Training My Son and a Sleep Aid

It's Elder Ellis with his fool proof anti-sleep aid.
 Look how happy I am to be at a 4-hour planning meeting!

My son! Elder Christensen! He is such a stud!

Is that Elders Christensen and Ellis studying in the women's restroom? Yes.....that's exactly what it is.

Elder Castro and me

The former Elder Chan visited with his parents before they toured the mission.

Hi everyone!

So this last week has been a really eventful to say the least. I have had so many meetings that I have had to go to. I guess it's just preparing me for the rest of my life in the church. If there are two things a Mormon does best, it's load and unload a moving truck and conduct and attend meetings... that's a pretty accurate description of my future in a nutshell.

On Monday of last week Elder Stephenson and I drove to Santa Rosa to drop him off like I explained in my previous email. After he went to his departing missionary meetings, I was paired with Elder Hacking and Elder McFadden for the rest of the day, and stayed the night in the Stony Point Elder's apartment. Oh! And I saw the former Elder Chan! He wasn't a missionary anymore, and it was really weird. He is just Him Lok now. He came by the apartment we were staying at with his parents. His father is the Stake President, so that's how he was already released. His dad got the call to be stake president the same day Elder Chan got his mission call, so that's pretty cool. I was really glad to see him one last time before he left California. The next day we went to transfer devotional and we were all introduced to the greenies. It was a pretty typical transfer devotional, other than the fact that it was President Wright's first one, so of course he did it differently than President Alba. Following that, all the trainers went to some meetings while the new missionaries went to meetings of their own. Then I paired up with my good friend, Elder Mallory, and two other Elders and went about trying to figure out what to do in Santa Rosa for the rest of the day. I have never served there so I was glad to have Elder Mallory, who knew his way around, to be in charge of where we went, since I didn't have a clue! By the way, to answer your question mom, I met Elder Mallory my fourth transfer in the mission in Fairfield. He lived in the same apartment complex as me so I saw him daily. Well after more meetings, I was finally assigned my new greenie and his name is Elder Christensen! Wooooo!! My MTC companion and now my recent MTC graduate are both Christensen's! And might I add that he is such a stud. He is from Lehi, Utah and he is straight out of high school. Elder Christensen is just the most humble guy. He takes correction so incredibly well. I'm having a blast training him.

So at transfers I accidentally left my phone in the Davis missionaries' car, and by the time I discovered it, they had already departed for their area. So Wednesday, Thursday and most of Friday we didn't have a phone. *sigh... The struggle is so real. How in the world did Alma get any missionary work done without a cell phone? Fortunately the Davis Elders (Elder Hacking and Elder Johnson) mailed our phone to us and it got here around dinner time on Friday. So we have it now but not without many hardships beforehand.

On Thursday Elder Christensen and I went to Nice and Lucerne and I got to show him the rougher part of our area. There wasn't much activity up there that day, but we did get to meet with one of our investigators, David, and we gave him a blessing of healing. I didn't have Elder Christensen do it since I didn't know what his comfort level was with blessings and I didn't want to toss him out there and say, "good luck!", especially since plenty of that will come later on while we are tracting. I remember my first blessing with Bro Cappell in Crescent City, when I anointed and then panicked and also sealed the anointing... Fond memories of my own greenitism.

We had an awesome lesson with Annie and James, who are investigators that took the discussions in the past but weren't ready at the time. Annie actually asked us during the last church meeting before Elder Stephenson left to come by and teach them. They told us how they wanted to take the lessons again and that they both want to quit smoking, get married and be baptized and sealed in the temple. Right on! We can help with that. We proceeded to do some "How to begin teaching", and state our purpose or job as missionaries and Elder Christensen invited them both to be baptized. They said yes, which upon reflection, went way better than my first baptismal invite. That's my boy! I think they are really genuine this time and want to be baptized. And then on Saturday we had a second lesson with them and it went pretty well. They kept their reading commitments we gave them, and are pretty dead set on quitting smoking and getting married. We told them that Bishop Tipton could marry them for free. They also mentioned that Annie has been smoke free since Wednesday, so hopefully she has been keeping that up since we talked to them on Saturday. She's been eating a lot of sunflower seeds lately but you can be baptized if you eat sunflower seeds, so it's better than smoking! We taught them about the restoration and answered the questions that they had. Prior to the lesson we prayerfully decided that August 29th would be a good baptismal goal for them to work toward, and Elder Christensen presented the suggestion to them like a champ (That's my boy!). They will pray about it and we will talk to them on Tuesday to see what they feel and if they think they can make it or not. More to come on them.

