From Baboon to GRONK!

Hello family and friends!!!!!!!!!!

This week was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! I tried this week to help my companion to be more obedient.  I'm working on it by doing baby steps because I feel like if I tell him everything he needs to change it will be more destructive than
constructive.  I'm working on the little things.  I'm trying to help him use time more wisely so we aren't just sitting around.  There's enough work to do as a missionary where you shouldn't be sitting around. I tried telling him to not do some things but then he got mad at me and didn't say anything to me for a while.  I'm working on keeping myself obedient.  I have 45 days to help him change before he goes home so hopefully he will.  I really do love him and I just want to see him do better.  Elder Hebdon  and I get along really well.  If you have unity in your companionship, that is what makes it good!!!!! So I'm glad that he and I are tight!!!

That is so cool Hannah got to stay with the family over the Thanksgiving break.  I bet Hannah is a homie!!!!!! If she makes Tyler happy she makes me happy!!! You hear that Hannah?  You have my seal of approval!!!! hahaha  She sounds like a lotta fun.   Man let me tell you, Austin is growing.  He is way taller than you now mom!!!!!!  He may be taller and bigger than me when I get home- that'll make me mad!!!!!!! But I'll be more spiritual. hahahaha jk lol!!!!!!!!

This week was sooo much fun.  Thanksgiving was a blast- so much fun!!!!!!!!  We hate dinner at one of our member's houses, the "G's.".  Sister "G" invited a bunch of people so we got to talk to a lot of people and eat too.  I liked that. hahaha!!!!!!! Her husband got up at 2 o'clock in the morning to begin making the food.  He put a lot of work into it so I made sure to personally thank him and tell him how much I enjoyed the meal. Let me tell you though, the best was the turkey bowl.  We showed up to this high school field and there was a crowd of athletic, black people and man were they ready to play! I was a little nervous cause I didn't want to look like a fool so I was straight-faced and serious walking onto the field. I'm not kidding you when I say that everyone playing was black, except for me and  Elder Hebdon.  There were at least 50-60 people there and we were the only white guys!!!!!!!  Well, when it was time to pick teams I thought yea, we aren't even gonna play. Then all of a sudden one guy looks and points at me and says "You."  I thought he must be talking to someone else.  But then he says "Yeah, you!"  So I got my game face on and was ready to play!!!!! So we start out on offense and someone on my team says, "someone needs to play tight end."  I was at receiver but they chose me to go play tight end.  Well, we got a touchdown in a few plays.  Then we were on defense.  I was guarding this one guy who was pretty small but fast,  Anyways, the other team hikes the ball and does a post route.  The quarterback threw it to the guy I was guarding but guess what!?!?!?  Yo boy, Elder Baboon, came in and got he interception!  It was the first play on defense!!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As soon as I got the ball, all the black people immediately started to hoop 'n holler and scream "OHHHHHHHH" "OMG" "WOAH!!!!!!!" They were literally freaking out!!!!!!  They were still hollerin' as I was running down the field to score the touchdown!  So not only did I get the interception but I ran it back for the touchdown!!!!!!!!!!!!  YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt on top of the world!!!!!!!!!!! Then the black guys started calling me Gronkowski- you know, Rob Gronkowski from the Patriots.  They were all making comments like  "YOOOOOO GRONK" and "My boy Gronkowski!" and "We got GRONK!!!!!" Hahaha They were loving me- they all came up and swarmed me.  It was sooooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!! They said, "Man I didn't know that white missionaries could play!!!!!" So for the whole turkey bowl game they were putting me in different plays and I was getting thrown to!!!!!  I caught a few more balls but that first play made me famous!!!!!!! I was also praying to the Lord (with real intent) that I wouldn't get injured. I didn't.  Man do those guys play rough.  I woke up the next morning with aches and pains!!!!!! The best part of it all though is that if I'm in that area of McKeesport and some of the guys that were at the game see me, they still call me GRONK!!!!!!!!!!  Hahahahaha They will either honk their horn or yell out the window, "Yo.  It's GRONK!!!!!"  So far on my mission I've been a baboon, an ape and now a Gronk. hahahahaha I
love it!!!!! A different nickname in every area!!!! 

