new area info

To all at home and abroad.  I am happy to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Mom
I have a check up with the surgeon today.  Hopefully no cast, but we'll see I did get a nice set of X-rays.

I also lost my other suit in transfers along with all my ties, so now I'm just wearing one ugly clip on (from Leah).  That said some brothers from the ward are going to put together a few choice ties.

 Right well here is more information about the area.

I cover the four wards in the Mesa Central Stake Enrose, Harris 1st and 2nd and Grandview 2nd.  It is an awesome area with lots of prepared people.
We don't have a car, so the T-wreck has been repaired and continues to press forward.  Surprisingly there are some new sounds coming from the tire, which honestly are no cause for concern.  I had the opportunity to attend three Christmas programs yesterday.  All were wonderful.  My favorite was the second.  They had tone chimes and a stand up bass, which really filled out the sound.  With out the bass there isn't much power behind the choir, especially when the basses are hard to hear over the tenors and altos.  I also got to hear I heard the Bells on Christmas Day several times, which I greatly enjoyed.

As to my new companion, his name is Elder Kirwan from North Carolina  He has been out a few days over two months, so he is another young missionary companion, but by no means is he green.  We get along well and enjoy living in a apartment above the garage of a member family.  It is called the carriage house, and I"ll have to get pictures somehow. 

I already opened all my presents a few days ago, which I know will cause some distress from my older siblings.  That said what better way to focus on other people and helping them feel the spirit of Christmas then opening presents early.  That way I won't be focused on myself.  Not to mention some of the gifts were needed ie. batteries.

Next weeks email I promise will contain the great experiences of this Christmas season.

Love,
Elder Davidson

 

Rain, last wheels, moving, and dodgeball

Dear Mother
First my wrist is doing just fine.  I have close to 70% motion back.  I'm still working bringing my wrist backwards.  In the evenings it is still pretty painful.  Normally I don't have any pain, but in the evenings and mornings I can feel the bone, so i wonder if it is still healing.  The good news is it doesn't hurt when I use it.

As to the rain.  Lucky!  We had two days of rain and got stuck on bikes for a day.  By the end of the evening I didn't need to dry clean my pants, because they were soaked through.  I whistled Christmas Carols all the way home as I rode a Schwinn beach cruiser.  Two days ago the Trek (T-Wreck as we call it)  finally died.  As I was trying to get up a grass hill the derail-er decided to snap into the spokes and bring the bike to complete halt.  It was a bitter moment for me and I proceeded to take a picture before dismantling the frame.  If I can't find a new derailer at the mission office, I will be donating the bike and getting a loaner.  Back to the rain story.  I loved every moment of being in the rain.  I was soaked through and my hands were delightfully cold. 

Family I have news, I'm being transferred this Wednesday!  I'll be serving in an area of 5 wards!  it will be quite the experience.  I"m looking forward to it, but I will miss Elder Conaway a lot.  As I informed the Bishop in one of my wards, he was very sad to see me go.  In fact on leaving the meeting Sunday morning all the Brethren almost in unison said "Thanks Elders"  it was a sweet moment to know that we had done something for them and their families.  A young man in the ward was very sad to see me go.  It will be hard, but I hope to stay in touch and be able to see him on to his mission.

As a last party we will be playing dodge-ball with the youth, something Elder Conaway is really looking forward to.

Because of transfers I have no idea were I will be spending Christmas, and I really hope my new companion is skypeing.  I also won't know my phone number until next Monday.  The time should work for calling home.

I love you all bundles.

Oh we had a Zone breakfast this morning which was really fun.  It was outside around a campfire and we had lots of yumiie little treats (I know I spelled it wrong, but that looks cool).  It was also sad to see a few Sister missionaries go home that I watched come out on their missions.  We enjoyed a short time of friendship together and now we are all embarked on a new adventure which starts this Wednesday.

Love,
Elder Will Davidson

Life as usual

Dear Mom-
No I haven't gotten any packages from anyone as of this morning.  If we could do the same arrangements as last time.  ie. you send me contact info for your skype account and I'll just use someone from the ward.

My wrist is ok.  The day after I got the cast off I tipped over on a little foot scooter, and landed on my wrist.  I'm pretty sure I cracked the bone again, but there isn't a lot of pain unless I twist in an awkward position.  Right now I'm just trying to get movement back into the wrist by throwing a baseball, doing wall push-ups and other stuff.  I also need some handkerchiefs and stamps.  I've seen some new pixar stamps, but can't find were to get them.  A tie or two won't hurt, but please don't send them until after I leave this area.  Our apartment is really smelly.  Everything smells like smoke.  As soon as I leave this area I"m buying a new suit and getting rid of two pairs of suit pants and a jacket (the pants are dead and the jacket is old).  I have two other suits that I'll send to the dry cleaners.  I really can't think of anything else that I'm in need of.  Pictures are always a treat...so send some: people, places, flooded basements, etc.

This week has been pretty straightforward.  We enjoyed some wonderful Christmas parties in both of our wards.  I've never realized how much talent is in our home ward.  At the first party we spent most of the first hour pulling chairs and tables into the gym, because there were so many people that came.  That was one success.  In the same Christmas party we also had a 25 minute lecture on ALL the history behind Christ's birth, from Caesar to Michael.  Not the most enlightening program I've ever seen.  I did get to run the mic :).  The other party was put together better.  It was themed after an airplane ride.  We were asked to be TSA authorities with squeegees as metal detectors.  Then they played a video of a plane taking off.  The camera was in the cockpit, so that was pretty cool.  Once we reached the "Cruising" altitude the youth walked around and delivered the meal.  Really an enjoyable time.  Unfortunately Elder Conaway couldn't eat the meal because he can't eat pasta.  That was really the highlight of the week especially when one of our investigators came to the party and to church on Sunday.

In other news we found one of our lost brothers.  There is a recovery home in our area, and we were asked to go visit a man by the name of B.  After visiting with B and teaching him a little about the Book of Mormon, we got in the car to leave.  As missionaries we have to back up our vehicles.  As Elder Conaway was backing me up a young fellow walked up to us.  As soon as I saw him I knew that it was S.  A recent convert from another area who used to attend the singles ward.  He had disappeared from his apartment almost a month ago.  Upon speaking with him we discovered he had been to Cali, Maine, Florida, and several other states selling illegal substances.  He had just come to the recovery home 2 hours prior to us arriving.  Apparently he was in a rut and was walking down the street the evening before, and saw the temple lights (there's a picture on the Ensign!).  He walked in and was able to find a place to settle down.  I was so happy that we were put in the right place at the right time.  These kind of experiences happen all the time and I am so thankful for them.

With this Christmas season I'm so grateful to be a missionary.

Love you all and Merry Christmas,
Elder Davidson

Castless

Dear Mother and Friends,

I am pleased to announce that I have been freed from my Black cast.  It was a bittersweet separation from my shell.  On the down side I won't be able to use my hand as a blunt object to fix things like nails and broken bikes.  I also have a really sore wrist that doesn't really like to move.  On the plus side I can write again, and I don't get silly questions about falling on my bike.

In other news it has been a pretty good week.  We found a really nice family that went to the Christmas lights at the visitor's center.  It is a wonderful event and opportunity for people to learn about the church and our savior.  This year there is one difference.  The Elders will no longer be hosting the event.  Instead the only ones that will be hosts are the sister missionaries who work at the visitors center.  That said we are allowed to take our investigators to the lights so they can learn for themselves.  We are at the visitors center so often that soon we'll be considered the Visitor Center Elders.  The lights are not that spectacular.  They are all put up by volunteers so the quality is not as good as say the botanical gardens.  On the other hand when you go inside the Visitors Center you can really feel the spirit of Christmas.  In the large theater there are hundreds of little nativities from around the world.  My favorite is made from books that have their pages folded down so you can see a 3D image of the nativity scene.  There is another one that is carved out of a gourd.  It would be really nice if we had a good hour to just take pictures of the nativities, but sadly there is not much time.  Perhaps this afternoon we will have a chance to make it.

Another wonderful piece of the Christmas lights is you often see other people you taught.  A couple nights ago we were picking up some paper work from the center and the convert I baptized on Christmas eve last year walked up to me.  I was so excited that he was there.  I asked if he was planning on going to the temple, and he said that he was.  I got his number and I'm hoping to go through with him sometime in January.  I also met a convert from my first area, which was a good experience, but kind of sad.  He isn't doing as well as the other convert.  It was still good to see him.

We have a very interesting area.  Almost every day we run into someone who is on drugs, relapsing from drugs or selling drugs.  This is one thing that is totally new to me from back home.  According to what I've heard Mesa has a very high meth traffic.  It's pretty sad because you can see the results of that wherever you are.  In every area I have been in there have been over 7 or 8 halfway houses.  I respect that these exist for without them many of these people would not be able to get back on their feet.  On the other hand I find it so sad that there are so many that have experimented with these substances.  As far as I can see the results of this so called experiment is always the destruction of people and their families.  I am so grateful for the example of my friends and family that have helped me make wholesome decisions.  In addition I love being a missionary and helping others recover from choices that have caused havoc in their life.

