Pink Eye!

Hello everyone!

This week was pretty sweet! We still haven't found any investigators, but that's old news! We did a ton of finding, and most of it was street contacting downtown. I've realized that tracting is good and fun, but people are much more talkative downtown, and there's way more of them too, so it's a win win situation! We found 3 referrals for other areas haha but nothing for us. We're determined to find someone this week though! Our Bishop asked us to get up yesterday in Sacrament Meeting and ask the ward to fast for missionary work. So we both went up and bore our testimonies and thanked them for all they do for us, etc. Fasting worked when we had the mission fast a few months back, so this will work too I'm sure.

Man Craig comes home this week hey? That's so crazy! I feel like he just left. It seems like only yesterday he came over to the house to say goodbye! From the sound of his emails he's changed a ton! I miss that guy a lot. I miss all of my friends! Some day we'll all have a glorious reunion.

So Elder Cone woke up yesterday and his eye was SUPER red haha. We figured it must be pink eye (for the record, no I did not fart on his pillow. Everyone keeps asking me if I did haha). So we went to church, not knowing how contagious it is. I don't think I've ever had it. During church I texted the Zone Leaders and asked them about it, and they told us to call Sister Campbell. So after Sacrament Meeting Elder Cone called and she told him not to go to church or touch anyone.....haha. He told her that he had just sat through Sacrament and probably touched everyone in the room hahahahaha. So she told us to leave and go buy eyedrops. So we did, then sat inside....it was BRUTAL! By the time dinner came around we just said to heck with it and started proselyting again haha. I hate sitting around! We just don't let him touch anything, and we keep wipes in our backpacks, just in case haha.

This week we went and helped a member family in our ward move their relatives. They called last Monday and told us that the move was just outside Red Deer, or so we though haha. We got permission to go since it was out of our area, and so on Saturday we showed up in the morning to go. We started driving, and driving, and driving, and finally 45 minutes later ended up in Didsbury! A town about 15 minutes from the mission border hahaha. When Canadians say "just outside of town", apparently that means 45 minutes in either direction. So I got to add a sweet line to my line map and we repented when we got home haha. It was fun though.

Tomorrow we have interviews with El Presidente himself and then Zone Conference on Wednesday. It should be fun. I've never been to a Zone Conference with just one zone though, they usually combine them. But since we're one of the two zones in the middle of nowhere (the other being Grande Prairie), we get to meet as just one zone. It'll be cool!

No way Grandma and Grandpa are going to the Calgary Temple Tour?? That's literally like an hour south of me haha. Most of the members here are already booking appointments to go see it too. It's a way sweet looking temple, they're gonna let us see the dedication too! I guess President Monson is coming up to do it himself. Should be cool!

Hahaha Phil Darrah is the Primary Chorister? That's sweet. I wish he had done that when I was in Primary! He probably does super well with those kids haha I hope he's still there next year!

Hey Mom they're gonna bring the package down on Wednesday for Zone Conference. They called me a week ago to ask if there was insulin inside. Send that insulin asap! Haha I'll be good for another 3 weeks or so. Thanks Momma!

Anyways that's all I got for you this week. Enjoy your week!

Love you guys,

Elder Read

Dog Days of Red Deer

Hello my dear friends,

We had a pretty rough week again. We had a lot of cancellations it was TOUGH, but it's all good that's missionary life! Still nothing new in terms of investigators either, but things will come around I'm sure. We've been praying and fasting a lot lately, and I know the Lord will throw somebody in our path! We're still having fun though, Elder Cone is the perfect companion for all of this because he's always enthusiastic and optimistic, and I have a tendency to get a little disappointed sometimes :) So we're doing well together!

Elder Cone and I hit our year mark on Friday it was sweet. We didn't really do anything special haha, it was a pretty normal day. On Saturday, however, we went to a member's house and burned a shirt! :) I included a picture of Elder Cone burning his. We used hot dog sticks hahaha. On Thursday I can start playing the "This is the last September 20th I'll have on my mission" game, I'm pretty excited.

I got to do another Baptismal Interview. The YSA Sisters have been teaching a guy named Jordan for a few months now and he' set to be baptized this Saturday. I love doing the interviews because you can really tell how prepared people are in their lives to receive the gospel. He'll do great!

Not a whole lot going on this week. After this week things start to pick up like crazy though. We have Zone Conference, interviews with President, General Conference, exchanges, Canadian Thanksgiving, it's gonna be crazy!

The weather is still holding up pretty well actually. We have had mid 20's weather for the past week it's been way nice. I hate the cold, I don't know what I'm going to do when winter comes around haha. At least I have a car this winter though :) Speaking of, I still don't drive haha. I drove for a couple days a few weeks ago to learn the area better, but I just worry about tickets the whole time so I'm back in the passenger seat :)

Other than that I have nothing nifty to report! Thanks for all the prayers you send our way, we can definitely use them :) PS I included a picture of a sunset we saw. Tell me that isn't flippin sweet!

