May 27, 2009 - Elder Perrin

So I read your email and I could tell that you have a lot on your mind, and I can tell you have thought about things a lot. Maybe I am the one to vent to, if I am I appreciate it, I really do. I miss you and love you mom, and sometimes without realizing I think you can be just way to hard on yourself, and try to do too much. I think sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves first before we take care of others, but like they say, we can't help others if we aren't in the right position to help them. I just see how you care so much for other people and just want them to do the right thing and them to be happy, but I wonder if this is at a sacrifice of your own happiness. Do I even make sense right now? So I see how you love dad and your family so much, but when they aren't doing something they shouldn't, well it might cause so much worry or anxiety that you might just sacrifice your own happiness worrying about them, when in fact people can choose, people know what is right and wrong. So I guess my point is that you shouldn't worry or blame yourself for anything that isn't perfect in life, because I know you have done your very best, and you will never know how much I really admire you and look up to you for what you have done for me. Just remember that there is only one opinion that counts, and I know sometimes we get caught up with what other people think about us, and it's really hard especially with family, but really there is only one opinion that counts. If we just do all we can to be good with our Father in Heaven, the rest will fall into place, sooner or later. Most of the time later. I just pray that you know how much you are loved, by me and your family, and especially by the one who loves you the most. So yes we know dad isn't perfect, but neither am I. And I know that when Jesus made the biggest difference in other peoples lives, he did it by a quiet, humble example. So thank you for being the example in the family that we could always count on, being that example really does go a long ways. So I wish I could be there to help, and give you a hug and tell you I love you. But most of all I just want you to be happy, and I really just hope you don't hold any blame on yourself for anything that happens or has happened. Just do what you know how to do best, love. Just love your family and give hugs and kisses and everything will be Ok, I promise. : ) well I love you and miss you, and I hope you have a good week. : )
love
Your Son Curtis

So I didn't even see the second half of the email. So I had a thought about the whole fathers day gift thing, and it made me think of what the psychiatrist said. He's a simple guy, and that really is true. The gift that will mean the most is the simplest one sometimes. Here's my opinion, the gifts that mean the most are the ones that touch the heart. So you got to figure out a way to touch his heart. Buying things, well, that isn't the best gift, it's just buying something. The only fathers day I remember is when we put our handprints on a paper and framed it and said I love you. Remember? Simple? But it sticks. So the best thing to do is find a creative way to tell him you love him. That's it. And it doesn't come in a box. There are a lot of things you can do, and it can be fun too. Take his favorite candy and write I love you with it somewhere, or do something like that, that is different. Paint him a picture of you and him together with you five little kids, like a water color picture, or something, or cut our pictures of the ensign of Christ and make a something cool with them for him or I don't know. Ok so all this was just my opinion, but I hope you think of something.
love curt

May 20, 2009 - Elder Perrin

So I think I understood your story with Nate and Zach. It was that they were going to go golfing on Sunday? At first I thought it was about Zach saving money, but from what I understood it was about golfing on Sunday right? Well I don't really know if you wanted me to reply on that one or not, but I kinda wanted to give my oppinion too I guess. I think that you are basically right, going golfing on Sundays, well, would not seem like a bad thing anymore, to Zach, and if I didn't go on the mission, it wouldn't be a big deal to me either. The thing is that, even though no one is perfect and you did you best as parents, we kind of grew up thinking it wasn't really a big deal to break the sabbath, and since there are no definitinons of breaking the sabbath, going golfing wouldn't seem like a bad thing. After a while of going out to eat on Sundays, and going to Lagoon a few times on Sunday, and doing family outings on Sunday, after a while I think Satan just blurs the line of what is right and wrong. It even happens to the best of us. No one has a perfect Sunday, well not many. Are the things we are doing really drawing us nearer to our Savior? Some may justify watching TVv is Ok, others justify playing sports or things like that, others justify video games. The thing is that all of us have something we can do better on Sundays, and yes golfing isn't right because we aren't focused on the Savior, and we're spending money and all that, but I think in this case with Zach, and Nate too is patience. I don't think he understands the importance of the Sabbath, but speaking personally, I knew what was right and wrong when I was home, and all I really wanted was a good example. I think that's all you can really do, is set a good example and bare your testimony. Let the spirit be the one to exhort. But anyway, I'm sorry to hear the frustrations, I really wish I could be there, I think I would be able to help a lot. But it's alright, I only have two more seasons and then I'm back home already. It's so wierd how time get measured as a missionary. It goes so slow as it happens, but then looking back it just seems like it's gone. Its just wierd I guess. So how's Josh doing? I still need to write him a letter, I feel horrible. I think I'll just write him when he gets home, but I have definatly failed on that one. How is Dan and Marne? How are they taking this whole thing with Nate? Are they pretty excited for Josh to come home? Well the work here is good. I have a bunch of funny stories, but none really have to do with missionary work, so I think I'll just wait and let you read my journal. I've done really well on that. I have written basically every day and every important event on my mission. It's pretty sweet. I'm so glad I have no more winters in Chicago. I hope I get to stay in the city through the whole summer, that would be really nice. How's the basement? I forgot to ask on the phone? Progressing? How's the fam? How's Chels doing? Is she Ok? Let me know how things are. Thanks for venting to me, I feel really special. I wish I could give you the biggest hug right now and tell you how much I love my mommy. So I love you, consider this your hug. MMMMMMMM!!! There ha ha muah, kiss too. love you, tell dad to be good, and tell everyone I love them.
Love, Curtis

