3 Baptisms this coming Saturday!

Date: Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 5:27 PM

Email #43 – LaGrande, OR

Dear Bevell family,

   Good afternoon....it's afternoon for me.  I am glad to hear that you are having a good day so far. I am also glad you enjoyed the pictures; I am thinking that I will just email some to you guys every time I email. I'm sure you would love that. I would like that as well. (hint hint)

Running is getting difficult, meaning that we have not ran since the last time I emailed you. lol, there is a lake just ten minutes away so we are thinking about getting up and running around the lake one morning! Sounds like fun right? We'll see if we actually do it. 

I don't know if it rained in La Grande today because we drove up to Enterprise today to go hiking and see some waterfalls up in the mountains! That was fun. We met up with a member there who knew the mountains and he took us up. I got a scratch on my leg on the way, there is a picture attached, and the waterfall was just beautiful. I am falling more and more in love with nature as I am here.  Elder Richards was getting crazy at the falls as well. He actually walked through the ice cold water to get a better picture of the falls!

And to answer your question about his call, he was kinda disappointed about it. Like most missionaries were, which is dumb because this mission totally ROCKS!!

   ANYWAY, we are in a car here. My bike is still packed up in the box, I might pull it out and make sure everything is still ok. Thanks for reminding me about that.

   Now most of our service here is yard work. Cutting logs, mowing lawns, painting. We even got an invite to help someone with their BUFFALO!! We haven't been to there house yet but we are looking forward to it.

   So we have three people getting baptized this Saturday! Ginnessa (Ji-ne-sa) and Karia, and Elizabeth(Libby)! I am so excited for them all.  Karia has gone through so much by taking the lessons and committing to joining the church. Her family has basically dis-owned her. Even some of her close friends have turned on her. It is hard for her but she knows it's true, and she is not stopping. And Libby!!!! My goodness, she is amazing! We dropped in on her last night to talk about her baptism and her daughter was there.. She bore strong testimonies of the truths of the gospel, and we will be teaching Candy the first lesson tonight! Wow. Libby is going to be an amazing member. And the reason why she doesn't feel well is due to the fact that she has two false knees from an accident, and she is still going through rehab.

Thanks for the package, I got it on the 23rd. You should be getting some snail mail soon with some pictures as well,.

I love you all, you are awesome, and I am always praying for you to have peace, strength, joy, and health. Take care, and stay cool!

                                -Elder Bevell-

Hiking in Enterprise, OR

OUCH!!

9 Months - WOW

Date: Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 2:03 PM

Email #42 – LaGrande, OR

Dear Bevell family,

   I can't believe I am 9 months out! I was thinking the other day, "Wow, three more months and I will have been out a whole year!!" That's crazy! The mission really is going by so fast!!!

   I've decided to start my emails off by answering your questions now. Hopefully I will catch them all this time. I am doing just wonderful. You will never guess what I did this morning and what I am kinda hoping to make a habit of. Running! That's right, this morning all four of us, Elder Richards, Sanders, Bell and I got up at 6:15 and ran a mile. Gosh it was hard for me. Elder Richards did track back home so his endurance is way better than mine, and he was such a huge help with it all. At the end he pointed to the space next to him and said "This is your spot. Run here!" and the whole time he kept encouraging me to keep up. "Don't let me loose you!!" he kept saying. My lungs hurt afterwords, but the rest of me felt great!!

   You would all get along with elder Richards. He actually got his mission call while he was at college.....in BYU Idaho!!!!! lol. He said after he read his call he was thinking "What? I'm already here!!" He is also the District Leader here now, and he does a great job of it. He still has to go to Boise for doctor appointments for his hand. Luckily though his next appointment is set for two months away. President told him that he would be closer to the doctors by that time. Which basically means that he will be transferred at the end of this transfer. =( Oh well. We will just have fun with the rest of the time we have, and work hard!!

   I don't have my talk from Trisha Takahashi's baptism written down, I just said it all from my heart on the spot. Sorry about that. I do have a picture though. It's attached to this email! She really is amazing, She has been a member for only a week, and she signed up to feed us dinner!! lol. That was fun, she really misses her kids though and will be moving up to Hawaii to be with them pretty soon. We will miss her.

