Slow but Good!

Everything is going Great!  The members do a pretty good job of taking care of us-especially the Maiava's.  They're awesome!  The missionary work is a little slow in our area.  Our area is pretty small compared to the rest of the zone and we are mainly working with less active or recent converts right now since we don't have any investigators.  We thought we had one though because we were standing on the corner of a street looking at our map to look where less actives lived to go visit, and this guy drove up and stopped at the stop sign rolled down his window and said, "Tell me about your church, when and where do you meet?"  So we went over and talked to him, gave him our number and a restoration pamphlet, and he said he would come to church on Sunday.  Well, he never did show up, so we called him and he said some things came up and so he wants to visit with us to learn more.  Hopefully, we can be able to meet with him!  We'll see how that goes.  Don't worry, I already pray for the family each day!  Thank you for your support!  I do Love you guys, even though I don't really express it!  Can mom send me the cake mix cookie recipe, rice Krispie treats, and any other easy treat or easy dinner recipes please!  I hope everything is going well for you guys!

Love,
Shad

Fun at the Ocean

Everything is going Great!  My companion is great, but he's kinda strict though.  The ward members are good, especially a couple of them.  They don't feed us a ton, though, so there are some nights we have to cook, but it's alright.  I learned how to make stuffed french toast and it's super good!  I was wondering if you could send some recipes either in the mail or email-especially German pancakes.  I haven't taken a lot of pics because I've been busy.  We went to the beach yesterday (March 4th) and so that's why I didn't email yesterday because we were there.  I got burned which luckily turned into a tan.  It was super fun and way cool to see the ocean for the first time.  We played beach volleyball, football, ultimate frisbee, and rugby.  It was AWESOME!  So that was super fun!  We don't have other missionaries live with us yet, but we will soon I think.  Our apartment is by Saratoga Road in Santa Clara, Ca.  We get about $140 a month and then the Polynesians in our ward always give us money for food.  Brother Maiava took us to Tony Roma's and bought us steak and ribs!  I haven't got the package yet, but the mission office says it's there and so we have to go pick it up.  Thomas M. emailed me and it sounds like he's doing great and having some good experiences.  That's awesome that you finally got that job.  I'm sure that will be a great blessing!  :)  But, everything is going great!  I hope everything is going well or goes even better for the family!  Here's some pictures, but I'll send the memory card so you can put all of them on the computer!

Love,
Shad

Shad, Elder Vance, and ?

Elders and Sisters at the beach!

Some day.........

Elder Whaley and Elder Vance

First Letter From California

It's going great! The people in our ward are awesome! We get fed quite a bit and some members just give us money or take us out to eat quite often.  I'm on a bike and my legs are killing me for now.  Hopefully I can get used to that. My companion is Elder Vance from Mapleton, Utah. He's a really good companion. He likes alot of the same things so I think we'll get along. I will have to try and send you pics next week since I don't have the camera with me. We have to go to a libary to email. I am kinda in the Santa Clara, San Jose area.  I need all that stuff and a pair of jeans since we do a lot of service. So I need an extra pair and maybe some candy haha and all packages have to be sent to the mission home.  Some recipes would be nice like for breakfast and lunch mainly.  My apartment address is 100 Buckingham Dr. appt. #249.  If you could put the mission office and my address up on FB that would be great and also mention they have to write me first if they want to hear from me because we're always busy.  Yes, it is really hot, but it's funy because all the locals are wearing hoodies and jackets and complaining that it's cold. But everything is going good so far. We've only taught 2 lessons so far, but this week we have quite a few more. But I'm excited for next p-day because we are planning on going to the beach!  Today I think  we're going to go play tennis, play some rugby, and maybe bowling. No, I didn't get initiated.  I don't think that will happen because the mission president doesn't like pranks.  Some guys already got chewed out for it.  Our president is pretty cool.  One thing I forgot to mention is the second day I was here, we were riding our bikes and this bullet bike goes flying down the road with 5 cop cars chasing him.  It was pretty cool.  It looked like something out of a movie.  Mom, you asked if we have any stores like Walmart here.  We have a Ross and a Target in our area. So it's pretty great so far. I think I'll enjoy it!

Love Shad

Shad and President and Sr. Watkins

Shad and his first companion, Elder Vance

Last email from MTC

It's great to hear from you guys. I'm doing good and yes, I did get your package. Thank you so much. The food is really good here. I probably have eaten too much since I've gained 17 pounds haha. It probably doesn't help that I drank 5 glasses of chocolate milk in 18 seconds haha and all the challenges they give me at meals. I guess I just don't back down. Anyways, it's really good here. I just got back going through the provo temple. It's really cool in there and the spirit here is so strong. It's awesome and I really enjoy it. Right now I am the district leader because our district leader/companion went home about a week and a half into it. So, its just me and Elder Porter and the trio is gone. But, anyways, I saw Jake C. He's doing pretty good it seems like. So I leave to California at 5 a.m. on Wednesday to get on the plane. So,I might be able to call. I'm not sure if I can call when I land since 5 a.m. is early. Since I'll be leaving, can you put the mission's home adress on facebook so it stops coming to the MTC? That would be great. I'm pretty sure I can email other people, I just don't have a lot of time to email. I hope you guys are doing alright with everything, especially with that room and work. It's crazy how fast the MTC went by and I'm already going to California! It's exciting and nerve racking at the same time. Anyways, love you guys! Whitney- it was great to hear from you. That's awesome you get to go to Lagoon! But, I get to go to California... jk. Anyways, that's really cool. About the whole valentines thing dont waste your money. Save it and you're only in Jr. High! Trust me, I already tried it and was stupid. Just hang out with friends and have a good time and do your homework. Just tell that boy that you just want to be friends and you're not even 16. Thank you for all the notes and candy it was great! Austin- I hope you're joking about all that stuff you wrote on the heart in the package! Cuz if not, someone is going get a smack down in 2 years. Vanessa- that's awesome that you got asked to the dance. Hopefully it was fun. Hopefully, you're not causing too much drama! Love, Shad P.S. Don't paint my wall or touch the drums or anything in the closet! PLEASE! Thanks

Shad in front of the Provo temple.