In other news Merry Christmas everyone.  Already I have sung lots of Christmas hymns.  This year will truly be a special Christmas.  It is the last Christmas I get to spend devoting all my time and attention to serving The Master.  What better way can I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ than trying to be like him and following his example.  I'm about to finish the 4 gospels, and I absolutely love the Christmas story and the life of Christ.  Especially those who changed because of his example.

Well I look forward to a great week here in Arizona.

Love,
Elder Will Davidson

Thanksgiving x 3

Dear Mother-

I included in Dad's email an outline of the renovations that we can do to the house.  The story of the house reminds me of the wise man and the rock.  I wonder if the whole time the wise man's house was on the rock water was running through the front door?

It is a real shame that even with all the renovations you made to the down stairs bathroom it still struggles to remain dry.  Maybe the drain should have been installed in the middle of the room rather than the shower.

In the world of missionaries exciting things are about to happen.  There is another media campaign that will be coming to the area with special emphasis on the Saviors birth.  It will be interesting to see how this compares to the I'm a Mormon campaign.

This week was full of tummy aches and injuries.  Thanksgiving morning we got to go spend time with a family at one of the church buildings.  We spent a good while playing some basketball, and then some soccer.  By the time all games had finished knees were hurting and ankles were swollen.  I escaped with nothing more than a scratch on my pointer finger.  We then decided to take a nap in preparation for the meal marathon.  It began with a wonderful turkey that was roasted to perfection by a family we've been teaching.  It was the first time she had ever roasted a turkey, and it was really good.  I also tried the stuffing from Trader Joe's, and it too was a success (I'm sure it wasn't the first time Joe had made stuffing).  Following that we had another traditional Thanksgiving meal with the addition of candied yams.  They were really good.  I wish a I had a dish or two left of the yams.  Our Thanksgiving finished off with the most wonderful thanksgiving meal of the day.  New Zealand style.  We had crab, shrimp, sweet potato, fried fish, and potato salad.  It was really good, especially when they gave us all 7 plates of left overs.  The rest of the night was spent rolling from one appointment to another wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving.  We also perfected the art of politely declining any more food.

So our area received a new vehicle a few weeks ago.  It is a 2012 Ford Fusion.  It isn't as nimble as our trusted corolla, but it does have a little more power, and the capacity to tow our bikes.  Normally we can save miles by using the stake center at Hobson and 10th ave as a headquarters.  Then we bike to our appointments taking occasional pit stops back at HQ.  It saves us a lot of time with construction around the area.  The only down side is we have to bike from point A to B.

Elder Conaway is back in the field and we have settled into a pretty decent routine.  Based on how we worked before I can tell that there are still a few things that I need to work on.  I still forget that it is really hard to leave and come back into the field, so patience is an attribute that I forget to apply in some aspects.  I hope today we'll get to do something fun.  There is a shaved ice place that i really like in the area called Bahama Buck's.  They have this drink that has a scoop of ice cream with kiwi and strawberry flavors (Mmm).

This week we committed another sister to be baptized.  She has been taught for many months, but she hasn't been able to be baptized because she is on probation.  On December 18 she'll be off and finally be able to be baptized on December 22nd.  We are hoping to have some others that will be prepared for baptism in December or January.


That really sums up the week,
love
Elder Davidson

I love being a missionary. 

Great baptisms

Hello Mom,

We are happy to report that our two baptismal services went very well.  At 10 in the morning the young single adult was baptized by a member friend.  It was a picture perfect baptism.  The talks were short, the temperature was nice and everyone was happy to come out and support this young man.  I guess the only thing is the water heater is broken, so it was very cold.  Elder Conaway gave a wonderful talk on baptism which made the service all that more special.

The older sister's baptism was a little more difficult.  As soon as she entered the building she was nervous.  We were really not sure that she was going to be baptized until she actually started walking down the stairs into the water.  While teaching she would often says prayers by talking to Mr.Jesus.  So as she began walking down the stairs I simply said "Mr.Jesus is with us".  With a lot of courage she was baptized and confirmed without the least little hiccup.  It was a privilege to be the one baptizing, but also a challenge.  It turns out duck tape and a few surgical gloves work very well to water proof a cast.

Speaking of the cast, I still have one.  Not sure when or if it is going to be coming off.  It still aches under the cast so I can imagine it will take a little more time to heal.

Our week will seem very short especially with Thanksgiving.  I've never appreciated holidays more than now.  As missionaries you can see how everyone slows their life down and reflects on things that they have and are grateful for.  As a missionary I'm so grateful for all the things I am able to do when it comes to serving.  Just last night we spoke with two individuals who lost loved ones, and a lady who literally was lost on the street, from Baltimore.  I'm so happy that we were able to both help physically and provide spiritual relief through the scriptures and prayer.  This will be the last holiday season that I shall spend away from home, and those I love.  It is hard, and I wish I could share some time with my family.  That said, there is no other way to gain this great appreciation for those you love with out being separated.  To a happy reunion in this life as well as in eternity I look forward too.  Thanks to our wonderful Savior (Mr.Jesus).

Love to all you at home,
Elder Will Davidson

Good news

Dear Mother,
Compared to the developments of last week this has been a very calm week.  However I am pleased to announce that there are two individuals that are going to be baptized this Saturday.

The first of the afternoon is a young man from the singles ward.  About 4 weeks ago we were walking around the church building and he came up requesting to come to church and have us come by.  His story is a really cool story.  He was introduced to the church through his girlfriend's family several months ago.  He doesn't really have any family and lives in a halfway house to stay off the street.  What is remarkable is his determination to do the right thing.  As we have taught him I have seen how much he has come to appreciate the ability to change.  He hasn't made all good choices, but he is doing everything in his power to stay on the straight and narrow path.  Prior to his baptismal interview we asked him if he had ever committed a crime for which he is on probation or parole.  His answer was a little shaky, but "no".  I kept feeling like he hadn't been entirely truthful, but when we interview we take his answers as the truth.  I was very impressed when in a lesson yesterday evening he revealed that he indeed not been entirely truthful.  In a world were individuals lie and cheat their way into just about anything I am grateful for this young man and his faith.  He knew that he could not make a promise with God until he was first honest with those around him.  We are unsure if he will be baptized this weekend, but the comfort that he has told the whole truth must be a greater blessing than not having to wait to be baptized if necessary.

The other individual who will be getting baptized this week end is the 80 year old woman.  She is so prepared and willing to be baptized.  Her testimony on the Holy Ghost is so powerful.  We did take her to the baptismal pool so that she could walk down the stairs and feel comfortable with everything that will happen.  When you baptize a 80 year old there are a few more logistical procedures to take care of.  Our plan is to plug the overflow drain so that the water level will be higher, thus making it easier for the sister to be submerged.

Beyond that we've enjoyed some time playing soccer and other sports with other missionaries in the area.

On Monday I gave my best shot at bowling.  It was a little embarrassing trying to get a good score.  About every 4th bowl would be a strike and the rest would be gutter balls.  You can say that I am a very black and white person.

Well that about concludes the news.

The weather is wonderfully chilly and we are going back on bikes this transfer.

Love,
Elder Will Davidson

Trick Bicycle Riding

Hello My friends and family,

It is with great appreciation and excitement that I relate to you a new development in the mission field!

This past Friday my beloved Elder Brantley took a break from his mission and returned to Georgia.  I will definitely miss him, and his amazing accent.  I hope he returns quickly to the field.  The story continues however for myself.  The night before Elder Brantley flew home I was speaking with President Ellsworth, and inquired regarding the Status of Elder Conaway.  With a smirk on his face President Ellsworth informed me that after nearly 6 months Elder Conaway would be flying in the following day.  So here I am with my "new" companion the one and only Elder Conaway!  It has been very fun, as we have put our best feet forward, and began another opportunity to work together.  Despite the almost constant changes this transfer I am confident that the Lord knows who I am and that I am loved.

We have a wonderful investigator in the singles ward.  He has been taught before.  We were walking around the neighborhood one day, and he walked up to us asking where the nearest church building is.  He came to church and a lesson at the Visitors Center, which went really well.  While watching a video presentation about the Book of Mormon, he turned and said "I remember reading that".  It is really cool to watch as he is super excited to be baptized. The only really sad thing is he will be moving out of our area.  We did encourage him to start going to the new ward and learning from the new missionaries.

This Saturday we had some fun ordering a pizza and taking it home.  On the way back to our apartment, we put the pizza on the handle bars of the bikes, so that we could eat at home.  I'm sure it was an interesting scene for those driving past.  A missionary biking down the street with a broken wrist, and a pizza in the other hand.

So I really haven't shared a lot of personal feelings recently, so I figured a report on how I am personally doing would be a good thing.  Having finished more than 3/4 of my time as a missionary, I have felt a whole array of different emotions.  The most powerful emotion is one of peace that seems to carry me over challenges as they come.  It isn't that missionary work is getting any easier, but I am learning to be humble enough that I can learn from lots of the difficult experiences.  A wise lesson I've learned is taking the good lessons from the bad experiences and leaving the rest behind.  I also feel inadequate in so many different ways.  No matter how good I think I'm doing I know that there is still so much I can do better especially when it comes to helping others.