Elder Perrin - 5 May 2009

Hey, sorry about last weeks email. I actually wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad, but I might have, my bad on that one. I actually was just writing some things down that have been on my mind, they weren't actually pointed to anyone in specific. I think a lot of it could have been an experience I had while we went to this members house. They were really close to having their first baby, and they lived in just this tiny little attic above this house, it was really small, but really clean and when I walked in I felt peace. While we were giving the lesson and talking with them, it just felt like I was in the temple, and to be honest I think I just had the strongest desire to make my future house feel the exact same way. All these thoughts came to my mind, about how a lot of people care about what their house looks like, or they care about the cool stuff that's in their house, instead of what their house feels like, and it made me kind of sad. It's just sad how Satan blinds everybody, even members of the church. and it's just sad how happiness gets confused.

I think it's kind of sad how in the church sometimes that children kind of get their testimonies spoon fed, so when it comes time for adulthood, sometimes we withdraw from the church because we haven't really received a testimony for ourselves, but I think later on it comes once we realize the blessing we had before when we were actually choosing the right and living the gospel. I think sometimes it can be necassary for young people to withdraw. Sometimes that is what is necessary I think so that the person can gain their own testimony. I think the important thing is just to let them go and not keep trying to convince them to come back. It could lead to more withdrawal. I think patience and prayer and love is the best thing that someone can do to help a loved one back. They will eventually, sooner or later, realize the correct path, sometimes after a lot of pain and grief that could have been avoided, but in the end they come back. I think a mistake sometimes parents make is they become overly worried, and sometimes start to blame themselves for the decisions their children make, and then surprisingly maybe even become depressed, or less happy, and loose sight and trust in Heavenly Father. The best thing I think to do is just be even happier, and even more righteous than before. Smile more, laugh more, read the scriptures more and pray more, and wait. I don't know, hopefully my kids aren't as bad as I was, hopefully not worse. Most likely my kids will be just like me though.

I'm glad you had fun on your little getaway mom, you deserve some time. Man , do you get sad sometimes that almost all your kids are out of the house? I would be sad. It's like the mission in some ways. Somedays you just can't wait to get to be all alone again, but then once their gone your just like uh, great, I miss them. Now what do I do? I don't know, you guys luck out because of Charlie. So this Sunday is the last phone call until I am home, I think. That is pretty crazy. It kind of feels like the last stretch before home, but at the same time, I still have a lot of time left even after this Sunday. So just pray that we can have our goals of member work accomplished.

I'm basically switching over my missionary tactics, but it requires more patience, and smarter tactics. But I think it will work in the end, and pay off more in the long run. You see, missionary work is not about tracting or contacting people, even though those can be important. I don't know, I'm kind of trying something a little different, but I think it's working. Anyway, yeah it has warmed up a little here. I'm pretty sure it's going to stay. If it doesn't I'll cry, because It's almost summer and it shouldn't be cold. So what time do you want me to call on Sunday. I was thinking that I could do it at night, does that work? Hopefully it does. Well have a good week. Ihope all is well. Things are good here. Pray I don't get transferred. He He.

Love Curt

Elder Perrin - 27 April 2009

So how's it going? How is life? Life here is good. NO complaints. How is the weather? Yesterday I had to wear a coat and beanie for some reason. It was like 80 degrees one day and then like 38 the next. It doesn't make any sense, because it's one month before summer. It shouldn't be 38 degrees. But oh well I guess. Elder Melchor and I are doing good. We didn't teach much this week , but we're trying really hard to work with members a lot more, since most baptisms come from members anyways. That's about where I am at right now. I guess I could write down all my experiences to you all but I really don't feel like right now, sorry about that. I just am not a fan of email. Gettting letters is so much better than emails. I guess I'll try and write a letter today if I have any time. I still got to clean the apartment and cook some stuff and cut my hair and get some stuff for my bike, so we'll see if I have any time. Thanks mom for the really long letter, it's good to hear from ya. I love you and miss you. I can't wait to ask for your wise council and advice when I get home. And I might have you reteach me piano again, we'll see about that. I think I want to take a nap today. I think if I have extra time that a nap would take priority over the letter to dad.

So Elder Melchor and I have been having a pretty good time here doing some crazy things some crazy ideas with the work. I hope it all works out. So what's the deal with Chelsea? Is this sickness going to stop her from serving a mission? I can't believe she's going to go. That means I wont' see her for a really long time, like a really long time. Like it's basically as if like my sister died, and then 3 and a half years later I find out that she's alive and I see her for the first time, and it's just super weird and so crazy. That's what it's like.

