Ice

Joseph's letter from December 9th

Hey family,

                  This week has been good but fairly boring. We have had some fun storms this week and so everything has been iced over. Tuesday we had district meeting and President came and did interviews. Our district meeting was at 2 so he could do as many interviews as possible in one day. It was a good meeting on finding people and getting them to keep commitments. After district meeting we had dinner. We then went to try and see some people but no one answered. On Wednesday we walked around most of the day to save miles. They have just started doing the miles weekly so now it feels like we have less miles plus we have to use two days worth to go to meetings and back. We contacted this referral for a guy named Michael. He was really cool and wanted to know about our church and what we believe. He lives in Southaven, Mississippi but works in West Memphis. We spent lots of time talking to him because he didn't want us to send the missionaries to his house and he kept having customers come in. Thursday we went and talked to a lady named Janett. She lives up in Sunset and seemed interested in our message. We are going to see her again this week. Friday we got a big ice storm and were told that we couldn't go out. so we stayed in all day and then went out just for dinner in the evening. We went to the Orey's for dinner. After dinner Elder Morgan and I helped Sister Orey untangle yarn while the other two talked to the kids. The Orey's are really cool members. Saturday we stayed in for half the day then we went and saw some less actives. We were told not to do too much because of all the ice. Sunday we woke up and the branch president called and told us that church was canceled. Then the district leader called and told us not to go out again. So we stayed in and played games with the West Memphis Elders till dinner.  It sucked not being allowed to go outside. We had dinner with the Greens and watched the Christmas devotional. It was good but shorter then I remember.

That's about all that happened this week. It has been fairly boring because of all the ice and the storms we have been getting. I hope y'all have a great week and fun with all your snow.

Elder Talbert

     I grew a mustache over night. Just kidding it's made out of wax.

             Us at the ugly tie contest. Who do you think wins?

One Year

Hey Family,

                     This week has been good and full of fun events. On Tuesday we went to district meeting in Bartlett. It was good and about talking to everyone. We then came back to West Memphis and dropped off the other Elders because they are on bike week. We went up to this town called Sunset. It is a fairly sketchy town and and it is very small (pop 300ish). We have some investigators up there we went to go see. We got in with one and taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ. She had lots of questions about why she needed to be baptized again so we answered those. We then went to go see some others but they were busy and told us to come by tomorrow (Wednesday). We then went to one of our investigators named Nilean. I think I have mentioned her before. Well we went to her house and she was glad to see us. She told us the appointment we had on Saturday with her wouldn't work. We then shared some scriptures with her and invited her out to church. On Wednesday we drove to Midtown in the morning because the other Elders were on exchanges and needed to exchange back. We then went back to Sunset and taught a lady named Janette. We are hoping to go back this week and talk to her more. That night we went to YM/YW and played volleyball. We stayed over at the other Elders that night. The next day we got up and I opened my B-day gifts from you guys. They were all very cool and I was excited to get them, thanks. Then we went up to Marion because Elder Oveson and I had an appointment. We went to Dankeiya's house and taught her about the Book of Mormon and a little about the Restoration. Then that night we went to the Orey's parents' house for Thanksgiving. It was very good and they knew it was my B-day so they made me a cake. It was very fun and we had a ugly tie contest and I won  I will send a pic and you can vote). We stayed there for the rest of the night. It was a fun day and a great B-day. Friday was boring because everyone was tired from Black Friday shopping or they were Black Friday shopping. Then on Saturday we went up to Crawfordsville to see a less active member named Mae and had a good talk with her and shared some scriptures with her. Then we went to another less active member named McKenzie and invited her out to church. We tried to see a few others but no one was home. Sunday was fast and testimony Sunday. It was very good and McKenzie came to church towards the end of sacrament and stayed for the rest of church. In Priesthood we talked all about how we need to keep moving forward and never give up if we fall or make a mistake. After church we had a break the fast potluck thing. We then went to go see Nilean but she wasn't home. For dinner we were invited to a members named the Houstens. They were having a big family get together. It was fun and it was like a Thanksgiving dinner so that was awesome.

