Booby traps from Buti

And Away We GOOOOO!!!

Well to be honest i can't believe how fast this week has gone by, and to tell you the truth i can't really say what happened this week it just seems to be a blur to me right now. so let me think for a bit.

So the cool thing that really has happened this week is that Anthony and Victoria are going to get married, and the colors are baby blue and white. they are getting engaged in december and married in august. which is HUGE progress, and like Dr Marvin says baby steps, baby steps. so we are continueing to work with them and hopefully i'll get a wedding invite from them which will be neat.

Some other news it is offical people still are calling us a cult and it's still alive and true in the south. yep Meka was told by a family member not to talk to us because yes we are a cult and we don't believe that Christ is our Savior but is only a prophet. so after a long conversation on the phone she calmed down quite a bit, those phone calls are always fun, not only because it's an easy way to bear testimony but it also helps the other person out more than i can think of.

this week we also had a great time with a Game Night where we had a members invite their friends to play games with each other, we had all types of games from settlers to uno to phase ten to apples to apples. all types of games under the sun, not only was it a good activity to have members get to know each other better but it also helped investigators to realize that we aren't a cult. we had a pretty good turn out which really helped the newer people get to know some of the other people.

I think that most of our time went to a less active family were the youngest got the Aaronic Priesthood this week and also we were able to really get to know them better, and to mend bridges that were once damaged. so that was a really good turning point in our life in ozark south area.

for me i think that this week is best defined as actually sumbitting myslef to gods will instead of trying to bend god to my will, and because of that it not only makes me a LOT happier, but it also helps me become the type of missionary/person that i was called to become. it just makes life easier to know that all the little things that are going on and that even if i did slip up on one little rule here is my chance to change what I should change, and to put it in simplier terms to love god with all my might heart mind and soul. Because then i know that if i'm loving God then the rest of will just fall into place. I'll wake up on time so i can then spend more time with my God then resting from the last days activities. that was a very much a turning point in this week for me, to realize that yes God loves me but expects me to do my best and not do all the work for me.

so yeah it's been a good week but also a fast week as well.

beware of the traps that are always being laid especially from your companion, like the plastic you put infront of you computer so it dosen't mess up the carpet, that's been fliped upside down. with the pokie things sticking up. yes beware.

Jan where have you gone? i miss you and your letters/ blog posts /photos of the kids.

Jethro well first of all yes i agree we need to watch raising arizona and many other great movies, as for the assignement, First Elder Butikofer likes Arnold Swarzinager and wants to be a bodybuilder. Second he LOVES Halo and everything that goes along with that. Third over the last couple of nights he has been setting up booby traps around the house. Forth he is just a goof ball and a funny guy to be around, and reminds me a lot of Zach Spencer especially when zach gets excited. Fifth he knows that the Zombie apocolipse is going to happen any day and to kill a zombie you need to decapitate it. so far the funnest missionary i've been with, even though i've been a little stinker for a bit, but i'm out of that grove.

Thad Way to go on reading the scriptures and also trying to stay productive. and i would say that you should try to do the next shifts job so they don't have to do it. but if it's the same then i'm out of ideas. have fun with the road trip.

Toni i think it just might be being pregnant that make life seem a bit harder. but then again i've never been there, so you'll just need to relaxe and quit worring about stuff you can't control.

Camille happy 21 birthday you are now an offical adult.

Jon even though you were the odd man out you'll soon realize that your going to be wearing that type of clothing every single day FYI

Roxanne You NEED to keep me updated on this whole mission thing, because it's always a blast to know where a new missionary is going, my guess is Quebec Canada

One final farewell. . .

