The electronic world is against me today...

Hello Everyone...

So I was at the li-berry at around noon today and I wrote this big huge email to Randi, but apparently it took me too long and the email server thought I was gone, so when I went to send it to her, it wouldn't worked because I'd been logged off... so that made me mad... But whatever. Life continues. Then I wrote the email to send to everyone, and just as I hit "send" all the computers in the li-berry froze and my email wasn't sent... sooooooo lame... I can deal with one lost email, but two lost emails and an hour of wasted time was kinda irritating... blech... Then we went home for a couple hours and just chilled around, and now we're back here for try two of the family email because the same thing happened to Sis Davis... Thus... The electronic world being against us today.

Anywho... On to life's events.... I got a letter from Grandma Dyer this week and she said she saw a TV program about Hope, Arkansas and the Watermelon festival they have there. I have definitely had my fair share of "hope-er-melon" and "hope-a-loupe"... haha... Everyone here has a fridge full of them. I haven't participated in a seed spitting contest though. I'm not too good at seed spitting anyways.. It's actually really nice to have so much watermelon. With weather consistantly over 100 degrees, a nice, juicy watermelon is very welcome.

Speaking of hot... It's still really hot... So far the most showers I've had in a day is 3... Everyone says August is the worst, but I dunno how that even works... Its already really really really hot. So if it's worse than July, the only thing I can think of that would make August the "worst" month of the year would be having FOUR showers in a day. haha. We'll see if that's accomplished. If I still remain at three... that means the locals were just trying to freak me out, and August isn't any worse than July.

Speaking of August... Happy Birthday to Randi and Clarke!!! But since I love both of you individually, you both get an individual Happy Birthday from me.

*ahem*.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY RANDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woot being 21!!!! Now you can go serve a mission and stuff... *cough.cough.nudge.nudge*.... haha....

and... CLARKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday Old Man... I figure Dad's had the title long enough. It's time for him to pass it down. It only makes sense.. You ARE closer to 30 than you are to 20... haha...

man... people are growing up... that's weird....

Anyways... Every P-Day morning, we have to read Joseph Smith History. I love reading it and all, but after 7 months of reading it once a week, it gets a little redundant. So Sis Davis and I have decided to make it more exciting and this morning, we each took a turn reading a page, while the other interpretive danced the narration... haha... I dedicated my performance to Randi. Next week... Well... We'll figure something else out. haha...

Also. I forgot to mention last week that we got a new mission president. So that was fun. Pres and Sis Drewes have arrived, and they're pretty wonderful. Pres Drewes wasn't nearly as terrifying as I was anticipating. However, when he interviews you, he glares at you, but in a loving way, but its scary because it's like he's staring into your soul... Nobody will be able to hide anything from that man... yeesh... He was a three star general in the Air Force too... So in Canada that means that he's very very influencial and way high up in the military... I really dont know what a three star general means... But people tell me it's a pretty big deal. haha. I think it's best that I dont know though. That way I can keep my cool around him, but I definitely sit up straight when he's around.. haha..

Sis Drewes is amazing though. She's as sweet as can be. She actually broke her upper arm the month before she got here, so she's walking around with her arm in a sling. haha. I guess she was rollerblading or something and had a bad fall.. haha.. She was rollerblading.... That just shows how amazing she is. Also.. They have a son who served in the SLC South mission!! Go figure!! He apparently opened the Spanish part of the mission. Seriously.. Everywhere I go, theres a reference to that mission. It's crazy. My District Leader (Elder Bradshaw) is from that mission... Cottonwood to be exact, and he thinks that possibly Clarke might have eaten at his home, but he's not sure because it was around the time they moved there. But he said he lives down the street from John Stockton, so who knows.

Also.. I FINALLY got the money order cashed that Grandma Olive sent me. It took a while because every place I took it to wouldn't to it unless I opened a bank account with them, and Walmart and the grocery stores were no help either. I was asking Louise what I could do about it and she said that she's good friends with a banker, and she ended up taking me there, and she vouched for me and we got it cashed. I guess whenever people in banks hear "Canada" and "money order" they automatically think "FRAUD"... come on people... I'm a missionary... haha...

