Hey guys, I'm still alive a year and a bit out. Hope you all are doing well. I miss you all!! I love being a missionary right now! I have learned so much from it! Seriously, who else can say they are basically fluent in another language within 2 years after graduation? Mainly the Mormons hahaha but on the real guys, I love you and so does our Father in Heaven. I know what I'm doing is what I need to be doing for my life right now. I know this is true and it's so important to me that I'm giving up two years of my life to testify to others about its truth. I hope you all are doing well.
Anij ippami! Elder Ingalls
Thursday, March 27, 2014
I Love You a Million Subway Sandwiches! 3-24-2014
Mom!!
I HAD SUBWAY AND BURGER KING!!!!!!!! Probably the best moment of my mission! Haha I'm in Ebeye now! I left Saturday and went to the military base! I didn't have enough money to go bowling or golfing or anything... But I got Subway. And oh my goodness that was the best thing of my life. It's legit. Then after a bit we took and old military transport to Ebeye which is their ferry. It's a huge boat! I got some nice pictures of it and me on it so it's pretty good! I love it here.
But first let's talk about Kwajalein.... That place... Grass, trees, nice buildings, streets with names, white people.... Subway, gold course, groomed trees, a huge airport, English... I was sooooo just in shock because of it. Haha and that's no where near what Hawaii is gonna be like for me.. Let alone innesota. I'm nervous! Haha so yeah after eating we took the ferry to Ebeye and, dang, this place is for sure the most crowded place in the world I think! Thousands of people on this little island! No matter where you go there are people there. The island is about a mile long. I run it in the morning and am doing perfect push-ups. It's nice. The church here is super strong and the members are really active and want to help out with missionary work. It's weird whitewashing on an island I've never been too. It's super hard too... But I got my homie Elder Hix to work with. He's from Wyoming. And he's been out like 2 months. He played college basketball so he's teaching me some stuff! Haha who's knows maybe I could get good with him. We work out hard in the mornings and at night. We're trying to get ripped up this transfer. Have a good time and go hard and get to work. It's hard planning because we don't have anyone we know so we just wander around and talk to people. Little by little. So there are 6 elders on the island and 2 sisters but we don't count them cuz they don't count. Haha it's divided into 3 areas and I work in the south. It's the biggest area and there is a lot of people here!! And I know Heavenly Father has put them in our paths because they are ready to hear the gospel.
I live in a super nice apartment here! 2 bathrooms and everything! It's a sweet place! If I had something like this after my mission I would be set!! Hopefully the boys look for a nice house we can all get as brothers when I come home. Haha it's gonna be hard because a lot of my mission buds wanna room together too! I think Jenrok was one of my favorite areas on Majuro but this could possibly turn into my favorite area as well! Who knows!
So anyways Kwajalein broadcasts cable for the troops and Ebeye gets the signal as well cause they are only like 5 miles away so everyone here, no matter if they have a nice house or tin house, pretty much has a tv with cable. Haha I saw some of the new Big Bang theory episodes! Only like 30 seconds but it looked good! Haha and it's cool how everyone here watches sports so they all know about the Timberwolves when I tell them I'm from Minnesota and they all know about Kevin Love! Wish I knew more about basketball! Haha just a different place. It's kinda cool the island just has a one way road that's a loop around the island, but there are sidewalks and curbs and stuff. And street signs! I was way surprised about that! this place could be really nice but the garbage problems here are high. I wish they would take care of there islands a little bit more! It's cool on our run the road is like right on the ocean and it feels like you're in California or something! I really like it here. The people are just nicer and wanna talk and be friendly. It's something that's gonna help out a lot. It's cool seeing everyone doing their callings and all that good stuff as well! They say that this island alone could be a stake within the next year! I wanna work hard to help that happen! They are a district right now. And all the areas are branches! 3 branches on this little island! This island is about the stretch from 242 to Bunker and maybe 2-3 football fields on each side. And that's about it. Tiny!!! Haha but to me, it's a pretty big island!
Today for pday we might jumbo out to some of the outer islands in the atoll! This atoll is masssssssive! Way cool! Our branch president works on one of the islands that launches missiles!!! He showed us a ton of pictures that might be classified! Haha I don't know! Thank goodness I'm not a terrorist. So yeah today will be fun! Pday here is pretty nice and relaxed! I love my mission. Can't believe I'm like 14 months out... Goes by too fast I swear. So yeah that's the island. The food is nice here but a lot more expensive than Majuro but I'll manage. Even if I have to eat ramen for a couple weeks! Heavenly Father won't allow his hard working missionaries to go hungry. So I gotta get my butt to work!!!
My studies this week were nice. Just read through the book of Jacob. I realllly enjoyed it. It's a good read and with the manuals I'm learning a ton!! I'm gonna be a genius when I get home!! Hopefully!! Haha anyways I better bounce soon. I don't think I'm really gonna be able to email anyone else this week so make sure everyone who wants to know what in doing gets to read this email! But remember these are all love letters to you!
I love you mommy hope you have a good week!!! Tell me everything, love you doll!
Your son
Ps I love you a million subway sandwiches
Pss give dad some yokwe and tell him I'm gonna give him a huge email next week!
Psss there's a direct mailing address for this place to send stuff to me but idk what it is yet. Hopefully I will let you know next week! So don't send anything to majuro! And I got the slingshot Logan sent me!!!! Okay bye!!
I absolutely love the Book of Mormon (Dad's Birthday Week) 3-16-2014
Heyyy girl heyyyy
What up baby? How are youuuuu doing? Sounds like you had a bomb time at Mall of America… I miss that place… I can't even imagine going to a store right now that has actual stuff… haha but I can buy raybans here and oakleys for like 10 bucks and they are legit as! Sounds like you had a good time there and had fun!! Can't wait for you to just take me out to eat everywhere! And yeah I know imagine dragons I listened to them a lot at BYU. Lorenzo knows some of the guys they are from Vegas! How did they like the concert? I have never really been to a concert before! Other than Tanners boy bands concerts haha only kidding! [Matt and Macey went to the Imagine Dragons concert the week of Spring Break and they loved it!]
