E-mail #44 of 2011 10/31/2011 Week 80

The Mission President from the Alabama Birmingham mission took this picture. The area is becoming part of the Alabama Birmingham mission and Barry met with the mission President and the two new elders that will be taking over the Fort Payne area.

He decided to spoil the surprise...

Carta # 44 de Octubre 31 de 2011

Hola familia!

Well, we just finished meeting with the Birmingham President and the new missionaries. We found out just how close we were to changing missions. I guess that when an area is switched to a different mission like this the missionaries in that area should technically be switched to the new mission as well. The Birmingham mission President said that President I. really loves us and he didn't want to lose us. Oh, they asked for your number, so I gave them dad's. I think it was the right one. It's been a while since I've had to use it haha. So, they might be calling y'all, but I don't really know. They took some pics of us for their blog haha

Ok, as far as the work goes things are going ok. As I said above we met the new missionaries today. They were serving in the area right next to us, so they don't have too far to go. We will be showing them around tomorrow. Yesterday we didn't have church here in Fort Payne. It was pretty weird haha. So, the only way that Mitch could've been baptized tomorrow is if he went to stake conference in Huntsville yesterday. We found out Saturday that he wasn't going. So, he'll be baptized with the new missionaries. Well, we didn't have any baptisms this transfer, but we've set up those new missionaries pretty well. They should have quite a bit of success here.

Well, we've got some exciting news! This past Saturday was the conference call where the new leaders are announced as well as the missionaries who are leaving. It was announced of course that Elder P. and I are both leaving. It was also announced that we are both training! We talked with President I. a bit more later that day. He decided to spoil the surprise... Elder P. and I are whitewashing and training together! He even told us our "new" area... Pleasant Ridge! Haha my goodness my mission has just been full of repeats. The original Spanish Elders are still there and we are whitewashing an area right next to them. So, pleasant ridge will now have two sets of Spanish Elders. President I. said that the reason for it is that the Spanish branch up there is really struggling. So, they hope that two Spanish companionships will help it out. Oh, and Elder P. are training a Brazil visa waiter. So, we could be training him for a little bit, or for the full 12 weeks. President said that some visa waiters end up spending their entire mission not in their mission because of the whole visa waiting thing. So, we could train him for a bit, or train him the full training period and he could stay for a good while-possibly his whole mission. So, Elder P. and I are pretty excited.

Well, that's the big news. I hope y'all enjoy the pictures. Take care and I love y'all!!!

Love,

Elder Kreyling

Las preguntas semanales de mamá

Mom’s weekley questions

Q. ¿Cómo te fue esta semana? How are you?

A. Bien. Good.

Q. ¿Cómo está el tiempo? How is the weather?

A. Hace fresco. It’s cool.

Q. ¿Cómo están los investigadores? How are the investigators?

A. Bien. M. no asistió ayer entonces no puede bautizarse mañana. Pero, creo que él se bautizara pronto. Good. M. did not go to church yesterday, so he can’t get baptized tomorrow, but I think he will be baptized soon.

Q. ¿Tienen nuevos investigadores esta semana? Do you have new investigators this week?

A. Algunos. Son referencias que recibimos por texto. La familia F. Some. They are references we got by text. The F. family.

Q. ¿Tienes algo divertido, espiritual, o triste para contarnos? Do you have something funny, sad, or spiritual to share with us?

A. Estamos saliendo. Es triste. Tuvimos una conferencia de zona el jueves pasado! We are leaving it’s sad. We had a Zone conference last Thursday!

E-mail #43 of 2011 10/24/2011 Week 79

It was my first time trying it.

Carta # 43 October 24, 2011

Hola familia!

As the transfer gets closer to the end it feels like it's becoming more and more bitter sweet. We are still working to make this the best transition possible for the Birmingham Elders and their mission. President I. said it's as if we're being whitewashed only this time it's REALLY WHITE haha.

We had an exchange with the South Pittsburg Elders this past district meeting. I brought Elder S. here to Fort Payne. He's from Sandy, UT. He's a good Elder. We had a very successful day with several teaching visits. We saw the B. family while we were together. He said he thinks they have a lot of potential. We had a good time.

Our main highlight this week was definitely M. For temporal highlights he fed us! Haha. It was good too. He made catfish and it was actually good. It was my first time trying it. He also made Collard Greens with bacon. That was really good as well! Ok, now the spiritual highlights So, we saw him early on in the week. We were talking about the Book of Mormon and we began introducing the Doctrine of Christ. He asked us where he could find it in the Book of Mormon. We assigned him to read 2 Nephi 31. In our next visit he said he didn't read that specific chapter because he was trying to read all the way to it from where he was at (around 1 Nephi 5 or so). He thought the assignment was in first Nephi I think. He ended up reading quite a bit, just not the assigned chapter. So, we assigned it to him again. Then, we got him to church yesterday! You know how this area is really big? Well, it's about ten miles for us to drive to church from our apartment. We are trying to save a few miles where we can to stay within the limits. So, we asked him for a ride to church... It worked! We soft committed him at church and he accepted it. He's going to read 2 Nephi 31 and we are going to commit him to be baptized on Nov 1.