I'm pretty bummed about Dave and Natalie. They are not progressing or keep any commitments at all. I guess Elder Stephenson and I were just seed planters for them. We will meet with them again but I don't think they are ready right now.

So I had my first district meeting of this transfer on Friday. My district changed again. So now instead of having the two sisters in my district, or as the mission likes to call, a "Sistrict",  I have the zone leaders, Elder Mathusek and Frodsham, and Elder Snow and Elder Coursey. I think District meeting went alright. Elder Mathusek thought I did a much better job than I thought I did, but I am my own worse critic so that might have something to do with it. I taught on the importance of having gospel knowledge. On missions we are given so much time during the day to study the gospel. We have an hour of personal study, an hour of companion study, an additional hour for 12 weeks if the missionary is new, AND a hour of language study if they are proselyting in a language other than their native. It's clear that studying the scriptures and increasing our gospel knowledge is important Even Jesus Christ studied the gospel for 30 years before he started his ministry! I know how important it is to read and study the scriptures daily, because we need that constant spiritual nourishment, and if Jesus Christ did it then that's probably a pretty good indication that we should do it, too.

As I'm teaching Elder Christensen how to be a missionary, I'm getting all nostalgic about my first transfer. I can't believe how long it's been but how fast it all went by. I must say, Elder Christensen is far more prepared to be a missionary than I was, so pats and claps for him. He is going to be an awesome missionary.

So that was my week - it primarily revolved around my new companion, Elder Christensen. Even though each day that goes by I look forward more and more to the future that's waiting for me, I love this work I am privileged to assist in, and I wouldn't trade these 20 months (give or take), I've been out here for anything.

Lots of love, Elder Hayden Ellis.

Killing a Companion and a Pregnancy

Happy Transfers!

So this was quite an emotional week for Elder Stephenson and me. I handled it a lot better than he did, considering I wasn't the one going home and I've sent a missionary home before - I'm a little better versed in this particular field. Elder Stephenson had many of the same feelings Elder Yepez had, and most missionaries in general have. But he's excited to be going home overall. I'm happy for him, he's a hard worker and did a good job of working till the end. Viva la Stephenson!

Last Monday we decided to go see Nathaniel, a less active that Elder Mathusek and I taught while on exchanges. His front door was open when we got there and he must have heard us coming because he came out to meet us. He seemed pleased to see us, speaking in his soft, almost British-sounding voice. He asked us questions like whether we had any baptisms happening and how our meeting we mentioned went that day. Then he started getting weird and asked Elder Stephenson what motivated him to do this work, and Nathaniel made it clear throughout the conversation that he wanted him to tell the truth. Apparently Elder Stephenson's answer, his love for Jesus Christ, was not sufficient because Nathaniel kept asking him weird questions. He inquired if he was doing it so he could have an eternal family and sit at the right hand of God in the eternities. When Elder Stephenson said that he did want those blessings, Nathaniel demanded we depart from his property and never return. He claimed we were arrogant, and even had the audacity to call us Satan. Then Nathaniel retrieved his broom and began to hit the side of his house as hard as he could, curse at us, and made a hostile move towards us. It was rather odd. I've gotten a lot better at handling those kind of intense situations so it didn't bother me too much, it just stood as an example of the overwhelming crazy that is here.

On Wednesday we traversed the paths to Upper Lake and visited one of the less active members up there, Sister M*****, and sorted her recyclables in our proselyting clothes. We just rolled up our sleeves and started sorting her nasty beer bottles and other recycling that has been sitting in a pile for many months. It just goes to show when missionaries ask if there is anything they can do to help, they don't care if they are wearing a suit and tie. They want to know if there is anything they can do to help, and they will do it!

So that women we met at Safeway who wanted to feed us sushi - well she did it, and it was SOOOO good! I love sushi, that was such a good dinner. We have had awesome dinners all week with our favorite members. I promised I would hook Elder Stephenson up for his last week, and I delivered!