Thank you so much for the pictures. I really appreciate that! It means the world to me!!! Our investigators "D" and "T" weren't at church this Sunday.  We can't go see them at their house until the bug problem is gone.  One of the new converts picked them up last week and "D" asked for money.  The convert is such a loving and humble man so he bought them some food.  So I need to figure out what to do to help them.  They really want to be close to God but will have to see what happens with them.

Well this week we didn't see very many people to teach because of the holidays.  The Christmas initiative for this year is "The Savior Is Born."  I am super excited for that!!!!!!! That's pretty much it.  Take care.  Have a great week.  Remember who you are and what you stand for.  Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

The Walking Dead

Hello family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin I'm so glad you wrote me! You're a true brother!!!!!!!! Man, I can't wait to see you in 2 years- you're probably going to get super big!!!!!!!! I'm trying in the mission. I get up almost every morning and work out but I don't see results but I'm gonna keep doing it hahaha!!!!!!! I can't believe footballs over, that's crazy.  Is it a lot different now than what it used to be? I feel like it would be different with Coach Dalton replacing coach Bradley. So, are you going to do any other sport or are you just going to do football!?  You got Star Wars Battlefront 2 on the computer? That's sick!!!!!! I'm glad you won't let
it interfere with your goals.  To be honest, I think gaming took a lot out of my life and I hope that I don't go home and get sucked back in.  There is a new Star Wars Battlefront coming out (or maybe it already did) but the people who made Battlefield are making this Star Wars video game- that's going to be sick!!!!!!!!!

Now you asked what my favorite thing is about the mission.  Well, my favorite thing about the mission is when you teach people the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you literally watch as it changes their life for the better.  I have begun to recognize that the gospel is here to help us.  It is not to get in our way and make our life harder but to make it better!!!!!!! I love seeing that on my mission.  I also love talking to people and learning what's happening in their life.  I also love learning more in the scriptures as I study them and really ponder them.  There really is so much to learn from the scriptures.  The interesting thing about the gospel is that it takes a lifetime of study and one still can't comprehend it all in this life but yet it's so simple a child can understand how incredible the gospel is!!!!!! hahaha