So do you have Zach's address? I think I'm going to try to write him a letter. Maybe I can talk some words of sense for him. Maybe he needs to hear from me. I guess I'll just get over the fact that I'll never hear from him, but I think I'll write him. I guess I still feel partly guilty for where he's at and I need to write him to rid myself of the guilt I have about this. It basically is tearing me up inside. I don't know how to explain it. But at the same time, I guess it could be worse. I am pretty sure he'll come back, but it still sucks. I wouldn't even care as much if he maybe had his crap all figured out and was all clean, and like died or something. At least I would see him after this life, but now, if he dies, he is basically toast. I imagine as parents you feel pretty crappy about this too, but I hope you and dad realize that the way to do this is to do it like Alma's dad did. Fast and pray and fast and pray.

Either we're serving the lord with all our heart and doing all that our leaders ask of us, or we don't, and we foolishly choose to submit to Satan's way, whatever other choice that may be, laziness, anger, no time, excuses bla bla bla the list goes on. As Joshua says, as for me and my house, we will serve the lord. If we're not serving the lord, who are we serving? Think of how Satan laughs at us every time we are weak in the church, especially because of the promise we made to serve the Lord with everything we got, and then he convinces us that it's too hard or time consuming. Man if we could just see his little smirk every time he wins, I'm pretty sure we would want to punch him in the face, and then in order to shove it back in his face, we would do what the Lord wants and then even more, just so that we could see his disappointment. But why don't we understand that the Lord's way is the easy way? Why? Why? Why? Obviously when were breaking the commandments, even the little ones like little things prophets say, we're not as happy as we could be. We've experienced both sides, yet we still don't get it do we. We still want to choose the hard way. Not only do we sacrifice the peace of the spirit, but in the end, we sacrifice maybe even eternal life? How stupid and mindless can we be??? Who loves the feeling of the temple? I do. Everyone does. Yet why is it that when our home should feel the exact same way, we still fill it with arguing and fighting and tears and sadness, and with the world and with Satan, he just laughs at us!!!! Why do we do that? Why do we settle for less!!! It's like we all know the girlfriend who deserves a better boyfriend, one who doesn't treat her like crap, but she still settles for less! Why do we put ourselves through such misery and heartache when all we have to do is do what the Lord says, and we're safe, and happy, and our family is happy. Man, why does pride have to fill our lives. Don't we know that cars, and more cars, and nice things and envy and being better than our neighbor will be the cause of destruction, even among those that think they are righteous??? Why then do we set our hearts and vain and pointless things like vacations and our house, and cars and gadgets, when they get us nowhere, and we can't even do our calling, after all the Lord has given us. We read the Book of Mormon and we think to ourselves, man how sad. The people just went right back to being wicked. That's so sad how they became so prideful in such a short amount of time.... we are no better than they!!!! Yet we don't even see it. Our pride just blinds our eyes and the world, little by little just tears us down. Let's do what we know to be right, and lets drop the pride, and most of all, let's drop the world behind. We're supposed to be different. We're supposed to stick out. Let's stick out a little more and choose the right and serve the Lord. Serve the Lord. He is greater than the rest, and only he can offer true happiness.
Love Curtis

Elder Perrin - 22 April 2009

Well ,this week was alright. I just got back from the temple. It had been since last June that I went, so that was cool I guess. But I had a whole bunch of questions running through my mind while I was in the session. Just a bunch of doctorinal questions that I wanted answers too that confused me, that I will probably never get the answers to. That's the worst part. If I were to ask somebody, they wouldn't even be able to tell me probably, they would just say, oh because it's the lords will or that's just the way it is. So, I can't really say I like going to the temple, because it still just wierds me out, and I hate the feeling when things don't make sense. Maybe I need a different attitude about it. Really I just want answers though. But I'll never get them.

So chelsea is really going on a mission? Why? Well maybe it will be good I guess; to see how easy real life is compared to the mission life. Let me know where she goes I guess. So what is Zach doing? And why did he move out? Is he giong uphill or downhill in life? No bishop didn't write me a letter. I wasn't really expecting one though. Tell him not to worry about it; he's a busy guy.

I'm glad you had fun at the beach. Sounds like charlie had a blast. I miss Charlie a lot, he's so awesome. So how did candace find out about this letter? I hope you didnt' tell her. I really didn't want her to find out. Either way it doesn't matter I guess. Was that quesiton "What can I do now?" intended for me? Am I supposed to tell you what I think and then you tell her. I'm not doing that. She can just write me if she wants to talk to me. Plus I don't even know, I'm who knows how many miles away from there... we've been over this. I guess I just took it as a confirmation that we really do have no future unless a miracle happens. I do know, however, that all things can be remedied and fixed through the atonement of Christ, that's a comfort isn't it?

