Thursday, January 28, 2010

Doing this differently

Hi everyone, I have decided to do a private blog, had some weird things happen, I just think it will be better for me and my family to it this way. I have posted a few of Cams last letters, just not everything that was on the blog before will be on this one.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
He is doing great!!!
We found a new home for the dog that was given to Cameron 6 weeks before he left for his mission. It just got to be to much work and he was destroying way to many things. This is in response to the letter we sent to Cam telling him we had to find a new home for Chief.


Hey,
That's okay about Chief.. I knew it was coming anyways.. I'm a little upset but I understand. I knew it would have been hard to go to school with him anyways.. Its okay. Tell Brady I'm sorry. I know he got pretty attached too. I hope he's now in a good home though.
Last Saturday was my first baptism!
Gabby Brooks was baptized by a former missionary that served here named Robert Mann. But whats really exciting... and what made me super nervous was... He asked me to do the confirmation. I did and it went good. I'm sending my first memory card home.
Well... we got transfer calls yesterday. And Elder Englund and I are staying together here in Grand Junction for another Transfer. It'll be good because we have a lot of good things happening and a lot of good potential investigators. Elder Englund is actually my new District Leader also. I'm pretty excited about that. So my mailing address is still the same. Unless they decide to move us into a member's home earlier than thought and if so I'll let you know. But if you could let everyone know that my address is still the same that'd be great. Thanks.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
News from Cam.
This is from a snail mail letter we got yesterday.

Hey! how is everyone doing? I've had a good past two days. Yesterday, our pday, we hiked Mt. Garfield. It was amazing. The first and last 1/4 miles were the hardest. they were pretty steep. But once we got to the top it was definitely worth it. I took about 200 pictures.
While we were on top we, the four of us living together, had a little devotional and each read one of our favorite scriptures. And had a few moments to ourselves to think and pray and what not. It was great. Also at the top there is a flag pole and a plaque for a scout that actually fell off the cliff. But when we got up there the flag pole had been knocked down. It had been cemented down but someone had some how pushed it over. So we lifted it back up and put some big rocks around the base to hold it up. We felt we should have done that. It was, as a whole, a great pday. Even though we were pretty muddy and we are now all pretty sore. It was very fun.

So one of the "unbaptized children" we talked to is getting baptized on Jan 23!!! We are so excited. My first baptism! He is 9 years old and his name is Gabriel Brooks but he goes by Gabby. Smart kid. We have come pretty close to this family. It is a single mother who has three kids and Gabby is the only one who hasn't' been baptized. She, the mother, has told us that she is very picky on who she lets in her home. She has to have a good feeling about them. The last missionaries that were there were two years ago. So we are glad that we are, in a way, an answer to her prayers. We might have even found her a job. She just graduated from Cosmetology school.We're happy and excited how that came about. Our dinner apt. is a hair dresser so we talked to him about it. We know it wasn't a coincidence.


This is from an email we got today.

Well... Saturday is my first baptism. His name is Gabriel Brooks. He is nine years old and is SO excited to be baptized. Gabby (that's what he likes to be called) is so smart and eager to learn. His family is really nice too. He's asked me to do the confirmation this Sunday.. I'm pretty excited, and nervous. I've never done this before but I'm not really that nervous.. it shouldn't be that hard to do.
I'm taking a lot of pictures. My first card is almost full. We hiked Mount Garfield last Wednesday. I took almost 150 pictures. It was amazing up there... I hope I can come back and go up during the summer when it isn't quite so muddy. The first 1/4 mile and the last 1/4 mile were the toughest. But I'm definitely glad we did it.. It was a good time. Very pretty. Maybe some day we could come back as a family and hike up it.. its only a two mile hike. Not too terrible.