What's up Buddy!

well everything is going really good down here on Fort Rucker. the members are feeding us very well and we keep helping people move in or preach the gospel.

so first of all the biggest thing is that we got Meka to come to church this week, she's a great lady from Wal-mart who just loves being friendly to us, well we had a great time in a lesson with her on Friday it was really good and we had member come with us which makes lessons so much easier, well anyways after the lesson we helped her get some stuff out of her old apartment and it was just a neat experience to help her out not only spiritually but also physically.

the other neat thing this week was we went tracting in a neighborhood and we were able to teach somebody and even have a return appointment, something that doesn't really happen it's really cool her name is Betty Mathew she's again a sweet lady and had talked to the missionaries before and i think she really liked what we presented so hopefully this will turn out to be a really good thing and we'll be able to help her along the way along with us.

other than that life has been marching on faster and faster than i can imagine, it feel like i just got out of this library to email you guys and now i'm back in here doing it again.

alright other than that the neat experience that i had was we went to a surprise party for President Summerhays to wish him one final goodbye and to see him one more time, can i just tell you that he is just such a great man and has changed my life for the better and i'll be indebted to him forever, but i guess that's what all the missionaries say about their Mission President. well anyways I'm going to miss them quite a bit, but it really doesn't matter who it is. all that matters is if i'm doing what's right day by day and if the person above me is doing what's right day by day, and then finally if i'm serving the lord with all my strength and might and mind and soul. because at the end of the day that's the person i report to.

well this has been a short letter but i must admit it's just like every other week. sleep, eat, preach, repeat.

I love you guys and i'll send you an update as soon as i get to know the new mission president, President Jensen.

Ben, that movie sounds powerful so your going to have to buy it so i can watch it as soon as i get back. and to answer your question, when i don't respond it's because you either don't ask me questions or i just don't get an email. you might of last week but i might of sent it before i got it, FYI.

Jethrothad Sounds like it's always a party with you guys and thad you've been up and down so many times from Logan I just can't believe it. but your doing quite a good job sub-ing for me and beetle, thanks and jethro way to be the man of the house and i can tell that not taking a job has really been a blessing not only for robyn but also the kids and yourself. you are doing what your supposed to be doing. and the lord will provide for what you need.

Robyn I can't believe that Sophiemargot is starting to walk, it doesn't seem possible when i left she was still just a little ball you just held and occasionally had to pull back from the table. so she wouldn't grab stuff. also the kids should not be talking so much by the time i get back I'll actually be able to understand them, which is freaking me out just a bit. as for the stuff, just send some extra love maybe a good old cd that would be nice.

Beetle can you believe that you only have like 4 transfers left you'll have to tell me as soon as you know about where your going during your next transfer which is coming up!!! and you'll have to take care of all the youngens when you get back, for me please....

Mom it's alright to talk about home and what you've done in the week, it makes it more personal than just uplifting words, not to shoot you down but i'm reading those things all day everyday, it's just nice to have a little break to know how you are doing.

to everyone else Please Email so i can write you back. No matter what you say it's important and I do miss you.

Elder Gillespie

Cell-o you've got a bass

So how is everything going on west of the Mississippi?... well that's sounds great everything here is going pretty good. this week has been kind of slow but it's definitely not been a slow week, so lets start of at the beginning, a very good place to start.

so the stage is set, Me and Elder Butikofer come back to the apartment after having a great dinner on Post (Base) and visiting a couple of people as well. so as we stumble back into the apartment we get ready for bed, when Elder B. start to itch everywhere, and he starts having hives break out all over him. well he just thought that it's just a random thing and he'll get over it during the night.

the next morning he wakes up and is miserable and doesn't feel quite like himself, so he goes to the store early in the morning and gets some Benadryl and that should take care of the problem. right? ummm..... not so much so he continues to take the pills and now his body is well covered in swelling and full of red marks that are on his arms and elbows and hands and waist and knees and so on. note Elder Butikofer has been betrothed to a girl back home named bridgette and i've heard nothing but good about her, and he also has a ring from her like a wedding band. so monday he continues to deal with swelling and the itching and calls the mission nurse and she gives him some more ideas. and all this time we are trying to figure out what is going on and why does he continue to break out and itch so bad, and we think that it's a food allergy or maybe something else, we are shooting a moving target in the dark.... so monday night comes and B. starts breaking out again and it just keeps getting more and more swelling so again we think that in the morning it'll get better. we go to sleep or at least i do, then about 3 am i wake up and pee, nothing new there, and Butikofer walks to me and says hey this isn't getting better, at this point we agree at the same time it's time to go to the doctor. so we jump in the car and start heading to the hospital, right now B's hands look like they have been inflated and or look like sausages with a ring that doesn't want to come off. the hand looked like it was eating the ring. we get to the ER and look and... nobody was there, so we get in and he is getting treated immediately which was such a great relief, he went in and it only took about a half an hour for them to get him a Benadryl shot, and cut of the ring, which he hasn't ever taken off for about a year. so we came back home to Elder Cox just chill'n on the couch reading and Elder O'niones comes out for a drink of water while we are just on the couch and he is taken back that this is happening and just heads back to bed, i'm still wired so i read a little bit before i realize that i'm falling asleep, which is happening quite a bit. well anyways we wake up the next morning and go to work and we take it easy just so we don't make it worse still not knowing what's going on. this continues for the next couple of days that Butikofer breaks out for some reason. we were able to get a prescription so that he wouldn't break out but i don't think it work. so anyways the days go by and we finally just tough it out till we get to Zone Conference, which was a very special meeting and everybody who needed something to get answered got the answer through the holy ghost. that was a very very good meeting and the best news that i got was that I'm on the right track and i'll be alright i just need to set and keep the pattern here on the mission so i become a new person when i get home.

