Day 26-First Sunday in the Field-My New Ward

This morning at 7:00am we had to be at church for a meeting. I knew I needed to get up at 6:00am if I wanted to shower and stuff and still have time to get dressed. We needed to be outside waiting for our ride to church from one of the members.

I looked at my watch. It read 6:00am. I did not want to get up. I wanted to SLEEP (remember the rainy day we had yesterday?). But I got up anyway and showered. My companion was still asleep. I remembered that he had taken a shower the night before. Probably a good idea.

When I got out of my shower, my companion was still asleep. I thought that he had better get up soon because we were supposed to leave in 20 minutes. I went ahead and finished getting dressed. When I finished, I looked over and my companion was still asleep. I thought I had better get him up because our ride was going to be here any minute. I told Elder Buttars to hurry and get dressed. "Elder Pierce", he said, "it's not even 6:00am". "What do you mean, not six o'clock", I asked. Why would I wake up when it's not ...even...I saw the clock. Not my watch which I woke up to, but the digital clock that read 5:45am.

I stood there, fully dressed, standing over Elder Buttars bed and realized that I had gotten up at 5:00am. Groan. I was dressed and ready to go 15 minutes before I was supposed to get up. "Oh, " I said sheepishly. "Well, good night, then. I'm going back to bed." I then lay down on my bed, fully clothed and slept for about an hour.

My new ward is a bizarro ward. I should explain. It is really a great ward. All of the members here are great. They are all so close. Very nice people. I called it the bizarro ward because it is identical to our ward. The same blueprint. The walls here are painted white as opposed to our ward where the walls are tan and scratchy. It's eerie.

Two things I have noticed about my new ward: 1.) Virginia is a real melting pot. There is a lot diversity in the ward. Almost all minority groups are represented. It is pretty neat. 2.) Everyone here is a professional. Most everyone has a top secret government job that they can't tell anyone about or they would have to kill them. Everyone also wears nice business suits to church. It just seems like a more serious ward than home. It is serious only in dress, however. All the members seem fun-loving and like to cut loose.

The room where we meet for Elder's Quorum is just like in Choctaw, but the chairs are bluish green instead of burgandy. Like I said, bizarro world.

Guess what? It's raining again.

Well, the rain wasn't a problem today. It stopped when we got home from church. Today was a busy Sunday of tracting. One family I'm really excited about is the W. family. The mom is missionary manna from heaven. She is not easy. No. What would be the fun in that. She is very doubtful about another scripture besides the Bible.

I'm tired. I just wanted to say that we gave her a Book of Mormon and committed her to read and pray about it. I promise I'll write more about this family later. Night-night.

Day 25-Fooled by the Sun

Today it was a little rainy. In the morning it was drizzling a little, so I thought I had better be safe than sorry. We took our rain jackets with us this morning. One thing I have learned is not to forget pass-along cards. Almost half of the people we meet don't speak a lick of English, so we just give them a pass-along card and point to the number to call for a free video about Jesus Christ. But, today we forgot our cards, so we worked our way back to our abode, talking to everyone we met along the way. By the time we got there, the sun was shining bright. A little cloudy, but warming up. So warm, in fact, that we thought we could leave our rain coats there. We thought, "it couldn't rain again today'. DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT!

Two hours later, the sky is dark and foreboding as we tract across town. Around 3:00 pm we realized it was in fact going to rain and we had left our rain coats back at the apartment. We soon came to the home of Brother R.F. Brother F. is a less active church member, so we stopped to fellowship with him. Just as we were sitting down, it started to rain. Hard! Cats and dogs hard. At least we were in a nice warm house. I thought the rain would stop soon. It didn't.

Brother F. is so funny. He is a bear of a man with a shaved head, a goatee, about 280 pounds and stands 6 feet tall. His brain goes about a mile a minute. I can relate. He always has something to say. He could be a stand up comic if he wanted. We'll be talking and he'll go into a skit. He'll make up these different voices and act out a bit based on what we are talking about. He's so funny. I was smiling the whole time I was there.

When it was time to go, the rain had turned into a flood. We said goodbye to Brother F. and his funny stories and trudged on out into the wet.

And, boy! did we get wet. There was water everywhere. I half expected a gondola to pass us on the road. After what seemed like forever, we arrived home. My clothes were sticking to my body. My companion and I were sopping wet. We made it back just in time to be picked up for our dinner appointment. All we had time to do was wring out our ties and try to dry ourselves off with bath towels. It was a hard day of missionary work and I am exhausted. Makes for good journal entries, though.

Day 24- Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Elder Pierce's hands are all puckered...Do you know why? Did he just get out of the shower after a long, hard day of missionary work? ...No. Did he get wet washing cars as a service project? ...No. Is he wet from baptizing a new convert into the church?...NO. No, Elder Pierce is wet because he has been tracting in the rain. All afternoon. And evening. Going all over town. Crashing in to various trees and fences because he has yet to learn the value of turning.

His companion, Elder Buttars is a good sport about it, though. He pauses and waits while his greenie companion rights himself. Elder Pierce says he is lucky to have a trainer like Elder Buttars. He's been a real role model to Elder Pierce. Elder Buttars says, "Elder Pierce is one of the most mature missionaries I've seen in a while." Elder Buttars says, "Elder Pierce teaches a lot more than most greenies he knows. Most new missionaries will sit and let you teach the whole lesson", says Elder Buttars. We are now tired of talking in the third person.

The annoying thing was not the rain. Though, believe me, it's no picnic. No. The annoying thing was that all of the people my companion had scheduled for us to talk to were not home. You think of missionaries, or at least I did, talking to people, handing out books of Mormon, getting a few doors slammed in their faces. I never imagined what it would be like to pedal through the pouring rain on bikes across town to visit someone you made an appointment with; someone you want to share a message with about the gospel of Jesus Christ; someone who might want to be baptized after hearing your message and praying, only to find out he is not home.

You knock and you wait. You knock and wait some more. There is no answer. You sigh and turn to leave. You get your rainsoaked body back on your bike and go to your next appointment and you hope they are home.

I am getting a little better at riding my bike. Very little. After a week or so, I should be a stronger biker. Read Ether 12:27 ("And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, then will I make weak things strong unto them.")

