All is well here in Warrenton!

All is well here in Warrenton! I am happy and teaching people (like I am called to do)! Me and my companion get along pretty well (happy are we)! We are contacted a former investigator to the church named Jeff. He is a nice guy, the reason the missionaries before stopped teaching him was because he went to jail! ha So that was fun... ha He doesn't have a job. SO it should be easier to meet with him. But, we will see. We teach him tomorrow! We are also teaching Rita again tomorrow, a nice old lady that works part time at Wendys! The closest person to being baptized is probably Andrew. He is dating a girl in the ward, so we are meeting with him to see if he really wants this or if it is just for the girl! Hopefully not  the latter! We are doing well though, we taught 20 lessons last week! So we met our "standard of excellence" set by our mission president! We are having fun and trying to do all we can to get this area going a bit faster! There is still no word on a Visa or anything of the sort. I will let you know when it comes! I do want it to come, but I do love the people and families in the ward! They are very nice, supportive, and love the missionaries! it is good to work with them! They try to help us, and guess what, it works! ha Funny how things work out when you do what the general authorities say! It is inspiring really... I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and does the lords work. He does nothing, save it were for the lord! All of the quorum of the 12 are indeed "Special Witnesses of Christ!" I love you all and hope you are continuing to do well back home!

Sincerely,

    Elder Christian Ford

Elder Ford updates

I am going to start responding to people individually, and then writing a message to go forth unto all! haha Work in Warrenton is well. A little slow but well. Our zone leaders giving us ways to help find so that is good! We are teaching a young kid named Andrew. I say young he is my age. he is dating a girl in the ward. He watched conference with bailey (his GF) and she said he loved it. we are planning on meeting with him this week to see if he really wants to meet with us and get baptized or if it is just for the girl. I think it is a real intent though! so that is good! He is closest to baptism. We were teaching a man named Donny, who lives next to a recent convert. He came to church last week and said he likes his baptist church more, we were kinda gonna drop him but we invited him and his neighbor to come to general conference at the church, they accepted. Conference came and neither showed. I think we are officially dropping him. kinda sad... but we need to move on! We are teaching a former investigator as well. His name is Micheal. He has a trachea pipe. because he smokes so much.. sad! we are slowly working with him! and lastly we are teaching a lady named Rita! she is nice and "wants to go back to church" and was formerly a baptist! so that is good! we have met with her once and she liked it! just need to find her a ride! Her boss at Wendys is a recent convert so that should be good!  We watched conference at the church! and for the Sunday afternoon session were the only people there! hahaha kinda funny, the bulb in the projector blew! haaha so Elder Taft ran and got a tv from the library and we finished watching on that! so that was good! I am glad people are looking to help in with missionary work, because that is how it will work, with the members and the missionaries together! I loved conference it was great to hear from these inspired, called of god, men that we so often bare testimony of! What a blessing we have to hear it and so frequently and speedily! All is well in Warrenton! I am loving life.

Visa-Trunky

Indeed transfers was last week! I am with Elder Taft. is 21 and from Fruit heights Utah! he has been serving for 10 months!  or ten and a half as he says. haha he is cool and LOVES the jazz! so that is good. we are doing good. taking over an area after 3 weeks can be a little tough... but it is what it is! I can do it. we are doing alright! it is getting darker earlier now so that is a challenge! but... we will figure something out! The weather here is amazing actually! the last few Saturdays have been incredible! like PERFECT weather! makes me wanna watch football! hahaha makes me think of waking up to the house smelling like hamburger hash and watching Saturday morning football with you and Andy! that was our "family time" right there! haha  I don't want you to send a Christmas package cause IDK if I will be Australia then or not! if I get there you can just give me some money to buy a GPS or something... don't worry about it mom it will be okay! cause for all I know I might still be here on December 25th. hopefully not so I CAN avoid that winter! haha I AM doing great! do not worry. you know me! haha  all is well. the lord takes care of his missionaries! that is true. I promise! ha I wont lie I am getting a little "visa-trunky" that is what I am callin' it. ha but I am not worrying about it! no need to worry about something I cant control, right?

That is really cool about your gospel doctrine lesson. something that I heard in the MTC a lot was that we are called, like you are called to be a gospel doctrines teacher. and who the lord calls, he qualifies. you are absolutely doing fine! everyone used to tell me about how much they enjoyed your lessons! they told ME. that tells me right there that they really do enjoy it! and when you are called you receive revelation for that calling that no one else can receive! because YOU are called to TEACH. it is pretty amazing really.

oh man.. no Utah game... it always feels a bit off when Utah has a bye! ha but at least Andy had fantasy football the next day right!? haha