 

                   That's about it for my week. It has been good and fun. It sounds like y'all had a great week and lots of fun playing Minecraft and partying. Thanks for all the B-day wishes and I hope y'all have a great week.

                                                                                   Love Elder Talbert

Letter from November 25

Hey Family,

                  This week has been good. We went to Bartlett on Monday and dropped Elder Anderson off at the temple. From there we took some pics and Elder Oveson, Elder North and I went to the library to email. When we had finished emailing we went back to the temple and took more pics and said goodbye to Elder Anderson. We then went shopping and to Lakeland to play some games at the Longshore's. We stayed at their house till around 5 then we headed back to West Memphis's.

This is us at the Longshore's home. (he is the bishop in Lakeland and the Lakeland Elders live there.)

 We had dinner and went to the Orey's to give some gifts that Elder Anderson wanted to give them. Then on Tuesday, because Elder North was still with us, we really covered both areas. We contacted this referral named Sharon. She was really cool and wanted some Bibles. We taught her the restoration and gave her  Book Of Mormon. We are going back this week to give her a Bible and teach her more. It was strange to be in a tripanionship but it worked well. Wednesday we went to Bartlett again for transfers. Neither of us were getting transferred, we just needed to go get Elder North's new companion. Elder North's new companion is named Elder Morgan. He has been out for 23 months and goes home on the 31st of December. We got back from transfers in time for dinner so we went ther,e then we went to the church to help set up for the branch Thanksgiving dinner. On Thursday we saw this investigator of ours named Nilean and her nephew Jay Shawn. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and they really like learning the Gospel and want to come to church. Friday we did lots of walking, lots of talking and no results. We have been on bike week so we walked a lot but its good exercise. On Saturday we contacted this referral and it was a less active member that wanted to know where the church was. We told her and invited her to church but she didn't come so we are going to invite her again this week. That evening was the branch Thanksgiving dinner it was good and fun. On Sunday we went to church and it was the Primary program. It was very good and fun like they always are. In priesthood we learned about doing home teaching. 

 That has been it for my week. It has been a good week and it sound like you guys have had a good week too. Have a happy Thanksgiving and thanks for all the birthday wishes. It should be a good one. 

Elder Talbert 

Letter from November 18th

Hey Family,

                  This week has been great. It has gone by so fast I can barley remember what I did this week. For P-day we did our usual, playing board games. It was lots of fun. On Wednesday we went to an investigator's named Leona. She is really cool and wants to learn about the gospel. It was our first real visit so we taught how to begin teaching. She had a lot of questions for us already. It was a really good lesson. Then that evening we went to the church for YM because we were hosting a scripture chase. But the YM leader was out of town and none of the YM showed up. On Thursday we had specialized training. It was long but good. We talked a lot about getting focused in the work and putting our faith in Christ. We also talked about how to get our investigators to exercise their faith. At specialized we go some more Books of Mormon to give out. After specialized we came back and went and saw this guy named Detarrius. We had talked to him a couple of days before and he had wanted a Book of Mormon but we had none. So we went and game him one. Now we have an appointment with him and his family tomorrow. On Friday we went up to Crawfordsville to see a referral we got for the Jones. She wasn't home but we had a good talk with her grandma who is a less active member. Then we went and saw Joanna. She is doing well. She didn't know if she wanted to get baptized but we are still trying to work with her. I know that if she comes to church she will feel the spirit and have the desire to get baptized. On Saturday we went to the Teeters with the other Elders. Elder Anderson goes home tomorrow so everyone in the branch is making a big to do, which is understandable since he has been here for a while. Then we went home and tried to contact some referrals with no luck. On Sunday we had really good talks about how we can do any thing the Lord has called us to do. It reminds me of a quote I saw that says " two people can do anything as long as one of them is the Lord". After church we had a baptism for a kid name Cy Orey. He is part of a family of members but his parents are divorced and his mom wouldn't give him consent for the longest time. Then when he got consent he wasn't sure if he could keep the commandments. We asked him which ones he didn't think he could keep and he said I don't think I can go without soda and playing violent video games. Haha. It was funny and we quickly explained that those were his moms rules. After that he was excited to be baptized. After his baptism we went to the Orey's and had lunch. We went to the Anderson's for dinner and Elder Anderson going away party. It was lots of fun. That night we stayed at the Elders apartment and played games and helped Elder Anderson pack. It was lots of fun.