Day 23-Out in the field-Muslims and Napoleon Dynamite

I got up at 6:00 am, gathered all of my things and went to the church with all of the other new missionaries.
We were given a list of things to do to become senior companions. It was a long list... I mean, we're talking hard. I can't wait to jump in and do it, though. If video games taught me nothing else, (and they haven't), it's that it's important to meet your goals.

I got my first companion today. His name is Elder Buttars. I'll write more about him as I get to know him better.

If all mission days are as busy as today, I am definitely going to be writing a lot less. I got a bike. It is used, but sturdy enough to last my mission, hopefully. I'm still trying to get the hang of riding it. To use a biking metaphor, it's an uphill battle. I never metaphore I didn't like.
Today, though, before I got my bike, we went tracting. One of the first people we talked to was a Muslim family. Talk about a hard sale to make. The father invited us in to talk. He wasn't very interested in Christianity. When we gave him a pamphlet on the restoration of the gospel, he commented on the cover. "That's a picture of Jesus? What, they had cameras back then?" You see, in Islam they don't have pictures of Mohammed the prophet. They say they don't see him out of reverence. I tried to explain that it was just an artist's interpretation of the Savior. I get it though. Camera's back then. Ha ha. We've got the next Jerry Seinfeld here, folks.

Then he talked about the Koran and the prophet Mohammed and how the last communication between a prophet and God happened in 632 a.d. I got my very own copy of the Koran, though. The thing is, you have to kiss it before you read it and your right hand always has to hold it. You can't just hold it in your left hand, which is bad. It's discrimination against Southpaws. That is what it is!

On a slightly amusing note...in the living room where we talked, I looked around and saw a humble, respectful Islamic home with rugs on the walls and such, then I noticed their computer. I'm not making this up. Their computer wall paper was Napoleon Dynamite. It showed him doing one of his sweet moves. So, now, when I think of that family, father, mother, and three sons ages 7,5, and 1 1/2 , I'll think of them saying their evening prayers to Allah and then watching Napoleon Dynamite as a family. Don't tell me the church does not affect people. Sure it's only Napoleon Dynamite, but it's a start.

Arriving in Virginia

Virgina-land of 10,000 trees. This place is so beautiful. It is green where ever you go. I have been told by Elder Thatcher. that it gets very hot here in the summer and cold in the winter. We are not at the mission home. We just got our pictures taken with the mission pres and his wife. I understand that there are more to come.

The mission home is very nice. The new missionaries quarters are in the basement. There are lots of bunk beds down there. It has a "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" feel to it.

The Cat in the Hat

(this is a letter that Sister P. -our gospel doctrine teacher received from Logan. She graciously shared it with us.)

Dear Sister P.,

Thank you for your letter. It was a great inspiration.
I wanted to respond with no hesitation.

It's been my observation
that the population of my location (which is the capitol of our nation)
is largely one of immigration.

Which can be a frustration when it comes to communication;
but I've begun my adaptation, so now there is less intimidation.

A bike's my mode of transportation,which gives me lots of recreation.
The biggest problem's dehydration, which then turns into exasperation.

It's been a hard couple of weeks of initiation, but I've come to the realization
that the place where I am stationed
was picked by the head of the church organization
after prayer and due deliberation.
Thinking of that fills me with admiration and appreciation.
I plan to stay out for the duration, knowing in two years I can have some relaxation.

Sister P. I miss your sophistication.
My separation from Ch. ward's congregation is not a pleasant situation.
Sister P., it is my speculation that your teaching explanations
will keep Ch. ward members on a firm foundation (if they take what you say to application).

In closing, I'd just like to say that my mission fills me with elation. I'm out here with a sense of purpose and determination. I will bring souls unto salvation.

Love,
Elder Pierce

P.S. For your consideration, missionaries love getting letters and donations. We've gotta make sure that they don't die of starvation. And what Elder Pierce letter would be complete with out an illustration?

(Logan did a drawing of a Cat in the Hat -type missionary sitting at his desk composing this documentation)

Spencer was right

4-28-06

This is just a short letter to say a few things.

First of all, Spencer was right. If you don't bring it with you, you can't get it later. There is no time to go shopping. We don't even have a car, so if we get something, we have to carry it home on our bikes. "You've gotta be careful with eggs." Don't worry, I guess. Hasn't stopped me, though, but you shouldn't. We're okay, though. This lady at church buys missionaries groceries for them and drops them off at their houses. You just give her your shopping list and she will try to get the stuff. (I've been here almost two weeks in Virginia and she has yet to bring any food. I'm getting desperate.) "Gopher, Everett?"

(mom's note: Larry called the mission pres. to check on the food situation for Logan. It was a week later since we got his note. The mission pres. had just met with Logan for a weekly interview. He said he was not sure about his food, but he looked well and his spirit was strong. The mission pres said he would check on things and that Logan's district leader did have a car and between him and Logan's senior companion they would not let him starve.)

Oh, Daddy, buy the movie, "Master and Commander collectors edition on dvd. We rented it a while ago. I thought it was pretty good. I was just thinking about it recently. I'll watch it with you when I get back.

Thank you for sending my comforter. Thank you for being my family. I've been in Virginia for almost three weeks now. I've met with a lot of people, both member and non-member;some of them have really nice families. But there is none that I'd rather be a part of than the Pierce family.

Love,
Elder Pierce

Letter from the field

(These are letters that Logan sent. This is not a part of his journal. He adds a small letter with each 4 pages of journal he sends. I am trying to get caught up on posting what we have received so far. Some of these posts are out of order. This is just how we are getting the mail that he sends.)

4-26-06
Today is P-day. That means that I've been in Virginia for one week. I'm currently in our housing complex computer room. My companion, Elder B. ...(forgive me, so many things have happened here that I forget how far behind you guys are in what is going on in my mission. You'll learn more about Elder B. in future journal entries.) My companion is reading and sending e-mails to his family. E-mails. Bah! Who needs electronic mail when there is the U.S. Postal Service? I prefer to write notes the old fashioned way.