Transfer Doctrine came in, the test results came back and....... I am pregnant! I am training a new missionary! For those of you who don't know, missionaries have a very peculiar vernacular. When you first arrive in the mission you are "born in the mission" and when you go home you "die". Since I am this missionary's first companion, I am his father and he is my son. Yes, it's weird, but one has to find ways to entertain oneself out here and this is how we, as a whole, do that.

I saw Elder Chris Castro (the new Elder Mom told me about from East Brunswick, New Jersey) on the incoming missionaries list, so his arrival is indeed confirmed. I will meet him when we are being assigned our greenies on Wednesday and I will talk to him then. The possibility of me training Elder Castro did cross my mind, but when I brought my thoughts before the zone leaders, they dashed any chance of that happening by telling me he is the only incoming Spanish-speaking Elder, so he definitely won't be assigned to me. On Wednesday we will see who I get!

Overall, transfer doctrine was insane. The mission is changing so much. There were so many white washes, which means both the missionaries were either taken out or placed into another area. That only normally happens when the missionaries are doing something terribly wrong or really big changes need to happen. An area in our zone is getting white washed out, but on the bright side, my good friend, Elder Mallory, is coming here! I am so excited! He is also training a new missionary so we can train our younglings together.

 On Saturday I was asked to give a talk about the pioneers in Sacrament Meeting the following day. Of course I agreed to do so and thank goodness my mom sent me an email earlier in my mission about my ancestor pioneer, Doris. That saved me and I was able to basically wing a last-minute talk using that. I didn't have much time available for preparation, but surprisingly I wasn't nervous at all. That's another thing my mission has helped me with - I am getting better and better at public speaking. My mission is slowly fixing everything that is wrong with me! :D

I finished the Book of Mormon again two weeks ago. I have such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father lovingly provided additional scriptures to bless and guide the lives of his children - because we sure need all the help we can get. I am also reading the Old Testament, in Numbers. In case you're wondering, no, I really haven't gotten any further from where I was before. Numbers is such a hard book to read!

The plans for the next couple of days are going to be crazy. I am in Santa Rosa today in a trio with Elder McFadden who is a Zone Leader in Santa Rosa, and Elder Hacking who is a Zone Leader in Davis, both of whom sent a missionary home as well (so many missionaries went home this transfer). So I'll stay with them tonight and go to the transfer devotional tomorrow. Then Elder Hacking will get his companion and leave (and so will everyone else who is transferring except for the trainers) and I'll probably stay with Elder McFadden and his new companion, Elder Taylor all of Tuesday. I'll be dropped off at the mission home on Wednesday morning and be assigned my greenie, and then go through some tech training and take off for our area by noon. So it'll be a crazy next couple of days. I'm super dupes excited for it and can't wait to go at it this transfer. I'm so determined to be a good example for my new companion it's ridiculous.

Well, that was my past week, and there's more good stuff to come. The church is true! I love you all, BYE!

Love, Elder Hayden Ellis

Homemade Sushi and a Late Return

Greetings my much beloveds!

I have very conflicting feelings about my week. On one hand, it was a week of much jubilation and merriment in our various activities, but on the other hand, it wasn't as successful as I would've hoped it had been. But overall it was a very good week!

For our Pday activity we went mini golfing in Clearlake. I think it was one of my most fun P-days. We had such a stellar time just goofing off. We didn't keep score, and we kind of took turns at first but that slowly transitioned to moderately organized chaos with everyone going at once. Elder Stephenson and I took videos of just about the whole thing, because there was always something hilarious happening! We are really tight as a zone and all have a lot of fun together. I've noticed that smaller zones of missionaries tend to be closer and more unified (and I should know because I've been in the largest zone in my last area and the smallest one in this area.) So I think I have a pretty close-knit zone.

We had this transfer's official Zone meeting (I say official because Elder Stephenson and I basically taught an unofficial one last week). Everything that was taught by the Zone Leaders and Sister Bear, our STL, was about having a fresh start in our missions with our new Mission President. We have been informed that all the rules that we had with President Alba very much still apply now with President Wright... Well duh. He's not going to revolutionize the mission rules his first week here! Afterwards the Elders cooked brunch - I was on egg duty, Elder Stephenson was on pancakes and Elder Mathusek was all over bacon, and it was all delicious!

