Week 2 in The MTC 7/28/2010

Hello Family and Everyone,

OK, so the Mission is definitely an emotional/spiritual roller coaster. One minute you are on top of the world and the next, the world is on top of you. Well this week started with the world being on top of me. Elder Nielsen that I wrote about last week decided to go home. It was a very sad time, but he expressed his love for the District before he left and then he was on his way home within an hour. He is a great kid. I feel like we in the church are quick to judge people who leave their missions early, but I honestly feel like it was the right thing to do (which goes against everything I have always thought for my entire life).

Before I forget, we got our travel plans. We fly out Sunday morning at 6am and it is 2 days of travel to Africa. I will be in Chicago from 3pm to 8pm Sunday and will call moms cell phone around 4. I have 30 min. (I'm about 90 percent sure I can call home so if you don't get a call, no I did not die, but that is what people are saying.) I arrive in Africa at 7am Tuesday morning. Oh and we have a NINE hour layover in London, we were planning on taking a day tour, BUT naturally they told us that we are not aloud to leave the airport, sooo we will just preach the word for nine hours!

OK so when Elder Nielsen left I had to make a few calls to the Branch Presidency and they told me to do what I felt best in terms of companionship's, so I brought Elder yugawa into our companionship. It was really really rocky at first because we all 3 have way different teaching styles, I like to stick to the lesson, he is the scriptorian, and Elder Crawford likes to just take the lesson wherever.

BUT we had the sweetest teaching day a couple days ago! So in the MTC they have a bunch of rooms set up as living rooms and you go to them to teach people who come in and act as investigators. So we went into one room to teach this older lady and we were going to teach her the first lesson, but after talking with her we found out that she needed the second lesson much more than the first, which was scary because we hadn't really looked at the second lesson yet. But we taught her about the plan of salvation and the spirit was so strong and we were all able to teach together so we were feeling on top of the world!

When we got back to class, a teacher came in and said they had 1 more room that they needed someone to take, so our companionship (feeling on top of the world) decided to take it on! When we were walking over there he gave us the low down and said that this investigator is going to be acting as a student who is studying to be a preacher for another religion and that he just wanted to know a bit about our religion, and that his 2 member friends would be there with him. We fully expected a bible bash and when we knocked on the door it was 3 college students. (usually not the best because they are really bad at being investigators) so I didn't know how well we would teach to these jokesters. But we just dove right into the first lesson, and there was one of the guys that was not paying attention at all, one was kinda paying attention, and then this girl was SOOO into the lesson! and she was the one who kept throwing out questions about the trinity, girls holding priesthood, etc! So we taught and the more we got into it the more the spirit was there and she was pretty much crying! especially when I gave the first vision! So at the end of the lesson we gave our commitments: read 3 nephi chapter 11, pray about it, and then I committed them to be baptised (which we are supposed to do). And when I asked her to be baptised she thought about it for like 5 seconds! which is odd because they usually say yes or no like right away! and then she was just like, well.....that's just a really big decision right now. And I was like OK well that is totally fine, just read that chapter and pray to know if the things we told you are true. And then she asked us how we KNEW that the church was true, so we all bore our testimonies about when we knew for ourselves and once again, spirit, SO STRONG! so then we ended it, and instead of walking out we were like OK so for real what are you guys doing in life? and they were like well we all just graduated from BYU (called it) and us guys are members, but she (the girl so into the lesson!) is not, and she actually is in this seminary class to be a preacher.

I was like...come again? WE WERE LEGITIMATELY TEACHING HER! like she wasn't a member so we taught our first non member lesson AND I asked her to be baptised! who does that!? it was so sweet!! So naturally we told everyone in the MTC and our teachers are gonna track her down and see if she can come back so we can teach her one more time before we leave! oh and as a side note, we didn't have a book of Mormon to give to her (they are oddly hard to find here at the MTC) but we had a restoration pamphlet that we gave to her! Oh man! talk about being on top of the world! shoot! being on top of the moon!

In other news, I have had this ear ache this week so I am trying to get that taken care of before I fly out. But its getting better so I think I'm good! I have already lost 3 pounds, and we somehow bought my shoes to big? They fit me at first, but the more I break them in, the looser and looser they get, soooo I will have to deal with that when I get to Africa, but I think they will be fine.


OK well I have 90 seconds left, so Just remember that the church is true! And share the gospel whenever you can!

Oh, Colton left for the field Monday
Love you all!

Elder Williams

Blake's First Letter From The MTC. 7/28/2010

I have decided that instead of making a blog of just Blake's mission (and trying to manage two different bolgs) I would integrate his letters and pictures in this blog.  I think it will be interesting to see the contrast of what is happening at home verses what is happening in Blake's world.  Each year I print this silly blog and it becomes the family journal of sorts.  At the end of two years I can pull out the posts from Blake's two mission and print a book of all of the letters and pictures he has sent to us.  Many have asked if they could be copied on his letters...this way they can log in and read them if they would like to.

