Elder Bassett - I have been a missionary for 41 days!!!! - email (2013-10-21)

Hello!

I could not think of a better subject line. I will take suggestions. :P

This week has been great. Our focus has been Isaac and Angel, and both are SO close to making the biggest decision of their lives! Angel can't pay attention for longer than a few minutes unless you talk to him one on one. He wants to be baptized, but It is hard to each him with his brothers in the room, and we can't just take him away to teach him. (I could see the headlines: "Elders kidnap boy to baptize him!") His mom is ok with him being baptized, but she wants him to understand what he is doing. She is also never home, so we can't talk to her. Grrr. It is frustrating sometimes.

Isaac is fantastic! He is SO cool. His faith is awesome. The only thing that is keeping him from racing us to the font is that he has not felt that he has received a confirmation about the truth of the Book of Mormon. He visited his family in california this past weekend and he want to give them spanish Book of Mormons. He is always so excited to talk with us and to learn.

I love it here! This part of the country is buetiful and I love the people. Everyone politly declines to talk to us, and often they ofer us water. The area I serve is old farmland that has been built up. There is still this feild that we walkby several times a day. you can see some of the subdivisions in the back of the attached picture.

I went Golfing today!! We were going to go with an Investigator named Omar, but he had to go o work at the last minute so we just went with out him. On a 9 hole par 3 course I got a 57. Not bad consifering I have not touched a golf club in over 8 years. It was perfect weather too. Sunny and not warm or cold. The weather here the past several days have been great.

Thanks for the letters and emails! If you have anyone that you think I should email, send me their email address. Or jut have them email me.

Love all y'all!
-Elder Bassett

The Field

Nearby Apartments

An Old Barn - I need to Visit

My Church Building

Elder Bassett - email (2013-10-21)

Hello Family!

These pictures are fantastic! There are some really cool landscapes here, but I never have the time to take a picture, or my camera can't get the real beauty of it all. I guess I could try some settings... The coolest image is Kennewick across the River at night. It is a sea of lights. The stars here are really impressive if I go beyond the freeway and away from the houses. I showed Elder Calhoun the Picture from Caesar Head and he could not believe how many trees there were.

It is really cool that John FINALLY got his papers in. Tell him to email me. I got some advice for him on how to survive the MTC! :P

Dakoda is going to start his papers soon. (We have been emailing back and forth)

Keep supporting them. It is the best way to let them know it will be worth it.

Emery and Annalise: It is SO cool that you had a discussion comparing Catholics and Mormons. I meet a lot of Catholics. (a lot are Mexican) Just remember that all you can do is INVITE them to hear the Gospel. See PMG Chapter 1. I hope school is great and you are both having the times of you lives!

Zakiah: I have had SO MUCH APPLE CRISP IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS!!!! But it has been good food. It is SUPER important to ask good questions. One of the Fundamentals of Missionary work is teaching People, NOT Lessons. And you can't teach people if you don't know them.

Dad: I hope this Job in Barnwell works out. Even if you don't switch it is always nice to have the option. I was honestly not that worried about the Government Shutdown, because I knew that the Lord would help you guys. We had a lesson last night with Isaac at a member's house and we watched the Mormon Message about the care braking down in the same place on the highway twice. (narrated by Elder Holland) It is really cool to know that "blessings always come, sometimes soon, sometimes later, and sometimes not till heaven."

Thanks family for all your awesome support! I will send a few pictures today as well. Love Ya Lots!

-Elder Bassett

P.S. I will be going to the temple on the 30th, so my P-day is moved to then. so don't panic when I don't respond till Wednesday. Love Ya!

Elder Bassett - Hello Family! - email (2013-10-14)

So... I already said that I have had a tiring day in my last email.

Thanks for the picture! I am so glad that Grandpa Bassett is able to visit you guys! Is he using the back bedroom? I hope I did not leave random stuff everywhere. I think it is SO crazy that Stewart is back already! It felt like he left only a little while ago!

