E-Mail 7-27-2009

Hmmm.....thants intense with what happened to Steve adn Margene! I'm glad that they are fairly ok, and still our friends! Tell them to be careful! I will add them in my prayers!
I guess Brianne's dad had something going on with his back, and they had to do a last minute surgery, and if he would have moved just right he would have been paralyzed from the neck down, but they got it figured out and fixed according to Brianne. So some intense stuff has been happening in B-town, other than the weather!
Well Transfers came and went and no one in my district got transfered. So I still have the same comp. and I'm still in Apopka Fl, whch is good, cause I love it here! I remindes me of our home ward! Small enough that everyone is close, but big enough to function well! It's the coolest! Marie Davis' baptism had to be moved cause she drank coffee, so it's this saturday! Then all our other set dates had to be moved and such for other assorted reasons....so issa bummer. But we have lots of positive progressing investigators, so no worries! I'm on my second Transfer today, adn also, today is my 2 month mark! Oh boy! haha. Time has flown by! it's nuts! Time has gone by so fast for me, and I hope it has gone as fast for all of you at home!
Stay safe everyone! and study the scriptures, they are teh best!It is written that the Temple is the school of the prophets, so if the temple is school, then the scriptures are the text book! I know that you can learn everything you need to know in this life from the scriptures, and from going to the temple! So Temple and Scriptures!
Buh bye
Love Elder Luke Stander!

Snail-Mail 7-24-2009

Mom & Dad,
So. . . Guess who's got a baptism on this Saturday?. . . . That's right! ME! Woot! haha. Her name is Marie Davis & she is really old, but has a good testimony and has agreed to be baptized! Cool, huh! I also got to give my first preisthood blessing! Like the sealing part! So that's cool!
The Neilson's are that cool family I told you about. They feed us alot and are super cool Then the Nalley's feed us every week two! And they are both from Idaho. Bro. Nalley is from Pocatello & Sister Nalley is from Firth! So that's cool! Then the Blackwelders got to Idaho all the time and are actually going there this week! So that's cool!
I had a dream that I went home after my year mark and you guys had sold my jeep and I saw my picture on the canvas and it looked really poopy in my dream. Other stuff happened to , but I don't really remember.
Well. . . Transfers. . . I already told you about transfers. So never mind on that. I think I told you alot of the important stuff. So I've kinda ran out of things to say. . . Sorry. I hope this was good and informative. If you want more info. . . ask specific questions that I can answer specific! Kay. It's also easier in a letter rather than E-mail!
OK. Love ya.
Love Elder LUKE STANDER

E-Mail 7-20-2009

Wow. Thanks for teh letter! Very informative, and lengthy! haha! Sorry I don't tell you much.....I don't have much time on p-days to write.....So I just talk about teh highlights. haha....You can't send me hamburger! haha I figerd that you couldn't...but I thought I would ask! haha! I wrote you and Dad a letter so there should be some good info in there! Transfers are this week or next...But I prolly won't go anywhere....I'll still be in Apopka Florida! which is ok with me, cause I like it here! I got a combined letter from Taelor, Nathan, Courtney, and I'm guessing Spencer was in on it too. But I really really enjoyed it! and wrote them back! I enjoy hearing from everyone! I have gotten a couple of letters from Grandma and Grandpa Robertson. So it is cool! I have lots of pictures i should send to you.....so I will! Don't delete them off my memory card though, I'll do that when it gets too full. But I will send that to you or Katie sometime! Kay! kay! Well I got things to do! Love you and thanks for keeping me informed! Elder Stander