Speaking of Louise... We're working hard on her husband now. Last night we read Alma 22 with them both. It's about how King Lamoni's father was converted, and he was an atheist too. In verse 18, King Lamoni's father prays the most simple prayer to know if there really is a God. So we told Larry to use that verse as an example of how to pray. He openly admits that he feels left out, and he wants to know if God really is there, but yet he's refusing to pray. So we thought that if we asked him to use that verse as an example and if we all knelt down together and he offered the prayer, he would get his answer right then.. Well.. we didnt THINK he would get an answer... we KNEW he would get an answer! The spirit was SOOOO strong during that whole lesson.. But when we invited him to pray, he said if he was going to do it, he'd do it in private... So that didn't work out to swell... I was/still am pretty upset about it... I have absolutely no doubt that his answer would have come right then if he had prayed... but he didn't and its frustrating. I just wish he would have taken the time to stop and just listen...  not to us, but to the Holy Ghost, that was DEFINITELY present, because I KNOW it was SCREAMING into his ear that what we've taught him is true.. If only he'd listen... The longer he puts off praying, the harder his heart is going to get and it scares me.. So pray for him okay??? He just needs to listen...

At the end of the lesson with them last night, we had a closing prayer, and we asked if we could kneel while doing it, which was fine. Larry has no problem participating in prayers, he just doesn't offer them. So he starts going to his knees, and the instant they hit the floor, he shot right back up because every once and a while he has a leg cramp that I guess is really painful. I find it interesting that the leg cramp happened the instant his knees touched the ground... Seriously... He's got some powerful forces working for and against him. I know that once he gains a testimony, he's on the fast track to baptism, but the other side wants him just as badly. I know that that leg cramp wasn't coincidence. It was literally the Adversary not wanting him to even be in that position... It kinda freaked me out. It made me realize how powerful both God and the Devil are. So that must mean that I if I still felt the spirit so strong, that there's definitely a strong force against him too, so he must be a POWERFUL spirit...

Yeah... Interesting stuff happening here...

But very cool stuff.

The Church is true. I know it more and more each day. Never give up and keep the faith. And remember that I love you.

-Sister Dyer

I'm alive... barely...

Okay... so on Monday it got up to 105 degrees here.... That's pretty
much rediculous. Apparently the actual temperature was 99 degrees but
the weather people figure in the 80% humidity and they say it actually
FEELS like 105... ugh................ I'm SOOOOOOO glad I only have to
deal with this once... Poor Sis Davis. She has to do it twice... I
PROMISE I'm never EVER complaining again about summer back home!!! I
know I said that before, but each day it gets hotter and HOTTER and
HOTTER and I realize how much more I love Canada... hahaha....

I'm SOOO upset that McNally took down our JAM ceiling tile!!!! We were a
legend there!!! I appreciate Ian's effort to get it to take it home...
but that's soooo lame!!! I'm actually really upset about that... All
those memories.... Taken down because of lame esphestus stuff.... and
thrown in the garbage!!!! grrr!!! ARRRG!!!!!.......

It also sounds like Ian's getting his fair share of concerts in...
Man... The Spill Canvas... The Stills.... (memories....) I hope you're
enjoying these things on my behalf Ian... Remember to think of your big
sister as she practically melts away in Arkansas... haha... Good thing
you're a good kid Ian. Love you lots.

Anyways.... So the week after Baptisms seem to slow down significantly.
It's kinda weird because we don't really know what to do with ourselves.
haha. Well... Clearly we start all over again... But it's the actual
FINDING of people to start all over with again that's the trick. We've
got a bunch of non-commital investigators. They like to talk to us, but
they don't like to do anything... We talked to our Zone Leaders and
asked them what they want us to do while its so hot.. Because it's
physically impossible to spend more than an hour outside tracting and
not be on the verge of fainting... haha... So they told us that we need
to find members to spend time with and service opportunities, and if
worse comes to worse... Stay in our apartment and plan some lessons for
some less active members. We're trying so hard to work with members and
get referrals. That way we'll still be inside, but at other people's
houses teaching them... thus... still being productive. woot!! I'm so
glad I only have to deal with a couple months of summer... I truly
admire those people that serve in hot jungle places where it's like this
year round.

