Happy Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2010

Dear fam:

I have definitely learned that the more you teach something, the more you learn about it.  I now know what people say by they learned more than the students did when they prepared the lesson or talk.

I had an incident that just about took my life this week.  We were riding on the sidewalks, like normal, but with all the snow and the ice and it was garbage day.  I had both of the polys in front of me so I couldn’t really see to far in front of me.  Well, I hit a trashcan with my handlebars.  I flew over the top and that’s the last thing I remember.  The other elders told me I was in the middle of the road when a big black guy ran from the other side of the road – there is a busy road with 4 lanes of traffic- and pulled me off the road onto the sidewalk.  Once I woke up everyone was freaking out.  All I really had was a bloody hand and super bruised and a little bloody head, but not much.  My patriarchal blessing is so true = )  I was in bed for about 2 days but I’m up to full speed again.  (any of you who may not know, whenever he hits his head he always gets knocked out – it happened several times on the wrestling mat, so him going “out” isn’t really a surprise to me  . . . in 4 lanes of traffic, will that’s a bit of a worry!)

I have not been cold yet.  Dry is another story.  Since it is so wet, none of my clothes are water proof any more.  Do you think you could send some stuff out here?  I got the gloves, they are perfect, thank you for doing that so fast. (bet he was really surprised considering he thinks I’m old and can’t remember anything!)

IMPORTANT!!  Come to find out the other Elder Baker is out in the field now, so if you could please have people who write me put Elder Rhett Baker on the letters, please and thank you.

No Alberta this week.  We can’t really understand her at all.  It’s just about impossible to understand her on the phone.  We had an appointment the day I had my little incident and we haven’t been able to find her again yet.

We got in contact with Mark and Brindy.  We also started to teach some of their family, Dawin and Kaa.  They are 11 year old twins.  They all seem very excited about the gospel, but it’s rough because, well, kids will be kids.  Mark and Brindy speak a different language than Alberta, so having them translate doesn’t work.

Vernon, yes the weird guy that he is.  He has been drunk the last few times we went over there and he decided he needed to be sober, so he is going to this AAA thing over in Minneapolis and will be living there until he is sober for a while.  He is a punk for not leaning on the Lord’s help, but at least he wants to take that step.

Good job Alex, that a boy for doing that. (he dislocated his elbow in wrestling) I think every wrestler has to dislocate, break or get surgery to be a REAL wrestler, so hey, you’re one step closer buddy!

I realize that this is a once in a life time experience.  I know it’s kind of backwards, but there is a song that says . . . you better lose your self in the moment, you better never let it go.  You only get one shot, do not miss your chance, this opportunity comes once in a life time.  I have been singing that song alot in my head  . . . no worries there.

I forgot to mention that Elder Katoa and I are staying here in the Shingle Creek North.  He will have his 6 month b-day this transfer.  It’s crazy to think he has been in the same area this whole time.  Elder Emrich left, he is back in California now.  On Saturday we had a little get-to-gether.  He made so much food and we ate so much, then we talked for a long time.  It was so nice to be able to really talk with people.  When I was with Elder Kinikini we never did that.  So I am super glad to be here where we can talk and be with people.   (It was transfer week . . . 2^nd transfer of his mission, during a mission there are 14 transfers, just in case you wanted to know!)

Elder Hess took Elder Emrichs place.  He is a good guy, he has been out 10 months.  He is supposedly really smart, he received the prophets scholarship – but he talks and acts just like anyone else, he may just fit in!  (I guess he doesn’t remember that MarjAnn got that scholarship as well, and she is his sister and fairly normal!)