with all that we also got some more enlightenment from Sister Summerhays who has become our nurse and she told us what to do to get rid of the breaking out, the interesting part of this is it wasn't until we got back to the apartment the Elder B. broke out so we think as of right now that it's something in the apartment which is making him break out well we got everything working the way it's supposed to and all that other stuff, and even called the mission doctor and he gave us the best information about it that it's probably just a virus that made him break out with hives. so that was the really neat thing about this whole trial that it was going to be alright be that we needed to rely on the lord, even though he wasn't going to take away the illness he was going to comfort us and help us through the trials so that we may know how to help other people and how to get through the hard times and also to make us not whine so much.

well that's the exciting things going on in the Ozark area, we have been having a great time and this week looks a lot better with no illness in the forecast, just a lot of thunderstorms which are my favorite. by the way thanks for the photos Robyn

Mom, you're the best how else can i say it.

Toni, could you do me a favor again... i ran out of stationary but only if you want to.

Jan, you'll have to tell me where you guys are so i can send some letters or stuff.

Jethro, Great letter and on sugguestion, if you come with a question to church it'll will get answered, but you have to pay attention, also i'm jealous of the playing with the kids and drawing.

John way to go! now the hard thing is not having you parents try to stop by while your there but you know you'll stay focused, and being in a states mission is so much better than you'll realize. one word Wal-Mart and is joe really almost home? and kick richard for me i don't know why just do it.

Dad it's good to hear about the new meds i'm glad your feeling alright just take it easy for a while ok, don't go to hard you might hurt yourself more than is necessary.

well all is well here because of the peace i feel through the Atonement of Christ. he makes everything feel right.

Love
Elder Matthew Gillespie

Relearning

Ello Everybody,

well I guess a little from the front of the south, yes i'm becoming a true dixie, well probably not but it's fun to say anyways, so cool things in the week. well umm... nothing much has changed we still do the same thing everyday, visit less active members, tracting and eat food with poeple. One interesting thing that is going on is that some of the people we visited came to church this last week which was a really good success, it's always amazing to see the fire rebuilding in someones life. i guess that's what i'm here to do, to help people feel the spirit and come closer to Christ.

so now to something else, this week i've been studying in Jesus the Christ, and like everyone says the first part didn't really make sense but later on it makes so much more, and that's what i've found out, that the cool thing that i didn't realize before is that Jesus was just like each and everyone of us, he learned how to tie his shoes the same way and he learned that fires are hot and you shouldn't put your hand in it because it'll burn you, which is why i think he often talked about children as being the people that will enter into heaven, because they are so easy to influence that they can be changed into the people that god needs in his kingdom. the other cool thing is that no matter whay you read in the book of mormon you can always find something new and exciting that means so much to you on an individual level. and it's something that I need to improve on, instead of just reading be a pupil to god and learn what he wants me to learn. to be more observant. other than that i feel like i'm becoming more and more the person that i need to be.