Sounds like Grandma is having a good time on heretrip. And TRAYSON IS 4????? Does he like McDonalds still and cars or does he like girls now? Freak I don’t even know what to do when I get home… I hope that he still loves me. Let me know what he likes… I gotta stay current with his life! Haha
I am going to Ebeye this Saturday!! I don’t know anything about the island yet! I won't be working right on the military base but on the island a mile from it! Ebeye island! And yeah that place is super densly populated and I am so pumped to go there! This area in Rita is really difficult! So I am ready for the change! And hopefully I get your package soon before I leave but if not, the mission office forwards them to Ebeye!!!
And yeah I saw that Macey emailed me so I will hit her up after talking to you! I miss her a bunch and I am so happy that she emailed me! She's a good girl I hope she stays strong… is she starting to look into what schools she wants to go to? Hopefully BYU that would be so cool to have all the kids out there! And what school is Matt applying too/got into? Tell that clown I miss him and I am gonna beat him up for liking my little baby sister… she's only a child now!! Haha
So anyways on to my week! It was a slow week because Prisbrey was sick and rested so we didn’t get out that much so I had hours each days to read the Book of Mormon. I wanted to only read like a chapter a day but I got carried away and read 1st and 2nd Nephi this last week with the college textbooks it was legit!!! I freaking love Isaiah… it is so frustrating because I don’t understand it at all and I will read a chapter 2 or 3 times!! Haha but with the manual it is nice and I really am starting to slowly get it!! My buddy that just went home from his mission said that he can't get anything out of his studies at home and just doesn’t have the same spirit he had to study as a missionary. It's true. I gotta go hard now so I can learn a ton before I never have time any more.. haha
Its so awesome. I absolutely love the Book of Mormon and you start to get obsessed with reading it after awhile! Haha its good though! I wish I had that fire when I was home!! I know I will have it for sure when I get home!!! Nightly reading with the family will be awesome!! I hope you guys are still doing that!!!
Well I gotta bounce now! I love you mommy so much!! My Pdays in Ebeye are on Tuesdays here… so that’s Monday there? Idk you can figure it out! So yeah thats when I will be emailing you guys next week!!And anyways a bit about Ebeye… they are almost having enough members to have a stake there, and there are 6 elders there and 2 sisters! Packed! More details next week!! Love you suga
Elder Ingalls
What up baby? How are youuuuu doing? Sounds like you had a bomb time at Mall of America… I miss that place… I can't even imagine going to a store right now that has actual stuff… haha but I can buy raybans here and oakleys for like 10 bucks and they are legit as! Sounds like you had a good time there and had fun!! Can't wait for you to just take me out to eat everywhere! And yeah I know imagine dragons I listened to them a lot at BYU. Lorenzo knows some of the guys they are from Vegas! How did they like the concert? I have never really been to a concert before! Other than Tanners boy bands concerts haha only kidding! [Matt and Macey went to the Imagine Dragons concert the week of Spring Break and they loved it!]
Sounds like Grandma is having a good time on heretrip. And TRAYSON IS 4????? Does he like McDonalds still and cars or does he like girls now? Freak I don’t even know what to do when I get home… I hope that he still loves me. Let me know what he likes… I gotta stay current with his life! Haha
I am going to Ebeye this Saturday!! I don’t know anything about the island yet! I won't be working right on the military base but on the island a mile from it! Ebeye island! And yeah that place is super densly populated and I am so pumped to go there! This area in Rita is really difficult! So I am ready for the change! And hopefully I get your package soon before I leave but if not, the mission office forwards them to Ebeye!!!
And yeah I saw that Macey emailed me so I will hit her up after talking to you! I miss her a bunch and I am so happy that she emailed me! She's a good girl I hope she stays strong… is she starting to look into what schools she wants to go to? Hopefully BYU that would be so cool to have all the kids out there! And what school is Matt applying too/got into? Tell that clown I miss him and I am gonna beat him up for liking my little baby sister… she's only a child now!! Haha
So anyways on to my week! It was a slow week because Prisbrey was sick and rested so we didn’t get out that much so I had hours each days to read the Book of Mormon. I wanted to only read like a chapter a day but I got carried away and read 1st and 2nd Nephi this last week with the college textbooks it was legit!!! I freaking love Isaiah… it is so frustrating because I don’t understand it at all and I will read a chapter 2 or 3 times!! Haha but with the manual it is nice and I really am starting to slowly get it!! My buddy that just went home from his mission said that he can't get anything out of his studies at home and just doesn’t have the same spirit he had to study as a missionary. It's true. I gotta go hard now so I can learn a ton before I never have time any more.. haha
Its so awesome. I absolutely love the Book of Mormon and you start to get obsessed with reading it after awhile! Haha its good though! I wish I had that fire when I was home!! I know I will have it for sure when I get home!!! Nightly reading with the family will be awesome!! I hope you guys are still doing that!!!
Well I gotta bounce now! I love you mommy so much!! My Pdays in Ebeye are on Tuesdays here… so that’s Monday there? Idk you can figure it out! So yeah thats when I will be emailing you guys next week!!And anyways a bit about Ebeye… they are almost having enough members to have a stake there, and there are 6 elders there and 2 sisters! Packed! More details next week!! Love you suga
Elder Ingalls
Going to Ebeye. The 22nd. More news later! 3-8-2014
Mom!!! What's up girl???
Thanks for your email this week and last week! I read them but I had to type and email before I could log on and read it!! So I wrote you the email before reading what you had to say!! I wasn’t sure how long I was going to have to email so I did it that way!! But this week I can write you a really long email and make up for the small one last week!! I am glad that you enjoyed my email to dad!! I have changed a lot in just the last couple of weeks and I wanna show you guys that change.