Those are the main highlights for the week. I need to go now. Love y'all!!!

Love,

Elder Kreyling

Las Preguntas de mamá

Q. ¿Cómo les va con G.? How is it going with G.?

A. Hemos tratado de contactarle pero no hemos tenido suerte. We have tried to contact him, but no luck.

Q. ¿Por qué se tienen que mudar J. y M.? Why do J. & M. have to move?

A. Por causa del trabajo. Due to work.

Q. ¿Siguen enseñando a los niños de J. Y M.? Are you still teaching J. & M. Children?

A. No les hemos visto. Hemos tratado de verlos pero no han estado en casa. We have not seen them. WE have tried to seen them, but they have not been home.

Q. ¿Cómo están M. y V.? How are M. & V.?

A. M. esta muy bien! El asistio a la iglesia ayer! Era su primera vez! V. no estaba en casa pero

tenemos cita esta semana. M. is doing really good! He came to church yesterday! It was his first time! V. wasn’t home, but we have an appt. this week.

Q. ¿Tienen nuevos investigadores esta semana? Do you have new investigators this week?

A. Unos. Some.

Q. ¿Continúas estudiando español? Are you still studying Spanish?

A. Claro que sí. But of course!

Q. ¿Palabras nuevas que has aprendido? New words you have learned this week?

A. Congojas: Travails. Desigualdad: inequality. Hormiga: ant.

Q. ¿Has tenido la oportunidad de comer perro o caballo? Fish ha comido perro y W. ha comido caballo. Fish has eaten dog & W. has eaten horse.

A. Haha no pero probe pescado gato por la primera vez! M. lo casino para nosotros J

Haha no, but I eate catfish for the first time! M. cook it for us J

Q. ¿Cuando tienes traslados otra vez? When do you have transfers again?

A. El dos de Nov. No vamos a dejar el carro aquí entonces vamos a manejarnos a Farragut!J

Nov. 2nd. We will not leave the car here, so we will be driving in Farragut! J

Los miembros no van a llevarnos. Es la primera vez para mí. the members will not be taking us. That is a first one for me.

Q. ¿Y esta vez si te acordaste de la cámara y el cable? This time you did remember that camera & the cable right?

A. Haha... No L haha….. No L

Q. ¿Quieres decirle algo aquí y ahora a la familia que te mando cartas en la caja? Do you want to say something here to everybody that sent letters to you in the box?

E-mail #42 of 2011 10/18/2011 Week 78

Carta # 42 Octubre 16 de 2011

Losing Fort Payne.

Hola familia!

Well, this week had its ups and downs. We saw J. and M. and their kids. They fed us haha. We are starting to teach the kids. They might be moving soon. We committed G. for baptism and he said yes. Then, we saw him a couple of days later and he said he doesn't want to be baptized right now because it won't really mean anything to him right now. We are still trying to work with him. We also saw M. and had some good visits with him. We had a church tour with him. We really thought that would help him come to church. He sounded like he was coming, but he didn't show. So, we are going to try to see him this evening.

We had another conference for all of the Spanish missionaries. It was in Dalton again! It was sweet being back there even for just a few hours. It went well like the past ones have. President I. was there even though he doesn't speak any Spanish haha. We had been hearing some rumors about the Fort Payne area and he informed Elder P. and I on what is going on. I'll let y'all know below.

Yesterday the entire Chattanooga Stake Presidency came to the Fort Payne Branch. They all spoke a bit. Then, President Y. announced the news... Beginning on Oct. 30^th, the Fort Payne Branch will be part of the Huntsville, AL stake, which means that this area will no longer be a part of the Knoxville Mission. So, we will continue working until the end of the transfer. The day before transfers, some Elders from the Birmingham mission will come over and spend the night. On transfer day, we will drive ourselves and all of our stuff up to Farragut (we usual have members drive, but this is a different situation). President I. said that we were almost transferred to the Birmingham mission for the rest of our missions! Crazy! We get to stay with the Knoxville mission, but we will be losing Fort Payne. I'm not sure why things are working out like this, but it must be for the better. I remembered my camera, but I forgot the cord to connect to the computer haha. I'll try to remember it for next week. Well, that's all I have for this week. Take care and I love y'all!

Love,

Elder Kreyling

Y aquí vienen las preguntas semanales de mamá

Here are mom’s weekly questions

Q. ¿Cómo te va? How are you?

A. Bien. Good.

Q. ¿Cómo esta G.?

A. Bien. El acepto la invitación bautismal para el 30 de Oct. Le vimos unos días después y el nos dijo que no va a bautizarse tan pronto. El todavía esta escuchándonos y todavía hay esperanza. Good, he accepted the baptism invitation for Oct. 30th. We saw him a few days later and told us that he does not want to get baptized so soon. He is still meeting with us, so there is hope.