Well as far as why I'm here, I can tell you since I'm so far away from you. The elder I replaced wrote a really stupid letter to the mother of a member from the last ward I was in, which is right below. This lady got really infuriated at him, to the point where his life or his well being could be at danger. That's what president told me. So they moved him to the absolute farthest spot they could, Rockford, because this elder didn't use his common sense, nor the spirit, and decided to write a horrible letter to this lady. So here I am on a special errand paying the price of a stupid decision of another elder. I honestly don't mind, it's life, it's the way it goes. Elder Melchor is a really good guy too. Plus I love the bike and it's warming up. It's a nice dividend of a winter below zero on bikes. That was a trip.

I'm sorry I haven't written any letters; I can't say I've found time. It's impossible especially when we go to the temple all day. I guess I could break the rules and write you, but I'm not going to. Sorry but I still love you. Sorry dad. I still love getting letters from you though. The whole 2 I've gotten from dad were a thrill. They made me really happy. And mommy, I love your letters too. Thank you for being so diligent in writing, except for last week and a few others. I love you. I love my family. I figured why I'm so wierd though. It's because my family is so unique and different. It's the different people that make the difference though, at least thats what I tell myself.

love you luv curt

Oops! The letter before last! April 7th

thanks for the letters and uplifting thoughts, it was nice. I didn't get the full conference experience i felt, so i was hoping if it doesn't cost too much that maybe you could send me the conference cds when theyre out. In spanish you don't get the same emotion or same words, so i probably just needed a better attitude, but to be honest i felt i shorted myself on conference. i repented though. anyway this week we just have been trying to ge tsomething started and were doing pretty good i think. I miss the bike of course, we both do. but were alright. the car is kind of a downer but at the same time it has it's benefits i guess. Happiness is all in your head, it's all about attitude. you just got to look on the good side, because if you don't, life is just hellish misery. so were good. we have met some members, we met a few crazy less actives, we met a few investigators and basically were just trying to clean up a kind of mess the sisters left us. i think i'm going to try to play some golf sometime, i have't had a round of golf for like 20 months or so, that is pretty crazy. I'll write a letter, but thanks for the email, love you tonz
love curt

Elder Perrin - 15 April 2009

So, I guess I have some crazy news for you all. My mission president just barely moved me out of Rockford and put me back into the city zone. So I have a new address again. Friday morning I recieved the call, and Saturday afternoon I was back in the city in my new area called Albany Park. So just send stuff to the mission home, that would be the best thing. If you sent anything to Rockford recently, I am not going to get it. Sorry. However mom, I did get your Easter box. Thanks a ton. The food ideas I will definitely use and the candy, well who doesn't like candy right. The problem with candy though is that when it's just there in front of me, I just eat it. If its not there I don't even care for it, but when it's there I just eat it, and then I turn into a ball of lard. It's gross! At least that's what I feel like. But thank you a bunch, I love you all

So my new area is right above my last area, but a lot bigger. So if you by chance look at my bank statement and see that a little bit of money has been taken out, that's because of a few reasons. The first reason is because I had to drop a lot of money for supplies for the last apartment in Rockford. When the last missionaries left, they left nothing there. I had to buy cleaning supplies, they had no food at all, so I had to buy tons of food, soap, laundry soap, and just stuff like that, so it took a lot of money. The second reason is because when I came back here, I had a broken bottom bracket on my bike and had to get it fixed, and the apartment had no maintainance supplies to maintain my bike, so I had to buy that stuff because Elders are just stupid. So I dropped money on that, leaving me way below broke. I'm sorry, I just basically got kind of messed over on the whole process, on both sides, I couldn't do anything about it but smile. We all know how good I am at that. Just say sure Pres. No worries. No for real - I'm not bothered but on the money side, I took a hit.

The only really sad part about this is that I had to leave Elder Brown, my super awesome companion. That made me way bummed out and sad because I was having such a bomb diggady of a time serving with him. He is just that awesome. He was turning me into a spiritual person and I was loving it. He just was really that amazing, so that made me sad. But other than that, it's not really a big deal. Hopefully one day I will get to serve with Elder Brown again. I think it is very possible.

My new companion is Elder Melchor. He has been out like 2 months, and is doing good. He is a Mexican, so he likes beans, and he speaks really well the Spanish and stuff. I plan to learn a lot from him. He is the kind that was raised speaking English and Spanish, so he is more white than brown, but his spanish is really good. He is the quieter type, but he opens up and I think I can get him to be a little more energetic. I Already got him to confess some crazy things to me, stuff he said he has never told anybody before! (ha! ha!) Nothing bad though. But we should do a good job and stuff, we get a long and all that. No worries.

Today has been a crazy day and it's going to get even more crazy becaause were going to see a Chicago Cubs baseball game. I'm pretty stoked for that. But man I have just been on one this morning. I have just been going throught the house like a worldwind just cleaning the crap out of this apartment here. I just like went on a cleaning rampage, like ahahhhahaaahah, bleeeeeech ahahah hah hahaha, clorooooox oaafoahaohaohao, moooooooop adnahoahahahoahaoa, vacuuuuuum aaoh aohaoahaohoaaoaoaalahah, windex windex windex windex windex windex windex windex. and then elder Melchor tells me they never cleaned the apartment. WHAT!!! more windex!!!!!!!!!! ha ha ha ha oh man, i just don't understand how people can let it get that bad. its been the same in every apartment, I just have to give the clean spree, it just blows my mind. All the Elders tell me my wife is going to love me though, I just hope so though. I hope it scores me points later on. like be on a first date with like a really pretty girt, be like "hey just so you know, you will never have to clean the house if we by chance get married" whatever i can do right. Alright maybe not.