Everything is awesome out here. I just had an interview with President and he called me to serve in Ebeye, which is an island in Kwajalein Atoll!! It’s not an outer island, it’s the island that is on the military base for the US!!! Haha So yeah! I don’t really know too much about it but I know that it is one of the most densely populated places in the world!! [5th mostly densely populated island in the world!] The island is a mile long and about 3 football fields wide…. And about 16000 people live there!! I will be whitewashing with an elder that has been here about 5 weeks so I get to finish off his training! I leave the 22nd. And I now you can send mail there and email and everything. Basically it has all the stuff from here but a little bit nicer! And the naval base there is like superrrrrr nice!! There is a golf course there, subway, burger king!! We can't go to the base all the time but a few times we will get to go there!!! SO PARTY!!!
I don’t really know much about the place! But that’s whats happening! So no worries, President has different plans for me and I am happy to go there!! Actually I am realllllly excited to go there!! I think I will end my mission on an outer island if I am feeling healthy! Haha who knows!!
Anyways…. Give the yokwe to daddy for me!! He's the man. Sorry for you being bored all the time!! Go make some friends or go serve somebody!! There shouldn’t be boring parts in our lives, and only we can be the deciders of that. Anyways on to your questions from last week since you are dying to get the answers to them!
Will you still be going to the outer islands or has this been put on hold indefinitely?
Going to Ebeye. The 22nd. More news later!
Do you like your new companion?
He is cool! Haha but I am excited to work with Elder Hix too. That guy just seems awesome!! Plays sports, and is kinda like me so its nice! A little bit quieter.
What is the best meal that you can cook yourself?
Everything I make is amazing. 5 star quality. Literally. Haha I’m awesome. My favorite thing is pork chops and diced potatos. Way good. Also catching a fish and eating it right there and then… raw!
What foods do you eat most often?
Rice and Pao. Haha rice and fried chicken is the classic! Marshallese bbq is amazing too!
Do you eat with members very often?
2-3 times a week. Nothing like Jenrok where it was everyday and sometimes lunches too!!
Best conversion story?
Best conversion story is still mine, but there are some other good ones as well. Seeing people smoke 3 packs of smokes a day and we teach them the word or wisdom and he has smoked once for 2 weeks now. His name is Jimmy. Amazing strength that our message gives. Pretty awesome
What did you do for this past pday? We all went to the park in delap. All the missionaries on the island and we played kickball and rugby! It was legit!! and then emailed, and shopped then got back on my grind and worked!
Anyways, back to the email. I just focused this week on the Book of Mormon. And how important that it is in teaching and how much I need to use it more and read it… It really hit me that I'm just not using it the way I should and I don’t know it as well as I should. So I am starting a super intense study of it and just going to tons more understanding and application. That’s the part I probably lack the most is the application to everything and how I can apply it to my investigators and the members that I teach!
Anyways, I sent Conner an email so hopefully he hits me up!! They email me sometimes!! But not all the time! Haha I hope he is doing well. He just needs better friends. I’m sad he sold his motorcycle… but he’ll figure it out!! Just pray hard for him!! I’m praying for him too!! Respect anything and everything he does. You don’t need to agree with it, but show him absolute love and just show him the kind of love Heavenly Father shows to you. Don’t you worry everything will happen the way God wants it too, and if we aline with Heavenly Father, we have no need to worry!!
Well, I gotta bounce! I love you mommy!! Have a good week!
Elder Ingalls
Ps that package was gone in like a day…. Hahaha thanks babe
Thanks for your email this week and last week! I read them but I had to type and email before I could log on and read it!! So I wrote you the email before reading what you had to say!! I wasn’t sure how long I was going to have to email so I did it that way!! But this week I can write you a really long email and make up for the small one last week!! I am glad that you enjoyed my email to dad!! I have changed a lot in just the last couple of weeks and I wanna show you guys that change.
Everything is awesome out here. I just had an interview with President and he called me to serve in Ebeye, which is an island in Kwajalein Atoll!! It’s not an outer island, it’s the island that is on the military base for the US!!! Haha So yeah! I don’t really know too much about it but I know that it is one of the most densely populated places in the world!! [5th mostly densely populated island in the world!] The island is a mile long and about 3 football fields wide…. And about 16000 people live there!! I will be whitewashing with an elder that has been here about 5 weeks so I get to finish off his training! I leave the 22nd. And I now you can send mail there and email and everything. Basically it has all the stuff from here but a little bit nicer! And the naval base there is like superrrrrr nice!! There is a golf course there, subway, burger king!! We can't go to the base all the time but a few times we will get to go there!!! SO PARTY!!!
I don’t really know much about the place! But that’s whats happening! So no worries, President has different plans for me and I am happy to go there!! Actually I am realllllly excited to go there!! I think I will end my mission on an outer island if I am feeling healthy! Haha who knows!!
Anyways…. Give the yokwe to daddy for me!! He's the man. Sorry for you being bored all the time!! Go make some friends or go serve somebody!! There shouldn’t be boring parts in our lives, and only we can be the deciders of that. Anyways on to your questions from last week since you are dying to get the answers to them!
Will you still be going to the outer islands or has this been put on hold indefinitely?
Going to Ebeye. The 22nd. More news later!
Do you like your new companion?
He is cool! Haha but I am excited to work with Elder Hix too. That guy just seems awesome!! Plays sports, and is kinda like me so its nice! A little bit quieter.
What is the best meal that you can cook yourself?
Everything I make is amazing. 5 star quality. Literally. Haha I’m awesome. My favorite thing is pork chops and diced potatos. Way good. Also catching a fish and eating it right there and then… raw!
What foods do you eat most often?
Rice and Pao. Haha rice and fried chicken is the classic! Marshallese bbq is amazing too!
Do you eat with members very often?
2-3 times a week. Nothing like Jenrok where it was everyday and sometimes lunches too!!
Best conversion story?
Best conversion story is still mine, but there are some other good ones as well. Seeing people smoke 3 packs of smokes a day and we teach them the word or wisdom and he has smoked once for 2 weeks now. His name is Jimmy. Amazing strength that our message gives. Pretty awesome
What did you do for this past pday? We all went to the park in delap. All the missionaries on the island and we played kickball and rugby! It was legit!! and then emailed, and shopped then got back on my grind and worked!
