Dad and Mom!
I am doing just great! MOM...When you call me sweetheart I laugh because all the older ladies in the south call me sweetheart or honey when we talk to them...especially Gracie.
Well I gave my first priesthood blessing this week! I have anointed tons, but Elder Tondevold pushed me to do the sealing part this time. We gave the blessing to Sister Greene. Her house is out in the backwoods. They are probably my favorite family in the ward. We go out there every Monday for family home evening.
I'll try to explain their house the best I can. It's made up of 3 different trailers put together. There somehow is an upstairs. There are holes in the floor and they put plywood over the holes. They may not have what the world says is good, but they are just so awesome. They literally live in the middle of no where. It's like right next to the LBL (Land between the Lakes). Which is pretty cool. They invited us for Thanksgiving. Brother Greene asked us to help him with his job one day... he was putting up this fence. It's a good thing I learned that with Grandpa and Fernie. I really like doing service, I think it's one of the better parts of the mission.
There are members in the ward who also have asked us to help them around their land. I think this week were going to Sister Murray's place, she signed up to feed us and she said we have to work for it. Haha!!! It's good cause she is a good cook. I think she said she's making fried chicken and corn bread. That is one of the best things I’ve eaten out here. Brother Steinfield lives out in the country and has about 50 acres of land. He's trying to get it all cleaned up and asked if we would help a couple times a month. I am really excited for that. There are these two members named Charlie and Whitney and they are getting married soon and they invited us for thanksgiving too. They make interesting stuff also. So hopefully they have frog legs so I can tell you about it.
But how are you? I will tell you a little bit about P-days. Today isn't really a P-day we just get to email and shop because they are counting Thursday our P-day. I usually do laundry during the week cause I run out in the middle of the week. We do go grocery shopping but usually just food or stuff for the week. Some missionaries buy like 10 big boxes of oatmeal to last the month then spend their money on dumb stuff. Like one elder buys TONS of nerf guns and then lots of Elders buy magic card games... dungeons and dragons mythical stuff.. I hope I don't turn into one of those Elders. Haha!!!! I haven't really bought anything except food. I'm would like to start collecting certain things, like I think I'm gonna collect belt buckles...and things for you both, Danielle and Devan. I think I'm gonna buy Rhett a confederate flag and send it to him for Christmas! We get 125 dollars a month for anything really. BUT if you run out you have to stick it out to the end of the month! So I'm definitely learning how to use my money wisely. Haha!!!! I actually manage my money pretty good so that I have extra money that rolls over to the next month in case of an emergency or something.
We set a baptism date with an older man named Jerry Price. He realizes that he needs to be baptized in order to be "saved" but also realizes he needs to be baptized by the authority of God. We are also teaching This other lady we met while tracting. She said believed in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and said she and her 3 daughters would want to be baptized! All in the 1st lesson! We were so shocked but it was awesome!!! Her name is Lisa and her daughters names are Emelia, Leanne, and Tori. Then this week we went on exchanges with the Paris elders and I went on exchanges with...... Elder Perkins! He was really cool and a good missionary. We were looking for this address in this apartment place and this guy came up to us and asked us if we were "like preachers"? He then asked if we wanted or had the time to talk to him about religion. I don't think that happens ever. His name is Jay and is like 27ish and is in a biker club. He had the "Sons of Anarchy" patches on his fridge but is in the local club. It was pretty sweet!
This week we had two older people in our ward pass away. We went to both funerals and I said the prayer at Brother Johnson's funeral. He was 93! We met him before he went to the hospital and he talked to us for long time. He really liked me for some reason so his daughter sister Siefort asked me to say the prayer. Sister Siefort is a great example to me. She is a trooper! Her mom has been in a assisted living center for like 10 years, her Dad broke his hip, got sick in the hospital and passed away, and in that same week her husband had heart surgery down in Nashville on Monday! She is a strong lady.
So I had to give another talk yesterday and teach the lesson in Gospel Doctrine. And you know how much I love doing that. Haha!!! But I am getting a lot better. What stressed me out the most was Brother Munoz calling me Friday night and asking if I would speak, and I didn't have time to write that night. We had a zone conference in Clarksville, (which I think is in Tennessee so you can mark that down on your map) and Elder Hallack, of the 70, and his wife came to speak to us. So I wrote my talk and my lesson from 930 to 1030 Saturday night. But it went well.
I learned a lot at the Zone Conference but had this feeling to talk to President McKee after. So after the meetings Elder Tondevold and I went to go talk to him. President McKee said throughout zone conference he felt a strong impression to talk to me. He said Satan is working hard where the gospel is going so strong. President McKee said that I have been doing so good that Satan is focused on me and wants me to give up. President McKee said that miracles are going to happen in my mission where I serve. A super cool thing is that in my patriartical blessing talks EXACTLY about all this stuff! I know with all my heart that this gospel is true and continue to learn and grow so much each day! I love my savior Jesus Christ so much and am indebted to him for as long as I live.
I try to be the man you are today Dad. I love you so much words can't describe how lucky I am to be your son. So don't worry for me, pray for me and I'll pray for you. I can feel your love all the way out in Kentucky. Thank you for all that you do. You have made me so strong mentally and spiritually. I know that Satan will lose. I know that I have the priesthood that Jesus Christ has. I know that what I am doing in my life right now is what I need to be doing and it will prepare me and set me for my life ahead.
Well I'll try to send a letter with the memory card in it today! Hopefully I'll get the package today too. I love you and pray for you all the time!
Love Elder Vaughn Dee Perkins
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