Tender Mercy

Phew I have done a lot of blogging, you should all be very proud of me. The best story is the 4th one down. :) But here is a little story to get you started. Totally shows that the Lord is looking out for forgetful missionaries like Elder Call! (This is after he already lost/broke his other camera and asked us for a new one for his birthday).

On our way back from Talihina, we had a REALLY pretty view of the rolling hills, so we stopped to take some pictures! Well... i ended up setting my camera on the back of the car, on the trunk in between the bike rack, and the back window. So, we're taking picures with Elder Borrowman's camera, and then we get on heading home, and Elder Borrowman says, "did we leave anything on the car?" And i told him we didn't and we kept on driving.

Well, on our way home, we pass through these little towns, Hartshorne, and Haileyville. At the end of Hartshorne is this billboard that i'd never noticed, and i saw it as we passed. I laughed and said that we needed to turn around and get a picture of that billboard. I kinda felt guilty for doing so, but we got out and as i reached for my camera, i realized i'd left it on the back of the car, and that it probably fell off, and was broken in a hundred pieces. So, i said, "goodbye camera," to the wind, knowing i'd never see many of those pictures again, and happy i have some of them as hard copies. Well, Elder Borrowman positions himself to take a picture, when i hear "no way!" And lo and behold, my bike had caught the camera cord, that i had tied around the case so they'd never be sepearated. The camera was intact, and wholly not lost and broken into a hundred pieces! Well, needless to say, it was a tender mercy from the Lord, for which i am really grateful.

To Tell the Truth

Another touching story from Elder Call. Hopefully you can follow it. He and his companion have been teaching Jeremy and his family for a while. To me, this is what missionary work is all about.

Here's the best story i think i can tell. Yesterday, Sunday, we pulled up to church and who did we see, but our two families that we're teaching, good friends with each other, all at church. Kids and all! Jeremy, Tammi, Kirk, Shannon, and all their kids! They looked like the fundamentalists that come in from Missouri and Texas every holiday. Well, it did my ol' missionary heart good to see them all together, coming to church. Kirk works grave, and gets off at 7am Sunday, and so he said he'd probably not come to church, so we're really happy about him coming! (sorry this is scattered, i am really really out of it.)

Well, they stayed for Sacrament, and then left, but had a really good time! The talks were all on the pioneers, both modern, and old. :D I cried most of the time. Well, that night we went to go have a lesson with the Pierce/Martin clan on Family Home Evening. Well, Jeremy's friend Danny comes over during the lesson, so we make it quick, wrap it up, and go. Well, Jeremy accompanies us outside as he usually does, and we ask him for a refferal, if there is anyone he knows that we could go see, and he tells us that he can't think of anyone. I asked him about his friend Danny, and reminded him that he didn't think Kirk was going to go anywhere, and Kirk is almost done with 2 Nephi! Jeremy said, "yeah, but he just started going to church, and besides, his wife is weird. ...let's let Danny get in the habit of going to church, before we tell him the truth." Yeah, Jeremy bore his first testimony. I've got to see him go from his first day in church in 16+ years, to bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel. :) In my opinion, that is the most sublime experience ever. He knows the gospel is true, and so do I. :)

A Day in The Life...

Have any of you ever wondered what a missionary does on Preparation Day? Elder Call explains!

Monday: Preparation Day! 6:30am Wake-up, and roll out of bed, and start exercising. Usually consisting of jump-rope, push-ups, ab workouts, lunges, spider push-ups, or stretching. 7:00 hop in the shower for a quick clean off. 7:10 get ready and dressed. 7:25 time for morning prayers! 7:30 is breakfast. Yum! Oatmeal, Golden Raisins, Cinnamon, and Honey with a glass of water. Don't forget to brush your teeth, floss, and rinse! 8:00 Personal Study! 20 minutes in the Book of Mormon, 20 Minutes in the Old Testament, and 20 Minutes in Preach My Gospel! 9:00 Companionship Study! Review what we've learned and read Preach My Gospel, write our Letters to President, and then play some Book of Mormon Baseball! 10:00am E-mailing ya'll! 11:00 Grocery Shopping! 12:00 Lunch with Sister Crownover! 1:00 off to the laundromat to do some laundry, then back to the Apartment to hang everything up, and put it away. The rest of the day is playing, and writing letters.

This is not that exciting, but I am trying to make up for the lack of posts. Plus today's email was a good one, so I gotta milk it.