Anyways, back to the email. I just focused this week on the Book of Mormon. And how important that it is in teaching and how much I need to use it more and read it… It really hit me that I'm just not using it the way I should and I don’t know it as well as I should. So I am starting a super intense study of it and just going to tons more understanding and application. That’s the part I probably lack the most is the application to everything and how I can apply it to my investigators and the members that I teach!
Anyways, I sent Conner an email so hopefully he hits me up!! They email me sometimes!! But not all the time! Haha I hope he is doing well. He just needs better friends. I’m sad he sold his motorcycle… but he’ll figure it out!! Just pray hard for him!! I’m praying for him too!! Respect anything and everything he does. You don’t need to agree with it, but show him absolute love and just show him the kind of love Heavenly Father shows to you. Don’t you worry everything will happen the way God wants it too, and if we aline with Heavenly Father, we have no need to worry!!
Well, I gotta bounce! I love you mommy!! Have a good week!
Elder Ingalls
Ps that package was gone in like a day…. Hahaha thanks babe
Whatever God wants of me is what I want for myself (Letter to Dad) 3-2-2014
Richard!!! Daddy!!!
I don't have that much money so I'm writing you this as a word document and then I'm gonna send it to you! Then maybe I can answer a few more of your questions!! This week was pretty nice. I have never taught more lessons in one week than any other time on my mission! On top of that we did the "rescue" this week which was on Tuesday all the leaders and the elders quorum got together at the church, paired off with a list on less actives to see and went off and invited them all to come to church! Pretty legit!! The building was packed with people and it really worked! They were excited to do it and were gonna to be doing it every Tuesday from now on! They did it in Kiribati and wards with 100 people eventually had 250-300! And they had to divide the ward! So we're working hard to get those people back to church! I wish our ward back home could do something awesome like that! Who knows maybe you guys did and I just didn't know..
This week I really focused on the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Man that was good. Each week I am trying to deepen my understanding and knowledge of a certain topic and not the obvious ones like Faith and that stuff. Those are good, but I have already done them! Anyways, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants and just really dug into it. Dang it was awesome. It's cool to learn how important oaths were in the time of Christ and the times of Nephi and how binding they were. They are promises that people back then wouldn't dare break, even unto death. Nothing stronger and more binding. It's so cool to see that we are promised all the Father has if we just do our part which is receiving the priesthood and basically live by every word that proceeds from God. Wow doesn't that just seem easy! Sounds like we get the better half of the deal! I read how was are under an oath and covenant to magnify our callings. If we are a Sunbeams teacher or an apostle, it doesn't matter as long and we do our best, we will receive God's kingdom. Wow!!! I guess if we don't magnify our callings, that would be considered sin. And when we're disobedient in missionary working that's not magnifying my calling. That hit me pretty hard. It really pushed me over the edge to exact obedience. I know I just gotta do my best and The Lord will cover the rest. So go hard in your calling and do work!
That's a couple days of my personal studies. There's ten times more than that but I thought I would give you a taste. This week was pretty good. Finding is difficult in an area like this. But the people here are sooo rich!! Then have like hummers, mustangs, chargers, and just quite a few nice cars! Their houses are pretty nice too! But I have noticed with wealth comes some hardened hearts, but we work through it. Rich or poor, famous or unknown all these people need is this simple message that us Elders have. It's a good time working with Prisbrey. He is really nice and to be honest reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite. I will send a picture home soon for you guys! I think President has some new opportunities to serve and I think I'm gonna be on the island for awhile. My knees are fine and they think it could be Osgood Schlatters or calcium build ups but they don't know. Either way even if I was healthy I think my place to serve is still on the island and I don't mind! I can go out later - I'm in no rush! Whatever God wants of me is what I want for myself. [I LOVE hearing this from him! MOM]
I hope work is going well for you. You have some fun and do something that makes you happy. I was pumped to hear about the gym membership. How is that going to work with Macey and seminary? What's the plan for that? I am not able to go to the gym at the moment and I think I have lost 5-10 pounds in the last month... So yeah I think I am close to 155lbs. I'm gonna weigh myself when I go to the office today! I'm getting pretty toned. I do 200 push ups every night with the perfect push ups. And then do abs and core! Conner's got nothing on me! Give mommy some yokwe! I miss that lady! Go enjoy some chipotle or something for me! Haha you have a good rest of your week! I will try to write a bit after I read your email! Love you dad!!!!!!!!!
Elder Ingalls
I don't have that much money so I'm writing you this as a word document and then I'm gonna send it to you! Then maybe I can answer a few more of your questions!! This week was pretty nice. I have never taught more lessons in one week than any other time on my mission! On top of that we did the "rescue" this week which was on Tuesday all the leaders and the elders quorum got together at the church, paired off with a list on less actives to see and went off and invited them all to come to church! Pretty legit!! The building was packed with people and it really worked! They were excited to do it and were gonna to be doing it every Tuesday from now on! They did it in Kiribati and wards with 100 people eventually had 250-300! And they had to divide the ward! So we're working hard to get those people back to church! I wish our ward back home could do something awesome like that! Who knows maybe you guys did and I just didn't know..
This week I really focused on the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Man that was good. Each week I am trying to deepen my understanding and knowledge of a certain topic and not the obvious ones like Faith and that stuff. Those are good, but I have already done them! Anyways, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants and just really dug into it. Dang it was awesome. It's cool to learn how important oaths were in the time of Christ and the times of Nephi and how binding they were. They are promises that people back then wouldn't dare break, even unto death. Nothing stronger and more binding. It's so cool to see that we are promised all the Father has if we just do our part which is receiving the priesthood and basically live by every word that proceeds from God. Wow doesn't that just seem easy! Sounds like we get the better half of the deal! I read how was are under an oath and covenant to magnify our callings. If we are a Sunbeams teacher or an apostle, it doesn't matter as long and we do our best, we will receive God's kingdom. Wow!!! I guess if we don't magnify our callings, that would be considered sin. And when we're disobedient in missionary working that's not magnifying my calling. That hit me pretty hard. It really pushed me over the edge to exact obedience. I know I just gotta do my best and The Lord will cover the rest. So go hard in your calling and do work!