Something that has helped me on my mission is that I realized I don't have to be the best scriptorian or the smartest elder or the best teacher.  If I am trying my hardest, it's okay.  We can't achieve perfection in this life and God understands that. One talk that really helped me overcome this trial is by Neil L. Anderson.  It's called "You Know Enough." He talks about when he was preparing for a mission and he was afraid he wouldn't measure up to the expectations that everyone had for him. He would say that he was not that highest baptizing missionary or the best teacher.  He would ask himself, "How will I ever measure up?"  Well the Lord answered Elder Anderson's question by telling him "You're right.  You don't know everything BUT... you know enough."  After reading that talk recently, my prayers were answered and the Spirit overcme me.  It comforted me and brought peace to my soul.  That's another thing I love about the mission- it not only changes others, it's changing me.  My nature is being changed to where it will affect me for rest of my life!!!!!!!! How amazing is that?????!!!!!!!!!!!  I Love you Austin!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright down to the nitty gritty part. hahaha Mom I hope to try and answer all of your questions.  ell my new companion is Elder Hebdon and he has been out about as long as Elder Harper.  He's a good companion.  We have fun and get along really well. My address is 1617 Delaware Ave. McKeesport, PA.  I like to describe McKeesport as this... Gangsters
paradise!!!!!!  It's a very sketchy place!!!!! hahaha But I'm not scared.  The lord is on our side. I know he will protect us from danger!!!!!!!  There are a few areas that are nice but we are mainly working in the ghetto!!!!!! This is also a pretty dangerous town.  Friday night we were driving home and we saw a dead body laying in the middle of the road.  We couldn't take a picture because the police were there.  I'm pretty sure he or she was murdered... so that was a nice welcome to the area!!! Hahahaha  Well another pretty crazy thing that happened was when we contacted some investigators "D" and "T."  They're black (like everyone else in McKeesport).  We walked into their pretty nasty apartment.   I hadn't noticed anything yet so it didn't bother me.  So that was the first time I had met them.  It was Elder
Hebdon's second time.  We were teaching them the restoration and it was going great.  Then all of a sudden I spotted something moving on the carpet- it was a nasty bug.  Then through the remainder of the lesson I'm looking around and I notice bugs crawling all around the apartment.  No joke- they were everywhere!!!!!!!!!  As I notice they are everywhere, I look on the couch and there are some crawling where I am I'm sitting!  I say a prayer in my heart because we were almost finished with the lesson.  Elder Hebdon was wanting to get out of there as well. So we say the closing prayer and during the prayer I open my eyes to see a bug on me!!!!!!!!  All they have to do is lay eggs.  I flick it off, praying that it didn't drop any eggs and then we leave quickly.  We drive straight back home, take off our clothes and put them in
the dryer to kill the eggs or any bugs remaining.  Luckily we didn't see any on each other but will keep an eye out.  We thought the bugs were bed bugs.  If you ever meet a bed bug, don't- I repeat don't- stay in that apartment/place because they will follow you home and infest your whole apartment.  The elders before us had a bed bug problem and had to exterminate and tear apart the entire apartment. They are relentless.  So that was another one of my experiences my first here in McKeesport.  Remember, I told you there was only a Branch here?  Well it is great.  I enjoy the members I have met so far.  We invited "D" and "T" to church on Sunday and they accepted.  On Sunday morning we were meeting with the Branch Council and mentioned the bug problem to the Council.  They told us to call "D" and "T" to tell them not to come to church (because they could bring bugs into the church and cause a problem).  So I go outside to call them and then they pull up so excited to be at church.  But we didn't spot any bugs on them so everything was okay. :)  Just trying to get to know the area has been exciting and frustrating at the same time!!! We have knocked on quite a few doors.  Some have been open to receive either us or the message while others haven't been willing to receive the message or us.  I love the town but more importantly I love the people in the town- they are hysterical!!! The first person I met in McKeesport said, "Yo. You guys preaching the word of God?"  It's great!  My District Leader is my companion, Elder Hebdon.  My Zone Leaders are Elder Wadsworth and Elder Bell in Pittsburgh.  This is the first time that me and Elder Richens (my MTC companion) have been split up since we came out together.  Yes I use visuals in my lessons.  I use the pamphlets for visualization.  I don't read out of them because I feel that would be so boring.  It's so much better if someone teaches by the Spirit than from a paper- take that as a note!!!!! Hahaha!!!!!!!

Well I think that's all.  I hope you have a fun week and are hard working as well.  Take care.  Bye!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

Goodbye Olean, NY. Hello McKeesport, PA!

This is his first transfer!  He had such wonderful people (members and nonmembers) who took care of him that I am going to miss Olean too. lol  

Susan

Pittsburgh

Hello family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!! 

    I don't need any winter boots I don't think.  Hopefully it doesn't snow too hard. hahahaha You did mention gloves.  I think I would want an in-between- not thin or real  thick.  My hands freeze!!! Speaking of freezing, football is still happening?  Man that's gotta be cold! Hey Austin I know it stinks where you drive all the way up and don't play but look on the bright side- at least you get to be with the team.  Eventually your time will come! Man, is Spring Formal already around the corner?  I can't believe it.  I feel like I was just dancing yesterday. hahaha Crazy how time flies.  I wonder if Austin will ever go to that.  I don't feel like dances are his thing but man, I was all about those dances haha!!!  Wow, Tyler is 22.  How does that make you feel mom?  It seems like yesterday he was training for football back in WA and now he's met a girl.  I am so mad that I don't get to meet Hannah in person but I'll see her after the mission.  That stinks that Kyle is feeling sick.  That's no good! I need to write an email to him and see how he's doing and ask him what he's been up to!!!  I'm so glad that HF gave me the amazing opportunity to have my brothers be apart of our family. As you come out into the mission you realize that family is the central unit to God's plan.  Now imagine you lived in a family that was either torn apart or not getting along or where they don't support each other or care about one another.  I've seen a lot of that here on my mission and I'm so grateful for our entire family- Aunt Cami, Uncle Darrin, Aunt Amy, Scott, Aunt Alison, Grandma J, Grandpa Cook, Grandad Steve, Darlene, Nana and Papaw and all my cousins and brothers.  The Plan of Salvation makes me so happy!  That is my favorite thing to teach because that's the ultimate goal- to live with our family forever!!!!!!!!!!  Even our crazy circus family hahahaha!!!!!!! 

