Under the Weather

Hey, i had a pretty...... Ehhh week -- i am sick and so was one of my companions so we just kind of sat around and survived. i did read almost all of mark, and i started reading some of the Book of Mormon with reading the bible. that is about all i did that was productive to me..

hey, about my companions, my cool companion is getting transferred this week on Thursday. Not sure whether the other Elder in our trio will stay or not??

My GPS is working great.. i love it.. lifetime maps and lifetime traffic for a pretty dang good price is worth it. well..

I don't want any pretzel rods i am starting to gain weight again since everyone feeds us a big meal and then dessert so i think i am good on the sweets.. 

 

i don't got much to say.. but

 

i know that God loves us and that he restored his Gospel to the earth and if we keep his commandments and love one another as jesus did, we will recieve Eternal life in return. I love you guys and i miss you guys alot.

 

Have a great week.

 

love,

your son.

Christmas Package and a GPS to help with the work

Hey Dad,

 

I got the package. I loved it. we had a good time together.

 

i already watched those movies that you sent.

 

I feel like Lehi was somewhat of an Insense trader.. they followed the reverse insense trade route getting out of Jerusalem.. (of course speculation) but the land bountiful that Nephi built the boat is said to be in the Green dot in the middle east in the south east of the peninsula. and the other movie was cool too.. MesoAmerica is the canadiate for the ancient inhabitants. i liked the one that you guys watched better but the only thing that it didn't have in it that the other one did was Truman G. Madsen. who i really admire. He is very knowledgable. 

 

I enjoyed the CDs and all the random disney songs.. i need my Hercules.. and my Mulan reflections and my phil collins tarzan.. i was hoping for some of that. but i did like the other stuff and i am so glad she put my Florence + the Machine song on there. i love that song. I also catch myself singing Beauty and the Beast theme while i am in the shower..? which i love that movie. i love Belle. I love Gaston. its great. 

 

Oh well.. i have been discouraged from reading as much lately. i was just busy with moving and a bunch of stuff. I am in Matthew 25 now and instead of reading matthews 24 i read JST Matthew.. which i really enjoyed because the 2nd Coming really interests me. And i watched the Christmas Devotional last night and Elder Utchtdorf (forgive me if i spell wrong) my favorite apostle, talked about his coming and how we need to be ready for it and he will come when it is least expected. is at least what the bible indicates. i could go for a while talking about it but i got other people to write and i gotta spread the love.

 

i got the letter from Bishop Balmer and can you just tell him thank you for me, that was cool that he actually wrote me a personal letter and most missionaries i know get a generic letter every month or so and so i was impressed that he would write a personal one and tell him it helped me out and i really enjoyed it and respect him for what his mission was like.

 

We aren't teaching the investigator with the birds anymore.. we found out that they live on our wards boundaries and if they would have lived on the other side of the street we would still teach them.. and even though we have been teaching them for like 5 weeks they had us give them up to the other ward. WHICH MAKES ME ANGRY :( 

 

i would like a Gps, and i found one at best buy.. for a great deal so i think i will just buy it here because we don't have tax here! so that is exciting.. and it has lifetime maps and traffic which i want.

 

anyways enough of this.. i love you and i miss you dearly but i gotta write others.

i will remember to call you guys around 3:15pm december 25th.

 

i love ya,

 

Elder Ballif

Baptism and Turkey Bowls

Hey Daddy and Mommie,

 

I know i didn't say much last week... but its all good right? I was able to baptize Zak. i will send pictures of it soon.  i forgot my camera and i don't have a way to upload it. i will figure it out. I had a good time on thanksgiving, played Xbox, watched Toy story 3, played Quarterback in a multi singles ward turkey bowl and i had like 25 touchdowns..(through the course of like 5 games).? which was alot... they were asking me if i played for a team back home.. I told them NOT YET!!! ahahaahaha we played tackle and i got rocked a few times but it was way fun.