I also got a haircut this last week. The member who cuts our hair does
it for free, and she's amazing. When she was cutting my hair, she was
like... oh man!!! This would look SOOO good with a bunch of blonde
highlights right in the front... but I dont wanna get in trouble for
it... So I told her that I've highlighted my hair before on my mission
and it's not a problem as long as its not blue or pink... or any other
color my hair has been in the past. haha... So she whipped out the
bleach and I've got a sweet haircut, that's nice and cool for the
summer. I love getting my hair cut......

Louise is still doing amazingly. We're teaching her the New Member
Lessons now, and she tries to make sure that Larry can be there with
her. Last night we taught them both the Plan of Salvation again, and
this time Larry was much more receptive and much less objective. I was
happy.. His heart is softening and its really exciting to see. Louise
even got him to Sacrament meeting this week!!! She's the best member
missionary EVER!!! 

Also... How's Grandma Thom doing??? I remembered that her 104th birthday
was on Monday. So I thought of her a bunch this week. And it was David's
birthday yesterday. So.. Happy Birthday eh? :)

And remember how I was saying that it was day 215 of my mission on
Sunday???... Well... THAT WAS THE MOST ANTI-CLAMACTIC EVENT
EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... It said... Look Alison!!! I'm a pirate!!!!
AAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..... hahaha.... And while I can
appreciate the randomness of it, and that it kind of is an inside joke
between Randi and I... I put way too much emphasis on the awesomeness
that would be inside that envelope that I've carried around for 7
months. haha... Elephant Shoe Randi.....

Pretty much that's about that... Things are still moving forward. We're
still getting out there and the members are going to be more and more of
an asset as the summer goes into full swing next month... People still
say that August gets worse.... I love Air Conditioning... Its pretty
much my best friend right now... haha...

The Church is still true. Dont worry!!! haha... The scriptures are the
word of God, and prayer works. For real!!! (Side story... On Saturday we
tried tracting, but only could go for about 30 minutes before we had to
find shade. So we said a prayer to figure out what we could do or to
have some sort of teaching opportunity.. We made a couple phone calls,
and nothing came of it, and just as I hung up our cell phone, a woman
pulled up beside us and asked us if we were friends of this mormon that
she knows, and we are, so she invited us over to her house to cool down
and have some water. We ended up sharing a bit of a message with her,
and she was an answer to our prayer. So things like that totally do
happen. It's cool. Evidence that the Church is true.)

Love you!!! Stay cool!!!

-Sister Dyer

Good Day!

Hello Everyone. 

So... We totally had a baptism this last weekend!!! It was soooo good!!!
Man... I love Louise. I'm pretty much gonna be in contact with her for
the rest of my life. haha. And besides.. she's already promised to be at
my wedding. hahaha... 

Alright. So here's how it all went down. Saturday morning we got up and
ready. Then on our way into Little Rock, we stopped at THE BEST bagel
store ever. It's called Morningside Bagels, and we're regulars.
Clarke... This bagel place is to me what Beto's is to you. haha. But
yeah.. So that was awesome. Then we got to the Church, and Louise was
already dressed all in white and she was with her family that flew in
from Vegas for the big day. It was pretty incredible to be able to meet
them. There were SOOO many people from the Ward at the baptism. Everyone
loves Louise. Elder Taylor (who was my Zone Leader in Cabot, and is now
the AP) did her baptism. He was so happy too. Here he is, baptizing his
best friend's grandma.. Who woulda thunk it... haha.. I remember when I
was baptized, that as soon as I came out of the water I went straight
into Dad's arms and gave him the hugest hug ever. Well, Louise did the
same thing and it made me a little misty eyed because A) She just got
baptized and B) I had a flood of memories from my own life... The talks
that were given at the baptism were incredible too. They both emphasized
the importance of going to the temple when the time comes, and she's
super excited for it. She knows just as well as everyone else does that
eventually her husband is going to come around, and she's dead set on
being sealed to him in THIS life. haha.. Good woman. Then on Sunday when
she received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the Ward Mission Leader, Bro
Brown did the blessing. He's so funny though. In a way, Bro Brown
reminds me of Bruce R. McKonkie... haha... So in the blessing, it was
kind of a sermon in and of itself... it was funny... He was quoting
scripture and everything. I dont really know how appropriate that was,
but at least it did what was intended. haha.... So now her family is
back in Vegas, and she's having Family Home Evening/Date night with
Larry every Monday. haha...