So what else here, well I didn't write a letter as you can tell, and I probably am not going to get to it, things are just a little bit out of order and frankly I just don't have the time. You see, I don't know if people at home realize this, but if I by chance "make time" for a letter, that means I have aactually broken a commandment. Its as if I broke a regular comandment. So I seriously am trying to write a leter, I will try even harder. hopefully I can get to it. I imagine you guys are on your vacation......again.... so i'm sure you won't miss a letter anyways. However, Charlie's letter was really really cute, I love him. I just want to give him the biggest hug ever. CHARLIE I LOVE YOU!!!!! I cant wait to come home and play with you. I pray for you to do good in school. And to have lots of friends. Well I can't think of anything at the moment. I didn't get a chance to read much of the emails so I will print them and read them. I love you all, I hope you are all safe and happy. But most of all happy.

Love, Curt

Elder Perrin - 1 April 2009

So I am in a new area, Rockford its called. I'm not going to lie, it's a pretty crazy situation. President called me up last morning and told me about the assignment and stuff. Basically he took out both the sisters of the area (the only spanish speaking missionaries in the area) and sent me and Elder Brown in here to get a branch started. Basically all they have is a group that goes to the English ward and they have to listen to a translator and stuff, and they don't really have any priesthood to get a branch started, well supposedly, I don't know. So he told me all about it and so now I'm here, whitewashed in, no longer in the city which is a bummer but oh well I guess. Here's the trippy part. The area is right next door to Woodstock, my last area before the city. So basically almost exactly one year ago I was taking the exact same course into Woodstock, the exact same road, at the excact same time of the year and everything. It was really wierd. It made me kind of nervous actually, all the cornfields are the exact same as when I first saw them and the weather was the same and everthing. So I am on the opposite side of the mission now, away from all my friends and stuff, basically away from everybody. Rockford however is a really large place. It's got a few big buildings and stuff, I think it's like the second biggest city in our mission. So I think I could be here a really long time. I forgot my adress, my apologies, I'll get it to you next week. You're safe to send anyting to this Rockford address if you want. If you were wondering, no I do not live with members again, thank goodness. We have actually a cool apartment on the 7 th floor and looks over a river and stuff, I like it. I can't believe how dirty the sisters left it though. I thought women were clean, I guess I was mistaken. Or maybe I'm just picky, I don't know. Elder Brown, my new companion is really cool. He's really spiritual but really cool and funny. The best part about elder brown (because I have done exchanges with him and I know him well enough to say this) is that he is completely down to do missionary work. That is all I wanted was someone who was totaly down to tract, to contact, to teach, to do it, and not have to feel like I'm dragging him around. So I think were going to get a lot done. Thanks for the pictures and the letter!

I am so sorry I forgot about your birthday Charlie!!!! Forvige me please, I feel so bad. I don't even remember what day it is. The 23rd? I'm so horrible. Just shoot me, but I love you bud. Happy birthday!!!! I love you!!!! So it sounds like things are going good for everybody, Wow I have a headache right now. So I am going to miss my bike, and as for the money about Elder Calls bike, don't worry about it. If he really needed it, he wouldn't have bought one that was twice as expensive as the first one. I'm glad to have Elder Brown as my companion, I really am. Well love you all. Love Curtis

Wow, do you realize that it has been 10 months since I have driven a car??? That is crazy, just crazy. Elder brown and I had to say a prayer berfore leaving because, you never know, I was just scared out of my brains to drive. I was like, what is this stick looking thing right here in the middle, and what dose D mean again??? ha ha! Our apartment is so full of girl crap it's not even funny. For some reason we found a tiny bottle of lotion that said it was used for tightening skin after pregnancy. I was like hmmmm, why would they need this??? Knowing the sister that was in here a while ago, I'm surprised I didn't find any midol lying around because she was crazy, I mean hard core peruvian crazy. Man, this is a trip though, it really is crazy. I like challenges though. Do you realize that I will see the corn grow all over again??? That is crazy. Alright, there is a difference this second time around, because it does feel like a "second time around". The difference is that now I actually want to be here, don't laugh, alright and it also helps that my companion is not depressed, that he does not have a chance at getting depressed. So I will let you now how it goes. If you read this email first, it's not going to make sense, you gotta read the other one first!