You let the missionaries over for dinner!!?? thats cool.. I get treated alright here so i guess i'll allow it. Oh man sweet pork and tortillas! nice! lets just say i am not as picky anymore with food.. i just eat whatever now.. except if it is meat and it has a tendon in it or what not.. other then that. whateva!

 

Regarding my Trio... I am going to pull the "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all card"

I am not having a good time with it. Oh well.. God knows my limits better then me.

i had a pretty good week and i am trying to get over my homesickness.. but i love you guys and as long as you guys are blessed while i am gone and doing well, i don't need to worry.

 

Have a great week,

 -Elder Ballif

Limited time to write this week- Companionship Change-TRIO

hey dad,

 

this week was a little better, although we got a new companion so we are in a trio now............ and we live in a little room with 3 guys and one bathroom. 

The lord must know how strong i am better then me because me and this new guy clash. I am not a fan. but i will make an extra effort to befriend him. Talking bad isn't helping my public image. :) 

But i don't have much time to write this week. i heard about byu, i might get to see some of the BYU-Utah game next saturday and someone was watching the Jazz-Trailblazer game when i was there so i saw some of it!!!!! they were all rooting against me and my jazz and we showed them.. CJ was way sweet!! 7-10 three pointers. i don't like raja bell..... but i like the rest of them except Kirilinko or however you spell it.. he needs to toughen up or get the heck out!!!! 

oh well i love you guys have a great week! send me something like the disney greatest hits so i can party with my new parents!

 

have a great week!

 

-Elder Ballif

Moved and got a Little Homesick

Hey hey!!!

 

How are you doing my loves!?

Oh well, this last week got a little tough for me, because i am finally starting to really miss you guys. Well i have always missed you guys but this week i have noticed the reasons why---but i am growing and learning and that is why i enjoy it.

My week is going pretty good. the baptism got delayed.. i moved in with some members.. (414 Lonebrook Ct. SE Salem OR 97302) is my New Address!!!!

 

Anyways to answer your questions: I love the new investigator. Her name is Kimberly Caldwell, it is the lady with the two birds and three dogs. Her and her husband are way cool. Yeah, we went and visited them that last week and talked to her about her reading in the Book of Mormon and answered her questions, i enjoyed it.

 

The baptism got set back till the 27th of November.. we had a busy week and had to reschedule it.

 

We did move--we moved in with members and it isn't in their basement. its upstairs right next to them, we have the same entrance, the same kitchen, the same fridge, i don't know how it will work exactly. we moved in their saturday and are just feeling it out. I like the temperture in their house better though because in the apartment everything was damp and i was not a fan of that. the ADDRESS IS: 

 

::::::::::: 414 Lonebrook Ct. SE, Salem OR 97302 :::::::::::

 

I am staying somewhat active. the one perk that living with members has is i get to use their weights. but they aren't even that good. but oh well it is workout equipment and i play basketball on occasion.. i am the best player in my zone.. but that isn't saying a whole lot  :) but still their are alot of guys in my zone. 

 

i ride my bike quite a bit.. i am not sure how much i go per day but i would say about 5 miles a day.. but that is because anywhere it is too far we have some missionaries that have a full car area drive us there.

 

I eat dinner every night!!! we send a calender around every week and it gets around.. some of the experiences we have at dinner make me grateful for the blessings we have as a family.

 

I like the new testiment.. i haven't read as much as usual but i will get back on that.. 

 

That is crazy that Cameron would push his brother! why would he do that?! he wouldn't have done that if i was there and he felt the love from me. but i am glad Carsen is ok! i love them!

 

well... i love you so much and i hope you are having a good day and i hope you have a good WEEK!  Tell ryan next time he emails me, i don't want half of his vocab to be HAM DOG. he tells me very little--i want more info.

 

i love you and miss you dearly.

 

- Elder Ballif

Portland Temple and Two Talking Birds

Hey Hey..

 

This week was pretty fun! We met a couple in our area where the husband is less active and the wife is a nonmember. We are teaching them. I Love them, they are awesome. they have 2 birds that talk and it is pretty funny when the birds mouth off when we are teaching them and they were watching the elections and teaching us about politics and it was a pretty fun time.