That's a couple days of my personal studies. There's ten times more than that but I thought I would give you a taste. This week was pretty good. Finding is difficult in an area like this. But the people here are sooo rich!! Then have like hummers, mustangs, chargers, and just quite a few nice cars! Their houses are pretty nice too! But I have noticed with wealth comes some hardened hearts, but we work through it. Rich or poor, famous or unknown all these people need is this simple message that us Elders have. It's a good time working with Prisbrey. He is really nice and to be honest reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite. I will send a picture home soon for you guys! I think President has some new opportunities to serve and I think I'm gonna be on the island for awhile. My knees are fine and they think it could be Osgood Schlatters or calcium build ups but they don't know. Either way even if I was healthy I think my place to serve is still on the island and I don't mind! I can go out later - I'm in no rush! Whatever God wants of me is what I want for myself. [I LOVE hearing this from him! MOM]
I hope work is going well for you. You have some fun and do something that makes you happy. I was pumped to hear about the gym membership. How is that going to work with Macey and seminary? What's the plan for that? I am not able to go to the gym at the moment and I think I have lost 5-10 pounds in the last month... So yeah I think I am close to 155lbs. I'm gonna weigh myself when I go to the office today! I'm getting pretty toned. I do 200 push ups every night with the perfect push ups. And then do abs and core! Conner's got nothing on me! Give mommy some yokwe! I miss that lady! Go enjoy some chipotle or something for me! Haha you have a good rest of your week! I will try to write a bit after I read your email! Love you dad!!!!!!!!!
Elder Ingalls
I love you babe!! 3-1-2014
Mom!!
Sorry my email to you is going to be so short!! The computer keeps freezing and it's honestly the most frustrating thing in the world. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time at home and staying busy with the Relief Society. I want the sisters here to be strong like you! I wish wards would do more activities and spend more time strengthening the members and be strong together. It's all good though. The best thing I can do is to strengthen them myself. I can encourage and inform.
Sounds like Macey is in for a treat with that baby doll! [She has to bring home an electronic baby and take care of it for 18 hours, it records how well she does!] I remember when she had dolls and stuff when she was just that cute little 3 year old. That's the Macey I know best! I miss that girl tell her to email me!!! She's the worst out of all the kids!! Haha I don't have much time to email you so I won't get to check anyone else's emails!! [She did email him this week (probably out of guilt, but whatever!)]
I wrote Dad a nice long one because he needs to hear from his son!! It was one of my better emails that I have written and more spiritual! Nothing is really new with the work so I am focusing on my studies and more spiritual things. I'm gonna try and answer your questions but I gotta bounce so maybe I can hop in today after sports and shopping and stuff!
I hope you have a good week!! I love you babe!!
Elder Ingalls
Happy Birthday to You, MOM!!!!! 2-23-2014
HAPPPPPPPYYYYY BIRTHDAYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
are you 24 or 25 I forget? I wish I could take you on a fun date for your birthday but I guess that will just have to wait until next year!
Anyways....
How are you doing cutie pie? Life is awesome here and I am loving every second of it. Its difficult. I can definitely say that as time goes on it gets easier but some assignments are harder than others and some investigators are just more difficult. Prisbrey and I made a goal to find males ages 17 and up. Just because we wanna focus on bringing more priesthood holders into the church and hopefully being able to send some people on missions! That would be the coolest thing! So the work is going well and I have no complaints about it. I am just trying to really study and get the most out of my studies. I almost feel a tad bit selfish but, boy, am I getting good at the bible and the Book of Mormon. I always wondered why they had classes at BYU for the returned missionaries… probably because I don’t think I would ever stop talking and answering everything and giving my inputs…
Its all good. Church is crazy… the members don’t really understand the teaching manuals and a lot of them are not translated into Marshallese so that is a challenge…. The members here are great and strong but just some don’t know portions of the gospel because of the language barrier!!! I love them though! They try hard and its fun to see how different the people are here, but the church is the exact same thing here too!!
I really don’t know what else to write in my emails anymore… I empty of saying things… but I have a bit longer. I wanna just share how much I love this gospel and know that its true. Its amazing and it is the only one to help people progress. No other religion gives progression as a result of repentance. Its so true. Just taking a step back and looking at all religions.. Ours just gives the most hope and the best outcome. And the things we have to do only lift us up and give us blessings of peace. I know that this church is true. I’ve known it for awhile, but never really understood. They always say you only can truly know something once you can teach it fully to another person. And that’s what missionary work does for us. It just gives us a chance to teach other people and by doing so, my faith and knowledge is at an all time high! I really have been studying the restoration and the apostacy and just have been focusing on how to teach that. Its been wonderful and I am learning so much that will prepare me for the rest of my life. Obedience is the lock and Sacrifice is the key.
I love you mommy so much. I am happy to hear about everything you are doing! I haven’t got any packages yet, but I will be going to the mission office today so hopefully!! Say hi to everyone for me!! Especially Kevin and Sara and Trayson! Never hear much from them but I think about them a lot!! I love you all and hope you have an amazing weeks!! Ask questions, share your testimony, advice, quotes, stories etc with me! I am on the weak end of replying to it all, but I really want to hear about it all and read it!! Love you babe
Elder Ingalls
My house flooded. Really bad... 2-16-2014
Jina!
That's mom in Marshallese! How are you doing? How's life? How's Dad? How's Macey? How are the brothers? How's the weather? How's the food? Tell me everything!
