So much of what Greg writes is in response to questions from Mike and me. Therefore, it sometimes makes it hard to understand what he's talking about if the questions aren't included to provide context. So here's the latest exchange between us and him...
I was kind of torn watching the Colts vs. Patriots game the other day. In a way, because Peyton played so poorly and I wanted the Saints to be the only undefeated team, I was kind of hoping the Colts might lose, but in the end, the fact that I cannot stand the Patriots won out and I was pulling for the Colts and Peyton. I will again be torn if/when they face one another. In the end, I will have to pull for the Saints. Darryl was funny. I saw him at church and he asked if they had Dairy Queens in Boise. He said he thinks he will finally have to pay on your yearly wager, by sending you a gift card. LOL
They have Dairy Queens here lol. FYI: Darryl is Greg's best friend's (Julian's) dad. They have had an ongoing bet for I think the last 4 years as to whether or not the Saints will get to the playoffs. The loser buys the winner a Blizzard from DQ.
Mom and I are looking forward to talking to you in a couple of weeks. It will be nice to get to talk to you right around your birthday. I will get you a GPS, but what are you going to use it for? Do you want one that goes in a car or a handheld one?
I would like a Garmin GPS that can go in a car. They come in handy when you don't know where people live and when you are covering a huge area. I saw some nice ones at Costco but I would like just a Garmin GPS because I think those are the best
ones. It's like the one you have.
So tell us how things have been going. Maybe try and tell us a little about the people you are visiting, teaching, meeting, etc. Tell us if you have learned anything new since being on your mission. Perhaps letting us know what you think has changed the most since you started serving (i.e. your testimony, your courage, closeness to the spirit, gained weight, lost weight, etc.) My area is kind of the same. We are teaching basically the same people. It would be nice to get some referrals or something because it would give us more to do. Russ has been the best person for finding us people to teach. We have a baptism coming up in 2 weeks. His name is Scott. He is probably a little bit younger than y'all and is a chemical engineer. He is a really nice and humble guy. You can always feel the spirit when you go in to his house. My testimony has grown a lot since being on my mission. It's really hard to believe that a lot of RM's go less active when they get back home. I really enjoy being able to share spirtual thoughts with people cause it always invites the spirit and it helps me know the scriptures a lot
more. I'm reading the BOM a lot more. I also bought a Glenn Beck book
called "Arguing with Idiots". I really enjoy the book but I get myself to
read the BOM a lot more by saying I have to read the BOM for like an hour
or so before I can read the Glenn Beck book. That book cites all the
sources in it so I have a feeling it will be really good for future
papers I will write in college.
If you can, why don't you make a recording of yourself on the camera before sending the memory card back. I am sure Mom and I would enjoy seeing you and listening to your voice. Perhaps we can do the same in the card we send you.
I will try and make a recording on my camera and take more pictures. I am down to 165 lbs by the way. I'm a lot thinner than what I used to be at home lol. How much does Mark weigh because I would like to be around that weight. Anyways I'm gonna go and
I'll TTYL. Y'all stay safe.
Ok well I wrote a letter to Granny last week on Tuesday I think and sent it so she should have gotten it. Transfers I think are on December 2nd. If you want to send anything I would like money for me to buy a nice electric razor and a Garmin GPS system lol. That can basically be my Christmas and birthday gift. We have 7 missionaries in our district counting me and my companion. There are a lot of missionaries in our zone. Too many to keep track. Yes I have zone leaders and district leaders. Our zone leaders are also our district leaders though. We actually have really cool zone leaders and they're not like really strict uptight missionaries. Our zone leaders are Elder Bell and Elder Keogan. They're both hilarious especially Elder Keogan. I do know some of those people. (I sent him a list of missionaries' names I got from the missionary moms group I belong to, so that I could find out if he knew any of them.) I know Elder Heffler and Elder Nelson. Both of them are really cool and I got along with them. I like Elder Heffler a lot. I just got back from Costco with him. But he is really cool and it's fun talking to him. He is from the same area as my companion but they didn't really know each other before hand. No I haven't really encouraged member referrals. I guess I should but our ward mission leader is supposed to do that. Russ is really good with referrals though lol. This week we actually have dinners so we eat at members' homes about every night if we have dinners. I really like what Julian sent me. I need to find his email address. I wish I had it with me now because I would like to write him. I bought this really cool Coke can radio today. It looks sweet. I found it at a pawn shop. It's sad to hear that Spencer died. It took me awhile to realize who you were talking about.
