IIX/X/XIV

We went to our service saturday morning. The service where we go to
this huge open field called 'Stillwell woods nature preserve' to so
some "invasive species pulling" which is pretty much just pulling
weeds. And those weeds vary from little vines (honey suckle), to
bigger tougher vines (bittersweet), and medium bushes (tree of
heaven).  And sometimes if you see them, multi floral roses, and
thistles. There's a lot of lambs ear out there, it's not native, but
it's okay to leave it.
 For the past three months we've been going out there pretty much
every week and helping this county organization (you've probably seen
the pics on Facebook). It started with the beach clean up way back in
April. We were doing other service before, when we were trailblazing
at another preserve (where Teddy Roosevelt was buried). I wonder how
that place is doing...?
  We go there and pull weeds for a few hours in the morning every
week, and we have a good time, usually. Sometimes we find snakes or
giant spiders, bunnies, and even large burrows.
We are trying a new project where we pulled some mugwort out of an
area, then we laid down a large black plastic covering and stapled it
to the ground. It will stay there for 6 weeks and hopefully it should
kill every plant under it. Then they want to plant milkweed in the
stead thereof.
The whole purpose of killing these plants is because they bring in a
different kind of insect that don't belong, and Now I can't remember
what was said about it. But something about the birds eating the bugs,
and the butterflies can use the milkweed. So that place can be full
once more with tons of different species of butterflies.

    This day was a little more special because there are some people
flying gliders in the other half of the field (they are there all the
time) but today they were having a picnic and we were invited! After
our pull, we went over and mingled with some older people and ate good
food. Then some elders got to fly one of these gliders. There was an
instructor, he told us how things work, that flying is like fishing.
Only we are fishing for hot air columns, so you can keep flying. The
instructor said one of his longest flights was an hour and a half. He
only stopped because he was freezing cold.
 It's cool because one you get the plane up there, it'll fly itself if
it's stable enough. All these do is pretty much "falling with style".
There are a few ways to launch the plane. There's the one we used
which had it's own motor so it could climb. There's also two kids of
winches that hook to the plane, and throw it up there. And I heard
there is one that is pretty much a giant rubber band gun that launches
them up.
They don't weigh anything, mostly styrofoam. Some are bigger and made
with plastic and wood or carbon fibre. Those needed to be hooked to
the line because they don't have propellers.
 It's all quite interesting, and on the way out, elder hart said he
found his old man hobby. (He got to fly it a little)
 Oh, when the elders got to fly the plane, they just took turns moving
it around while it was up in the air.

That was all in the morning, we got home around 2. We went to the park
as always and there were a lot of photo shoots going on. One was
engagement photos. One was a wedding, and one was a birthday party-
the Spanish one that I can't spell- When a girl turns 15.  The park is
a nice place for pictures. Yesterday was baby pictures.

Then we went to bay shore to help them with less active lookups. This
was a huge event. Every missionary from the island came to help. There
was about 60 of us. That was fun actually. We got paired off with
another missionary from a different area. And we went out and worked.
We found all but one, got info for the rest, and knocked around the
house, and got a lot of info for potentials. Gave those to the Spanish
missionaries because even though the people we were looking up were
English, all their neighbors were Hispanic.
That lasted a good three hours, which didn't feel that long, because
we were working hard.
   It was nice to go back to that ward, there were some members there
that I like, and even my old companion Jean-Baptiste showed up!
I got to work with an elder that went to ALA with me, he's a few years
younger though. Elder Morrell, I actually go home with him now.


I'm trying to remember what day I wrote about last week, because I
can't think of much else that's happened. But Saturday was a big day.

Oh yeah, we went to a farm to help there, too! It was pretty cool..
Actually it was awesome! There were a bunch of cool animals that we
helped out with. Me and dance cleaned the alpaca's houses. And hart
and Purcell cleaned the peacocks pen, and the sisters got another pen
with a duck and an ugly chicken. Then later we all helped with the
turkey pen. There was the male turkey who was puffed up and making
weird noises, but we were helping him, so he didn't bother us much.
There were goats and sheep and rabbits and tons of chickens. I got to
pet a cow and a goat! It was a fun time. We saw two kids from the ward
there, cuz they live close, they were there to feed the animals.
Apparently if you are a visitor you can get some lettuce to give to
the birds.
    It was funny when I was in with the alpacas. I raked the hay
around their trough into a pile, then a minute later, the black one is
in that pile jumping and throwing it everywhere! Uh!
There is a black and a white one, the black one is named Onyx, and I
think the white one was Ed. Or something. The lady that was showing us
around had never seen Napoleon dynamite, so when I asked if one was
named Tina, she didn't get it. Which was sad because I was going to
ask if the chickens have large talons. She was holding one later, so I
could see that they were kinda large.


