a fly rod in my hand walking down Louis Creek catching a million little brookies! but I love it here, I am learning so much it is truelly amazing. I cant believe it. Mom and Katie I hope Boise is awesome!
i have had so many spiritual expierences here and it is so awesome.
Dad! my teacher went to the Paul concert too ha ha he said it was awesome! my teachers are soooo good I love class even though its about 3 hours long each time i learn so much and they help me out a lot.
I am so excited to get to Calli I cant even explain it, I love the MTC but its getting pretty lod dong the same thing everyday and not being able to really teach people so i cant wait to get to the field. anything going on in sports? ha ha
its been super hot here! how has it been in casper?
I hope kevin is having an amazing time, I seriously miss him and wish i would of spent more time with him before i left! I cant wait to here from him! well i have to go do laundry but ill write you later today! thanks for everything miss you tons
Peace be the Journey
Elder Baldwin :)
well things are going pretty good for me, It has been hard but I have grown so much it is awesome. I get homesick somtimes and miss everyone but I pray a lot for the Lord to allow me to just focus on the work and then i always feel better and get re focused. my companion is still not doing well. he got better for a couple days but then went back to the same old stuff. he is a really cool guy and i really like him but he just isnt ready for the field yet. I dont think he will be travling with me but we will see.
I got my travel information. I leave on July 27, we leave the MTC at 5 AM and our flight is at 8:37 I am the travel leader and am in charge of 13 missionaries! ha ha kinda scary But I am looking forword to be able to be a leader, I am not sure if I will get to call but I really hope I do we land in Cali at 9:37 their time so if i can call I bet it is around those times, sorry I'm not much help. send my stuff to the mission home please. i think that will be the best thing.
It sounds like Louis Lake was awesome! and everyone had a good time, man i cant tell you how hard it is to not think about a fly rod in my hand walking down Louis Creek catching a million little brookies! but I love it here, I am learning so much it is truelly amazing. I cant believe it. Mom and Katie I hope Boise is awesome!
i have had so many spiritual expierences here and it is so awesome.
Dad! my teacher went to the Paul concert too ha ha he said it was awesome! my teachers are soooo good I love class even though its about 3 hours long each time i learn so much and they help me out a lot.
I am so excited to get to Calli I cant even explain it, I love the MTC but its getting pretty lod dong the same thing everyday and not being able to really teach people so i cant wait to get to the field. anything going on in sports? ha ha
its been super hot here! how has it been in casper?
I hope kevin is having an amazing time, I seriously miss him and wish i would of spent more time with him before i left! I cant wait to here from him! well i have to go do laundry but ill write you later today! thanks for everything miss you tons
Peace be the Journey
Elder Baldwin :)
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Email from July 14, 2010
Hey Mom and Dad and everyone,
well I have had a very weird experience here at the MTC, I have missed a lot of class because my companion Elder Mataele has had a very hard time becoming a missionary, I don't think I should go into detail about it but he has had a very hard time and in turn has caused me to change a lot! My testimony of prayer has grown so much and I know that Heavenly Father listens to us and answers our prayers. my companion is a great guy but and I like him a lot he is just not as ready as some other missionaries are, but i know that he is working hard and getting a lot better.
The other two elders that I am rooming with are Elder Cummins and Elder Haws. Elder Cummins is our district leader and a really awesome elder. he works hard and has had to deal with so much stuff, I try and help him through as much as I can.