That's cool that Julian has my intials on his helmet (to quote an email I forwarded to Greg from his BF,Julian ~ I'm wearing your initials on my helmet til you get back. It's been my good luck charm; it helps me play better and keeps me focused.) and I thought the Saints thing was pretty funny. I was laughing. (Again, Julian said ~ Me and Scott are always making the joke saying the only reason the Saints are this good is because you're on your mission and you're blessing the Saints by doing this. I watch them every game they play for you. The funny thing is every time it seems like they are going to lose I always start saying "they can't lose! this is why my best friend is on a mission!" and some how Drew drives them down to put them on top.) I'm hoping he is going to church and doing ok. Tell the Barnes I say hi and that Mr. Darryl is going to have to owe me a Blizzard this year lol. How is everyone in the ward doing? Anyways I'm gonna go. I need to write dad probably so I'll ttyl.
Love
Elder Mattei
17 November 2009
11 November 2009
A "Blessing" Experience
It's great to see the Saints doing well. Mckenna's baptism was on Saturday and it turned out very well. We also had an investigator show up at church a couple of weeks ago that I could really connect with because the guy really loved football. We are going to try and set something up with him this week so we can teach him. We are also now teaching Russ's wife and stepdaughter. They really seem to be interested in the gospel and Russ is really good at finding people for us to be able to teach. My pday today has been pretty boring. We haven't really done anything fun. I'm kinda ready for transfers to happen.
For Christmas I would like a Garmin GPS. That's all I really would like. I really like the clothes Granny gave me and Grandma and Grandpa sent me gift cards that I appreciate as well. Yes I would like my Sunglasses. They would be nice to have sometimes. I'm probably going to write Courtney and Granny this week. I'm going to really try and write them today though. I have been emailing Alonna and she writes me back but I don't think she is going to write me back anymore because she doesn't really have a computer anymore so, oh well. Maybe she will write me back once in a while. It kinda stinks but it's not a big deal.
I did hear about that guy who shot up Fort Hood. I was eating at Mcdonalds and they had CNN on and I was like when did this happen? I have no clue what's going on in the world anymore lol. Not a whole lot has been going on. Last week though I gave a blessing to a man in the intensive care unit. I wasn't expecting to give a blessing to him but this lady just grabbed me and the other missionaries to give him a blessing. The other missionaries turn to me and go do you want to do it since you haven't given a whole lot of blessings and I was like sure I guess. I remember being really nervous and scared. The guy I gave a blessing to had surgery on his heart and had a stroke so he was unconscious. I could see where they cut him open and stitched him up and he looked like he had been bleeding a lot from his neck cause he had gauze there. When I gave him the blessing I don't remember all of what I said except something about him recovering and being able to be there for his wife. I was shaking the whole time I gave the blessing and when I left the room I just stopped shaking. But I won't forget the look I saw on his wife's face. She was crying and shook my hand and it was kind of hard for me cause I felt really bad for her and what she was going through. I will probably never know whether or not this man woke up or if he died or what happened to him. I just felt like crying after I had left the ICU. We had originally gone to the hospital to give a blessing to this 13 year old girl that was in the hospital and our zone leaders did that blessing but I ended up giving a blessing to that man as well. I hope everything goes well for that family. That was probably one of the most spirtitual experiences I have had on my mission though.
Share this email though with dad and stuff because I won't have time to email him. I hope everything is going ok down there. I will try and write Mark and all of them. How are Jackson and Bryan and Tre and Mark Lemen and all of them doing? I'm going to go though.
Love Elder Mattei
For Christmas I would like a Garmin GPS. That's all I really would like. I really like the clothes Granny gave me and Grandma and Grandpa sent me gift cards that I appreciate as well. Yes I would like my Sunglasses. They would be nice to have sometimes. I'm probably going to write Courtney and Granny this week. I'm going to really try and write them today though. I have been emailing Alonna and she writes me back but I don't think she is going to write me back anymore because she doesn't really have a computer anymore so, oh well. Maybe she will write me back once in a while. It kinda stinks but it's not a big deal.