We had a rather concerning encounter with our good friend, Brother Prior. We went over to see how he was doing and to help him out with the type things we give him a hand with. While we were talking to him he dropped suicidal hint.... Well not so much a hint as him saying the words, "I'm just not sure what to do anymore guys, I'm thinking about committing suicide... Oh! You fixed my phone!" We are really worried about him. He's a danger to himself and he can't really take care of himself at all. And of course like all people who are in this situation, he doesn't think he needs the help we want to get him. I honestly believe one of the reasons I am here is to get Brother Prior some sort of assisted living and get him the help he needs.

Thursday was our Nice and Lucerne day, and it was suppose to be a very busy and a really good day. We had 7 lessons planned, and two other potential lessons. But I have learned that things don't generally go as planned. So out of those 7 lessons that were suppose to happen, only 2 of them actually happened. We also got dropped by one of our investigators, Robert the Lamanite I like to call him, that we picked up last week! Despite the lack of success we had, it was still a pretty good day. What made it really nice was the rain. We got a ton of rain this week and it was so incredibly refreshing! Missionary work in the rain is so much fun, but I guess it's easy to say that considering the 100° weather we have been enduring here.

Elder Stephenson had his departing interview with President Wright in Ukiah on Saturday. While we were there President Wright informed me I probably won't be returning home on time (Nov 23), which I was a little disappointed to hear. It's not that I'm overly upset that I'll be out here longer (since I'll probably only be coming home 2 weeks later) but I'm a little bummed that I won't be able to return home with the missionaries I came out with. I'm sure the Lord will be able to use me in some way in the mere two weeks I'll be out here longer. (The 2 weeks isn't set in stone but I'll probably come home 30 days before school begins so I'll be out approximately 2 weeks longer.) So you will all have to survive two weeks more without me.

We didn't have dinner that night so we decided to make sushi with the salmon our good friend Von gave us! Adventurous, I know. We went to Safeway to get some supplies for the sushi project, like cucumbers, cream cheese, and a nori, which is the bamboo mat used to roll the sushi. While we were looking for a nori, we met a woman who worked there in the sushi isle in Safeway. After talking with her for a while, we discovered she is married to a member and she gave us a nori for free! We were really grateful since the only way we could've gotten one was buying this kit that had one for $40, and that wasn't going to happen. She also said she wanted to have us over for dinner on Wednesday and make us sushi! Heck yes! So we went home and made sushi, or rather, we tried to make sushi... Elder Stephenson and I gave it our best shot. I think we did alright considering it was our first attempt ever. Of course we got a video of it so the experience has been visually documented forever. Well to summarize the experience, the sushi we made wasn't pretty, but it was still delicious!

I lost my thumb drive with all my pictures stored! I really want to find that thumb drive. Seriously, keep me in your prayers that it will turn up because I really want to get that back ASAP!

So we found this awesome video that I dearly love. I think you all will find much joy in it as well. "PANcakes!" https://www.lds.org/callings/missionary/church-service-missionary/videos?lang=eng#what-ive-always-wanted-to-do

We get transfer doctrine so we will see who my next companion is this week! This transfer went by waaaay faster than last transfer. It's ridiculous to think there is only one week left in this transfer. Elder Stephenson goes home on the 21st and I will have my next companion on Tuesday. We are getting 20ish new missionaries this transfer, and apparently I have been recommended to train by the zone leaders this upcoming transfer, so maybe I'll have a new companion - which would be a nice change of pace considering I've spent the last 3 months sending them home.

I just got amazing news from my good friend today! This friend of mine has been having some struggles with the gospel for the last couple of years, but suddenly, today he sent me an email telling me that his love and testimony has been rekindled for this gospel, and that he is planning on putting in his mission papers next year!! You all don't understand how EXCITED I am about this! It was probably the best news I've gotten all week!

Today for Pday we went to the Cobb area to check out this waterfall and do a little bit of hiking. It was a really picturesque day and we had a lot of fun. Even though there is hardly anything to do here in Lake County, there's a ton to do around here - at least there's a lot of outside stuff to do. If we don't get creative with our plans, like going and checking out a waterfall, we are just going to be sitting at the church being bored. So we really try to think outside the box over here!

Well that's my week! Like I said, it wasn't marked by lessons, but more by activities and things that happened. So overall it was a pretty fun and eventful week. Hope everyone has a great upcoming week!