 

                  That is about it for my week. Not much exciting. It sounds like y'all had a good week. Thanks for all you do for me and I hope y'all have another great week!

Elder Talbert

What's Up Doc?

Hey Family,

                  This week has been great! On Monday we played lots of games and the Lakeland Elders came down and hung out with us. After we went to the Crickmores for dinner and the Teeter's after that. then on Tuesday we all went to zone meeting in Frayser. It was all focused on how to overcome people's problem and concerns. We did a lot of role plays and had lots of fun. After zone meeting we came back to WM (West Memphis) and went to go see some people in this shady neighborhood. We have lots of investigators all in this neighborhood. None of them were home but we met this guy named Arsenio. He seems really cool and we are going to start teaching him. Then we went to dinner and then drove to Little Rock. We stayed with the Pinnacle Mountain Elders. The next morning we got up and went to my doctors appointment. It was very boring. We sat around, I got some blood work and an echo then the doctor looked at me and said I was still doing good. We then drove back to West Memphis. By the time we got back it was about dinner time so we went to the Teeter's for dinner. We watched the movie Joseph the Prophet of the Restoration with them. It is still a good movie. On Thursday we had the apartment specialist come and check our apartment. We passed with flying colors.....Probably because there is nothing in our apartment. We then went to the other Elders' house for lunch. After lunch we went on exchanges. I stayed down in WM with Elder North. It was lots of fun and we found some new people for them to teach and set a date with one of their investigators. Meanwhile up in Marion, Elder Oveson and Elder Anderson found some new people, contacted some referrals and set a date with a lady named Joanne. She is really cool and loves leaning the gospel. Friday we exchanged back and Elder Oveson and I went to that neighborhood I was telling you about and talked to lots of our investigators there and had some good lessons outside with lots of people. On Saturday President Peterson came down and did interviews for the four of us. He told me I am probably staying here this next transfer but I love it here so I was OK with that. That night we had an appointment with Joanne. She wasn't home but we went to go see a different investigator that lives right around the corner and she seems solid and wants us to teach her next week when her husband comes back from a work trip. On Sunday we had stake conference. We went with the Teeters to save us some miles. It was very good and most of the speakers talked about how members need to be more involved in missionary work and how the members and the missionaries need to work together. It was a great stake conference and the new temple president and his wife spoke. They are Bro and Sis Griffin from Hot Springs. It was cool to see them again. 

                 That is about it for my week. It has been good and productive. It sounds like y'all had a fairly good week and I hope y'all have a great week this week.

Love Elder Talbert

A Great Missionary Picture

Halloween costume (Secret Service)

Monster Mash (November 4)

