July 30th - The Grind!

Dear Family,

This week has been a pretty great week. Tuesday was crazy. We woke up early and we went to transfer hubs where everyone transfers all their stuff and you get with your new companion and everything. I am now with Elder Riggs in the city of Visalia covering the Buena Vista Spanish Ward. So things were a little weird that I was leaving my new area so soon, but I packed up anyways and transfers went smoothly. 

That afternoon was pretty crazy. We ended up going on an emergency exchange for some medical reasons and I was with a recently transferred missionary from the Modesto mission. It was both our first days in a totally unfamiliar place. We tried some people in the area book and then I decided we should go see this one lady. Now my trainer served in the same area that I am currently serving in, so I knew a little about his recent converts here, so I tried to visit a woman named Mercedes. She was there and we ended up having a cool lesson with her and it was totally weird to me. We exchanged back after dinner and ended the night.  I have a car here, it is still very hot and will be until the end of August like 110s apparently July and August are the worst months. As for the landscape I am in a city so I see a lot of city things here but when you go outside it is pretty much just farms. 

Wednesday morning we woke up and went to the gym. Elder Riggs likes to work out so we have been going to the gym every day so I am going to get bigger here in Visalia. I am also pleased to once again be in a place where I have a dinner every night except Monday. I bought healthy food this week as well so we will see if Elder Dave Murray starts to look more swole. The rest of the day we worked and I got to know new people and a new area. 

Thursday we did some more of the same and had a meeting with our Ward mission leader who seems like a great guy. I am really excited to serve here in Visalia. 

Friday was a great day. We had our first weekly planning and we did some good missionary work. 

Saturday morning was good. We went to the gym and then went to play basketball with some members and non members. I ended up spraining my ankle which stunk, and I am still dealing with that right now. We went to the doctor's house that night and he got me an ankle brace. 

Sunday was fun. I got to see the ward and I had a good time meeting people and listening in on the talks and classes. There was a pretty good mixture of things with the main theme of ministering. We met some people that night and taught a few things, then went home. 

That was most of my week. I love it here in my new area and my companion is great. I love you all keep up the good work. 

Love, 

Elder Murray

July 23rd - Transfer!

Dear Family,

This week has been crazy. To start out like the title eludes, I have been transferred out of Reedley/Dinuba after only a short 6 week stay here! I am headed to the great and wonderful Visalia. I was very surprised when the call came in but I am packing up and heading there tomorrow. In addition to this, my glasses finally came from Madera! So I have been wearing them because these glasses are far, far less expensive then the good ones which are now safely stored for a later date. I am excited to serve in my new area. It is a much bigger city with a lot more missionaries which I find I like more than the outlying farm towns. They both have their perks though.

Other than the big notices, this week has honestly been pretty boring. Tuesday we just worked and did our best to find new people with not a whole ton of luck.

Wednesday was a little bit more of the same, with not a whole lot of differences.

Thursday we did pretty much the same in Dinuba instead of Reedley but then we had an English class that night that we don't teach but we do give a spiritual message at the end in Spanish. It honestly really worries me to speak Spanish in those kind of settings. One on one or when it is only a family it is a lot easier for some reason than in front of a group of like 8 or 9. Also, I guess with English class they would just be a lot more conscience of my language. The message ended up being good though and I didn't have any break down or anything, haha. 

Friday was cool because we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders and I got to go on and exchange with my mission Grandpa (The Elder who trained my Trainer) and to add to the experience it was his last exchange ever because he goes home this Wednesday. We had a good time. We did missionary work.

Saturday we were waiting all day for transfer calls and we ended up having a district dinner in Kingsburg if any of you look up my cities on the maps. But it was a really good dinner with the Senior Missionaries in our District who are honestly like the best people ever. The Sister reminds me a lot of Grandma Gentry and the Elder reminds me a lot of Elder Murray Senior who is serving in Omaha, Nebraska right now. They are really awesome.

Sunday was weird because I was saying goodbye to people after just meeting them but it was good. I had a dinner with one of my favorite families the Cerons.

My week was really good this week. I did a little bit of deep doctrine study this week after studying some gospel topic essays that addressed certain concerns or doubts that people have about church doctrine or church history in the Gospel Library apps and I learned a lot about DNA and the Book of Mormon and other topics.

Picture themes you have to figure out which is which because they won't be in order. The 81 year old man that I am teaching and me in a store (we saw him today), me and my companion, me and the familia Ceron, and the District dinner party (I look physco because the Elder next to me was tickling me.) 

Love,

Elder Murray

July 16th - The Singing Week

Dear Family,

This week was really good. As for business I will for sure send that package today. I have been putting it off for too long and I need to send it. Other than that I don't have much. Oh, I think it would be cool if I got more real letters. I love when I get them from Sister Folkman but that's the only person who sends me them. If you can't, no worries, but it would be cool.

Tuesday was a really cool day. We moved this lady out of a really crappy cockroach infested apartment to a new one. It was well needed because she has like 6 kids and she is a single lady. But we moved a ton of stuff and it was hot. 