Love all around!

Love, Elder Hayden Ellis

A Barbecue and Family

Elder Ellis took a little time out for a barbecue with family this past weekend.

Great Aunt Linda and cousin Ryan with Elder Ellis

Cousin Mark with Elder Ellis

Cousins Jim, Steve, Heidi and Rachel with Elder Ellis

Cousin Katie and Uncle Aaron with Elder Ellis

Cousins Mark and Ryan and Grandpa with Elder Ellis

Great Uncle Larry and Great Aunt Midge with Elder Ellis

Cousin Ryan and Elder Ellis

Cousins Steve and Liz with Elder Ellis

Great Uncle Tom and Mom with Elder Ellis

Meeting the New Mission President and a Miracle

Sophie spending some bonding time with her cousin, Elder Ellis

Happy Sixth of July!

Elder Stephenson and I had a really good and eventful week, as opposed to the last couple of weeks which were a little slower. There were some bad parts, just like in any other week as a missionary. I was super bummed to read about President Packer, but I wasn't surprised. We are going to have a new line up in the Quorum of the Twelve pretty soon, which is weird since we haven't had a change since Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin died in 2008. It's going to be a change up, and maybe an adjustment, but we mustn't forget that whoever is chosen is chosen of God. Regardless of our fondness of President Packer and Elder Perry, whomever fills their shoes deserve our sustaining just as much as their predecessors.

On Tuesday I went on exchanges with one of my Zone Leaders, Elder Mathusek, who is from New Jersey (don't worry Stephen, I made fun of him for the both of us.) Going on an exchange this transfer was pretty refreshing, since there are only sisters in my District, and exchanges with them is widely frowned upon, so obviously we avoid it. Elder Mathusek is quite an interesting character, but he is so funny and we get along very well. I've never actually had a bad exchange before. I always have a lot of fun on them, even if I assume differently going into it, and I always walk away loving that Elder more than I had prior. That's something my mission has taught me a lot about, through exchanges and various companions, is that you can learn to love anyone, despite how different they are or how much you think you will dislike them. There is something to love in every single person, you just have to find it and build upon it. And if you can't seem to find something in a missionary or companion that you can love, remember that they are just as much on a mission as you are, and right there is something that's deserving of your love.

Well earlier that day for District meeting, Elder Stephenson and I basically taught a zone meeting since the other District Leader was sick. Everyone was in our District meeting and our Zone is so small that we had only an additional four people. That's another thing my mission has helped me grow in - I'm not afraid to teach in big groups of people or talk in public anymore. (Now Bishop Lusty, that doesn't mean you have the green light to peg me with any more Sacrament talks besides my home coming! After that I'll be good for a little while before I'm ready to give another talk. Don't get any ideas...) That has been a great blessing to me that some of my stage fright has dissipated. Missions truly do prepare you for the rest of your life!

So our miracle for this week was meeting Dave and Natalie. On Wednesday we weren't able to drive up to Upperlake like we normally do since we were asked to help out with a baptism that was happening that day, so we decided we were going to try to find a list of people in Lakeport. While I was doing a little bit of Facebook work, Elder Stephenson came across some names of former investigators that we should try to go see. As we were driving to our first stop, I saw the name 'Dave' out of all the other names and felt like we should go to see him first. We didn't at all feel like we were being led to him - we thought we were just going about our normal stuff that day. Well, when we knocked on his door a woman answered. She looked sad was not looking too good. We asked if Dave was home and she turned into the house and called out "Dave, the Mormons are here to see you". The way she said it made me think the worst and right then we were thinking, "Oh jeez... this probably won't go well...." Well this man who had no shirt on and was covered in tattoos came to the door and looked just as sad and beaten down as her. He stepped outside with the woman and they had us sit down outside on their porch. He asked us, "Why did you stop by today of all days?" We told him that we wanted to know if he was interested in learning about God. He then asked, "But why today?" He then began to inform us that he had said a prayer just an hour and a half ago asking God for help and direction. He went on to tell us how he had wanted to die, and so did Natalie. We were just shocked to be there at that time, and they were even more astounded that we were there. Dave had gotten so low in his life that he felt like there was nothing here for him. He has kids, but he has just been beaten down in life so much that he is losing hope. Natalie, too, had prayed for help just before we got there, but neither of them knew the other had prayed so that was really powerful for them as well. When we showed up and they saw we were sent from God as an answer to their prayers, they were just blown away. They both started to cry at the thought that God was aware of them. We went on to bless their home and help them know God loves them and he is very aware of their trials. It felt so good to be an answer to a prayer. We had a second lesson with them a couple of days later and it was a lot more chaotic and less effective than the first. There didn't seem to be any focus from them in the lesson and they were asking so many random questions during it. They also didn't come to church yesterday when they were originally adamant about attending. They have a lot of potential but I guess it all depends on how much this answer from God means to them. We will see how it goes!