On another side of the coin I am feeling the pressure of time left to serve.  There is so much left that I can do, and the time to do it is my constant prayer.  Major decisions that we help other people make are about to be coming back into my life.  Being subject to all the different challenges of the world is also looming on the horizon.  In addition I still look forward to the day when I can return home and say I did all I could do.  Until that time it will be lots of hard work.

Everyone should have an amazing week especially when the weather is so nice.

Love
Elder Will Davidson

General News

Dear Mother

Our apartment is a very nice place.  It has two bedrooms, one with a walk in closet.  The master Bedroom is were we keep our beds, and then the other is for our desks.  There is a nice kitchen with everything you need.  Then there also a laundry room(best part).  The only bad thing is the previous resident smoked a lot.  When we first walked in it was so bad I started coughing.  Now we've battled the smell with a citrus sent thingy that we put under the vent intake.  We also have found Fe-breeze to be a great weapon when it comes to going to church.  The other week our ward mission leader mentioned that we smelled like smoke, and wasn't sure how that would look to other people.

My companion is from Georgia and has been serving for just over 3 months.  So far we've found that we both have interests in motorcycles.  Elder Brantley actually brought his riding jacket, with a "lone Wolf" patch on the back.  He has built a custom bike off a Honda Shadow.  He really likes video games, and we have the same favorite video game (Time Splitters).  He has an amazing personality that people just latch onto.  His accent has proven to be a great gift to his missionary efforts.  When he teaches no one interrupts, because they are so intent on listening to him speak.  I'm very happy to be working with him.  The ward leadership greatly appreciate how we help them with their efforts.

As for last weeks dinner meals we had Jack in the Box one afternoon because we were having meetings all day.  Then we had a potato casserole with cornflakes on top (a fun texture). We also were treated to a soup meal after church last Sunday.  The best soup was actually baked in a pumpkin.  Our other meals included, Hawaiian haystacks and Enchiladas (which are really Hispanic lasagna).  If you don't know what Hawaiian haystacks are it is rice with a chicken gravy topped with crispy noddles, pineapple, tomato, olives, cheese, etc.  I really like them, because you can put what ever you want.

This week we met a wonderful young fellow who lives in a halfway house.  He has learned about the church, when he was dating a member.  Once they broke up, he still was interested, so he came this Sunday to the singles ward dressed in slacks and a white shirt.  He really enjoyed it, and we should start teaching him this coming week.

The work in this area is solid.  The individuals we are teaching have a sincere desire to learn.  It makes it easy when we explain to them gospel principles.  We don't really teach investigators, we just show them how to learn spiritual things, through prayer, reading scriptures, and attending spiritual meetings.  Those things are so wonderful, because anyone can do them.  Even if you can't read, some one can read to you.  Everyone can pray, and you don't need to pay any fees.  I often find myself silently speaking to the Lord.  Often I receive a warm comfort and confidence as I do so.  It is so sweet.

Elder Brantley and I are heading to the mission office this morning to have our car checked up.  This past Friday someone backed into the front bumper and did a number on it.  It still looks great despite the bump.

Well that's all folks....


Love you,
Elder Will Davidson

Talk about it or do something about it?

This past week has been a really great learning experience.  On Friday we had a transfer, and a new missionary has come to the area.  His name is Elder Brantley from Georgia.  He has been in the mission field for just three weeks, and I've been put in the position of being his trainer.  This is really exciting, because I'm not quite sure how to keep track of all the new things going on.  That said we have amazing ward leadership.  In fact after eating with one bishop he expressed his confidence in us during one of the ward leadership meetings.  I was feeling pretty humbled by the amount of responsibility, and that confidence helped both Elder Brantley and I.  We have met so many wonderful people.

During one of the trainings we were given by a stake leader I learned how important it is to build from centers of strength.  It made sense to build from our strongest points out especially when we consider the principles of "gathering" and "strengthening" Zion.  It just makes more sense that missionary work should originate from the ward and its members.

So with a new companion we are learning lots together.  Every day has been an adventure, almost like being a new missionary again.   Elder Brantley is humble, bold, and has a sweet accent which helps us get sympathy from other people.  He loves riding motorcycles!  and he loves playing my favorite video game.  Most of all he is a great teacher.  I've learned so much from his example.  In fact it took me a while to realize that I needed to slow down, and explain things, because he has never even been to a ward council meeting before.

My head is full of all the things that have happened this week.  We are planing a good Zone activity this Monday, and we'll be dressing up in different costumes.  If I wasn't a missionary I would totally dress up as hiccup from "How to train your dragon".  As it is however I'll be Astro Boy on his mission.

That really sums up the major things.

We are teaching an 80 year-old sister who has been learning about the church for over 30 years.  When we invited her to be baptized she said "are we going to talk about it or do something about it".  I was laughing at how prepared and ready to join the church she was.  When she came to church she said that it is too short.  Even after 3 hours she wanted to spend more time in the building feeling the spirit.  I take that as a lesson from a veteran on how best to use our time.

I hope everyone has a great week.

Love,
Elder Davidson

Top two reasons to have a cast

Right the Bulk email,

So much has happened this week.  On the medical side of things I have a new shorter cast.  On Thursday I went into the doctor's office with new x-ray's.  The spacing around the broken bone is looking good, unfortunately until I get x-ray's with the cast off we will not know how well the actual break is healing.  The new cast is a short red cast which is also well padded compared to the other one.  I've been in the office enough times, that the nurse who gave me the cast would actually tell me what she was doing.  Now with movement of my elbow I can do pretty much everything with the exception of writing with a pen/pencil.  The Doc. wants this cast on for another 4 weeks.  I think it is so long, so there is a better chance of not having to get another cast after that.  Honestly the only really annoying thing is having to explain to every living person "what happened to [my] arm".  The most common guess is first "did you crash on your bike", and second "did you knock doors too hard". 

This past Sunday I got to meet all three wards that we cover.  One ward is very small, and has a broad array of personalities.  The Bishop is a 75 year old gentleman, and easily wins the reward for oldest bishop.  Another ward is full of young couples and strong families.  There are three older women who have found the church together.  It is very cool, because 2 of them are yet to be baptized, but they all have Family Home Evening together, and read the Book of Mormon together.  The weirdest and most awkward ward that we cover is without a doubt...the singles ward.  Everything is different in that ward.  For example, during sacrament meeting it is sub sonically quiet.  It was so weird to not hear children screaming, or pages rustling, that I almost started laughing, just because it felt like one long awkward silence.  Another thing is the almost tangible feeling of uncertainty.  Everyone in the singles ward is confident, and spiritually strong, and yet there is a very child like wonder in everyone's eyes.  I don't know how exactly to describe it.  Part of it might be the returned missionaries, who no longer have members to meet, or investigators to help feel comfortable.  Part of it might be the few islands of paired of couples that seem out of place in the sea of singles.  It may even be the groups of singles that walk confidently into the chapel, but only if they are in a squadron of other friends.  All in all it was a very fun experience.  There even was one fellow who knew exactly who I was (rather surprising).  It turns out former Elder Mortenson was serving in my home ward just prior to when I left.  He explained that while I was still at school my parents had fed him dinner, and Mom (much to my embarrassment ;) had shown off my call packet.  He of course was excited to meet me.

The best thing about the whole Sunday was a young fellow from St.Louis.  We had planned on meeting him Saturday at the visitors center at 6.  Due to some missed communication he was actually there an hour early, and watching movies, when we thought he was still at work.  He stayed for 3 hours learning about the gospel, and feeling the power of the truth.  After the service on Sunday, he was so happy and comfortable with his new friends.  One of those precious moments you can see some one seeking spiritual strength. 

Beyond this I don't know quite what to share.

Elder Fuiava and I are doing very well, and getting used to each others quirks.  I imagine that we will enjoy lots of opportunities to teach people who are prepared to learn. 

God bless everyone this week.
Love
Elder Will Davidson

Another new spot

Dear Everyone,

Here I am on another Monday in yet another new area.  Now I face the overwhelming task of trying to explain the area that I now serve in.  Before that however some questions that my Mom wanted me to answer:

Conference was very amazing.  I enjoyed Elder Oaks' talk on Saturday evening the most.  It seemed to hit close to home for me because of my involvement in Model United Nations.  His address was focused on rescuing children, and strengthening them.  There were a few other talks that hit home.  What was most profound was the number of talks that I have heard before. Some of them for example Elder Holland's was very similar to an address he gave in the MTC not long ago.  While others I know I haven't heard, just sounded like I had heard them before.

That aside my heart was overwhelmed most when President Monson announced that the age for serving a mission has been dropped.  There are no words to describe the excitement that I felt. There also was a small sense of sadness that I will not personally be affected by this announcement.  So far from what I have discussed with others I feel that in the next 6 months the greatest increase in missionaries will come from the Sisters between the age of 19-20.  What an opportunity for more individuals to serve.  My other guess from asking around is that of the 60 some odd units in our mission there will be some 200 missionaries serve in the next 6 months.  Especially as the school year comes to a close here in the valley.

Now to answer some of the questions.  I am serving in the Pioneer Zone which covers the area between Southern and Main and Country Club to Lindsey.  We cover the singles ward, and two family wards.  Due to conference I haven't had a chance to meet everyone yet. 