well away from the spiritual side and to the fun side. we had a year mark party this last week, it was O'niones year mark and to celebrate we made a giant card, had a lot of streamer paper, lots of balloons and a cake. all in all a great success. so what we did is we started making a cake and then went to decorating the balloons and the room well to our surprise o'niones comes home early so we then shuffled him to his room blind folded and told him to wait till we were done. we then hurried to complete filling the 200 balloons and decorating the cake. which we did in no time at all. we then put all the balloons in the hallway and set a fan to blow into it to keep the balloons moving and to keep them from flying out we made a streamer tape mesh guard in the opening of the hallway. so at that point of having everything done we then let O' out of the room to celebrate which he did, all in all a great success. and to be one of the best year mark parties that anyone has ever had.

so now to something completely different, this week has also been a really great one to teach lessons over the last couple of days we have had the opportunity to really get to know and to teach powerfully, the first is Mekhah she's a really great lady who had a lot of trouble the last couple of weeks so she was really open to get to know us and has the potential to go really far. the other lesson that me and Elder Butikofer, was with Anthony we've been teaching him for a while but yesterday he really asked some good questions, that he was honestly asking, and i know that he got the answers he was in need of. which was a really cool experience. umm...

The work is going on and everything seems to be going really good, i'm happy and exhausted. just like every missionary should be.

Love Elder Matthew Gillespie

Toni you should keep writing because it's not boring and it also offers a different insight on how your doing, it also allows you to figure out what your problems are and what you should do to solve the situation. but i guess that doesn't always works with a two year old.

Thad. way to go on the roof, I bet that it went up faster than you even realized, especially with both Jethro and Dad both excellent at learning/figuring out how to roof.

Robyn those pictures are adorable and something that i can hardly wait to see. all those little guys we're going to have so many adventures when beetle and me get back you just won't know what to do.

Jethro. your advice couldn't have been any better, and goes along with what my mission president said today, that unless we commit ourselves to doing the best that we can then the lord will commit to bless us with all that he has.

Mom I love you SOOO MUCH and it sounds like you've had quite an experience this week so much so that grandma was so excited. i hope you guys kept good notes so i could relive it with you later, oh wait I don't have to do that because it'll keep on happening to every time there is a grandchild. by the way how are all the cousins. toby and zach and such.

Dad I don't quite believe you about you heath but you'll have to give me an update next week about the Dr. visit. but if you aren't lying then i'm so glad that you are feeling better.

Beetle you're awesome and i miss you but like you said we're in this together.

Memorial Day

Hello Everybody

This week has been crazy, first of all we had transfers this week and so that meant that Elder Kanis needed to start packing up for the big move, and he went to De Funiak Spring Florida. and instead of being with Elder Crawford, i'm now with Elder Butikofer, he's from Idaho and he's really cool and a fun guy to be around. (sorry coach, but it's the truth) he's funny and reminds me of myself actually he's a hard worker and loves to have fun no matter what's going on. We have had some amazing experiences so far, he doesn't mind going tracting and so we try to do it as much as we can, which has actually ended up being very eventful.

First we started talking to a lot of people and a lot of people have taken quite a bit of material which has been a miracle.

Second since we started knocking we have been able to run into 3 Less Actives and are now trying to find their records so they can be a part of the ward. all of them seem pretty dang cool.

Third Elder Butikofer just fits in with every house hold, and have been able to get into peoples houses which before i wasn't able to get into.

Fourth we have gotten some pretty good referrals so far. one came yesterday, her name is Jennie she got referred by a friend so we went to her house and talked to her for a while and she just wants to read for herself but she seems so ready for the gospel.

Fifth he actually seems interested in what i say and wants to do stuff, and also is really big in to exercise so i think i'll be able to get pretty big this transfer.

Sixth as a "family" me Butikofer, O'niones, and Cox have come together to set some house rules or family rules, along with family Goals and Family themes nights. which so far have been really fun to do. and i'll tell more when i get home It'll be really fun to do.

Seventh it's like we just work together so well, so we should have some fun stories and hopefully we'll be able to be together for a while.

Eight We as a family got a new exercise piece of equipment, it's a full on weight machine be we still haven't quite put it all together, it's the dang cables and pullies that we don't understand how they go.

So all in all i could continue this list but it's just so easy to say that everything is just going the right way and i don't feel like i really deserve that. but maybe i'll help out the next place i'm at. this is going to be a great.

