15 February 2016

This week was great!  We baptized G. H. It was really nice. He asked me specifically if I would do it.  He's very shy, but he really opens up with us. He said, "I bet your parents are proud of you. I am and I'm just a random guy."  He is such a nice man. There weren't a lot of people there.  He doesn't really know a lot of people, but there were a lot of other missionaries there.  And some people who knew him from church. Then he took us to lunch at "el Mariachis", a great Mexican restaurant. It reminded me a lot of Los Hermanos! They brought chips and salsa and

the chips were warm, and I got cheese enchiladas and they had fried ice cream.  It was just like home!  He thanked us for not giving up on him.  And the way we explained it was we are out here trying our best to be like Jesus Christ, and He would never give up on you so we won't either. He is so cool!

Mount Shasta is beautiful! It's been in the high 70s lately, and it is crazy! It's February! It's still freezing at home! Yes the car is air conditioned...... 😢..... I'll tell you why the sad face in a minute... It's great for working. We can wear whatever we want. I usually wear short sleeves. Only suits on Sundays and when we have meetings. I miss granddaddy. I always think about granddaddy. Especially when I wear my suit! 

Alright transfers............ I'm leaving Redding! I am quite bummed out. I'm going down to Chico 4th Ward.  And I'm on bike..... Elder Bean is becoming zone leader up here. I don't want to leave Redding. And I just feel a little self conscious.  I don't know though.  I'm sure I will have fun down there. 

25 January 2016

Hello Sister Yule. Or mum as I like to call you.

This week was great! Holy cow we are teaching so much! We taught 12 lessons this week!! Elder Bean really does have the magic touch I think. We are teaching a women who just keeps asking when she can get baptized.... It's crazy. She's so cool honestly. Also --- is getting so close to being baptized. He loves us!  Did I tell you what to told me about his grandchildren? He said "I don't have any grandsons, I only have granddaughters, but if I did have grandsons, I would want them to be like you."  He is such a great guy. I am so excited for him. Then we met a new guy who says "I don't need to be baptized, my brother is just going to do my temple work when I die anyway!" His brother is a member and he is always telling him if you don't get baptized I'll get baptized for you. He's really funny. 

There are long tough days, but for the most part it is so fun! It's been raining non stop here. Like we've had maybe 3 clear days in the last month. Which I LOVE!  I've already been out for about 4 months!  Isn't that crazy! 4 months isn't super long, but it feels like just yesterday I said goodbye to you and walked into the MTC. President Marston said there is a difference between homesick and what he calls "home love".  Homesick means you want to go home and you are literally sick. Home love means you miss home and your family, but you know you are in the right place. I'm more home love than homesick. 

I don't feel I'm not doing well really, I just didn't know it would be this slow, haha! But mom, it is incredible how close I feel like I have gotten to my brother Jesus Christ. It is just amazing. I never truly felt like I had a relationship with Him but with life being centered around the gospel 24/7 I feel super close and I feel the joy of His atonement and how it helps me get better and get over my sins. I'm sure you've read it but it's in the new Howard W. Hunter book and he says “If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right.” Which I think is amazingly true. I love you mum. Tell my sisters and my papa I love them too and especially tell my little nephew that I love him!

Heaps of love,

Elder Yule

23 January 2016

Transfers were two weeks ago and Elder Bates transferred out.  Elder Bean is Calum's new companion.  We have always loved Mr. Bean, and so we can't help but call his new companion Mr. Bean instead of Elder Bean.  Here are a few comments from last week's letter....

Hi mum, this week was great. It was just great. We're keeping super busy. Apparently Mr. Bean has the magic touch, he is always finding new investigators, so we are teaching a lot and it is so cool! I'm doing a lot better. I feel fine.  How's my little boy? How was school? Weirdly enough I'm kinda

missing high school. Just hanging out with friends and what not. But I'm loving it out here. It's a different kind of fun.   I'm skinny skinny skinny. My legs are getting tiny and my stomach is getting bigger. I'm kind of starting to look like dad a little bit.  Here is a picture of Elder Bean.

Also, a video of our haircuts.  We cut Elder Bean's first.  We didn't know a 4 would be so short.  But after we cut his, it was only fair for me to get mine cut too.

28 December 2015

Here's this week's little notes from December 28, 2015. Nothing incredibly interesting
happened really, other than talking to you guys on Christmas.

This is Saturday
Had a way sweet lesson with the W... family. It was on the gospel of Jesus Christ. I took the lead. It was the trial by fire lesson so I did most of it. She said something like "I  feel like I want to do good, I feel like I want to be happy and help others be happy." I asked, "what makes you feel like that?" It was better than that though, I can't remember exactly what she said and what I said but she said "wow, that's a very deep question, very provoking." She said that a couple of times after some of my questions. I feel like I'm just becoming a better teacher. I love it! It feels so good. At the end she said "you asked some very deep questions, it was amazing. I'm just so impressed by your maturity". We talked about how the spirit makes you rational.  They said their son seemed to think more, just contemplate more and analyze. They were so impressed. They see that we are too. She says it's amazing how much the church changes you. In a good way.


I love my zone. They're all really fun missionaries! Tell Riley Happy 3rd Birthday. I wish I could be there. I miss him lots.  

-Elder Yule


Photos from Christmas Day.  Skyping with our boy.  He looks and sounds so awesome!  We couldn't be more proud of him and his devotion to our Heavenly Father.

 Presents from Elder Yule.

Skype with Elder Yule.

Here are a few photos from Elder Yule's first mission Christmas in Redding, California.  25 Dec 2015

Elder Yule and Elder Bates.
He's grown a foot since he's been gone.

Family Christmas Party

We missed Calum at the Brady Family Christmas party. 

7 December 2015

This week was interesting. It was good, but I just haven't been feeling confident. I'm a bit depressed and I am a bit timid to answer questions because I keep doubting myself.  I felt like I should share my feelings and thoughts with a sister we were visiting, but every time I did I kind of prefaced it by saying "this is kind of just my opinion.." After a while of that she finally said "Elder Yule stop doubting yourself! Your opinion matters to me and other people. People need to hear the things you have to say."  But that's just showing that I need to have confidence. The spirit will guide my words if I am bold.

A fellow we are teaching wants to be baptized so badly, but he's waiting for approval. He said "I just feel bad that maybe I'm 'not good enough' to be in your church".  That really made me feel bad. I told him, "don't feel like you're not good enough for our church, there is an Elder Uchtdorf quote that goes something like 'the church isn't an automobile show room for people to show off their spirituality or their prosperity, it's more like an automobile service shop, where we go when in need of repair, or rehabilitation'.  I shared that with him and he liked that example, but he was still sad. It's hard to make someone not depressed. It just is.  You can bring them some joy, but if their overall emotion is depression, it is extremely hard to get them out of there.

During one conversation Elder Bates said we could give a sister a blessing. She said that would be great!  Elder

Bates said "I feel the impression that Elder Yule should say it".  I love giving blessings. It's such an honor to administer to someone in that way. It's amazing to me that Heavenly Father trusts me with such a sacred power. 

There was a huge parade in downtown Redding for Christmas. There were so many people we took it as an opportunity to talk to people and hand out cards.  We almost joined the parade - haha - we walked along the side and handed out cards and everyone took them!  It was awesome!  

Thanksgiving at home and in the mission field