Oct. 26

Well this week was kinda boring besides, we went with one of our members to go tech his mom who is 90 yr old and almost completely deaf so during the entire appointment we were having to yell for her to be able to hear us, It was really interesting and hard to teach with the spirit and having to yell. In my book those Two things don't go well with each other. Then yesterday we stopped by a part member family Who she is wanting to be baptized but Not sure how her family will take it, So we are going to teach them on wed to help her over come her struggle. We found out that the senior couple that use to be in this area are moving back in with our member today to finish up there mission for the next three weeks. So they are going to show us all the people that they were teaching when they were here. They didn't keep very good records so they are going to help us get the area going again.So me and my comp are trying to figure out what we are going to do for Saturday since we are not allowed to dress up or do proselytising unless we have a apt. so we are thinking we are going to just stay home and watch the Joseph smith movie!Well i got the package today and i loved it, but the only down fall was there was not my sunglasses in there like i wished. Well that's it for this week unless anyone has a questions!Elder Phelps

Oct. 19

Good morning to all-Well this week was really interesting, We have been trying to find part member families that who want to be taught and this week We had about three say they want to learn more. There only hold back is they all have the flu. they are all willing to listen to us witch is really good for having strong faith in there church they go to. My comp and I are going to try to get in the door with all of the part member families by the end of the transfer, we will see how it turns out. We are trying hard to get the work going but we are not having much luck right now, we have been getting lessons in with members and are trying to get referrals out of them. We are going to map out all of the people we want to see and try to find them this week. Well this letter is really short but there is nothing to say that i can think of. I was asked - Have you gained any more weight since the mtc yet? I don't know i try not to keep track but right now I'm at 195lbs and i left my mission at 155lbs!!Britt- i got your package thanks for it, Fyi Don't send like pens or sticky pads next time, its just junk to me and i all ready have a box full that im having to send home! the food was good have not got in to it to much.love you all and fyi I love letters with pictures. I have not got any mail since i got here its weired.Elder Phelps

Oct. 12- One YEAR!

Well this week was really neat. We finally got to meet our the wife to our member that we live with. She is really neat but really crazy, she is so funny to talk to tho About all of her life stories. She asked us if we would accept her making us our meals every day and like us missionaries, we say YES to any thing with the word food in it. Well we were not able to get any lessons with investigators this week but we are working on family mission plans in our branch. We went over to our branch presidents house and watched small and simple things DVD. Then challenged them to Find something small and simple that they can do to share the gospel with some one. It was really powerful experience. Then yesterday after church we went to a families house and Had some amazing potato soup and fajitas, We are trying to start teaching half of their family (almost all the kids have married non members and are now less active). Its going to be hard but its a challenge the we are going to be working on. This week we went on exchanges with our district leader and i stayed and went to find some members and after every one we tracked some doors and we found one lady that said she has always rejected churches that come to her door but she felt some thing different with us so we are going to start teaching her when she gets over the flu. MY address is 2835 3rd ave Eldorado KS 67042 or P.O. box 1365 Eldorado KS 67042
Elder Phelps

Oct. 5

well everyone has been asking for my new address I cant remember what it is. For letters just send them to our mission office they can FWD them out to us, its only one day from when they get it to when we get them. I will be getting on tomorrow to do some map work so i will get you the address tomorrow. This area is really different from all of my other areas, Its is kinda strange, just in town there is every thing really close but you get about 5 miles out of town and there is nothing but fields. We have not been able to get out and do a bunch of work, Because we have no maps or records from the senior couple that was here before us. we have been told that everyone in our neighborhood has been talked to. We have no apt this week with two little girls that are twins age 10. that are not members but there parents are, we meet them at our church building yesterday as we were putting up a display in the front of our building. The town we live in is kinda small idk about population but its really small. We live in a unfinished room in our members house, Cement floor and two walls are cement as well. With open rafters and Saturday we installed electrical outlets and a light for our closet, and our member said when the senior couple comes back for the last 2 weeks of there mission they will finish that room. That will be the last 2 weeks of November. Elder Phelps