Elder Perrin - 18 March 2009

Well last week i had my whole email all typed out, and then the time ran out on the computer and it didn't get sent. I was super ticked, and i'm really sorry i didn't get it sent off. But It was a really good long email basically detailing all of the stupid stuff that's going on here. So i'll give you an update. So about two weeks ago we got pulled out of a church class by the ward mission leader, who then introduces us to Fernando Moscol, husband of a member named Rosa Moscol. He says, fernando is going to be baptized this saturday he had an interview with the steak president. you guys need to go over and visit with him. So we were like ok, thats cool, thanks for telling us. I had never even met teh guy nor seen him in church. supposedly he's bee an investigator for like 20 years or something like that, just forever. So we call the mission president, who calls the steak president. he then calls us back to tell us the situation. The steak president told Fernando to talk to the missionaries to see if the missionaries had anything they needed to teach first, and if it was alright, then he would come and speak at his baptism that upcoming saturday. But only if it was all ok with them, and with the missionaries. that is what the steak president said, basically check with the missionaries and if you get baptized this saturday, he would come to give a talk. ok, so we go over there, and we start taalking and it's a good talk. but we find out he has never read out of the book of mormon and he hasn't been coming to church, and he doesn't have a testimony. so I say ok '" well we'd like to come by a few more times to teach you a little bit more about the church, would it be alright if we move the date of your baptism a few weeks ahead?" He was fine with it, his wife was not. She kept her cool pretty well in the appointment, she didn't yell or anything, but i could tell she was really upset. she started saying that they already made the date, that the steak president was already set to come and speak, and that he had already taken all the lessons from the missionaried a dozen times and that he was ready bla bla bla stuff like that. obviously he was not ready, so i told her we wanted to make even more sure he was ready and just go over all the important docorine of the church. so i said, " would that be alright with you sister moscol?" she yes after trying to calm her down and trying to reason and talk nicely with her. ok so the appointment couldv'e been worse. so we called them later in the week to see if we could come by, and they just told us they would call us. so alright, no big deal. But after chruch this sunday, Elder Powell comes up to me and starts telling me about Hermana Moscol, about how she came up to him in the hall and just started going off on me. I mean just going off saying the most ridiculous things about how I'm just a bad missionary saying her husband cant' be baptized and how my leaders need to talk to me to straiten me out and how i am of the devil the way i talked to them and shouldn't be a missionary and that someone needed to take my place and they don't want us over to teach them that they wanted Elder Powell and Gonzolez to teach them and just all this stuff. So elder powell told me all this, and was just stunned obviously, but i decided to let it go and not worry about it, we were just doing our job. President Stoddard knows about it all, so it didn't really phase me because hey, I delt with this kind of stuff before with some girls crazy parents throwing all kinds of crazy false stuff at me, i'll just let it go, you can't change poeple. so i just let it go, until we went over to members house to eat lunch yesterday, and she brought it up because she wanted to hear our side of the story. All she herd from sister moscol was that we said " Fernando, why do you want to be baptized?" and that its our fault he cant' be baptized and stuff like that. so she was cool, i love this member, she is like my favorite. so we told her the story and got it all cleared up with her and she said she would try to help stop any gossip. so the reason that worried me was because i don't want some stupid lady going and saying all this kind of false crap the rest of the ward, that however, would piss me off a lot and i would not have the patience to just let it go. So we went over to the church last night to try and catch the bishop so see if he could help us smooth over the situation. We get to the chappel and right as we get off our bikes, guess who gets out of thier car and walks in to the chappel? yep the Moscol family. so basically i could tell they were upset at us, and i thought maybe they are the ones with the appointment with the bishop, that could be really bad. so we waited outside of the church for the bishop to get there, and when he got there we explained everything to him. and then what he said was basiclly this " don't worry elders, I know this family, they always want to have it thier way and they like to cause problems in th ward. thats just how they are, but you have nothing to worry about i got you covered, it will be alright i know you guys didn't do anything wrong." so we were pretty relieved that the bishop was really cool about it. this whole thing has been just a pain in the neck, not only that but it's like - i'm here as missionary trying to make this ward grow, and the whole world hates us. and now we have poeple of the same church i'm serving who hate us and are against us and want to bring us down. thats really cool isn't it? it's almost of enough to make you want to just go home to where poeple love you. It has just been like a replay of nightmare i lived with Candaces parents, and it just makes me sick. oh well, i'm not giong to worry about it at all, the members of the ward love me, i'm like thier favorite elder. they would all give me a place to live if i asked them, thats how cool a lot of the members are here. so i have no worries. hey i was wondering, could you by chance send my baseball glove. it's the old catchers style glove that should be in a box. maybe if you have time and find it , i would love to have it. thanks. I got all the pictures, thanks so much it was awesome to see some recent photos. Zach needs to shave though and clean up. tell him he needs to write me. ok love you. curt

Elder Perrin - 25 March 2009

Baptism On the Way

hey how is it all going? things are good here, we had a week full of no success, but hey, that's how it goes. however we are going to have a baptism this saturday, his name is roberto. he is awesome the best way i can describe him is "running wolf' and he is really in tune with the spirits, ha ha. But he's really cool. he has all these weird dreams and stuff and he always talks for like an hour telling us about them. its crazy, his wife is going inactive right now, but he just wants to be baptized. they might get divorced, but maybe she'll come around. anyway i will send some pictures of that when i get a chance.