Everything is going well... I have some bad news though.. My house flooded. Really bad... The power went out Thursday morning and one of the sinks was randomly left on in the bathroom and the vent was clogged in the bathroom and we didn't know it.. Well the power came back on at like noon and the sink started going! We didn't get back to the house until about 9 o'clock and there was water running off of balcony and down the stairs to our apartment... We rushed inside and little did we know our sink was left on for about 9 hours... The house had about 3-4 inches of water in it... Sooo yeah that was a late night of trying to take crummy brooms and brush the water down the stairs and out the balcony... Haha we live in a house and we have the top floor! Lots of my letters and notebooks got ruined, my quad scriptures are ruined and some of my pictures :/ my suitcases were in the water too so my clothes got wet but they should be fine. Uhhh talk about a challenging week! It's okay though we eventually got all the water house and just trying to air this place out and make sure there is no mold! My suitcases are fine and most of my stuff is fine except for my scriptures- the only thing that I wish would not have gotten wet... So I hate to ask but I'm going to need a new quad,the binding is broken and falling apart. I seriously wanna cry I have put a year of studying and work into those so I'm gonna need a new set. If there is a way you can send me a new one that would be wonderful! I only have a Marshallese set right now.. Haha. But if you can send me a new set, try to get the ones like Dad's. I like the smaller ones. And maybe a scripture case for it as well. Whatever you can get its good. [I already bought them and sent them too him - hopefully, he will get them soon!] And I could use 2 new pairs if pants. The ones grandma sent me were great except the zipper broke a couple days ago!!! Shucks!! Still a size 32. Some khaki tan slim pants would be nice. Whatever works! Take your time. [I already sent him those too! Good mom award goes to me!] There is a fine line between patience and not caring and sometimes I think I have just learned not to care haha
So yeah that was a highlight of the week I took some videos of me jumping in the puddles and what not... Kinda funny! Other than my jeje ko rekwojarjar! (Scriptures!) this week has been kind of slow.. We didn't get to see that many people just because everyone was gone! I have no idea where they all were but it was so slow!! The lessons we did have were awesome, but just not many! It's hard going from working in really populated areas to areas where there is just nobody! Haha it's hard for me to remember all the months I spent out in Arrak with slow work! But it's good. Prisbrey and I are very new to the area and still trying to figure out where members live and see who's active and who's not! It's fun. And if it's not, I make it fun! Missionary work is fun! I don't think I would enjoy it as much anywhere else! But it's good! I'm glad to be where I'm at and I can't believe how fast it is going!
Yesterday was 13 months... Dang!! That feels good. It's nice not because of the fact that I'm going home, but the fact that I'm getting better and better at what I'm doing! It just gets easier and easier. It's gonna be weird stopping what I'm doing. I just feel like this is my job and this is gonna be what in doing for the rest of my life! It's cool! I didn't think I would ever feel that way! I was talking to Dad a little bit of how I was studying about sacrifice! It's cool how what I consider to be a sacrifice is different that what I considered it to be a year ago, or even a couple of months ago! Perfection in my work and fine tuning is what I'm focusing on now. It's difficult to throw away bad habits or stop doing some worldly things, but I can accomplish and I receive blessings such as confidence in the language or better understanding of gospel principles or just being happier. It's nice.
Rita north is a good area! There's a reason I was to go here and stay here for a bit rather than to go to Ailinglaplap right now. I was so upset, but there has been some mission changing things that I've learned here that are preparing to me to eventually serve somewhere else! Who knows! I'm happy to work here. The knees are fine. Just poor healthcare here. The doctor asked me what I wanted him to do about it... Haha he held the X-rays up to the ceiling fan light... Haha it's different here. So your son might need to have back surgery for knee problems! Haha just kidding.
Sometimes I think to myself how different this place is!! Like seriously everything. It's gonna be so hard to adjust to the people and the way things are when I get home! Me and Prisbrey were just talking about it and we could list soooo many things... Haha it's just funny I think a rich person has a fridge and running water.... And the way people dress. They are very modest here. Thank goodness I'm going home in the winter, but even then girls find ways to do it. And driving fast in a car. I think the fastest I have been was like 55mph and I was freaking out!!! Just because the roads are rough and barely 2 lanes! I think driving on snow is something I'm definitely going to have to ease into. It's just a different world down here. I don't think people understand what land really is, or how many people 100,000 actually is, or that there aren't lagoons and that my house is a 2-3 day drive to the ocean.... Haha just funny!
So yeah this week was good. I'm writing this all before I read your email so I will send this and then maybe try to write a smaller one to answer any questions or what not. Love you mom so much, you are the best! Happy valentines day, happy birthday pretty soon! Happy everything! be back in a couple months! you're the best!
Love your favorite elder/son
Elder Ingalls
Ps I loveeeeeeeee you
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Happy Valentine's Day 2-9-2014 (13 months)
Mom!!
What's up babe? Hope you are doing well. My time is Rita is pretty slow but I have never been working harder. Rita is the end of the island in the town side! Pretty nice place. Some pretty well off people live here so it's cool seeing nice cars and semi big houses! Haha I can't even really imagine our house... Like carpet, ac in every room, electricity... 2 stories... What the heck we were spoiled. Anyways Elder Prisbrey is the man! And his first name is Dallin as well! Haha pretty funny. It's weird working with somebody older than me... He's decent at Marshallese. He kinda has an accent and just sounds like an American belle... But it's decent. I still learn a lot from him. He's really obedient and I just try to be even more obedient haha it's fun :) we're getting some serious work done here!