I get jays and a few of Colemans emails. but no I haven't heard from Micheal! hope is doing well. I wouldn't imagine that his mail address would be different that is a pretty unique name! doesn't hurt to try! sounds like mays is doing fantastic! that is good to hear! is he dating Becca yet?? haha tell him I asked that! pretty cool that he is getting more job opportunities though! that is fun! glad alex is still around! i love that guy! he is cool. an awesome friend! and so fuuny! garret told me that frightmares has dueling guitars so that should be pretty cool!! wish i could see it but oh well!! no i havnt heard from the Rawling's or any other cousins! speaking of cousins can I get Dylans address. tell him thanks again, and hope didn't OFFEND HIM. BECAUSE i KNOW THAT FILM IS HIS PASSION AND I DIDN'T INTEND TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS JUST A FLIMSY OH THINK i COULD DO THIS? IT IS SOMETHING i REALLY WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT AND i GOT MUCH MORE OUT OF THAT TRIP THAN SOME LAME CONCERT! HAHA oops... caps lock was on... didn't mean for it to be ! hahahahahaha oh man... embarrassing! almost as embarrassing as my spelling... but yea.. I am too lazy to go back and retype all that so ... yea. hahaha

I am doing good! I love you mom! don't worry about me! I am doing well. all is well! :)

your son
   Elder Ford

Tiffany Baptized

 Hello!!!!!
Tiffany was indeed baptized! It was the first one I was able to see while serving so that was awesome! I also got to help teach her, I was there for about half of the teaching! it was really cool! She was baptized and was smiling for the rest of the night! So humbly happy! it was really happy to see! I was able to be part of confirming her, in the circle that is. So that was really fun!
   I am not getting home addresses no, but I am getting cities and states! Elder Phillips is from Reno/Las Vegas! he will be giving his talk in Reno not this Sunday but the next. He will fly into Reno on Wednesday and hang out with his family then spend a week in Las Vegas with his girlfriend! hahahaha then back up to Reno for his talk. ha that was his plan before I got transferred at least! The zone leaders up here, Elder Johnson mainly (elder Phillips last companion, think I have a man crush on elder phillips. hahaha cause for some reason he always comes up in conversation when I am with them! idk.. guess I could. I definitely plan on keepin in touch with him!  i can get more info if you want..?
   Glad all is well with the Paige situation! glad you are happy! and excited about the inheritance! hahaha not gonna lie...
   ha yea!!!! undefeated seniors!!! haha I love that! hopefully it was a good game! I was so freakin mad I couldn't watch it! hhaha it was like the biggest day of the year back home... haha but Brother Glassford 9the ward clerk) texted us the score at 1:58 in the morning haha. Hopefully Andy feels better and doesn't get too behind on school work!!! that would be bad!
   I try to write in my journal. it is not everyday but close to. I do like to write in it, it is a good way to stay mentally healthy and have a release. I do have a bed! and honestly I think I might have slept better on the couch buit the bed is probably better for my back! It is nice! I got a Mizzou blanket form sandy in maryland heights when we did some service for her. so that and my Australia blanket are on bottom and there was a comforter left in Warrenton that I use! so I am fine there! I cant think of anything I need. I am doing fine. the letter from Howes was interesting. I saw the bottom part about those that arent there yet. ha that was cool! I also looked on lds.org and my area CHANGED to the north so I bet I am in the north!, you're right! ha
   Elder weight is OPENING up st. peters 2 and I am staying in warrenton and getting Elder Taft. so that is fun. This week is transfers btw if you haven't gotten that yet! haha. so I am excited to meet someone new! well. I love you!  "Fear not, Only Believe!" -Jarius (Christ healed his daughter in the bible)

love you mom!

Your son,
    Elder Ford

Warrenton not Australia

Start out with a quick story... so today is zone P-day so we slept over at the zone leader a apartment last night. I didn't pack my card reader... so I cant send pictures! haha sorry! but I will try to do that next weeK!  Ha yea last week got kinda crazy!! haha but I am in Warrenton not Australia. haha I hove had no word on my visa still. I get the e-mails from church headquarters once a month telling me they are working on it. So as soon as I know you will know! I will not know till I leave. Warrenton IS very small and flat! haha but I like it. it is fun! I enjoy it. It is very different from maryland heights for sure! The ward covers half of the stake in size. we split the ward with 2 elders from the city of Troy. if you look that up it will give a reference on how big the ward is. and we cover Montgomery city too! so it is pretty intense!!! but awesome! My first day here I met a recent convert named Joe. hahaha he lives in a tailor park and was wearing a camouflage hat and a confederate flag belt buckle. hahaha but he is a pretty spiritual guy! good testimony, he prayed while angry as could be instead of smoking a cigarette. he said he had a special experience after his prayer that a voice told him to always obey the word of wisdom. crazy huh?? pretty cool! Not being with the zone leaders is different but it is way fun too. I miss Elder Phillips and our shenanigans, but I love Elder Weight (my new companion) too! it is fun. I do a lot more teaching here. we have an investigator that is pretty ready to get baptized she just needs to get off the nicotine. and she will. one of the most strong willed investigators I have seen out here. she came to church on Sunday and fits right in!!!  