Let’s see . . . ooo we had Stake Conference on Sunday.  We had April and Eddie come with their kids Jazmine and Morgan.  They are both super small.  April is a member and Eddie has taken the discussions before but dropped the elders and now he actually wants to be baptized.  They are not married and they are not living together which makes life a lot easier.  However they are financially struggling.  I have been able to learn some ins and outs with that situation.  We relay info from April to Bishop and back and forth.  April had a near drowning experience a few years ago and she is a little bit handicapped now.  But, back to Stake Conference.  President Paynter (Rhett lives with Pres. Paynter) talked about tithing.  He said, “I have been preparing my talk for a few months, but nothing seemed to be right.  Finally last night it came to me what I should talk about and it’s tithing.  I don’t know why I’m talking about it, but I know that the Lord knows all and that his purposes are perfect.”  It was cool because he sounded a little like Nephi when he says . . . I know not save the Lord commands it.  I think that part of the reason President talked about it was for April and Eddie.  I think it really hit home for them, I just hope they will pay their tithing.

I’m sorry my brain is so disorganized.  We are going to the turkey bowl this morning, (IS THAT WISE WITH A HEAD INJURY?) and I’m excited to do that in all the ice and snow.

Back to April and Eddie . . . The first time we went over there I was with Elder Tuimunga, he is huge, like 350 and 6’7” and when we got there we both turned to each other and said, I don’t feel good about this, after the lesson, Eddie said, “Can you bless this home?  April hasn’t been able to sleep and neither have the kids. “  He said he thought there was evil spirits there.  We confirmed that we had felt that evil was there.  I did the blessing and casting out.  It really was a very spiritual thing and really neat.  They have felt really good since then and there is a good feeling there now.

Well, there are other emails to go and find so I love you all, hope the turkey and stuff is wonderful.

Elder Baker

November 15, 2010

getting ready for the snow . . . new boots!

Dear fam:

Hooooly freak, this is a letter to reply too ; )

Ummm, the snow, its umm different.  We got 6 inches that night, I think it was Friday night.  It took us an hour to get to our appointment with Vernon.  Vernon is an African American and loves to drink.  He was a mormon.org referral – he just wanted a book of mormon but he is getting a lot more than that.  The first few times we come over he was drunk, but this time he was sober, which made things better. 

All during the day it was snowing so hard my coat, boots, pants were drenched by the end of the day (I think this was Saturday).  My coat and boots are supposed to be waterproof haaaaaa, nope not any more, they are not!  Elder Katoa and I made it fun, we would ram into the side of each other and make the other fall over, or we would scoop up a snow ball and throw it at each other.  So, we made it a fun day.  That day, we were supposed to teach 4 people but we only ended up teaching 2.  With the snow and a bunch of older ladies needing help, that’s all we were able to do.

I am in the Shingle Creek Ward.  The Wards that surround us are Crystal, Medicine Lake and Elm Creek.  That would be cool to go out to lunch with him.  (Artie’s roommate from BYU lives nearby Rhett, we’re trying to get them hooked up.)

Site seeing on p-day is a negative.  We have to bike everywhere we go.  Once we get done at the library, we go shopping and then by that time it’s 3 or 4 o’clock and it’s time to get ready for the rest of the day and we head out.  So nope, no site seeing here.  There’s not much here, just a bunch of water and white stuff on the ground and Africans walking around    ; )

We can actually go ice fishing, but pssh, that is no fun – go run around on the ice and run into each other . . . or ride the bikes on the ice, now that would be fun.

Alberta is doing good.  We were able to go over there on Tuesday and read some of the Book of Mormon with her.  We were going back on Saturday and teach her the commandments, but then the snow happened and we weren’t able to make it.

We have 4 investigators now that we’ve picked up  Alberta (older Libyan, and I don’t have a clue what language they speak but I do know there is a special hand shake to gain respect); then Vernon, older African American guy I told you about.  He has these special twist.  The most interesting twist one is about Moses.  He says, “do you know why they were in the wilderness for 40 years? Because Moses wanted to kill everyone, he wanted all the power and so he killed and was the biggest murderer.  And when Joshua and Moses went up to that mountain, they did that so they could fight and Joshua killed Moses so he could have all the power” . . . Vernon is an interesting guy.  He seems to like the Book of Mormon, so we’ll see how far it goes.  The next is Mark and Brindy.  They are Liberian.  They are teens, I can’t remember what ages.  They are cuzins and their grandmother helped them get here to America.  Thank goodness they speak almost perfect English.  Also their grandmother Zakpa is a member.  She wants her grandkids to be LDS and so far they are taking really good steps to be there.  We may pick up 4 more this week, depending on how things are going.  Thank goodness for these blessings!

