Elder D letter 12.31.12 Baptism of Kate W

Hello Family and Friends,

I want to thank you all for all the letters, cards, and love that you have all given me. I have felt all your prayers and I pray for you as well. You all should send me more pictures and hand written letters.

The baptism of Kate W.... was so spiritual. I am so blessed to have a baptism under my belt so early on my mission. We have another investigator on date for the 12. I know he knows that baptism is necessary and he is almost ready. I can feel that he is ready for the Gospel and the Holy Ghost.
 
This past week wasn't very successful. Probably one of my worst. But it will be ok. I will be able to bring it up when I get a new companion soon. Transfers is this Thursday. I don't know if I'll be transferred or not. I better not because this area is doing really good.

Once again before I close write me more letters or send me some pictures. I've been feeling down lately and these letters would really help me.
Love, Elder Ephraim Kade DeCoursey

Sister D letter 12.31.2012 - "Ma's voice telling me..."

Hello Family and Friends,

This week has been a rough one. Mostly because of the holidays, we found that everyone was really busy with family and friends, so it was a lot of tracting and not a lot of teaching. I found that tracting...is something that I'm going to have to get used to. I'm much more comfortable not feeling like I'm a salesmen knocking on doors because I appear, or at least I feel like I appear to want to "sell them" the gospel. This is definitely something that I'm working on because I figure I'm going to be doing a lot of it so I should get used to it. Mostly, I don't enjoy it at night because, you know, we are walking around in the city at night and all I can hear is ma's voice telling me all the ways that this is not safe. So, I will have to be more willing to know that the Lord will protect me if I follow His guidance.

On Saturday, we had a member dinner with the Morse family. A family that just moved in from Utah. They are the sweetest! She took some pictures of us and sent them to you (ma) in an email.

I hope that you got them. She has been taking such good care of us sisters. She gave some VERY nice boots because they didn't fit her anymore and now my feet are super warm. It truly is a blessing because the other boots I bought weren't as water proof as I thought so I'm very grateful to her and her sweet family.

Other than that, we are just working on getting a few more lessons and we are checking up on old contacts that other missionaries have had with the church. Hopefully we will be blessed in our efforts. I'm learning that just going out and being on the Lord's errand is a great experience and hopefully I can continue to have a good attitude towards the work that this truly is. Because I know that it is true and I know that the gospel is just waiting to bless everyone's life. I have to think of everyone as my brother's and sister's and how I would want them as such to enjoy the same joy that I receive from being a member of this church.

Love you all,

Sister D

Baptism of Sister W....

Hello Family and Friends,

I want to thank you all for all the letters, cards, and love that you have all given me. I have felt all your prayers and I pray for you as well. You all should send me more pictures and hand written letters when you can.  It really makes my day.

The baptism of Kate W.... was so spiritual. We had over 60 people attend.  It is the first baptism in the area for over a year and half.  I was able to see a Elder that trained in the MTC with me, and we were able to present a lesson during the baptism together.  It was an assume experience.  I am so blessed to have a baptism under my belt so early on my mission. We have another investigator on date for the 12. I know he knows that baptism is necessary and he is almost ready. I can feel that he is ready for the Gospel and the Holy Ghost.

Christmas was assume also. We spent time with some ward families that treated us so great. We wer so busy that day that I did not get much time to open my gifts and enjoy the things my family sent me.  I talked with my family for about 40 minutes.  It was great to hear you all. 

This past week wasn't very successful. Probably one of my worst. But it will be ok. I will be able to bring it up when I get a new companion soon. Transfers is this Thursday. I don't know if I'll be transferred or not. I better not because this area is doing really good.

Once again before I close, please write me more letters or send me some pictures. I've been feeling down lately and these letters would really help me.
Elder DeCoursey

Elder D 12.19.12- "Reminds me of both Santa Claus and Garfield"

Here's my letter to home.


