Hope to stay here awhile ~ Teaching!

This week has been good! I am starting to remember my French. We were teaching a lesson to a Haitian lady, Yolene, and she started speaking in French and I understood about 90% of what she said! I thought of the Article of Faith where it talked about the gift of
tongues. I know I was being helped.

Elder Bednar's talk to us was awesome! He made us promise that we wouldn't send stuff that he said to our parents due to the fact that we say to you may be a "half-baked idea" as to what he was actually trying to say. The spirit was quite strong when he was in the room and it was even stronger when he started speaking. Great day!

I think that it is interesting that they only have branches in Russia. I have yet to serve in a branch (although Kingston maybe should have been a branch?(I heard that they got a new bishop!)

We had an interesting conversation yesterday. It was about what had been prophesied that is going on today. So we read Joseph Smith-Matthew. A lot of what had been prophesied is going on today. It is all true!

You know what is weird? I don't have anymore Februarys (aries?) in the mission. It's going so fast! I hope that I can stay in Norwalk for awhile! Ever since leaving New Rochelle, I have only spent 2 cycles in each of my areas. This is my 2nd here. I have also had a companion for only 1 cycle ever since Elder Mills. Oh, well.

Hope everything is okay? Tell Kallie and the dogs hi for me. Bye for now.
- Cody

Emails from the past few weeks...

So this week has been good! I heard Blake was transferred again? So the craziest (actually, it was highly ironic) thing happened. Our referral that was given to us is from St. Petersburg, Russia and he is our new investigator! Is that not the craziest thing? His name is Ray and he's married. His wife's name is Nadia, and they have a daughter who is 6 and her name is Sasha. I thought that was interesting. Great people. Oh, yes, we had a .357 pointed at us (a Ruger GP 100 to be precise) yesterday. It was an accidental occurrence, so no harm was meant, but it was kinda scary for a second! The guy realized what he was doing, and he kinda had a sheepish look on his face, put the gun back in it's holster and he apologized. Anyhoo, we have found many people in this past week. It has been good! We have found many people in this past week! It has been really good. I really need to brush up on my French! We have been teaching so many Haitians. A lot of Haitians live in Norwalk. I read Alma 29 last week and it was exactly what I needed to hear.

Happy Birthday, Dad! It is so weird to think that I have less days left than I have already been through on the mission. Time just won't slow down. I was going to send some pictures today, but I forgot my camera...

President Smith has had us reading the Book of Mormon. I am way ahead of schedule. We are only supposed to be in 2 Nephi and I am in Alma 9. It was interesting to see that back then, people didn't listen to the Lord. Same thing is happening today. Hope all is well. I encourage you to read Romans 8:16-18.

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Hey! Blake and Cody are together right now... sort of. My new companion will be Elder Blake Rossell from Arizona. I have heard many good things about Elder Rossell. We have an appointment tomorrow night with a man named Ray! I don't know too much about him, he was referred to us by a member of the stake presidency. oh, by the way, my stake president here is Dave Checketts. Elder Willis is going to Wapinger Falls (that's Wah-pin-jer Falls).

We didn't have a fiasco like we did tracting last week. There just isn't crazy stuff that happens up here than like in the city. We have splits with the priests tonight, the first one that I've done. I wish it was a different day because we don't have a single appointment :(.

Kallie making a duck call is very impressive! Tell her that Uncle Cody is proud of her and that she is missed. I saw the picture of Booth and MAN does he look different! Hard to believe that he goes home in October! The time has flown at Mach 5, I swear to you!

How's Millie and Forest? I read Blake's e-mail and I too am going through dog withdrawls! Tell Kallie, Lee, Forest, Millie, and Gracie hi for me.

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Hi! We had a freezing rain this morning and now everything is frozen solid. There was a sheet of ice that was about 3 inches thick over the snow even! Crazy!
That is just so weird to think that Brock Rose is getting married to Maddie Wilcox? That surprised the heck out of me!

We need to find a quality investigator before this cycle ends or it will be like New Rochelle after Anna and Giovanni were baptized, completely devoid of investigators. I know that the Lord has prepared someone for us to teach because I feel it in every fiber of my being! I need everyone to pray that we find this person.