Q. ¿Te llego la caja? Did you get the box?

A. Si. Gracias. Yes thank you.

Q. ¿Te llegaron todas las cartas que puse en la caja? Did you get all the letters I put in the box?

A. Si. Yes.

Q. ¿Cómo les fue con los hijos de J. y M. el jueves? How did it go with J.& M. children on Thu.?

A. Bien. Todavía estamos trabajando con los niños. Good, we are working with the children.

Q. ¿Cómo esta M. fue a la iglesia? How is M. did he go to church?

A. Tuvimos una visita de la iglesia el viernes. Pensábamos que iba a asistir pero no fue a la iglesia. We gave him a tour of the church on Friday. We thought he would come to church, but he didn’t show.

Q. ¿Vieron a V. esta semana? Did you see V. this week?

A. No. Pero asistió ayer. Vamos a verla esta semana. No, but she came to church yesterday. We will visit her this week.

Q. ¿Cuántas cosas dejaste olvidadas en Dalton? How many things did you leave behind in Dalton?

A. una foto nada más. A picture only.

E-mail #41 of 2011 10/11/2011 Week 77

I love being backJ!

Carta # 41 de 2011 Oct. 10

Hola familia!

This week was pretty good for Elder P. and I. We saw the B. family and talked with them about repentance and the atonement. They fed us dinner as wellJ they are sweet! I hope things continue to progress with them. We have tried seeing our investigator G. We have talked with him a couple of times, but we have not been able to teach him really. But, he seems to like the church and everything. We are planning on committing him for baptism in our next lesson. Elder R. was working with a Hispanic couple. They are J. and M. They are way nice! They seem to really like us and the church. We talked with them about baptizing three of their kids. They seemed down with that! They are going to talk with them and we are going to see them on Thursday. We are going to have dinner and a lesson with themJ ! If the kids want to be baptized we will be committing them in this next lesson! So, please keep them in your prayers. We also saw an investigator named M. He's been reading in the Book of Mormon. He seems to like it. He just has questions about some things which is normal. He really appreciates us as well. We are trying to help all of these people be baptized into the Church. I always think to myself, "These people would make awesome members!" They are all special in God's eyes. I just pray that our efforts will be enough to help them receive these blessings. We are also trying to get the Rescue Plan rolling here. We are trying to meet with the Bishop and Mission leader to discuss it and how we can improve it here in Fort Payne. Once it gets rolling like it is designed to, the baptisms will follow. We are going to try to see V. this week. I didn't see her at church this past SundayL! I did see P. though. I love being back! I forgot my camera again, so I will try to remember if for next week. I'm closer to being caught up on my JournalJ! Well, that's everything this week.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

I love y'all! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Kreyling

Las preguntas semanales de Mamá

Q. ¿Cómo te va? How are you?

A. BienJ! GoodJ!

Q. ¿Te sientes mejor? Are you feeling better?

A. Si, GraciasJ! Yes thank you J!

Q. ¿Cómo te fue en las primeras semanas como DL? How were your first weeks as DL?

A. Bien. El distrito ha tenido un bautismo en South Pitt. Todavia necesitamos bautismos aquí. Good, the district had a baptism in South Pitt. We need more baptisms here.

Q. ¿Are you having to work longer hours or is it the same as before and you just spend some of the time doing DL stuff?

A. Son las mismas horas. Pero, gasto tiempo durante los estudios, el almuerzo, la cena y cosas así para preparar la capacitación de la reunión de distrito.

Same hrs, but I use time during my studding, lunch, dinner and things like that to prep for district meetings.

Q. ¿Cómo te va con los investigadores? How is it going with the investigators?

A. Bien. Hemos visitado a un investigador que se llama M. El es muy amable. Esta leyendo en el Libro de Mormón. Parece que le gusta. La cosa es que no ha asistido a la iglesia. Vamos a darle una visita de la iglesia. Esperamos que esa le ayude. También, estamos tratando de trabajar con un Joven. Se llama G. Es muy amable también. El ha asistido a la iglesia dos veces. La cosa es que es difícil visitarle con frecuencia. Pero, en la próxima lección tenemos planes para invitarle a bautizarse. También, hay una pareja que se llaman J. y M. Le gustan la iglesia y nosotros y todo. Tienen tres niños que tienen la edad bautismal. Les hablamos sobre eso y van a hablar con sus niños sobre el bautismo! Les veremos el Jueves.

Q. ¿Encontraron nuevos investigadores por los que debemos orar? Did you find investigators for which we need to pray for?

A. J. y M. y sus niños. J. & M. and their children.

Q. ¿Te llego la caja con los snacks? Did you get the box with snacks?

A. Si, me gustan. Todavía tengo los de la ultima caja jajaJ

Yes, I like them. I still have from the last box haha J

Q. ¿Tienes preguntas para nosotros? Do you have questions for us?

A. No.

Q. ¿Necesitas algo más? Do you need something else?

A. No puedo pensar en nada pero, graciasJ! I can’t think of anything, but thank you J ¡