California - January 7, 2013

Hey, how's it going?

Hey, how's it going back in the Blanding?

Advice for Jade:

Yes, watch the district videos and learn the good from them, don't idolize the missionaries though, they seem really good when you first watch them and you will think they are awesome, just know that you will be a good missionary as well. But they teach really good and you will learn a lot from them; you will end up watching those a lot your first 15 weeks as a missionary, so learn all you can from them. Don't worry about having all the things they tell you to take, you honestly won't use all of it! I have carried some things around on my mission and haven't even used them yet. Pray a lot and love your companion, control your anger, pray and work things out, that's all you need to do.

Still adjusting to the new ward, but like everyone I know comes up and says, "hey, I met your uncle Bruce!" So it's a small world, haha! We went to a fireside last night with our YSA investigators and a lady talked and she was a survivor of the Holocaust. She joined the church a few years ago through family History, it was pretty sweet.

Well, Best of Luck on the Mission Jade, this is my email address, drop me an email on how it's going, and God Bless you!

Family, I love you, travel safely up to Provo and safe back home and be safe and prayerful as well. Love you all so much!!!!!!

Love Elder Grover

Merry Christmas!

Who says you can't have some fun on your mission?

At a zone training just before Christmas Elder Grover dressed up as Santa Clause.

Elder Muir and Elder Grover

Elder Grover with the Phillips family
Brother Phillips (2nd from right) and Hunter Phillips (far left) were baptized

Making friends with a parrot belonging to one of the YSA members

California - January 1, 2013

Hello Family and Happy New Year!!!!

 

How crazy is it that it is 2013? I honestly can't believe it, the time has gone by so quickly. I graduated in 2010, and wow that's three years ago, I think I am starting to feel old!

 

Things here are good. It was great to see all of you on Christmas and to talk with you! So, will Jade be giving his farewell this week? That is excting, I can imagine it will be a journey, pack warm. I could imagine Indiana is quite cold at this time of the year. Just remember to focus on the spirit and to study the Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel, and you will have a very successful mission, they are the best.

 

Our baptism went great! The sad thing is that we found out on Sunday night that we would now be leaving that ward.... yeah, they are shot-gunning us out due to the new year and the time changes. Our ysa ward stays at 1 and fair oaks 4th went to 11, so they had to find us another ward at 9, so we just shot-gunned Carmichael 1st ward.

 

So for the activity that we had to put on for the zone on New Year's Eve to keep us off the streets, with all the crazies we played..... BUNKO! Yes, I taught everyone BUNKO, and I think everyone loved it so it was a lot of fun.

 

I still cannot believe that it is a new year, I set some goals for this year, and they are very different than the last year and way different than any other year of my lifeT there will be a lot that will effect the rest of my life in this year, Mission..... School..... Family...... the list goes on. I am really sad that I can't just make goals for my mission. I vowed to myself and to our Father and Heaven that this last 2 months of my mission will be good, and it has to be because it is the last 2 that I have :(

 

Well, I hope all is well at home things will go good in this new year. I promise that if we do things spiritually then God will bless us on our path!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!

 

Love Elder Grover

California - December 17, 2012

Hello and Merry Christmas Next week!!!!!

 

Hey, how is everything back at home in the snow? The other morning we went running in shorts and t-shirts, haha! That's how warm it is here in Cal-Sac. The area that I am in now is so much different than my last area, my last area was really diverse and young, but the Fair Oaks 4th ward is really not diverse and not young, haha! It is in the Carmichael, area and it is basically where like 70% of the people are 65 and above, yeah really different. I guess it evens out though that I am also in a YSA ward, which is way fun. It is really different going to church with people that are all my age, but it is a lot different. We really depend on the members to help us in the work, and guess what, they do! We just had a member call and tell us to be a at FHE tonight because he is bringing a non member, that just doesn't happen in regular work very often.

 

My companion is Elder Austin, he is a spanish missionary as well. He is an army guy, he is a West Point kid. It's been good.

 

I hope to get a package sent full of goodies today, hopefully it happens. Well, I love you all, have a great week.

 

Elder Jesse Grover