Wow let me tell you this week had its up and it's downs but now I'm feeling normal.  This week was transfer week and guess what?  I'm getting transferred!!!  So Goodbye to Olean, NY.  It was really sad to go; to leave all those great people Bishop DuPont, Bob, Dave & Laurie and so many more.  I made a lot of friends and they were really sad to see me go- especially Bishop and Dave.  They both teared up and thanked me for all my hard work.  I said thanks and then jokingly said, "I still don't even know what I'm doing" hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna miss them.  So the drive down to Pittsburgh was definitely difficult and we had a bunch of luggage!!!! Elder Miller, our District Leader, got a call from President Johnson and he called him to be the new Assisstant to the President.  He freaked out.  He called my companion, Elder Harper, and asked for advice because Elder Harper was an AP.  Then Elder Richens, my MTC companion, got his call to be a Trainer and he is still in Warren- both excited and nervous.  Then I got my call and I'm heading to McKeesport, PA.  It is just south of Pittsburgh. A suburb of it, I think.  The funny part is that everyone I have talked to has no idea what that town is like and no one has served there.  Elder Harper said it was an old oil town that is now deserted and that there is only a Branch there.  This will be my first time in a Branch. hahaha  My companion is Elder Hebdon- he used to be in my Zone in Erie.  He seems like a cool guy so I'm excited.  He's tall and skinny.  I'm excited to begin anew but a little nervous.  The area will be great- I know it will!!!! 

    Well, for Pday yesterday we stopped in the city and took pictures.  It was so cool!!  These are the pictures of me in various parts of the city.  The coolest part was seeing this one building.  Alright, you know the one scene in "Batman, the Dark Knight Rises" where Batman and Bane fight?  Well the scene at the end of the movie was filmed in Pittsburgh at this building!!!!!!!!! :)  It was soooo cool.  Me and Elder Richens were like, "Batman is real!!!!!!!" Hahaha  Well, in that scene there are explosions and the residue from the explosions stained the building.  They haven't been able to remove the stain.  So the explosion marks from the movie are still there on the building and I got to see it.  That was really cool!!!!!!!!!!!  We spent the whole day in Pittsburgh exploring and even got to play basketball.  Man do you have to be straight balling up in order to play with the Elders of Pitt or with the people in Pitt for that matter!  It was insane!!!!!  I didn't embarrass myself thank goodness!!!!!  I said a prayer with real intent in my heart and got on the court.  I didn't play like LeBron but I was putting up balls and making moves that I know I didn't do!  I had angels on my left and my right helping me out.  I began to understand the game of basketball and not look like I didn't know what I was doing.  I looked decent and I did put a few scores up on the board!!!!!!! Those basketball shoes will come in handy mom hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well, I love all of you and hope you make this week a week of work and a week of fun.  Have a great week.  Love you.  Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)



