Let's GO!!!

Im leaving in 5 days ish or something!! I am so pumped its a little rediculous. And anyone who knows me well knows I dont typically get that excited for stuff but I am so pumped. I can't wait til that first day walking down the street and feeling terrified. I am so excited to be scared. It sounds weird but that is the best description I can give for what I am feeling.

I stepped on a mouse this week.

Thats the end of that story.

So I was reading a letter from Paras. And one of my roomates slash disctrict members asked who my letter was from. I told him it was from my best friend from back home Paras. ( and I pronounced it correctly) and they are all like what ?!?! and I told them he was indian. I had to explain that meant like india the country ahah. BUT THEN they all decided they wanted to learn to pronounce it correctly in full pbaras form. So they all proceed to start saying paras over and over. And I proceed to try and explain to them how they arent doing it right. They exact same way that I would say it wrong and you would try and show me how back in the day paras. So anyways it has become like a thing where during class somebody will go PBaras. and the someone else will say it . And then the 6 of them all break into this huge jumbled corus of yelling paras. I dont know if youll think it is as hilarious as I do or just be creeped our paras but I think its pretty funny.

So remember the old guy that walked in on us singing phantom of the opera las week .... This week we were in our room again and we were talking about how one elder has an ingrown big toe nail. And he was like whats there worst that could happen. Some one else said they could have to amputate. Then someone else started talking about how their big toes get sore. And Someone else offered to rub them. Then somebody said can you even get a big toe rub is that even a thing. TO TOP IT ALL OFF. I am walking to my bed not facing the door and as the SAME old guy walks into our room to conduct a cleaning check I go: Oh yah for sure let me get you the contact information for my big toe maseus. Needless to day he does think we are weirder than he did last week. We got 100% on our cleaning check though!

I hosted again this week like showed new elders around. And I hotsed one from small town utah who is going to Canada Halifax. I told him my connections to the mission and talked we chatted about it for a while. It is safe to say he doesn't really have any idea what he is in for. He will have a great time.

I had to speak in church this week. They make us prepare a talk everyweek and then they anounce who is speaking after sacrament and you get up right there and do it. I spoke second and my companion spoke first I talked about some random stuff because he covered all the basics of the topic. (Baptism) It was fine.

Ok Ill tell the actual mouse story. haha I was walking down the sidewalk and a mouse scurried out litteraly right into the footprint of where I was about to step. He was injured pretty bad and he managed to limp away. It would have been less of a big deal if there hadnt been a bunch of senior missionary sisters standing around right where it happend. They thought it was aleaf at first then when they realized what had actually happened they got a little stressed and the small town utah (goes around looking for carp and hitting them with a golf club when the river floods over into the farmers feilds small town)(Hes the man, super good missionary) couldnt step on it or kick it away.

Umm anyway. I listened to some mormon tabernacle choir on lds.org during computer time this week and when I listend to praise to the man I got sooooo pumped it was a little out of control. I was ready to punch a whole in the wall and walk to Arkansas. The fourth verse of Praise to the Man gets me going. You should ALL go listen to it. The version on LDS.org that is good is a missionary choir too which makes it more inense. (its under general conference then all music) I think the prophet Joseph Smith is the strongest part or one of the strongest parts of my testimony. If learn about his life and the things that he did you cannot deny that he was a prophet of God. I hope you all watched to talk I asked Heed to link to the letter last week. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon many times faster than professionaly trained educated translaters can translaste it from english in to foreign languages today. He could not have done that without the help of the Lord. This is the true church. I know that. I want others to know that as well. Spiritual conversion is the only true way to know.

Love you all so much.

write me when you watch the video or listen to PttM. (I am a missionary I have to follow up)

Elder Davidson

one and a half to AK and it couldnt possibly come any sooner

So there is this old guy that wanders around the residences all day. Im not sure what his actual job description is. We have reason to belive he may live in the storage closet area but those reports are unconfirmed. Anyways this guy wanders around and I hear he sometimes confiscates things from people. Who really knows. Anyway Elder Folsom and I were singing the phantom of the opera while getting ready for class after gym one day and we may have been singing pretty loud. Either way, this old MTC guy wanders into our room and looks at us. We both go silent and hes like. I think im just gonna go ahead and close this here door. hahaha then my companion comes from the room next door and is like HEY who shut the do- uhh hi (directed to the old guy) Hes like umm why did you shut our door? and the Old guy goes. It sounded like they were dyin in there. hahaha

