Dear Elder Slavens

Dear Elder Slavens
Elder Trenton J Slavens
Thailand, Bangkok/Arizona, Gilbert/
Texas Houston East
Elder Dallin J Slavens Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Elder Chancellor J Slavens Idaho, Twin Falls

Monday, May 26, 2014

Thank Goodness for the Family History Center

Otherwise these observed holidays would be the end of my life. I don't even remember what Memorial
Day is.

I feel like my emails have gotten pretty boring as of late! Let's spice this one up with, umm, electrolytes! I have no idea. I guess I'll just talk about my week, and hopefully this time around I've got more pizazz in my writing technique.

This has been a good week, and a hard one all the same! We've had some great lessons, and some trials as well. Just as I like it! Elder Martinez has been having a lot of struggles recently, which has kinda taken a toll on myself, but we're pushing through it! The other day, Elder Martinez looked like he was getting ready to kill someone, so I had to stop in my tracks to help him through whatever. He explained to me that he felt really underappreciated as a missionary and that he just felt like he didn't belong. I did my best to explain that that's just an unfortunate reality of missionary work, and that there will always be opposition pressing on the Lord's anointed. I think he got the idea, and we're really pushing hard right now to get stuff done! I'm pretty stoked about it.

Transfers are right around the corner! June 11th is the date; make sure to mark it on your calendars. In my recent interview with President Curtis, he gave me some interesting information that I don't really know what to do with. He asked me how I feel about Wendell and if I wouldn't mind staying longer and I was just like what the what?? I've been here for a billion years, President, why in the world would I stay?? But in reality, I am so in love with Wendell that it would just break my heart to leave! So I told him that I really wouldn't mind staying another transfer. He explained that tons of Spanish missionaries are leaving this transfer and that some new ones are coming in that obviously need some training, so I'm on top of the list to train again! President doesn't like whitewashing areas (or in other words, taking both missionaries out of an area and putting two new ones in), so if I end up training, I would have to stay here because he doesn't want me to whitewash another area. Does that make sense? Anyway, I'm probably training and STAYING here in Wendell next transfer! That'll make it 10 1/2 months here! Whew!

Whelp, I think I'm gonna sign off now! This has been, in all, a very good week, and I'm hoping the next one's just a step up for the rest of you! Have a lovely week!

Elder Slavens

Monday, May 19, 2014

D&C 122 Though

Hello everyone everywhere!! How are you all? I am wonderful as always!

This has been an awesome week! We did tons of service and met lots of new people, which has been really cool!

We had a pretty scary experience this week, actually. A recent convert in our area named Mariano has been having lots of physical problems recently, and the weird thing is he's only 18 years old. But he's had like chronic hiccups for the past year or so, to the point where he like chokes on his own breath, and though hiccups may sound like a silly thing to consider dangerous, it's really been messing with him! On top of that, recently he's been having strong allergic reactions to SOMETHING, and nobody knows what! But he's been to the doctor multiple times to get his allergies checked out and nobody can figure out what's up. Well this past Saturday, all of that stuff kind of came to a head.

Saturday was Mariano's graduation day. He had his cap and gown all ready to go and couldn't wait to walk up there and get his diploma. Well he shows up to graduation with his twin brother, Mario, and starts feeling this crazy pain in his back. On top of that, his tongue swells up so bad that he can't breath! Mario rushed him to the hospital, and during the drive there, Mariano proceeds to have a minor stroke and the whole left side of his face goes numb. So Mario was texting us during all of this and I just couldn't believe what I was reading! I decided to text the Zone Leaders and have them text the whole zone to pray for Mariano during this craziness. We had to wait until the next morning to find out what had happened.

Wow, prayers are indeed answered. The next morning Mariano himself texted us and told us that everything was okay! We went to church and he was even THERE! It was so great to see the hand of the Lord help out such a strong young man, and it really built my testimony of the blessings received by the faithful. It was such a scary thing at the time, but I know that it was meant to be, and now everyone's just that much happier to see Mariano still kicking!

Sorry if this email seems kinda rushed! I have a super short time-slot today and I had a long story to tell!! Hopefully you can all get something out of that! I'll be more coherent next time!! Love you all!

Elder Slavens

Monday, May 12, 2014

Mawwage, Part 3

Hey there my peeps! What a week this has been!!
First of all, it was so awesome to see my fam bam yesterday! I love you guys like a fat kid loves cake, and I already can't wait to see you guys this Christmas! Ew, that's far away!

But for reals, this week has been so awesome. Lots of stuff that's been a long time coming has finally played out, and it's been so awesome to be a part of all of it!

First of all, the kid I mentioned a week or so back, Bryant, was baptized this week! He's such an amazing kid, with a testimony to rival that of a long-time church member. At his baptism, I swear there were about 30 or 40 youth there to support him; something I've never seen in my whole mission. It was so darn cool to see all these kids with huge testimonies there for each other!

And the reason for the title! Oh my gosh, the wedding finally happened!! Clemente, an investigator of 10 years, got married on Saturday! It was so great to see this man finally commit and make the right choice. I know that he's more happy now that he's made this choice, and it's only gonna go good places!

I hope you guys all have a great week, and keep in mind that I think you all rock!

Elder Slavens

Monday, May 5, 2014

I Am a Happy Boy

Hey there all you cuties!

This has been a really good week! Elder Martinez and I have really broken down and just hit the ground running in this new transfer. We're going crazy just trying to find as many new people as we can to start teaching. New investigators up the wazoo, that's what I'm talking about! We've met a lot of cool people this week that I believe will be able to progress lots and lots.

We met this guy named Pepe this week, from Peru. He's Evangelical, and we found him as we knocked on the door of an old investigator that we were trying to contact. The funny thing is, we met him, and he instantly kinda gave us the cold shoulder and didn't seem to wanna hear it. He just said over and over again "Our religions are just different, so yeah." But we weren't gonna take that. We just kept drawing connections between him and us as we talked, and we were determined. It really was just such a cool experience, because we could see with our four eyes the change that took place in his heart as we talked with him. We introduced the Book of Mormon, and at that point in the discussion, he seemed wholly devoted to learning more. And now he wants us to come back and teach him! Such a cool blessing.

We also met Rosi and Rudi. They're old investigators who I'd thought moved. Turns out I had accidentally just knocked on the door of the house right next to theirs which looks exactly like their house. Whoops. But hey, we found 'em! They are such cool peeps. We walked in and they were just so thankful that we'd take the time to knock on their door and teach them about God and whatnot. They just ate up the message of the Restoration and it was one of the best lessons I've ever been a part of!

And we've just seen a lot of cool little stuff like that this week. I'm as happy as a... what's the phrase? An oyster? Something like that. Anyway, I hope everyone has a very nice week! And I will talk to you soony.

Elder Slavens