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. 

Elder D 11/5/2012- "3 NEW INVESTIGATORS"

Dear friends and family of Kennewick, WA and beyond

It has been 8 weeks since I left to serve the Lord and I am happy to say that it is the greatest decission I have ever made this far in my life. I love the ward here in Beaver Creek and my companion. You know what would be awesome? Letters. That would really help out.
WE FOUND 3 NEW INVESTIGATORS THIS WEEK!! Just when I thought that this place had hard hearts, we find 3 of God's children who are ready receive the restored gospel! I am so excited! We just need to meet with them now. And I think I will be here for multiple transfers (1 transfer = 6 weeks) so I hopefully will be here to see them be baptized and confirmed. Man I'm so happy.
My companion has TMJ, or tight jaw muscles, so we've been staying in the apartment almost all this week. He's in a lot of pain and I 'm doing a lot of studying. Awesome, right?
  Almost all the members work on the air force base so I get to know a lot about plans and stuff. I like it when some of the say they're analists because that means that they are working in some top secret stuff.
That's pretty much it for this last week. Talk to you next week.
Love
Elder Ephraim Kade DeCoursey

Elder D 10/29/12 - "I've been called to teach, not be taught "

Good Day Kennewick Washington!
   It has now been 3 weeks since coming out to the field and I got to say, it's an amazing land. I'm serving in the Beaver Creek area, which is comprised of some very Christlike Catholics who will let you in from the rain but will have nothing to do with your message. Just yesterday we had a very interesting experience with a baptist preacher man. We tracted into him and he tried to convince us. That's not why I'm here. I told him that I've been called to teach, not be taught and walked away. Other than that, there was a lot of potential yesterday where we were knocking on doors.
   I love my trainer, Elder Dallin Maughan. He reminds me a lot of my brother. He's ADD, been of his meds for a few transfer's ( about 12 weeks), he hasn't been but he's told me he's prone to anger. When our training session is over He will be going home, so he's a bit trunky. He is very intelligent. He worked as an Internet Security manager before he came out so he knows alot about computers. He's also a big nerd.

  Before we came here, we were doubled in ( both new to the area), there was a companionship that wasn't very skilled at being a missionary. They would spent there time with less active members instead of doing what they were suppossed to. There was a lot of trust lost with the ward and the missionaries. So it's our job to get that trust back. So far so good. Members of the ward visit our apartment bearing gifts. I love this area.
  On Friday, we tracted for 5 hours straight in the pouring rain. I did not have an appropriate jacket for that kind of weather and I got soaked. My suit is perfectly fine however, albeit a little wrinkled. We really exercised our faith that day. It is suppossed to snow tonight which is okay because I now have an actual coat that is not a trench coat, which I was told not to bring. I will be very warm with it and also a new pair of gloves that I got from another missionary.
  The are I serve in is about 5 miles long so we don't have a car. We have bikes. I have been able to maintain my weight at 210, however but I notice my stomach getting smaller each. My legs have never felt more powerful.

 

  Our toilet broke on Saturday. We woke up and noticed that it decided to baptise the bathroom. We made plans to go with a member to Walmart to go get new toilet parts. This member was actually quite the handy man so when he came over he had his tool box in hand and new parts and said "Where's the problem?" He showed us how to fix the toilet and fixed the leak. Bro. Hinrichsen is such a blessing. He's now on our cookie list.
  Before I leave, I have a few words for those of you who are preparing for a mission. Study the Book of Mormon and the Preach My Gospel manual until your sick of it then study it some more. I study these every opportunity I get and I wish I had studied them more before I left. To  those of you who are interested on why I'm taking 2 years out of my life to bring maybe 8 or 9 people to the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ: Ask the missionaries. They can help you.
 So long for now, dear friends and family.
 Adiue.