The ITCH is back...well it never left, but I thought it was punny. Seven weeks to go and the work goes on!

Howdy y’all!

Monday we just shopped and chilled.  We went to dinner with the Worthington's and the daughter has a guitar and I picked on it for a bit.  It felt great but I still don’t remember anything haha.

Fly it high and proud!

Tuesday was tough.  So my poison oak (I know it keeps changing but I swear it’s poison oak) was absolutely killing me.  We went out with Brother Loken and fixed Sister Stuckey’s door.  We just took out old screws, readjusted and drilled in new ones.  We then went to the Worthington's and cleared their porch of old, rotted wood.  Brother Loken fed us lunch and then we got dressed to help the spanish guys move BACK to their old apartment.  Well, the office Elders were 3 hours late and so we left and went to dinner at the Jones’s.  It was great!  We told them we had a lesson at the church and they told us previous missionaries never had lessons after dinners so they were super glad to hear we “actually do mission work” haha.  Great confidence booster!  We met Sister Stuckey at the church, but she was doing family history with other members and so we left it at that and let her finish!  She loved it! I should probably do more family history.  We played basketball and I must have been wearing shoes signed by MJ or had a drink of Mikes secret stuff, cause I went OFF.
Good day!

This doesn't apply to LDS missionaries.

Wednesday we helped Brother Buchanan clean out his garage.  That was a task!  About 2 hours into it, my chest, legs and arms were flaring up and itching like crazy.  So what do I do?  That’s correct, I scrubbed myself with apple cider vinegar for an hour or 2.  Brother Buchanan understood and so I went to the bathroom and had me a stinky shower in the vinegar.  Well, aside from pulling the ace bandage from my scabbed body after my St. George incident where I hit a wall my junior year spring break, it was probably one of the worst pains I have felt.  It burned like someone was pouring acid on me.  Elder Roberts knocked on the door asking if I was okay.  Probably cause of all of my grunts haha.  But it helps a TON. Brother Buchanan fed us and we came home.  We didn’t go out cause my body was just so taken out.  Also, shout out to Halli for sending me that mud stuff.  Helped with the healing process.  Also, my pants I ordered from Under Armour on Monday came and they’re fabulous.

Thursday we had district meeting and went to lunch at Chick-fil-A.  I’ll say it again, I was craving Wendy’s.  We went home and put more of the mud on and then went to see a bunch of people and tried to contact but no one was home or having it.  Sister Anderson from Searcy called us to have us give a blessing to an investigators dad at our hospital, but when we called, she answered and we told her who we were and she hung up...so hopefully the sisters can keep with her?  We picked up Spanish and went to do service for a Spanish member.  We left pretty early for dinner with Paul and to see some people.  No one home.  Then Brother Loken came and got us and we pulled up to a less actives who came to church on Sunday and...the house looked like someone not only broke in, but the people living there made a quick escape.  We don’t know what happened but no one was home and windows were broke.  We went to ask the members who are their neighbors what happened and they didn’t have any information.  Spanish called us over for a bit and so we hung out until it was time to goin.   Elder Brinkerhoff is a total stud.  Love the kid.

Wanna hear my mix tape?

Friday I didn’t get any sleep and my body was flaring up BAD again.  Like I could barely have the covers on me my body was so dead.  I took a bunch of oat meal baths and the Spanish Elders brought me some calamine.  It worked for a couple hours so we could plan, but then it hit me HARD after that.  So I was out of commission again.  While we could do something though, we tried to get our own referrals from the Facebook yard sells.   We put up the Bible’s and said they were free and we literally only got 2 responses for 2 people out of our area...one was out of the state.  So that was a bust.  We went out later that night to try to go contacting, but no luck was found.  I did make Elder Pickering a package and I’ll send that off today.

Saturday I got no sleep again cause our freaking weather alarm went off between once and twice an hour and I had to get up to turn it off.  In the morning we went out with Paul and contacted what felt like our whole area Book.  The only real successes was finding a potential and a lesson with Sister Stuckey.  We’re seeing Karissa, the potential, today!  Hopefully it goes well cause she showed a lot of interest!  We gave her a Book of Mormon and pamphlets!  But an upside, I wasn’t too itchy!

Still there...by the rockets red glare.