Elder Stephenson and I were able to help out with a baptism for the Southwicks, whose 8-year-old son was baptized on Wednesday night. I always love baptisms and having a role in them. It's a life changing moment for someone and their family and playing a small role in the ordination is an honor. The two of us were asked to be the witnesses and we shared a last-minute missionary moment (we had no idea we were even going to be asked to assist in the baptism until five minutes before it started, and we also didn't know we were going to do a missionary moment, but fortunately I've gotten pretty good at being put on the spot while I've been out here.) Also, we were invited to stand in the circle for the confirmation, which is always a special honor for me.

We had a really good day on Thursday. Usually Thursday is our Nice and Lucerne day and we actually found a lot of people to come back and teach this week. One woman just yelled at us while we were walking past her and she asked us when she could make an appointment with us. We went and met this one man who lives in Lucerne, named Robert. Robert is a native American who used to meet with missionaries. He let us in and we talked to him about the Book of Mormon, and he had some misconceptions about it. After we explained it, we invited him to try reading it again and he said he would, so we are going to go by and teach him again next week.

The Lake County and Ukiah Zones had our meet'n'greet with President Wright and his family in the Ukiah Stake Center on Saturday. He is such a spiritual giant, and a scriptorian like you wouldn't believe. He knows the scriptures, handbooks, and Jesus the Christ down the page number. It's insane how smart he is, and he is also so incredibly happy. He will be a really loving and efficient mission president. Sister Wright is nothing like Sister Alba. She's not as energetic and whimsical as Sister Alba, but she is loving in her own way. I don't see her calling us her little "Lambies" anytime soon, which is kinda a bummer. #Lambie4life. They also will have two of their kids living with them at the mission home, which is really weird. I'm sure it's stranger for them to be living with their parents who preside over a mission. Well, I talked to President Wright about when I will be returning home and he will look into it and get back to me. So my concern has been filed and soon I will get some answers. Stay tuned!

I have developed such a strong testimony in fasting, especially fast offerings, since I've been out here. I was really slacking the first half of my mission with fast offerings, but after the last General Conference when Elder Eyring spoke on members donating fast offerings and I was rebuked by an apostle of God and the spirit, I started paying fast offerings. Afterward, I once again got rebuked in Zone meeting for not paying a DECENT fast offering. Since changing my ways and paying a honest offering, I've seen the miracles that come from it.

Malachi 3:8-10
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

It's not even our money to begin with, so we are expected to make a small sacrifice and give a little bit back to the Lord. If we do we will be blessed - that's a promise. Lesson learned!

I've been learning so much on my mission, like what kind of member I want to be when I go home, but more importantly, what kind of priesthood holder I want to be. I've seen and met many people on my mission, some that I admired and some that weren't very impressive at all. All of which have helped me learn who I need to be when I am home. If a mission does anything for you it's teach you who God expects you to be for the rest of your life.

I met a member that lives in Modesto, and I told her I had a friend, Elder Moore, who is serving there. I showed her a picture of him and she says she may have seen him before but she will keep an eye out, just in case.

Yeah, Mom, I do know who Sister Majors is, but I only talked to her probably one time. She is one of the sisters that took over my area in Cordelia 2nd Ward! And yes, Brianna is correct, she is very short. Haha!

Well, that's my week! It was chocked full of good stuff. My Fourth of July was pretty mundane as a missionary, which basically consisted of us going to Ukiah and watching people in the neighborhood shoot off illegal fireworks. So that was fun, I guess. I hope everyone had a great 4th! I love you all and remember not to do anything I wouldn't do!

Love, Elder Hayden Ellis