Momma Lama! Family! and whoever reads this!

How is everyone doing!? I have SOOO much to say so I will just get to it and click send at the end of  30 min!

OK so I was escorted to my room with my luggage and the first thing the guy said to me was, OK get your scriptures, were going to class! zero minutes to unpack! Got to class and had a few hours of  lesson before our first observing teaching activity. So we walked into this large room with about 75-100 other elders and sisters and we sat around the center of the room which was set up like a living room with two chairs facing the couch! My first thought was oh my goodness! I better not have to teach in front of all these elders and sisters! Well good news is that once we got settled there was a knock at the door and two sisters that had been out in the field introduced themselves to the fake investigator and worked their way into the "living room" they then spent some time getting to know the investigator and taught him a little bit about his problems and concerns before they were stopped by the guy directing the activity and we spent a while evaluating how they did and what we would have changed etc. Once we were done with that room we all got up and started walking to the next room when I heard the man directing the activity say "Elder Williams, can you come here?" He pulled me aside and said "Elder Williams the sisters could not make it to this next activity, so I want you and you companion to wait a few minutes, knock on the door, work your way into the room, talk to the investigator enough to know his concerns in life and then teach him" And then he walked away! I was like oh my goodness! I have been in the MTC for like 3 hours and now I have to teach in front of a huge group who is going to evaluate me! I DON'T EVEN KNOW MY COMPANIONS NAME!!! but we did it! and the first 10 seconds were awkward but then it started rolling nicely! And the evaluation went pretty good. I have SOO much to learn!

Well I only have 18 min left so highlights.. highlights....My second day I got called as District Leader. It has been an amazing calling! I have the best District EVER! It is 6 elders that are going to South Africa and then 4 sisters who will be serving in Temple Square. I have like 50 stories to tell you about my calling, but pretty much it's just like, your the district leader...go. So I still don't even know what a District Leader technically does besides lead meetings and get the mail, but I have had SOO many amazing experiences with it already! Ill just share 1.

So every night when I kneel down to say my prayers I pray to know what our district needs and how I can help them obtain that. Then without fail, EVERY NIGHT, it takes about 3 seconds for me to get off my knees, get into bed, and then I begin to get the answer! It is the craziest thing ever! When I pray for myself I get answers but it is vague and takes awhile, but when I pray for my district I get the answer in 3 seconds! Without fail so far!!! So Saturday I was praying to know how our district could become more united, and I thought I got an answer so I prayed about the answer and oddly enough I got a strong impression that that was not the right answer! and it was the weirdest thing ever because I was like, well um what do I do then!? So long story short the next day one of my Elders snapped and went to the front desk and asked to call home! He was very home sick. While he was meeting with a counselor, I called the other Elders into an empty room and we had a district prayer (minus the sisters) for him. It was the second most spiritual prayer I have ever had in my life and within that prayer the spirit was so strong that the guys somehow bonded immediately! sounds weird, yes I know, but we knew more about each other in that 3 min prayer then we did in the first 3 days! 9 min, so moving on! I was able to meet with the Elder that was home sick and we decided that it would be appropriate for him companion to give him a blessing. Best blessing ever! He knew exactly what to say and once again the spirit was so strong! So by now my prayer last night was answered because through this Elders trial, all the other elders have grown close together!

So at the end of the day I was planning on having our first kneeling prayer with the district, and I was going to pray and just kind of ask for help with the things we as a district and certain individuals were struggling with, but at the last minute I felt that I should not give that prayer and I asked a sister (who knew NOTHING about what had gone on that day to pray) first of all she asked if we could all kneel. (weird, I was just about to ask us to kneel for the first time ever as a district), and then she said the prayer addressing EVERY concern our district had (that she did not know of) AND every concern this home sick elder was facing! (once again that she knew nothing about!)

Well I'm almost out of time! but I thought that was a neat experience! So far everything is going better than great. Just need to work out some knots with the companion and then we are golden!

Elder Williams

Momma

*Can you forward this to people? I don't have time to write a bunch of individual letters....just send it to who you think like Rousseau's, smith, Connell, Caroline, Axel,....you know who!

um use dear elder! if you email me I don't have time to read it because I only have 30 min a week and this letter has taken 29 min! OK! do good family! Miss and love you all!