Sept 28

Jason Mowery & family

Hey Every one out in the real world-Well this week was kinda crazy we were trying to finish up all the plans for our baptism we had sat! I had to go on exchanges to Gardner(to far away to even think about going there again) but the elder I went with is from Tucson AZ. So we had fun talking about all the crazy things that happen in az compared to KS. Well We had a powerful baptism sat for Jason Mowery, It was so great to see him Move from wanting to smoke and do what ever, to now Smoke free and making covenants With our heavenly father. He told us that living the gospel standards is probably the best thing he ever did in life so far. He can actually feel the love of our father in heaven compared to his life that he ran by him self. It was really great to see him Come this far in the gospel and now working to go to the temple With his family, to be sealed all together. It sad to see that some one that has the gospel in the life not progress in it or not even Go the church. But These new converts who have never had the gospel in there life till now and they are wanting to come to church and wanting to Go to the temple. I just wish That every one who Is a member go to church and receive all the blessings from our heavenly father. For all of you out there who read this and are members and not active, I challenge you to go to church for three weeks and see what change it brings to you in your life. Its was amazing to be able to even baptise Jason to be able to preform that baptism for him. Well that was the big and exciting news for this week Hope you all enjoy and I Love to hear from every one(write e-mails or even write it on paper and send it,and you will make my day.)Oh and i decided to cut my hair again so here is a picture of me cutting it.Elder Phelps

Sept. 21

hey every one-Well we are emailing late today because we had to go get our car tire fixed this morning. We were not happy about it cause we just had it fixed last week. So to tell you about how our P- day goes. We usually get a ride up to Paola from a member (unless we have to get our car fixed then we drive) usually leave around 9:30am to get here by 10:00, e-mail for about an hour, then go play some amazing volleyball with the elders in this area and members from the wards in the stake, then go do some shopping, then get picked up from a member and go to their house for dinner/FHE/ultimate knockout. To finish it all off head home for a long nap from 10:30pm- 6:30am. That's our big long P-day.This week we didn't get a ton done but we have been working with a guy named Jason Mowery to make shure he is not smoking and getting ready for his baptism this Saturday the 26th. Then there is a amazing member in our branch who Love to feed us or have us over for birthday celebrations. So for her birthday we went over and put a happy birthday sign on her door(the same happy birthday sign you sent me for my birthday) and put a little gift on her door. it was really funny i will try to remember to to send a picture after this e-mail. Then we have been helping my last convert (Laura Newill) and her family with some problems they have been having with in there family. Then after we went a did both of those things we went to another town to try to see some former investigators and a less active family. Then on the way we stopped buy a state park a took a bunch of cool pictures and made a funny movie that i will send. Well I cant really remember any thing else that was really neat this week. So I was asked what I eat so for breakfast I have been making amazing omelets with potatoes and bell pepers, bacon, and salsa, its is the best any one can ever make, or I eat a bowl of cereal. For lunch its a pizza or a turkey cheese sandwich. Then usually eat at members houses for dinner.Hope you all enjoy the pictures the one is from one of the sate parks. Elder Phelps

Sept. 14

Hello family and friends-Well first off before I forget, we had to drive our car up to where we play volleyball and my comps GPS took us down this dirt road and we pulled up to a small river/ stream, and they had the 'County search and rescue team' out and as I was walking down towards the river to ask if we could pass through to get to our destination a sheriff stopped us, came up and said "I can not let you through this area, there is a crime scene in the river bed". So we asked him how we could get around since we didn't know the area, he told us how to get to our destination and as we started to get back in our car we watched them go in to the river and pull out a dead body on one of there floating stretchers. It was really cool to watch. We tried to get a good picture from how far we were. Then as we drove away we thought of sending a picture to some other missionaries and tell them its our companion. We are kinda Evil like that i guess. Classic.