Sunday was a great day at church!   Well, minus a couple things.  A less active finally came and then someone made a remark towards her kids and she told us she didn’t want to be a member anymore.  That was hard but we got an appointment with them tomorrow to sort things out.  Hopefully we can help her in any way.  Please y’all, watch what you say and be compassionate to others.  You never know what internal battle they’re going through.  Sister Bernal fed us after we had correlation and it was AWESOME!  She told me she needs to interview the girl I plan on marrying so she knows if she’s right.  Apparently, she’s never wrong...so I got to be careful!  We came home and I packed up some boxes to send home.  It was a good day!

It’s getting close to the end!  It’s scary to say I’ll be home in 7 weeks.  Time flies way too fast on a mission and this past transfer has just flew by.  I have no idea where the Time went!  I love my companion to death and I pray he is my last companion!  I love y’all!
Peace!

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

Poison Ivy, Baking Soda, and Cheerios = Arkansas bath time.

So y’all may be wondering about my subject.  Well, believe it or not they all have someone in common.  I had all of them in a bath!  I’ll explain later.

Monday was pretty darn awesome!  We went to the trampoline park and had a great time.  I, of course, cut my finger open on the obstacle course.  We then went to the church and played chair soccer and had a water balloon fight!  Holy cow was I having a hoot and holler!  I ain’t never had a better p-day!  We then went to a members house with the bishops family and had a little restoration.  His wife is from Korea and she made us Korean food!  I gotta say, her kimchi was better than the one I tasted before.  I still didn’t really enjoy it, but I didn’t hate it!  We played pool and talked to Orianna about Arizona.

Homemade water-ptoofing

Tuesday sucked.  We walked 5 miles in the 100 degree weather in 80% humidity.  No one answered or was interested.  So it wasn’t horribly long, just Hot!  I got a couple blisters on my feet.  Paul came and picked us up and we came back to the apartment.  I can’t remember what we did after that, but I did start to realize I was itching super bad and so I poured gold bond on my body and went to bed.

Wednesday we had a lesson with a guy named Brad!  He is super cool and was like “I just might become a Mormon!”  It’s just tough with him cause he hates denominations and we don’t think we stressed as best as we could the fact that we are Christ’s church again restored the earth.  But he’s super awesome and said he want to come to church!  We walked to Jabari’s and he wasn’t home.  We went home and contacted a bunch of referrals and other people over the phone and Facebook.  Not much success came from it sadly though.  We had dinner and went to Book of Mormon class.  We had a correlation afterwards that took FOREVER.

Thursday we totally forgot about district meeting and were reminded about it about 30 minutes before haha.  So we went to that and had ice cream and then went to lunch with the zone leaders.  You know, the more I eat Chick-fail-A, the more I crave Wendy’s hahaha. I’m just not a fan of it.  But we came back and weekly planned for a bit.  The Spanish Elders took us to Walmart so we could get a money order to get a new key.  Paul took us to dinner and it was great.

Ouch

Friday we went to do service for Healing Waters church and it was crazy!  It was so hot outside.  We dug up dirt and weeds and hauled it off to dump for 4 or so hours.  The lady, Mrs. Caroline was a sweet heart!  While we did all the work, there is a prison program that does service every Friday there and we talked to the guy with us and he is awesome.  His name is Martin name we gave him a Book of Mormon and pamphlets!  He’s super sweet and gets out in September so we are going to go and talk with him on Fridays while we do service! 

So, I realized I was dying of itching and the rash thing was spreading all over my body, so after service I showered and was really hurting from the rash and I just laid down and Elder Roberts went with Elder Brinkerhoff to go to some appointments.  I finally called the mission nurse and he things it’s poison ivy!  I don’t know when or how, but I guess I got it.  So this is where the subject comes in.  I was told to bathe in baking soda.  Well, I haven’t taken a bath in who knows how long, so I thought to spice it up, I would eat some Cheerios mixed with my favorite cereal, Bear Naked (cause it was funny), while in the bath!   It was great!  I still am not really a fan of baths, but it felt good!

Eat mor chikin!

Saturday Paul took us out and no one answered or was interested again.  We even got told it was a “shame” for young people like us, with so much zeal, to be on the “enemies” side and that the kingdom of God could use us.  So of course I say “I didn’t know we were enemies?”  He told us we should not waste our time with him cause he didn’t wanna hurt our feelings or be mean.  So we thanked him for being honest and left...laughing.  I think he heard us.  Oh well.  Great time!  We got home and I took another bath and took some Benadryl and I about died.  I have been waking up about 3 or so times a night to baptize myself in gold bond powder.  It seems to be the only thing that helps me.