I did hear about that guy who shot up Fort Hood. I was eating at Mcdonalds and they had CNN on and I was like when did this happen? I have no clue what's going on in the world anymore lol. Not a whole lot has been going on. Last week though I gave a blessing to a man in the intensive care unit. I wasn't expecting to give a blessing to him but this lady just grabbed me and the other missionaries to give him a blessing. The other missionaries turn to me and go do you want to do it since you haven't given a whole lot of blessings and I was like sure I guess. I remember being really nervous and scared. The guy I gave a blessing to had surgery on his heart and had a stroke so he was unconscious. I could see where they cut him open and stitched him up and he looked like he had been bleeding a lot from his neck cause he had gauze there. When I gave him the blessing I don't remember all of what I said except something about him recovering and being able to be there for his wife. I was shaking the whole time I gave the blessing and when I left the room I just stopped shaking. But I won't forget the look I saw on his wife's face. She was crying and shook my hand and it was kind of hard for me cause I felt really bad for her and what she was going through. I will probably never know whether or not this man woke up or if he died or what happened to him. I just felt like crying after I had left the ICU. We had originally gone to the hospital to give a blessing to this 13 year old girl that was in the hospital and our zone leaders did that blessing but I ended up giving a blessing to that man as well. I hope everything goes well for that family. That was probably one of the most spirtitual experiences I have had on my mission though.
Share this email though with dad and stuff because I won't have time to email him. I hope everything is going ok down there. I will try and write Mark and all of them. How are Jackson and Bryan and Tre and Mark Lemen and all of them doing? I'm going to go though.
Love Elder Mattei
04 November 2009
More Q & A
Questions from Dad. . .
1. Do you and your companion share a bedroom? yes
2. Do you get to use the kitchen? yes
3. Where is your new companion from? Orange County California
4.
5. Did you get your medicine? yes
6. Is there anything you need us to send you? Not that I can think of right now
7. Describe your typical day in Boise. We wake up and have studies in the morning and then go and visit potential investigators and investigators. Then we will have lunch or something like that and then visit Bryan and Russ and some other people. We basically just go around and look for people to teach. We will probably have to go tracting soon because we are running out of people to teach.
8. Did you get the audio cassette Mom sent you? yes I did. I need to listen to it
9. Are you going to send an audio cassette back? If so when? I haven't recorded anything on it yet.
10. How is the weather there? It has been raining here for most of
October. It has snowed some and rained some and been sunny. So the weather is really random. Its also getting pretty cold.
11. Did you get more meals this week than you have been getting
previously? yes but I don't think we have any this week. It just kind of depends on the ward mission leader and stuff. It really doesn't bother me
12. Any new investigators you are working with? If so tell us about
them. Not really yet. We have some potential investigators that we're going to try and meet up with. One of them we met at church because a friend brought him and I talked about football with him and asked if we could stop by and he said sure.
13. Have you been able to go to the temple since being in Boise? Yes it's a very pretty temple.
14. Have you gotten a chance to look at your blog? Mom added a smilebox slideshow to it. It really looks good. I think your Mom would appreciate
your feedback if you have been able to see it. I have seen my blog and it looks really nice. Thanks for doing that for me.
15. So what do you do for fun? When you get home? On your P days?
Well today we went through a corn maze and chucked corn at each other which was pretty fun. On P day we usually play sports and all that. When I get home I usually take a shower or something and study the scriptures. And we plan out the next day first thing when we get home. I actually got to watch the Saints game while I was at Russ's house. It was a good game. I also answered some questions that he had as well and shared with him a lot of scriptural thoughts. I kinda taught and watched the game at the same time I guess. We had a good conversation though. We asked him if we would be able to teach some of his family and he said we might be able to so that will be cool if we are able to teach them. We might not be able to though because they're in a rehab center for alcohol, both his wife and his step daughter.