To quote from the movie, "A Mighty Wind", I've never been in a better head space. No t.v. No news. No distractions. Ahhh. This is the life. You start to feel like you are in this bubble. It makes it a lot easier to focus on the work. A couple of days ago, however, we were cycling along (I bought a bike as you may know if you checked the debit card record) when we came to a stop light. The car next to me had his window rolled down. He was listening to talk radio. Something inside me stirred. "Talk radio!," I whispered. I could not hear it very well because all of the cars that had the green light went zooming past, but I knew it was talk radio.

No, I don't think I'll use the computer. I'll just write letters to you guys. I was just thinking...now that I'm in Virginia, I'd kind of like my comforter back.

I just wanted to say how much I enjoy and appreciate your long letters. It's nice to read how things are going at home. Some poor missionaries only get a small paragraph.

I love you,

Elder Pierce

Flying to D.C.

Day 22-Departing theMTC-Arriving Washington D.C. South-April 19, 2006

THE OUTSIDE WORLD!!! OH, NO!!! TURN THE BUS AROUND!!!

After three weeks in the Lord's own gated community, I'd kind of forgotten the outside world. We are now headed to the airport. As of this writing it is now 5:45am. It doesn't feel like I've been up for two hours, but I have.

And now a few words about luggage. The name itself is comprised of two words that describe it's defining characteristics. "Lug" meaning to drag around and "gage" meaning to gauge the weight of your luggage to make sure it stays under that magic number of 50 pounds.

Preparing my luggage for air travel is a joke. I weigh 135 pounds. My two large bags that I have to check are straddling the 50 pound mark as it is. I think I have gotten both of them down to 49 9/10ths of a pound. When you couple that with my 20 pound back pack and my 35 pound carry on, that about 155 pounds of luggage that I am carrying to the airport! Twenty pounds more than what I weigh in luggage!

Of course, when I get to the airport, I'll check in my two large bags. That way, I'll only be lugging aroud 55 pounds of luggage. I wish my carry-on had wheels. I don't expect my backpack to, but without wheels I sort of feel like a pack mule.

I am so tired right now. I got less than 5 hours of sleep last night. I don't want to take a nap, though. This is my best chance to fill up my journal. I can always sleep when I get off my mission.

Oh, speaking of sleep, that reminds me of something Elder T. said at the farewell testimony meeting 2 nights ago. This is a quote he heard somewhere about missionary work. "Serve your mission in such a way so that when you wake up each day the devil is sure to say, "Oh, no. He's awake!" I thought that was pretty cool.

We are now arriving at the terminal. I'll write more on the plane.

I now know why when there is nothing else a doctor can do to save a patient, it's called a terminal. After we got to the airport, I got my luggage out and headed inside. It was pretty uneventful for me. Elder T. had his problems, however. He left his garment bag with all of his suits back at the baggage check. He did not realize this until after he had seated himself on the plane. He had to run back to the front of the airport to get it. Fortunately, it was right where he left it. I was a little surprised that he was able to get it back so easily, what with tighter airport security and all.

This is a four hour flight. As of this writing, we are now entering the Colorado airspace. There is about 3 1/2 hours left, so I should be able to get some writing done, unless I fall asleep, which I just might...

Since I've got some time, I'll finish up Brother C.'s talk from Easter Sunday. I'll pick it up from near the end where he's talking about how Peter and John ran to the tomb: "Do you know who was older?" "Peter or John?" (pause) "If you said Peter, you are right. Peter was older and John was the young guy so he got a little ahead. But when he got to the tomb, he didn't go in. John did not go in. Why? Well, because he wanted to wait for Peter. You see, John knew that this was pretty important. A big deal. They were about to see a miracle, and he wanted Peter to see it with him. I think he also waited for Peter because he wasn't sure what they would find there. If he ran in first, Peter might have thought that he disturbed the tomb or messed up something. So he waited to go in together. When they saw that the tomb was empty, they were so happy. They were happy because they knew that the Savior had risen. They went straight away to tell the people. He is risen!"

Brother C. then talked about what he thought the judgment would be like, which I already wrote, so I won't repeat it.

He also talked about wayward spirits: "I'm sure we've all heard the story of how when people die and cross over to the spirit world, the Savior is waiting there for them to lead them to spirit paradise. The one's that never knew the Savior just walk past Him to Spirit Prison. The one's that know the Savior will run into His arms because they recognize their Lord. "

Brother C. said, "That may be how it happens, but here is what I think: I think it will be like the prodigal son. I think the Savior is going to see those wayward souls, and loving them so much, run to them just like the father of the prodigal, throw His arms around them, give them a big, warm hug and say, It's all right. I know you were rebellious once."

Brother C.'s talk was really good. He has a way with words that really makes me think. He closed with a scripture that I have come to love. D&C 45:3-5. "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him-saying : Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life. " It is all about the judgment. I'm thinking of maybe incorporating it into my lesson plan.

Brother C. helps me to look at the scriptures in a new way. Brother Cl. on the other hand, is the man to go to if you want answers to doctrinal questions. Brother Cl. is the first counselor or our branch presidency. He knows his scriptures. He gave a talk in priesthood on Easter Sunday. I will try to reconstruct his talk.

Brother Cl.'s priesthood lesson: "Down south in the Bible belt on my mission in Arkansas, I got into a lot of debates with people over the Bible. It invited the spirit of contention and we left with bad feelings. Now, we don't want you elders getting into bible-bashing, but you do need to know the answers to the questions and where to find them".

Brother Cl. talked about Matt. 17: 9-13. It is a great restoration scripture because it talks about Jesus telling his disciples that Elias shall come to restore all things; and about how Elias was rejected just like the Savior would be rejected; and how Elias was John the Baptist; and we know that Elias came to Joseph Smith, so that is pretty cool.

He also urged us to remember to keep things in their proper context. He told us how, when you teach, make sure you explain the scripture. Don't just read it. And if you ever get a scripture used against you, make sure you know the context.

That's all for now.

I'll write more later.

Love,

Elder Pierce

Final countdown

Day 20-21 MTC April 17-18, 2006

It's been a weird weather day. It snowed again, which I love. But now it is 6:30 pm. The sun is out and it is melting all of the snow. It was snowing hard two hours ago. It was all over the ground and now it's gone.

It's Monday. Tomorrow is Tuesday. I'm leaving Wednesday. I've gotta get my stuff packed.

