Letter to Dad from Bonifay, FL-February 10, 2014

Hey Dad!

It's going pretty well. We just had training this week, but next week we have conference. I probably will be moved sometime soon, but we'll see. I'm not much of a dancer haha.

1. Any frustration with the lack of baptisms? Kind of but not really. We are doing the best we can and it's all up to the people.

2. Did you get you stuff shoes, recorder, pocket knife? I haven't gotten the shoes and the pocket knife yet, but the recorder yes. It's probably on the porch waiting for us. I will be sure to thank mom.

3. What were you doing dancing in the Ward? Was your comp dancing too? It was just a minute to win it at a family fun night, but we had a lot of fun. I think I am a bit more outgoing than Elder Misi haha.

4. Do the shoes fit? Go to a shoe store and have them put caps on the bottoms of your shoes to protect them so they last longer. Haven’t tried yet.

5. Tell me about a family that you have grown to love since you have been in Bonifay? I have really loved a lot of people, but some would be the Driscolls and Ards. They are an awesome family and they are always reading their scriptures and just going out with the missionaries. That would be one suggestion for the family and something that I plan on doing when I go home is go with the missionaries often. We really need members to help us out with this stuff. And they are amazing. Sister Ard is the Driscolls’ daughter so they are absolutely fantastic and very, very Southern haha. Their family is split between Alabama and Florida though so that's pretty funny.

6. Why have you grown so close to this family or person? They are just always feeding us and they are kind of the go to if everything thing else falls through.

7. What is their story? What do they do as a family that you will do with your family? This one is included in 5, but they are converts like a long time ago and Bro Ard got baptized and then married Sis Ard.

I can't believe everyone is coming home already! Like holy cow! I'm excited to continue to learn and grow though!

Love you dad!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Mom from Bonifay, FL-February 3, 2014

Hi mom!

Yes we are cold haha it was pretty crazy! The people here really aren't prepared for anything like that.

1. How long did you have to stay in? We stayed in for 3 days in Bonifay.

2. What'd you do while you had to stay in besides study? Any nerf wars, etc. We played cards and watched every church movie

3. Do you still have a baptism for Saturday? Not as of this moment. They are not married yet haha

4.  Tell me about a home you went to this week. What were the people like and what did you do; have dinner, give a discussion, what? We went to the Snaidmans’ home! They know a lot about the gospel and they feed us every Monday so I enjoy it.

5. How's your district going? They are doing well. They have been kind of sick as of late, but things will get better as it warms up.

6. How do you keep in touch with the zone leader? Is that Elder Frederickson? Do you have to send reports or anything? I call them every Thursday and Sunday to report numbers and BCD's. No he is in a different zone

7. Working on the voice recorder. It's coming. What are you going to use it for? Like a journal or to record moments in the mission

Love you mom!

Elder Atagi

46 is the size and all colors and assortments and I wear probably a 16 in real shoes or a 15 wide.

Letter to Dad from Bonifay, FL-February 3, 2014

Hey dad!

The week sure did fly huh? That's awesome that they are both growing so tall and Ethan and Noah are playing really well. The pictures you sent don't even look like them anymore! Holy cow they are huge. We saw a glimpse of the game and that Seattle D tore it up.

                 

1. Your baptism still on? It is not actually they need to get married first and then it will go. They are waiting on some papers from Ohio to get here. Hopefully it happens before I leave Bonifay.

2. The weather still crazy? The weather is returning to normal. It did snow this week though so that is insane.

3. Do you still need pants and is your size still the same? Or do you need them smaller now that your work out are going so well? I do still need pants and the size is the same. I am still working on getting the exercises to bring those kind of results haha

4. Will you ask Elder Misi about things to do in Kailua because I think Gransie wants to go in that area of Oahu again? Tell him to make a list. The last beach was much too touristy for us. Ask him about a surf shop that has sweat shirts for big people. I will ask him to do that and I will send it whenever he writes it up

5. How are you other investigators? They are doing pretty good we are trying to find some new ones.

6. Anything crazy happen this week or in the last couple weeks? It snowed! That’s about as crazy as it got.

7. You get any letters from any friends like Mason or Riley? No not really me and Riley email back and forth every once in a while but not much from Mason.

8. Shoes still holding up? I actually tore one pair of shoes. The black ones and I will see if I can glue them together, but I may need some new ones.

9. Do you guys ever get out of your area and sight see at all? No we can't really.

10. Been close to the Ocean and taken a picture? I’ve only seen the ocean once or twice I see a bay in the gulf tomorrow though.

I love you dad and thanks for the message!