So the craziest thing happened yesterday. First we were doing our weekly service in Norwalk yesterday. Someone came in and told us that a bus hit the other missionaries' car! It only damaged the mirror, so damage was minimal. Then, we were unknowingly tracting in Darien and apparently the street we were on was halfway in New Canaan which we did not know, and it's illegal to go door to door in New Canaan. Someone called the police and we almost got a solicitation ticket. Luckily the officer saw us on the Darien side of the street and we only got a warning. That was a pretty strange day. Things are still pretty slow here. Pray for us! We are trying hard.

Yes I heard that the Packers won the Super Bowl. Made me happy!

That's cool that Elder Nelson sent a chocolate to Lee! Hope she's doing alright? Tell K.B. and the dogs hi for me.
Bye for now-
Cody

Connecticut is Beautiful!

Last week~ Hi! I have been being transferred to Norwalk, Connecticut. My companion is Elder Willis from Tuskegee, Alabama. This should be an interesting cycle because Elder Willis was in my MTC district, and we hit our year-marks next week! Elder Casalino and I had fun down here together. So Meleea's birthday was good? Tell Lee happy belated birthday!!
You had me a little worried about Kal Pal for a second. Glad she is feeling better!

We are looking forward to going to go to Mike's Deli today. Thanks so much for the package! Our New Year's was pretty boring. The hat and scarf aren't dorky and I very much appreciated them. Tell K.B. and the dogs hi for me. Bye for now. -Cody


Jan. 12th~ Hi! Connecticut is remarkably similar to Bountiful. Beautiful! I actually live within my area now. That is so weird and a first since I have been out here.
It was amazing to me the other day when we were at a someone's house and the wife is from Bountiful (her husband is from Connecticut. They both proceeded to ask if I liked New York pizza or Robintino's pizza? I was amazed that he knew where that was! Apparently they have a debate about it. Just thought that was funny more than anything. Oh and Robintino's wins. I miss it!

MIKE'S DELI in the Bronx is AMAZING!! Elder Casalino, Elder Dees, and I had our Christmas gift of lunch there last week and it was great! The food was so delicious and everyone was courteous. It was ALL great! FABULOUS place and our whole family needs to go there someday!

I got to Connecticut through the AP's until we got to the chapel in Ossinning. Then Elder Fletcher (one of the missionaries I live with) drove us back to the apartment. Oh, yes I am the driver. Yes, shocking isn't it. Cody driving.
I do miss Elder Casalino, but he was needed to train a new missionary. Elder Willis is awesome too.
The work's going alright here. It will be a good area. We are kind of snowed in today due to the big storm. I learned how to do a Rubik's Cube for an object lesson. Good analogy.

Anyway it does not feel like I have been out for a year now. Where does the time go?
Tell K.B. and the dogs hi for me. Bye for now. -Cody

Phone call from Soldier in Afghanistan!

Combined emails from December 2010~

Our mission Christmas Day Devotional Dinner in Scarsdale was very nice. We had Christmas Ham, which of course ham is my favorite! Company Potatoes, but not as good as mom's. Not NEARLY, along with Jr's Cheesecake which was also good. President read a great story and he got rather emotional while reading it which is a bit unusual for him as he is so solid. It made us all tear up. Pres. Smith is a great guy! I will send you the copy that I have of it.

If Mike's Deli that you were talking about is by Yankee Stadium, then it is in the heart of my area. Elder Casalino and I will enjoy our gift of eating there. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

President McReynolds is the stake president now, huh? With Bishops Rose and Chidester as his counselors! I got a letter from President Eckman last week wishing me a Merry Christmas. Very nice of him. I've been wanting to write some people back but we've been so busy...

I don't know if you'll be able to talk to Blake on Christmas Eve. President still hasn't gotten back to me on Blake calling me. Just in case he does, can you give him my number? Would so like to talk to him!!

It snowed the other day. It's so COLD! I don't know how Blake is able to stand being in Russia?!!

Anyway, we are teaching a man named Mike right now. He is actually a very family oriented man, which is downright weird in the Bronx. He is a great guy.