I was able to show Sister K. , the mission president's wife, my sculpture I made of the Savior calming the stormy seas. I gave it to her. She said she would find a place to put it where the missionaries can see it. It think it would be cool for Lane to come up here in a year and say, "I know that sculpture".

Our district has gotten smaller. The Tampa Elders are gone. Last night we had a farewell testimony meeting with them. When Elder M#2 bore his testimony, he went around the room and gave advice to each of us. When he got to me, he complimented me on my strong testimony and said it would help people feel the spirit when I taught.

Snow Day and Greg Olsen

Day 9 - MTC April 6, 2006

It's snowing! It feels like Christmas! Of course it helps that I brought out my Christmas cd's. Elder P. and I are walking around the snowy MTC saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone we pass. I really feel happy just because it is snowing and I've got Christmas music.

Today is P-day so we get to do laundry. That is where I am writing from. I guess I need to back track a bit. Two days ago we had a fireside with guest speaker LDS artist Greg Olsen. It was really cool because he used all these art terms and analogies.

He told a story of when the Ensign called him late one night and asked him if he would make a new painting for the cover of the Ensign. He asked how much time he had. They gave him just three days. He did not know why, but he said yes. As soon as he hung up the phone he wanted to call back and say he just could not do it. I am happy to say that Brother Olsen rose to the challenge and decided to do the assignment.

He then set to work on a painting of Jesus Christ walking to Emmaus with some of his apostles. He always gets people to model for him with costumes and props. This time, however, he didn't have time to cast, so he just got some of his friends who have beards to come over. For costumes he asked them to bring bed sheets and towels.

So, he went to his front lawn with his video camera to record his friends walking down the street in their costumes. It was getting dark. He was losing his light. He told his friends to head on home. He thought as he walked into his house that this was going to be a tough assignment to finish on time, but at least he had some footage to work off of.

Just then, his wife came running to him. "Greg, you won't believe what I just saw", she said. "There I was washing the dishes when I looked out the window and I saw Him!" "Who?", he asked. "Jesus and His Apostles. I thought it must be the Second Coming or something! And then I saw you and your silly camera." "My wife was a little upset with me for getting her hopes up", he said.

Then he talked about wouldn't it be the best if we could all get that feeling that his wife felt, just for a moment. To think, "the Savior is here! I'm ready to meet Him."

The quote he gave at the end of his talk, I really liked. He said, "You will meet the savior in the people you come in contact with. You will see it in their faces. You will see it in their countenances. "

His tips for how best to represent the savior are: First: portray Him as a man's man. He can still sit and play with children. Just make sure there is hidden strength in His eyes. Second: Portray Him as one who was ordinary. This confused me at first, but he said it was because He would not stand out in a crowd based on his appearance. He had pretty plain features. It was what He did that made him special.

Well, for a P-day, it was very busy. We are going to the Provo Temple soon, so I'll write about that later.

Good night,

Elder Pierce

I Have an Oil for That!

Everyone knows about my oils now. No complaint of sore muscles is without someone asking, "Ya got an oil for that, Elder Pierce?" I know some people in my district don't want anything to do with them. Most of them have tried essential oils by now. Elder F., bless his heart, has has the sorest throat I've seen. He still comes to class and is fine during the day, but at night has an awful cough that keeps him up at night.

Elder F. has tried a drop of almost every oil I have . I hope he does not have tonsillitis. The back of his throat is really red.

I'm very respected by my peers at the MTC. Our district has 8 missionaries. Four are going to D.C. and four are going to Tampa. I've been told by Elder T., F.,P., and M#2 (who isn't going to D.C.) that they would love to have me as their companion. Elder T. and I kind of had a rough start. I wasn't sure if I liked him. Now the four of us going to D.C. are the closest of pals. Elder T. likes to carry around a tape recorder whenever we have a conversation because he says I am always saying funny stuff and he doesn't want to miss a word.

Elder M#1 came by because his whole body was hurting from the exercise he had done yesterday. Like me, he sleeps in the top bunk, but said he could not lift his arms to climb into bed because they were so sore. I quipped my now famous catch phrase, "I have an oil for that."

I rubbed some Aroma Seiz on his arms and Relieve It on his chest, shoulders, back and arms. I was kind of surprised. because I always thought Elder M#1 was a skeptic when it came to aromatherapy. He was very thankful though and said he was starting to feel better. I'll see how he feels in the morning.

I felt prompted to give Elder F. some R.C. for his chest to help his coughing. It's been pretty bad for a couple of days now. He is going to go see the doctor tomorrow. I hope this helps him. I'll try to write some more tomorrow. The new missionaries will be coming tomorrow so I might be busy. Thursday's our P-day so I will have some time then.

Good night,

Elder Pierce.

52-Card Workout

(This is a letter that Logan wrote the first week at the MTC. It took a while to get here. He sent this letter home in a box with his quilt. He could not meet the weight limit at the airport, so he sent his quilt home. I wondered why he did not send it on to Washington D.C., but oh, well... I did not open the box because I knew I would be sending it on to him. When he got to his mission, I sent him his quilt. I did not know that there was a letter in the box. When he got his quilt, he was surprised that the letter was still in there, so he sent it back. A month later, I am just now posting it.)

Okay, really quick. Now is the best time to play catch-up. It's 6:20 am and we are about to do some service around the MTC. I'll try to say all the cool stuff that happened yesterday before too much stuff happens today.

Yesterday we had our first day of gym. We got up at 6:30 am. I was really tired. Most of the elders played basketball. I went upstairs to the workout room and used the exercise bike. It was a pretty good workout. I went for 4 1/2 miles.

Speaking of exercise, almost every night Elder T., Elder F., Elder P. , Elder M#1, and I will do a workout Elder T. knows called "52 card workout". We take a deck of cards (I didn't bring 'em. Elder P. brought 'em) You take a deck and look at the top card. You do as many sit-ups as are on the card. The next card you do as many push-ups as are on the card. All of the face cards are worth 10. Aces are worth 21. Keep doing as many push-ups and sit-ups until you finish the deck. It is really hard. I've only been able to complete half a deck. Elder P. and Elder M#1 completed a whole deck last night. They were so sore this morning during service.