In one of the firesides slash devotionals the lady told a story about how here grandaughter came home from primary and she asked her how it went. The little girl said it was great we sang the awkward song today. And the grandma is thinking and she cant really figure out what this little girl is referring to and so she asks her. How does the awkward song go exactly. And the little girl says. cumon grandma you know "Awkward ever Awkward as we glory in his name" (called to serve toon) hahaha couldnt be more true the MTC has turned us all prettu weird. It's actually nice for people like me who were weird when we got here. It helps the other people come to our level.

My spanish is coming along decently. I really can say I am pleased with where I am at. I know that when I get to the campo (spanish) that I am going to get lingualy slapped in the cabeza (spanish) but I am ok with that. I can already tell I am going to become better at Spanish than I was at French I think. I understand the division of tenses better and I actually try and think about them while talking. I can feel help coming from the Lord. My memory isnte very good but I have done decently with remembering spanish stuff.

We are the oldest district in the zone now! woop woop doesnt mean anything. We also got to host new missionaries this week. It broke my heart to see all the crying mothers. It was honestly worse than leaving. It is harder to see other people crying and all I can say is I am super glad we said our goodbye at the airport. SOOO much better.

SOMEONE JUST HANDED ME MY TRAVEL PLANS. I wont tell you the specifics right now because that is a werid thing to have posted on the internet. I think I get to talk to you on the phone for a few minutes at the airport. I hope this doesnt offend anybody but Im not really looking forward to that. I like being immersed in the work and you cant do all that much in 15 minutes of phone time. I love you guys tons though and it will be nice to hear some of your voices.

Im scared a little but I am so ready to go to the field. I am so ready to teach real people to have people to love and earnestly pray for. To have needs to teach to. To actually give something that people are looking for but don't know what it is. I am so ready to just get thrown face first into it all. I really hope I get a good trainer. After that I will be a good boy and take some tough companions but If I could have a solid trainer for a couple months learn what I am doing and improve my language I would be so happy.

I love this work. I am not really that good at it (yet) but I know that I can work until I get there. I am working on getting to the no fear point. I am working on getting to a place where I tell my comfort zone to be non existent because the missionary who lives in his comfort zone gets more or less nothing done I would guess. I read a president Monson quote this week that said. May we ever remember that the mantle of membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a cloak of comfort but rather a robe of responsibility. That is not something I understood very well before the mission. I was pretty content chillen in the comfort cloak. But I know that when I get out into the field, there may be some haters. Rule number one in our classroom (its on the whiteboard so it's official) is dont let the haters stop you from doing yo thang. Its silly but its profound. It applies to many situations. People love to correct each others spanish here. But speak anyway. Thats kind of where the rule originated. I am going to do my best to be a Bold missionary. I am going to talk to everyone. Preach my Gospel talks about being bold. There is no time to be shy. One of our zone resouce teachers gave a super dope pep talk and said at one point "we are engaged in a battle for the souls of men" man that gets me going. It is a little hard core but it is true. This is the true church. I cant express how much I know that is true. We had a fireside that talked about how there is no counteragument to the Book of Mormon. Those who read with real intent will eceive the truth. I want everyone reading this to go watch the "testimony of the book of mormon" mormon message on youtube. It is elder Holland and it is super boss. Go watch the actual talk. Heed if you can find it linnk it inbetween these brackets ()

Love you all I am 2 mins over and I have to go.

Send lots of mail ya turkeys!

Elder Davidson

3 til AK

Ok here come the random stories.

Elder simpson is in my district. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met. He is almost albino. Hes a genius (35 ACT, electrical engeneering major at BYU with a 4.0) He is going to calgary spanish speaking. He is from eagle Idaho etc etc you get the idea. He is sooo funny. Anyway we are doing online spanish grammer and we are supposed to say stuff out loud while we do. Anyway he reads out loud and goes. "Grammatica" "hmmmm" "Battlestar Grammatica" some people will get that joke some wont. I hope Paras and Stef think that was as funny as I did.

