Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Hey all

Labas Fam!
Well transfers came and went and I have a new companion. His name is Elder Newman from American Fork Utah. He is a way solid missionary. I am still in Siauliai but I got moved areas. I got whitewashed again so we both don't know much about this area. We are ready to get to it though. There are still only 4 elders here. Elder Fitzgerald is in my old area with Elder Johnson. Elder Johnson is from good old Payette Idaho. Me and him are the only Idaho-ens so we were way excited to be serving together. Not to late either becasue this is his last transfer. Elder Newman and Elder Fitzgerald were in the same MTC group and they go home in 3 transfers. So this is a REALLY old district. Then you got me who is 10 months old! I love it. I wish I could always be a missionary.
Anyway I am excited to start another transfer and I have a lot of things I am working on. I just finished the Book of Mormon in Lithuanian again so I am ready to hit D&C way hard. We have a ton of stuff to do today so its going to be short but know that I love you all and I am workin hard.

Iki
Kukas

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Kuku kachu


That means "With the Cooke of cats" (our name Cooke. Not an actual cook, that word is Virejas)

Hey Fam!
We had a fun Sunday this week. You could call it "Missionary Sunday" Because all the youth went to a youth conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This means mostly everybody was gone. This also meant I passed the sacrament Elder Neilson blessed it. I led the music and Elder Fitzgerald played the piano We both spoke and Elder Mcnevin led the meeting. It was fun but I hope we dont need to do it again. We are trying hard to get as little missionary involvment as possible. Although already assighned for next week is Elder Nielson to speak and I'm to play the piano. It's fun here in Siauliai.
I suggested to our district that we all finish the Book of Mormon in Lithuanian no matter where we are by the end of the transfer. (That is next week) Elder Nielson and Mcnevin are near the end so it shouldn't be that hard for them. I, however, am in the begining of Alma. This is good though becasue I have found out about myself that when I make a really tough goal I usually reach it. If it is to easy I usually lose interest. Anyway I am reading about 50 pages a day in Lithuanian so I can finish. I will tell you how it goes. I am pretty sure I am going to stay here with Elder Fitzgerald next transfer. I really don't know what else they would do with me. I have already been to as many different cities as most of the missionaries here. But I really don't care where I am. I just love the members everywhere. Plus I love being with Elder Fitz. We get along very well. Also we had two investigators come to church on Sunday. Which is good becasue they made up about 20 percent of the congregation. They are both way good guys. One is from english class and is just one of the kindest men I know. The other other we found street contacting one day. He had been meeting with the Jahova's Witnesses but after he came to church he said he is going to "say goodbye" to them. So that was cool.
Anyways fam I better go.

Love you all.

Taika
Vyresnysis Kuku Kachu~!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Hey fam
So we had a good week this week. A family we have been meeting with started showing some progress. They are a part member family. Irena ,the mom, is a member and so is her son Valdas. Her husband, Valentinas, is not a member. They are in some really tough times right now. They live in a Bendrabutis (a community housing apartment) So everybody on a floor shares a bathroom and a kitchen. They just live in a little 10 by 10 room. They are way nice people though. We cooked them dinner one night becasue the only thing they had money to buy that day was sour cream. They next day we "broke the fast" with the branch and so we invited them to that and they had food to eat for another day. We talked to the branch president and the branch gave them some money for this week. The wonderful part is that Valentinas came to church this week! He hasn't been for a very very long time. We are way excited for him. It's great because Irena wants to get sealed in the temple really bad. I hope he comes around.
Other than that not a lot is going on with other investigators. We haven't met with the gypsys for a while. Zone conference was this last week and it rocked as usual.
Thanks for the package!
Also thank Liz for me. She sent me a way funny package for my birthday and it arrived to the day so that was a score.
Oh I almost forgot. We met with some members from Vilnius yesterday and they taught us how to cook Bulves Blynai (potato pancakes)
p.s. it just took me forever to remember how to spell potato. They were way good. They put me over 155 pounds for the first time in my life. That means i have put on about 20 pounds since i have been here. Which is weird because you can't tell i don't think. Its wierd.

Well fam Thanks for everything now for my testimony:
Tikrai zinau kad dievas dar gyvas. Jis yra mano asmaninis Dankiskasis Tevas. Ir zinokit kad Kristus vaikciuoja su manim cia Siauliuose ir tiesog jis visada vaikciuoja su visais savo vaikais. As esu labai dekingas jam uz viska jis dare del manes. Aciu uz tavo pagalba ir zinokit kad As su visa savo sirdimi jus myliu. Laikykites

Vyresnysis Kukas