Elder Mattei on his birthday last year - sent from Sis Garcia

Another Baptism

Callies baptism went really well. I was excited to see him get baptized. The Assistants came to our baptism because Elder Nelson had helped teach him and he told me he didn't ever think Callie would get baptized. We will meet with Mark sometime later this week. I think he will be baptized at some point eventually. We started teaching this family the Bodenhoffers. She is a recent convert and wants her kids to be baptized. 

This week I didn't get to do much work in my areas because I was stuck in leadership meetings. Apparently President Cannon thought I should go even though I'm not training or a district or zone leader. Which that probably means I'm gonna end up training. Basically these meetings lasted for about 8 hours for 3 days. We would role play and learn how to teach better. It was pretty helpful but it was really long. Then I rode up to my area with President and Sister Cannon because I had no ride back there so they gave me one. It was pretty cool to be able to talk to them and get to know them a little bit more. 

We also had something bad happen at our house. The people we live with called us upstairs and asked us about why they were missing a ton of pills out of their medicine cabinet. They were missing Hydrocodone and a ton of anxiety pills and stuff. Me and my companion had no idea how they went missing. I don't blame them for being suspicious cause we are the only ones there. I know my companion didn't take them. So the next day I went and talked to President Cannon about it and told him I thought another missionary could have taken them. Cause when I left for these meetings my companion went with 2 other missionaries and they stayed at our house for a little while on Wednsday. I suspected one of the missionaries of taking them because I know he had a really bad drug addiction before his mission and his real mission is supposed to be in New York but he is in Idaho because he has to finish his probation. I honestly think he took them cause there is no other way they would go missing. President Cannon interviewed him after I told him about it and apparently the missionary passed the interview. I still am suspicious about him taking them though.

Last night we went to contact these people Bob and Sue, and I asked her where Bob was. She was like he cheated on me and I threw him out. I was pretty shocked. Both of them are less active. Actually Bob is excommunicated. They were both living together and I guess Bob was cheating on her with 6 other girls. Its just shocking how far people can fall cause Bob used to go to the temple like once a week and stuff. I felt really bad for her though. We were there for 2 hours and she was steaming almost the whole time. We ended up staying till 10 at night. I shared a message about the atonement of Jesus Christ and she started crying and we gave her a blessing of comfort. I think this could actually get her activie. But she has had a hard life and was asking us why her life is so hard and told us some things about what happened to her in her life. I'll probably cook her some gumbo and bring it to her. She is from Arkansas so she likes it. 

Thanksgiving I think I'm gonna go to the Gonzalez. They are the family that owns the Pure Energy place. Then I think we will spend time with the Kupers as well. We teach the Kupers. They are a very nice family and I enjoy going over there. I enjoyed Scott's message. I miss all of them as well. It won't be too long till I can hang out with them. I'm glad to hear that Mark and them enjoyed the LSU game. LSU offense sucks though. I got Mark's letter this week. I will write him back when I can. I wasn't able to last week cause of all those meetings and stuff.

But anyways no I don't wear my glasses. I probably should. To answer your question I have no idea how much snow they get here. Last winter was a mild winter but I think Missouri probably gets more snow than here or about the same. By the way I enjoyed that email from Brother Russo. Tell him his Rams need to learn how to win on the road lol. Im gonna go play some football but I'll write more when I get back. Im back from football and extremly tired. I had the most amazing interception. I like stretched my right hand as far up in the air as I could and caught the ball with one hand and I had like 4 tds. But then again Im also playin people im more athletic than, but it was fun. Anyways yall have a good day and I hope yall have a good week.

 

Love

Elder Mattei

More from Greg

But anyways this week has been good and Callie's baptism should be on schedule. We are hoping things with Mark Thompson will get better. I actually enjoy visiting with him. I asked him last night how his BOM reading and stuff was going and how his praying was going. His hang up is he just isn't ready to committ fully. He pretty much said he would be baptized it's just he isn't ready to committ. And I was like that's fine cause we want you to do it for the right reasons and to do it when you are ready. I want him to commit to doing things before he gets baptized and that's the way it should be. I'm not here to force people into getting baptized. Anyways I talked some football with him as well about BSU and LSU and stuff like that. We also helped him lay down some stone the other day. 

We also got a new investigator but he moved so we need to give the referral to some other missionaries. We also had another investigator move. But it's all good. We are gonna have to look for some ways to find more people to teach. So I was excited to hear LSU won. Yes I did give Elder Ware crap about it. (Elder Ware was in the MTC with Greg, attended Alabama and was apparently on the football team.) How are Grandma and Grandpa doing and Granny and Pop Pop? Hopefully Todd will stay out of trouble. (Todd's challenged with when to talk and when not to.) 

So we have been walking alot cause of miles and stuff. I'm thinkin about buying a new suit with Grandma's gift card at the DI and probably some Wrangler boots. A typical day for me is getting up and showering and stuff like that and eventually we go out and contact people or go through set appointments. They made a new ward this past week. They took some people from third ward so the Bishop in that ward has no EQ President or young womens or primary. Basically he doesn't have a whole lot. 5th ward has like no work going on. We are gonna go on splits with them tonight though. Those new Doctrine and Covenants DVDS are pretty good. I would like to get them. The best thing on there is Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration. It's a really good movie. I would go get it but there is no distribution center here. I'll probably just go buy it today. It will be good to go and buy.

Elder Edwards is from Georgia and is a single child of a single parent. He is a really nice guy and I enjoy being able to serve with him. I could probably serve another transfer with him. So anyways Callies baptism should be good and I'm lookin forward to it. He has an interview tomorrow. Anyways yall take care and have a good week.

Other things he mentioned:

• the weather's getting cold
• he thinks he'll get a job when he gets home, complete at least another semester at the community college and get Kinect for the Xbox 360.
• he lives with the Gavers, a couple in their 50s
• the other missionaries enjoy viewing Lindsay's senior pictures, in fact one has written her.  LOL