Shad with his two companions.

Shad with Elders and Sisters.

Elders so serious and Sisters having fun!

Shad with his good friend Jake C. from Logan!

First email home

So today is p-day. I'm doing good. It's really great here, stressful, but good. It's pretty much so much information, its like drinking from a fire hydrant. The first day though, my host that took me from the curb, took me to the wrong building and put my stuff in the wrong room! I didn't know that, so we just dropped it off and went straight to class and started on a lesson and by the end of the day, when I went back to the right room, my stuff wasn't there, so me and my companions had to go searching for it in different buildings. We eventually found it, two buildings over on the other side of campus. My companions are great. Elder Christensen is from Boise, ID and Elder Porter is from Ogden, UT and its just us 3 in a room with 4 beds so we have a lot of extra room. They're bringing in more beds for the upcoming missionaries so instead of a 4 person bedroom, they're making it 6 so its going to be packed. The 2nd day or the first full day we were here, we had to teach an investigator (teacher) and it was a lot more difficult than I thought, especially with some of the stuff they come up with. The days are so long, it feels like I've been here for a full week or longer. All the days are beginning to mesh together. Today we went through the Provo temple, which was really cool. It's going well! Oh ya, I've seen Thomas M., Sam P., Jaqueline Lee, Jacob Nelson (from Logan), Andy Millward, Raymond Phillips (from Logan), Jake Powell, and Bo Briggs. Also can you send my patriarchal blessing, too, please? That would be great! Anyways, I hope you guys are doing well and that there isn't anything else wrong with the house and everyone is doing alright. Oh, also we're leaving the MTC the 20th of Febuary. We already have our flight schedules. Love You, Shad P.S. Austin- keep doing the missionary prep with the Galbraith's. They do a lot of role playing, and its difficult! Vanessa- stop causing drama.... if you are- which you probably are. Whitney- do your home work after you get home from school, not at night.

Saying Goodbye!

We headed to Utah on Tuesday, February 5th.  We stopped through Logan, UT to say goodbye to a couple of friends.  We then went to aunt Lezlee's and stayed with them the night before entering the MTC.  They took us out to eat at JCWs and we had a great visit before going to bed.  Shad didn't have to check into the MTC until 2:15.  Apparently there were suppose to be 800 missionaries entering the MTC that day. From what we understand, they normally get 300 missionaries on a regular Wednesday.   On Wednesday, February 6th, we went out to eat at Chuck-A-Rama.  Of course we ate too much!  We then hurried up to the Provo temple to meet up with Shad's friend, Thomas Meacham, before he had to check in the MTC at 1:30.  We were able to get a couple of pictures with him and wished him well.  We then drove down to the parking lot of the Provo temple and walked around the temple grounds taking pictures and spending time as a family.  It was nice to spend some time together! We saw a lot of missionaries heading up to the temple to do some temple work.  We also met many future missionaries getting ready to check into the MTC that day.  It was a bittersweet time!  We held it together pretty well until right before we were saying our final good byes and mom looked at Vanessa and she was crying.  That started the waterworks!

We then loaded in the van and headed to the MTC.  They told us to stay on the right side and go to marker #23.  As we got there, a deer was running around, lost.  When we stopped, Dad, Mom, and Shad got out to meet the Host.  We were able to give Shad quick hugs good bye and help him get his luggage out.  Shad seemed very serious and nervous.  It was sad to watch him walk away.  After driving away, we had a cry fest-at least the girls did.  We headed home after dropping Shad off.  Our drive home took an extra hour because it was so foggy and we took the Twin Falls exit instead of the Pocatello exit.  :(  It felt weird to come home with one less person there.  Even seeing his garbage lying around made Mom cry! 

Shad with his buddy Thomas heading into the MTC the same day.

Saying goodbye to Austin!

Whaley family!

Shad with mom and dad.

Shad with his brother Austin.

Shad with his sister Vanessa.

Shad with his youngest sister, Whitney.

Shad torturing his sisters.

Shad with mom and dad.

Shad with mom.

Shad with dad.

The 3 boys of the family.

Saying goodbye to Vanessa.

Saying goodbye to Whitney.

Saying goodbye to Dad.

Saying goodbye to Mom.

Listening to his host's instructions.

Getting everything out of the van.

Going.....going....

Gone.  And he's off!

Mission Pictures

Our Home Teacher is the Executive Secretary and wanted to take pictures of Shad for his mission plaque.  Here they are.  Shad chose the first picture for his plaque.  For his mission plaque, he chose the scripture:  Jeremiah 16:16.   He liked that it had hunting and fishing in it, and that it was about missionary work!

Elder Shad Whaley