April 29

Dibs!!!

Hey Everybody!!!

So we as mission have this stupid thing we do. we dibs everything. its kinda like calling your seat in elementary school. or calling the first place in line. however we do it with everything. leftovers, bathroom privileges, sister missionaries, haha!!! it doesn't really mean anything and yet its treated like something sacred. we really need to come up with a rule book just cause we bend the rules so much its ridiculous. we say "Dibs Bathroom!" then someone says "dibs first in bathroom!!" so the then we end up just racing for the bathroom to see who gets it first... elders are ridiculous...

Well I must say that this week has been a little slow. We've been working hard but its just been tracting and trying to find referrals... nothings really turned up. Kinda lame to not have anyone to work with. but i'm sure its just part of the mission. Plus you know whats lame!!! Chase (not chase's friend... sorry) is moving to Malta for the summer and wants to get baptized when he gets back... I don't know how smart it is to wait for 4 months to be baptized... JUST COMMIT!!! gah!!! oh well... I sure hope the adversary doesn't come in to strong... his parents don't even know he's been meeting with the missionaries. (chase is college age) He know's that its true but he just wants to wait a little bit... I don't understand the logic but its his choice. we aren't here to force but just to invite.

So to answer your question yes i have been cooking a little bit. I've made my self some pretty simple things. I've done rice with chicken. grilled cheese. i haven't really made anything for my companion and haven't really don't anything crazy but hey i like what i'm eating. Today i'm probably going to have to pick up some hamburger and some veggies to mix things up a bit. =)

Still no word on the visa's but three of the Brazil bound missionaries left yesterday so mine might be here soon. the visa thing is so random though so i really don't know when my will come. its kinda silly to even talk about. as soon as it comes in though i will probably be leaving this place within two or three days of when it comes in. they get you out pretty quick. I think that's why a lot of us Visa Waiters are in trio's that way they aren't constantly transferring people around.

 

Anyway I need to get going. were going to go play ultimate frisbee for a little while. thanks so much for all the love, prayers and support everybody! Look for missionary opportunites everywhere! there's no better way you can spend your time!!! Bye Everybody! Till next week!!!

Elder Cornwall

April 22-2

Ok...That Was Dumb...

well somehow that last email sent by me pressing the space bar... Anyway! yea the old man frightened me... so we just moved on to the next house.... turns out the next house was an atheist house and gave a bunch of dumb reasons why he could believe other in religion... but he wanted to talk so we just left a good impression.

STORY NUMBER 2!!!! THE DOG BEAR BEAST!

We knock on a door and all the sudden we here this huge booming Roar/Bark.. it was terrifying when we knock on the door we heard the dog start bellowing from some random place in the house. after about 5 seconds we can tell he's coming towards the door. THEN THE DOOR RUMBLES! he just ran into the door and made the entire house shake. then he runs around to see if he can find us through the window. he does. and as soon as i saw this dog i was ready to Run... He was just huge... I kid you not this Dog thing was like 300 pounds. it was the Hercules dog from the sandlot times three! big old and wrinkly face that could fit about 3 of me in its chompers... holy crap it was TERRIFYING!

STORY NUMBER 3! the innocent mail box...

once upon a time I was walking past a mail box and my backpack decides to jump out, grab the mail box and throw it on the ground... (I threw it on the ground... haha...) I was mortified... Apparently i was walking to close to a mail box and my backpack caught and ripped the entire thing off the post... needless to say i felt like an idiot. SO WE RAN AWAY!!! just kidding... we were mature and went to the door and apologized... offered to fix it but when we told them what happened they just laughed and let us go on our way... i still feel silly...

STORY NUMBER 4! I love being a missionary!

So we have been teaching this guy named chase. He has an awesome friend named Tyler and he's been fellowshipping him. for a little while now. So we taught him the plan of salvation and he had been to church a few times so he knew the gist of it. But then i actually asked him to be baptized. he said not yet but i'm pretty sure i will in the future. then my nerd companion, elder Landbeck asked him to set a goal. to be ready to be baptized on the 11th of May. HE AGREED! WOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!! so i may have my first baptism! if the adversary doesn't do anything too crazy then we may have a new member of the church soon! I'm really excited!

Anyway. Kinda a wierd email but, thats what happend for the week. Still no word on the Email. No Letters since i've been here. I THOUGHT GREENIES WERE SUPPOSED TO GET A LOT OF MAIL! haha! ok i'll be patient. i'm looking forward to the letter from mommy!

OK i gots to go! the sister missionaries are Screaming at me! Tchao!!!!

Elder Cornwall.

April 22

Old Men with Hoses Scare Young Elders...

True Story.... and I shall elaborate...

