There's always a bigger fish

Joseph's letter from August 12th

Hey family,

                 This week has been really good. On Monday we played ping pong with Tamra, Nicole, and Juane. It was lots of fun. On Tuesday we had zone meeting. It was good. They taught us how to teach more simply. The zone is really small now. I will send pics of the zone map. That night we had dinner with the Edlers. While we were at their house Bro Edler asked Sis Edler where he had heard the name Talbert before. Then they asked if I had family in Arizona. I was like yeah, I have lots of family in Arizona. They were then trying to think of the name and all they could come up with is Aunt TT. I told them I don't know anyone with that name. Then Bro Edler pulled up a pic on Facebook and showed it to me. I was like yeah, that's my cousin Jimmy and Tiffany. Apparently they know Tiffany from a while back when they used to live next to her. It was awesome. Wednesday we went up to Piggott and helped a member move some of his stuff to a storage shed. Then we went to Jonathan and Angel's. We met Elder Davis and Elder Mulvey there. They had come over to do Angel's interview. She should be getting baptized this next week if they can get a marriage license. From there we went to Nicole's and had dinner and taught Chance. We came home and it was late when we got in so the Blytheville Elders stayed the night. On Saturday we went up to Piggott again. This time we went up with Bro Watson. He is the Branch mission leader. That night we went to Nicole's for dinner again. This time though she had invited her friend Joella and a less active member. It was awesome and we had a full house of members, non-members, and less actives. On Sunday we had small numbers because everyone was on vacation. We also taught priesthood. It was a good lesson but their weren't many people there so there wasn't much participation.

                That is about it. I hope you all have a good week and have fun at the ward campout. I love and pray for y'all.

                               Elder Talbert   

Hammer! Hammer!

Hey Family,

                  This week has been really good and also really busy. Monday was fairly boring, we did P-day stuff then we had dinner with the Milnes and Taught Tamra the new member lessons. On Tuesday we had district meeting. It was very good and I got my meds there. Mom you had sent them to Pocahontas so they had brought them. After district meeting we went on exchanges. I stayed in Paragould with a new missionary named Elder Mulvey. He is cool and has a lot of enthusiasm. I thought it was fun to be the senior companion and it helped me realize what it will be like shortly when transfers comes. Wednesday we went and did service in the morning for Bro Charles. We carried about 10 wheelbarrows each of dirt from one side of his yard to the other. My arms hurt afterward. Then we drove home and exchanged back. Elder Salisbury and I went with the Kirkseys up to Piggott to see some people. Up in Piggott is where all of our baptism candidates are. We came back from Piggott around 6 and got dropped off at our apartment. From there we went straight to Jonesboro to meet with the zone leaders. Since the last transfer the mission went from 5 zones to 10 zones. It's crazy how fast the mission is growing. We went with the zone leaders down to Little Rock. We arrived there around 9ish. We stayed at the Pinnacle Mountain Elders apartment that night. Thursday we woke up and went to my doctors appointment. It went very well. They did a blood test and an echo, and an EKG, and a chest x-ray. It was a lot of tests. I asked them why they were doing all of the tests and they said they just do that every 6 months. We then drove around Little Rock for a little and went to lunch with the Pinnacle Mountain Elders and the Little Rock Spanish North Elders. We went to Gus's chicken. It was really good chicken. We then went to the mission office and hung out for an hour or so till the Zone leaders got done in their meeting there. We got a new phone, it is nice. It is a slide touch screen one. After the meeting got out we talked to the missionaries. I got to talk with Elder Jacobson and Elder Adams. It was lots of fun. We then drove back to Jonesboro and went to the Kirkseys for dinner. Friday we went up to Piggott and one of the members up there had given us a referral so we went to see him. He is really awesome and lives right next door to one of our part member familyies we are teaching named the Tinsley's. On Sunday, church was good. Fast and testimony is always good. That evening we had a good talk with Tamra's parents about the church.