So the best news to tell you! On the 26th, Elder Ballard is coming to speak with the Missionaries!!! I am so stoked! it will be the learning opportunity of a mission! I don't know how widely known they want this to be known, but I don't think there is any harm in telling you. Also! on the 30th I get to attend the Columbia River Temple! That will be my P-day that  week, so I will be writing emails then. It will be an awesome week! Plus, Isaac and Angel will be progressing quite nicely at that time! (Hopefully!)

Dad: I am going to check out those passages in Moses this afternoon. I can't wait to see what you mean!

Jordan: I want to see a picture of this new bike of yours! and please stay safe! I am working on those anecdotes. I am also working on Black Book stories!! :P I also am loving the facial hair!

Amy: I really love you weekly poems! Can you keep them saved for me? I will try to put on my God-Glasses!

Emery: You do know that if you add an "!" for every week, that by the end you will be putting 100 right? Good job on you Georgia Tech Application! I love Ride! It is loud and proud. If you play it well it blows people's socks off! I met a little girl last night named Emrie. I found it very cool. remember to work hard and be an example of the believers!

Zakiah: Love Ya Zakiah! Remember that stress is good for you! Remember that when people question your reasoning, they don't trust you as a leader. Don't feel bad, you just have to develop that trust. I run into the same thing here. The people that listen are the ones that understand that I want to help them. Don't be too worried and remember to smile. And I don't high five my comp very much. we do have a "bro" hug after our daily planning and comp prayer.

Annalise: You crazy Girl! You are going to OLD!!! (Love ya!) Remember that boys are weird. I hope the pizza was good anyway. I have been fed a lot of Hawaiian Haystacks and Apple Crisp. It seems to be the default missionary dinner. I love it, but after 10 meals of it in the past 3 weeks, I would love to have some good pizza.

Mom: I hope this email and the other I sent today answer the questions you have about how I am doing. I love you a lot. The Sister that we stay with (Sister Wilson) reminds me a lot of you. She is just an awesome home maker and grandmother. Tell Logan and Lawrence that I miss them! I love the Picture of Jordan's Birthday. Including Zakiah's lack of eyes!

Neva: I love You! Thanks for your letters. How is school going? Have you seen any cool science things recently? See Ya Later!

Love All Y'all!

-Elder Bassett

P.S. This Picture is of the Temple the first morning in the field. The had us sleep in member homes near the mission home for the first night. This picture does not give the view justice. This house sits above the temple and over looks it. I the Wall was not there you would see the entire temple. The upstairs library has a glass wall that frames the temple. It is absolutely beautiful.

P.P.S. I really need to take more pictures. It is really a pretty area!

Columbia River Temple - Kennewick Washington

Elder Bassett - Oct 10 - Wow, I am tired! - email (2013-10-10)

Hello Everyone!

I have been working a lot this week! I am just overall tired and happy. Elder Calhoun is a fantastic worker and though he gets down on himself, he really know what he is doing. He is from Arizona and almost a year younger than me. (not a full year by 6 days) Attached is a picture from my first Preparation day here.

I am serving in the Pasco 6th ward. It is really small but full of awesome people. Pretty much everyone we meet is awesome. All the members are excited to get to work and help fulfill the promises from general conference.

"We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and o

ld, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior." - Elder Ballard

The weather here is kind of frustrating! The clouds are awesome, but it is really hard to tell if it is going to rain. And when it does, it is never as heavy as the clouds foretell it to be.

Our most promising Investigator is a man who works at the Railroad. His name is Isaac and he is just awesome! (like everyone) He has a family in California and he is working to support them. He is really interested in the Gospel and the promises it has for families. As we walked out of our lesson on Thursday, he said that he only has to work on a few thing in order to become Mormon! It is so cool that he is already thinking about what he needs to do to accept the gospel.

Our youngest investigator is a 10 year old named Angel. He is the youngest in a less active family and his mom wants him to understand what baptism really is before he gets baptized. He and his older brothers, Roul(12) and Damion(14) are fantastic. They are so much fun to visit and teach.