Elder Cahoon the Baboon

Double Or Nothing

Aloha family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's crazy that you and mom both write me yet it's on 2 totally different things.  You know who I'd love to hear from?  Austin!!!! Austin I know that I did a terrible job writing Tyler and now I feel so badly because I've discovered that you are so far from
family and you want to hear from them all the time. Now I'm not saying you need to write me every week nor am I saying write a long letter, all I'm saying is just write 1 or 2 sentences once in a while telling me what's going on in your life! 'Cause I have NO IDEA!!!!!!!!! Hahahaha  But now that Mom is reading this to you, she'll make you write me.   hahaha Sorry bro!!!!!!!  So it sounded like everyone's had a pretty good week.  Mom, thank you so much for bearing that testimony to me.  I want that strong, firm testimony like you!!!! I know I can achieve it too!!!! I'm doing great!  Dad, I've had an amazing week of full of fun and of the Spirit.  I love that you can do both without having to hinder one or the other.  I used to think it was the total opposite back home.  I thought I couldn't have fun to have the Spirit or if I had fun I would not feel the Spirit.  It is the best of both worlds on your mission!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!  Some kids think they are having fun when really it's destructive.  Remember "wickedness never was happiness."   It's like Yoda says in Star Wars "Confusion leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." It's like the pride cycle in the B.O.M. Speaking of the B.O.M. I finally finished it and now I'm going to start the New Testament.  There are so many good teaching examples in there.  My goal by the end of my mission is to teach how the Savior taught-  doctrinally sound, with love, kindness and full of the Spirit. I love watching the Bible videos and seeing Jesus Christ testify and rebuke everyone.  It's the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's how I wanna teach. hahaha jk  You have to have charity for without charity ye are nothing. Paul teaches that.  It's in 1 Corinthians 13! I love that chapter!!!!! So hey I'd love to tell Tyler happy birthday but I don't have his email.  When you get a chance could you email that to me?  That would be fantastic!

 

Well the only time we really do sports is at zone training at Lake Erie and I wear my brace because I have to.  My knee is still pretty weak (especially when you don't exercise it at all).  It doesn't bother me and it feels good so that is awesome.   So this week I got to go on exchanges with Elder Miller to Warren, PA.  It started out well.  We were contacting some people that were
members who haven't attended church in a while and we even got to meet someone who Miller and Richens were searching for, for quite a while- that was really neat! We did a lot of walking and we came across this lady who could've sworn Elder Miller and I were twins.  hahaha It was so funny.  She was trying to explain to us that we were twins and we were telling her no we were just missionaries.  She wasn't having it.   We offered her a B.O.M. but she said no.  At least we confirmed to her that we weren't twins. hahaha  Well anyways we were walking in the downtown area of Warren when all of a sudden I hear from someone "get a job!" I was about to wave to him when I saw him.  It turns out it was our Zone Leaders Elder O'Keefe and Hyer.  They saw me and said where's Richens? I told them he was in Olean on exchanges.  They looked at each other as they were planning on doing exchanges with Richens.  But I was there so guess what?  I got to go on exchanges with the ZLs to Erie!  That never happens!!!!!!!!!!! I was super happy and was so pumped to go to Erie!!!!!!!!  While there, I got to play basketball there because it was Wednesday.  Let me tell you I've been improving on my b-ball game a lot.  I don't look like a goof.  I'm ok.  I made a lot of rebounds.  I didn't take any outside shots because I'm not good enough yet and didn't want to embarrass myself so I just did what I was good at:  I stole the ball, rebounded and did lay ups.  I didn't have my brace and that was a little scary but it all went well!

I remember cleaning up the leaves the Fall.  That was something I hated doing!  This week we had the opportunity to do some service for one of the members in our Ward.  He is moving out of his house into another member's home and so it felt like old times when I moved people at Mayflower.  So glad I did that job because I now know how to move a bunch of the stuff.  Everyone was helping out, working together.  I love that so many members were willing to put aside their lives and help other members and friends.  It was such a strong confirmation to me that no matter how busy we are, we can always help someone else out!  In fact, they needed some help on Pday and we told them that we would help and we just got back from that.  I love helping people.  Serving people is the best!!! I wouldn't mind so much anymore picking up the leaves.  If you want your soul to be healed just go serve someone.  I promise that'll do it!!!!!!!!!! Well have a great week bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😀😀😀

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

Trunky Treat!!

New York in the Fall

(Evil laugh) hahaha Happy Halloween!!!!

Hello family!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Wow!  Let me just start off by saying thank you soooo much for the wonderful package.  It was great!!!!!!!!!! So many hoodies and sweaters! And ties!!!!!!!!!! I love ties!!!!! Thank you so much mom!!!!!!!! You even sent my long coat.  That was so nice of you!!!!!  

