Felt Like a Roller Coaster

Hey, good afternoon.

We played bball with some elders and Sister Beck (took a picture so it might be on her blog) this morning so I'm e-mailing now.

Week has been really good, we had a baptism this past Saturday which was fun.

Glad spring break was fun, merit badges are good things to get done.

Ya for President Becks program there is a coversheet, just general stuff that he sent me so you might have it; then there is a Lesson 1 page, Lesson 2 page, etc till Lesson 5 page(for each lesson in PMG). For each lesson page we have to memorize scriptures, make lesson plan, teach, make commitments, read different stuff - so they're hard work - gives us a plan to study for our morning studies. My goal is to do a page a transfer(6 weeks). So I've done the coversheet and I am now working on the Lesson 1 page.


Elder Otto is way fun - he is exactly like Daniel Brannock in personality. Just a great, sometimes goofy, guy.

We are teaching a lot of good people so hopefully things keep going well with them - April and May will be busy months for us with baptisms hopefully. Things here are going really good so far, we have a LOT of people lined up, just need to commit them to a hard date for baptism.

Best wishes to dad on his trip - that is crazy. Hope all goes well with that. Three weeks, that's how long I had to stay in the MTC. Seems like a lot of hard work. Hopefully you can go with him.

Arizona is the only state with the word zion in it.

Most of our people come from member refferals - Members are HUGE. If you don't have the support of ward leaders/members, then missionary work is basically impossible. It is very difficult to find people to teach while tracting, but when members invite friends to activities and talk about church that is huge. Then the member invites the non-member to hear the lessons from us - then we teach and baptize. It's not effective when non-member friends have "heard of the church" and we stop by and invite them. But when the members discuss with them and invite, things go much better.


Baptism this past week went great. Standing in the circle at the confimation was really cool.

The bike is fine, back up and running. I'll try to send pictures back next week, sorry.

Glad to hear about Michael and Sterling, can you get both their e-mails. It's a lot faster to do that.

Well hope all continues to go well. Things are great for me here.


Oh I got to ride in a convertible 1953 chevy today. Felt like a roller coaster. Anthem is a really good area. Keep on keepin on.

Love,

Elder Perkins

Transferred Again & Answering Lots of Moms questions

Oh first- I was Emergency Transferred so I'm now in a city called Anthem because an Elder needed to go home for health reasons. So I've been out like 9 weeks and I'm in my third area with my 4th companion- crazy cool stuff.

President Beck called me at like 7:00 and told me to have my bags packed by 10:00. The Assistants picked me up and dropped me off. We cover two wards here.

I'm loving it.

I rarely wear my glasses. I wear them in church so I can see the speakers, or when I'm trying to see street signs. But most of the things I do are in close range so I don't need them. So I'm good for now.

I'll work on getting some pictures sent home.

Glad Dad's surgery went well, that's comforting to hear.

My new companion, Elder Otto is from Michigan. Elder Otto is really chill and relaxed and likes to have fun- a good guy- it'll be fun. He knows Stuart- he said that Stuart was funny and a great guy! I think they were in the same district a while back. I do not know where Stuart is right now.

We live in a pretty nice apartment here in Anthem- has it's own dishwasher, dryer and washer. We can email from the lobby of the complex, it is a very nice community. Anthem is very hilly unlike most of Phoenix area.

We are fed like every night- members here are great!

We are on bikes all of the time, sometimes members will give us rides though! Biking here isn't that bad yet. Just takes up time but it isn't that big an area so we're all good for the most part. I'll try not to get hit but no promises!!

Conner- Sounds like things are going great for ya buddy. Keep on and Keep up the good work. Good luck in your game and let me know how things go for you. Point guard is a fun position- that's all I could ever play because I could never shoot good- so it's good you can do both. Do ya'll have a tournament ya'll go to at the end? Hope all is well for you, take care cause I care- Love ya

Kellie- Sounds like you have a good time with cheer- keep up the good work. Are all of those stunts pretty easy for you to do? How much do you have to practice everyday? Glad your making some money- college isn't cheap, unless you go to BYU- it's dirt cheap there if you live with my main man Grand Master P. Hope all goes well for you. Love ya

Quinton- Sounds like you have a lot of work to do. I weigh a solid 161 right now- so I've gained 6 pounds since I've been out on my mission which isn't that bad at all. Just make sure you're putting on muscle and not the fatty fat blubber.
We have a baptism this Saturday, one in mid April planned and a few who would like to be baptized but aren't ready to commit at the moment. So things are slowly getting going in this area. I'm just trying to do my best. Yes, my companions have all been good. My philosophy is you can only have a bad companion if you let him be one. So I'm on my fourth companion now and I've only been out for like 9 weeks- really crazy! Ya, I heard about Tennessee- we had dinner at our Relief Society Presidents home in one of our ward last Saturday- and her husband gave me all the updates- so good luck to the Vols. Keep on doing good. Choose the right- Love Ya

Morgan- I'm so happy for you and your new calling- did you get a good blessing at your setting apart? I'm glad you enjoyed it. So what plans do you have for Spring Break? Have fun at Red Robin. Target is a cool store- I just bought a bike there and it has bad handlebars already and a flat tire. What are you going to buy at Target? I'm trying to be a good missionary. Keep on being nice to the Elders at church.

