Week 39: 9 Months!!!

Hey Family,

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 33:3-4

Clay Matthews...er Elder Q

Wow week 39 that makes it sound like i have been out for a pretty good amount of time. This thursday is my 9 month mark! Can you believe that? It literally feels like yesterday that i entered the MTC, so crazy. Yesterday was the year mark of when i went through the temple for the first time. Where does the time go honestly? Im going to be 20 really soon! where has my life gone? 20 years old that is just really crazy to think about. If im going to be 20, how old does that make you mom and dad?? you are getting up there, you are grandparents and your second child is going to be 20 wowsers. Ha just kidding you two dont look a day over 30.... (brownie points?)

Well this week has been really very good. As far as the weather goes we have seen a bit of everything. As i already told you last monday was in the 50s and then we had two days back in the 90s with wicked bad humidity. The easterners call that an indian summer. But now today it is cooled down again it was 48 on the drive over here. Ive decided i dont mind the cool weather cause that humidity was miserable, i am sure that once the 20 below weather is here i wont be saying that any more but for now i am good with the cool weather. Other than the fact it means i have to wear a suit jacket all the time again, o well ill get over it. 

Last week when Elder Vanderholm and i found out we were going to both be staying in newport we started discussing what we could do to get things moving along a bit better and to find some more people to teach. We decided we would have a companionship fast, and wow what success we have seen. One of the things we decided is we just need to open our mouths and talk to more people while we are out and about. Sometimes as a missionary you get into a rut and just dont feel like talking to everyone on the street, so i had to get back into talk to everyone mode and we are getting there. We had some cool miracles though one night while we were out and about we bumped into a guy named  who was actually a former investigator. I remember Elder walker and uhl talking about him and how solid he was. He has been in jail for a few months, so he has a lot of issues but really has a sincere desire to change. He came to church yesterday which was awesome. A few days later we were walking around and met another Former investigator who also would like to learn more. Fasting works. 

Church was amazing yesterday. First off we had 3 investigators there. That is the most ive ever had on one sunday very cool. A member of the stake presidency spoke yesterday, and it was such a good talk, he spoke on the importance of keeping all the commandments and all of our covenants soo good. 

The district is not the same with Elder Guinn gone. I really felt so weird without him on wednesday. And the little punk made it to maine before i did. That was a bet we had going on who would make it to maine first and he beat me. But yea it was just weird not to have him there after 6 months with that kid you kinda grow partial to him. 

So this week i became very very glad that i spent the extra money on my shoes that i did. Elder Vanderholms shoes blew out, (his second pair). Mine however are still rocking it. I have wore just my one pair all but maybe 15 days since ive been out. So my 2nd pair is still brand new, i wear them to meeting and special events. The goal is to wear one pair for the whole two years and see how worn out i can get them and still have them usable. If you take good care of them they still look great even after everyday for 9 months. 

I start physical therapy on thursday so i can start getting my back strengthened back to where it should be. We helped with a wood project this week, and im a little bit sore but not bad at all so that a great sign. Mom i agree with your theory that multiple things were going on with it at one time, also am starting to think the head aches were not related to the back problems. Why you may ask... well i have not really had the head aches like i did in lynodn since in newport, and the other day elder guinn decided to take the little filter off the faucet in the kitchen in the lyndon apartment and it was COVERED in black mold! So for six months i was drinking black mold. Im pretty sure that is where the headaches were coming from. 

The people we helped with the wood had a dog, and it really made miss my pups so you should send some pics of them sometime as well. The other day i found myself starting to forget the sires of my cows. I was upset about it for a while and then decided its ok i will just have to work back into it when i get home. 

Sorry this email is so scattered i keep thinking of things that have to do with stuff i already wrote. oh well. One of the things we are doing to get the work rolling here in newport is having a 40 day fast. We are starting it on september 24 and it will end november 2nd. Our hope is to have at least one member of the branch fasting on each day, and then on the 2nd to conclude the fast we are going to have a big fire side. we are hoping to get president stoker to come speak at the fireside it will be really cool. The branch seems to be excited about it as well. 

Hmmmm well i cant think of anything else i was going to tell you. But i sure do love you all!

Hold to the rod

Tonernation over and out