   Now for Libby. We have decided to set her baptism date for the 30th of this month. She still hasn't been able to get to church because of her health, so we are going to see if the Relief Society President can go visit her. She said that she would really like that a lot. She is so optimistic about everything. She can hardly walk but whenever we see her she has the biggest smile on her face.

   Leini we have not gotten a hold of yet. She still seems to be out of town, and they won't answer any of our calls or texts. I hope everything is ok over there, we will keep trying.

   Wildflower Old Folks Home is a sad story now. Katy, the woman who we would work with there quit. We're not sure what happened, but apparently some one there offended her. Elders Sanders and Bell are still going but Richards and I have not gone in a while. Elder Sanders is still trying to get a hold of her.

   I haven't heard from Zach in a while myself. I feel worried about him.  I'll write him this week and see whats up and let him know that you all love him like family.

   I feel so bad for not having written Carsten yet!!!!!!!!! Tell him I 'm sorry and that I will write him soon!

   I am glad things are going good for all of you. Good job Breck on finishing online classes!!!! As for AP music......I can't really remember anything!!! It's very sad, I look back on school and all I remember is choir concerts, choir tour, and music stuff. I don't remember anything I learned in school!!! I am very scared for college when I get back. And Izaak, Man I am proud of you! Keep working hard, and learn all you can. And no matter how hard things may get, or how stinky horse poo is, remember this saying, "This poo shall pass." Hahaha.;D

   Mom and Dad, I pray for you guys every night that you will sleep well, and have the strength that you will need for the day, and that your burdens will be made light so that you can enjoy all the beauty that is around you guys. I am so grateful for all the sacrifices you have made in your life for us your children, and I ask God to bless you both with everything you deserve. You both are the best. Thank you. And Mom, I am working hard. I am being obedient, and trying my best to have the spirit close at all times. 

   I still haven't gotten your package yet, which has me really perturbed. The mail man here has even skipped our house twice not even picking up our mail!! I am very much hopping that I get it tomorrow. I am waiting to write you all after I read your letters in it so I can save on postage. Its much nicer to send all your letters in one envelope.

 

   Well I have reviewed your email, and I think I got all your questions. I love you all, and am so proud to call you family! I pray for you every night that you will feel my love, and that you will be safe from harm. Take care and stay cool!

                           -Elder Bevell-

p.s. HOLY COW ITS RAINING HARD!!!!!!

p.s.s. The pictures are of the baptism, the rain just now, and Morgan lake at sunset one night! enjoy!   

Staying in LaGrande with Elder Richards - Yeah!

Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 2:53 PM

Email #41 – LaGrande, OR

Preface::: Story of the missing spoon from mom's email:

Dear Elder Bevell,

Now - the subject line... "It HAS been FOUND!!!" I am sure you are wondering what I am talking about. I think you will enjoy this - a lot. So -- Breck comes running in to me at work TODAY! She says "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, look what we found!" Can you guess? What would make me so happy? Yep... a spoon!!!!!!!! The one that has been lost for a WHOLE year! I was so very happy... Now the rest of the story... where do you think the spoon was? Yep... In DAD'S TRUCK! Can you hear my voice raising. LOL. So --- Dad is refusing to speak to me or the kids as they TURNED ON HIM... and told me. So a little discord in the Bevell family this morning. JK.. So - of course this news MUST go on facebook and yes Carsten takes credit for teaching others how to steal my spoons. The nerve of him! Now for the sad news... I am now missing a little fork. What am I ever going to do?"

Dear Bevell Family,

Wow, I'm going to be honest here, this last email kinda made me jealous as I read about all the fun stuff you guys are doing with friends and family. I really do miss you guys. I have moments when I say in my head "What am I doing!!? I should be with my family, having fun, building relationships and hanging out with friends, working and going to college!" I realize more and more everyday what a sacrifice serving a mission is. Yes its fun, and I know that in the end it will all be worth it, but sometimes that doesn't seem to help. But even as I say that in my head I cannot deny how in a strange way we are growing closer together faster than we would if I was there with you guys.