ha yea I know who you are talking about! Sister Davidson! she was the 1st person I met in Warrenton and is the relief society president. we only worked on the fence for like an hour.. so we werent there for too long. but it was fun! and not as hot as she probably made it sound. it was only like 11 in  the morning! ha but I had fun! I did get a little cutt on my hand.. and i was fine! it is a little cutt.. ha it is actually more of a scratch! haha  Glad to hear all went well up north though! good to hear. gotta love lynelle right? ha she is awesome! it will be a lot of fun to be able to hang out with them again! just like old times when me and colemy-poo were but wee lads.. hahahaha omg i am soo weird! haha  cool that alisha is pregnant I guess. i can see her liking being a mom. hopefully she does! sad to hear joan though! the worst things happen to the best people!! craig e-mailed me and told me about his eagel court of honor and the picture real. said it had a bunch of back pictures from way back when!  thought that was pretty cool! love that kid. cool that mays-face is finally getting a break I guess, or will be soon! I have a friend out here that lives in Holiday that is hopefully going to do wild land after. so I willhave to get him maysons info!  I heard he saved bruce willis' house? ha pretty funny! yea... no surprise with garret and sam... thats just them.. ha. those crazy kats... ha  yea andy told me abit about football. jonny more told me about fantasy! sao that is cool! haha gotta love the J-Kat!  

My new Companion is Elder Weight From West Jordan Utah. he is awesome! a choir kid and loves music and has a celebrity crush on selena gomez! haha he is silly but awesome! he knows the ward like crasy! he is an awesome missionary. I am happy to be with him! we have fun together! we took a picture of us wearing our Byu and Utah gear! hahaha so I will have to send that next week! ha.  but yes all is well! all is well. Love you mom! 

Ye son Elder-o Ford!

Freakin Happy

 OH MY GOSH!!!!! I thought the shorts were lost into the abyss that is my room!!!! I was SO FREAKIN HAPPY those were in there!! hahahha thanks for the cookies too. and the shirt, hopefully that will motivate me to continue my diet. So I can have it fit like it used to with out being a widge bit tight. hahaha so me and Elder Phillips got a good laugh when we say saw the article you printed and sent out! hahahaha thanks btw!! ha which president was it? It had to have been Clark... he has been gone for like... 90% of the time I have been here! hahaha that's funny! good to hear there is no legal garbage going on... and that my truck still works! the lights are a funny game... you gotta slowly and I mean mean slowly! turn the keys back towards you after it is started until the little blue AC light on the dash turns on. hahahhaa then they will work. but the light inside the  truck on the right wont blink. just make the noise! hahaha man that thing is funny!!!! That is So good that you are helping Lynelle! tell her hello and that I love her! she was pretty much my 2nd mom until she moved.. then it was a mixture of Ann Knudsen and Joan.. then it turned into completely Joan! hahahhaha but anyways I am glad you have the chance to spend time up there and help her  out! you know she will appreciate it so much! i still remember when they drove me up and flew me down back home... that was an awesome trip and I liked it! that was so nice of them and for some reason I feel like I have never said thank you but I cant imagine that I didn't! knowing me I have probably over thank! haahha oh man! big mike is leaving huh? wow that is crazy... it is really gonna hit the other guys now! super hard! wow... that's awesome! he will do great! that's cool about the Tolberts I guess. i will have to tell Garret Eskelson (he said he was jacobs mtc companion I have said this before I think). no need to pass this on.. but thank goodness I will be gone for that! haha and the engagement! ugh.. hahahha So I think we might try to sneak into a sports bar on Thursday night... haha idk though! I think we have a dinner appointment that night! and thank you for the schedule! so much! the Utah Byu game is on elder phillipos birthday! well... sounds like Andy is nuts as usual when it comes to school!!! what a crazy guy! hes crhay-zee! do you ever see garret? that guy man... every time we talk about weird Mormon stuff I always think of him quoting a movie saying "shine on ya crazy Mormons!' haha

the work is going well!!! we made contact with Mario and sandy again! sandy might come to church this Sunday! so that would be sweet! I am pretty sure she is the reason I am here. she was a referral given to us on the 1st night I got here! but idk! hahaha mario is still learning but doing well! we are trying to help the zone (or stake) get up to speed with the new plan we have going. oh I went on exchanges this week and slept in a bed for the 1st time in 10 weeks! ahhaha and honestly I think I slept better on the couch! ha but that was fun! me and Elder Prescott taught up a storm that day! it was cool! 

love you mom!