We've been pretty packed with service lately. Which is good. Fun.

I guess I should tell you how I'm doing, not just what I'm doing.
 Doing okay. We talked to mike the other day and it seemed like he's
afraid to come to church after he misses a few weeks. But he knows he
can always come back. But actually doing it is the tough part. It
calls for humility.  That's pretty much the only reason I'd feel any
different, is if mike is not doing things. I think I'm still here to
help him, and president told me to make sure he gets taught. But now
that transfer calls are this week, I'm thinking that I'm out. And we
didn't get to teach mike as much as I'd like this transfer. These 6
weeks went by too fast. I have three left... I could go somewhere else
for them all. But I kinda want to stay here one more, get more work
done with mike. Make sure he stays strong in the church.

I lost some weight, but keeping it off is tough. So now it's back. But
it seems that I can gain and lose 5lbs easily. I'll go shopping and
bring that list, and try not to lose this one as well as all the other
ones you sent me. Hehe
I guess I'm gonna have to do some exercises to lose the majority of my
weight. But I was hoping I wouldn't have to. Just eating right will
do. It's just my pot guy belly I want gone. And now my neck fat. I
want just one chin again.


One of the bestest coolest members in the ward is worried about mike.
So he took him out to lunch. That's all I know, but it's super cool
that he did that.

My hair is super long. I need to cut it. Good thing P-day is made for
that! I'll do it myself this time, because the member who would be
nice enough to do it is super busy with work all the time, I'll figure
out how to do it right. That's what he did on his mission. He just did
it himself so much he knows how to do it to his son, too. So father
and son have the same haircut. And it was going to be me... But I'll
probably end up doing the same thing. Unless I just cut it real short
all around again. I never knew that the top of the head looks better
longer than the sides. I always had the same length all around. When
I'm home I'll do some different styles. That's what I'm excited about
after the mission. I'll be able to do whatever I want with my hair....
Until it all falls out. :(

My horrid toenail isn't doing too bad. I left it alone for a few weeks
and now the swelling has gone down, and it doesn't hurt so much. I
didn't get the soak, because I never got around to it. But I think if
I just leave it alone till I can do something else, it'll be okay.
My feet are the craziest weirdest things I've had to deal with. I'm
getting new callouses on the sides of my feet, with a lump as well.
And as always, the skin on my toes is peeling.

Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Mike didn't come to church
again....................................................................
That's 4 weeks. He said he had to cover for the night manager who
suddenly went to the hospital. So he worked until 4am instead of 10pm.
And I guess he slept in again.

We're gonna try to meet up with him today soon, after church now. One
thing president said is that we need to not judge him and keep
teaching repentance.

I'm always tired. mentally and physically. Emotionally at times.
That's one thing I didn't know was possible. Being emotionally
stressed and tired. That's why we try to tell people what we want from
them at the beginning of the lessons so there's no hidden agenda at
the end. Like "so, after all these lessons, how's about we get you
baptized?" The person will be like "uhh, what?" Or even this happens
in the Spanish program, where they will listen to us, to be nice. But
when it's time to make commitments, they say they are happy with their
religion but wanted to know what you have to say about Jesus. A lot of
people are fine with just hearing the word. Not acting on it.


I did just have an idea about working out here. I know I've already
said this, but it makes sense now. I want to come back out here as
soon as I can, so I don't lose interest in it as I sit at home. If I
can borrow money for a car, then come out here and work off that loan,
I'll pay you back, hopefully soon if I Work hard. The thing I'm
worried about is if I lose interest in it while I, doing it. I've had
a history of getting bored of things quickly.
Also something I found out this week is that I have commitment issues.
It's hard for me to decide on something then stick with it for a
long[er] time.  A few guys here say this is something they love enough
to continue doing their whole lives. I just gotta love it.

For what, though? That's another struggle. I need to find my drive, or
my goal. Something I want to get out of doing things.
  I want to be forever changed from the mission. I've already learned
so much more about the church and the gospel in 20 months than I have
in the 21 years I lived before the mission.
  With this job, I want to be able to support myself, then a family
down the road (perhaps). I want to be able to provide for my family. I
know I need an education to help me achieve things in life, but I
think I need to work first, to save money for school. I also just want
to try it out.

   I always get on this subject when I have talked to the vivint guys.

That's pretty good for today.

Tyyl - elder peck.