My companion now is Elder Fuiava from Western Samoa.  He is a bigger fellow, but very happy all the time.  In keeping with the Lords plan for me he has already suffered from a pretty bad stomachache.  It seems no matter where I go or who I'm with there are opportunities to learn and serve.  Another interesting experience.  On Friday night we visited with a young 18 year old who had just been in an accident.  Really it wasn't an an accident, a younger fellow had stabbed the young man three times.  When we saw him he was doing well and resting.  We had the opportunity to give him a blessing of comfort.  I was amazed that he had such patience with the boy who attacked him.  If you're interested he had three wounds, one on his right hand, one on the bicep of his right arm and one in lower back.  All were stitched up and healing nicely.

As for the district we are in it is a very small district.  In fact there is only one other companionship.  Sister Parker and Sister Djaved are in the district, and then it is our companionship.  They are all a happy bunch and work hard.

We have a car in a pretty big area.  It is pretty nice, the only problem is we don't have a lot of miles, so we may be doing some biking.

Oh so an update on my wrist I didn't say, but I broke it playing Zone sports before the start of the day.  I'm getting a new cast this Thursday, which should help a ton.  I have pictures to send home, but i can't find the cable in my bags of stuff.

As the only companionship in the district I realized that Elder Fuiava and I are the the most direct priesthood support the Sisters have, considering they don't have any brothers or fathers here in the mission field.  It was this mind set that caused Elder Fuiava and I to check on them when our phone calls were not being returned.  Needless to say they were fine and a little confused when we knocked on the door.  At least they know that they aren't alone.

Love you all,
Elder Will Davidson

PS.
I loved conference.

Duck eggs in the desert

This week has brought a whirlwind of changes.  I was informed on Saturday evening that I will be moving to a new area.  In addition it will be in a district almost entirely made up of sister missionaries.

As a farewell one of the members of the ward made us some balut.  It is a 10 day old duck egg.  At first I thought it would be really nasty.  As it turns out it is pretty normal tasting. The juice around the yoke tastes a lot like an oyster, the yoke tastes like an egg, and then the actual duck really just tastes like chicken liver.  It isn't something I would go out and buy every day, but it was pretty tasty.  The texture was the hardest thing to deal with, because occasionally you would get a little bone, much like you would in salmon.

I am rather sad that I will not be staying in this area any longer.  Because of Elder Robinson's injury at the beginning of the transfer I was really only here for 5 weeks.  It felt way too fast, but at the same time I'm amazed at how many people I got to meet and work with.

Elder Robinson will be training a new missionary in my place.  It is pretty funny because he will learn even more patience than he did dealing with the sprains.  Luckily for him he is out of a boot and now can get around without it.

A short email again due to time and the ability to write.  If a lengthier letter is wanted I would suggest a multiple choice questionnaire.

I hope everyone's week is wonderful,
Elder Will Davidson

Plaster

Hello,

This may be a shorter email due to my new addition.  So this week I was playing soccer Tuesday morning with some missionaries.  On one of the plays I tried kicking the ball from the man in front of me.  Her cleared it with a kick and a rotation of his body.  Unfortunately that threw me into the air (literally air-borne).  As I came down I fell on my right arm which caused my elbow to lock and a nasty hit to my wrist.  I got up  and went straight to the stage to rub it out in case it was sprained.  On the way home I drove with one hand and had Elder Robinson compress the other.  Then on Friday I went into the orthopedic surgeon who told me that I broke the scaphoid bone in my wrist.  On the X-ray it was actually in two pieces.  Now I have a full arm cast for the next 3 weeks.  Then after that I'll have another shorter cast for at least three weeks.  As for what it feels like to break a bone, it is pretty much like a sprain.  There was no bruising or swelling until 40 hours after the accident.  After that I couldn't lift my hand, so I knew something was up.

In other news on Saturday I was probably the first and only missionary to shake Elder Bednar's hand with my left hand while wearing a pink cast.  On Saturday morning we had the opportunity to receive instruction from a member of the quorum of the twelve.  I did learn an important insight on how to take notes.  We were asked to not take notes of exactly what was said.  We needed to prepare small plates instead of large plates referring to the Book of Mormon.  Of course this advice was easy, because I caN'T WRITE wITH the cast I have on (ie. capitol letters).  I was able to scribble a few notes down.  He had a very unique way of helping us receive instruction.  Any of us could raise our hands and answer his questions and ask questions.  It was amazing as he directed more than taught.  There was no lengthy sermon, and it was very well done.  On a funny note, just after the opening prayer Elder Rydalch was about to read the bio of Elder Bednar, when Elder Bednar said frankly "Elder we don't need that.",  from there we had a most inspirational experience.

Well my hand is getting tired.  I'm really happy and this past week we had a wonderful family start learning about the gospel.

Love you all,
Elder Davidson

letter grades

If my last email and this email were to receive a letter grade I'm sure that they would receive an E for effort.

I can say that this has been some of the most rewarding and satisfactory days of my mission.  The best way to explain why would be highlighting what goes on during the week, and during the day.

The most personally satisfying part of my week, and the start of a good attitude is my personal study time.  Every morning I study the scriptures and the missionary manual.  Some times I get sidetracked by little scripture scavenger hunts, but for the most part I have lots of good insights.  I'm reading the New Testament focusing on the parables that Christ used to teach.  In addition I've started reading the Book of Mormon again using a red pen to underline all the times Christ is addressed or mentioned.  It has been really fun.  Last week I finished reading the Book of Mormon underlining any reference to the Holy Ghost (not the easiest).  The cool part is I happened to be on the last chapter when we went to the Temple, so I read it in the Celestial Room.

Another highlight of my week is Sundays.  This Sunday was especially special because there was a family that hasn't sat in the chapel for years, and they agreed to sit with us.  Elder Robinson and I also got to sing a duet "Savior redeemer of my soul"  not my favorite song. That said the actual performance was incredible.  It was funny at first to see everyone's face.  "Wow these elders can sing, didn't see that coming".  We actually sounded very good, and I felt more unified singing with Elder Robinson than I have with anyone else.  I attribute that feeling to the fact we had the same goal in mind, to help others feel the Holy Ghost. 

So a physically challenging part of missionary work is always service.  This past Thursday night we got on the roof of a little double-wide trailer.  Due to heavy rain the roof has just about reached sponge status.  Luckily before another storm rolled in Bro.Sargent and I were able to put a 60 by 40 foot tarp over the whole roof.  It was a little scary to be looking out over the desert and literally see lightning hit the ground miles away.  We were blessed, because the storm blew west, right beneath where the house was.  Not to mention we were afraid the tarp wouldn't stay down.

The final fun thing I've enjoyed has been the great abundance of hostess cakes from a member (several dozen boxes).  Elder Robinson was going to take a lot before I calculated how many calories are from one box.  Last night I also got to see my very first owl in person.  What a magnificent bird!   I walked to the tree were it was perched and it watched me the whole time.  It's eyes were just piercing.  Then it flew over me.  That was about the coolest thing all week.  It lives just east of us near the mountain, so I should get some more pictures of it.

I'm am doing very well in this area

Oh and the best part.  Last night we had a wonderful lesson with the family of three that we found when they walked into the church on Saturday.  They all committed to find out for themselves if the Book of Mormon is true.  It was a sweet moment to see them take control of their lives and ask God what he wants them to do.  I don't know what will come of it, but I know that they will benefit greatly.


I love you all,
Elder Davidson

Never underestimate the power of a good vacuum

Dear Mom,
I'm happy all is well.  This week was about as interesting as yours.

We had some incredible rain storms out here.  In fact it was thundering right out side the door to our apartment on Friday morning, and I went out to listen to the huge sounds.  I loved it.  Our apartment also got a new bag-less vacuum that I promptly took apart and reassembled.  It is a hoover, and very good.  I tested it with some salt spilled on the floor, and it picked up so much dust the floor is a different color.  Then again that may be due in part to the fact missionaries have lived here for so long.

In other news we had a great lesson this morning with lady who had several questions about the church.  It went really well.  She has done a lot of research, so some of the stuff she has learned is false, while other things are just plain weird.  Lots of her questions were really good.  I don't remember any of them right now, but I just remember that she was really relieved.

Anyway, this past Sunday Elder Robinson and I were asked to speak in two of the wards that we cover.  It went really well in both wards, and Elder Robinson is a great speaker.  After the meeting there were lots of members that were grateful for everything that we said.  The subject we were given was on how the commandments lead us to love others.  My focus was on the scripture in Luke 22:31-32.

Well, we are teaching a really cool family in our apartments.  We haven't done a lot of teaching besides introducing them to the Book of Mormon and the Gospel.  It is just amazing to see that they have all made personal choices that have brought them closer together.  The Mom is more patient, the daughter spent time cleaning her room, and the father has taken a more direct role in the life of his daughter (which has really helped her).

So I'm sitting here in the library and looking at the bookshelves.  The section is Religion.  My guess is very little of it is actually about Jesus Christ, and even less about the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.  I guess that is why I"m a missionary is to help people learn.

That is all there is this week.  Next Sunday Elder Robinson and I are going to be singing in the Goldfield ward.  It should be really fun.  Hope the week is good for everyone.

Love
-Elder Will Davidson

A truck!