Yesterday, my missionary district went to help at the Referral Center. That's where you call people who have ordered LDS books or movies and check to make sure they have received it. You are supposed to see if they want missionaries to come out and teach them.

I spoke with a man from TX who wanted the missionaries to come and teach him. It was a neat experience to help this man. The only thing was, over the phone, he thought I was a girl. He kept saying, "Yes, ma'am" and "thank you, Miss". I didn't correct him. I just kept on with the phone call. I've gotta go to bed now. I should have more time tomorrow.

Good night,
Elder Pierce

Movie review

Day 20-MTC

Today is the Monday before we leave for Washington D.C. It's a very busy day. I guess I'll talk about last night's movie night. Every Sunday evening is movie night at the MTC. The first Sunday was general conference so there was no movie. The second Sunday, they were not showing the movie I wanted to see, so I did not go. The third Sunday, they did show the movie I was waiting for; Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration.

My first and (most likely) my last movie review while on my mission: It's really the best movie on the life of Joseph Smith I've ever seen. It had high production value. I was very impressed. I won't give away too much of the movie, but it starts with Joseph as a young boy when he gets his leg operated, then moves on to the First Vision.

It is very good as it goes throughout his whole life, from the courting of Emma to building the Kirtland Temple. I thought it would have been interesting to see his run for public office, which wasn't included, but I guess they wanted to focus more on the prophet and not on the political hopeful.

I got all teary-eyed at the end when the prophet and his brother made their last stand. They played "Praise to the Man" on bagpipes over the end which I thought was pretty cool. The one thing these movies need to work on is to not make every single mob member look like a hillbilly fresh from the coal mine. I mean every one of them had missing teeth, dirt on their faces and a crazed look in their eyes. I can understand the crazed look because it is mob mentality, but it would be nice to see at least one with a semi-clean face and a majority of his teeth.

All in all, a solid church movie.

Today is Easter!

Day 19-MTC

Today is Easter! I might not write much in here today. I'm going to write letters home to my friends in OK. I need to go ahead and write while I am here. I leave the MTC on Wednesday and might not have as much time to write out in the field. I need to go ahead and copy the rest of my journal while I can. Who knows if there will be a Kinko's near my apartment.

I also wanted to say before I forgot...When Elder M#2 played "Braveheart" on the piano the other day, it reminded me of Captain Moroni writing the Title of Liberty mixed with training his troops and the great battles leading them to victory.

I have a little time to write in my journal...

Every week on Sunday at the MTC, there is a theme for a talk that everyone is supposed to write. They pick three from a Zone to give the talks. There are about 20 something missionaries in our zone, so the odds of getting picked are not that great. Our first Sunday here was General Conference, so there were not any talks. The second Sunday, the topic was "hope". Elder M#2 was asked to give the talk from our district.

Today, Easter Sunday, I was asked to give a talk on "charity" which was the week's topic.

"And now we'll hear from Elder Pierce." I got up and talked about Easter and the Charity of the Savior. I read D&C 88:125 "And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace." I talked about how the Savior clothed himself in charity and what that means. To wear it like a mantle means you wear it on your sleeve. Not in a prideful way, but in a way that people know if they have a problem, you will be willing to help them because you wear that charity on your sleeve. I also talked about hymn #219, "Because I Have Been Given Much". I talked about how it is all about being charitable. I said how we as missionaries wear our charity on our chests. Our missionary tags are our sign that we are willing to be charitable and serve. I talked about how the song has a new verse that talks about missionary work. The new verse goes like this:

"Because I have been blessed Dear Lord, I too must serve.
I'll leave the comfort of my home to teach Thy word.
I'll find Thy sheep who've gone astray, and those who've never known the way,
I'll make Thy work, my work today.
I shall give love to those in need
I'll show that love by words and deed.
Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed."

That was pretty much my talk. I thought at first I'd rhyme it all, but I abandoned that concept. Here is a sampling of what it could have been:

Today my talk is on the subject of charity.
A virtue that's becoming an increasing rarity.
I hope that my talk I might say with clarity.
And you who are listening will feel my sincerity.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

Committments

I wanted to talk for a few minutes about committments.

In teaching lessons at the MTC, my strongest suit is my testimony. I like to go in with no notes, no nothing, just my scriptures. I like to try to teach by the spirit.

The problem was, I was having a hard time committing people to things like, "will you read the Book of Mormon?" "Will you pray to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God?" " Will you come to church with us on Sunday?" And so on... My teachers were saying that I needed to be more sure of myself when committing people.

So, I thought about it like a movie I'd want someone to watch. "Laberinth" or "The Iron Giant" (two movies everyone should watch-the ending of The Iron Giant is one of my all time favorites) I love them and want to show them to people. I know the feeling I get every time I say, "What! You haven't seen this yet? Well, quick! Let's watch it now!" I just have to get in the mindset of, "What! You haven't read this! Well, here let me give you a copy now! Promise you will read it. " That is just a little tip for me to remember on my mission.

A few more words from Elder Holland:
"You can get your power and authority up and running at the MTC. Your power comes from your obedience, your rectitude and your high-mindedness." "Why are missions hard? Why is it hard to teach? Why is it hard to convert? Why don't missionaries have people breaking down their doors saying, "baptize me"? What is the reason?

The reason, Brothers and Sisters, is that salvation is not a cheap experience. It wasn't easy for the Savior. Now, we are not saviors. There is only one Savior and that is Jesus Christ. But we are his disciples. And I say to you that we would not be his disciples if we didn't have some sacrifice on our missions. It's going to be sweat and tears. Don't think you have a tough mission. If you do it right, it should be tough. Salvation is NOT easy."

Elder Holland continues, "I memorized all six discussions on my mission. You are lucky. You get to personalize your lessons so that they are more from you. You will be better teachers for it."

"On the cover of Preach My Gospel there is a scripture, D&C 50:14. It says, "Preach my gospel by the spirit..." Well, if we back up to D&C 50:13, we find it's the answer to the question. It says, "Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question-unto what were you ordained?'

Don't separate Preach my Gospel from by the spirit. You have to do it His way because it is His work. Follow the rules int he missionary little white handbook. I want you to know that the white handbook was not put together by crotchity old Elder Holland who one day drank a quart of pickle juice and said, "let's make some rules so the Elder's can't have any fun.' It wasn' t like that. It was close. I'm kidding.