My beloved brethren and sisters. How humbling it is to be here in the Great Ohio serving the Lord Jesus Christ. I have been so blessed to be out here serving my fellow man and sharing with them the message of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. I am so privileged to be a member of this great church and to be one of His disciples I have seen Him not only bless my life but the lives of the people that I serve in Beaver Creek. Me and my Elder spent 10 hours with a man, who reminded me of both Santa Claus and Garfield, chopping wood with him and becoming his friend. He was so grateful for our help and for taking the time to talk to him. We tracted into this man and had only talked to hm a few moments. I know the Lord has led us to Dan.
There are now 2 more people on date to be baptized in the next 30ish days. Dave Finch on the 29th and Duane Schutrum on the 12 of Jan. We have done our best to get these men in the waters and it finally payed off. At the beginning of this transfer, Me and my Elder had set 2 goals for a baptism and a confirmation for weeks 3 and 4. We are currently in week 3 and Kate Wilson is being dunked this Saturday. Dave is next week. God has helped us to fulfill these goals. We have pushed the mission goal forward from it originally being 500 at the end of the year to 501. I did not think this would be happening but it is. The Lord as blessed me with participating in all the lessons following up to baptism. Beaver Creek is now on fire with the Spirit. I thank Him everyday and night for calling me to serve in this area with an amazing companion. He is teaching me to be as bold as I have to be.
The missionaries serving in Xenia, the neighboring area, has taken the time to giving the missionaries they know  a Star Wars name. I have been named Darth Vader. I went on exchanges last week with Elder Daw from Xenia and he changed my perspective on being a missionary as Darth Sidus did to Anakin Skywalker while my Elder Maughan has been dubbed C-3PO because of his intellect. I thought it was very entertaining.
There isn't much more to say now. All my thoughts have been recorded for your entertainment. Please enjoy. Hand right me letters. Missionaries love HAND written letters.
Love, Elder Ephraim Kade DeCoursey 

 

Amicherie last email from the MTC

Family,

This week will be my last week here. I am having a great experience here with my companions and with the investigators that we have been teaching.

One of them is a sweet lady named Ivelsese. The first time that we met her, she was a put off from our message and we weren't really able to build a relationship with her. The second time we met with her we went in with an attitude of wanting to just be her friend and answer any questions that she had about the gospel. As we went in there was a totally different feeling. We have become really close over the last few times that we have taught her. We invited her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, to find out for herself if it was true. Yesterday when we met with her, she told us her experience with reading the Book of Mormon. As she read the story of Sariah doubting Lehi because her sons hadn't come back from getting the scriptures, Ivelsese was able to become friends with her (her words not mine). She said that she was able to understand how Sariah felt when she started to doubt if her husband was really a prophet of God because she has been doubting that Joseph Smith was a prophet as well. After reading about this experience, she prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true and also to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Upon finishing her prayer, she waited for an answer to come. It wasn't until that night, when she was about to fall asleep, that she received her answer. A thought came to her mind that she knows wasn't her thought. The thought was," The book if true" At that moment, she knew that was the answer to her prayer. She was so excited that she started to have family scripture study every morning before the kids would leave for school. They would read from the Book of Mormon and pray to know if this is the way that they should go as a family. Needless to say they feel really good about the church and are now working towards baptism. Which is great...except she is already a member. She is just role playing an investigator for the sake of helping the MTC missionaries learn about how to teach investigators. Normally, she doesn't tell missionaries that she is just playing an investigator however because of how close we had become she shared the story that I just shared with you about her real conversation. Super nice and sweet lady.

The food here is good. The water tastes like I liked a wet rock. Needless to say the water here is horrible. I have been buying powerade and bottled water just to get by. I'm learning a lot about teaching in general here. I'm also learning about how to help others come closer unto Christ.

Ma, I will be leaving the MTC at 5:00am on Wednesday for the airport. My plane doesn't leave the until 8:30am so I should have some time to call home. Dear Elder me what phone you want me to call. Also, I probably wont be getting on the computer next week because of just getting into Minnesota thing. I got the package, Thanks! Are you guys in Utah right now? Dear Elder me and let me know.

Dad,
Happy Birthday! I love you! Be safe.