Nice, the whole family is giving a talk on doubts and how to overcome them.  Wow, that's a great topic.  Let me tell you, in the mission field you run into people that have a lot of doubts.  The quote I love is from Dieter F. Uchtdorf that says "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."  I love that one.  It's so simple and it can range from the tiny things to the huge things. I love that one! I just want to include that If you ever feel doubt that is always Satan.  He wants us to doubt ourselves so that we will not try but the Lord is the opposite- He will help lift us up and tell us to try.  We are Latter-day sinners who keep on trying no matter how many times we stumble or fall.  Another idea for your talks would be the story in the New Testament of Peter when he walked on the water.  When he was focused on the Savior, he was was able to walk on the water with confidence but as soon as he worried about the storms, his focus turned from the Savior to the storms and he became fearful.  As he did so, he sank because of his doubt.  The Savior is always there and will reach His hand out to save us from falling into temptation and darkness every time.  Jesus' response to Peter was... " O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt?" He was informing Peter it was because of his doubt that he sank.  Christ was telling him that if he had faith and trusted in Him, He would have given him strength to stand and walk on the water.  These same teachings apply to us.  Then my final thought is share the talk from this recent conference, "Choose the Light" by Elder Vern P. Stanfill.  Elder Stanfill was also the one who came and visited our mission!!!!!!!!!  Remember his talk? He was the one who went on a bike trip through a dark tunnel and even though he was an experienced cyclist, he doubted the lights and himself and became fearful. Another one that just popped into mind was our experience in the Ape Caves-  how the darkness engulfed us all.  How we were confused which way to go without our lights.  How we doubted we could get out of the caves without the help of our lights.  But we put our trust in the lights and they gave the light we need to be able to make it back outside.

I can't believe that Tyler has a girlfriend.  Anyways, it seems like he just got back from his mission.  Tell Tyler I miss him and say hi.  Send me pictures when he and his GF come to visit for Thanksgiving.  Austin, I'm so excited to hear that you are making plays and doing well as a Sophomore.  I wish I could see you play- I would love to see how much you've improved since last time I saw you. That's great that JV won and I'm glad they actually have a JV program 'cause we didn't have one when I was a Sophomore.  It was only C team and Varsity.

Well this year for Halloween guess what I dressed up as... A trunky missionary. hahahahaha  Well first I gotta give you a little back story.  So in the PPM we have a term called "trunks" which basically means you want to go back home, you want to pack up your suitcase or trunk and get back home. So if you ever hear me say, "I'm trunky" that's what it means.  So when Halloween rolled around I got super trunky because I wanted to go and dress up for Halloween!!!!!!   On Halloween night one whole year ago do you remember what happened? I was playing football for FHS against Miyamura and tore the rest of my ACL and was done with football forever... Wow, that was a year ago- just crazy!!!!! What did Austin do for Halloween?  Did he dress up? Did he go to a party?  Whatever he did I hope it was fun!!!!!!  

So Mom to answer your question about what I teach my investigators:  I teach them that faith in Jesus Christ is an action.  You have to put forth your effort and do your part if you want to receive that spiritual light.  I love the Mormon message "The Hope Of God's Light."  Take the opportunity to watch it if you haven't already.  He talks about receiving spiritual light and getting out of the darkness takes an act of faith.  If we have faith and are willing to work for it.  God will reveal himself to you but spiritual light is never given to those who sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch.  With faith, you will want to change and repent and become better and progress.  I actually came up with this neat way to teach faith:

Analogy: cliff step- explain you are on a cliff.  God asks you to step off the cliff.  He tells you that an invisible path is there but you just can't see it. Do you have faith in Jesus Christ and take that step or do you believe that it's not there and not take the step?

I often tell them this: I think anyone can believe in Jesus Christ but I don't know if anyone can have faith in him.  For faith is action and not everyone wants to take action and follow the Lord and his commandments.

Well that's it for my thoughts and I think that wraps up this email.  Thank you so much for all that you do.  Hope that all goes well this week.  I love you guys.  Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Elder Cahoon the Baboon 
 

Trevor and Bob.  Everyone needs
a lift evey now and then.

 

The Elders and their friend, the Catholic Priest.

Just messing around. 
 

Pizza time!