FYI

Dear family and Friends,

hmm well we had a pretty uneventful week. I mean we taught 3 non-members and all which was great but they are all leaving...

So we taught 2 Japanese students who were here learning in America and we taught them about God and how to pray but they go home this week to japan. and We taught this guy named Ken! it was pretty cool because we just thought to stop by the fellow shippers house to ask about him and he was there and he wanted to be taught! which was tight! i thought it started off poorly and we was asking a lot of hard questions... i said a quick prayer and slowly the lesson got better and better. The sad part was we learned he was leaving the next day to go to the eat coast to visit for like a whole month and a half because he has relatives who are failing in there health and he wanted to be near them. so we probably wont teach him again until may. other than that we didnt teach too many other people. we have been trying really hard to find a new investigator. We are trying to set a good example for the zone and lead out but its just not happening for us. 

it has been kinda discouraging and the members are the bulk of the discouragement. With this huge emphasis on missionary work people are changing there excuses from "i dont know anyone" to "No one is ready." it is really irritating because sometimes the people are READY they just dont invite. and we dont go over because they ask us not to go over. All we ask is an invitation. it is not our decision to make if someone is ready or not! that is the lords and there's. We invite they make a decision. but if we don't invite they don't get a decision. 

Well i am doing well. still trying to find new investigators. Don't come up with lame excuses for your missionaries. we are smarter then we look and we don't call you out on it because we have to use you in the work. FYI.

Elder Salmon

Hey from Sandy

Dear Family and Friends,

Well i have a few mixed feelings with a few things that happened this last week. first i got transferred from west Jordan! which i was very sad. i really enjoy it over there and i was getting a lot of good work done! the second thing that i am not too excited about is that they called me as a zone leader... on one hand its less stressful. on the other im not sure i want to lead like that. Its a lot of trust and its fun. i have a great companion. the oldest companion ive ever had. hes at 21 months. and it looks like i will kill him(send him home) because he goes home in 2 transfers. 

I got sent to sandy to the same-ish zone i was in the last time i was here in sandy. (the zones have switch a bit but my old area is in the zone.) sandy is not too bad i guess. i could be here for a long time. i like staying in areas for a long period of time so mayby i can be here for the long run. Unfortunately we dont ahve an investigators... so i was a little bummed coming from a place where i had 6 investigators. oh well it means there are people for me to find here. and we have to find becuase we need to lead out in the zone and that means we need to find people to teach. i know the lord will provide people who are ready we just need to put the work in. 

The sandy crescent ridge stake was very welcoming. they all knew my name basically before i even met them. the stake president sent out a mass email to everyone telling a little about me. Now im back to memorizing peoples names. Im grateful im not leading the area! first time in forever! i just get to give my 2 cents and help while my companion leads the area. i am trying to learn it as fast as i can. but i have more than just my area to think about. 3 district and over 20 missionaries is a lot to think about. that part is a little overwhelming. 

Its really good hearing from all of you. i do enjoy getting your letters and emails and im sorry if i dont have time to reply a whole lot. But i just got even busier. I love you all! 

Elder Salmon

Another Day in Paradise

Dear family and Friends,

Well this transfer has come to a close. that has been really weird because it feels like i just got here. But it really has gone by quick and we have done a lot of work here. i still feel like a new comer here but i am starting to know a lot of people. So in the morning i scored this free pass to work out at a gym not too far away and have been going there in the morning for my workouts. That has been very beneficial for me. i get a good workout and i dont feel as guilty now when i eat a little too much at dinner time. 

We had a lot of cancellations like last week. We are at the point where we need to drop investigators, but my companion doesnt like it. he thinks im giving up on them. when in reality im helping them more. but he doesnt see it. We did pick up 3 new investigators this last week. they didnt accept a date, well really i didnt have enough time to put them on date. the lesson went over. But they will ahve a date next lesson. They want to join the church but they want to learn more. I believe its just a matter of time. I believe when a ward believes and they put the effort into helping us the Lord gives us investigators. This ward wants to help us and they are the smallest ward but we have the most work there. And that makes me want to spend more time in there ward. 

So on Saturday Elder kulu, now John kulu took me and my comp out for lunch. i got to catch up with him and see how he is doing. it was very surreal for me to see how much he has changed. he is working a full time job, hes going to college, hes not messing around with the girls, and he still does his studying in the morning. It was very good to see him. i love that guy and i know we will stay in touch. he is living in cottonwood right now and moving down to provo in a month or so. 

But life is going good. The work continues to move on and we are always looking. The weather has been pretty nice. not too rainy and very ward. we had a great winter compared to last year. We keep thinking its spring when we see the suna dn its 60 degrees outside. but everyone keeps talking about how its still got one or two more snow storms left. i just pray it doesnt. 

Love Elder Salmon