Sunday was great.  We had a wonderful sabbath and went to visit some people with Christian Morales...well I feel horrible cause every time we take him out no one answers the door or doesn't wanna hear it haha!  This one house we went to we asked the kid out side if the guy was home.  He went in and came out and said he will be out in a second.  Well we waited for a couple minutes and a girl came to the door and said he wasn’t home haha.  So we ain’t going back there.  We had dinner with Sister Bernal and it was AWESOME!  She’s such a sweetheart.   Paul then took us out to give a less active a blessing and it was great!  She said she felt the effects immediately!

Y’all, I’m starting to feel the trials of Job coming upon me, but that’s okay cause no one will ever understand my absolute, dying love for the savior.  I’m not perfect, I suck at being a missionary sometimes, but that’s okay cause whatever I lack, God will make up.  I love y’all!


Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

When the AC goes out...powder is needed more than usual.

Howdy y’all!

Tuesday we actually set up an appointment an had to drive out of our area to teach him.  His name is Edward and he is so cool!  We taught a super great restoration and he ate it up!  We had it at a park and afterward, he set up a return appointment and we told him we would get in contact with the Elders in the area.  Turns out, the Elders are Elders Sammons and Dawson!  Afterwards, we drove home and had studies and Ethan Henderson took us out to teach and lunch.  No one was home...but we had great conversation.  So apparently, Elders in Idaho are...subpar haha.  But hey, no judgement, I know the ALRM is the best in the world, it’s hard to compare.  We tried some people but no one answered.  We then went with Paul to the bishops house, the Warner’s, for their daughters mission call opening!  She’s going to Gilbert, Arizona!  Just as dope as can be!

Adair/Pickering love fest.

Wednesday we found a new investigator named Jabari.  He has been meeting with missionaries, or just talking, for 7 or so years.  We believe Satan knows he is ready cause every time he tried to go to church, something happened, like his tire would pop, or he’s got a random call to work.  He asked us one question, that was where in the Bible does it talk about the Book of Mormon?  Well, there’s a few (Isaiah 29, Ezekiel 37, John 10:16, Psalms 85:11-13).  We also told him about ether when he brought up the Tower of Babel (long story).  It went super great and he was thinking!  We then taught some dudes who was not exactly in the right mind due to some recreational activities prior to our visit.  We tricked a few other people. We then had a super great lesson on keepin the sabbath day holy with a less active family named the Took’s!  We set up the appointment the day prior, but Sister Tooks was gonna just tell us to go away, but something told her not to.  She was so upbeat and happy by the time we left!  It was great!  We’re tying to get them active so the son, Treshawn, can go on a mission.  We had Book of Mormon class and dinner afterwards.

Thursday I had some BOMB studies.  We went to the food pantry and then studied and went to the store for some things.  We went to the Warner’s for dinner and talked about Gilbert and Sister Warner gave us a referral for a lady who speaks Korean!  So today I’m gonna get a hold of Renee and see if he can Skype in for lessons!  I asked President if dad could Skype in, but he said that was too close to home.

Friday we had zone Conference and it was great!  Elder Perkins from the 70 came to tour the mission and he came with Elder Johnson, an area 70.  They’re super awesome and powerful!

Saturday we went again to the food pantry with the North Little Rock ward.  It was pretty awesome!  A sister took all the missionaries there out to lunch at a Chinese buffet.  Wasn’t great...but hey, it was a kind gesture!  Then we had to give a Sister a blessing and while at the church, we talked to Brother Oistad for a bit bout his mission. He had some pretty awesome stories!  We got a hold of Markus finally.  He is out of town for the month so we are going to call him weekly.  We told him about the Book of Mormon app and he downloaded it so we hope he reads everyday like we invited him to.  We also got a hold of Kimberly and set up an appointment for Sunday.  We had dinner and went to stake conference.  It was great!

Sunday was conference and it was great!  That lady Sister Warner gave us to teach came!  She is so nice and we have an appointment for tonight! I was able to see a ton of people from Glenwood and Hot Springs!   Paula Braxton’s husband, Kelly, gave a WONDERFUL talk!  Also, Christian Morales was a stud and in his talk told the stake to feed missionaries haha.  Talk about magnifying your calling.  We went out with Paul and saw a guy named Cedric.  We stressed the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and prayer and we hope he understood.  No one else answered.  Not even Kimberly.  We came home and studied and went to dinner with Sister Bernal and her kids, Christian and Ruby Morales.  Christian is the kid going to Tempe.  It was a wonderful dinner and Sister Bernal asked me to visit Christian and I agreed, so it looks like I’m taking a trip to Arizona!