Ok so here's what happened. We were tracting and me and elder Neilson find this old man watering his garden. He recognized us as the elders of the mormons. We asked him if we could share a ten minute message with him and he said that he was busy. we asked if there was a better time to come back and he said something while i was speaking which i didn't here. so i restated my question... that was a mistake. he then says, "NO G** D******starts spraying the hose at us to get us to go away

April 16

Drew with President and Sister Mecham

 

All the new Misssionaries that arrived on April 8th.

April 15

I am warmer than I have ever been.....

SARCASM RADAR: SARCASM CONFIRMED.

Haha! OK i'm a dork. Well i'm not going to lie it feels like i haven't written anyone in years... OK its only been about two weeks. but still i feel like its been along time since I've written home! gah!

 

so guess what guys!!! I HAVE STORIES TO TELL AGAIN! WOO HOO!!! OK so when i first arrived here i was told that i was going to be living in a really crappy dumpy place. they started telling me that its probably the worst home in the mission. i was kinda fretting. they were somehow able to keep me out all day till 9:00 and not drop my luggage off at the house till that night and when we finally pull up to the house its HUGE! its like a freaking mansion! I was needless to say hopelessly confused. then they said we live in the basement of this house. so i figure the basement was like barely finished or something like that. we go down and its way freaking nice! it has its own washer and dryer, a ping pong table, a air hockey table, a pool table, fridge, sink, stove, like 4 couches, and an elevator to the upstairs. so i told them "this is the worst home in the district huh?" they just laughed. needless to say i'm staying in a really nice home of a member. its so awesome to stay there. i love it.

Also I've been able to teach a few lessons here and their and i've been teaching a lot more less actives here. i'm surprised to see how prominent the church is here. there really are quite a few members around. and even if the people aren't members, rarely have they never heard of the church. which is a blessing and a curse at the same time. The people of montana are awesome! they see the missionaries and they really respect our work. (or so they say) and they always tell us to keep going, members and non members. they all seem to know that we arent out to tell them that their church is wrong. when we go tracting, (which i've already figured out is a really crappy way to find people) people are say hi and know who we are. But at the same time they have already heard of the church and have figured out so many ways to say no and even though they are mostly nice. no matter how i try to teach them a lesson they simply wont have it. they dont mind what we do but they wont be a part of it... oh well. my job is to find those who are prepared to hear the gospel. =)

So even though i've gotten a warm introduction the work here is pretty slow. so i found out that i'm not working in the office at all. i'm simply the companion of those who do. most of the time i am reading and memorizing scriptures, studying pmg or Portugese, or studying the layout of the land. (there are few numbered streets.) so yea i'm spending a lot of time in the Mission home and not so much out in the streets but usually about 2:00 we get out and are able to do some proselyting. My companions Names are Elder Neilson and Elder Landbeck. I'm in a trio. Elder Neilson is a Half Redneck from Blanding Utah. and then Elder Landbeck is a lot like Eric (my cousin). he's super into computers and does some programming for the mission. applications they can use and what not.

The last thing i want to say is about the one investigator that we have. his name is chase and he's awesome. he's been going to church, YSA activites, general conference, he's so awesome! he loves the gospel and he's just being a little cautious about the baptism idea. which is perfectly fine because we've only taught him one lesson. he's doing great and i really hope that he can receive an answer about the prayers he's offered and the questions he has about life. I've been super blessed to have an awesome introduction to the mission field. and life is just doing good.

Thank you everybody for your prayers! i can see them working miracles! the people of montana are so ready to hear the gospel and its awesome to see the church flourish. I've never seen so many different churches in my life and it really puts into perspective what Joseph smith's mind set was as a teenager. Who the heck do you listen too?! luckily god has provided a way for us to know the church that has the fulness of the gospel.

anyway i could keep talking but i need to save some stuff for next week! Tchao!

Elder Cornwall

Hey Everyone...
This is Mama Cornwall - Drew called last week and let us know he had been reassigned to the Montana/Billings Mission to serve in until his VISA came through. He flew out last Monday (April 8th) to the Great White North.... =) He is actually being used in the office as sort of an assistant but not an AP.  I guess they are utilizing his computer skills for some things. I just hope he's not freezing to death...We all know he doesn't have any extra "padding" to keep him insulated...=) Anywho, I will keep posting at I hear from him...
Thanks for following....

Mama Cornwall

April 2nd

Hello Everybody! Tudo Bem!

 

Alrighty! so news for the week... i cant wait to get out into the field to where i can tell real stories... I'm really stretching here. its kinda been the same thing over and over... and over.... and over.......... and........ over...... hahaha! OK! so I've been doing well! this week has been quite a blurr.  so... I'll say what is going on in the future and hopefully a story comes to me.