Now... Larry... This is interesting too... We just got a new Elder in
the ward. He came two weeks late because he was playing Baseball on the
University of Utah team, and they were in the playoffs. So he was able
to work it out so that he would just go to the MTC right after those
were done. So this kid... Elder Guymon is totally on the way to playing
Major Leagues. Apparently, once upon a time, so was Larry!! I had no
idea!! So both Larry and Elder Guymon are the catchers, and Larry is in
awe that Elder Guymon would put this pretty promising baseball career on
hold for two years just to serve a mission. Larry and Louise's grandson
did the same thing but with golf.. Larry just doesn't get it... Which
really... its a legitimate thing to be shocked by. So here is his
grandson, serving a mission after giving up scholorships and whatnot
with golf, and now Elder Guymon who gave up Baseball temporarily...
Yeah... So Louise is telling us how Larry is doing a lot of things that
are out of his character lately.. Like one of his friends from San
Francisco recently passed away, which he is apparently having a hard
time with. Right now, Larry believes that after you die, that's it... So
Louise is noticing that especially after this guy died that whole
concept isn't sitting too well with him, and it's making him curious.
He's reading A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, but not telling us about it.
haha. Instead he's calling Bro Brown to talk about it. haha... It's
almost like he's embarassed that he's actually looking deeper than he
thought he ever would. haha... Oh man... Larry is literally just a
prayer away from being baptized himself...

So thats all the awesomeness that's been going on with them.. But its
not all the awesomeness that's going on. Remember a while ago, I told
you about Nyree?? The one who asked if marijuana was alright??...
yeah... well... We visited her last week and she told us that she really
prayed about it, wanting to do the right thing, and she received a
really strong answer that she needed to not be smoking it anymore. So
she's gone a whole month without it (which is a big deal for her) and
she even came to church on Sunday!!! WOOT!!!! It's almost like she's
become this new person!! She used to be very prideful and would never do
anything if she didnt want to... like... we talked to her for 45 minutes
about if she could wear pants or not to church.... but all of the
sudden, as soon as she told us she's stopped smoking weed, she's keeping
commitments, and doing all these incredible things... She's totally done
a 180 and I'm really excited for her.

Also... So uhhh... Sean's getting married eh?... haha. Good job!! First
he's Jewish, then he's Mormon, then he's a missionary... then he's the
Ward Mission Leader... now he's engaged... Weird... But congrats.

On Monday when we were tracting, we totally came up with the sweetest
game EVER to play with families that have a bunch of primary age kids.
We like to call it... Plan of Salvation Tag!!!! hahaha... It's the most
genious thing ever... So.. You play it with families. The Dad plays the
part of Heavenly Father, and he's in charge of telling everyone when
they get to start playing... haha... See??? it's like when we go from
the Pre-Earth life to Earth! haha... Then I'm usually "it", which we
determined means that I'm playing the part of Satan.. haha.. So I go
around chasing these kids and once I tag them, they have to freeze and
call for help. Then their mom comes over, and she's playing the part of
Jesus. The kids have to tell their mom two things they're thankful for
and they're free to continue playing. And if i'm about to tag a kid and
they say one thing they're grateful for before I get them, they're safe
for 5 seconds. hahahaha... So genious... It's like they're safe because
they're praying... hahaha... Then their Dad gets to call them back
inside, and tell them when it's time to stop playing... aka... death...
haha.. then the mom has to ask her kids if they obeyed all the rules and
if they did, they get a reward... like the Celestial Kingdom..
hahahahaha... Seriously!!! It's the most genious game ever!!! It covers
the whole plan of salvation!!! And everytime we've played it so far, the
kids have loved it. So i give you permission to tell people about it and
participate in the awesomeness known as Plan of Salvation Tag. hahaha...

