Tuesday, December 28, 2010

28 December 2010

Hey everyone
it was good to talk to y'all on Skype the other day! Not a lot new since then, really, other than my area is being split, as expected. I'm staying in the Esco 1st Ward, and some new missionaries are coming in to fill the San Pasqual Ward. President called me Christmas night, and asked me to train a new missionary. Very unusual for someone of my experience level to train, so that's nuts! It should be good though, this is a good place for him to start out.
Oh, funny story, on Christmas after I called, we went to dinner with a recent convert and her member boyfriend. While they were making dinner, they asked us to go start the fireplace. We were using another members house while they were gone, and they had accidentally left the gas in the fireplace on just a little bit. When we went to go start the fire, Elder Child turned on the gas all the way without realizing it'd been on before, and lit it. A HUGE fireball (probably the size of a small couch) ignited and singed most of his hairs, and wrapped around my leg. Obviously it was too short-lived to do anything, but it was hilarious. The recent convert, Christine, stopped her current phone conversation and laughed and laughed and laughed. Good times.
I had to give a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday, but we had zero time to prepare (along with forgetting/procrastinating), so I ended up giving my farewell talk again. I got lots of compliments, so I guess it worked out! Whew!
Well that's about all for this week! I'll let you know how the greenie is next week, and how it's all going. It'll be interesting, especially living with the Boroughs. haha...
Happy new year everyone, I hope Christmas was great. I love you all, take care
Jon

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

21 December 2010

Hey everyone!
It's been a great week!
First off with the best news! Barry was baptized on Saturday!!! He is doing very well and has good friends in the ward now. He will be fine.
Funny story, Barry is a big man. A very big man. We found a GIANT suit for him, a 4X, at the church, and it wouldn't fit. You can fit Tara and Camillle in a 4X. We spent 3 hours trying to find a bigger suit Friday morning, and finally got one from the San Diego temple to rent. They had 1 6X suit, and let us borrow it. He fit, whew!
Since Barry has a really bad back, we almost had Elder Child AND me baptize him and lift him out (we got permission to do so), but we ended up putting a church chair under water, and having Barry literally sit in the chair, and then Elder Child pushed the rest of him under water. The first time we tried it, Elder Child said the prayer wrong, so we did it a second time. Barry's pinky and belly were above the water the second time, but the third attempt was good! I gave a talk at the baptism on the Holy Ghost, and then on Sunday I had the priviledge of confirming him. It was really cool to literally feel the transfer of the Holy Ghost from me to him.
I also found out on Wednesday that Phillip [edit last name], one of my investigators in Mira Mesa, got baptized and confirmed the Sunday after I left, as scheduled, so that was awesome! Missionary work is very hard, but seeing baptisms makes ALL the work on the side even more worth it.
On Thursday, Elder Child and I got some wood, and made a small replica of Lehi's dream on a board. We made it so it can be built and taken down, so little kids can participate in the lesson. We drilled 3 holes so we can stick the "tree" in and out, as well as the iron rod. It's awesome! We are going to put some velcro on the "great and spacious building" so little kids can build it. We took it to our lesson that evening with a recent convert, and they loved it. After the lesson, the convert's boyfriend Kurt (a member from Vista, grew up in Sp. Fork) showed us his 7 pistols. They were awesome. It was a little awkward though, since he brought in the guns to the church (against his girlfriend's will) to show us. Don't worry, we didn't pick them up--that's against our rules. They are so funny. They are both in their 50's, and I would bet they'll get married. We're having Christmas dinner with them.
After the lesson, we went to a member's house--the Christensens-- to help them out with stuff, and while watching then prepare dessert, Elder Child mentioned that it was impossible to swallow a spoonful of unsweetened cinnamon. I took him up on the challenge. I failed. Camille, I dare you to try it. Let me know how it goes.
Well it's Christmas time! I hope you are all happy and well wherever you are. I think about you and pray for you, and don't forget why we celebrate the holiday! I think you should include Hel 8/9 in Grandpa's Luke story he reads.
Final decision--I will call Mom's cell phone at 12:30MT on Christmas Day. If Skype doesn't work, etc, I will call other phones individually. I will do my best to talk to everyone. Yes, I am allowed to. We can call all immediate family. I look forward to talking to you all! I love you all so much. Merry Christmas
Elder Jon La Follette