So I solved the dress conspiracy. I worked up the courage to talk to one of the Hermana's in our zone about it and I dexcribed the dress to her and told her what was happening. She couldnt think of anything. Then I was like ... well people usually wear it with like a teal cardigan. She was like ohhhh I know exactly what you're talking about it's from downeast (?) apparently some mormon girl store or something I dont really know. Anyway peace has been restored to the kingdom or whatever. also I am weird

Cousin Matt played the Violin or Viola at the fireside last sunday. He was super awesome it was him one vocalist and one pianist and they were super awesome. I havnt had a chance to see him since but Im sure I will soon enough.

Sung bass in the choir again but we sang a song where the basses had to sing a little higher and they were all voice cracking and I was like finally some notes I can hit. hahaha Also the kid that gave the opening prayer in choir practice was asked where he was going before he prayed and he said Lyon France pronouncing it (Lay-On) I hope somebody reading this cringes as much as I did when that happend. It was pretty funny.

Rex D Pinegar spoke on tuesday at the fireside and I am pretty sure the opening prayer giver asked for a blessing on brother Vinegar. THe devotional was super good though he spoke about the divine nature of our mission calls. How they are true revelation from the quorum of the 12 and such. It was pretty touching to think about. Also we have been watching some conderence talks and that night we watched a Ronald Rasband really recent talk about the divinity of mission calls. I would encourage anyone that wants to to go watch it it is only 11 mins and it was super interesting. It meant alot more when I was thinking about my call in particular. Im not sure what they are yet but I know that there are reasons I was specifically called to Arkansas.

Another funny story. One of the members of our MTC branch presidency is pretty intense about obedience. He is an awesome guy but he is the one out of the three in the presidency who always talks about rules and being obedient. Hes a pretty old guy just to give you all the background for the story. He comes in to see us as we are getting ready for bed one night and we all kinda look at each other and are anticipating a short loving but firm talk about rules and something like make sure you get to bed on time or Make your bed or whatnot. But instead the second he wakls throuhg the door and he looks at us anf goes. "Got any cookies" we laughed sooo hard. We found him a couple oreos and a chocolate bar and sent him on his way. Maybe his wife is strict about what she lets him eat or something.

Got a letter from Ben Draut. There are only aproximately two people who might read this and know what I am talking about and one of them is Ben Draut. Either way that was an awesome day. Zac youre the man.

Paras I will send you a letter today hopefully. Stef I wrote you one and I just half to send it. And I have a bunch more to write today so if youre waiting on one it might be comeing soon.

I'll try and be a little more honest about the spanish this week. It really is going pretty well. I am at about where everyone else is in my district and we have quite a smart district. (like seriously smart people) I understand all of the grammer principles. I am not that great at applying them when speaking but it is coming along. I know that it'll pick up as I hear lots of it in the field. I am worried but not tooo much

Anyway spiritual thought for the week. This week I have been trying to ponder what it means to give your ALL it is actually quite complicated for a coupl reasons. First it is humanly impossible to be productive every second of every minute. I dont care who you are it cant be done. I have a supsicion that Katie and or alilson might be close. BUT I still think it is impossible. Reason two it is impossible to know which things would be most valuable at which time. But none the less, my time during the next two years is going to be incredibly valubable and I want to make the most of it that I can. So I have really been praying and reading to try and understand how I can more effective and more efficient and give more of myself. I dont want to have a single regret when I get home (kinda like lots of the teachers here tell us not to. But I am caught at trying to understand what I can do to be my best. This is really weird and probably makes no sense to anyone so far but here is the conclusion that I came to. Do really well. Then do a little better evey single day. WE cant be perfect we cant be flawless and give exactly 100 percent every second. But we can do something every single day to make ourselves better that we were the day before. So pick something. It doesnt matter if it is a big thing or a small thing and do that thing better than you did the day before. To quote like every general authority who was ever asked a question about deep doctrine " progression is an eternal concept" hahaha I dont really knwo if that is even relevant ... I think it is.

Love you all senf lots of mail

Elder Davidson

Week 5

Ok crazy thing that happened this week. YOURE NOT GUNNA BELIVE THIS. My companion and I were walking back and some elders stopped us and were like hey can we bear our testimonies in chinese to you. We were like yah and they did and it was pretty cool but after they were done it got wacky! My companion (Elder Christiansen) was like hey my name is elder christiansen and so is yours pointing to one of the chinese speaking elders. We laughed for a second and then we looked at his companions tag and it was Elder JORGENSEN! Crazy right?!?!?!? but then!!!! as my companion started to open his mouth to say something about it. Elder Jorgensen goes "yah hahah the crazy thing is my name is David" and I was like NOOO WAYYYYYY MY NAME IS JORGEN !!!!! then we rejoiced and took pictures together. Jorgen Davidson and David Jorgensen both companions with an elder christiansen.