Also.. Randi gave me a letter before I left that I get to open on "Day
215"... Day 215 is on Sunday. hahaha... I've been diligently writing in
my journal counting up each day, and its almost here. haha. I'm actually
really excited.

Sis Davis is doing a lot better. We haven't had anymore gong show
lessons... thank goodness..... I like her. She's pretty cool. 

Alright. That's about that. This is a long email... haha... Go me...

Well.. I'm still surviving the weather. I'm getting a sweet farmers tan.
I'm quite pleased with it. I've gone from off white to legitimately
tanned!!!! Glad everything's doing well back home. I miss it, but I love
it here. So many miracles are occurring... Love you lots, and keep up
the awesome.

and also... since I think I forgot it last week....


THE CHURCH IS
TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....hah
a...


-Sister Dyer

Happy July 4th

Well Hello...

*Hey Grandma Dyer... It's "Happy Wednesday".. haha..*

So I experienced my first July 4th in the South. It was kinda
interesting. First off... I've never been around so many random
fireworks. All day there were kids running around shooting off cheap
fireworks. Those are all illegal at home aren't they?! It was scary...
But kinda entertaining all at once. The weather that day was really
confusing too... One moment it was pouring rain, the other it was sunny
and rediculously hot. Seriously... the saying is true. If you dont like
the weather in Arkansas... wait 5 minutes for it to change. haha...

There was a parade in Maumelle, and the person in charge of it is a
member of the ward here. So each year she gets the missionaries to be
the judges of it. haha. It was pretty sweet. We got to sit on this grand
stand thinger and watch all these groups perform and show off and stuff.
It was kinda rediculous, but I felt all important and stuff. haha.. We
got to spend the majority of the day with Louise... who is getting
baptized this Saturday!!! WOOT!!!! Since she works for the Chamber of
Commerce here, we got to help her do a bunch of stuff too. haha. We were
busy that day!!

Speaking of Louise. We're having dinner with her tonight at the Stake
President's house. Louise is bringing her husband and their daughter and
two grandkids. Louise is so amazing. She's setting up all these things
and making sure we're getting to know her family. She's prolly the best
member missionary I've ever met and she's not even a member yet!!!
haha!!!! Oh man... I'm excited to tell you all about her baptism next
week. This is going to be a really wonderful experience for everyone
involved. 

I forgot to tell you that I got that MoTab Called to Serve CD forever
ago... So I wanted to say thank you and that I love it. Good ol MoTab...

And also... I got Grandma Olive's birthday card yesterday... haha... It
was sent to Cabot and it took a few weeks for it to get from there to
here. But I finally got it!!! I really appreciated it. I felt loved.

Mom and Dad, you need to send me pictures of Ian's sunburn. It sounds
pretty awesome. You'll be happy to know that I have not had a sunburn
yet. I've been soaking up the sunscreen. I've also got the most bizzare
tan line.. You know those mary jane shoes I sent you a picure of with
Steve the Turtle??... Yeah. I have this big tan line right in the middle
of my foot from those shoes. haha... I'm kinda proud of it. I'll have to
send you a picture at the end of the summer when it's at it's best.
haha..

Dude... It totally just started downpouring. haha... I love the rain
here. If you're in it for just a minute, you're already soaking wet.
It's pretty incredible. 

So Sis Davis is doing well... Our teaching efforts have become much more
unified, and she's slowly learning to leave the random facts out. haha..
I just get to hear the random facts after the lesson. It's pretty funny.


And Clarke... You know the graduation book you sent me that had all the
graduates names in them?? Well.. I found yours and Cecilia's and
Jessie's. Who knew... You graduated with someone that's 6 years younger
than you. haha... BUT CONGRATULATIONS JESSIE!!!! I was really excited
when I found your name. haha... Go me..

I also took the Ketchup chips Clarke sent me to District meeting on
Monday. All the Elders thought it sounded like the most disgusting thing
ever. haha. But I made them all try it. Now I'm not particularly a big
fan of Ketchup chips... but they dont suck. It was still funny.
Americans.... :P

So that's about that for this week. Hope everything goes well for you,
and that the weather is reasonable. Who am I kidding... Of COURSE the
weather in Canada is reasonable. I'm never going to complain during a
Canadian summer again... haha...