So funny stories I forgot to put in last weeks letter, I got athletes foot and it sucked for a couple days, but I have it under control now.  Also, we didn’t have AC for 3 days.  It’s fixed now, but holy cow there was a night where I legit got 15 minutes of sleep total!   Prayers for any missionaries so,where without it cause it was 90 degrees in the apartment at one point.  Also, this week for another curse added to Elder Adair, I have some heat rashes and I ITCH!  I’ll send a pic Elder Roberts took of me baptizing myself in gold bond so I don’t rip my skin off.  So yeah, the mission is going great!  What a final stretch!  I hope y’all are more comfortable than I am and are having a stellar week!

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

Sometimes the work in "the field" is more physical than you'd think.

A watched pancake never boils...I may have that wrong.

Howdy y’all!

Monday Lukas got baptized!  That was fun to be a part of!

Tuesday we had district meeting and then we helped Sister Jones unpack the truck at her new house!  It was so hot.  We had a ton of missionaries there though so it wasn’t too bad.  Although getting the elliptical up the stairs about killed us.  It didn’t fit into the hallway so we just dragged it into a room.  My shoulder is still nice and tender.  She got us pizza and we ate and then got a call that we had to be at the church because a sister was there alone in the family history center and needed priesthood.  So we went and the ZL’s did the zone leader thing where they put in key indicators and then had to make some calls.  We got back home and then went to basketball.  Elder Paupau and I exchanged.

Wednesday we drove to the store and got Hermana Orr a cake cause it was her birthday and then we brought it to Spanish’s district meeting.
We had a surprise party and left for studies.  We went to visit a referral named Kimberly and she was great!  We had a great first lesson and she took the Book of Mormon quicker than a cat runs from a rocking chair (Dad edit: I swear if he talks like this when he gets home I am staging an intervention!).  We also finally got in contact with a potential named Jabari.  He’s super nice and we set a return appointment for tomorrow!  We got back to the apartment cause it was hotter than Lucifer’s lair outside.  We ate and then drove to Book of Mormon class.  We exchanged back and had a correlation with Brother Bailey.

Hello, I mustache you a question.

Thursday was good.  Christian came to the church with us to teach Brad, but he never showed up.  We had to fix Hermana Orr’s bike as well.  It was us and the Spanish District and the sisters.  So we got the pod all done pretty quick and then came home to get ready for dinner with the Longneckers.  It was a great dinner and they have a sister who lives in Layton!  Off of Gentile. Crazy!  We then tried Marcus but he wasn’t home.

Friday was rough and tough.  We went to help finish the move with Sister Jones, but there was a catch, it was just the Sisters, the Hermana’s and us.  We had to go to the old house to move the washer, dryer, and a HUGE fridge. Like, a $10,000 Viking fridge.  There was also some smaller stuff, but they had a trailer for us to put it all on.  Let me start by saying my back is shot from the awkwardness of these things.  We took off every door the washer and dryer went through and had to lug them up and down steps haha.  Them things was not light (Dad edit: someone please help me...grammar police, I am calling 911!).  There was a couple close calls and I got my finger sliced open by a chair on Tuesday so It was super sore.  It’s crazy how much you need your middle finger when lifting things.  It ain’t just for road rage!  But we got everything all sorted out and the move was DONE!  We were so sweaty and hot and tired, but it’s done.  She got us Wendy’s and I’ve never eaten a baconator meal so fast in my life haha.  We went home showered and slept.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Saturday we went out with Paul and boy did we get work done.  We got appointments with like 8 people this week and met a couple really cool people.  We met a woman named Sparkle.  We ain’t sure if that’s her street name or government name...but she was super nice!  We went back later that evening cause she said it would be better and started with the restoration, but didn’t really start haha.  Right as we started to teach, something happened with their family and we left.  But it was a great day!

Sunday we had a great church meeting.  We tried to see Sparkle but they were busy so we gave them our card to call us.  Kimberly wasn’t home and neither was Emel...so we broke our fast with Paul and finished the night.

So it’s been a hectic week and I’m ready for P-day haha.  I’m tired, sore and ready for a nap.  I hope y’all week went splendidly and I love all of y’all!

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

Freedom...proved by the shirt

Shameless selfie

Cars ride by with the boomin' systems