Wednesday was a good day. We were on exchanges with the Zone Leaders for the morning which was a well needed break for me and we had a good time. 

Thursday was super cool! We had Zone Conference and I sang! So on the mission blog it looks like I was one of the departing testimonies which is funny but I wasn't. I guess I did pretty good because I made the mission president cry, so I will probably have more assignments in the future. That night we went to Orange Cove to teach people with the Brandts, who are the senior couple I always talk about. It was kind of lame since all our appointments fell through, but thus is the life of a missionary. 

Friday we ended up going out there again because we have a really cool potential there and this time he was there and we taught him a sweet lesson. The rest of that day was pretty normal. 

Saturday we went to Dinuba and didn't have a whole lot of luck with people, which was kind of upsetting, but we taught a couple people and tried our best so that's all that really counts. For some reason it felt really freaking hot that day and it gets worse and worse every week. This week we are looking at 107 one day. 

Sunday was cool. Elder Brandt liked my song so much from Zone Conference that he scheduled me to sing in the English ward and the Spanish branch so I did. By the way I sang "Savior Redeemer of my Soul" and there isn't a Spanish translation so I sang both times in English. It was weird because it was the first time I have been to English church in almost 7 months, so it through me off a little. 

Today has been really cool. We went to lunch with a member from the English ward at a Chinese buffet and it was really good. Then we stopped by the mission office and now I am driving to break my lifetime streak of never having paid for a haircut because nobody cuts hair here. 

I love you all so much! I thank you for all your support and emails each week, they really brighten my day. Remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for you and do your best to show your gratitude for that sacrifice. 

Love, 

Elder Murray

July 9th - The 4th of July

Dear Family, 

This week was crazy but it was a really good week. Let's see I'm not sure if I shared this last week or not but I feel like I titled the letter "the mission just got a whole lot bigger" and then didn't explain it so if I already said it, just bear with me. I titled it that because the mission got half of the missionaries and area from the Modesto mission so now I don't know if you knew but I am in the same mission as Nathan Robinson. Now on to the week. 

Tuesday was a cool day. We worked in Dinuba and had a whole lot of people to talk to. We have more work in Dinuba than Reedley currently, even though it is the bigger city that we have to drive to. 

Wednesday was crazy! It was the 4th of July but we had an exchange that day, so I worked with Elder Cranford in Reedley and then at around four o'clock we went to dinner with the Senior Missionaries that cover our same area at their apartment. We weren't allow to preach that night so we stayed at the Senior Missionaries apartment and played board games. I played Settlers of Catan for the first time in 8 months or so, and of course I won. It was a good night. 

Thursday we traveled once again to Dinuba and we did our best to talk to people and had a really pretty full day with lots of appointments. 

Friday was a day in Reedley. It was pretty regular. We had a little more success than we have been having in Reedley most of the time, so it was a good day. The days just sort of fly by and I am never sure what I did what day. 

Saturday was interesting. I biked for like 5 hours in 104 degree weather. All the weird parts of my body are getting tan, like above my neck line and my arms. We went to Subway for dinner. 

Sunday I gave my first talk in Spanish and I thought I did pretty good. I was worried I had too much material so I rushed it and it ended up being about the perfect amount of time. We had a dinner that night, which was good, and then ended up visiting less Actives the rest of the night. 

Today was a good Preparation-Day. We went to a sports house in Lindsay and played some soccer and basketball with missionaries from three different zones. 

This week in my studies I did a lot of studying on Christ-Like attributes which I have found are extremely key in the Gospel. If you are striving sincerely to grow each and every trait that Jesus Christ emulated when He was here on the earth then you will live the gospel to its fullest. I love being a missionary for God's true church here on the earth. I love you all! Have a great week. 

Love, 

Elder Murray

July 2nd - July! Mission is a whole lot bigger!

Dear Family,

Thank you for all of your support! I really missed hearing from Jacob and Ben this week. That's okay though. I guess you are all together anyway. Jacob, you are getting huge! I wish I had biceps like those homie,s woooh. I am pretty sure I had something else to say but I can't remember.

Tuesday was a good day. We had interviews with the Mission President this week and it was really great. I learned a little about family history and how I can use it in my work.

Wednesday was also a good day. I had an exchange with my District leader in Reedley and Dinuba so I led my area and we had a good night. 

Thursday we worked in Dinuba for the day and we talked with a really cool new family that was a referral we received more than 3 years ago. Now we are teaching them and they are willing to learn. We ended up biking to Dinuba which is a 6 mile trip but Elder Reza got a flat tire so we had the Zone Leaders pick us up to take us back home. Then we went out to dinner with a senior couple that works here in our boundaries named the Brandts after that we worked two towns in our area that are farther away from where we live.

Friday we just worked the whole day in Reedley and we didn't have a whole ton to do so we spent the day trying potentials and less active members.

Saturday was fun. Elder Reza had a baptism to go to that night about an hour and a half drive away so he went to that and I stayed with our Zone leaders. He ended up getting home later than we should have but everything turned out good in the end.