Well back to the rest of my week. We didn't have a lot of stuff planed so we decided to clean our room for once. Then i got carried away and started reorganize all of my stuff and made it look 20x's better. I will have to take a picture of it and send it next week.When we were out and about we stopped buy a less active members house to see them and challenged them to come to church, like all less actives they come up with a excuse but they said when they get there car up and running they will come back to church. Then we taught a guy who has been investigating the church for a while and never comes to church and told him about how every excuse he gives is pushing him away from Christ and he kinda got offended with that so we told him if he doesn't want to progress, we cant come back every week, he is keep us away from people who do need us and who want to progress in the gospel. Then the last thing we did this week is went ot help a single lady cut down a tree. It was amazing to see our branch president (a big logger in his earlier years) hook up a cable to the middle of the tree then hook the other end up to his truck and got some good tension on the cable then start cutting way. You might be wondering why does it matter where the tree falls. Well we were having to drop the tree and miss the house and miss a beat up car as well. But any way as we watch him cut away we pulled on the cable and dropped that huge tree right where we wanted it. So that was our week wrapped up in a nut shell. I need money to go buy some new shoes, my rockports are falling apart. So I'm going to buy some new ones and send these home to see if pomeroys will exchange them. I'm going to get my bag tomorrow at our district meeting, our assistants our coming to do an exchange with our zone leaders and they went and got the package for me before it got moved around any more. Mucho amore- Elder Phelps

Sept. 8

How are my favorite people in the world doing out there?
Well this week was kinda slow. We are trying to see all of our less active families and trying to contact all of our potential investigators. Those little things take forever,and sense we are limited on miles we are trying to use them wisely so we don't go out and tract a lot, the most we do is called a 10x10 after you try see some one you knock 10 houses to the left then 10 to the right. As well the houses are kinda far apart so we don't ride our bikes (or us missionaries are to lazy to strap our bikes to the car to take them with us or we are just to weak to ride) except for in a town then they are all so close so we just walk around the town. This past week we were at a members house for dinner and after dinner and after we gave a lesson we stopped buy a less actives house that no one has been able to contact (they are never home) We pulled up and one of there sons pulled up on a four wheeler and we asked if his parents were home and he went in a got them and had a really good conversation with both of them. After a wile we asked them why they don't come to church any more? they responded that some members at a church basketball game in Utah came up to them and said they have to take off there hats or they have to leave. They said one of the guys that came up to them had a hat on and several others in the gym had hats on. So they took that to offence and said if people are going to be like that they were never going to step into a lds church again. It's sad to see some thing so little offend some one so bad they never want to sep into a lds church again. We told them if they come to our branch that will never happen, and if it does happen to let us know or the branch president know and they will fix the problem. So they said when he is in town(he works in Texas and is in Dallas Sunday- Friday) and when she is off work they will come to church. So we talked to a guy at a gas station and he used to live in Tempe and work for a airline and he asked us if we knew any thing about Bob Manning so now I'm asking you if you know any thing about him.Exciting news- Our mission said we had to have a part in our hair, and that we could not wear any rings. and last Thursday they did away with those rules. so now i don't have to have my hair look so funny just so i can have a part, and can you send me my two CTR rings and my ring i made? Oh and i still have not got that ogio bag did you send it to (38513 jingo rd La Cygne ks 66040) what is the tracking number and i can look it up were its at.Elder Phelps

Sept. 1

hello every one-Well this week was kinda crazy with us having no miles on our car left to drive so we had to find members to take us where ever we needed to go. It was difficult to be able to go see people. So we decided to help some people with some service work. Last Monday afternoon we got a call from a member needing help for a recent convert of mine. She is moving in to a small one bedroom one bathroom house (its one small room and a small bathroom and that's it, no kitchen or anything. She needed all the electrical replaced and all the sheet rock replaced and all new plumbing. SO we had different members who do that for a profession go and do that stuff for her and they didn't charge her at all, Some of them had her buy the parts and that's it. So we went in and did all the taping and mudding, in the house. It was a big pain, thanks to Jake and dad I knew how to do that form doing a dressing room at SHIRTAIL. Then when we were not doing that we were helping a investigator take carpet to the dump and laying wood floating floor down. It was a busy week with those two projects going on. Then friday we found out that Sister kummer is moving back to utah to be with her kids and try to find employment out there. Then as well we had an investigator tell us she is moving out of our mission so now we have to give up another person. So thats been our crazy week.About my comp, he is from north Cali and he is really strange we is always having a cheesy smile on his face and people look at him really strange and he can never figure out why people think its funny. His name is Elder Samond and he always talks about watter polo, and how knows so much more then me about every thing, and trys to prove me wrong about every little thing. I have to look on the bright side tho.Well i hope to hear back form every one soon. Pictures- Me mudding and taping, and president chandler and my self lifting sister chandler up in there hammock that we are going to put up.Elder Phelps