Glacier National Park with Stacy Boyer July 10,2010

Steve had missed so much work with the move and family vacation that he had to leave for Calgary right after we dropped Blake off at the MTC. It was such a nice surprise when my friend Stacy from Keller called and said that she was going to fly to Salt Lake and drive with me and the kids back to Calgary.  I think she was worried that I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown (ha) after all I had been through in the last several months.  We waited a couple of days for Camille to finish EFY at BYU and then we headed out. Stacy wanted to drive through Glacier National Park on the way home because she had never been there.  I am so glad that she suggested it.  It was beautiful and I know the kids enjoyed her.  There are a few stories that will NOT be repeated from that trip! :) She was such a blessing for me at that time because she truly did breath new life back into me.  She came and stayed several more days to help me get the house set up.  (pictures to follow) I am not sure what I would have done without her.  Not only is she a laugh a second she truly did get me back on my feet.

Here we are exploring some of the beautiful places in Glacier.  We spent a long
time look over these beautifully colored rocks.  I wanted to bring a ton back for
the bottom of Blake's fish tank..I am not so sure that would have gone over well
with the Park Ranger.  I have never see this many brightly colored rocks 
as the floor of a river before. 

  

One of my favorite things was the "Weeping Wall". Also notice the beautiful yellow fields of mustard that we saw everywhere, they were simply beautiful!  Everything we saw was just stunning! This was a delightful trip with fun memories.  I am so thankful for the blessing of dear friends!

MTC July 7,2010

The big day had finally arrived and I was feeling teary.  It is amazing at how bittersweet this day actually is.  Even though I had sent Tyler off on a mission to Spain 3 years earlier the feelings are still as intense.  Blake had a 1:30 check in time (a benefit of having a last name start with W) . We had the morning to re-pack and run a few errands.  We had lunch at In -N- Out Burgers. After that it was time to go check Elder Blake Williams into the MTC.  Here we are out the MTC.

This was a sweet picture.   Blake has always been so good to Grant and Grant loves him! As we left the MTC Grant said Mom can I call Blake?  When I told him that Blake did not have his phone anymore so we could not call him...he started to cry.  I think it finally hit him that he would be gone for two years.  Needless to say we were both crying! 

As we pulled up to drop Blake off the car right in front of us was dropping Brett Thorpe off.  The Thorpes had grown up with my kids in Desoto Texas.  It was fun to see them.  It really is a small world!

Lunch With Bishop Dave Smith 7/6/2010

Bishop Dave Smith was in town and set a lunch date with Blake at Zuppas.  Dave has had a huge influence on all of my children but especially Blake.  In fact I am not so sure he didn't come in town just to take Blake to lunch before he went into the MTC.  Dave was Blake's YM President and a counselor to Steve when he was Bishop in Keller, in fact he was called to be the Bishop when we left.  He is fabulous with the youth.  We are so thankful for the Smith family and their friendship!

It was so fun to have Rick Wahlin walk into Zuppas as they were finishing lunch.  Rick was meeting Dave.  It felt like a reunion of sorts! Rick, Blake, Bishop Smith and Grant.  Grant was Blake's companion for the day as Blake was set apart here.  Grant was so funny about going everywhere with him.  At the end of the day he said it was too hard to be his companion and keep track of him.  I wish I would have bought him a little tie and name tag for the day.

Zuppas is one of Blake's favorite places to eat.  Joel (our son-in-law) also works there.  Blake was blessed with some great YM leaders in his youth and these two men are just a couple of them.

Elder Blake Taylor Williams 7/6/2010

It was such a blessing to have President Gottfredson in town (at Chris's parents in Provo)
to set Blake apart as a missionary.  It had been so hectic for Blake that I worried about
him going from a rush, rush, rush life to life as a missionary.  He had just finished finals at
BYU (Friday), flew home to Texas on Sat. spoke in church on Sunday, helped with the
move on Monday, Flew to Canada on Tuesday, moved  into the Canada house, helped
buy a lawn mower and did yard work for us, drove back to Utah with Tyler to help with
his move, drove to Lake Powell for some family time. Drove back to Provo where he
slipped on a suit and went to get set apart.  It was really that wild and full.  I must say that
for me it  was like coming home to have President and Chris Gottfredson open that door
and welcome us in. 

Carrie Underwood and EFY. July 5-10, 2010

While we stayed at Lake Powell Camille left a couple of days early because she had

FRONT ROW seats to Stadium Of Fire in Provo.  Carrie Underwood was the main

attraction.    She and her friend Katelyn enjoyed the concert and then headed to EFY

at BYU.  The whole week was a blast.

Camille and Katelyn front and center!

It was a fun surprise for Camille to find two of her Keller friends right across the hall

at EFY.

                                                               (Alexis and Carly)

Katelyn and Camille all dressed up.

The whole Company

Camille enjoyed her week at EFY.  We pulled her out one night so we could all go to
dinner  at Outback ( his last meal sort of speak) before Blake went to the MTC
the next day.