Is it Rachel?

i read two lines of your email and the pictures of rachel, well, they came from the girl on the far right, who sent them to an elder right next door named elder hadden. elder hadden got the pictures from her, and i was over at thier house one night and saw the pictures and was like "no way i'm pretty sure that's my cousin' and they didn't believe me, but i was like " i'm not 100 %, but like 98 % positive that is my cousin in the photo" so i sent them to you to ask rachel if that was her in the picture. so is it her??? if that is her, that is just funny.

Early Home Date

so as far as the whole thing with school, well you never really gave me your oppinion on my go home date, what is your oppinion/?? i really need to know this, because if people are going to be thinking rude things because of my changed go home date, i need to know, so i can just change it back, and miss my scholorship and a whole semester of school. and if that be the case, i wanted to know if i had a chance at still going to college in the fall, and if by chance i did, would there be a chance for a scholorship in the fall somewhere. so i need to know what you think,

Recipies, Music and Pictures for Easter

so you asked what i would want for like an easter thing, well i did think of somethign just recently. i was thinking i could use some more food recipes, some like simple food recipes that are tastey, that don't take tooo much time. maybe if you had any ideas, you could just send me some good food recipes, for like some good dinners or quick lunches or something like that. maybe there is a book they make for that kind of stuff. i don't know, it was just an idea, i would put something like that to good use. other than that i don't really know what i could use. i always enjoy new spiritual music or piano music or something like that. feel free to just send whatever. pictures are always the best i think. like i think the best way to do letters is to write a short letter, and throw in a few recent pictures every time, like it's just the best. a short letter with a few pics, you can't beat that as a missionary.

Transfer

so this pday were going to the zoo, i don;'t want to go because i have been there, but everybody wants to so , oh well, i guess i have to. next week i might be in a different area. i hope they keep me in the city, but if not i am going to have a hard time for a few weeks. riding in cars for more that a minute or two makes me really sick, i would have a hard time adjusting to that. so i'll let you know if i am in a new area.

Stolen Bike

so this week my companions bike got stolen, that was kind of interesting. it actually got stolen right off the back porch, while we were about 20 feet away too. it was a nice bike too, but then he just went and bought another that was even nicer. i was thinking of paying for half of the one that got stolen, since i might of left the porch door open. even though my bike was locked and his wasnt', i was thinking it would be the right thing to do to pay for half, let me know what you think. it would be about 160 bones for half, so let me know if it seems right to you guys. feel free to ask any questions, i'm just spitting out words as i go and i might not make any sense. i do that a lot sorry.

Member Crisis from Last week

so this whole thing with this member issue is al resolved. we had a lesson with the bishop, and Fernando, and the bishop told his wife to not come. so we all met in the chappel, and everything is just fine when she is not there. he's a really nice guy and said he just wanted to learn everything all over again. that's great we said. you know thats all we said int he beggining, and this whole issue broke loose, but i'm glad its all resolved now. cool beans.

Lots of Love

thanks so much for everything, i miss you all, things are good. i'm alive, safe, sane, i think i'm sane anyway, and happy. mom i feel ya on the mothering thing, it's hard, it feels like i'm doing that right now. babysitting a 20 year old gets kind of lame after a while, so thank you and love you. love curt

March 4, 2009 - Elder Perrin

Well, this week was pretty good. The weather was cold, but it's warming up slowly. Lets see, the latest news I have is this. Yesterday in my interview with president we were talking and this is what he came up with. He said I need to go home to work out some worthiness issues. HA! Just kidding there. Alright, so here's really what happened. So somehow my go home date got brought up. He just brought it up, it was the first thing he mentioned. And then I mentioned the scholarship I had waiting for the winter semester and all that. So then he pulls out some books, and a calender and figures out when he would have to send me home. And then he says December tenth. Yep. Dec 10 of this year. So I'm just like, well, can we maybe just do it in the middle of the transfer or just a week or two early? And he said, "Well, normally I would do that because I don't mind if the mission gets thrown out of wack because I just take visa waiter... bla... bla... bla. But we have a new mission president coming in and I would not want to do that to him so the best thing would be to have you go home a transfer early." So then he asked how important the scholarship was and stuff like that. And I said pretty important, since I will have no money when I get back and so he obviously agreed and said he was going to work it out. Alright, don't get so excited, I know that means that I would only miss one Christmas as a missionary, and only one new years, and it would leave me a decent amount of time to prepare for college. But I am kind of reluctant to do it because of, well, pride I guess. Let me know what you think. He said there is a possibility of talking with the new mission president of rearranging it, but for now my go home date is the tenth of December. I would like to have other options though, maybe different college options though, if there was another scholarship that would be possible to other schools, that would be useful information for me to know. Maybe you could make a few calls and see if I still have a chance at other scholorships to maybe a closer school or something. Just let me know what you think.