16. Any problems washing clothes, getting suit cleaned, etc? No
And Mom . . .
I guess I really just want to know how you're doing. You definitely seem to be enjoying yourself based on your video and letters. You really haven't been negative at all, which is great! So does it get hard sometimes and you just put a positive spin on it, or is it really all good? I know it has to have its challenges. I'm just so proud of you and happy that you're doing so well.
You should try and space your questions out like dad did. But my mission is going well but I do kinda put a positive spin on it sometimes. There are those days where you don't feel like doing anything because it's cold or rainy and you're tired. I could improve on a lot of things. I have trouble getting up in the morning at 6:30 because my last companion slept in and so does this one so I kinda do the same. I also have a lot of trouble sleeping at night and I'll lay in bed from like 9pm-1am before I can fall asleep. I went and bought some nyquil which seemed to help but I don't want to have to keep buying drugs to help me get to sleep.
So any new investigators? How are you doing with keeping the new converts excited about the Gospel?
There are no new investigators, just potential investigators. So hopefully that turns out well. We are supposed to have a baptism this week so that's good. We keep our new converts excited about the gospel by seeing them regularly and sharing with them a message. We mostly see Russ and Bryan and then probably Herman the most out of anyone.
We really enjoyed watching the Saints play last night. I was wondering if you got to watch any of it at all. The commentators were talking "Superbowl" possibilities which was so exciting to hear. I don't know if Saints and Superbowl have ever been mentioned in the same sentence really till now. I'm just sorry you're not able to enjoy the play by play moments, but I really do kind of think your service is helping somehow. LOL
I wrote in dad's letter that I got to see a lot of the Saints game.
So how do you feel you've grown in the last few weeks???
I feel I have grown because I'm a lot more compassionate and not as negative as what I used to be.
Granny wanted to send you a box of brownie mix, but we just didn't know how much use of the kitchen you have. She also wanted to know what fast food places are there in Boise? I think she might try to get you some gift cards.
There are a lot of the same fast food places here that are back home. I ate at this place called five guys that was pretty good. But some basic gift cards to mcdonalds or subway would be fine.
One more thing, ever heard of the card game BANG? Mark has been going on splits with Elder Bladen a lot as has most of the priests quorum and anyway they play this card game when they go back to the apartment. Mark says it's a lot of fun.
I have never heard of a card game called bang.
Did you ever write Courtney? Do you ever hear from anybody else besides her? How about your friend in Oregon?
Yeah I have written my friend from Oregon on my email. So you can give Courtney and my friends my email account if you would like.(already have, are you guys writing???) I will be sure to write Granny and Courtney this week. I always forget my address book to write them so it would be easier if they emailed me first.
Anyways I have to go. I have a good scripture to read that would be good for Mark, Trevor and Jackson. Go to the last Chapter in John. Its when Jesus visits Simon Peter while he is fishing. It's a good scripture for a missionary.
So did you ever mention to President Yardley that you knew Trevor and would like to serve with him some time?
And I told president Yardley about Trevor and saw his picture on the thing he sent in.
Love
Elder Mattei
1. Do you and your companion share a bedroom? yes
2. Do you get to use the kitchen? yes
3. Where is your new companion from? Orange County California
4.
5. Did you get your medicine? yes
6. Is there anything you need us to send you? Not that I can think of right now
7. Describe your typical day in Boise. We wake up and have studies in the morning and then go and visit potential investigators and investigators. Then we will have lunch or something like that and then visit Bryan and Russ and some other people. We basically just go around and look for people to teach. We will probably have to go tracting soon because we are running out of people to teach.
8. Did you get the audio cassette Mom sent you? yes I did. I need to listen to it
9. Are you going to send an audio cassette back? If so when? I haven't recorded anything on it yet.
10. How is the weather there? It has been raining here for most of
October. It has snowed some and rained some and been sunny. So the weather is really random. Its also getting pretty cold.
11. Did you get more meals this week than you have been getting
previously? yes but I don't think we have any this week. It just kind of depends on the ward mission leader and stuff. It really doesn't bother me
12. Any new investigators you are working with? If so tell us about
them. Not really yet. We have some potential investigators that we're going to try and meet up with. One of them we met at church because a friend brought him and I talked about football with him and asked if we could stop by and he said sure.