 

We are going back over to teach them tonight and i can't wait to see them--cool people.

 

I DIDN'T know you had those Truman Madsen tapes!!! if i would have known that i would have just had you burn it for me and send it to me, i spent 12.50 for it and i ain't made of money! oh well. those tapes are awesome. It really personalizes the prophet Joseph and shows his personality and all that cool stuff. i love the story in discussion 3 about the loud pitched preachers coming over to talk to him and saying...... "DO I HAVE THE PRIVLIGE TO SPEAK TO A PROPHET OF GOD"..... "Maybe you do... do you wanna wrestle?." That made me laugh pretty dang hard.

 

Yeah i heard about the BYU and UTAH games, not a big deal. i hear the Jazz aren't doing so hot...? what is up with that -- D-Will needs to pick it up.

 

i went to the Portland Temple. It was a cool experience, the Portland Temple is alot cooler looking than the Medford in my personal opinion. i enjoyed it. i liked the Celestial Room--pretty cool experience.

 

i still have the upcoming baptism on saturday and i am teaching him a few times this week. it'll be fun.

 

i like how you put that scripture, Matthew 16:25 because i read that a few days ago and that was the verse that stuck out to me the most..

 

and i have been trying to apply it to my service and also trying to love the people i meet instead of just treating them like a number that makes you look good and that is hard because everyone here is trying to look good with numbers and i don't like that because they are PEOPLE.. anyways...

 

that is about all i got for this week, hopefully something crazy happens next week so i can tell you guys about it..

 

i love you guys!

thank you for helping me build my house on a strong foundation. because when satan sends his mighty winds, they don't phase me.

 

love, Elder Ballif

Another Baptism Scheduled

I am doing pretty good and having another fullfilling week:

• Another scheduled baptism.
• A visit from Elder Kikuchi (Seventy)...  
• Finished the Book of Mormon
• Started the New Testament
• Started Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith just to name a few things. 

we played night games and uno last night at a members house for Halloween and we went to trunk or treat as well. it was pretty funny. Our bishop and his wife dressed up like bikers which was pretty good. And i got a little candy too, even though the candy you sent was probably enough for me??

I did enjoy the package you sent. just the fact that you sent it and i got something and no one else did. it made my day. I am telling you no one gets anything so it is pretty funny to look at when i got the package everyone started hovering over it like a swarm of bees and wanted to see what i got. I enjoyed it. i liked the candy and this time of year is the only exception to that. i was a fan of the stuff i got!

anyways i think those DVDS regarding Lehi and Nephi's journey are the ones--my comp was telling me about them and said that i would like them and we are also buying the Prophet Joseph Smith Tapes from Truman Madsen when we go to the temple for our TEMPLE TRIP!! which is in 2 days. i am pretty excited.. i hear those tapes are pretty sweet. so yeah just saying if you wanna hear some cool things about JS, you should get those tapes at Deseret Book.

(Dad, i just wanna tell you something based off of the way that I learn. I never realized how smart spiritually you must be and how much knowledge you have. i am not saying that i used to think you were stupid by any means... but i just figure me and you think alike, well slightly different in terms of humor and interests but similar.. and just going by what you must know and what i am learning and all the insights i am getting and things like that its just pretty cool not to mention how great of an example you have always been to me even when i was too immature and ignorant to recognize it. I love you!)

anyways if you wanna know what i learned from Elder Kikuchi, just find his talk "Opening the heavens" and read it.. i am sure it was similar. 

well i love you guys i want some Protein for christmas so i can get huge huge!!!!  :)

love, Elder Ballif 

Funny Old Guy

Hey Daddy, Mommie,

Yeah Oregon does look pretty rainy and chilly. but it is p-day so it is time to live it up!!!!!!!

thats cool that that Chicka from your ward got called here, i will see her because their are only like 10 girl missionaries here and 2 of them are in my zone. 

anyways, i miss you and i can't wait to get the package--i cannot wait to get it and i hope that there is some newspaper in it so i can get some info from the outside world.