Hooray! You found a spoon! lol, That really is funny! And the fact that a fork is now missing is pretty funny as well! The humor never stops! And to Stephen Shelley I say "hi" back! And also "WRITE ME!!!" lol.

Now for my week. Man it’s been crazy! So we got transfer calls this last Friday and Elder Richards and I are staying together in La Grande, we are both very happy about this. We have a new missionary in our apartment, his name is Elder Bell, he replaced Elder Rudd. Elder Bell is from Mesa AZ and he just graduated from West wood High! We have no hard feelings towards each other. lol.

We had the baptism of Trisha Takahashi this last Saturday!! It was simply beautiful! I got to talk about baptism and Elder Richards on the Holy Ghost, and after Trisha was baptized she stood up and bore her testimony. WOW is all I can say! She has such a strong testimony in this gospel and you can see how it has changed her! I feel so privileged to have been allowed to teach her. I will send you pictures when I can, my camera is back at the apartment right now.

We got a new investigator this last week who moved in from the Kenowick mission. Her name is Elizabeth Davis, (We call her Libby). She has already been taught and interviewed for baptism and has a date set for the 23rd of this month!! She is just great, and already knows so much about the gospel. We spoke to the missionaries who taught her and they said that when they would teach her she would understand what was being taught and could guess what was next! its crazy!

So things are only getting better here in La Grande and I am really excited for this next transfer!

Thanks for Finally sending the package! I have been waiting for that with such baited breath that I could catch a fish! (Baited breath! Get it? lol XP Well I love you all and look forward to reading your letters! Take care and keep the faith! I love you! Stay cool.

-Elder Bevell-

p.s. Hey dad, could you send me a line of authority chart? That would be great! Thanks!

And happy late birthday Dan!!!!!!!

Look past the flaws and just Love one Another!

Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 2:36 PM

Email #40 – LaGrande, OR

Dear Bevell Family,

Ignore that last email, for some reason the computer I am at decided to send it when I had just started. I'm emailing at the library here and to be honest, the computers here are not fun!!! I have to really push down on the keys to type my email, and it really annoys all of us. We used to email at the family history center but for some reason we are not allowed to email from there now. We're all still kinda sore about that. lol, anyway!

Life is very beautiful right now! I was in the car this morning driving back from staying at another elders house (we went and saw the fireworks over in Baker for the 4th) and I was thinking back on my life up to this point, and I realized that I have changed so much. A mission really does change you, and I am so grateful for that change! I am a better person, a different person! Overall...I'm liking the new me!! =D

The fireworks were pretty good. Nothing like what we would go and see, but it's a small town, and it was very nice. We watched it with our district leader Elder Shelly and his companion Elder Reel, and a family in their area. It was great to spend some time with them, and I thought of you guys as I watched the fireworks.

So this last week was a faith building moment. Last Wednesday the 29 of June, I was placed on a three day exchange with Elder Reel. Now this is the Elder Reel who had a hard time with my trainer Elder Mitchell. So you can imagine my distaste for this exchange. But I also saw it as a time to really learn to navigate my area, and to work on patience. So I said a prayer, and then planned what I was going to do for the next three days. They were all busy days so we wouldn't have to sit and do nothing. That was when I saw that Elder Reel has changed a lot. In lessons He was surprising me with ways to teach that I had never even thought of! I was amazed, and my faith increased. I was humbled those three days, as I looked past the faults, and simply loved who I was serving with. That's what this gospel is all about! It’s about loving each other! When we start to forget about what each other has done in the past, overlook each other’s flaws, and simply love one another, that is when the world will change. I know it, because I experienced it. And that is what changed me.

Transfer calls come this Friday, and I really am hoping and praying that Elder Richards and I will be staying together. And since you can't get me a GPS right now, I have decided to save up for one. I'm taking $20 each month, and just putting it aside, so in five months I should be able to afford a GPS of my own!!

That's all I am going to write for now, I will send you more details in snail mail. I love you all and pray for you every night! Take care and just love each other! Stay cool!

-Elder Bevell-