Probably the best story from this week involves 3 TVs and a sister Saenz (pronounced Signs). She asked us to help her move 3 TVs to the curb for Goodwill to pick up. We went in the morning to do this. When we get home, she calls and tells us that Goodwill won't come till tomorrow. And she wants the TVs back in her garage. SO we go and move the TVs back. Also, we found a young mother with and flat tire, so along with a members help we fix that. and then we move the TVs the 2nd time. The next morning we moved the TVs again! and they weren't there when we pasted later in the day, so hopefully Goodwill got them. Sio Elder Calhoun and I were pretty sick of TVs by the end of the 2nd day.

I love all of you! Thanks for the Emails and the Support and Prayers!

1 month (34 days!!) down! A lot more to go!

-Elder Bassett


"Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." - 2 Nephi 2:16

Prep Day with Elder Calhoun

Elder Bassett - Hello from Pasco 6th ward - email (10-03-2013)

Yep! This is where I am serving!

I am having a fantastic experience. Everyone here is awesome. I don't even know where to start! My companion, Elder Calhoun is from Arizona and has only been out for 3 months. He is a great missionary and he works really hard. I have meet a huge variety of people here. Most are kindly saying no, but there are a few that are sincerely interested! I am short on time today, but I can't wait to hear back from all of you!

See ya!

Elder Bassett

Quote: Moroni 10:3 - Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

Remember the tender mercies of the Lord, they are everywhere! (See 1 Nephi 1:20, second half)

Elder Bassett - Life is Good! - email (10-07-2013)

Dear Family,

Thanks for the letters!

Amy: I love the Poem. Can I use it? I am trying to teach everyone like their life depends on it. It gets difficult when they DON"T LISTEN!!!! (there is a story that I will tell in a moment)

Emery: I hope Georgia Tech Accepts you! Don't worry about being a trator, no one cares once you graduate high school. And not to make you joel-sick, but I don't expect to see you for 3 years! (if you serve a mission that is, it is up to you)

Zakiah: We have made progress with a few investigators (again a story will follow). The weather here is fantastic, once it dried up. The skies are so clear and bright! And yes, I have High fived my Comp.

Mom: There are just 2 elders in my apartment. We live with a member family in a back room. Thing here are going great. As I said to Zakiah, we have been making good progress. I will write as soon as you letter arrives. I am not sure how fast the post office gets mail around.

Annalise: I have had many Apple Crisp here. Everyone seems to have it for desert! I loved General conference! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of the Nov Ensign! I completely understand about falling asleep. I have been very tired these last couple nights. I have fallen right to sleep.

Dad: I loved that quote! I really enjoyed all the talks. I can't wait to study them in depth. I will definitely think and prey about Dakoda. I will send him a letter.

So now for my news!

This week was great! We talked to a lot of great people and had some great lessons. Unfortunately, we also had some crummy lessons. We talked to an investigator who had married a member, and we thought she was very open. But when we walked in the second time, she was too concerned about the differences between Catholics and Mormons and about the nitty gritty details. She ultimately said that her heart could not accept the Book of Mormon. A little over 30 hours latter, we walked into another lesson where we thought we would have a great scripture based discussion. This man was well versed in the bible, and we thought we would all leave enlightened. But the first few things out of his mouth was that he did not believe the Book of Mormon (he had read it before) and that he did not believe in the concept of Priesthood. It felt like we here handcuffed! He was so hard-hearted! Both of these lessons were not fun, but we fulfilled our purpose as missionaries and invited them to read a pray. We could not force them. I am developing a love/hate relationship with agency! I love that we have it, but I hate that people make bad choices!

I loved conference! I liked the talk by the Sunday School Presidency member about teaching. I plan on annotating my conference issue of the ensign when I get it.

Elder Calhoun is fantastic. He gets himself down sometimes, but he is a fantastic worker. The picture attached is one of him being "serious." We have an interesting relationship, because he is 3 months my senior missionary, but I am just under a year other than him. We have more fun than we should be allowed!