I think that’s about it for all the experiences and lessons for this week.  This Sunday was the primary program.  It was so great to see these children talk and sing and teach so much better, and bring the spirit maybe even stronger than some of us older people.  It was a great thing.  One of the things I thought, or someone told me, I can’t remember, maybe it was a mix of both.  Being a Christian and a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we need a continual conversion.  Not just here, not just there, it needs to be continual.  If it’s not, we will become less active and have a weaker testimony.  How we do that is by feeling the spirit.  If we don’t study/pray and feel the spirit every day, we are not building our testimonies.  Soooo this week and last, I have started to study the Book of Mormon.  I have read it in 10 days and now it is time to study it.  There is such an amazing spirit there.  It has seemed like the last few trainings have been on the importance of the BofM.  We decided (all 4 Elders here), to get the member excited about missionary work that we would challenge each family to prayerfully select someone or a family to give a BofM to.

On Wednesday we went on splits.  I went with Elder Emric (he’s the dl) and Elder Katoa went with Elder Tuimunga (greenie); it was cool to see how we handled some different situations and how people talk differently and can be more receptive and nice depending on your word selection.  We knocked on this door, this guy came out and said he was an evangelical Christian and he had the whole truth and we worshipped the wrong God and the wrong Jesus Christ.  We tried talking to him about who we do worship.  We asked him who he worshipped and he said the true God, not the Mormon God.  It didn’t end very well, and he’s worried and thinks that we are deceived and we’re a cult and all this.  It sure was different.

With Thanksgiving this next week, someone said “thanksgiving is good, but thanks living is better” . . . I thought that was sure interesting.

Love,

Elder Baker

Vikings game . . .

I've never been to an NFL game before . . . how about you?

Elder Baker and his companion Elder K

This was a pre-season game, so it was on a Saturday - Rhett's first week in the mission field!

There were 150 Elders at the game . . .

Rhett said this was some random Elder and he and his companion . . .

shower curtain rings . . . target bag works fine!

This is a target bag and we need some rings for our shower curtain . . . hmmmm

It just might work . . . .

Yes!!!! We have a shower curtain!

November 9, 2010

November 9, 2010

Dear fam:

Freak, I feel like a dork this week.  I am sorry dad that I didn’t send an email saying happy birthday and I’m glad you’re my dad.  I also forgot Brooklyn’s.  I am sorry but thank you for being my father here on earth and being a great example of someone I want to be like when I get as old as you.

Thank you for ordering some more warm stuff for me.  Yes, I have a thing to cover my face when it gets cold.  I have lost two bennies and so I got this thing.  I hope I don’t loose this as well.  Can you find some nice gloves that are water proof and that cover the whole finger and also change into a mitten as well.  Something over 90 grams would be nice (what the heck?  90 grams?  What’s that suppose to mean? I don’t do cold weather clothing!) For now I am sleeping warm enough. We hit a few nights in the 20’s and it was a little chilly, but not too bad.

You mentioned something about fasting.  In some class we were talking about receiving help and how God is always there to help us.  An older lady said she likes to think about it a different way.  Instead of Heavenly Father giving us no more than we can handle, he gives us more than we can handle so that we rely on Him for help and also for strength . . . I thought that was pretty cool. 

This week has been a week where I am trying to not take anything for granted. . . food, clothes, warmth, friends, receiving help, a good body and all the little things.  It’s been a really good one for me.  