                       That is about it for my week. As far as the baptisms go, one should happen on the 18th, another should happen on the 24th, and the third is up in the air because they don't know where he is. I will have to read that article on that ancestor of ours. Hope y'all get better from your braces and have a great week.

                                 -Elder Talbert     

Letter from July 29th

Hey Family

                 My week was fairly boring. Tuesday we went to specialized training in Searcy. We were going to go to the one in Memphis but the Musicks were going to Searcy because Elder Staib forgot some stuff and the Musicks are our ride. At specialized training I saw Savanna Skinner which was lots of fun. That evening we went and visited a family named the Lopez's. A Spanish family that went to Guatemala for 1 month and just got back. On Wednesday. Friday we went up to Piggott and saw some people. We have 3 baptisms coming up (Angel, Chance, and Zephyer) and all of them live in Piggott. This next week we will be having President Petersen come up and do some interviews for us. It should be a good week.On Sunday we had a good time at church. After church we went out teaching with Bro Lamb. He went Spanish speaking on his mission so he comes out teaching with us to the Lopez's.

                   That is about all for my week. Next week I have my doctor visit and hopefully it will go well. Sounds like y'all had a great week. I love and pray for y'all.

                                                                                           -Elder Talbert  

Letter from July 22

Hey Family,

                  This week was fairly boring. Last Monday we played some ping pong with Tamra and that was lots of fun. None of us are very good but we are on the same level so its fun. We went to the Shurwood's for dinner/FHE. After FHE we went and jumped on the tramp with the kids it was fun. On Wednesday we went out teaching with the Kirksey's. It was good and Bro Kirksey is like deaf so you have to yell to talk to him. Then we went to young men's. They were having a combined activity about feasting on the scriptures. It was fun and spiritual. On Thursday we went up to Piggot and visited a bunch of people up there. Almost all of our progressing investigators live up there which kinda sucks since its 32 miles away. It was a good day though. On Saturday we went and had a pioneer activity at the Kirksey's house in Jonesboro. It was lots of fun and we got most of the leftover's which is awesome. We also went and checked out Bro Kirksey's Corvette. It is really nice and clean. On Sunday we went to church and it was good then we went and had dinner at the LaVetter's. He is the branch president and this was the first time they had had missionaries over in like a year. It was lots of fun.

                     That is about it for my week. Like I said it was fairly boring. Hope you all have a good week and that its more exciting than mine was.

                                                                     -Elder Talbert

I am Jean Valjean (Letter from July 15)

Hey Family

                 This week was really good. On Monday we woke up around 6 and went to go do a workout thing called cross fit with a member. It was lots of fun but it is expensive (the first time was free). Then we just hung out and had a good P-Day. Tuesday we went to zone meeting and had had a good time there. Then we came back and tried to see some people but like no one was home. Wednesday we taught the Plan of Salvation to the young men and then had them teach it back to us. Thursday we drove down to Walnut Ridge and picked up a baptism gown for Tamra from Pocahontas. Then we came back up and saw the Peels and Tamra. Then that evening we went to the play Les Miserables with Tamra. One of the members named Bro Rose was in the play. It was very good. On Friday evening, Tamra got baptized!! She didn't want very many people there so we didn't announce it. It ended up that their was a lot of people that showed up. She brought 4 of her friends (all non-members) and her parents came. It was very good and spiritual.

from left to right: Elder Salisbury, Pres LaVetter, Tamra, Me

Saturday we went up to Piggott and saw some investigators up there. One named Chance and another named Juane. They are cousins and Juane's wife is named Nicole and she is a member. We had a good time and their only struggle is they are afraid to come to church. They are really legit but it uses all our miles to go up there once a week. Sunday, church was good and afterwards we went to the Johnson's for lunch. An investigator named Jerry was there. He is a collage student studying physics and he lives in Blythville area but we are the only ones that have taught him. He goes to church with Bro Johnson (a high councilman) so they go to different wards each week. Bro Johnson is also his physics professor at ASU. It was a good lesson.

