August 29th, 2011- Letter from Elder Dye

Hey ya'll!

Thanks for all the packages and letters! They really mean alot! I am
glad everything is going good! everything here is going good also! i
had the worst moment of my mission this past week though.

we were teaching a guy named Andre in his friends backyard cause he was
watering his plants for him. but we were gettin through to him and i was about to give
him a Book of Mormon and all of the sudden his friend bursts in the
backyard screamin at us. his friend is a 65 year old Baptist preacher
or something like that. he started making fun of us tellin us that
there is no way in heck that we are Elders and we need to start using
our heads and don't let them brain wash us blah blah blah... this went
on for like ten mins and he was really bashing on us hard! he grabbed
me by my backpack and started jerking me around out of his backyard
and man handling me. and you know that Dye Temper... so we get out to
the sidewalk and he still has his hands on me and my arms are folded
just trying to bottle up my rage and this old guy hugs me! i just sat
there with my arms folded just waitin to blow! and he goes to push me
one more time. So i grab his arm and i told him "if you touch me one
more time im gunna break your bones, i don't care what you say i am an
Elder and i hold the same power God does." and he says im sure you do
and rolls his eyes. "and i said im not done, me and my companion here
have more authority then anyone in your church so if i were you i
would watch your tone! then i threw his arm back at him and left.

Missionary work is not hard, the hard part is keeping your emotions in
check. You get rejected and bashed on and things thrown at you,
investigators who know its true and just wont act on it and it breaks
your heart. it is hard to be a happy missionary when all thats
happenin. But i know that God loves me because on our way home that
night we have to walk by one of the roughest corners around and stuff
always goes down: beggars and all sorts of thugs and drugs and stuff.
but while we were walking through here everyone on that corner took
turns prayin with us and askin for some uplifting words, so we happily
gave them. and while we were walkin away a normal couple from Salt
Lake drove by and stopped and said we are members! ( that doesn't
happen often) and they said jump in we will grab ya a bite to eat
(that doesn't happen often either!) so we sat down and had a great
time that just showed me who is own my side... God is, and he has got
my back! haha

The Church is true. The Book is Blue. And Jesus was a Mormon!

Love ya,
Elder Dye

First Letter from the Mission Field!!!

Howdy y'all!!!

thats how they talk around here! they put this good ole country boy in the middle of the hood. i dont mean to
scare you but i do live in the hood. Me and my awesome companion live in the hood. there are drug
dealers and other stuff on each corner. it is quite the change! but at
least they all love the missionaries!

I have had quite the week! i will start from the start! So i got on the plane and flew to Atlanta GA when i stepped off that plane there was some massive culture shock! i am now the minority! haha thats something an Idaho boy aint used to!
so i have a three hour lay over in Atlanta and i talked to some people
there. got on another plane and flew to Kentucky and was greeted by
the mission pres his wife and the assistants. my mission president is
the man! his wife
was in the Mormon Tab Choir and she was the Assistant Conductor!

so i stayed my first night in the mission home with 20 other new
missionaries, it is the biggest transfer this mission has ever had. i
got assigned to the Y.S.A. branch in downtown Louisville.

I have been in some sketchy situations we have drunks come up to us yellin and
screamin and callin us some nasty names and gettin in our faces. but
its a good time! a drunk came up to us that got kicked off
the bus for peein his pants and wanted us to take him somewhere. just
lots of stuff like that.

i am not going to lie though i have went a whole week without mail. so tell my friends to get writin! can i get some homemade jam? i had to use store bought for
like the first time and it made me realize how spoiled i am! the
church is true! study D&C 76 and 77 it is some pretty awesome stuff! i
love y'all

Jake Flies to Kentucky

We got a phone call from the SLC Airport this morning.  Elder Dye had got up at 3:30 a.m. to ride the bus from the MTC to the airport.  It was fun to talk to him.  His knee is still hurt and he has to wear a brace but is excited to get to the mission field. He was a little anxious about his first airplane ride. 

MTC Doctor Visit!!!!!! August 2nd

       love you guys!  I have gained 6 lbs. and I am too fat for my knee! My knee swelled up with fluid and I had to go to the doctor. The doctor thought that I had torn my ACL so she sent me to the hopistal to get an MRI. It wasnt that bad I fell asleep inside it! But I got my results today and my knee is fine! I have to attend physical therapy everyday until I leave but I should be fine! I have learned so much, I have gained such a testimony of...EVERYTHING! Its crazy how easy missionary work is once your heart and mind have made the change. I am the new zone leader and i have lots of responibilties. i have been able to teach 5 nonmembers and the lessons have been going very well! I am the talker and the testifier.

     Last night Gerald N. Lund came and talked to us at Devo! Mom would know who he is cause he wrote The Work and the Glory books. It was a great talk on Faith! well i have almost used up all of my computer time! i only get 25 min on the computer! so i will write a letter tonight and finish this conversation! i love you guys!

1st Letter!!!!!

                                                                                            August 1st, 2011


Dear Family,

    I love the MTC and I am already learning so much.  The kid that was my escort was Elder Fletcher and he played college football as a Q.B. He was the man. My companion is pretty cool.  His name is Elder Starks and we get along great.  I have a great district and it seems like we already have a great bond with each other I know this sounds cheesey but I already love them.
   We did teaching role play today and me and my companion were heavily involved.  He is crazy, he is always keepin me going and participating.  I learned today that the spirit tells you exactly what to say and I can definetly feel the spirit as a constant companion.  The church is true!
 
Love,
Elder Dye

P.S.  Oh, I am  Zone Leader, I will write ya on Wednesday