American Bear

Hey Everyone,

So I have a cool story for you today! Here is part of Elder Call's last email:

Down in Talihina we had some awesome experiences. We were biking all around town, and right as we were packing up the car to head over to the Shaw's for dinner, this car pulls up with this sign, "American Bear: an adventure in the kindness of strangers. Curious?" And it pulls up in the Choctaw Nation parking lot, which is completely empty at this time, next to us and out emerges two people, a girl and a boy, both in pink, asking if they can interview us!

Turns out they are film students from New York, and are going all around the Nation going to every town in the US named "Bear," and they were stopping in Talihina for the night on their way to Bear, AR, and they rely totally on the kindness of strangers, and they interview people along the way, and are turning it into a DVD! We accepted, and they whipped out this huge video camera, and taped an interview with us! We're going to be on a DVD! Well, they said they'd take our picture, and put it on their blog so ya'll can take a look!

The website is www.beardocumentary.blogspot.com, they gave us a flier for it. I put our home address as the mailing address, so if anything comes in the next 1.5 years keep it for me :) Apparently the movie won't be finished and ready for a year and a half, so that is good timing for me :)

Pretty cool huh? Here are the pictures the nice film people took:

You can also keep up with their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BearDocumentary

Simplicity

Hey Everyone, we got SUCH a nice letter from Elder Call today, I just had to share. (And I reset my gmail password, so we are good to go!) I have no idea what is he talking about with the Rainbow Girls thing, but we'll go with it. I wish he had a picture of the baptism, but if he sends one along, I will do my best to put it on here!

p.s. His Birthday is in less than a week, on the 27th! Send a card!

Dearest Ya'lls,

The Bible Belt extends it's warm, humid welcome to ya'll once again. :)

First off, report. The Baptism of Jaylynne Pierce went off without a hitch yesterday, and we told her to pray about who would be baptizing her, and she picked me, so despite the fact that i would rather members do all the baptizing, and confirming, i accepted her request, and baptized her.

Things are kinda rough here in McAlester. Elder Johnson and i had 3+ weeks where we found no new investigators, and we're really feeling it now, so Elder Borrowman and I are working hard to find more investigators, without neglecting the ones we have.

i've just been thinking about simplicity, that it is the simple things in life that we need to focus on. Do I recognize my nothingness as compared to God? (see Mosiah 4) Have a recieved a change of heart? (see Alma 5) Simplicity is the key. So many church members get all sorts of caught up in deep doctrine. And I was one of them. I loved talking about deep, obscure truths of the Gospel. I didn't understand this when I was Elder Day's companion, but I am coming to understand it now, that simplicity is key. And that is what i am coming to realize.

Jaylynnes' baptism? It was fantastic, the water was green, the talks were short, but the spirit was strong, and the ordinance performed. The word for that service was "simple." She wore a simple dress, there were simple prayers, and talks, but it was wonderful.

Sure i could tell you about my tour of the Masonic temple last monday, or about getting a tour of the penitentury, or even how the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, (which mom was a part of) was started in McAlester, and how we are getting a tour of that temple as well. but What i want to leave you with is this. The church is true. God speaks to His children. Joseph Smith is and was a Prophet. The Book of Mormon is a powerful ancient record of scripture. And I get to share this message with everyone I meet. :D I am happy, i hope you are too.

Happy Birthday mom and Jorge!

Thanks for the primary letters.

Love always,

Elder Ryan Call

Sorry for the lack of posts!

I have been moving to Arizona and starting Grad school so I have been slightly busy. I'm sorry if you are dying to find out how Elder Call is doing. He is doing well! He is still in McAlester, OK and LOVING it. He just got a new companion who is really tall and likes to play basketball. Uhh...I would post some of his last email, but I can't access my Gmail account due to... technical difficulties. (AKA I forgot my password AND the answer to my secret security question. Too sneaky for my own good I tell ya.)

BUT. Elder Call's BIRTHDAY is in 2 weeks so send him a letter! Or a card! He'd love it!

I shall give another update once I find my brain and remember my Gmail password. :)

His Best Email Yet...