Hello my family,

Can you believe it there have been two baptisms in this area since I got here, and already we've found a lot of people who are really interested in learning more.  On Saturday there was a couple who actually came into the church just looking for someone to talk to.  We spent some time getting to know them, and went by that evening to their house.  They were really interested in what we did.  The woman couldn't believe that the young men in white shirts and ties spend two years going and helping people.  In fact when she made the connection she said two or three times, "so this is what you do".  I don't think she imagined that anyone would be doing what we are doing for her.  It was humbling when we went by her house, and she treated us as if we were royalty.  She and her husband are really awesome.

In other news the three wards I cover (a big leap from Camelview ward) are wonderful.  I've never felt more comfortable as a missionary in my life.  I think lots of it has to do with my experience and a little more confidence in myself.  On Sunday night we met with the bishop's family, and they were all so cool.  The 16 year old son and I have set a goal to read the New Testament.  We are going to read 7 chapters a week, which means we'll finish around May 12th.  It will be I'll have to write back and forth to stay up to date.  There are other members of the ward that are just amazing.  They are ready and willing to serve anyway they can.  One sister who was baptized just a few weeks ago asked if anyone in the area needed food, when her family barely has enough food to meet their needs.

So the truck we are driving is a white Chevy Colorado with four wheel drive!  It has been the best vehicle I've driven on my mission.  Our family's old Ford was more fun to drive (and a bigger engine), but we get by really well.  So the reason we get a truck is because most streets are unpaved.  For example going out to the bishops house you turn off a small two lane highway and follow the road until you see a triangle hazard sign, at the sign take a right and then it's the third house on your left.  The address system is very different from Phoenix or Mesa where everything is laid out on a grid.  Most of the terrain is brush and cactus on light colored dirt.  The best part is there is tons of wild life.  We see rabbits, and lizards all the time.  As of yet I haven't seen any snakes, except for one that we ran over while driving.  Coyotes are all over the place too.

So my companion is Elder R.  He has a larger family and right now my brain blanked on their names.  He has three younger sisters, and a younger brother who is on a mission as well.  Then he has an older sister who is married (or it might be an older brother).  His dad works selling prescription drugs.  He is a really good singer, so we have some fun singing together in the car.  In fact he volunteered us to sing in a couple Sundays.  Speaking of which this weekend we were asked to speak in sacrament meeting for 15 minutes.  I hope everyone doesn't fall asleep.  The topic is on The 10 Commandments, and how they help us love one another.  Not the easiest, but a story here and a story there, and it should be ok.

Right now my new home is right across from ... desert.  So every time we pull out of the apartment parking lot I get to see brush and desert.  However just behind that desert is an amazing view of the Superstition mountains.  Our apartment is just north of Superstition and Idaho road, so if you Google street view, and then head north on Idaho and turn east you should see that view.

Well that is about all I have to say.  The weather has been very kind only 98 has been the highest.  I think I'm the only missionary in our district of 8 that likes being cold.  At almost every meeting I'm sitting there burning up, while everyone else seems to think that it is way too cold.  I guess that isn't too surprising.  Last winter I would always wear gloves, but even then when shaking peoples hands it would feel like ice.  That makes me the cold heart-ed missionary.

I love you all, and don't be afraid to send little messages by ye good olde snail maile.  I will always respond.

Love,
Elder Davidson

Right an update on Elder R's leg.

It isn't broken! The bad news is that he has torn three of his anterior ligaments in his ankle.  The doctor wants him in this huge boot for a while, and it needs to be iced every so often.  I figured out a way to make an effective ice bucket for his foot.  Basically I froze a bunch of ice in a frying pan so his foot can rest on a solid piece, then I made tons of ice to put around the leg while it is in the cooler.  Due to how uncomfortable the toes get I took some gauze and a couple sponges to wrap his toes in.  All was very successful.  He should be off crutches in 12 days.

ice and lack of sleep

Helloozzzz...............

Well I'll explain why I''m tired in a minute.  Mom the pot is from Bro W's neighbor.  I knew that it was a lecruset so I said I would take it and send it home.  I realize that it is a little beat up.  In fact when I tried to make macaroni and cheese it was a little bit of a challenge, just keeping the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  I wonder if there is a place you can get it re-enameled.  I"m not sure what it is for, but I think it is so you can cook something on the stove, and then quickly move it to the oven to bake.  Not sure what kind of dishes actually use that process.

A came over.  Haha that is wonderful.  I"m sure she now knows more about downtown Seattle than I do.  Speaking of which how is the viaduct coming along?

Okie dokie.  So Apache Junction is an amazing part of Arizona.  Very small town rural feel.  The best part has been getting to know the people.  A woman was baptized on Saturday, and Elder Robinson and I got to perform Amazing Grace.  The fun thing was I played piano and he sang.  He is a really good singer which is fun.  His voice is a nice 2nd Tenor and very smooth.  He thinks that I know more about singing than he does, so I do my best to help him sound more relaxed and professional.  On the other hand my piano playing hasn't improved much.

So we've taught a lot of people already which is much more than my last area.  That said I just read an email that said there is a fellow with a baptismal date in my old ward.  Oh so in AJ we cover three wards.  All are very different.  One ward is Gold Canyon which has some very affluent parts golf clubs etc.  While most of the area is covered by wonderful little homes surrounded by forest.  However when I say forest I really mean cactus plants, bunnies, lots of quail, toads, and lizards.  It is a huge desert area.  As I get to know people better I'll share with you more about the people, because they are so sweet and willing to serve you.

Right the biggest thing to report is something that I am very used to by now.  For anyone that has been reading about the experiences I've had over the last 16 months you know that there have been a lot of medical things.  It seems either me or my companion are always in need of some sort of attention.  So this transfers installment of "Missionary Medical Chronicles"  is brought to you by Elder Robinson.  Saturday morning he got a nasty/severe/horrible ankle sprain possibly a break.  All Saturday afternoon we were trying to take care of the baptism, as well as get Elder Robinson dressed.  It's been an adventure as I've taken pictures and measurements of the swelling of his foot.  As of this morning the index toe has swelled a good 3/4 of an inch in circumference, and his ankle has swelled the same amount only in diameter.  The evenings have been filled with me getting up and changing his ice out, and giving him more ibuprofen.  Saturday night I tried doing a 20 minute nap cycle, in an attempt to keep the ice rotated.  That only lasted till about 1 in the morning.  Sunday I spent the  day writing, reading, and making a bunch of ice for the night time.  Last night was easier with an hour and 15 min. nap cycles.  I alternated switching out the ice, then giving him Ibuprofen and ice. 

Elder Robinson is a really good missionary.  we haven't had a lot of time to teach, but as soon as his foot gets better we'll be back on the path.  He is a little older (21) did a year at BYU-I and worked.  He is from Pullman Washington.  So Leah you should look up his family when you get home.

That is about all I can think to report, I've lost all comprehensive capabilities in my brain from lack of sleep.  If you want more info about the area I would suggest a multiple choice questionnaire or a short answer quiz.


Love your missionary,
Elder Will Davidson

Apache Junction

I'm doing well and ready for another transfer.  I got news Saturday night that I'll be going to a new area out in Apache Junction! I'm looking forward to it.  My new companion is Elder Robinson, and oddly enough he served in the same area that I will be leaving.

As for this area I will miss it very much.  It hasn't been the best area in terms of lessons with investigators, but I have been so blessed to watch all these wonderful families get along in their every day lives.  It was a bitter-sweet experience as I was asked to give the opening prayer this past Sunday.  Following Bro.Y announced that I would be leaving.  I am sad that I have to leave this wonderful ward, and all those we have worked with.  On the other hand I am very satisfied to know that I will always remember the friends I have made here.

Our training by Elder Aidukaitis from the Quorum of the Seventy was really amazing.  All the missionaries shared similar experiences as we went over our notes.  Elder A (He is the first on the list of Seventies) had the great skill of looking at you straight in the eye.  On several occasions I received much needed council, as he looked right at me.

The music number went very well.  I learned alot about what I can do if I just practice.  The Sisters were a little out of practice, and as  Elder Ellsworth put it "I played better than they sang".  That said I was more worried about just getting through the piece.  They will probably never ask me to play a piece again, but if they do I know I can do it.

On a fun note Elder Ellsworth and I got the "How to train your Dragon" soundtrack.  When we opened the package, we cheered, and immediately put it into the CD player.  Also last Monday we had an activity at the Stake Center.  There is a flat screen in the high council room, so we had ice cream and watched Mormon Messages.  It was pretty fun, besides the fact that the Wifi was really slow.

There isn't much else to report.

Love one another is the word,
Elder Will Davidson

The Piano Man

Dear Mom-
I must admit a tinge of pain as you told me about R's mission call and all the people I remember graduating and moving on in life.  It is easy as a missionary to think that while you are here everyone's life just goes on hold.  Of course that is not the case.  All of us move forward in whatever direction we've chosen.

The news as of now is not very exciting, but Elder Aduchatis (spelling) from the first quorum of the seventy is coming tomorrow.  There is a sisters choir that needed a piano accompaniment, so I volunteered to learn it on the fly.  I've practiced about an hour and a half the last two days.  I can play the whole song, just not to tempo quite yet.   I don't know why no one else volunteered, but they really needed someone, so I said I would do it.