Janben, Way to go on the spanish language and i can't believe that your almost ready to go back to San Antonio, i can remember when mom and dad helped you guys move down their that was so quick i can't believe it.... does time just continue to go faster the older you get?

Jethroybn, your kids are adorable and you guys are doing great and i can't believe that it's summertime for school again. jethro your awesome, keep up the good work.

Toniben, Ben your job sounds like your the middle man between the engineers and the sales people, so you have to speak like 2 different languages and you have to understand all of what the customer wants, it sounds like your going to be in for a ride but the other thing is that you've always been able to go from the small fish to the big fish, so i think you'll own the company soon or at least be able to do something that will change the world.

Thad how's the work going? how do you keep yourself from not dying with that crazy work schedule? do you have too much free time or are you actually doing work? or to put it better do you know what's going on?

Beetle I got your letter and it was awesome i don't know if you sent another one but i got the one with some stickers and it was right after the phone call. I liked it a lot thank you again I miss you too and it's fun to hear about all the crazy things going on. but i can totally understand how to look on the bright side.

Love

Elder Gillespie

A Witty Title

Hi Everybody (Hi, Dr. Nick!)

alright now that we are all on the same page. lets talk some business. what's the down low in ozark alabama? well from last week not a whole lot, we continue to try to see every investigator that we have and also continue to try to find new investigators. which isn't going too well with everything, but you can't always have what you want. but what i do have i'm very grateful for especially a family, friends and a companions that work, and work together, which has happened.

So....

Miracles since last time. this last week I went on a trade-off with Elder Fox to Andalusia, another tiny town about 60 miles west and a bit south of ozark, but it is a beautiful town with a good-hearted people, which i was able to meet. well anyways during this trade-off i was able to just relax a bit and look at what problems were facing me and what kind of things i could do to change. which i was able to identify and just go full force at it. and since coming back i don't feel nearly as stressed or nearly as worried as i was before. so i'm just going forward with no problem or worries. well there are some but i'm working so this will be good.

as for another miracle.... remember how beetle talked about being a confessional box for people well she couldn't have described it better, but what the amazing thing was that me and my companion Elder Kanis were able to not only give advice but we were both thinking of the same thing to tell her what to do. which again is the small things in life which are really big, for me it represents that not only are we working together but that we both had the spirit which means that we are doing the right thing.

another little miracle and another fact about the gospel is that it is simple and true no matter where you go in the church, so in sacrament meeting we had amazing talks, and they all came across the same thing, or that's what i got out of it. and it's something that President Summerhays taught us. and it's simply "going with the PROS"

P for prayer, sincere prayer, a prayer where you are willing to act.

R is for Reading/ studying the scriptures, to feast upon the words of Christ

O is for Obedience, when obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment god will endow us with power. (President Benson)

S is for Service, going and doing the good things.

and that's what the gospel is when we do these things for ourselves and for others and God, we then access the Atonement of Christ which will not only make everything right in our life, but it will fix the problems we have and heal our broken hearts and hands so we can then help others. so we can all come back to God and live as one family in his presence for the rest of eternity.

well that's one thing that i got this week, again something not new, but still profound. This mission has really been a great boost to my testimony and to actually know what the gospel is and how it works. which i guess the next thing is to share that with the world. and i'll continue to do so all of my life. at least that's what i think i should do.

So all in all life is good. and i'm getting a new companion Elder Crawford and he'll come up to ozark with me for the next 6 weeks of my and his life so far he sounds awesome/legit.

Jan the house sitting job sounds awesome and i bet you can't wait for your kids to be self-sufficient.

Thad I can't believe that curtis got married i didn't even get an announcement so you're going to have to give him a stern look from me.

Beetle thanks for your email. i think i usually fall in the earlier numbers and i'm doing my best to be a solid 4 you're already a 4 i can just tell.

Ben your trip sounded awesome and amazing which i'm very impressed about. and want to do something crazy like that later, not for a while.

Mom for p-day for the last couple of weeks we've gone fishing at someones house, we catch bass and brim, but we throw them back so we don't have to eat them.

