The Grand Announcement - Ta-da-da-dah!

  From Elder Bailey,      

           We have been working really hard this week and everything has been going well.  Weeks are so long and by the end I feel like the stuff that happened on Monday was forever ago.  We had 19 teaching opportunities this past week and in Gilbert that is hard.  The average up here is like 8 or 9 in a week and we had 19!  If you go down to Florence, 19 is about average because they teach a lot to all the people that get out of prison that live down there.  More people are willing to hear the message there, but in Gilbert that is unheard of.  Usually we try for 15-ish, but we have been doing pretty good.

          There was this guy we tracted into named Charles who is a black Southern Baptist guy that when we were talking to him, sounded really nice.  He wanted us to come back and talk with him, so we went back on Thursday on splits.  I went with a recent convert, Brother Hovland and taught Charles the First Discussion.  It turns out he is a “golden” investigator.  He had already read the Book of Mormon (because people told him not too).  He matched it up with the Bible and knew it was true. He knew Joseph Smith was a prophet and when asked if he wanted to be baptized, said “yes.”  But he moved yesterday!  However, the good news is that he gave us his new address.  So, we will refer him to those missionaries. At least the address is still in the mission -- which is rare!

          It was kind of scary yesterday.  Donna and Roger were in an interview with Bishop because they are having financial issues.  When they came out, they sat down and were talking with us. Donna suddenly got sick or something.  Her back started hurting and she felt as though she would throw up.  We got her out to their car.  She was saying it was probably from all the stress and anxiety of their financial crisis.   It was really scary and Roger wanted to take her to the hospital.  She texted us later that evening saying that she was feeling better.  That was good to hear

          Transfers were good.  Elder Ramon is gone and we welcomed Elder Kapua of New Zealand.  He has been out 4 1/2 months and is doing the "2nd half " training of Elder Falkenberry.  

And, now, for the grand announcement dadadadadadadadadadadadadada (drum roll) -- Elder Legrand is our new District Leader!  Every single one of my companions has been a foreigner who has done one transfer with me and in the next transfer has gotten a district leader call.  We heard from the Assistants via the Zone Leaders that I was supposed to get transferred and go senior companion in a different zone and Elder Legrand was supposed to train the new French elder from Lyon (who met my cousin Race Acheson in the MTC) but we were too effective working together.  They decided to keep us together for another transfer.  Then I think I’m gone in the next transfer.  But that’s ok. 

Sharing "He Is the Gift"

December 29, 2014

From Elder Bailey:

                  It was cool, right after the Skype call, Brother Young gave me a football.  And I really wanted a football!

                  This week was really slow.  I went on exchanges with Elder Falkenberry from South Carolina.  He is brand new and being trained by my last companion.   (He was having a hard time, but I got to show him around his area.) During the Christmas season, we were promised that if we devoted our time to sharing “He Is the Gift” we would double our teaching pool.  We worked very hard.  He will be a really awesome missionary.  

                  We contacted 2 out of 3 referrals and got return appointments with 3 people and that’s really all that happened this week.  We are almost over on miles and it really stinks that we will have to ride our bikes.  Our area is too big for just riding bikes and we don’t have enough time.  At dinner yesterday a 5 year old thought that it would be funny to put a bow on my head, stand on my shoulders, pull on my ears really hard, and yell “ELF!!!!!!!!”  I was about ready to see how far I could punt a kid, but all is good.

January 5^th, 2015

From Elder Bailey:

                  My early morning work-outs with Elder LeGrande are very chilly in anywhere between 27 and 35 degrees.  It’s really fun this week.  Not!  I dislocated my left pinkie on New Years Eve.  I got to set the bone myself and that was cool.   It is still pretty swollen but my mission president is a physical therapist and said I should be fine in a few weeks.  

                  We put Donna and Roger on date for baptism on the 24th of January.  I have been working with them on and off for 4 1/2 months, so that’s awesome!  We taught a really awesome lesson and resolved a few concerns of theirs.  Then we prayed together.  Roger prayed for a sign and I think Donna did too.  After we left, they were listening to music and a song came on called "There Must Be Something in the Water" which is about Baptism.  So, the next time we saw them they said,  “I think we are ready.”  That is soooo awesome!  