Beyond that this week hasn't had very much happen.  We are really enjoying working with the ward.  A member of the ward is really good at drawing comics, so we gave him an assignment.  We asked him to make a little cartoon depicting how members have an emergency plan, but they don't have a family mission plan.

Last night we met a really cool young family from Gilbert.  The dad is working on returning to the Church, and a really cool guy.  He has four children from his first wife, and we got to visit them last night.  I was deeply impressed, by how much they loved the Gospel.  We encouraged them to press forward and keep working on a mission and school.  I really think we were more edified by the visit than they were.  The one I remember the most was the 12 year old.  He is the youngest of four and the rest are sisters (sounds familiar).  As we met you could tell how much the sisters affected his actions.  It made me appreciate even more how much I love my sisters, and how much they have taught me.  It was interesting as the girls complained about guys not asking them to dance, I thought to myself.  "I would always ask girls to dance".  Then I realized that the main reason I did was from what my sisters taught me.  One of those really cool moments.

I don't know if you've realized, but most of the pictures on the youth website of a temple are of the Rexburg temple.  I'm happy to say I spent a lot of time in that House of the Lord.

I've been learning a lot as I've had some counseling.  As I've thought about how lonely I've felt these past few weeks it's been amazing to look back and realize that I've never had more support.  I believe that the number one reason people are led to do bad things, or walk away from the gospel is that they don't feel loved.   My counselor has taught me a lot and one of the things he talked about is emotional reasoning.  It is when your own emotions of perceived failures cause you to think that you aren't loved, by those around you.  It is no surprise that second only to loving God we are to love our neighbor as ourself.  The greatest weapon that keeps us from being good is when we don't feel loved, or don't love ourselves.  That has been a great lesson to me, and has helped me see more clearly my duty to spread the Gospel.

I'm so grateful to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Well we're late for a Zone activity.  Talk to everyone later

Love,
Elder Davidson

Onion's cookies

Hello. That is wonderful to hear that I've been blessed in my true title of Onion.  Leah sent a letter, and talked about visiting with grandparents.  We met a 91 year old this week who was very lonely.  It was nice for us, because we didn't have any set appointments, and we could just listen to him talk about his family and his wife who passed away 3 years ago.  Papa J as he is called has a lot of family, but they don't visit much.  I can't imagine that it is very easy for him to be all by himself.

 

I'm glad all the postcards got through the mail.  Sadly I never got the rest of Nina's post cards, even when she numbered them.  I remember Bro. B's water cutting, because Bro.S was trying to help me schedule a tour before I left for school, and we never did it.  I'm sure the young men have since gone.  Speaking of young men I've heard that there aren't very many youth left in the ward that I know.  Emily and Bliss already graduated?  That is amazing, I thought they were still in high school. Time does softly sweetly glide when there's love at home.  That has been the greatest blessing I have learned and received as a missionary.  How to Love.

 

This past Saturday we had a baptism for a 8 year old, we thought was a 9 year old.  On Friday we had cooked some 6 dozen cookies to give to families that we were thinking of.  Instead we took them to the baptism.  All the members were really impressed when they knew that we made them ourselves.  They were even really good (not healthy).  That evening we went to the Relief Society President's.  I've been there twice before, but there was something different about this time.  I can't tell you exactly what it was, but as we asked her for help on a Missionary bulletin board, she opened up.  We were given some material that made a great back drop for the board.  While she was getting the material her husband came out and talked to us for a good 10 minutes.  Then we left with a prayer.  It was so amazing to actually feel the love that came across from him. 

 

That has really been our week along with the usual ups and downs.  Bro.W took us out to lunch on Friday which was a treat.

 

Hope all is well for everyone.

 

Love,

Elder Davidson

Paint and a Plan

This week was a pretty slow week.

 

Elder Ellsworth and I spent the whole week working on a Family Mission Plan in the ward.  We had the meeting yesterday and it went very well.  Sister F, a sister in the Ward Mission has spearheaded the whole program.  It involves praying for three people that you can help come closer to Christ.  It can be as easy as inviting to a family dinner, or asking them to meet with the missionaries.  I know that this will be a good success as we work with the ward.  We also got an opportunity to paint Bro. and Sis H's front room.  They are an older couple in the ward, and they wanted to paint their front room, before a work crew was coming to put shutters in their front window.  We helped them get half the room done, which I know was a big help.  They would have been up until 10 had we not been there.  It was a fun service, and they really appreciated it.  I also found out that one of their granddaughters went to BYU-Idaho while I was there, and I recognized her picture as a cashier that I saw almost everyday for lunch.

 

Well that about sums up the week.  I got to do a little tech work for the Family Mission Plan presentation.  I was trying to plug the computer audio into the organ sound system, which sounded really rich and full.  There was only a big problem with echo from the back of the room.  I tried to route the sound back into the built in system, but for some reason the output on the organ wasn't working.

 

I'm having a lot of fun in this ward, and trying to do my very best. 

 

Love you all,

Elder Will Davidson

 

 

baptism and bunnies

Hello,

 

What a great weekend.  Our investigator was finally baptized after more than a year of coming to church.  He is a single father with two daughters, and they are all so cute.  I'd send pictures if I could, but the library computers don't accept cameras.  We had a good turn out for the baptism.  Elder Ellsworth and I went around to some of the families in the ward, and gave them personalized invitations.  It was a bit of a challenge, because we only had a typewriter.  For the bottom of the invitation, we put a little hand sketched drawing of a child being baptized.  It matched the type font on printer paper very well.

 

The service was short sweet and very powerful.  A family in the ward came and they have known our W since he was in elementary school.  You could see how much he has appreciated the Gospel in his life, when he thanked all the ward for supporting him.  I've never had a new member of the church be so involved in the ward and be so influenced by it.  We are really blessed to be in a ward that has such wonderful members.

 

With this new transfer we are really trying serve the members better.  That can be really difficult when most people won't give you something to do.  We thought about it last weekend and decided that we would go help the H's.  They have some rabbits in their back yard, and we offered to help clean up their cages.  It was really fun.  We got to meet Olivia who is this huge rabbit.  Almost 2 and a half feet long.  Then they had this little chubby baby.  You could fit the baby in your hand, and when he sat down it looked like a Kung-fu Panda Rabbit (chubby).  I thought a little bit about raising rabbits, but then I realized that it takes a lot of time to take care of them.

 

This has been a great week. 

 

Elder Will Davidson

 

PS.  I printed out my family history fan.  I discovered that in 9 generations of ancestors there are 20 named William.  I thought that was pretty cooI.

late posting of last week's letter

This week was pretty interesting.  We went about doing the best we could to get ready for W's baptism.  He had his interview on Saturday which was a whole hour and ten minutes.  It went much longer than I ever expected.  I did use the time wisely.  The organ in the ward building was a little out of whack so I went about checking the speakers, which were facing the wrong way, like someone had just pushed them to the side of the loft.  Then I started reading the manual on how to adjust some of the finer settings on the organ.  On Sunday we got to hear how it sounded (much better than before).  The first counselor really liked the sound.  It was a fun little way to spend the time waiting for the interview to finish.

 

Transfers were this past week.  And now three of my companions have returned home including my trainer.    In 12 weeks that number will increase again.

 

As the weeks roll on in the ward with not many people interested in learning more about the Church, we had an amazing meeting yesterday with the ward missionaries.  We're going to have a goal that will help the members serve others outside the Church community.  Our focus is helping members bring people to Christ, which could be as simple as a letter and a how are you doing.  It is really going to unite the ward as we put our best efforts into the work.  We have the best ward missionaries.  Sis.F has taken a lot of time thinking about how we can get the whole ward moving, so she is trying to get things started.

 

It has been a very gray overcast week, with lots of showers, and lightning.  That means I've been much happier in the mornings.  Our ward mission leader , doesn't believe that I really do like the rain and the grey skies.  Little does he know that it is what keeps me alive.

 

I love being here and serving.  Have a great week.

 

Love,

Elder Will Davidson

Mailmen

Hello,

 

This week was full of interesting situations.

 

We discovered the mail box for the Church building on Friday.  That might sound wierd, but no one has checked it for months.  There were over 100 letters overflowing out the box.  My companion and I took it upon ourselves to empty the box.  Which involved using the skinniest arms (my own) to empty an old mail box that keeps getting mail.

 

On top of that we had a ward 4th of July breakfast.  It was really a great day.  Especially beacuse the day was nice and rainy.  In fact Bro.T one of the member in the ward, was outside cooking bacon on a propane stove in a cast iron pan.  In one hand he had a spatula turning the bacon, and in the other hand he held an umbrella.  I had a good oppurtunity to fix the curtains for the skit that was performed.  In addition I put a disco ball up, because they wanted it to look more like a party.

 

We had an amazing miracle this past week end.  The past three weeks, we have not had anyone come to church.  This Sunday was no different, until an investigator came to Sunday school.  We stopped teaching him on Friday, because he wouldn't stop smoking.  On Sunday he came to church, and told us that he hadn't smoked in over two days.  I hope that he'll be able to keep going and not smoke.  It is a pretty incredible thing for him to keep working on.