Ask me about the phone call I got on Tuesday night ~ It was from a soldier in Afghanistan who was giving us a referral! It was so cool!! He wanted us to contact the lady who has adopted him and sends him packages. He wanted to share the gospel with her in return and she is in N.Y. He somehow knows our Bishop here in the Bronx who gave him our number. We have the COOLEST bishop here! Bishop Ian Kelley is the most AWESOME GUY!! He is really wonderful and sure has his hands full but he handles it so well.

Thank you so much for the packages! The mission office gave them to us last week. Elder Casalino wants to thank you for the hat you sent him along with the other things.

We were snowed in on Monday the 27th (Dec.) Well over TWO FEET of snow!! We helped people shovel snow, and then the A.P.'s called us to tell us that M.T.A. (Metropolitan Transit Authority) had shut down all buses and trains, so we were stuck inside because we couldn't get to our area.

I was very excited to talk to you on Saturday (Christmas Day) and I also was reluctant to set the phone down. Hard to say good-bye again until Mother's Day. I really miss you guys!! I am happy that I chose to come here though, at least most days. The good days make up for the hard ones.

Yesterday we had planned on going on to help another missionary with a lesson because it is a rule in this mission to have a 3rd male when teaching a woman, but that lesson fell through. Because that lesson fell through, we decided to go to a member's home and when we got there, our investigator was there! How cool is that?!

The picture that you sent of Kal Pal was very cute! Thanks for everything you do for me!! Gotta go! Tell Kallie and the dogs, Gracie, Meleea and Cole, hi for me. Not much else going on right now. Thanks so much for all you do!! Tell everyone to write!!
Bye for now - Cody

Working Harder Than Ever

Hi! So we had 2 Thanksgiving dinners! Elder Casalino and I were trying to eat at the 2nd one and we got about halfway through it. Luckily, since the house was so crazy that day anyway, so they figured that we were halfway through seconds, so no one was offended. We felt bad but were just too full! It was really good though!
I am sorry to hear about Lee. That is so awful and I can only imagine the pain she went through.
Our baptismal date was postponed until further notice :(. It's okay. Best if someone is not ready, right?
Elder Casalino and I are working harder than we ever have, and coming up with the least success we've ever had. I think the Lord is testing us.
Tell Dad that I hope that everything will work out okay. And also I believe his duck story! Three ducks with one shot?!
This city just came alive now that Christmas is coming and everyone seems to be a lot more friendly!
Lisa wrote me a letter and she said that your recipe for cookies was the best she'd ever made!
Wasn't Blake with Elder Gerard before? There could possibly be a Mike's Deli because there is an Arthur Street (Not certain though!). Why do you ask?
We had a lot of rain today, and some strong winds. I can only imagine how it was at home last week. That must have been super massively cold! Blake knows all about COLD now!
Anyway, I have to e-mail the mission President now.
Tell Kallie B and the dogs hi for me. How is Cole?
Bye for now- Cody

Happy Thanksgiving!

My new companion is Elder Casalino, the same missionary who lived in the apt. when I was in Kingston. He likes "people" to be specific. Has alot of energy! He will be a great comp. Hooray! He also really likes cows? and Italian food.

Things are going well here. We have a baptismal date! Excited!!

So there is a blizzard going on back home? Well, hope this e-mail finds you safe. Things are going fine here. Yes, I did receive the card. Thank you so much.

We have a couple of people who invited us to Thanksgiving dinner with them, which is nice. So weird to not be home though for this... Anyway, love you all lots!!

Tell Kallie and the dogs hi for me. Tell Kallie that I liked her list of things to do (and also tell her to brush her teeth! No more cavities!)). Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at home!!!
-Cody

Testify in the Bronx!

Hi! Sorry I didn't get a chance to write yesterday.
Some of the other missionaries in the other apartment in the Bronx were robbed, so we didn't get a chance to e-mail.
The Bronx is cool! Our area has Yankee Stadium inside of it.

Tell Taren hi for me and that it was so cool to see some baptism pictures!!

We don't have bedbugs, but we do have "roaches"!

I don't have alot of time, today, but I know that this Church is true and that God does work miracles among the children of men, and that Jesus is the Christ, and that through him all might be saved. And I close in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.