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

14 December 2010

Hey everyone!
Sorry about the short replies to your personal emails, we had a temple trip this morning so it squished the rest of our day. I appreciate them though!
This week has been another good one. It's been HOT though! It feels like late June or early August in Utah! It's been above 90 everyday this week. Blegh
This week in Escondido there was a house that belonged to a guy who made massive amounts of homemade explosives, with very dangerous chemicals. The police found out a couple weeks ago and arrested him, and this week they did a controlled exploding/burning of his house. It was pretty cool. Some people said it was national news, so you may or may not have heard about it.
Barry might get baptized on Saturday. He has been taught all the necessary lessons to be interviewed, and he will be interviewed tomorrow. If all goes well, I'll have a baptism to talk about next week!
Still no word from Salt Lake on Jamie's situation.
This morning we went to the temple again. We got special permission from President Cook to go WAY early with the Jahns because they work in the temple on Tuesday mornings. Missionaries only get one session when they go, but we got to get to the temple a 5am and do two sessions and 7 initiatories, and we got breakfast at the cafeteria. It was awesome!! They do a really neat job with Christmas lights at the San Diego temple, it's almost as cool as Temple Square. We got there when it was still dark, so the lights were really bright, and spotlights were still on the temple, and everything was surrounded by the morning marine fog. That was really neat! Sorry I forgot my camera.
Christmas is coming up soon! A lot of people are in the Christmas spirit down here, and I am sure they are wherever y'all live. Whenever you read or think about the Christmas story, remember to include the Christmas story on the American continent with the Nephites and Lamanites! Christ wasn't born there, but there were a lot of cool things that happened. Helaman 8-9 (I think) covers that, so I suggest you read that again when you're in a Christmas-y mood.
I appreciate the support, love, prayers, etc in my behalf. I feel very blessed to have the family I have. I pray for each one of you individually, and I hope you are all doing well. I'll miss y'all this Christmas, but there'll be more in the near future I'll be there for.
I love you all so much, I hope you all stay well. Keep writing! I've had a big lack of letters the past couple weeks!
Have a great week
Elder Jon

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

7 December 2010

Hello everyone!
Today is Dec 7... Pearl Harbor Day.
It's been a good week here in Esco. Recently we've been working on Brother Borough's Mercedes, which has a big problem in the fuel line. I've been learning a lot about cars since I've been with Elder Child. Told you he was like Brad. We changed the fuel filter and some hoses. When we unscrewed the old filter, a bunch of gas sprayed out and got all over us, so we smelled pretty bad for about an hour or so until we showered. But when we were done, I got to drive his car for a little bit to his garage. It has a lot of juice! That was fun. I have realized how much money we wasted when we had to get a fuel filter replaced on my truck or some other car. The part is like $10, and I know how to put one in now. Yay
Last Friday I went on an exchange to San Marcos with our district leader, Elder Walters. He is from near Rexburg, ID. He is a very stereotypical Mormon missionary, it's funny. Went to BYU too. When we were there, we had a lesson with their investigator family, and had it in their storage unit, which may or may not have been their house. We taught them the Plan of Salvation, and they loved it. The next day, since they only are teaching that family, was spent tracting almost all day. We walked all across San Marcos, tracting and things. Towards the end of the exchange, we decided to turn back on the 45-min journey home, and crossed a train station to get there. We decided to instead take the train back to the apartment, which was very convenient. It is a lot like Trax, but Trax is nicer.
Yesterday we chopped wood for a member family, the Livingstons. Elder Child had the axe the whole time, and I did the sledge hammering on the axe. I didn't have gloves, so I have blisters all over my hands, but it was so fun! Later we came back and had dinner with them. They are a lot of fun, good friends with the missionaries, and their personalites are a LOT like Mike and Emily. Sister Livingston can't say La Follette, so she calls me "wallet."
When I first got here, I slept on a broken box spring bed frame thing that squeaked a lot. We finally got a new one yesterday from the APs. The past couple weeks we have been breaking down the old one and using it for fire wood in our fireplace. Good thing the APs didn't ask where the old one went!
This weekend a bunch of congregations from lots of churches are getting together to do a big reenactment of Bethlehem around Christ's birth. There was a meeting on Sunday at the Methodist church to discuss it all, and we were asked to go by some stake guy. It was really awkward. But some Methodist people realized that we couldn't have coffee at the event, so they timidly asked if hot water was okay. We assured them it was, and then added "hot chocolate is okay too!" They were floored at the idea. I am not really sure why. They were baffled that we couldn't have coffee and tea, but hot chocolate was okay, even though it had caffeine. They were shocked when they found out we could have soda too. That was so funny.
As for investigators, Barry is continuing to progress well. He agreed with and accepted the Word of Wisdom last night, and is listening to the Book of Mormon on CD in his car. He really enjoys it. So far his Bap Date for the 18th still looks good. He will probably get interviewed this Saturday.
Still awaiting further word from the First Presidency for Jamie's situation. Billy will be off parole in February, so he can get baptized then. I will likely still be around. We had a couple referrals from Salt Lake a couple days ago, so we may have new investigators by next week.
Mom said Utah and BSU are playing in the bowl game, that will be awesome! GO UTES!!!
Poor byu has to face UTEP in the chili pepper somewhere-in-the-middle-of-nowhere bowl.
Let me know how practice goes with the teams. Who's in the championship game?
Well it's good to hear from everyone, I hope you all continue to do well. I love you all and pray for you every day. Be happy
Have a great week
Elder La Follette
2 1/2 weeks until Christmas! I think