 

That really is the news.

 

Yesterday we had dinner at the Bishop's house.  His daughter played Claire de Lune for us and he was trying to get his son to play for us as well.  Then Bishop Bruce stood up, and said "watch me play".  He picked up a controller and pushed play.  It was a player piano.  We got a good laugh over that. 

 

I hope that the weather is treating everyone ok.  We have had a number of days over 110.  Yipee.

 

Love,

Elder Will Davidson

Low key week

Dear Family,

 

How are you all doing?

 

I can't say that this week has had anything really exciting happen.

 

This past Sunday we were looking forward to 5 people coming to sacrament meeting.  It turned out that none of them ended up coming, which was a little disheartening.  On the other hand it might have been a really good thing, because an older lady kept talking about the president and other things that didn't relate to the gospel, so the bishop politely excused her from the pulpit.  The one word to describe what happened would have to be bizarre.

 

On Saturday we ran into a really cool couple that we started teaching.  They are really nice and wanted us to come by and visit with them.  While we where there G asked some really great questions about the church.  One of the questions he asked, "what can I benefit from if I join the church?".  Elder Ellsworth and I both shared a brief testimony regarding the Savior.  After that he said that he could really see that being worth learning more about.

 

In other news two of our investigators are trying to quit smoking.  One of them has already succeeded.  We were really hoping that he would be able to do it.  It has been several years since he started going to church, and the only thing that was holding him back from being baptized was smoking.

 

That is really all that has happened this week, besides the heat that we're having to deal with.

 

Love you all,

Elder Davidson

down to two

It has been one whirl wind of a week.  I won't try to explain all the details because that would be boring, and not very important.

 

Elder Witherell as you know has been with us for 6 weeks.  While he was in the MTC he had a surgery on his meniscus which made him stay there for an extra few weeks.  As it turns out his other knee was hurting him, and after X-rays and MRI's we were told the news.  Friday morning we got a call around 9:00am that he would be returning home to have surgery on his knee in Texas.  That is where his mother has moved since he came on his mission.  By 3:00pm that afternoon Sister Ellsworth called to inform him that he would be leaving at 7:00am Saturday morning.  I can't tell you how painful it was to watch him go.  This is the second companion that has returned home before me.  Elder Ellsworth, Elder Witherell and I had such a good time together, and we would really miss him once he got his Visa, but we never thought that he would be going home.  Saturday morning was a pretty quiet day.  We met President Ellsworth at the Mission office, and took one last picture before departing.  As we departed Elder Ellsworth and I were crushed.  As a friend explains it is like losing a little brother.  The whole day got even worse as we were verbally assaulted, by a former member of the church over the phone, then shortly after we got lectured by the high councilor over missionary work.  It was not a very encouraging day.

 

Elder Ellsworth an I never realized how unified we were as a trio.  Just before we went to bed we realized that our sorrow was really because we could feel how Elder WItherell was feeling.  I can't really explain how that works, but we were sad simply because he was our brother, and his pains were our pains.

 

That really has been the event of the week.  On Sunday we had an amazing lesson in Elders quorum on giving blessings.  The interesting thing was that day we were involved in 3 blessings.  It was really special to have the opportunity to have a blessing from Elder Ellsworth.

 

We are about to start the month of July and our work is really struggling.  Every thing imaginable we are trying to do.  Call people, visit members, talk to people on the street, everything seems to lead to fewer people found.  Elder Ellsworth and I are putting ourselves in first gear and we are going to just work until we can't work anymore.

 

Hope all is doing well with everyone else.

 

Love,

Elder Will Davidson

gold and dust

This week has been slow.  Our mission is really really suffering.  We have a goal to double baptisms by the end of July, and as of now we've only gotten back up to average.  Early in the year it was really slow, and during the summer months it gets really slow.  That said we have never been happier or worked harder.  Yesterday Elder Ellsworth and Witherell have helped me be better at proposing ideas.  I suggested a way we could improve, and it didn't come across very well.

 

I really love how much we have learned as a companionship.  Our relationship will certainly continue beyond our mission.

 

The weather has gotten really hot.  The other day we had grilled pizza at a really cool family in the ward.  While eating, a dust storm blew in, so we got to watch traffic cones float down the street like a hockey puck.

 

In other news Bro.W found a 14k gold tooth pick in a jacket he got from GoodWill.  Apparently it made him think of me for some strange reason, so now I have a gold tooth pick.

 

Well not much else to report.  The family we've been working with got evicted this past week.  That was a really hard blow, because we couldn't do anything to help them.  I believe they have already found a new place that they can stay at.  Definitely an answer to their prayers.

Hope all goes well this week,

Elder Will Davidson

Sooper Dooper

One super dooper week.

 

This week has been crazy full of lessons and crazy experiences.

 

I'll number them so you can read in the order that you prefer.

 

1. A sad note from my old companion.

2. A crazy fiasco with the police.

3. A really special lesson we had with a young woman.

 

 

1.  As you know I was asked to train Elder Conaway two transfers ago.  Wow it doesn't seem like it has been that long.  Well it was a fun experience and not without a few bumps or bruises.  During our time together he suffered from very severe knee pains.  In fact there were times, when we weren't sure how long he would be on his mission.  A little while ago I got a call from him, while I was with Elder Thomas and Witherell.  He told me he was flying home the next morning.  I couldn't believe my ears.  His knees apparently need a lot of work.  In 6 months or so I should see him come back into the mission field.  I will look forward to when that happens. 

 

2.  Saturday morning.  As usual we started our day without anything too exciting happening.  We got up, exercised, got ready for the day, and began to study.  About half way through our personal study an elderly lady from the ward gave us a call asking for help moving a dresser.  We agreed to do so which put our schedule behind by about 40 minutes.  After starting companionship study we got another call, this time from a very distraught college age girl we used to teach.  Over the phone you could over hear deep inhales and sobbing.  I knew from teaching her before that there was an abusive boyfriend who she wouldn't leave.  Well from the phone call all we could hear was that she had been locked in a room and needed to call the police.  She knew that we lived in the same complex, so called us first so she wouldn't be alone.  At this point all three of us jumped up strapping our backpacks on and went to the rescue.  We soon found her sobbing on the phone to her sister and brother in-law.  Once we arrived she said "I'm safe the Elders are here".  That was kind of a cool feeling knowing that she trusted us.  Once she hung up the police were called and we escorted her to the Apartment Office.  Soon enough the police arrived and asked if we knew what happened?  After a response in the negative he said "you're free to go".  All in all we didn't really have any time to study that morning.  Maybe this week will be better.

 

3.  The lesson of a life time.  We have began teaching a very kind 18 year-old who is living with a family in the ward.  She just came out of a very abusive home where her father had no respect for his family.  Needless to say, she has been through alot.  Last night we taught a wonderful lesson on the atonement of Jesus Christ.  As the three of us bore testimony of how the gospel could help to comfort her, you could feel how much she had been looking for this.  We invited her to be baptized, and she accepted without hesitation.  It was incredible.  The most amazing part was at the beginning of the lesson. When we first came to the house she went into the back room with her "friend" that is a boy.  We were disappointed that she didn't join us, but we would still read and pray with the rest of the family.  A short time later, she came out with her scriptures in hand ready to hear what we had to say.  She came by her own choice and we all felt peace as we taught concerning the Savior.

 

This has been such a wonderful week as we are trying to improve our abilities.  I can't tell you how fun it is to work and learn with such wonderful companions.  We have our disagreements, but ultimately we get along very well.

 

My foot is getting pretty tired from driving every day.  We've already had many a conversation on how to improve personal transportation.  Elder Ellsworth suggested some kind of bumper car course.  I think that would be a lot of fun.

 

Well Love you all,

Elder Will Davidson

 

Amazing week

I should probably share a story of why I had a tie around my head.  Bro.Williams our beloved ward mission leader couldn't tie this one tie that he had, so I offered to help.  As soon as I got it tied I realized that it wouldn't fit over my head.  At that point the cameras had already come out so I struck a pose.

 

It has been one amazing week.  Last Monday I had said that Elder Thomas, Witherell and I were all staying together.  That actually changed shortly after I emailed home.  The Zone Leaders called and told us that Elder Thomas was getting transferred to Paradise Valley and there had been a mix up in the transfer news the night before.  Elder Thomas was very sad to leave his first area.  It was hard to see him go, because he was so attached to everyone in the area and wanted to spend more time here.  He was such a key part of our companionship and he is truly missed.  On the other hand I found out that my New companion is Elder Ellsworth!  The one who was in the MTC with me.  We have had so much fun together, and I have never been happier my entire mission.  We have each served in the same area (Lehi) and with the same companions, Elder Marco and Elder Paetznick.  Elder Witherell and Elder Ellsworth are some of the best missionaries I've ever been with.  We work hard and we play.  We've taught better together than I have with any other companion.  It is really fun to serve with Elder Ellsworth, because we think the same and we are just as focused on our efforts.  It is not difficult at all when we teach, to transition, because we both are very familiar with the lessons and also with how each other teaches.  We still struggle in different areas, but overall we are doing very well.