Aug 17, 2009

I'm so excited for transfers this coming Thursday, we find out whats going on with them tonight, instead of tomorrow. Its kinda strange how they work. We get a message from our zone leaders who got it from the assistants telling us whats going on for transfers. Then we have time to pack for those who are getting transferred. Then depending where your at in the mission you meet in independence at a church building then get your comp and head back to your area. If your going far out in the mission there is a buss that comes around and you get on that and meet in one of two places to get on there. So the bus Arrives in independence early in the morning then heads out two the two places in Kansas then around four or five the buss arrives back in independence. Its crazy how it works.Well enough about transfers I'm still in the tri companionship and not liking it, I feel like i want to quit trying to go to appointments in mound city, because one of the elders has been in iola for like 6 1/2 months and wants to spend all our time there and not ever go to mound city. So that leads us to find a split(split is going with a member as your companion) for one of us. I was able to make it up to mound city to teach the kummers, she has come really far in the gospel, she first said she will bring her kids to church but she will not come, now she is wanting to come to church every week and when she cant make it she always send a text to me and then i call her and tell her where we are at in our gospel principals class. As well she is now wanting to receive a patriartical blessing and go to the temple to do baptisms. I'm so excited for her and she said (this part makes me smile) that i can never leave mound city branch until i have completed my mission. I hope that can come true or at least come beck and finish my mission hear. It feels so good when people say things like that. It tells me that I'm doing some thing right. well that's all for this week and hope i can have more to tell next week. Dad- yes i know both of those people the Huntley's are one of the coolest families in our branch, we go to there house all the time for dinner, and Sims family they were a nice family in my last area. ONE REQUEST i need a XXL shirt that has shirtail on both the sleeves and on the front or the back say "ULTIMATE MEMBER MISSIONARY"Elder Phelps

Aug 10, 2009

hello every one-Well this week was kinda slow but did some really great things. We were able to go teach sister kummer again this week with her Friend. Its was amazing how the spirit lead the lesson, we had know idea what to teach until we rang the door bell and that's when it popped into our head to teach faith, repentance, and endure to the end. It was amazing what they said in there and how it really helped them realize they are doing wrong every day and need to repent of the things they do wrong and to have faith that if they fix it every thing will work out better. Then challenged them to find some thing that helps them endure to the end and when ever they get down on them self's to look at that and start listing ways of how to meet that end goal. then Out of know where we challenged them to read the book of Mormon again for her and first time for him.Then we did a lot of service this week and hard work to. We went to a members home and helped her clean out her over grown forest/want to be yard. they want to grow some grass in there so we had to drop some trees to allow some sun to come in, and went into the trees and cleared out some dead branches to help the trees grow better. Its been an interesting week like always. We have some solid appointments this week with investigators that want to be baptized. So we are going to try to commit them for baptism this week. Elder Phelps

Aug. 4, 2009

these are pictures of a huge 2lbs hamburger i ate w/ lage side of fries and large drink it use to be a timed challenge and got your picture taken but not any more :(

this picture is sheri kummer and her kids rosie haily michal Brown, Critina brown with her kids haily oza brown and pat huntley Elder hicken and elder phelps

Hello every one -
Well this week was really slow, we didn't have a chance to do some good work up in mound city, but we did some fun service. We went to a really cool members house and he had a huge pile of trees he needed to be cut up. So he let us use his chain saw and we were able to barrow our branch presidents, we went through that huge pine really fast With two saws going that are really good (still saws are top of the line, that's what we had). Then we helped a single lady cut up this huge tree trunk of hers. So its has been a big service week, but that's what we decided This area needs. Then Sunday i did a split with president chandler and we were able to go see and teach Sister Kummer and he Friend, We go her to commit to come to church every Sunday now and her Friend who is southern baptist said he would come this Sunday to check it out. He is not to sure he believes that the BOM can be a piece from god. HE is a big bible person. So we are going to try to have him take the lessons to learn more about the church, and more about the BOM how its another testament of Christ. Well that's all i can think of to say for this week. I FINALLY GOT MY BIRTHDAY PACKAGE. I found out it was traveling around the mission trying to get to me. Then one of our office staff went and got it and brought it to me last Thursday. One thing was missing that i needed MY FLASH DRIVE- there are some pictures that other missionaries want off of there.Elder Phelps