13. Have you been able to go to the temple since being in Boise? Yes it's a very pretty temple.
14. Have you gotten a chance to look at your blog? Mom added a smilebox slideshow to it. It really looks good. I think your Mom would appreciate
your feedback if you have been able to see it. I have seen my blog and it looks really nice. Thanks for doing that for me.
15. So what do you do for fun? When you get home? On your P days?
Well today we went through a corn maze and chucked corn at each other which was pretty fun. On P day we usually play sports and all that. When I get home I usually take a shower or something and study the scriptures. And we plan out the next day first thing when we get home. I actually got to watch the Saints game while I was at Russ's house. It was a good game. I also answered some questions that he had as well and shared with him a lot of scriptural thoughts. I kinda taught and watched the game at the same time I guess. We had a good conversation though. We asked him if we would be able to teach some of his family and he said we might be able to so that will be cool if we are able to teach them. We might not be able to though because they're in a rehab center for alcohol, both his wife and his step daughter.
16. Any problems washing clothes, getting suit cleaned, etc? No
And Mom . . .
I guess I really just want to know how you're doing. You definitely seem to be enjoying yourself based on your video and letters. You really haven't been negative at all, which is great! So does it get hard sometimes and you just put a positive spin on it, or is it really all good? I know it has to have its challenges. I'm just so proud of you and happy that you're doing so well.
You should try and space your questions out like dad did. But my mission is going well but I do kinda put a positive spin on it sometimes. There are those days where you don't feel like doing anything because it's cold or rainy and you're tired. I could improve on a lot of things. I have trouble getting up in the morning at 6:30 because my last companion slept in and so does this one so I kinda do the same. I also have a lot of trouble sleeping at night and I'll lay in bed from like 9pm-1am before I can fall asleep. I went and bought some nyquil which seemed to help but I don't want to have to keep buying drugs to help me get to sleep.
So any new investigators? How are you doing with keeping the new converts excited about the Gospel?
There are no new investigators, just potential investigators. So hopefully that turns out well. We are supposed to have a baptism this week so that's good. We keep our new converts excited about the gospel by seeing them regularly and sharing with them a message. We mostly see Russ and Bryan and then probably Herman the most out of anyone.
We really enjoyed watching the Saints play last night. I was wondering if you got to watch any of it at all. The commentators were talking "Superbowl" possibilities which was so exciting to hear. I don't know if Saints and Superbowl have ever been mentioned in the same sentence really till now. I'm just sorry you're not able to enjoy the play by play moments, but I really do kind of think your service is helping somehow. LOL
I wrote in dad's letter that I got to see a lot of the Saints game.
So how do you feel you've grown in the last few weeks???
I feel I have grown because I'm a lot more compassionate and not as negative as what I used to be.
Granny wanted to send you a box of brownie mix, but we just didn't know how much use of the kitchen you have. She also wanted to know what fast food places are there in Boise? I think she might try to get you some gift cards.
There are a lot of the same fast food places here that are back home. I ate at this place called five guys that was pretty good. But some basic gift cards to mcdonalds or subway would be fine.
One more thing, ever heard of the card game BANG? Mark has been going on splits with Elder Bladen a lot as has most of the priests quorum and anyway they play this card game when they go back to the apartment. Mark says it's a lot of fun.
I have never heard of a card game called bang.
Did you ever write Courtney? Do you ever hear from anybody else besides her? How about your friend in Oregon?
Yeah I have written my friend from Oregon on my email. So you can give Courtney and my friends my email account if you would like.(already have, are you guys writing???) I will be sure to write Granny and Courtney this week. I always forget my address book to write them so it would be easier if they emailed me first.
Anyways I have to go. I have a good scripture to read that would be good for Mark, Trevor and Jackson. Go to the last Chapter in John. Its when Jesus visits Simon Peter while he is fishing. It's a good scripture for a missionary.
So did you ever mention to President Yardley that you knew Trevor and would like to serve with him some time?
And I told president Yardley about Trevor and saw his picture on the thing he sent in.
Love
Elder Mattei
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