 

Some of the fun highlights:

 

-Sword fighting.  Elder Ellsworth brought from his first area two duct tape foam swords.  After we finish planning and studying we get to fight each other during lunch and as we are getting ready for bed.  It has been a good way for us to stay focused during the day, and have a little fun on the side.

 

-Bottle cap shooting.  Another game we discovered last night was the use of Gatorade bottle caps as throwing discs.  They fly really well and you can use them for target practice, or to take out a fellow missionary.

 

That is what we do when we have time.

 

On a serious note.  We've been teaching a wonderful lady who has wanted to get baptized for a while now.  Yesterday she didn't come to church which is abnormal, so we went to see if she was ok.  On arrival we discovered that her rent money had been stolen again.  It was heart wrenching to see how distraught she was.  As missionaries there is nothing we can do.  She asked if we would say a prayer with her so we did.  I was comforted to see her calm down as we left her home.  She may not be staying in her apartment any longer, but her faith is stronger than anything.  No matter what, she wants to keep coming to church and finding strength in prayer.

 

Another cool experience is of a young man.  He was baptized in another area and has yet to come to church here in Phoenix.  His sister and parents aren't members of the church, but they allowed us to visit him the other day.  He has had a little trouble in school with detentions, and being expelled, so you can imagine how strict his mom is on him.  As we got to know them they could see how he really opened up.  After the lesson he said the prayer, and his 15 year old sister said she had never heard him say such nice things.  Even his mom said that the prayer was beautiful.  It definitely helped the family come closer together, when he said a prayer.

 

As a missionary it has been difficult for me to figure out what exactly is obedience.  In past companionships you could say that I was quick to find problems and fix them regardless of the cost.  Having realized how difficult it is to be exactly obedient with each companion I have become a much more pleasant person.  Before I would get frustrated over every little problem that came up.  That was not healthy for me or our companionship.  Looking back I can see that caused a lot of stress between companions and even more inside myself.  That is why I'm really the happiest I have ever been.  The Lord knows that I have been asked to do things that I can't or do not know how to do.  It is much like a man with no legs being asked to run 100 meters.  Some of the things I've been asked to do can't be done, but I will try to do it, and with a smile on my face.  Really that is where success comes from, trying to do the things that are beyond our reach without the help of the Lord.  When faith is applied that is when some else comes and picks us up, finishing the race.

 

There is no greater satisfaction than being here in Arizona, I love it so much.

 

Love you all,

Elder Will Davidson

Three missionaries and their adventures

Hellooo World

It is with great enthusiasm that I say the weather has been perfect.  this morning we drove to email at the Stake Center and had the windows down the whole way here.  It will probably heat up later in the afternoon, but 85 in the morning feels really good.  Elder Witherell, Thomas and I all get along really well.  It's been a really fun week, as we've had an opportunity to work and laugh together.  The best part is we get to stay together for another 6 weeks.  That is if Elder Witherell doesn't get his Visa by then.  I really hope that he doesn't get it by then.

So some news in regards to the mission.  Our mission has a goal to double the number of baptisms by the end of July.  This is a very difficult goal considering since January we've had the lowest number of baptisms.  It's been a lot of prayer and fasting to find new people and work hard.  As a part of this we were asked to sacrifice more of our efforts.  That's a hard thing to do when you've already given up school, motorcycles, and music for a mission.  It is hard to think about what ways you can sacrifice even more.  For me it has really meant more time reading my scriptures and praying for help in finding people.  Also in the whole mission we have been instructed by Salt Lake to not tract.  For anyone that doesn't know what that is it means going door to door.  From personal experience I know how ineffective this whole finding technique is.  In other words we are asked to work with members to find those who are struggling with death, marriage, or a crazy teenager.  It has been a wonderful experience as we've entered the homes of friends and family to say a prayer over their home and family.  It has been a source of strength for the whole mission, as well as me.

This coming month we'll be doing so much work to find those who are prepared for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our baptism this past weekend was amazing.  My camera ran out of batteries, but I got some pictures from my companion.  I'll send them with this letter.  It was an awesome service.  T who got baptized is the granddaughter of a wonderful family in our ward.  She conquered smoking as soon as we invited her to do so.  She has already been a tremendous help in spreading the word.  One of the investigators we brought to the baptism has become really good friends with her and her son.  Her son G is pretty crazy.  The whole baptism service I was trying to keep him entertained so that he wouldn't make so much noise.  It turns out that my camera case serves as a very captivating toy.  The service was so cool, and the hymns that were chosen were ones that I have never sung before which made it really exciting to sing.  T came to church yesterday and you could tell how happy she was.  Her baptism has lifted the whole ward into a new sense of joy that comes from spreading the gospel.

Next month G, and older sister might be getting baptized.  I had another tender miracle following the baptism.  We were enjoying refreshments when G coughed up a little bit.  I looked to see that his mouth was open and absolutely no sound was coming out.  I recognized that he was choking.  Before I knew it I had yelled   "G!" and ran to him.  With a quick check of his throat I performed the Heimlich.  After one compression I turned him around, and said "G say something".  Out of his mouth came the sound "uck".  Soon enough he was back to eating lemon bars which were a little less chunky than the cookies.  I was glad to have helped, but I don't know how everything came so quickly to my mind.  I know it was a blessing.

In other news having a car has a really great perk.  You get to listen to music!  Elder Thomas has introduced me to this artist Josh Groban.  He is pretty talented.  He records his music in several different studios around the world, so it makes every song have a unique characteristic.  His Awake Album is my favorite, and track two is awesome.  It is the best song to listen too when you are on your way to an appointment.

I don't know what else to share.  We've met some wonderful families.  One of them is a really cool family and they are so loving.  The sons are older and have come from some really rough backgrounds.  Now they are just trying to do the right thing and keep their families together. We always enjoy teaching them, because they are willing to learn and think about what we say rather then just discounting it based on what someone else has said.

I love being a missionary so much, and we are having so much fun!

Your one and only,

Elder Will Davidson

Surprise

The week of one very unexpected surprise.

 

Friday afternoon Elder Thomas and I were informed that we would be getting...A visa waiter!  Elder Witherell from Rangely, Colorado has joined our companionship to make a wonderful trio.  Hey has quite the story and has plenty of experience.  He was in the MTC for 12 weeks due to a knee surgery on his meniscus.  He has since recovered, and in fact we took a good 1 1/2 mile hike this morning up Camelback mountain.  It was a pretty short hike, but very steep.  At the top we were greeted by a few overly enthusiastic girls from Mesa.  They saw our tags and wanted to take a picture with "The Elders".  We (Elder Witherell, Elder Thomas and I) had a wonderful time hiking up and enjoyed the view.  I took pictures this time, I just don't have them yet.

 

Well back to Elder Witherell.  He is one amazing missionary, and a convert to the church.  It is really cool to see where our efforts can be in a few years.  I'm sure the missionaries who taught him never imagined that he would be serving a mission and helping so many people.  We've been so blessed with his maturity and understanding of the other side of missionary work.  His input on how we can better teach is very valuable.  That has been a really cool experience to work with him.  His family is very supportive which is so wonderful.  I can't imagine having to go on a mission and not have family support.

 

In other news we have a baptism this weekend.  She is a lady in her late 20's and very cool.  Her grandparents are the greeters at our ward building.  We've really enjoyed getting to know her and teach her.  when we taught her that smoking is one the things we've been asked not to do, she immediately quit. She had the support of her grandparents who both over came smoking before they were baptized.

 

I have seen so many miracles this past week as we are really trying to double our faith.  It might be a little bit of an advantage now that we have another missionary.  That's like having 50% increase in faith!  Now we just need another Elder and we'll be good.

 

It is really a strange experience now that I'm older than two missionaries combined.  That has never happened to me before.  I've become the 'old' missionary and there's nothing I can do about it.  I've been trying to focus on just being a good example of how to follow the direction of the mission president and stay focused.

 

We had a really cool experience this past Sunday over the weekend.  We were out and about contacting some names on an ward list.  The temperature was sitting just about 3 under or over 100 degrees.  We drove into an apartment complex and saw a big moving van.  As we have learned moving vans generally mean great opportunities to serve.  We approached the lone mover and asked if we could help.  He responded that it wasn't necessary.  Through further observation and questioning we discovered that the older couple were members of the church, lived on the second floor, and had been moving since 7:00 am (it was about 4pm at the time).  Without any further permission we walked up to the boxes he was trying to control down the ramp and picked them up, taking them to the elevator.  We worked for about an hour and it was so cool to see that we were in the right place at the right time. The Lord knew that one of our brothers was too shy to ask for help, and he sent 2 strong and one really strong (Elder Witherell) young men to finish the job.  I really enjoyed that.

 

The only other funny thing that happened this week is a little 10 year old who asked as we walked out someone's house if we had performed an exorcism?  It gave all of us a pretty good chuckle.  We were eating dinner at a young couples house made from an elk that was salvaged from a car accident they had.  Very good meat.  They also happened to be really big Top Gear fans.  Their bunnies were named Stig (all white) and Hammond ( I assume very small).

 

That about sums up the wonderful week we had.

 

I love you all and when it rains, always be grateful.  If you pour a water bottle out here in Arizona you can be charged with eroding the land and changing the landscape.

 

Love,

Elder Will Davidson