Sculptures and Music and Companions, Oh My

Day 17-MTC

Today I finished my sculpture, "Peace, Be Still." I was able to bake it in the oven in the MTC kitchen. I plan to leave it at the MTC as a thank you gift. I'll enclose some pictures so I can remember my time at the MTC and that P-day I sculpted it.

Today Elder M.#2 shared one of his talents with me. He took me to one of the unused chapel rooms and played piano for me. His best piece was the theme from "Braveheart". It's a great talent, but he says he plays by ear and can't read music. It made me think of Luke. He's good at the piano. I hope he keeps practicing. I want to get the soundtrack to Braveheart when I get off my mission.

I must say my patience with my companion and most of the other elders is wearing thin. Being homeschooled, I can't help but notice how immature they are. They can teach lessons to investigators, but I know how they act when we are settling down for bed. Don't even get me started about Elder P.'s whoopie cushion.

I don't think I am being "holier than thou". I just think missionaries should act respectable even when they are not with investigators. Just last week the Elders piled about 4 mattresses from the rooms at the bottom of the stairs. Then a couple of the "daring ones" (meaning starved for attention with no creative outlet short of risking their necks) took turns jumping from the top of the stairs and aiming for the mattresses. Amazingly there were only a few injuries. One of the elders bounced on the mattress at weird angle and ended up scraping his head against the wall. It wasn't that bad. It wasn't that smart, either.

In a million years if you had asked me what I would do with 4 mattresses, I don't think I'd say, "Let's jump on them from the top of the stair case."

It just bugs me how you can see the influence of public schooling in these missionaries. My companion, Elder P. knows how to teach a lesson, knows his scriptures, bears his testimony with conviction, and gives heart-felt prayers. Yet, for all these qualities, this red-haired, freckled faced missionary from So. Cal. has ...I'd say he's immature, but now that I think of it, maybe he is acting his age. Maybe I'm too mature for my age. Thank you Mama for homeschooling me. I pray that I never act how these other missionaries act in private. And exception is Elder M#2. He is also mature for his age. I would not mind if he were my companion. Too bad he is going to FL.

I have to set the record straight. I've been ragging on the Elders for a while. They are really good people most of the time. I am sure they will grow up to be decent, up-standing members of the church. It is just a shock to see people acting so immature. But then, I've always been more comfortable with older, mature people. I'm sure they'll grow out of it. Twenty year olds sure are immature. Glad I never was one.

Jeffrey R. Holland

Day 15-MTC

Yesterday, the Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke to us. The meeting started with us singing , "Called to Serve. " The opening prayer was given by a missionary going to the Oklahoma City, OK Mission. I thought that was cool. Then the MTC choir sang a nice hymn. I hadn't heard it before. It helped to bring the spirit.

Sister Holland spoke. She talked about Hebrews 11 and how we shouldnot be afraid because God holds you in the palm of His hands. D&C 50:41-44 The Book of Mormon is the one tangible thing that testifies that it is a work written by the hand of God.

Then we heard from Elder Holland. He told us how much he loves talking to missionaries. "Missionaries are Apostolic. This is your only chance to have this kind of mission. Get up on time. Go to bed on time."
When we are on our missions, we are as close to the responsibilities of Quorum of the Twelve as is humanly possible. Well, we are apostles with a lower case "a". Elder Holland is an upper case "A."

Then Elder Holland called upon the missionary who gave the opening prayer to read Helaman 5:17-18. "And it came to pass that they did preach with great power, insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done. "

"And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given to them that they might speak, and also had what they should speak given unto them."

"How was this record kept? How was the Book of Mormon recorded? On sheets of metal and an ice pick? They did not want to waste space? Is this why Power and Authority is written twice? Because it was important. They were told what to say and how to say it. Power and authority is the only way to preach by the spirit."

Mosiah 27:11-12, 18-19. It's a good scripture, but I'm not gonna write it now. It's about Alma the younger being astonished by an angel of the Lord calling him to repentance. That was Elder Holland's point. He wants us to astonish someone on our mission. He said, " when you come home off your mission, don't have a single regret. My mission meant everything to me! Virtually everything good that has happened to me in my life is because of my choice to serve a full time mission.

DON'T YOU DARE GO HOME! Don't waste these two years. Make this mission a part of your very soul. This is your chance. Don't miss it. Know what your mission is. Don't worry about missing real life. Your mission is Real Life. Capital R. Capital L. It's as close to what is real about life as anyone is ever going to get. No one could have been more affected by their mission than me. I want to share a poem with you:

"Come to the edge", he said. "No. We'll fall."
"Come to the edge", he said. "No . We'll fall."
"Come to the edge", he said.

"So we came to the edge. He pushed us. We flew."

Embrace your mission. Don't worry about what is going on at home. For the next two years your mission is your new home. for as long as you live this mission, it will be your new home. I want to talk to you about doing missionary work now in Preach My Gospel. In Moses 1:39 it says, "For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. " What are the important words there? Work and Glory, Immortality and Eternal Life? Right? Well, I think we need to add a new word to that list. The word is My. Say that I will be a part of this. This is MY work and MY glory. Not to take away anything from the Father, but remember, you are doing His work.

If the only person you convert on your mission is you, that is alright. Try to convert more, though.

Today has been very busy. I'll write more later.

Love,

Elder Pierce

Sin vs. Transgression...Continued...

(The following is the conclusion of the sin vs. transgression post-Another discussion.... It must be noted that these are "green" elders who are trying to find their way through the scriptures. Even with help from some of their teachers, they still may be misinformed. This is Elder Pierce's account of what transpired )

Something must be explained about Elder T. and Elder F. When it comes to debates, they like to instigate. They have very strong opinions. They just don't believe in them.

Elder M. #2 and I were completely dumb-founded when, as soon as Bro McB. left, Elder M#1 said, and I quote..."Adams transgression was the first sin."

"Excuse me!", said Elder M#2. "Did you forget what Bro. McB. showed us in "Preach My Gospel."