                  We have a bunch of new investigators and referrals, so we are trying to stay busy.  Transfer calls happen today, but they have not come yet, so we are tense right now.

This was a Very, Very Interesting Week!

From Elder Bailey December 8^th, 2014

So this week was very interesting-- very, very, interesting.  On Monday we were playing soccer and some guy tried to fight my companion.  My companion got a black eye.  Then on Tuesday, we taught one of the most powerful and spiritual lessons of my entire mission in the rain.  I promised this 16 year old kid named Josh (who just showed up to church one day and was just curious about the church) that if he went home and read the Book of Mormon he would find his answer.  Then the next day we got a text saying, "Thanks for the spiritual experiences and I will keep some scriptures from the Book of Mormon in mind as I explore other churches.  See you after the holidays."  He just wants to see if he feels the same at other churches as he does at ours.

On Wednesday we had to go get our car washed because we had car inspections.  We couldn't get the bike rack off, so we had to sit around for forever to get our car hand washed when we could have done it our selves.  We were a half hour late to interviews with President Natresse but everything worked out ok.   On Thursday, we taught a lesson to a less active girl who was going to go on a mission but then got offended by the Stake President.  She wanted to take her name off the records of the Church.  But then at the end of the lesson, she wanted to go on a mission again.  It was a crazy lesson and super stressful.  

On Friday, well I don't remember Friday.

(From Mom – On Friday, Elder Bailey and Elder LeGrand were at some sort of party where a member snapped a picture of you both with the Chick-Fil-A Cow.  She sent me the picture just when  I was at the hospital meeting Zakarian Michael Bailey who had just been born.  I quickly texted back that Elder Bailey was an uncle again -- of the 20th of his nephews and nieces.  That’s how Elder Bailey was able to find out about Zak before any of his siblings.  Awesome timing!)

On Saturday, we had to leave the mission boundaries to go to the funeral of a recent convert that helped my companion stay on his mission when he was a greenie.   That was sad for him.  We actually got lost on the 202 twice.  We were frustrated and at the end of the day we used 70-ish miles when we usually use 20 miles a day.  Then we had a service project that was a disaster.  We were asked to help set up for a festival venue thing.  We were helping hot air balloon people set up their baskets.  They wanted us to come back and help deflate the balloons later.  It was crazy packed with people.  We were wearing service clothes and our tags and we had to park on the other side of a Mall that is kind of like City Creek. We walked through it and at the festival thing we reviewed the situation and determined that we probably should not have gone to this service project.   We informed the other missionaries and did our best to hide our tags so as not to look apostate as we got out of there, ASAP.

We then had another lesson with the less active girl from before.  She had gone to the Mesa Temple Christmas Lights and got annoyed by all the Sister Missionaries.  She wanted to get excommunicated again.   We did our best to talk her out of it, but we don’t know if she did or not.  We saw her again on Sunday and we just don't know.  

We have 3 wards, so we went to a lot of church on Sunday.  We went to dinner then tried to meet with a family we had tracted into.   It didn't work out.   Then we decided to go to the Stake Center (right next to the Temple) to watch the devotional.  Just as we pulled into the parking lot and get out of the car, up came these two guys on bikes and one of them asked, "Hey, can you teach?" We said, “Yes!”  So we went into the church.  They explained that they had just go out of rehab.  One was trying to come back to Church and the other was interested in learning about the Church.  We taught them.   The less active guy knew his stuff and was really good help.  We challenged him to baptism and he said yes.  It was just a really cool experience and we will  try to meet with him again.

So that was our week.

Photos Lifted from the Mission Blog

These pictures are from Zone Conferences in August and October.  

See if you can spot our Elder Mitchell Bailey.

Chain Mail Tie

Sister Bailey,

Thought you might enjoy a picture of your son.  We are helping a sister in our ward pack and move.  He says, "umm...Hi!"  He is happy and looks great. --sent from a member in Arizona

Dear Elder Bailey,

This weekend was the coldest we have had since last January!  Only 16 degrees over night.  We went to the BYU game yesterday in ski clothes with hats, gloves, scarves and blankets and still only survived through halftime.  So, I walked Emilie, Abigail and Isabelle back to Michael's car in the parking lot and we headed home for hot chocolate and popcorn.  Dad and Michael lasted through the 3rd Quarter, then walked up the hill.  They watched the ending of the game at home.  But it was worth it to see BYU win against UNLV.