 

MORE IMPORTANT STUFF: My visa hasn't come yet so i am getting a temporarry reassignment and my "new" call will be given to me tomorrow. Mom you have a mission. Keep your phone on you at all times. i need to let you know when and where I'm going tomorrow and i get one shot. I'm going to call your cell phone and i will have 5 minutes to tell you everything. KEEP IT ON YOU! I'm not sure what time of day i will be calling but it will be tomorrow. When i go to the air port i will be able to call you again for a longer period of time but for now its just 5 minutes. its a business call. so... yea... be available. =) 

 

The Portuguese is coming along! i must say I'm kinda nervous for not speaking it constantly when i go out into the temporary English Field. i sure hope that i don't forget to much. its going to be kinda freaky. i sure hope that i do well out their in the english places. i guess it will be a good oppurtnity to learn how to teach people rather than just blab something in portugese and hope that they understant. haha! But hey i know that i can communicate with people and i must say i didnt think i would be as far as i am now in the language. the fact that i can hold a conversation, (not perfectly and not a very fast paced conversation mind you) with people in portugese is awsome! i love it!

 

I guess i need to thank you mommy for all the goodies and toys that we got on the easter day.=) i may or may have not brought a few of the toys and treats to class and had a little mini party.... i'm not immature i promise... haha! it made everyone laugh though! i'm secretly two years old but everyone thinks that i'm just being funny... its not an act... i'm just 2... maybe 2 and a half

 

Other cool things that i'm doing tommorow i'm hosting so i'll be bringing in the noobs. haha! i cant wait to see their Absolute Horror mixed with Unyeilded Excitement! (hows that for big cool words! they are even Capitalized!. woo) I'm way excited to do that even though i highly doubt that i'm going to be seeing anybody that i actually know. =) i'm ready for the Suckers!

 

So i must say this has been a rather un eventful week. the coolest thing that i can think of that happened is my companion got his visa. ( he's the only one of about 3 districts so far to get the dang thing... i'm not jealous) he's way super excited to go. He's also going to Maceio so i'll be seeing him their when i finally get my visa. OH!!!! HOLY CRAP! I JUST REMEMBER! Sunday! when we were doing our special easter sunday thing, they made the entire MTC partake the sacrament as a Whole. We have about 3000 Missionarys here and they expect that to double actually. not sure how long it will take but they expect to have 6000-7000 missionaries here at one time. i'm seeing the start of the wave. the brazillian districts are growing at an amazing pace. we see one district off and another 4 more come in. Its mind blowing! but back to the sacrament story! 3000 people is a lot of people and the idea that came to my mind was the story of when jesus fed 4000 people with the 5 loaves of bread. I tell you what that is a lot of people. it never really occured to me how many 3000 was until i saw the entirety of it. (Its a lot) it was quite a sight to behold...

 

Well i think that i must be off! Eu Sei Qeu a Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias e Verdadiro. Eu sei que Jose Smith fui um profeto do Verdage. isto e o Trabalho de Jesus Crito e eu vou ajuda continuar. eu sou um disiplo de Jesus Cristo e Eu vou faco todo eu posso ver o que esta trabalho vai bom! em o nome de Jesus Cristo Amem.

 

Love Elder Cornwall

March 26th

HEY EVERBODY! how is the home life treating everyone! i must say that i figured out why missionarys are so wierd... the fact that we cant do anything besides scream, breath and run up and down the hallways a few times to relieve stress means that we all become a little strange... haha!

Now for the real section! the part where i tell stories! yahoo! This week was pretty usual. Me and my companion have been getting along great still. Not really much to report...  i've been staring at the same walls and the same ceiling for about... i think i've been here about 4 weeks starting tommorow... i dont know how kyle did this for 3 months... haha! its just simply the samething with the same scenery day in and day out. gets kinda old. =/ PLUS my companion is so trunky already its rediculous... I cant tell you how many times i hear "WHEN I GET HOME... I'M GOING TO, (insert something fantastical and Cool)." haha! oh it makes me laugh. Mc Mahan is definately a California beach bum... =)

I have been doing good. =) We are planning on having a food party today in our room for P DAY. ITS GOING TO BE GREAT!!! haha! we dont waste time as missionaries i promise... When i know how this party thing helps others come unto christ i'll let you know... but until then just assume that i'm doing all the good little things that you want your perfect little good missionary boy to be doing. CAUSE I AM JUST THAT! most of the time... haha!

OH! I just thought of a story! So you know how i am a light weight? when i came into the MTC i Was 125 pounds give or take a few. well my companion (is ripped but this is not part of the story) has been forcing me to work out with him during gym time. Its been kinda killer. PLUS  I think that i've been taking in about 6000 calories a day... i feel like i never stop eating... its awful!!!! haha! but yesterday i found this scale and i weighed myself... i'm fat... i'm 133 pounds... gah! if i come home being a pudge muffin pleas still love me... =)

ok well i best be off! Good Bye farewell! Good luck! live long and prosper!

Love Elder Cornwall!