Well I am off to bed. Love you! Thanks for the support and prayers. Moroni 8:3
Your son and brother,
Elder Cameron Landon
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Email letter from my Elder Sonshine...
Hey,
I'm sorry to hear that things there are super cold and have a lot of snow. Yeah, you heard right it doesn't snow much here. In fact this year is the most snow they've had since 1919 I hear; still nothing like home. Its pretty chilly but I think that's because I'm on my bike.
Which reminds me... don't do it yet but I'm pretty sure that you'll need to give all my pants to Carson or Brady or to the DI because I've gained.... almost twenty pounds and my thighs have gotten a lot bigger and I think I've grown about an inch... (not quite sure on that last one but I think so) The blue jeans I have now are getting small... Elder Englund is the same way. But its okay, with our dinner appointment family we are going to Goodwill (a thrift store) to get more clothes. Also a lady in our ward is taking out a few of my slacks because they are getting a little tight and one pair the hem has come loose. Sister Hamilton is such a sweet and neat lady.
Transfers are coming up soon... they are on January 28. I'm not sure if I want to leave my area just yet because there is a lot of good things going on. I'll tell you about them in my snail mail letters because of my limited time on the computer.
But... yeah I've heard the peaches here are amazing and the best ever. I'm hoping to try some soon. Probably not until next fall or when ever they're ready but still... waiting with anticipation.
The mountain that your co-worker was talking about is the Grand Mesa. It is the world largest flat-top mountain. It is basically right outside our back window. There is also Mount Garfield. Which we are going to climb today once we're done here at the library. I can't wait.. I'll send pictures. It'll be fun.
I'm glad to hear that you have been sitting in on the lessons with Laurie. It nice to know that you get to feel what I'm doing and that you get to experience that right along with me. Its an amazing feeling. I love it.
In the memory card that I will send you, you'll see a picture of our refrigerator. We went grocery shopping the other day and... I mean serious grocery shopping... we were running out of everything. So we thought it was funny to see a "Missionary Fridge" to be as full as it was... so that's why we took a picture.
On Sunday in our Priesthood Executive Meeting before sacrament meeting where we and all the Priesthood auxiliary leaders meet to talk about... things.. I guess...
That's where E. Englund and I tell them who we've been working with, how everything's been going, and what they can do to help. We were told that the missionary work in this ward is the best its been in years. We were pretty honored and touched to hear that even though its not all us. It is by far mostly the Lord's work and His hand has been in a LOT of it. But we were still pretty excited to hear we've been doing a good job.
Things here have been going really well... we'll have one baptism this transfer, hopefully, and next transfer we could have 3 maybe four. That's why I'm hoping I'll be staying in this area next transfer. But its where the Lord needs me.
We'll I've got to go I'll talk to you later.

Love you
Elder Cameron Landon
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Love these letters....
We got two letters from Cam this week. He forgot to mail last weeks letter.

Here is parts of letter #1

For the New Year Celebration, we got to stay up and played games. We played Monopoly and Phase 10 until 2 in the morning. I only stayed up because we got to sleep in. I slept until 9am. We played basketball, volleyball and kickball for several hours. We had several missionaries there. Also a recent convert from our ward was there, which was good.

We have another investigator. Her name is Angie she is 16 or 17. Her mom is a member, single and inactive. We're hoping to get Sharlene,(her mother) to church to set an example to her kids. Things are looking well with that. We taught them the first lesson today. I'm excited for this family.

Question..... Could you not send as much candy? (not that you do) but we have SO much candy in our apartment its insane. I've eaten so much it isn't funny.
That is one of my 'New Years Resolutions' or goals for 2010.
- Eat less candy / drink less soda
- Read the Book of Mormon 12 times (once a month)
- Have 15 to 20 baptisms (its possible)
- Gain 15 to 20 pounds.
Which brings me to my next thing. When we weighed myself before I left home, I weighed 120 lbs. I weighed myself last Wednesday and ... I have gained.......... 15 pounds. I weigh 135 pounds! I am so excited. This is the most I have ever weighed. Its weird that I'm this excited about it but oh well. With all the dinner appointments, me exercising and riding my bike have been good for me.

Second letter............

This week has been good. We've been working with less actives and part member families lately. And because of this we have one little girl with a baptism date, one who has had a date before working on coming to church to get another date and a 17 year old investigator wanting to know more.
It's been very good. I am very excited.
When we taught the 17 year old girl the Plan of Salvation (this is after we taught her the Restoration and she came to sacrament meeting) We talked for close to three hours. I felt bad after the lesson because I talked most of the time. But Elder Englund said it was fine and that "I was on fire" I hope so. I feel so good about this family.
Angie (the 17 year old) even had her friend come to the discussion, took notes and accepted to read the Book of Mormon and pray. I am SO THRILLED and can't wait to see them again tomorrow night.
We met tonight a family who has a girl on a former investigator list. She's been taught the lessons and once had a baptismal date. But with her mom's job, sickness in the family and missionary transfers the ball's been dropped.
Super nice family. Mother and older sister are members. Father isn't. The mother is Navajo and the father is Mexican. the oldest daughter is named Precious she is 19 and has a baby named Bella Sariah. The girl that once had a baptismal date, her name is Chastity. Her mom calls her Cookie. We need to get them to church.

As a mom, I couldn't be happier for him and what he is experiencing. We are so proud of him.