P-Day 8

*I finally broke the news to Hayden that his truck had died about 2 weeks after he left.  (I am supposed to go out and start it every week while he is gone and although I did that, on week three it wouldn't start.)  I only told him now because I think I've figured out the problem.  You'll see the recurring theme throughout his letter though.
*I also asked him to share something with me that I can share at a Relief Society Meeting we are having this month honoring the missionaries.  All the mothers have been asked to read an excerpt from a letter and I wanted to know if there was anything in particular he wanted me to read.

Hi!

I got all the packages and they keep me nice and warm. It is official... It snowed! The snow didn't stick down here but it did on the mountains. Lows are in the 30s now when we get up to go to morning sports. Time to go hiking and see the snow! I finally got sweatpants and a sweatshirt shipped up here so I'll have something. Not even September and it snowed. Temps are in the 50s for a high. By the time we get into the apartment it is high 30s low 40s.... Almost as cold as killing someone else's truck.

 

So we have taught like every lesson for the last couple of weeks. We taught Sunday School and Relief Society and the 5th Sunday. That's what happens when you are missionaries you get called to teach on the spot! and your truck gets killed! Everything just got reorganized so there was some confusion. 

YOU KILLED MY TRUCK!

 

Funny story of the week. We were over teaching Jaynee and as we got in and started talking to her, she said sister missionaries were coming over to teach her. We asked her which ones and she said from this church but she didn't know their names. So we asked her for the number and it was the STLs (Sister Training Leaders). They called in the middle of our lesson and told Jaynee they couldn't come until next week because they couldn't find her house. So we saw the STLs at Trainer Trainee meeting and asked them about Jaynee. They had no clue who Jaynee was. They have a Jenny but not a Jaynee. We were all so confused and it was super awkward... Then we asked what number they called and sure enough it was Jaynee. They have a less active in their Ward named Jenny Sweet. Jaynee just got a new phone and the number happened to be Jenny's old one.  They also happened to have very similar names, and it happened to be one of our "investigators." We all died when we found out the story, like my truck.  We tried to get them to teach the last lesson to her: The Law of Chastity... They said no so we will have the young woman leaders do it then as a member present. 

Then I chastised the STLs because they are stealing an investigator of ours. They are teaching a Thai person and our branch covers Hmong, Thai, Laotians, Cambodian, Mien, and Vietnamese (but we are mostly Hmong) so we technically have stewardship priority over them.... And they are asking for us translators... Almost as bad as killing someone's else's truck! Me and Elder Vang do know a few Thai phrases and we also know the translators as well as have stewardship over him. I don't think they got the hint to hand him over.

 

Just read this: 

We finally got back in with Sheng and Cheng, they were the referral from my first week here. They are GOLDEN. They keep every commitment even if it's hard, especially reading the Book of Mormon. They read even though they have a hard time understanding. So next time we are reading with them and helping explain everything. We taught the restoration a way back but they went in and out of town for a while and we finally got back with them. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation. I don't know how to teach that in Hmong yet. So Elder Vang taught in Hmong while I taught in English and a little Hmong. I have the biggest testimony in opening my mouth and having it be filled. This lesson and another lesson are great examples of how it is done:

1. This was in my second week in Alaska. We were teaching a lesson through translation. We were teaching and it was my turn to talk. When we teach through translation I have to put ultimate trust in the Lord. I started to speak and what came out of my mouth seemed a little confusing. I used an analogy with a path but it was halfway through the analogy. I thought to myself that it won't make sense. I left the lesson kinda disappointed. Elder Vang, in the car, turned to me and said how did you know where to pick up right where I left off on an analogy. I was astonished. I literally continued on after him with no idea he was using an analogy. 

2. We were teaching Sheng and Cheng the Plan of Salvation this week. When we were teaching we basically went point by point. I talked about Pre Earth life and Elder Vang talked about Earth life. I shared a little bit about it then Elder Vang talked for a bit and for some reason I stayed on Earth life then Elder Vang talked and again I stayed on Earth life. I thought Elder Vang moved on and I was being Crazy. Turns out I answered everyone one of their questions without me knowing the question and I stayed right on topic. Then they asked us a question in Hmong. I had no clue what question but I read something from the Plan of Salvation pamphlet in Hmong. I had no clue what it was until after when I looked at the English one and it answered their question.

Don't kill my truck! Love you!

Elder Frey!

 

Ps I hope you loved all the little truck thingys

Pss thank you for the clothes and taking care of my truck

Psss Send me lucky 

Pssss don't kill my truck

Psssss I almost took a cat home. It was following us and rubbing against me while we were tracting and it had no collar. I carried him with us for a while. 

Pssssss I named him lucky

Psssssss He was cute