Ok next point on the list. This one is kind of weird so bear with me. I am a weirdo and notice things like this. I had kind of noticed that there is one particular dress that I see different sisters wearing semi frequently (usually like twice a week) So finally after like three weeks of that I finally said something about it to my district and they were all like you're a weirdo that can actually be happening stop being a creep. And I was like hey just you guys wait I will start pointing it out. ever single day since that say we have seen a different sister wearing the dress. ITS A CONSPIRACY. I really dont know what is going on but I know that there is some sort of organized domestic crime or something behind this and ALLL the sisters are in on it. The 8 of us in my district are currently trying to figure out a way to get to the bottom of the great MTC dress conspiracy. More to come later hopefully we will save the MTC.

One of my teachers was gone all week (warrburton) and so we had several subs (including an hermana that is returned from McCallen heed) but one of the subs we had was mission companions with Hermano Wadsworth (my main teacher) the one who we love super duper much and is such a funny guy. Anyways his companion who subbed with us is a native speaker from guatamala and him and wadsworth are super good friends. They were together for 18 weeks and they had tons of success together. He told us funny stories about hermano wadsorth. But then ! he told us that Hermano Wadsworth had the best accent of any non native speaker he has heard in the MTC that he speaks basically perfectly. That he has literally never heard Hmno Wadsworth make a grammer mistake. AND that he is almost certani Hno WW's spanish vocabulary is larger than his. Wadsworth denies it because he is kinda a shy humble type of guy. Seriously Wadsworth is the biggest stud EVER.

I keep realizing everything I wrote down to talk to you all about is pretty weird but here we go on to the next point.

I like frisbee. Yiou all iknow that. Jumping is an impiortant part of frisbee. Jumping high makes you better. I like jumping. So basically I have been working out my vertical before bed every night with my roomates. The Roof is about at the height were you've got to get a pretty good jump to touch it. I have improved lots. But anyway last P day we are sitting in our room and this kid from downstairs comes up and walks into our room and is like. Hey .... um..... do you guys like jump off your beds at night or something. And we didnt really realize w2hat he was saying at first and he told is it was for a long time after 10:15 which is not when we juimp but anyway he was super awkward and kind of obnoxious. I was like umm I jump a little at like 9:30 ...? maybe thats what your talking about. Then he just stood there. So I was like are we bothering you do you want us to stop or something. He was like Yah its super anooying then he walked away. I didnt explain that really well but it was really funny. I have stopped jumping. Looks like elder holmes solved his mystery.

The mail really slowed down the second half of this week. It's ok though I know you all still love me. Right? Havent heard from mom in a while either but shes in turkey donig somthing or other right?

I also took a big photo with all my friends after a fireside this week. Clark Makade Jarod Nick and Sean were all tehre it was super fun and I got a bunch of good pictures.

I also took a series of pictures of my room today wehere walter ther cat is hiding somewhere in each one. Those sholud come to all of you sooner or later. Im not gonna lie they are pretty funyn.

Ok 4 minutes left

This week has been good from a learning perspective. Gary Coleman spoke and the head of the missionary department spoke I think his last name was Allen.

I am so happy to be on a mission. That doesn't make it any less hard. But I know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. I know this is God's truth on the earth. Lots of people who dont know about the church really think we are pretty weird. And as a little kid I kind of thought we were too. However, I am learning more and more taht our church is actually like the least weird thing in this world. It's all biblically rooted. the great apostasy and the restoration make perfect sense. The book of mormon like someone said in conference is either the word of god or it is of the devil. It claims to be the word of God so it cant be inbetween. I have read the book of mormon. I know that it is not from the devil. It is the pure word of God. I wish more people would read it with an open mind because I know that it would manifest the truth unto them. I love you all so much and think of you often. In a loving testimony strengthening way not it a bad distracted missionary way.

Love Peace and Blessings unto all

Elder Davidson!