Sunday was a really cool day. The sisters here in our branch had a baptism and we did the interlude. We shared a message on finding peace through Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  

My area here is very spread out. It is about a 20 minute drive to where we have church every week and we work two different larger towns that are about 6 miles or 15 minutes or so away from each other. One has about 25K population and the other about 20K. We also cover two towns further away called Orange Cove and Orosi they are both sort of tiny places and are hard to get to most weeks on the miles that we have. Anyways, sorry my letter was a little bit shorter today but I love you all and I wish you the best.

Love,

Elder Murray 

June 25th - Great trees and New Horizons

Dear Family,

Mother! Thank you so much for sending me glasses! I can finally see now and I don't have to be afraid I will hit a dog or a kid or worse when I drive at night. They got to me that Friday, and Elder James was very good about getting my Zone Leaders to pick them up. I still haven't gotten the other ones but I got a call from Madera the other day that said they were here so I may wear them when I get them just so I don't break the expensive ones. Thank you so very much for sending me money. I love my family.

Alright, as for the week, things start out this Tuesday. We worked in Dinuba that day and it was good. Elder Reza works very hard so there are not a lot of people that get past us without us talking to them.

Wednesday was a good day as well. I went on an exchanges with Elder Cranford and it was actually really great. We had some good talks about the MTC and the time when I freaked out because a bird pooped on me. Apparently there was a class watching me that I didn't know about lol.

Thursday was also a good day. We once again worked in Dinuba and we talked to a lot of people. That night we went to Orange Cove and tried to do some finding. Orange Cove is a very small town a little ways away from Reedley where we live. It is very beautiful and there are a lot of orange farms out there. Hence the name.

Friday we worked again. We had some good lessons and I was pumped to have new glasses and actually be able to see at night. That day it was 102 degrees outside and it was not very fun. The sad thing is that it will get much hotter before summer is done.

Saturday we had to go get an oil change on our car in Fresno. We ended up staying at Carl's Jr. while they were changing our oil and we finished our weekly planning, had a good dinner and then did a little studying before we got our car back.

Sunday was fantastic. I ended up having to give an impromptu testimony during sacrament meeting in Spanish and teach the Priesthood class in Spanish. I did pretty well and didn't have any problems. That night I had my first member dinner in a long time and I was very happy.

Thank you so much for all of your support and love as I serve in the mission field. Keep up the good work back home and always remember the Savior is there for you in your times of need.

Love,

Elder Murray

June 18th - Reedly and Dinuba

Dearest Family,

This week has honestly been pretty rough. I think that I am starting to settle in a little more and things are getting better though. I still have not received pants so I will have to keep waiting for those. As of right now, I still do not have glasses. . . it is getting really old. I finally sent all of you a package today with some dank mission crap. I just hope that you like it. Sadly, I kind of wish that I had not because I feel like I am plowing through my money and no matter how hard I try I cannot seem to stop. I went without a fast food lunch today and ate a bowl of Cereal instead. I have about 25 dollars for the last two weeks and one preparation day so we will see. I bet that I will end up spending more on the personal card :(. Mission life is sometime hard, family. I wish I was in one of those foreign places where you can live really cheap. 

Tuesday was the first day of this new transfer so I left Madera and went to Reedly, which is an interesting place. I miss Madera but I am getting used to it. My new companion is Elder Reza who is a pretty good Elder and works really hard, but he does some things that really get on my nerves. I am not going to have as many dinners here with members, so it looks like I will have to spend more money in order to not starve.

Wednesday was the first regular full day here in Reedly and it was pretty hard. Things are very spread out here. We cover like 4 or 5 cities and we can only use 1,000 miles a month. That means that I will be biking again when I am in Reedly. Wooh. We also don't have a church building that is open here, the one got shut down because there weren't enough people from this town to sustain it.

Thursday I had exchanges which was a well needed relief. I went to Parlier to work with an Elder that is really cool named Elder Christensen. We had a good time teaching some pretty poor people and also some kind of rich people, haha. It was fun, his companion is . . . you will never guess who . . . Elder Cranford! That means I will be reunited with my worst nightmares of the CCM when I have to go on exchanges next. 

Friday, I was back in my area and we had a good day. We got to talk about some things and work some things out so I feel a lot better about my companionship now then I did at first. There are not a whole lot of members here and it is going to be hard to get people to church because they have to drive to a neighboring city called Selma to go to church.

Saturday also wasn't very fun. It was just a really long day, it is getting really hot and it is hard. We also didn't teach a ton of people that day and those we did were outside, so yeah it wasn't good.

Sunday was a really good day. I got to meet the branch and there are a lot of cool people here that I am sure that I will get to know better as I spend more time here. That night we worked in a little town that we cover called Orange Cove and we found some really cool people that we talked to. It was a good day.

Today has been a good day, I was cracking up about how much of a shurd Jacob is and how jacked he looked in Dad's Lumber Jack picture. I bought some stuff and felt bad about it, and now I am writing y'all. Anyways, I love and miss you all and hope you have a good week. I hope my package gets there safe as well.

Love,

Elder Murray