Love All Y'all!

-Elder Bassett

P.s. There is no good shoe store that I could get to, so I go some Dr. Shoels (sp) athletic insoles. I think they will work, but I will probably only use them for a year before they are completely useless. Also, how much do I have on my Bank of America account? I am using my missionary fund card for food and other things, but I would like to know, just in case.

Elder Calhoun in Pasco

Pasco 6th Ward Apartment

Pasco 6th Ward Apartment

Letter from Home - email (10-06-2013)

Dear Elder Joel,

------------------------------------------------------

Amy first:

Howdy my bro!!

This a poem

to tell you to yell

happily to the world

the JOY Christ did tell.

This is a song

to beg you to sing

ecstatically to the world

the tidings of good things

For there is a book

full of joy in every nook

from a guy named Mormon

and the gospel he took…

unto every child

that God sent to earth

because he loved them enough

to teach them of a second birth.

Love ya Elder!  Teach everyone like their lives count on it!  Try to love them as much as their heavenly parents love them!  You inspire me to be a better "example of the believers."

~Amy

p.s.  My brother is a missionary! ("exclamation point!")

----------------------------

from Emery Bassett,

                General Conference Was Amazing!!!(three exclamation points :D) I really liked the talk with all the exclamation points. Of course you probably got to see the conference real time and we had to wait three whole time zones. The fruit sale for band began last week and we have a new supplier this year. We had chili between sec ions and it was awesome. We now have sister missionaries in our ward and they are spectacular! I almost have my application finished for Georgia Tech and I have begun the applications for Purdue ,Rice and Wake Forest. I have this minor worry that Georgia Tech's mascot is a hornet and that I will be slightly treasonous in going there. So any way, My life is awesome and I hope you are doing amazing and having fun and teaching lots of people

                                See you in a little less than two years (don't get home sick ;P)

                                EMERY BASSETT J

---------------------------

Guten Tag!!

                Wie geights Brüder. Ich bin wündaba. Du nachs to religious. This means how are you brother. I am wonderful. You travel religiously. That the best German I have on the spot. Have you had any succes with investigators? If so "Heut ist so ein Shurner Tag!!" Today is such a beautiful day. Have you given your companion a high five yet, if so give him another and say it is from me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              With Grös love,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Zakia

Elder Bassett - letter - 09-30-2013

Elder Bassett - email (09-30-2013)

Hello Family!

This first week has been great! My companion, Elder Calhoun, is from Arizona and is awesome. He has only been out here for 3 months, and he has been assigned as my trainer. He is completely stressing out about it, but I think he is doing a great job. He is 18 and came out right after college, so there is an interesting mix of experience and youthful optimism between the two of us.

I have meet so many people in Pasco 6th ward. They are all awesome. Elder Calhoun found a new investigator last Monday before I came, and this last Saturday, we taught a woman who is super open and interested in what we teach. So we have 2 new investigators this week! We also invited another man to be baptized (He said yes!), but he did not show up for sacrament meeting, unfortunately. I love the ward here. They are all dedicated to help each other and the less actives.

IT IS SO COOL THAT DAKODA IS WANTING TO COME ON A MISSION!!! He won't regret it. He will learn so much, about God, about the Church, about the Spirit, and most importantly, about himself. You have no idea how much that sentence made my day better.

So much has happened I am not sure what to tell you. Thanks for the letters. I think it would be cool if you send quotes with your emails. It will give me something to ponder throughout the week. Also, I could not find any CD's in Walmart to listen to today. The only CD's we have are conference talks (which are great, but I can't concentrate in my studies with Bednar and Monson talking in the background) and home made/ recorded missionary songs that are ok the first couple times.

Love all of y'all!

Elder Bassett

2 Nephi 2:24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

(pointed out to me by Elder Calhoun, it precedes the scripture that I have only plaque)

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Elder Bassett - letter (09-24-2013)

2013-09-24 from Washington Kennewick Mission Home