This week we ran into an evangelical minister . . . freak, those guys are so smart, sooo so smart.  Elder Kinikini and I ran into some in Eagan and they are just so smart.  Anyway we were talking about the Godhead and how they are 3 spirit beings with 1 purpose.  He agreed to a point.  He argued an interesting point – (most of the time there’s always an interesting point).  He went on to say that in the Godhead there is actually 4.  God, Jesus Christ, Holy Ghost and also the Holy Spirit.  I told him I would have to study it out and he gave me some scriptures to read which was a bad idea because they just want to talk and talk.  We were late for our next appointment.  But he said that he found this out because somewhere in the Bible it says something about the Holy Ghost and then God would send another comforter.  The other comforter is the Holy Spirit.  I did my research.  That is incorrect.  After reading the context I learn that the other comforter is Jesus Christ.  That idea was resolved very quickly.

We have a new investigator.  She has investigated for a long time, but we are all scared that she doesn’t understand the commitment.  Her name is Alberta and she wants to be baptized but doesn’t speak English very well and is from Liberia, which is darn near impossible to get a translator!  We got a Book of Mormon for her and hope all goes well.

One other thing that was cool this week.  Yesterday, Monday, was a good day.  We had zone conference all day and that’s why we didn’t have p-day.  Ooo and a heads up, our p-days for the next few months will be all backwards because of all the holidays.  But zone conference was good, the President called us out on a lot of stuff and there is a lot of change that is going to happen in the zone.  The best part about it was the very end.  We are all bearing our testimonies.  Each person has about one minute except those going home between now and the next transfer.  The ones dying get 3 minuets . . . more like 5.  Anyway the spirit was so strong and I learned a lot – one thing – to crush the game and not to be crushed, whatever the game may be – another thing – tough times don’t last, but tough people do – another thing – the church continues to be perfect, but the members are imperfect.

There were some missionaries that became very emotional during this time.  Some of the elders thought that it was funny and pointed and laughed at them.  Very few times have I ever been so upset and angry that I wanted to break their faces.  But the Christ like love said no – those guys just need to grow up.  But  . . . it was great to see that in time missionaries are able to change from “I really want to go home” (and I’m not going to lie, I am still in that category), to “I don’t want to go home.”  It was a super neat experience.  It was like a fast and testimony meeting on steroids!  It was sweet!

love,

Elder Baker

11.02.10

Getin' ready for the Minnesota winter!

Seems like he's busy doing something . . .

hmmmmm, how does this thing work . . .

November 2, 2010

Fam

First, mom, let me explain . . . I am sure you were freaking out that you didn’t get a letter (he knows me well!).  Don’t worry, I am still alive.  No I did not get hit by that big storm.  Our Zone leaders decided to exercise some of the power that they have over the zone, so they decided to change our p-day.  They have meetings today and I guess they didn’t want anyone to call them during meetings – but its whatever – I’m sorry if it caused you more stress than needed.

NICK!!! That is way good that he is going (Nick got his mission call . . . to Chile) A lot of us in the mission prep class did work to try and get him to go on a mission.  I am glad that our efforts worked for the best.  I am so glad that he is going! 

Yes, I do have a new companion, his name is Elder Katoa.  It is just easier to put Elder K.  Yes, in my last transfer I also put Elder K, however that was for Elder Kinikini.  I’m sorry for the confusion on that!

We talked with a lady this week who doesn’t have a stomach.  She got it removed because her body would not produce any acid to break down the food.  So the food would rot and make her very sick.  So they took it out and it makes her life a little crazy, but she doesn’t get sick any more.

Wrestling started . . . maybe that’s why I haven’t been able to eat very much or why I am in this area to loose a little weight.  Thank goodness for that!  I sure miss those days, being able to roll around and work out and run . . . good times, good times.

Weather . . . well mom, we are on bikes.  We don’t have a car.  The ward people are so poor, they either work so much they can’t help or don’t have a car.  So yup, we go out no matter what!  Nothing will stop the work of the Lord.  Yes, we were out in the wind.  It was a lot of fun having the wind at our backs going down hill . . . and then trying to stop, it was pretty much impossible unless you were going against the wind, but then we were walking.  We did get blown over a few times.  Elder K got pushed into a tree and I just fell over, nothing too bad.  It made for a lot of laughs.