The Snail Mail Arrives!!! From 7-6-09

Dear Mom & Dad,
I've made it successfully through my first month & am going on 2 months now! Time had been flying by!! Neat-o huh. E-mails are kinda easier than letters, prolly easier for you guys to read too! haha
Sounds like the weather is crazy in Idaho. It is really warm and humid here. . . it rains almost everyday, and it's always huge thunderstorms and it dumps out the rain! It rains so hard, that it will soak you in seconds! So bikes aren't too fun on those days!
Well, I have a feeling I might have to learn Spanish before the end of my mission. So I might be a Spanish missionary at the end of my mission. . . but that is just a feeling, not a fact.
I hear that August is terrible for heat & humidity. . . but after this August, I'll only have one more August as a missionary. If you break down a mission into seasons, it seems shorter! haha I'll try to get some pictures ready or something.
I'm having fun, but I do miss farming. . .haha! Missionary work is more work than farming! I am more tired out here than I ever was raking hay!
The other day I went on exchange with a Spanish elder & he taught some lessons in Spanish as I sat there quietly. I was doing the head bob too! haha
I really don't know what to say. . . so I guess. . . goodbye
Love Ya
ELDER STANDER

July 13, 2009 E-Mail

Well....lets see. A talk...well tell everyone hi and thanks for everything! I am serving in Apopka Florida it is right above orlando, and kinda reminds me of Pocky. My companion is Elder Hansen from iowa and he has been out for about 10 months now. I'm cominf up on 2 whoot! haha. We have tracted alot and such so lots of contacts. The other day I went on exchange with one of the spanish elders and he taught the lessons as I sat there and added acasionally a "Bueno!" Or a "JesuChristo, Bueno!" and I smiled alot! haha. Then this last week I went again with the other Spanish Elder and we went into the english area, so I actually knew what I was doing! We made 70 contacts in one day! We started tracting this street, and we saw the Jehovah Witnesses tracting the same street, and they saw us and then left before they finished! haha! Darkness can't dwell where there is light! I have come to learn many things. some deep doctrineal things. to deep tp really share in letters but stuff I will have to talk and explain, so come Christmas, you will have to ask me what I've learned! haha. Oh boy! um.....what else? Oh! I met this weird dude! We tracted into him, and he invited us in and then went off on how we are all the same spirit, and that our bodies are just forms, and that the spirit does not dwell in our forms, and that our true selves is the spirit. And we all have the same spirit, which is god's spirit.......what? He was crazy! Me and Elder Cardon (one of the spanish elders) had a really good study session, and learned about another saving ordinace that isn't nessasary till after we are resurected!. In section 88 in D&C verse's 132-141....I think...Read that, then St.John 13. and thats what we studied. Time has been flying by! I can't believe iv'e been out as long as I have! My first Transfer is almost done already! I just got here! It's crazy! we have 4 investigators with dates, and 3 of them are actually progressing! and one has a date set for this week, we just need to get her to stop smoking! We have been tearing it up here in Apopka FL. and I am loving the work! I really don't know what else to tell you.....Um...The Nielson's are the super cool family, they just have recently gotten active in the last year or so. And they have been super cool to the missionaries. We went there for the 4th of July and it was like a family party! it was super cool! they treat the missionaries like family, and they might be taking us bowling this p-day! wich is neat! Um...yeah. sop there, is that enough for ya! haha! anyways, thanks for filling me in on stuff, and letters! I enjoy them! good luck on your talk mom, and man I miss raking hay!!!! haha. Miss ya and love ya all! talk to you later!
Love elder Stander
Ps. Wanna send me some honey?

Still Waiting. . . .

We are still waiting for his snail mail to reach us.

July 6, 2009

Thanks for filling in! I enjoyed! I don't have my address book now, but I will bring it next week! I wrote you a letter, so I won't write much here. I miss everyone! Sounds like Taelor is keeping track of time so I don't have too! that is sweet! haha! I will write her as soon as I can! Thanks for the info, I bugged you about it in my next letter, so you can ignore it! haha. Well Like I said. I miss you all and love you all, and of course no one can replace any of you!

Love

Elder Stander

ps. For the fourth, I was able to stay out till ten, which seemed really late, and we went to the Nielson's for dinner and fireworks! And they Are soo cool! but again...not replacing you!