Pictures 1 (May 2009)

Elder Bair in Walla Walla, Washington

Elder Bair with Elders Jones and Uribe. We are in the car near Bennington Lake so Elder Montoya could fish. It was so cold we stayed in the car and watched Elder Montoya fish.
Elder Bair

Elder Bair with the Rodriquez family. (They are in the ward.)

Elder Bair and Elder Uribe (Elder Uribe is from Chile)

From left: Elders Montoya, Uribe, Jones, Bair

Elders dining out.

Pictures 2 (May 2009)

Elders doing what they do best, eating.

Elder Montoya and Elder Bair with Natividad, a man they gave a Book of Mormon to.

At least the dogs like me. This guy belongs to an investigator that didn't want to pay to groom him so we cut his hair with scissors.

Elder Bair

Elder Bair with Brother and Sister Kruetz. (They are members of the ward.)

Elder Uribe and Elder Bair

Sometimes, the members really like the missionaries and when they leave, the members have a little party for them. Matthew loves ice cream cakes.

Rap video (05/18/2009)

Four of us got together and performed a rap. Check it out.

Juggling video (04/18/2009)

I finally learned how to juggle. This is a talent that many missionaires develop some time on their mission. (sorry that I filmed it sideways. To view it correctly you can either rotate your monitor or lay down on your side).

05/26/2009 (Hello from Toppenish)

Well hello from Topp town.

We had a successful drive over to my new area. We drove over to the Tri-cities with Brother Crain who is in the bishopric in the Walla Walla ward. I then got into the AP's car and we drove to Yakima where the transfer site is for the Yakima Zone (which I now am in). I then met my new companion, Elder Cavaness, who was there waiting with a member from the ward who just got back from his mission in March from Australia. We hopped in their van and took the 20 minute drive back to Toppenish. The town is pretty small but I could already tell there is a plethora of Latinos. I am very excited about my new area and very excited about my new companion. My new area is about two hours from Walla Walla

The area has one kid on date for the 13th of June. He was dating a ward member and came to church one day and pretty much asked the Elders what do I have to do to join this Church. At first they thought it was because of the girl but we quickly realized that was not the case. He heard that and got offended that his girlfriend’s mom would say that. So that is pretty good.

My new companion, Elder Cavaness is awesome. He is from Sandy, Utah and he loves baseball. He is really fun and laid back and easy to get along with. The first week with him has been very very fun.

Yesterday for Memorial Day we had a zone conference in Yakima until about 3. Then our dinner for that night, the Clements, were having a BBQ so we went over there and then played a little bit of Volleyball.

Elder Flint served here while he was on his mission and has come back to visit so he is here this week so I will probably see him sometime this week.

There are three units here in Toppenish. Two English wards and a Spanish Branch. We cover one English ward and the Spanish branch. There are only about 100 in the English ward; it is very small. I had to speak already. I spoke on the first principle of the Aaronic priesthood which is becoming converted to the gospel and living its teachings. It was only a five minute talk so no big deal. The Spanish branch had about 20 on Sunday. They didn't have anyone to play the piano so I did. I played of course Praise to the Man, Battle Hymn of the Republic and Sweet Hour of Prayer. I asked to play I Stand All Amazed for the Sacrament hymn but they sang that last week so I played Jesus once of Humble Birth. I never played it before and I actually accompanied with both hands. I guess maybe I can branch out from my usual five or six hymns.

Well not much is happening, the work is slow right now but we are hoping to get it going again this week. I forgot to send the memory card this week but I will definitely send it tomorrow. Sorry!! I hope and Pray everything is great there.

05/19/2009 (Transfers Tomorrow)

Hello from warm Walla Walla ..... but not for long though.

I received a call from President Belnap on Saturday and he informed me that I am going to be transferred to Toppenish, Washington on Wednesday. It is a small town about 25 minutes south of Yakima. The majority of what I have heard about Toppenish is it is about 50% Mexican 30% Indian and 20% white. Sounds like heaven yeah?

I didn't realize how much I began to love the people in Walla Walla until I was told I was leaving. That night at dinner I said good-bye to the Rodriquez family who are in the Spanish branch and I pretty much bawled. The branch president asked me to bare my testimony in church and I could make it through that. Then saying good-bye to people after church made me tear up. Then yesterday I told a less active lady that I was leaving and I asked her to pray afterward. She gave the most spiritual prayer I have ever heard her give as she was thanking the Lord for letting me go to Walla Walla to help her. The last half of her prayer was crying and that got me going again. Then last night we had a lesson with Natividad and he spent about a minute in his prayer thanking the Lord for me and wishing me luck. That was awesome for someone who had never prayed in front of someone before. I hope I don’t sound like I am boasting; it just made me feel like I left an impression. Maybe I didn't witness a baptism, I still touched people’s hearts. Maybe not as much as they have touched mine but I tried my best.

Friday we had a fireside with the mission president for investigators and recent converts. It was really nice and spiritual. I enjoyed it.

I got the memory card you sent but I am going to wait to send the old one home so I can get the rest of the pictures here in Walla Walla and a couple in Toppenish.

Not much more I can think of. I hope you have a great week.

05/12/2009

Hey everyone.

Things are good here. Not much has happened since I talked to you on Sunday but I am still here in Walla Walla. The closer that we get to transfers the more I feel like I am going to be transferred. I don't know why but I just feel that way.

Things are going well. We had a really good lesson with Natividad yesterday. He said he lost track of time that’s why he didn't attend Church on Sunday. He said he really felt bad that he didn't go. He said he would go this week no matter what. We will see though.

Sorry I didn't call on Sunday night. I was unable to do it. Just think, we are two days closer to calling on Christmas.

Today we went to Bennington Lake. It was freezing cold and windy. Elder Montoya really just wanted to fish so we went and he fished while Elder Uribe, Elder Jones and I just sat in the car in fear of frostbite.

I really don’t know what else to tell you. I need to start writing down on Monday what to e-mail the next day so I have more effective e-mails.

Well that’s all. I hope you have a great week. Remember to celebrate on Sunday for my five-month anniversary.

05/05/2009 (Now ya'll are busy)

Well yesterday was a really fun day. We went on exchanges and Elder Montoya went to Milton-Freewater, Oregon and I stayed in Walla Walla with Elder Uribe. Elder Uribe is from Chile and he flew to Kennewick with me but entered the MTC on February 4th. So the car had to stay in Walla Walla so I was the driver for the day. I thought I would be rusty after four and half months but I felt like I picked it right up again. It was fun kind of being in church and having to say we need to go here now and all of that. It was fun and rewarding.

We haven’t had much in the teaching going on. A lot of people have been out of town or just not answering I guess. Time has been going really quick. Transfers are in 2 weeks again. That is amazing.

We had interviews last Thursday and those were fun. It was just a typical how-are-you-doing interview nothing special. It was good to kind of relax though I guess.

A lot of people here are worried about the Swine flu. I don't know if people are just over exaggerating or if it pretty serious. Do they seem to have a hold on it at all or is it still growing?

Thanks for answering my questions. They have been on my mind a lot. I don’t really care what kind of hymn book just one that will stay open when I play. The size does not matter to me.

I kind of feel like I am in San Diego. The weather has been cool and breezy like that and the houses are really small and kind of awkward like they are in San Diego so that’s how I get that feeling.

I don't really know what else to say because we are going to be talking in 5 days.

Well that’s all. I will talk to you in about 5 days. It seems like we just talked but that was pretty much 3 months ago. Well it went quick for me at least. Talk to you later