The sisters in the picture were in my last district.  I can’t ‘member their names but one of them is a Swedish.  Kinda weird rebel . . . I had to sit next to her and yah, not fun when a sister is getting closer and you’re off the seat trying to get away.  (probably his imagination working overtime!)

The Stake President’s name is Pres. Paynter.  You say it painter though.  Good family, nice guys.  They help us and we help them as much as possible.

Send my regards to the Wengerts.  It is what it is.  This week I studied the story of . . . I forget his name now, but he had everything taken away (Job maybe? hahaha) from him, his family died and his house and land got burned.  He got boils, but he still remained faithful to the gospel and the Lord.  It’s amazing to me that people, when they have so much hurt, that they are able to continue to follow Him.  But then He blesses us for following Him.  Thank goodness for those blessings that come.

We actually saw that quote (I sent him this quote “all saints have a past; and all sinners have a future”.) this week, I think it was a jdub church . . . dang jdubs.  I was going to take a picture but decided not to.  People seeing a Mormon missionary taking a picture of a jdub church quote would not go over very well.

This week was another uneventful week.  However, we did get a lot of referrals this week and a lot of potentials, but we still continue to plant seeds.  In coordination, they decided to give us free reign on the less actives because the members either don’t know if they have moved or what is going on.  Members should not be this scared to go and knock on a door and say, “hey, is it ok if the missionaries come by?”  But it gives us more work and the more work the better.  We are all doing home teaching.  The Elders Quorum doesn’t really do it, except the Elders Quorum president. So we are going to start doing that as well.  Very ridiculous, but I am thankful for more work.  The bishop and the 4 of us elders are starting to get very close.  We are slowly changing the ward around to the way it should be, very slowly.

We are so close that we all talked this Sunday. Bishop called us on, I think Friday, and says, “Hey Elders, you’re all talking this Sunday.  Please talk on the Mormon.org and why you’re a Mormon and some of the questions that there can be on the profiles.  Then after you talk, please do a presentation with the 5^th Sunday people.  (I don’t know about 5^th Sunday people, do you?)  It was a joint Priesthood and RS meeting.  It was a great thing.  It all went very well, like it couldn’t have gone better.  Thank goodness for revelation and the Spirit.

We dropped one of our investigators on . . . it was yesterday.  He was organizing a bashing session with some other ministers and we said, “Jerry, we don’t do that.  Have a good day,” and we left.  Then the Baptist prayer group, Ray and Martha, dropped us.  We went by and we talked and right after that they looked up anti Mormon and crap like that.  If you want to hear what we have to say, ask us.  Don’t go to another person.  People don’t go to a ford dealership to ask them about Chevy’s.  It’s the same with Churches for goodness sake.

Oooo here is a way sweet miracle Tuesday.  We had an emergency move in.  Pretty sure it was on Tuesday – (I can’t keep my days straight, time goes by way to fast). We got a call at 6 and it was someone in the south saying, “Hey, we have a move, be here in an hour.”  We get down to this place and then like 5 minutes later this huge, the biggest uhaul truck pulls up.  The move went sooo good.  We had 8 elders there.  We got the family moved in and settled in, in an hour.  It was a great testimony that we are so willing to drop everything just to help some one out.  The church continues to be true =)

We got pulled over this week . . . well, a little background.  The whole week there has been break ins, robberies, fights like you wouldn’t believe.  Everywhere you went there was something going on.  After we knocked on a door, this cop comes zooming up, stops us and starts ribbing on us for stealing stuff.  We said . .  hey wooooo, we didn’t steal anything, we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He was like …. Oooo, the Mormons.  He said he was sorry and went on his way. 

We almost got into a mess with a group fight too.  Elder K sometimes has his pride get big and we went up to this drug deal and they were like, “man get out of here”.  A bunch of guys start pulling up and surrounding us.  I can run, I could fight, I am not so scared for myself, but my comp . . . but all is well, we made it out unharmed.  Our adrenalin was a going and so was theirs, but all is well.

Ok, times is up again.  I am going to start making my mormon.org profile, so gotta run.

Love,

Elder Baker