25 Feb 2013  Flagstaff AZ

I heard of this awesome Lego tie, if there was ever a tie I ever wanted it would be one of these.

We got more snow this week.
 

 I go to both my wards on Sunday in the same church building. I'm not sure how many wards meet in this same building, there are at least 3. The wards that I go to meet at 9am and 1pm. I think only one of the wards have a choir, but they both might have a choir.
 

There are mountains around Flagstaff and I do believe that it is at a higher elevation than Mesa. I don't remember what the day's were that it snowed last week so I couldn't tell you if Wednesday was the day with the most snow.
 

Every week is different in the number of appointment that we get, but I think that we will be slowly getting more. We got 7 new investigators this week. We do go tracking, but we don't go a lot.

Serving in Flagstaff is great. The ward members we have are awesome, we get dinner every night, except one time like my second or third day.
 

Most people that I have met are pretty friendly, even if they're not interested at all they are still nice about it.

There are a lot of trees in Flagstaff compared to anywhere else in Arizona. Some areas are like Washington with the amount of trees, but the trees are more brown here. They have some of the same type of trees and they are green, with  just with a little brown and not as much green as in Washington.
 

Last p-day our district and the zone leaders played ultimate Frisbee and then we went to church and played a little basketball. We e-mail in the mornings around 10 a.m.  P-day doesn't start till 10 a.m. and it ends at 6 p.m.

Week 4

I'm serving in Flagstaff.  Because of the holiday I'm emailing on Tuesday.  Both wards I serve in are in Flagstaff.  There are currently no Spanish or Native American wards: the Spanish ward just recently got dissolved and all the people will be sent to the other wards.

So far I haven't had any weird food, just normal stuff, not even spicy food.  There is a car so no walking.  We do a little tracking but mostly look for less active members and stuff.  The investigators we have are done with the lessons or at least one is and we're just waiting for some other things to happen that are out of their control mostly.  There are a lot of families that are part member families.

I had dinner at a member's house. It was an older couple and their house is huge. They have been on a lot of missions and they say that when they're gone anyone can use their house for parties and stuff and that's why they built it.  I thought that was interesting.

It was at least 5 hours from the mission home to Flagstaff.  Today is a nice day, but there have been about 50:50 snowy days to sunny.

Elder Munns has been out for 7 months.  I'm usually not too tired at the end of each day, but sometimes I do get really tired.

I could really use some candy or home made cookies or something.

Week 4 - 11 February 2013

Week 3
11 February 2013

I'm in Flagstaff Arizona.  I live at a member's home.  There is only my companion and me.  We drive a car.  The area is great.  It's been snowing most of the time I've been here, so it hasn't been that hot.  It's a lot different then home.  There is like no rain, only snow and sun.   There are a lot of members; we cover two wards.  Both wards have about half the amount of people that our ward has, so over all the same amount of people I think.  My companion is Elder Munns; he's from Utah.  He will be my trainer for next 12 weeks.

There are a lot of people: one of them Brother Yazzie who makes jewelry Navajo style and he's really good.  He's making my companion a bracelet watch.  There is this store call "Anasazi Traders" and  they give us 75% off retail and we get to go in the back and look at stuff (it's really cheap).  There's a CTR ring in Navajo that I might get sometime; it looks really cool.

The CTR ring was Y E O and it was a mystery what it actually meant, but we figured it out by talking to some people.  It's "yago a oha".

Bad spelling probably, but that's the closest that I can get.  Some people then get the ring inlaid.  If  I were to do that I think I would want the inlaying to be all black.

I ate some pizza with green chili on it.  It was really good.  There's a library where we send emails, I have to check out a laptop to do it.  Most people here are less active, but there are a couple of investigators.

My companion's grandma made some peanut brittle and you know I don't really like peanut brittle, but this was really good.  I was surprised.  Great, after talking about pizza and the peanut brittle now I'm really hungry -- it's 15 minutes til 12 right now.