Love you guys,

Elder Read

Happy Birthday to Me :)

Friday is my mission birthday! It's sad to think you only get two and then die, but that's life I suppose. I can't believe how fast it goes! I still feel like I was in Southwood last month! Time flies.

Right now there's a HUGE thunderstorm outside and it's lightninging (I made that word up) like crazy! I'm glad I'm indoors. The weather has slowly been getting colder. It's starting to freeze overnight, and it'll only get worse! Haha it's still in the 20's during the day though so no jackets yet. We have to put suits on in a month though, how lame is that?

So to start off, this week we had a little bit of success. We got a referral from the 2nd ward elders, and they had contacted a former investigator that said he'd be willing to meet, but he had moved to our area. So we went over on Saturday and talked with him it was pretty cool. To be honest I don't think he's "seeking" by any means. He spent most of the meeting teaching us about 7th Day Adventists haha, and he won't commit to read the Book of Mormon, but he agreed to have us back next week, so we'll go over and see if anything's changed, otherwise we'll probably drop him. It was still nice to teach an investigator lessons again. Honestly I feel like the Lord is giving us small tender mercies every so often to keep us going, it's really cool. We'll find someone soon! :)

So this week we actually did really well. Our numbers were super good and we taught a BUNCH of lessons it was sweet. We've kind of figured that since the investigator lessons are a little scarce, we may as well try and focus on less actives. So we've been working with quite a few people, and we had Brother Lahoda come to church again yesterday. He's the one that hasn't been in a long long time so it was cool to have him there again. We meet a couple times a week at the church. It was actually kind of cool we just showed up at his house one night before we went in, and his roommates told us to go away in a very vulgar manner haha. So we turned around and left with no intention of coming back. Then the next week he called us and told us ever since we came he's been wanting to call us back, so he did! Now he's back at church :) pretty cool.

Hey so I set a goal of being in the 140's again for my year mark and you better believe I nailed that sucker! :) I'm quite proud of myself actually. We celebrated by going to Five Guys today.

Dude so I woke up on Thursday I think it was? Maybe Saturday I can't remember. And I checked my blood sugar, and then put my meter down. When I went to check my blood sugar again before lunch, the screen was cracked! I can't see anything on it anymore which is kind of bad. Luckily I have a back-up meter that I brought out with me. Anyways so I kind of need that meter because it's also the meter remote for my pump haha. So I called President and he gave me permission to call Animas, and they told me it's covered by warranty, so they'll ship a new one to the house. Could you send me that asap? :) It would be much appreciated.

Hahaha Dad you bought a scooter?? That's awesome please send me a picture :) You are so cool! You should grow a sweet handlebar mustache like the American Chopper guy. At least think about it.

Mom I'm way jealous to hear you get to go back East! I really want to go to all of the church history stuff out there when I get home. Road trip!

Anyways, it's time to go get our inner pday baller on. You all have a great week and I'll talk to you next week! :)

Love you guys,

Elder Read

Another Transfer Down!

Family,

So Labor Day was yesterday, as I'm sure most of you are aware :) and so libraries were closed.

What a fast 6 weeks! It's unbelievable how fast time passes out here. I feel like I was just in Spruce yesterday! So transfers were pretty boring for us! We bet 5 cookies each in district meeting last week, everyone but me saying that Elder Cone would leave, and I'm happy to report that Elder Cone and I will stay together another 6 weeks which means I win :) I've only had one companion so far that wasn't with me for 12 weeks and that was Elder Wood, who was for 6.

So this week was slow for investigators but was pretty solid in terms of less-actives. We've been meeting with a few and tone of them came to church on Sunday for the first time in years. It was pretty much like having an investigator there because it's been so long for him haha it was sweet! It's cool to see the lost sheep finding their way back to the fold. We're still looking for investigators! It's been a good week though, we're trying to stay positive haha :) I'm still getting over this cold but it's pretty well finished I think.

Yeah that bike is sweet! I put new tubes in the tires and fixed up the brakes and she works like a charm! Road bikes are way better than mountain bikes I love it I can ride circles around Elder Cone on his little doinker of a bike :)

So we've had a lot of cancellations this week, especially for dinners. So one of the nights we were canceled on, we decided to eat the pain away at a buffet....just kidding, but seriously we really went out to a buffet. We went to this Chinese/western buffet and when we walked in this member from Lethbridge introduced himself while we were in line, then went back to sit with his family. After Elder Cone and I finished eating, we went to go pay, and as soon I got up to the counter, I felt someone grab the bill out of my hand and say "I'll take that!" It was the member and he totally paid for us it was awesome :)

That's sweet that you finished Bryant's Eagle Project. How many merit badges does he still have to get? Man I can't believe Craig comes home soon!! That''ll be cool :) I've almost been out a year! Next Friday! Don't worry mom we only burn stuff outside ya crazy! I already have the shirt picked out to burn. It's a junky one with a bunch of stains on it. I could definitely use new ones haha. And shoes but it's all good I can wait.

Anyways that's all I have for this week! I think. Have a good week!

Love you guys,

Elder Read