We don't have many members in this area... Rita is split up into 3 areas and each and like 4 football fields by 3 football fields... Haha and that's what we have to work in! It's so much different than Jenrok because there really aren't that many people here.. I'm used to just hundreds of kids just wandering around and mobbing me when I came by! I miss that place. I still think Jenrok was one of my favorite places to work on my mission so far. Rita is legit because it is the very edge of the island and there are like 3 outer islands tha,t on low tide we can walk to and we actually have some less actives there as well as some investigators! Everything is cool here. We work with some YSA kids and its legit. They don't have anything to do so they come walk around and work with us all day. Its so legit cuz they help us out cuz they know everybody and we just speak only Marshallese. Its tight. Gets you way good at the language really fast!! It's weird being the younger companion and it's hard to adjust to the knowledge of someone who is more experienced! This time next week will be my 13 months mark! Where is the time going.... It's so crazy. Just way fast. It's weird reading my entries in my journal a year ago and reading how I thought this language was so hard and all this stuff. But I feel pretty good now! It's so easy to speak and I swear I sometimes think in the language! I bet Tanner and Logan both said the same thing about always knowing their language... And it's true it's hard for me to imagine the time when I didn't know it... And just saying stuff around the new elders, it's like come on guys this is so simple and easy... How do they not get it??? Then I read my journal a year ago about how frustrated I was about the language... Haha weird. I haven't had too many solid solid lessons lately because we don't have too many people to study with, but I get to bear my testimony a lot and give people a two minute lesson about the church. You don't tract here in the Marshall's, you kinda just run into people. Haha it's interesting. In doing that, I tell a lot of people about the church and if I can't get them believe, at least they can see the absolute conviction in my eyes that I know it's true. I haven't prayed in English since July... I honestly think I'm gonna suck when I get home... Life's good though. These people need me to be able to pray in their language so they can really feel the spirit. It's cool one lady we met who has being studying with the elders forever who knows perfect English, who usually studies with the elders in English asked if we could just study in Marshallese because she said my Marshallese as well as Prisbreys was the best and most fluent she has ever heard from elders before! Legit. It's a blessing because I feel like I wouldn't be able to do it in English!
Ijela ke jerbal in ej mol im ij yokwe iien in ao me imaron bed lo majol im kwalok gospel eo nan ro motta. Ebin ao tomak bwe elap tokjen jan ao jerbal in mijinede. Naij lukkuun missi baamle e ao kab aolepen menin jerammon ko ao. Ij kamool bwe anij ej yokwe kijuij kajojo. Ejela kajjied. Naij jar ekijen baamle eo ao kab aolepen ro motta ilo jekan bwe ren bok jerammon ko jan ao jerbal in mijinede. Naij lukkuun missi likatu ippa im ikonaan ba nan eok bwe ij katar eok im mottan wot jidik kwonaaj bed ippa. Naij yokwe eok momma. anij ippam
Its just hard for me to believe that you cant understand that... Like that's so easy to me and so basic.. Haha someday I will explain it for you guys. I'm really working on the language these days to start really being comfortable and confident to find new people and just be as outgoing as I can. It's weird how it just becomes easier to speak to people in Marshallese.. Haha it's weird talking in Marshallese to other elders but with some it's so legit! Even when I speak English I use Marshallese words because they just work better and the elders here are all pretty fluent in Marshallese! Pretty crazy to think in 5 weeks or so, my intake [The young men he travelled to the Marshall Islands with 13 months ago] will be the 2nd oldest group of elders in the mission! What the heck!!! There was a huge gap where no elders came in for a couple months so yeah the next elders to basically go home is Parkinson's intake! Man I miss that guy! I think he was my all time favorite companion and I just loved working with him so much!! It's funny I'm in Rita which is one side of the island and he is in Laura right now which is the other side if the island!
You know you have been here too long when you start thinking this island is big... Haha boy am I in for a treat haha anyways, whitewashing for the 4th on my mission is tough, but it's nice to have a fresh start and try to get an area jump started again! President has some real faith in me! I'll probably be here for the next. 4-6 weeks and then probably be able to bounce to my outer island! Haha well hopefully! My knees aren't bad and they are just making sure everything is going well first. No worries. You guys have nothing to worry about!
How are my brothers and my sister doing?? I hope Macey kills it at State this year! I feel really stupid but I'm 90% sure she is a sophomore...? I couldn't remember if I come home when she is a senior or not... Man I suck. Haha the boys sound pretty good out there in Utah! Motorcycles huh? Haha I guess dreams do come true! I saw some pictures of them and boy am I jealous! I think I might get a blue or red or black one depending on what Tanner eventually gets! I can't believe this semester is half way over for those guys right? Man I thought my 9 weeks at BYU for summer was long! But that's only like a transfer and a half! That's nothing!!! Crazy to think I'm 7 transfers from coming home! That's probably gonna be like 2 or 3 more areas depending if I go to an outer island eventually... anyways, the kids... Any big news with then that I gotta know about? Nobody is prison? Married? Death? Aced a hard test? Learned a new language? Forget a language? How's mcdonalds and chipotle? Those guys were my best friends. I hope they wait for me. Nothing gets me trunkier that talking about cars and Texas Roadhouse steak! Haha it's weird seeing shacks here but they got camaros, chargers, there's a 300c here and some other way nice cars. Haha they really take the humble house, nice cars approach to the max!
I gotta bounce now cuz the internet is probably gonna shut off soon! I'm being super careful! Tell everyone I love them and I'll see everyone in a couple months! Peace out and love u suga ;)
Elder Ingalls <3
Ps I love you
I work in Rita 2-2-14
I typed up an email on a word document and the computer shut off cuz the power went out for a couple minutes... So that's the status of everything today... Stinks because I was basically done and I don't have the time to rewrite it...
This week was good with me. I work in Rita which is the end of the island on the town side it's like suburbs. Haha well compared to the city. I work with the district leader right now who is Elder Prisbey. He is the man. He came from Ebrye and we are both whitewashing the area so it's been an interesting week.
My investigators... I don't really know them but there is one guy named Jimmy who is really cool. We are talking to him about baptism and law of chastity and we said he could get married or live some where else and he was just like " I'm gonna get rid of her by next week " hahaha it was so funny! He's the man.
Congrats to Macey on State [dance competition]!! Way impressed! Say hi to everyone for me! Love you all bunches. Hopefully next week goes better! Give the yokwe to dad especially! I loved your emails but I just can't really respond. I love you so much. I'm gonna tell you more stories next week!