Love ya. Take Care, I miss you too.

Tyler

North Peoria, Arizona

Yes I was transferred - I am now in North Peoria. I attend the church on Jomax and Lake Pleasant.


We are actually in a three-some. Elder Chalmers is from England and has been out for 22 months - he will be leaving very shortly. Elder Allred has been out about 4 months and is from Utah. We cover 2 wards down here. Church yesterday was way awesome - it is fun being back in a ward with lots of people and kids.


I got into my area on Thursday morning. We have been doing a lot of tracting and visits to try to get to know our area, the investigators here, etc. Both Elder Chalmers and I are new to this area. So being in a 3-some has been interesting - but its been way fun so far (like hanging out at home its funner to be with 3).


I'll be able to e-mail now which will be nice. About an hour a week - usually 10-11 on Mondays.


Hope all goes well with dad's eye surgery. Tell him good luck and to take it like a man. I've heard of those floater things in people's eyes. Just bothersome from what I've been told. Well hope all goes well with him.


Tell Morgan good luck with her new calling. I know she'll be great - as long as she doesn't sing "Adam was a Prophet" every Sunday. How do you have so many jobs Morgan? I bet they keep you busy. Do you get paid? Are you keeping everything straight? Keep it up and all will be well. I have only had dinner on my mission by members like 5 times (4 in the past 4 days). They were all very good - I'm happy to be fed by members. All food is good food.


Ya Quinton will do great. Callings are fun - tell him to do a good job and keep it up and all will be well. Ya he can start preparing to go on a misison now. Not too far away.


Ya that's a funny story from Dan. Sis Baker put a bit of that story in the last letter she sent. I bet he's doing great. And I haven't heard anything from Michael - so get his e-mail or something so I can write him.


Sister Dieker rocks - tell her to tell Bernie that he better write me or Elder Dieker I should say - I like Elder Bernard Dieker myself. Does he have an e-mail? I'll try to shoot him a letter today.


All is good here for me. Everything is great. We'll keep it up. I might be accompanying one of the new members here this coming Sunday in church. So that should be interesting if I play for her. I'm loving this area a lot though. Well, hope all is great and everything going well.

Let me know if you have any questions. It's also great to have a Wal-mart - we can finally buy cheap stuff - on the Rez we only had a grocery store - so now we can buy house stuff, and other stuff blah blah blah. Let me know what else is new for you guys. Probably won't write a hand written letter this week.

Keep it up.

Tyler

Something "Behooved" him

So I will go check email and respond to those at that time- It behooveth me at the present time to write somewhat concerning of this my past week.

I give an account hereafter of the more spiritual dealings and I delight in them- for it seemeth me good to write according to the Lord's will.

And it came to pass on the last PDay I wrote epistles to my parents and Sister Baker. For it behooved me at that time to write concerning my dealings with the people here.

Thus on Tuesday I received a package from back home with treats most delicious to the taste. Thanks! Gift card, stamps, letters, toys, treats, etc. were great. I made up that tuna casserole and it came out good- Elder Nielsen approved. I received a letter from Taylor and Mady. She got into BYU!

Wednesday we did like 6 hours/ 10 miles of tracting. Figured out I know 8 Navajo words: God, hello, goodbye, horse, woods, pretty, white man, yes.

I passed off teaching the 5 lessons with Elder Nielsen.

Have a solid testimony of 4x4 trucks, Mountain Dew, food on sale, members giving you rides and food.

Had a zone meeting, deep cleaned our truck, got pizza, taught Sunday School.

I have included dream catchers in package-
white leather is from a sheep
blue leather is from a deer
brown/black is from a cow
They are for the kids. Father and Mother get to decide who gets which one. If there is contention (or if no one wants them then give them away!). I got them for very cheap- got hooked up with a member in our ward (like 80% off). I thought they were very cool.

I am being transferred off the Rez- I won't know where I'm going to be until Wednesday. Probably down in Phoenix.

Ttyl. I hope all is well,

Tyler