               That is about it for my week. I will send pics of the baptism. It sounds like y'all had fun in Oregon and at home. Sorry to hear about Gracie breaking her arm. Hope you all have a great week.

                                                                                                                             -Elder Talbert

Happy 4th of July!! Letter from July 8

Hey Family,

                 This week has been good and busy. On Monday we went to the park and hung out with the Pocahontas Elders and Brianna and Zac and Ray. It was lots of fun. We played Basketball and four square. We then went and had dinner at one of the members and had FHE with them. Jerry was there and so we taught him a little about the Book of Mormon and then we played card games. I was really good at them. On Tuesday we had district meeting. After district meeting we went on exchanges and Elder Davis and I went to Blythville. Elder Salisbury and Elder Holmgren stayed in Paragould so Elder Holmgren could interview Tamra. We went to the church because president was going to be there to interview some people but they didn't show so we went to their house to see what was up. They had been told by their landlord to move out that day so they were moving. We went and told president they weren't coming and then we helped them move for the next 4 hours. On Wednesday we went and exchanged back then we went up to Pigget and Rector to visit some people. We went to a recent convert's named Mark and hung out and taught his family. Thursday we went to the Charles for the day. Tamra came with us. We went and hung out and had a BBQ. We then shot off 5 cannons that Bro Charles and his sons had made. (I will send pictures). 

The 5 cannons we shot

The cannons going off

That evening we ate watermelon and sat in our apartment and watched the fireworks. It was good but fairly boring for a firework show. Friday was Tamra's B-day. We visited some people in the morning, then in the evening had a party for Tamra. We mostly sat around and talked but we also played some games and ate some cake. It was lots of fun. Saturday we went up to Rector and Pigget. We went to Nicole's and had dinner and taught her cousin and husband. It was our second time teaching her cousin and he had already read to chapter 15. Which is awesome for a newer investigator. Now we just need him to come to church. Sunday was fast and testimony. It was really good and there was a baby blessing we participated in. It was for Jeff and Amy Charles' baby. That is Bro Charles son and his wife. Second hour we taught like usual. Then we were also asked to teach priesthood. It was on the Word of Wisdom and there was no manual/ lesson for the week so we had to make it up. We just taught like we would teach an investigator but a little more advanced. It was a good lesson and I wasn't nervous while teaching. That evening we shared Bill Carpenter's conversion story with Tamra and we have been pushing for her to get baptized soon. After the talk was over she said she wanted to get baptized this week so we will have her baptism this upcoming Saturday. It will be awesome.

                 That is about it for the week. I hope all have fun in Oregon and that dad and Nathaniel have fun. Know that I love and pray for you all. Have a great week.

                                                                                       Love Elder Talbert

July 1, 2013

Hey Family

                This week has been good. Monday we went and hung out with the Pocahontas Elders and Tamra for about half the day. Then Brianna came up and had gone swimming so after she was done she hung out with all of us for a while. We went bowling in the evening. I am really bad at bowling. I succeeded in losing both games. Tuesday we had district meeting. After district meeting and we went and visited some people but it was mostly doorstep visits because they were all busy. Wednesday we did service for Bro. Charles. I think I have told you about him, but he is an old guy on oxygen and still keeps very busy doing yard work. We helped him break up some pallets with some hammers. The hammer I was using made me feel like Thor swinging his hammer at a guy on the ground. I think it made me stronger. That night we went to the church for young men's and taught the young men the first lesson. Friday we went up to Pigget to see some people and we had a get together at a member named Deidra's house. It was lots of fun. Saturday we went and painted Bro. Charles fence. He is also a steel worker and built his own fence and has since painted it green. It was fun and I got paint all over me. Sunday was very good. Church was good. They young women talked about girls camp. It was a good day.

                 That is about it for my week. Thanks for all you do and have a good week next week. Hopefully it will not be as boring as this last week. 

                                                                       -Elder Talbert