Well, this week was pretty good. We found some decent new investigators and are getting rid of a few old ones we have that aren't progressing. asi es. But things are good. Griselda is set to be baptized in a week in a half, so that is good. I'm pretty excited for that. The cold I think is going away for this week, at least I hope so. I think warm weather would give my companion some more motivation, since he's from California where sunshine grows on trees and where it's always a perfect day. Man I want to live in Cali, it's like the only spot for miles where you can ski in the morning and play a round of golf in the evening. That would be awesome. My comp is teaching me a lot about bikes, which is good. I basically don't need a bike shop anymore. I'm learning how to even true up a wheel. It's tight. Well have a good one. I'll read your emails later. I gotta run. Write back and tell me what you think!!! Love you all.
Love curt

Feb. 25, 2009 To Charlie

Well, this week was pretty good I guess. I'm still here in the city, that makes me happy. I love the area, I love my companion, I love Jesus, and I love you guys. I think I missed dad for the first time in my whole mission this morning. It was a little overconsuming, and I had never had that happen before. I really do miss dad. He could make me laugh like no other, especially if he was in a really good mood. I really wanted to talk to him and have a good time with him. So what is this diet he has got going? What happened to the good old fashion diet of eating less and excercising? What does he eat? So you got a new love seat eh and couch? Thats pretty crazy, you should send me a picture of it. In fact, you should send me a picture of the basement too. That would be cool, then I could actually believe it with my own eyes. (ha ha)

Please set an example, a really good one. That means church every week, scriptures, reading, every day, together as a couple, and praying every day, as a couple together. Callings, home teaching, temple at least once a week, and fulfilling all the words and councils of the prophet. That is probably the best thing right now, and to be happy. So I will do my best. Have a good week. I love you much

Charlie, I miss you tons, but I hope you are having fun all the time. I haven't written you a letter in awhile and I'm really sorry. I really loved the last letter you wrote me. It was cool. So how are things in school? Can you read faster than mom yet? Mom can read really fast, super dooper fast, faster than most people can talk. It's crazy! You are really good at drawing! I got your picture awhile ago, and I have to say that you're like a professional artist! Wow! I was amazed. So is it starting to warm up in Utah yet, or is it still freezing cold? Do you help dad 'build' the basement? Did he get you a really cool tool belt so you can help him carry tools and hold stuff for him?

When I was really little, I remember mom and dad came into my room one night while we were all sleeping, and dad woke me and Zach up because he was so excited to give us some tool belts he found for us. I didn't even know what was going on, but he was so excited that he found some really awesome tool belts for us, and ever since then I had a cool tool belt to use when I was building my tree fort outside. Dad would always surprise us like that because he is so awesome. Like, I would remember he would come home and yell CHARLIE! Come Here! I have something for you! Dad is cool. He would always let me help him build stuff, even though I was really little and didn't know what I was doing. I loved building stuff, and he would always help me build stuff, like my tree house. Too bad we don't have trees in Utah or else we could build a tree fort.

Well, I have a story. The other day I got hit by another car! It was crazy! This car hit me, and my bike went flying and then I went rolling on top of the cars hood and then onto the ground. It was really crazy. My companion said it looked really cool too, like a professional stunt man. Ha!Ha! And the lady gets out of her car and starts to panic and she wanted to take me to the hospital, and then she wanted to take me to her house to give me a bike. But I told her not to worry about it, because it wasn't that bad. It only hurt a little bit, not a lot. My bike actually came out just fine, so that's good.

So guess what happened a few days ago? We, met a karate man in the street. His name is Sensai John, I think, and he was really funny. He said he could teach me all kinds of stuff, so that if a gangster wanted to start a fight with me, I would be able to take him out. He reminded me of you, because of how you are doing karate, and he made me laugh too. Did you know there are a lot of mean people in Chicago? Yep. Most people in Utah are really nice, but here in Chicago, most people are a little rude. Even the policemen are rude. The other day, we were riding our bikes, and we pull into the lane to turn left, and a cop behind us honks his horn because he's in a hurry and we weren't fast enough for him. So then he passes us after honking, but then he gets stalled by the car in front who was going slow too, because he maybe was nervous. And then we pass the cop going really fast on our bikes, because they had to go through a bunch of speed bumps. He gets on his microphone and in an angry voice, starts telling me I need to stop at stop signs, and a few other things. Then he catches up to my companion and cuts him off with his car and stops and puts the wheels of his car in a pile of snow, hits the gas spraying snow all over my companion. He zooms off all angry that 2 bikes schooled him, because we passed him again a minute later and I saw his face, he was really mad.

So did you guys get the Bob Marley bracelets? I hope so. I told Zach to give everybody one. Did you know that spring is almost here? That means it's time to go golfing! Maybe I'll go golfing here in Chicago sometime, that would be really cool! Charlie you are my best friend. I miss you a lot. I miss playing with you. Remember when we had so much fun on the trampoline? I do. And remember when we would go swimming? I can't wait to play with you again. It will be so much fun. I love you a lot. Give everybody a hug for me, Ok? And hey! Stay away from pretty girls, they are trouble. Ha! Ha! Ok. Love you. Curtis