We have a cell phone to use.  We eat with members like every night.  So far we didn't eat with a member on only one night -- my first full day or second full day, and that's just because they canceled.

Well I can't think of anything else so bye.

Arrive at mission

Caleb arrived down in the New Mexico Farmington Mission on February 4th.

There were 26 new missionaries arriving in the mission with Caleb.  Here they are at the airport with Brother and Sister Blatt.

Caleb with his first companion, his trainer, Elder Munns, and with President and Sister Blatt.

Week 2 - 30 January 2013

Week 2
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2013

Everything is good at the MTC.  My companion is Elder Landon and he is a relative of someone who is best friends with Tianna I think.  He is from Idaho Falls but went to school at BYUI.  I got the package, thanks for the stuff.  I already lost the bouncy ball last Sunday on the temple walk.  The food seems to be getting better but I think my standards are just getting lower.  They have tons of different things every meal from pastas to hamburgers.  There are no snacks, just the three meals.  Haven't learned anything new about the mission area.  All my teachers are former missionaries and are currently going to BYU.  I have 2 teachers, then there are some stand in teachers that visit from time to time, but I don’t know about them. I believe one of my teachers is in a math class that Isaac tutors for.

Yes I will be leaving the MTC on the fourth.

It's been snowing here for the last week about.  Late happy birthday, Dad. 

Now I could use 2 pair of black socks, some black thread (the hem of my pants came undone), and another SD card.  On that temple trip, where I lost I bouncy ball, I took like 100 pictures, literally.  So I think I got about almost 200 pictures as of now.

I found out the real reason why they decided to shorten the time at the MTC.  Some say it’s a lack of housing, also I heard we’re taking over some building from BYU, but the real reason is that if everyone stays this long they wouldn't be able to cook food fast enough.  The lines are already really long.

So here's a funny scripture because this scripture was someone’s whole talk.  They just read it and left. This was at someone’s home ward when they were there a little before they left for the MTC.  John 11:35  They didn't even give the reference they just read the scripture and sat down. Well I think that’s all I got to say.

Remember to ask questions because I have no idea what to write if you don't.

Tell Isaac and Kim that I have seen Kim's brother like 4 or 5 times in the MTC so far.  Also, there is t his person from my math class I had at BYUI.  I see him almost every day or every other day.

Love, Elder Swift from the laundry room.

PS. I went to the temple today.  So I've been twice since I got here.

Week 1 - 23 January 2013

Week 1

Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013


My companion is great.  We have two main teachers:  Brother Evan and Terry.   I get to email on Wednesdays while here.  Classes have been going good, learning a lot and having fun.  The whole time is planned out.  There are 6 missionaries going to Farmington in my District alone.  Not sure how many are going that are not in my district, but I know there are some.   I could use some chap stick and an oil container and a hackie-sack would be good.  I found a stash of things that the missionaries from the past have left.  My roommate is from Idaho.  I'm the only one not from Idaho in the room.  Our subdistrict consist of 8 elders and 4 sisters.  The sisters are all going to Hawaii and 2 Elders are going to Boston the rest to Farmington.  Typical day is to get up at 6:30, get ready, eat at 7:10, then go to classroom for study, then lunch, then more class, then to dinner.  And at different times every day is gym and practicing teaching people.  Then back to the room at 9:30, get ready for bed, silent time at 10:15, and bed by 10:30.  Today was the first p-day.  Got up same time and did some studying and then went to the temple and then ate lunch and got here now.  If you could also send some random thing from the toy closet upstairs next to the TV, that would be good.  I want to leave something in the stash when I leave.  Everything is good.  Not really doing anything else.  I have taken some pictures, one of which is of a guy in a silk pajama suit.

During gym I usually do what I did back in elementary school, four square.  It’s fun and there’s not really anything better to do.

I'm leaving the MTC on the 4th.  Just missed the day, because the elders coming in today are only here two weeks. 


Love, Elder Swift

ps: any candy you would like to send would be great