Elder M.#1 whipped out his copy of PMG and read from pg. 61: "Sin-sin is disobedience to God's commandments and results in becoming separated from God. Adam was disobedient to God's commandments when he ate the fruit, therefore he sinned. He became separated from God. "

I was stunned that Elder M#1 wasn't giving up on the idea of Adam's transgression being a sin. Elder M#2 was ready, though. He jumped right in with D&C 29:40 , "Wherefore it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed"-or broke-"the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded to temptation."

"Do you know how you can break a commandment and still not sin, Elder M#1? asked Elder M#2. After a short pause, Elder M#2 went on to say, "I'll tell you how. " Turn to Mosiah 3:16. It says, "And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold"-listen to this-" as is Adam(!), or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins."

Adam was like a little child. He was innocent. You can break a commandment and if you don't know what you are doing is wrong, it won't be counted as sin. The bottom line is, it's not a sin if you don't have a knowledge of good and evil.

Then Elder M#1 brought up 1John 5:17. "All unrighteous is sin..." He then asked, "was Adam being righteous when he at the fruit?" Before we had a chance to respond, Elder T. said that Adam's transgression was a sin. It was not a sin when he did it.

I had to think about that one for a moment. Then I said, "Adam's transgression was not a sin. It was a transgression.

Elder T. repeated what he had said.

Elder M#2 said that he agreed.

Elder M.#1 was about to say something when Elder F. shouted, "I've got it! I've got it right here!" I've got this scripture that will settle this mess once and for all!

The whole room went silent as Elder F. read Alma 49:2. "And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast up dirt round about to shield them from the arrows and stones of the Lamanites, for behold they fought with stones and with arrows." "Now you see what this verse is saying to us, Elders? They fought with stones and arrows! They were transgressing on Moroni! After a pause, Elder F. said, "I just picked that scripture at random. It wasn't very good for proving a point. " (everyone groaning and eyes rolling)

Anyway, I pondered on what Elder T. had said before. "Adam's transgression was a sin. It was not a sin when he did it." I thought that what Elder T. was saying was that Adam did not sin, but that the act of taking the fruit is a sin IF you know right from wrong. It was so simplistic. So yes, of course stealing is wrong. I didn't want to think that Elder T.'s main point was , "it's a sin if you know it's wrong."

Then I thought that it was what Elder M#2 and I had been saying all the time!

I asked Elder T., "So you are saying that Adam's transgression would be a sin if he knew it was wrong?" "Now you are getting it, Elder Pierce, " he said. I said that I agreed with that. Elder M#1 said, "Okay, that is 7 for and 1 against (referring to Elder M#2).

Elder Mann still said that Adam's fall was not sinning. After the transgression they were subject to sin. Not before. Not during. AFTER!

I went over to him to try to explain that to understand what Elder T. was saying, you had to read between the lines. I said how his point was if Adam had a knowledge of good and evil in the garden , it would have been a sin.

He said that he got it, but it could have been worded a lot simpler. At this point Elder M#1 shouted, "There! You said it! He then wrote on the chalk board, "We WON! I've been saying that Adam's transgression was a sin from the beginning!!!"

Elder Mann and I were dumbfounded. Not wanting to argue with these people any more, I raised my hands over my head and said, "You Sphinxes!!! I am done with you!

We were still arguing a little when our teacher, Bro. A. came in to see what all the fuss was about. I explained that I thought Adam's transgression should not be counted as a sin because Adam was innocent and wasn't able to sin.

Brother A. said Adam's fall technically was the first sin because sin is disobedience to God's commandments.

So I was wrong. Elder Mann was wrong. It doesn't break my spirit, though. I still love to debate.

Oh, just to clarify, Bro. A. said that a transgression is a kind of a sin. He compared it to, "A beetle is an insect, but an insect is not always a beetle. It could be a bee."

He also made the point that discussions are great, but you have to ask yourself, how does this help my salvation?

I then realized that whether Adam's transgression counted as sin or didn't count as sin, in the big scheme of things, it did not matter. We all sin, but we can repent. Through Jesus Christ we can gain a remission of our sins. Ya know, maybe this debate did help me after all.

(Elder Pierce mother's note: As our family came to the end of reading this discussion, we were disappointed in the outcome. Maybe a lesson was learned about the dangers of debating an issue to death, but a vital gospel point had been misunderstood.

I had to get proof positive to send to Elder Pierce so that he would know that he was on the right track after all. I found it! Where does Elder Pierce get that drive to debate ? (wink)

"The prophet Joseph Smith emphatically declared that, 'Adam did not commit sin in eating the fruits, for God had decreed that he should eat and fall.' The Lord refers in a modern revelation to Adam's act as a transgression instead of a sin. He says, 'Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandments. 'D&C 29:40-41

Brother Daniel Ludlow helps us to get a better grasp on the circumstances of our first parents when they dwelt within the boundaries of paradise. He says that, although Adam and Eve had great intellect and powers of reason in the Garden of Eden, they were without experiences; although they had the opportunity of choice and the freedom of choice in the garden...they were not morally free because they did not fully understand the consequences of their choice. Even though they heard the Father speak the words, "in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die"...what was death to Adam and Eve? The veil of forgetfulness had already been placed over their minds-they had never seen death nor experienced it;they could not understand it. And because they could not fully comprehend the consequences of what they did, their disobedience of the law is referred to as a transgression, not as a sin, and consequently comes under the unconditional part of the Atonement of Jesus Christ." The Plan of Salvation by Matthew Brown pg. 67-68

This is what I sent to Elder Pierce to help him understand a little better that there is a difference between sin and transgression in the case of Adam in the Garden of Eden. )

Mission-ellaneous

Elder B. was a little homesick when he got here. Since then he has opened up and shared with us his likes and dislikes...to the point that some of us are begging him to stop. I have never met anyone with a greater love of buses and bus transit than Elder B. He wants to be a bus driver when he grows up!

I forgot to mention something about Elder W. He does an amazing Donald Duck impression. I'll see him at breakfast and he'll say good morning in that voice. It always puts a smile on my face.