Speaking of football, Dad went to Rice Eccles Field last Friday to watch Timpview play Woodscross in the first of the State playoff games.  Timpview won 41 to 6.  Apparently, Timpview had shut them down by halftime when the score was already 35 to 6.

Dad was like a little lost lamb yesterday.  It was too cold to finish the rock work and grouting and stucco on the pizza oven on Saturday, so he twiddled his thumbs all day.  We actually went shopping for a winter coat for me.  (Unsuccessful)  And then we went over to Matthew's house for Lyla's 2nd Birthday party at 1:30 pm.  It was fun, but of course, the party did not really get started until two hours after the stated start time.  Then, we left early because we were to meet Michael and the girls to go to the BYU game.

Next Sunday, Race will give his farewell talk and then the guests will come to our house for food. Later that day, Matthew wants everyone to meet at our house for Leo's baby blessing.  And by everyone, that means our family plus all of Ruth's family and their friends.  I hope people will get there at a reasonable time.  It will be another full day!

It was so great to get the picture of you and Elder LeGrand.  Tell me, is he your new companion?  Or were you just sending that photo because it was interesting that he is from the Lyon France Mission? I, of course, have shown that picture to the Acheson's.  Race wants to know where the LeGrand family lives so that he can watch for them.

Hope all is going well for you.  Shall I send you some more MoTab CD's to hand out to your investigators or members.  Would you like some of the newest Christmas CD?

Love you!  

Mom

From Elder Bailey III

They live in Perpignan in the very south of France, a 25 min drive from Spain.   I said more things in the email to dad 

On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 Ellis Bailey wrote:

Timpview demolished Woods Cross (as expected).  The halftime score was 34 – 6 and the final score was 41-13.  In the first quarter, Woods Cross was able to rally and tie the game at 6 – 6.  In the second quarter, Timpview took over.  Just when it seemed that Wood Cross could slow down or shut down our offense, Britain Covey showed his ability to scramble and make some great plays out of nothing.  Woods Cross could never get their offense going in the second quarter.  We had a couple of interceptions that completely took the wind out of their sails.  In the third quarter, they set up a very determined run game and just when they looked unstoppable, our defense stopped them at our ~ten yard line and then Devin Kaufusi sacked their quarterback back on the ~25 yard line.  They went for it on the 4^th down and we held them off and took over on downs.  After pushing the score up to 41 mid way into the 4^th quarter, our offense brought in the 2^nd string and they allowed Woods Cross to make their way into the end zone one last time.  This Friday the State Championship Game will be against Roy.  Roy has been undefeated this year and beat Corner Canyon (a split off from Alta in Draper) 39-0.  Corner Canyon had an impressive record and appeared to be anything but a pushover coming into the game.  Roy however clearly outplayed and out coached them.  This should prove to be an impressive match-up.

So, how is the cold?  You have a rain-coat, but do you need us to send you a heavier coat?  Christmas is coming up, what do you need?  Do you get enough to eat?  Do you need any extra resources (books, CDs, etc…)?

We saw the picture of your companion from Lyon, France.  Did you have a transfer?

We think of you all the time and trust you are well and healthy.

Love, Dad

From Elder Bailey III

Elder LeGrand and I were on exchanges for the day.  This week was interesting and I really can’t remember what all happened, but one fun thing is we had a service project. They were throwing away uniform sized rings so I volunteered to take them.  I was talked-into making a chainmail tie by other missionaries.  So I guess it will be the talk of the mission.  I don't think I really need anything I can think of but I want to know if the pants sent out 3 months ago have a 2-year warrantee because one pair is basically falling apart.  I just sew it back up and keep using it in my rotation.  I ate pretty good in the past 2 1/2 months.  I taught myself how to bake bread so I do that and eat sandwiches with pb&j or turkey and whatever members give me. I am trying to be more frugal with my money.  We dedicated the Phoenix Temple yesterday and that was fun.  You can tell the prophet is getting old, but he is still funny.