Hey Family,

                    This week has been good. On Tuesday we had district meeting in Bartlett. We talked a lot about how to find new investigators and what works best as finding methods. It was a really good meeting. I learned that I need to be better at getting people's names. I seem to forget to ask for people's names when I talk to them on the street. After district meeting we went to Lakeland and helped the sisters find in their area for an hour. We found a couple of new people they could go back and see. When we were done finding in Lakeland we went back to West Memphis and went finding in our own area. We found this guy named Jeff Wilson. He had a lot of questions for us and we answered them the best we could. At the end of the discussion he said he wanted us to come over and talk to him some more. So we are going over there hopefully this week to talk to him. We also got a car on Tuesday and the WM Elders went on bike week. On Wednesday night we went to the branch's Halloween party. We all dressed up. I was a secret service agent, Elder Oveson was a thug, Elder Anderson tried being a ninja but then changed to the President, and Elder North wrote the word book on his face and went as facebook. It was a fun party. Thursday was Halloween. We were down in West Memphis all day helping out the other Elders and doing a lot of finding. That evening we went to a Halloween Party one of the members was throwing. It was fun but we left when they went out trick or treating. Here in Arkansas trick or treating is a little different then in Utah. Instead of the parents going with their children from door to door, the parents sit in their car and watch their children go from door to door. The parents stay in their car the whole time and slowly inch forward as their child moves along the street. It was kinda funny to see just a line of cars on both sides of the street slowly inch forward as kids are running everywhere. After we got home, we played Betrayal at a house on a hill. It is a fun game but every time we play I am always the traitor. On Friday we did more finding and we met these two guys named Roman and Ladarius. They are both cool and seem interested in the gospel. We taught them the first lesson when we met them. We also had to drive the WM Elders to Midtown so they could go on exchanges.On Sunday was fast and testimony. It was very good. Then in Sunday School class we learned about a talk by Bruce R McConkie about the atonement. It was very good talk and all about how we would be hopeless without the atonement. Then in Elder's quorum we talked about home teaching. We read part of Thomas S Monson's talk about home teaching from this past general conference. It was about how we need to be the home teachers that go and care about the family and really get to know them. Often we go home teaching because we are asked and we want to tell the Elder's quorum president we did it. I think the same thing applies to visiting teaching. We need to go because we care for the person. After church we had a great lesson with a lady named Joanne. She seemed interested and we are going to teach her again on Thursday this week. 

 

                       That is about all for my week. I hope you are all doing good and having a fun time with school and work. I love and pray for y'all.

                      

                       Love

                               Elder Talbert   

It was the Monster Mash

Joseph's letter from October 28th

Hey Family,

                  This week has been slow and tiring. To answer your question, I keep up just fine on bike week. Our area is flat for the most part. Although we didn't bike at all this week. We walked everywhere because we live next to a major highway and in order to go anywhere in the town from our place you have to go down the highway. We thought it would be a lot more safer to walk and neither of us died so I think we were fairly safe.

 

                  Well on Tuesday we had district meeting. We went and all learned about how to get our investigators to pray with faith and realize that they can increase their faith by reading and going to church and by praying. It was a very good meeting. After the meeting we gave our car to the Lakeland Elders and we went back with the West Memphis (WM) Elders. We walked to Chris's and talked with him for a little. We learned that he is going to Jonesboro for the month so we won't be seeing him around but we are still going to try and teach the rest of the family. For the most part we walked around and talked to everyone we saw and handed out a lot of cards. On Wednesday morning we went with the WM Elders to a teaching appointment then we walked around WM and contacted a referral. Then WM Elders took us back to Marion and we went around to see some people with them. That evening we went to the church and they were having a Halloween Party for YM and YW. It was fun and we dressed up as missionaries. I was Elder Anderson. On Thursday we walked around a sketchy trailer park for most of the day trying to contact people but no one was home. On Saturday the WM Elders called us and told us they were going to come pick us up. We went with them to a birthday party for a kid named Joe. He is really cool and he is a member. The birthday party was at his grandmas house and she is a non-member. We celebrated his birthday ( he turned 9) then we went to Proctor. We went to another Halloween Party one of the members was throwing. There were a lot of nonmembers there too. It was a good day. Sunday we went to church and Elder Oveson and Elder North gave talks. It was very good and all about missionary work and we all need to not procrastinate and do missionary work. It was very good and the rest of church was also great.

 

                  That is about it for my week. Not to bad but fairly boring. We got a lot of help from the WM Elders so that was nice. I think it is awesome that Mike is the new bishop. I know he will do great. I hope y'all have a great week and a Happy Halloween.

                                                                                                  Love Elder Talbert