My district has 6 Elders and 4 sisters and I really enjoy everyone its crazy how much the lord has softened my heart. my zone which is the group of elders that live around me in my building are awesome and I have gotten to be really good friends with my zone leaders. they are going to Sweden! and have been here for 7 weeks ha ha we joke a lot with them. waking up early isn't as bad as I thought it would be but I do get tired in the day. But I am getting a lot better. already I have gotten to see Elder Oaks from the 12 and that was really awesome. Staying obedient is a very important thing and I am working my hardest to be as obedient as i can be. :)
I cant believe Spain won!!! dang it! ha ha, well good job Kev congrats on picking the right team :p I am doing really good and cant wait to get into the field. I am not even close to being ready but I am working Very hard to be ready, and know that I will be by the end. please keep me updated on any sports news, it is killing me that I don't know.
the other day we got to tech our first investigator at the TRC and the lesson went really well actually, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. when we started teaching it was like something just took over my brain and i knew exactly what to say, the spirit was so strong, it was amazing! I could not stop smiling for the rest of the day.
the food is not as bad as i thought it would be, but Its ripping me apart ha ha. its worse then Asian food if you know what I'm saying.
i cant believe the Louis Lake is this week! i am going to miss it sooooo much but I know that I am in the Right spot and that the lord has me here for a reason. I hope everyone has an awesome time and i cant wait to here how it goes. :) tell everyone i love and miss them.
keeping my mind on the work has been a struggle but prayer has helped me so much I cant even believe how many HOURS I have spent praying to help me become closer to heavenly father but I can tell you that it has helped a lot.
Well I am about to run out of time so I will right a letter as well but please tell everyone about dearelder.com especially my friends so I can here form everyone. I love and miss everyone but i know I'm in the right spot
bye :) love you
Elder Baldwin
well I have had a very weird experience here at the MTC, I have missed a lot of class because my companion Elder Mataele has had a very hard time becoming a missionary, I don't think I should go into detail about it but he has had a very hard time and in turn has caused me to change a lot! My testimony of prayer has grown so much and I know that Heavenly Father listens to us and answers our prayers. my companion is a great guy but and I like him a lot he is just not as ready as some other missionaries are, but i know that he is working hard and getting a lot better.
The other two elders that I am rooming with are Elder Cummins and Elder Haws. Elder Cummins is our district leader and a really awesome elder. he works hard and has had to deal with so much stuff, I try and help him through as much as I can.
My district has 6 Elders and 4 sisters and I really enjoy everyone its crazy how much the lord has softened my heart. my zone which is the group of elders that live around me in my building are awesome and I have gotten to be really good friends with my zone leaders. they are going to Sweden! and have been here for 7 weeks ha ha we joke a lot with them. waking up early isn't as bad as I thought it would be but I do get tired in the day. But I am getting a lot better. already I have gotten to see Elder Oaks from the 12 and that was really awesome. Staying obedient is a very important thing and I am working my hardest to be as obedient as i can be. :)
I cant believe Spain won!!! dang it! ha ha, well good job Kev congrats on picking the right team :p I am doing really good and cant wait to get into the field. I am not even close to being ready but I am working Very hard to be ready, and know that I will be by the end. please keep me updated on any sports news, it is killing me that I don't know.
the other day we got to tech our first investigator at the TRC and the lesson went really well actually, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. when we started teaching it was like something just took over my brain and i knew exactly what to say, the spirit was so strong, it was amazing! I could not stop smiling for the rest of the day.
the food is not as bad as i thought it would be, but Its ripping me apart ha ha. its worse then Asian food if you know what I'm saying.
i cant believe the Louis Lake is this week! i am going to miss it sooooo much but I know that I am in the Right spot and that the lord has me here for a reason. I hope everyone has an awesome time and i cant wait to here how it goes. :) tell everyone i love and miss them.
keeping my mind on the work has been a struggle but prayer has helped me so much I cant even believe how many HOURS I have spent praying to help me become closer to heavenly father but I can tell you that it has helped a lot.
Well I am about to run out of time so I will right a letter as well but please tell everyone about dearelder.com especially my friends so I can here form everyone. I love and miss everyone but i know I'm in the right spot
bye :) love you
Elder Baldwin
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Here I go!
Douglas entered the Mission Training Center (MTC), in Provo, Utah at 12:45 on July 7, 2010. We are expecting him to remain there for about three weeks before he heads off to California. As soon as we have is mailing address we will post it here. He may or may not have time to write you back, but he'd love to hear from you. We will also be posting his letters on this blog so you can keep up with him and the progress of his mission.
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