P-Day Fun in July

July 28th, 2015

Dear Elder Bailey, 

So we got a couple of pictures from Sister Clawson last week.  You were with an Elder Bambo.  Is he a new companion or were you on splits?  Anyway, it is always so good to get pictures!!!!!!!

Speaking of pictures, here is one that I think you might enjoy.  I noticed on Facebook that Jeremy Harvey was traveling back out to BYU-I and had a picture taken of this sign on   I-70 just as you leave Baltimore.

Terminus of I-70 outside of Baltimore

Notice the Terminus at the other end of I-70.  It is Cove Fort way out in Utah.  Do you remember going there once when you were little?  We got those Pioneer yo-yo's on a string there.  That sign has always cracked me up.  I-70 only goes between Baltimore and Cove Fort.  Such a funny sign.

Dad has been such a hiker lately.  Last week he climbed Lone Peak.  This week he and Bob hiked to the top of Timpanogos.  Your Dad really does not like heights and dead off places.  I am not sure he will do that hike again.  The view is great, but the scary steep slopes are not so great.  I agree.  I climbed it once, and once is enough for me!

Today is Abigail's 8th birthday.  Her baptism is next Saturday.  It would be nice if you told me something that I could write in a card to give her from you about how proud you are of her decision to be baptized or something to that effect.  She would like that very much.

We had a couple of family parties at our house last week.  My brother Bill was out visiting from South Carolina.  He wanted to cook Grandpa Tom some steaks, so we all got together at our house and enjoyed a steak dinner while visiting with him.  Then on Friday, Chase had never experienced a "Bailey Pizza Party" so we hosted one.  It turned out rather fun with kids playing basketball and riding their scooters all over the place.  We even made dessert pizzas and then sang Happy Birthday to Abigail.  It is so fun seeing little Leo and Zak trying to "one up" each other.  Leo has learned to crawl and walk in the last month.  Not to be outdone, Zak watches Leo and squirms out of his parent's arms to try crawling and walking.  Zak has really got a competitive streak!  It won't be long for him to catch up with Leo, even though Leo is four months older!

I have been thinking of you a lot this week.  I am preparing for another Summer Theater Camp in the backyard that starts tomorrow.  We are doing "Momotaro."  Still have the recordings you made of the songs you sang and I also have the costumes you wore.  Cannot believe that the time has flown by so fast.  Wish me luck with the 27 kids I have yet to meet.

I finally bought the flags you requested, but I wondered if you knew your address so that I could send them directly to you and not to the Mission Office.  Just let me know where to send them.

Stay hydrated!!!!  I love hearing about the little miracles you have on your mission. We are so pleased with the wonderful missionary you are and the wonderful reports we get about you.

Love you so much!

Mom

From Elder Bailey:

Tell Abigail to "walk in the newness of life" and that she is awesome.

P-Day Fun on Bubble Seat

I was on exchanges with Elder Bambo.  Elder Bowman and I got to take the Stake President out teaching with us.  We taught Wendy an “eternal investigator” whose son got baptized 4 years ago.  That was an awesome lesson.  She wants to be baptized but is waiting for her husband.  We taught about eternal families and sang "Families Can Be Together Forever."  We focused on the Atonement in the family.  Hopefully we can get her baptized.  This week was really slow but hopefully this next week will be better.  

Brother Taylor will be in Provo on Saturday and wants to come by and try a brick oven pizza.  Also, if you could send down my long silver barbell with the spiny clips on the ends with him that would be awesome.  If he can’t, that's cool.  This morning we played “knocker soccer,” but we thought it would be more fun to just charge each other playing sharks and minnows and last man standing.  

P-Day Fun with Zone

Early July Emails

July 6^th 2015

We got to sing at the beginning of the Yankees game. We were in Center Field. Fortunately they won.

It has been so great to get pictures of you from Sister Marble. Please send an email to me!

Love, Mom

From Elder Bailey:

This week was very slow because of the 4th of July and everyone being out of town, but we pulled through.  It also helps when your comp is “Shawn Spencer.”  Elder Bowman is really funny and we get along well. Thanks for the new suit.  I can now ride my bike to church without worrying about ripping my pants.  Nothing else really to report this week, I'm alive..... and healthy...... Say hi to Chase for me.

July 13^th, 2015 

Dear Elder Bailey,

While I was on Tour, I got several pictures of you from random people in Arizona.  Sister Bollinger and Sister Marble are my new best friends now.  Another family sent pictures, as well, but never told me their names.  Anyway, it was fun to get to know a little bit about Sister Marble.  She has a sister in the Orchestra at Temple Square that I also got to know a little on tour.

Pondering hydrating with Gator Ade

We had a marvelous tour, and are recovering at home now.  Seems that a virus was going around in the choir near the end of tour.  Now that we are home, everyone is taking turns being sick.  It is my turn right now.  No voice.  Hope it comes back for the Pioneer Day Broadcast this weekend.

Glad to hear that you got the suit.  Hope it fits well and you like the color.  I am also pleased that you get along with your new companion.  I will get the flags to you as soon as I can.

Chase gave his Homecoming talk yesterday.  I did not hear it because of rehearsals, but at the reception after, people told me that he gave a great talk.  He looks so good. The Acheson's are off to visit family up in Washington this week.  Then Chase will be looking for a job.  The Stake President challenged him to go to the Temple everyday for a month.  He has done pretty well on that task.  And Pres. Ostergar also challenged Chase to go on a date each week for a month.  He also outlined what specified a "date."  It had to be where Chase actually asked the girl out to go somewhere, to do something (movie, dinner, dance, etc.), and he paid for it.  No "hanging out."  I think he has had at least 2 dates so far.  A lot of girls came to hear his Homecoming talk, so I think he will not lack for candidates.

Elder Ronald Rasband was the General Authority onTour with us.  He gave such wonderful talks to us.  I will just share one thought from his remarks.  When he was a mission president in New York, he reminded his missionaries of the promise in 2 Nephi 1:6 "Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord."  That gave the missionaries confidence.

They had the responsibility of taking the gospel into Harlem and the Bronx, two very scary places run by gangs and Mafia and populated by people who by all accounts were in impoverished circumstances.  Harlem was made up almost entirely of Blacks and the Bronx had a lot of Italian and Puerto Rican immigrants.  

He first gathered some of his most courageous missionaries and set up a street display in a plaza in Harlem.  As they were trying to start talking to people, three big burly black guys carrying a sign with a Black Jesus on it came over to them.  Elder Rasband greeted them and said, "We have not come to argue about the color of Jesus' skin.  We love Him and serve Him, and just want to share the message that if all people would harken to his words, they would find true happiness."  (Or words to that effect)  The biggest black guy then said, "Oh..., well...., that sounds all right."  And they walked away.  

From that point on, the missionaries had no trouble with street contacting.  That was their only means of proselyting, though.  But now, 15 years later, the Church has grown to 4 wards in that area, and they have even been able to build a Church building.  Amazing.

Love you,

Mom

Elder Bailey helping girl comb doll's hair

Armed with Pens?

Leaving a Message 

From Elder Bailey:

This week was slow.  We worked really hard, but this area has really slowed down.  It will get better this week.  There are a lot of young girls that want to be baptized but can’t until they are 18 in my new area.  Do you remember the Taylor’s that use to live behind us that now live in the Second Ward?  Because Brother Taylor’s parents are in one of my wards and Brother Taylor is my Ward Mission Leader.  I have a lot of connections.  Not much to say about this week.

Oh, and I learned how to solve a Rubix cube.