Dallin and Louie,
I miss you sooo much. I hope that school is going good. I know that you will be fantastic at anything you do. . I love you guys. I wake up in the morning and think that I have to go wake you up so that we can hang out and I can bug you but then I remember where I am. PS.....you smell! :)
I hope that you got my letter and that you are going to write me that story. Have mom show you how to get onto dear elder and write me a short letter. I want to know about what's going on with you and your crazy stories. You should probably send me a picture because you know I love them even if they freak me out.

Love,

Sister D

Elder D 11/27/12 - Russell M Nelson visits the Stake

Goooooooood Affteeeerrrrrrnnnoooooon Kennewick!
This is Elder DeCoursy coming at you from the Great Columbus Ohio Mission! Calling in to say that Elder Maughan was sick all last week and I got a good case of the cabin fever.

Have I told you about stake conference? If so, I'll tell you anyway. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Twelve Apostles, was there and I got to shake his hand and talk to him. We introduced him to our investigator. It was wonderful! He bagan his talk by asking all the primary age children to stand and sing "I'm a child of God". He sang with them! It was incredible! i think because of his talk on member missionary work and temple work, the Dayton East Zone will be on fire with baptisms and activity. Me and my elder got a lot of work to do. 

I spent thanksgiving with the Davis Family, who made me miss home for a bit because we talked a lot about the new Xbox coming out next year (yes I know about that) and about Halo 4. But Puerto Rican turkey is the best turkey EVER! 

At church yesterday, we got to know a lot of the members. I think the ward loves us now because we have a lot more dinners than before. Also, at church, there were 2 of our investigators there. We didn't even know they were going to be there! And the Sacrament talks were about families! How awesome is that!?
That's about it. I love you all. Write me some letters soon.
Love, Elder Ephraim Kade DeCoursey

Elder D 11/12/2012 Letter- "We're at 409"

Good day Kennewick.

So this past week has not been very successful. We have yet to meet with Amanda, our new investigator. Corda Lou and Verne Hansford, the past former investigators, have not gone to church yet. And no one else wanted God's blessings for some reason. CURSE YOU SATAN!!!!! He's working hard in this area  but we keep fighting. 
The mission goal for this year has been for 500 baptisms. We're at 409. That's 409 of God's children who have accepted the restored church of Jesus Christ and His gospel. The same church He set up when He was on the earth 2000 years ago. 
I love Ohio and I love this mission. The weather's been kinda buggin but it don't bother me. I got me a fancy coat to last it.
That should do it. I love you Kennewick. please write me some letters. 

Elder Ephraim Kade DeCoursey. Signing out.

Emails back and forth from Elder DeCoursey:

I'm writting a letter to each member of the family whenever I find time to do it. I will have more time today hopefully. I just got to the library after a lunch with a part member family. I don't have their address but they are wonderful people. I can see him getting baptized before I leave the area. It will happen. We had Tai food. Better than I expected. 
Right now, it is raining. It was really nice this past week but I think the weather will be getting worse from this point on. 
If you got my letters, then you should know that I have a gift for you. It will be coming with the letters that I will send within 2 weeks. I think it should be much faster than it is. 
Anyway I'm going to send Amicherie my weekly letter so you can know all about that now. If you're on, please write me back as soon as you can. I can only be on for an hour at a time and I've only got 2 times a day to be on.
I love you.

Jodi Dr is the exact address that I live on. But basically you know where I am. And my library is on Dayton-Xenia Rd. It's about a mile or 2 from the apartment but it's a good downhill bike ride there. It's the ride up that's the fun part.
I visit the Pearce's quite a bit because (1) They're a wonderful family, and (2) they have a cello!! She's the lady that wants to learn from me on how to play it. They love having us over and here's their address so you can see where I go every week.
The Hinrichsen's are the coolist people I've met here in Ohio. They helped us fix our toilet when it broke on us. Spend all day with us to do it to. They are recently married and he remindes me of Tony Stark. That's how's cool he is. I just learned in the ward council that they were less active for a few years. It really surprised me. Anyway here is their address if you want to look at it too.