Love Elder Ingalls
Ps I'm happy
Don't you worry about me! 1-26-2014
Yo Mom!
I'm fine and not going to die so don't you worry about me! I don't get much time to email here in Rita because we have to pay for it and I don't have any money in the budget to spend on that! So they will be short. haha sorry!I definitely have an accent 1-26-2014
I definitely have an accent.. I recorded myself talking and I sound weird.... great... one more year to go... haha Love U mommy!
Lame News 1-19-2014
Hi Mom!
Well I got some lame news... I'm not going to Ailinglaplap. I went to the doctor because I was having bad knee problems and I was have some calcium build ups and they need to take care of before I can go anywhere. So I won't be leaving for awhile... I'm so upset right now.
I don't have much time to email. I will write you more next week when I figure out everything thats happening and when I know the internet works better. This is honestly the most depressed I have ever been. I'm gonna work hard and snap out of it. I will try to write more next week. I just don't have that much time because I didn't expect to email today. Talk to you soon.
Love you
Elder Ingalls
I'm really sad to leave Jenrok 1-11-2014
Mom!!!!
Sup babe??? Well the time has come!!!!!! This is my last email to you for the next 4-6 months! This Friday I'm gonna hop on a plane and fly to Ailinglaplap!!! But if it doesn't fly I could be going to get in a boat to take a 14 hour open ocean boat trip there! It's one of the most primitive outer islands in the Marshalls! No anything... Haha no power, internet, running water, they have a bit of solar electricity but nothing we use... No stores, or much of anything. It's about 400 miles from Majuro Atoll! Haha nuts!!! My time has come! I'm soooo pumped!!! It's gonna be the scariest thing if my life but it's gonna be one of the best thing that ever happen to me! I'm going to learn sooo much! People out there don't speak any English so my Marshallese is gonna be amazing and my English.... Well I will get better at that when I go home! haha it's going to be soooo awesome. I'm so amped. So yeah that is my news. This is gonna be the last email I get to send to you for a couple of months! All letters and packages I get will be kept in the office and waiting for me so I won't get any of that stuff! So you shouldn't send me packages or anything until I get back to Majuro Atoll.
Dang this is going to be such an adventure! When the assistants called me and I don't think I slept more than 20 minutes that whole night! A billion things went through my head! It's gonna be so legit! I can't believe that I am going to be completely shut out for the outside world and literally have no idea what's going on!! So pumped!!!!! It's gonna be pretty hard. 6 months is gonna be a long time that's for sure. But knowing that I'm in God's hands and I am totally and completely protected. I'm gonna go through some hard stuff but I will manage haha I always said I wanted to be on survivor haha and this is harder because I have to do that and teach people the gospel! dang I'm so pumped! I'm gonna do some crazy stuff out there! Gonna go shark fishing soon too-it's gonna be legit!!!!
I'm really sad to leave Jenrok. It's hard because I have like 6 baptisms lined up and I just love the members here. They are like my family here. It's hard because I know the language the best here so it's the easiest to have the most fun! I really love working in Jenrok. There is a lot of work to be done still. I know Elder Faleono is the man for the job. He's an amazing elder and I have absolutely loved working with him. He's one of my best friends out here. Haha he's crazier than me too! This mission is going so fast for me. These next few months are going to go even faster! I hope they go fast for you as well!
I think I might still need to watch the bachelor when I get home -it's kinda my show..... Hahaha you will get back into it don't you worry [I used to watch it, but this last bachelor was so lame that I couldn't even stand to watch it!] yeah we have had about a 4 week drought because the wind has been so fierce that rain clouds can't form so no rain! We are all using well water right now but if it doesn't rain hard soon, we gonna have to hop in the ocean or something! Haha we are getting 7 new elders in 2 weeks then 11 new ones in March and I'm not gonna know any of them because I will be gone!!! Idk what it was like for Tanner and Logan's missions but in mine, you know everyone that's a missionary and we are all super close!!! So not knowing about 20 elders, which is about half the ones here in the Marshall's, is crazy to me!!!
I was stoked to hear about Macey's dance competition!! 2nd place isn't bad!! So do they go to State?? [Yes, they did!] They sound like they are awesome! I miss being able to watch them! Dance is so hard haha it's good to hear that the boys are doing well in the promised land!! I can't wait to join them eventually!! Haha I can't believe Conner has to bike so far for his job!! [He eventually bought a car!] Haha how is he liking it? Tell Tanner to make some moves!! I'm coming home soon and ask him if that $100 means anything to him!!!
Well, I have no idea what you wanna do about emails and my blog if I even have one or letters and stuff. I know I'm gonna write in my journal hard and bring a special outer island adventures journal!! So I will keep you way posted it'll just be a couple of months old but it'll be good. I really wanna do some serious work there! If you guys wanna email me I guess you can but have like 100 emails that I won't be able able to have time to read might not go so well. Whatever you want is fine with me. I really don't even know what else to say other than I love you and am so happy to have this experience and hopefully help these people a ton! I don't wanna just come home with stories. I wanna come home with people's lives changed. I know the importance of having the spirit with me and that 3rd person in our companionships. I work super hard to always have it. I love being a missionary and I know that this is where my Father in Heaven wants me to be right now.
To the friends: idk if you guys ever read my blog but if you guys are extremely bored and are wondering what I'm doing.... Go ahead and take a gander! I'm heading to Ailinglaplap this Friday for a couple months... So power, water, food, anything... Pray that I don't die... Hahaha So don't miss me too much! I'm gonna miss you guys a ton, especially Steve. That kid is a stud you all need to love him up and thank him for being amazing. I will be home soon enough, so you guys enjoy your break from me! Haha you all be good!! Remember, ambition can be a virtue when it drives you to excel. Love you guys and see ya in a couple months.
I'm gonna miss you mom! Make sure you keep a nice long email telling me of what you have been up to and I will do the same. you are awesome and I am going to be missing and praying for you a ton! I will talk to you soon babe don't you worry, I'm gonna be right back!
I love you mom!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Ingalls
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