My week was good and i did alot but for some reason when i email i don't remember anything so i don't really write anything special or specific. but it was filled with funny old people slamming the door in my face--i do remember that. this old guy saw us and when he opened his door and started yelling gibrish and slammed the door. for some reason it was hilarious to me. .

 

I am almost done with the Book of Mormon, i am going to read the New Testament right after i am done with the BOM, which will be cool. 

Um if i could ask for something for christmas i think i would ask for a movie. it is a show that kind of maps out nephi's journey to the americas and shows where everything probably happened and all that cool stuff. that stuff fascinates me.

i love you, Elder Ballif

Getting acclimated to Salem

HEY HEY Poppy! 

 

things in Salem are going good, i have been here for like 2 weeks i believe and i am starting to get used to it. To be honest i would rather LIVE in medford but you know, its all good and Salem isn't too bad. just all the good stuff to do on P-Day is out of our mission so we can't do anything fun! oh well... it rains here like every 3 days, but i guess it is going to change in like a month and its going to rain every day till like feb--just the gossip around town. i enjoyed letters i got this week, from baby ellie and Kim and T.O. double D!!! Ellie looks so cute! i wish i could see her walk... but i guess i will when she is almost 3. 

 

I am teaching a 17 year old named Estivan (i think...) i don't know how to spell it. but he said he wanted to get baptized so i think we are planning that for november 5th.  

i am still learning everything and i am getting better at everything (SLOWLY) so i am progressing and that is what matters to me. i have also been reading alot of the Book Of Mormon, and i gotta say... i don't recommend reading it 10 chapters a day only because it is hard to remember all that i read, but i am working on it. i love Alma 32, and Alma 34.. i am on Alma 56 today so i will be done with the book i think next tuesday? so yeah that is cool, its definitely a powerful book and i don't know why but tears come out of me when i read it.. but its like i can't help it.. i am not crying.. i have only cryed on my mission 3 times... so not too bad--the first time was the day i left for the mtc when i was getting out of the car, the next was when i got the letters from cameron and carsen and Jenns letters of what they say about me.. i LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!! 

 

This mission is teaching me alot of things--mainly so far to trust in Heavenly Father and have Faith in him. To be honest i did not have a strong testimony of many things before i came out.. at all.. But that has changed and as i have been here i have seen some cool things happen that could only be explained as a miracle. i love Heavenly Father and His Beloved son Jesus Christ for his Sacrifice that he made so my life can be ETERNAL, and that if i prepare myself and work at it that i can have an eternal family. that is what i want and am so thankful Jesus atoned for my sins so i can have that.

 

Now i just gotta get others to recognize that.. thats the hard part.

 

LOVE, Elder Ballif

Sunshine on Cold Rainy Days

HELLO! I'm in dang Salem now... and it rains all the time and its cloudy and it is the capitol of Oregon... big whoop. anyways, thank you for the letters. And to the cousins and extended family letters. i think i have started to feel bad for not talking in family home evenings.... but oh well. THANKS FOR THE LETTERS, they are a bit of sunshine in these cold cloudy rainy days.

 

Thats good that byu won. i was gonna jump ship and start liking Oregon instead. so its good that they actually beat another team!

 

Elder Matthews is pretty cool. i haven't gotten to know him too well yet but i am looking forward to, we are in an all bike area and everyone else has a dang 09 Corrolla--im quite envyous. i think i will get over it when i get mad skinny again from all the biking. 

 

That made me sad to know that Elen Belnap passed away, i never talked to her but reading about her life she sounded like an amazing woman. I only hope to have those things said about me when i go to rest in the spirit world.. she truly sounded like a wonderful lady.

 

anyways, i am going to play some basketball!!! so i love you guys and i would like some more emails from the rest of the my immediate family??? i am getting no love on the only day i can communicate with you guys?

 

well i love you and i miss you and i keep you all in my prayers.

-Elder Ballif