Dad you're very ambitious to do the plumbing for the upstairs and i probably would have told you to just wait till you got everything in order. And you are almost ready for the roof in logan that'll be awesome to complete and i bet thad will help you now that he isn't working in the dead of night.

Sara Larson Congrats on graduating i got both letters and i can't believe that your growing up so fast. well anyways you'll do great.

All in All have a good Week.

Love

Elder Gillespie

one of the fishes i caught over the last couple of P-days

many of the church signs in the south

the panama city beach from a members house

Peace Through Hard Times

Hello

Well I guess it's time to talk about the adventures that i've had this past week. so let me think.....

1) I met one of the coolest guys while tracting he has fallen in love with genealogy and has many and many guns. his name is william libby and loves to do all types of things. but mostly guns and genealogy. I thought that most of the world just didn't really care about their ancestors but now i've found that to be wrong, he loves the stories that have happened to his family and how a small town doesn't really ask where you came from because you'll find out you came from the same grandpa or grandma.

2) it's starting to get hot.... while beetle is getting rain, i'm getting sun... and i hear that it only gets hotter. right now it's in the upper 80's to low 90's with 50 -70 percent humidity which really isn't all that bad. but it's supposed to get to the 100's with just about 100% humidity so i think it'll be like the south carolina family reunion trip, where you just step out side and you start dripping.

3) I got a new Boxspring mattress, the one that i was sleeping on before had a lovely depression in the middle, so it felt more like a hammock than a bed. well that might be a bit of a tall tale.

4) People apparently like us missionaries, well the ones that don't just shut the door on our faces, but a few occasions people just let us into their homes and we just have a good old conversation. which has been really nice to have in the AC houses.

5) apparently the oil slick is starting to wash up on some of the beaches, which isn't good. good thing i'm not on the beach right now.

6) honest communications is the answer to most of the problems in most companionships, or relationships in general.

other than that this has been kind of a slow week, as for the things i've learned.

The happiest i'll ever be is when i follow the rules. Not only do i not get into trouble but also i also feel better about what i'm doing, something that i've had to find out the hard way. The other thing is that at times, when nobody else will do anything you have to do it yourself. Again something that has taken a bit of time for me to understand and to put into practice. And finally God is merciful and his mercy applies to those who are meek and lowly, or a heart that is broken and contrite. and He has great power to save and to lift, but we have to go to Him and believe that He will help us. That is what i've truly been enlightened on this week.

Belief and Hope. two things that I Need to work on more. The other thing that i've learned is to always have a goal or an action to work towards. Now I have those so this week will be fun and interesting. One more Doubt not, again something i need to work on doing, Because Doubt is of the Satan he wants us miserable just like him...

so those are just a few thoughts i've had the last little bit of my life.

Love Elder Gillespie

Sis Cranney I'm so glad to hear from you I love you and all that you've done. Thank you so much, and soon enough Spencer and I will be back.

Ben F. thank you for your letter and for the talk that was really what i needed to hear, but I've all ready heard it before. i think i've got a really thick skull. you'll have to check that out when i get back.

Jan I don't know what to do with Dogs, if you were here you could just let him loose in the woods until someone found him, but i don't think you want to do that.

Ben Russia sounds awesome, i was surprised to hear that it's not dirty. but then again you've lived in that area so i think you know what dirty is. i just go into the ghettos around here, but there really aren't any.

Toni way to go on not stressing about the laundry thing. that must of been a shock, but now it's a fun memory. come what may and love it...

Jethro. good luck with set up and take down. it's awesome that you are doing so well with classes, as for the house plan, i like it and it sounds like it's going to work. I love your creativity.

Robyn programs are easy you've got it in the bag. and it wouldn't surprise me if lincoln is 4 and half feet tall when i get back and sophia sounds like a wiggle baby like none other. i can't wait, oh boy oh boy.....

Thad you're a trooper for helping baby sit. I bet that really helped robyn and mom out a lot.

Mom i loved your letter and keep sending them if you want to i love reading those talks, in fact see what each of the kid's favorite talks are and then i'll read them on p-day or you could send them.

Dad I agree with Jethro put in the Tire swing the kids will love it. and it sounds like you and mom are taking over the youth program again. i guess you guys are never going to be released as parents to the youth in the ward.