...In my opinion at least. I'll let him do the talking:

My dear family, (that includes non-biological relations ;) )

Boy, do I love being in Oklahoma! I think it's the best state ever! The spring-time here is BEAUTIFUL!! The colors are so vibrant! The Cardinals are so red, and the blue-jays so blue, the robins are all trying to fight each other, the dogwoods and peach trees are in bloom, there are all sorts of vibrant greens, and yellow daffodils, and beautiful beautiful colors all around us! Everywhere we drive it looks like a picturesque postcard! I am so tempted to tell Elder Horch to "pull over! I want a picture with this creek, and hill, and bird all in the background!" Because everywhere it looks AMAZING! Though allergies CAN be a bother, i've been quite resiliant up until today. We're going to pick up some Loratadine at Wal-Mart. :)

Today we have a Zone Outing up in Joplin, we're going to play Ultimate Frisbee! Boy howdy am i excited for that! Ya'll might not know it, but in Cross Country, that is what we would play all the time! Ultimate to runners is like what water polo is to swimmers! :D SO EXCITED! So that'll be good! And, i found this article last week that i really like from Mom's old mission president, Elder Douglas L. Callister. It's called Our Refined Heavenly Home, and i REALLY like it! It makes me want to be better, and more productive. Speaking of, we've been listening to this Jesse Clark Funk album, "Everything Speaks His Name," and there is this one track where she sings a song with a man who, if it's not, sounds remarkably like, Josh Groban, and they sing in both english and italian, and it has rekindled a desire in me that i've had for a while, but now i want to be useful in life, and when i get home, i want to take voice lessons, and develop my singing ability. :) Who knows, maybe i'll even learn italian so i can sing in italian? ;)

Life out here in Oklahoma has been good! the term "okie dokie" has taken on a new meaning since everyone out here is an "okie" heh heh :) OK, i thought that was funny, you might not.

Anywho.

I've been amazed at how much has changed since being out. It seems like i just left ya'll 2 hours ago, and in one month i'll be calling! Ai yah hway! (marshallese term, roughly the equivalent of... "holy smokes!")

Well, I have a building list i'd like to share with you.

Reasons why I love being in the Bible Belt!
1) I never have to carry around a Bible when i teach, everyone already has one! (and it's interesting to teach out of different Translations! Funny story about one called, "The Book" it's written like a book, in modern language, and it was actually more helpful in the teaching situation than the good ol' King James!)
2) Out here, there are billboards promoting CHASTITY and Abstinence! Not sleazy stuff!!!!! No filth like in other places!
3) At Easter, we get chocolate that actually has to do with the Savior, and his Atonement, not some bunny!
4) BBQ! MMMMMMM :) I had ribs that were cooked for 12+ hours, and i picked up the bone, and it LITERALLY fell off the bone! :D Also, best BBQ Sauce around! Sweet Baby Rays!!!!!!! MMMMMMMM-MMMMM! (that was an MMMMM, with a pick-up at the end intonation-wise to emphasize how delicious it was. Think southern.) Yeah, pretty much completely changed my opinion of BBQ. :) Don't worry momma, if i i learn any cooking tricks, i'll teach them to you when i get home so you can be the BBQ Queen!
5) Here in Oklahoma, we get southern influences, but none of that crazy Louisiana swamp-land hocus pocus, or pig hooves! We got good cookin, and none of the craziness of the south!
6) Even if someone isn't interested in hearing the good word of God, i can leave them with an uplifting message, and get a drink of water without getting the door slammed in my face! (though it does happen out here)
7) The great church kiosk signs! "Don't be so open minded your brain falls out!" "Forbidden fruits lead to many jams!" :)
8) they have church twice a week!

I just thought I'd share a couple of things i love about the bible belt with ya'll, maybe give you a good laugh.

I'm seeing the Lord's hand so much as a Missionary, I've felt His Spirit so much since being out, it's been incredible! The work has been rather slow in Miami, but that's OK. We're working hard to do the Lord's work, and that's what he asks! There is no shortage of blessings as a missionary! Elder Horch and I have been getting along rather well. We haven't been taking too many pictures, hence the lack of pictures in the mail.
I've been reading old journal entries, and i have been so blessed! I love being a missionary! I hope time slows down so i can enjoy it some more!

I know the church is true! And the more i learn, the more i want to change, and become better! In reading that talk by Elder Callister, I've come to see that there is so much that i do that is not dignified that i need to change. And so i am. As we explained it to an investigator, baptism washes our sins away, but the Holy Ghost purifies us from the inside. I see no problem in living my life such so that i feel the Holy Spirit all the time! Using dignified language, and music, and reading material, and actions! I want to model my life after my mission. Of course, a bow that is always strung, loses it's spring, so down-time is necessary, but i just love living my life the way I'm living it now!

Family, i love you all so much! I love your letters, and e-mails! Thank you so much for your prayers. Sometimes I'll be sitting, and I'll feel it, I'll know that someone just prayed for me. So thank you. Thank you for praying for my companion, and please pray for the missionaries in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission, with the turnover of the Mission President, things are still getting worked out.

I love you! and i know you love me too!

Elder Ryan Call