I was told today at dinner that I could not bring any church music to listen to while I am eating. I was a little upset . I would rather listen to, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives", while I am eating, as opposed to the noisy conversation of 200+ missionaries. I will obey their rules about no music in the lunchroom (wink and a smile), but I want them to remember D&C 25:12. "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart, yea for the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads." And a quote from the president of the church, Gordon B. Hinckley: "We recognize the universal power of music to touch the hearts of men and women everywhere and in all generations-to inspire and encourage, to sustain and lift, to comfort and bring peace."

I am cleaning up our room right now. It's a little messy, so I had better get my bud-nippers and nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.

I'm also the group story-teller. For the past few nights, I have been telling SpongeBob Squarepants shows to the elders to help them get to sleep. Elder T. recorded my telling of the night-shift episode. I think I'll tell them the story of Dr. Seuss', "The King's Stilts. It has a great lesson about a time for work and a time for play. I can't think of a better lesson for missionaries than that.

Well, I got a lot written today. I love it here at the MTC.

Good night.

Love,
Elder Pierce

Another discussion...

Day 14-(missionary names abbreviated to protect the innocent)

Today we had a debate in class. It. Was. Awesome!!! I love to debate so much! This debate was on the Fall of Adam. I'm writing this record so that if I ever feel depressed or blue, I 'll remember this debate and get a warm, fuzzy feeling all over.

The Transgression of Adam was in debate. Elder M. called me over to say that Adam's fall was the first sin. I said transgressions aren't the same as sins. When you transgress, you don't have a knowledge that what you are doing is wrong. Adam was in a state of innocence as it says in 2 Nephi 2:23..."wherefore, they would have remained in a state of innocence." Elder M. responded with a copy of the Missionaries Pal. He quoted from, The Transgression of Adam or The First Sin. It says in Romans 5:12, "Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world,and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." It says Adam entered the world by sin.

Elder M. #2 (the other Elder M. who loves a good debate as much as I do), said, "We will be punished for our own sins and not for Adam's transgression. 2nd Article of Faith

Elder M#1 wasn't just going to roll over and play dead. He came to win! He rebounded with 1John3:4-"Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." Sin is transgression. Period.

I have to admit that I was stumped for a minute. It sounded iron-clad, but I was certain I had learned that sin was different from transgression. And you know how I am when I am certain of something...

After studying the verse for a few minutes, I said, "Ah-ha!" "Elder M#1 , if you put this verse into context, it says, 'transgresseth the law..." , transgression is another way of saying breaking the law. All that verse says is that if you sin, you break the law of the land. So Adam broke God's commandment. He transgressed it. That does not mean that he sinned.

Then before we could draw blood (haha), a teacher came in to check on us. He wasn't one of our teachers. His name was Brother. McB. I asked him is he could help answer this problem. He said, "Sure thing. Hand me a Preach My Gospel". I got him one. He turned to page 50. At the top in the red box, read, "After their transgression, they were subject to both sin and death." He then went on to say, "Adam's fall could not be a sin because he was not subject to it until after the fall. "

Elder M#2 and I did a victory lap back to our seats thing the matter was closed. Bro McB. went back to his classroom. I felt good. We had a discussion. There were more compelling points made on both sides, but in the end we had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Adam's fall was not the first sin, but a transgression. (Or so I thought...)

About this time Elder T. and Elder F. returned to the classroom and things started to get weird! (to be continued...)

Discussing the Word of Wisdom

Today I was at odds with the others in my district. It all started with a companionship teaching session. We each had to pick a commandment and give a brief talk on the importance of obeying said commandment. I listened to my companion give a talk on the law of chastity. Then it was my turn. I chose to talk on keeping the Word of Wisdom.

I started to read D&C 89, and was doing okay, until I got to verses 12 and 13: "Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless, they are to be used sparingly, And it is pleasing unto me that htey should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."

My companion, Elder P., said, "Wait a minute, Elder Pierce." He wanted to discuss the merits of verses 12 and 13 with me. He said that he had several scriptures that supported eating meat. I told him I had no problem eating meat, just to eat it sparingly and not at every meal.

Soon the other Elders heard our little debate and came to join in. Elder T. said, (about eating meat sparingly), "that was written because in those days they did not have good refrigeration." Everyone had something to add, and all of them thought you could eat as much meat as you want; that the scriptures actually advocated eating meat. This thinking did not surprise me, though. I've thought that church members shoud really read over D&C 89 and figure out the key to good health.

At the MTC whenever I see missionaries getting soft drinks, I can't help but think they would do better to just drink water.

We also got a health and safety talk from the head doctor at the MTC. He is a WWII veteran! He is 81 years old. He served a mission in France right after WWII. He can play a mean harmonica. He ended the meeting with a harmonica solo. No wonder they were the greatest generation. I was honored to shake his hand and thank him for his service.

Dear Elder Pierce...

While I am on my mission, my address will be:

Elder Logan Pierce
Washington D.C. South Mission
5631-H Burke Centre Parkway
Burke, VA 22015-2234

Please write to me. I would love to hear what is going on in your neighborhood. Coming back to my apartment after a long day of tracting and finding a letter from home, really makes my day. I will do my best to write back.

Love,

Elder Pierce

Backing Up

(These next few posts will still be from the MTC. Logan sends four xeroxed pages of his journal at a time plus a small letter that is current, so I will post a few more of his experiences at the MTC.)

DAY 13-

Having been here at the MTC almost two weeks, I thought I would take some time to talk about my teachers, Sister Coon and Brother Allenbach.

Being home-schooled was great preparation for the MTC. It helps if you can be self-taught because most of the time in class is spent without teachers. Our time is spent, mostly, studying "Preach My Gospel" and our scriptures.

When we do have a teacher, it is either Sister Coon or Brother Allenbach. Some background: Brother Allenbach served a mission in Brazil. When he got back, he soon got married. He's 22 years old, but he is very serious. I swear it seems like he is 35 or older. Today, though, he opened up and told us about proposing to his wife. I had no idea that he was such a romantic.

Sister Coon, in contrast, served a mission in France and is very out-going. We can feel her energy when she enters the room to teach us. Sister Coon has been back from her mission for 2 years. She's still single and her social ife is always a question in the minds of the other Elders. Every time she come in to teach, they always ask, "meet anyone nice?" or "How'd your date go last night?"

They both are very smart teachers and have really strong testimonies. I have so much I can learn from them and hope I can gain as strong a knowledge of the scriptures as they have.