Love you guys. Miss you tons, but thank you for everything.

-Sister Dyer

GONG SHOW!!!!!!!!!

So basically this whole training this is the hugest gong show ever.....
I have a story to tell...

On Monday, we needed to contact this media referral. The guy, Jake, went
online and ordered a free Bible. So we went to go deliver it to him. Sis
Davis and I were able to practice teach some lessons to some members
throughout the week and that's been good. But this was her first
experience of actually teaching a new investigator... Her greenie fire
was RAGING!!!!! I assumed that she would have known that we were going
to try to teach him the first lesson about Joseph Smith and the
Restoration, but that didn't really click for her I guess.... So note to
self... DONT ASSUME THE GREENIE KNOWS WHAT TO DO!!! haha.... So we got
to the house and Jake answers the door and he started asking us some
questions and mentioned the Book of Mormon, so Sis Davis whips one out
and is like. "Here!!! We have one!!!" and pretty much just throws it at
him because she was so excited that he was listening... haha... Well...
So here I am trying to start teaching the first lesson and stop Sis
Davis from talking about the most random, obsure doctrines that are way
unnecessary to talk about... ugh.... I finally just interjected and flat
out said "God is our Loving Heavenly Father.." haha.. Then started going
on... That's the first principle we teach to people. Then we're supposed
to go on to teaching about how the gospel blesses families and then onto
how God calls prophets in every dispensation, then we talk about the
Savior's ministry, then about the Apostasy and then Joseph Smith, and
then the Book of Mormon, and then we ask them to pray about it. That's
the way we're told to teach it in Preach my Gospel. That way, when we
teach, people get it. We answer questions before they even come up and
it really works amazingly when it all goes right. So here I am going on
about how God loves us, then Sis Davis jumps right into the Book of
Mormon and Jake is asking where it came from, and Sis Davis is just
throwing all these jumbled thoughts at him... ugh... Then she said
something about Emma Smith leaving the church, but never denying the
validity of the Book of Mormon... ugh..... yeah... I totally gave her
this glare to try to stop her and she looked straight at me and kept on
going... man... I was totally helpless... The lesson we were trying to
teach was totally imploding... haha..... Eventually I was able to try to
mend the pieces back together with the lesson and we left on a good note
and he wants us to come back... so it wasn't as bad as it could have
been... hahahaha...... So this is what I've learned.... a) start
breaking things WAY down and give specific instruction b) try to help
her to remember to not get so excited just because someone is listening
to us.. I told her that on every doorstep that she needs to remember to
slow down, take a breath, and think about what she's saying and if it
makes sense... hahaha.... Yesterday she did better. haha.... So...
interesting experience...

Also... Happy Canada Day yesterday... I didn't really get to
celebrate... I pretty much tracted all day. haha.. Well... Walked to
places... Its our walk week anyways, so everywhere we need to go, we
walk. It was hot... and i think i almost died... but luckily I didn't.
haha.... We ended up being able to find a ride home from a member
though. Rides are hard to get here. Theres a lot of members, but only 5
families or so are really active, and then they're busy... So we were
glad we were able to find a ride home... Tender mercy.

Also... Today I bought a little blanket just to use when I'm studying
and whatnot... It's totally got The Little Mermaid on it... Like...
lifesize.. I was way excited about it.

And I got Clarke's package yesterday. I laughed at the Ketchup chips and
the GINORMOUS box of smarties and the rockets... So now I can show
people the difference. haha... and I LOVED the pictures... But the whole
Cecilia cutting her hair... kinda scared me, because when married women
chop off their hair, it seems to be the pattern that babies are not too
far off in the future..... but I still loved that I got a package.
President and Sister Batchelor personally delivered it to me too...
haha..

Oh hey!!! And I heard that Matt Good played in Edmonton not too long
ago... How was it.... haha...

Also... I have 15 mosquito bites on my legs... Its pretty... hahaha.. I
bought more bug spray today.

So yeah... That's basically it... Sis Davis and I are getting along
fine. And I think that this week is going to be better. She's getting
more comfortable with everything. So yeah. Less of a gong show for this
next week..

Love y'all lots!!!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Sister Dyer