Love Elder Ford

Utah Poster in my room

So... I ended up buying some shirts and hats out here... hahahahahha Like I need 'em right?? ha so I don't need any clothes, I would like some more basketball shorts but I really just hate everything I have back home. haha i only like these ones. but those were nice when the black ones were in the wash. and the green ones I wear with other stuff. (pretty much just my Oregon stuff! haha)  so as far as clothes go I am fine. don't send the cookies either. elder Phillips came and him and elder Wickham are on a weight gain diet, so I figured I would go back to cutting, since I have gained pretty much all of it back! haha so it would just be a temptation.. maybe later on!!! BUT! I think there is a Utah poster in my room that has this years schedule on it? like on my night stand I believe, I would like that. Or send me a schedule... oh and have Andy tell me when Utah is having their Thursday game.. so we can have dinner at a sports grill at a convenient time! hahaha OH! speaking of sports bars... Elder Banks (one of the APs) said that he went to buffelo wild wings the other night and gymnastics was on TV... then with my creeping knowledge I remembered reading some where that the gymnastics worlds competition was in august.. so you should see if that has happened yet... and yes if Jordyn competed.. lols! haha and tell me! or tell me when it is if it hasn't happened yet! hahahahhaha I am SO freaking creepy it is funny! wow... I need to focus! lol

As far as Visa waiters are concerned.. I think they just send them out as soon as possible. there are 4 of us still here, but 2 have theirs and leave very soon! But we all saw each other at transfers and took a picture!!! i will try and remember to include that! I don't know if it is coordinated to have travel companions I was just told they get them there asap!

HOLY COW ABOUT THE FIRES!!!!! that is nuts!!! ashes on your car? that is like dooms day stuff! ha hope the lil guy is alright and the near accidents wasn't foreshadow... that would suck! He is probably doing alright though! 

Glad to hear that grammys house got sold. that is good. as far as the rest goes... is it just the necklace you have and they have the rest? if so I feel like that should be fine... if not just give them the rest... just say whatever! I don't get it man... I would like to write a letter to Kelsey and Dylan. I would to receive their addresses. :)   not to be angry at all! ha just to say hi! and tell Kelsey that I still hope WE can be friends and have a relationship. and yea. I am glad everyone is glad to hear from me. hannah said she was going to respond and Taylor said she is trying to.. so I am kinda waiting on those letters kinda not... haha I figured they would get a kick out of the stickers on it! glad they enjoyed it! I knew Amanda would be reading it so I added some stuff to Amanada in the letter to Kenzie! hahaha I am glad the Schwendimans got my letter too! ha weird to call them that huh? I wrote Mr. & Mrs. Schwendiman for the address. hahaha pretty funny huh? I told Kenzie and Amanda that they are the only girls in the pictures I have and everyone asks,as andy predicted, "are those your girlfriends!?" and just reply omg NO!! hahaha it was pretty funny I hope... I also wrote a letter to everyone in mikes family! so i hope that went over well!! 

Glad to hear Andy is having fun and doing something!!! dad sent a couple of pictures to me and his beard is CRAZY!!!1 hahaha that is so funny!!!!is he trying out for "beard wars" yet???does he tell you about what I write him at all? it is mostly just a bunch of nonsense! hahaha. but it is fun!

So our new companion is Elder Phillips. he is from Las Vegas and this is his last transfer! He is awesome! really funny and cool. He is really experienced and knows a lot! so it is great! funny story. so President clarkes rule on music was as long as the companionship both agreed it was okay. and Elder Phillips talked to him specifically about it, and said theat pres clarcke said yo;u;r mission should be a time to form good habits and memories for the rest of your life! use good judgment and do what is right (that advice sounds awful familiar to me for some reason *caugh*caugh* mom *caugh*caugh*), but as long as the companionship agrees on it, and you both feel it is missionary appropriate it is alright. so that was cool. no one has really asked president morgan so I think we are just going to wait till he releases HIS rule on it! haha so what I am saying is that we listened to taylor swifts RED album like all day on Friday! hahaha pretty funny! 

I am doing well, and having fun! Missouri is great! I am enjoying it. It is a great experience  Life is well and god loves the world. This probably sounds cliche for me to say but try and help the missionaries at home out. have them over for dinner sometime. let them talk to sam, mayson, garret, nick, and Chris. Maybe they will be more receptive because their best friend is doing and believes the exact same things as that missionary. IDK... I have been thinking a lot about my atheist friends a lot... probably just because I am out here! they probably a rent receptive still... whatever I love them and god does to! maybe mayson will be after some scary firefighting close calls... anyways! I am happy and liking what I am doing. it is weird to think about home at this point! weird... 

hahaha the assistants (who I just mess with all the time) just texted me and asked who hannah bareny is... this oughta be interesting... ha I think that means I have a letter! Banks is going to try and turn this into a joke on me... but I usually can comeback at him pretty quick! I like to mess with them. 

ELder Ford!!!!!