Alofa atu oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

P.S. I miss you too dad

Letter to Mom from Bonifay-January 27, 2014

Hi Mom!

It's really not that cold. As we are biking or walking, I am sweating bullets and I hate the heater in our apartment. Usually at night, I am sitting in a chair outside playing guitar or looking at the stars. That's pretty cool with the 1 word thing. Those with definitely help you out. Try Hope too. Look in PMG about it and read Ether 12:4 and use hope not as a wish, but with assurance like you know it will happen.

1. How's your studying going? Anything great that we need to read? It's going pretty good. I have set a goal of reading the Book of Mormon 3 times this year so I am working on that. I think I might read the Bible all the way through too.

2. Is Elder Misi getting more excited about his mission? I don't know how anybody can be around you and not have fun. Yes he is. We talked a little bit about it last night and he said that with me he has had a lot more fun.

3. Anything favorite happen this week? We played basketball yesterday and got 2 new gators from it. Yesterday we also had stake conference (my second in Bonifay) and it was a broadcast from Orlando and Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke so that was cool.

4. You're keeping a journal aren't you? Yes I am mom.

How is Jed?

I love you Mom!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad from Bonifay-January 20, 2014

Hey Dad!

I am staying in Bonifay! That sucks that the fridge broke. It's pretty old though isn't it? That sucks that they lost, but sounds like Noah is tearing it up huh? I loved that meal during basketball season!

1. Does it bug you that I ask about your exercise program? Mom thinks I mention it too much. No not really it keeps me trying at it if you mention it in the emails haha.

2. How is your health? Done with the cough? I am done with the cough!

3. Has it been raining a lot? Weather okay? Not too much this past week. The weather is warming up a little bit.

4. How are your investigators? The investigators are doing well! We still need to get back on a better meeting schedule for like 2 or 3 times a week, but that will come.

5. Is it warm enough so you guys can ride your bikes? Yes we are back at the bikes again!

6. How are the missionaries in your district? The missionaries are doing really well! Elder Sorenson is getting transferred and so is one of the Elders from Chipley.

7. How are you helping them improve? Honestly I am just trying to teach them things based off of what our numbers are showing and what they say when they call.

8. Tell me about your ward, I have a new ward assignment and went and did visits with the elders in that ward?  The ward is really awesome. The whole ward is pretty much related. Like all of them almost. They really love everyone that we bring in. They really are some awesome people.

9. Having fun? Why? How? Yes. I just am having a really fun time doin work.

Love you Dad!

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Mom-January 13, 2014

Hi Mom!

I am doing great! Yeah they had 2 "cold days" for school! It was probably the dumbest thing I had ever heard of.

That's way cool about the Stake Presidency and the center piece! How many do we have now serving in the stake?

1. Would you like us to send a long-sleeve sweater for times like this? Nah I'm good! One of the members gave me this sweet jacket.

2. What was a great thing that happened this week? We started teaching the wife of the Polynesian and said that she will probably get baptized.

3. So what are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I usually eat like an orange and milk and maybe cottage cheese or eggs for breakfast. Tuna and Saltines for lunch

4. Do you mostly get dinners from members? They do feed us really well for dinner here.

5. Was everybody freaking out about the Auburn/Florida State game? We watched it and it was a great game. They did freak out a lot yes haha.

"God is capable to love you or me as if you or me were the only person in the universe, while he loves everyone else the exact same way. So don't ever feel that he doesn't have time for you."

I love you Mom and take care!

I love you so!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad-January 13, 2014

Hey Dad!

That’s awesome we got a new presidency! I bet President Jardine is getting excited about everything though! That sucks my saints lost, but next year they will.

1. Did the place go crazy over FSU win? They didn't go to crazy but the fans did represent very well.

2. Do you now have FSU gear? No I don't have any gear but I will probably buy some soon.

3. How are you guys handling the cold?  We just go out and put on jackets. Keep on doing what we are doing I guess. we don't bike as much because Elder Misi freezes.

4. Are you over your sickness yet? If not let us know. There have been some crazy flu strains out there and if it does not get better let me know. Yes I think that I am over it now.

5. How goes the work outs? Just be consistent with eating better and cut down the sweets. The work outs are getting better. I couldn't find an exercise ball last week but I am still working out pretty good. Just trying to get better at it and reach Noah status haha.

6. Are your investigators progressing like you want them too? Some of them are but it's just been hard to get up with them since the holidays so we are still working on that and getting back into regular meetings.

7. How is Elder Misi doing? You guys still getting along?  He is doing a lot better. We had interviews with President this past Friday and I think that he is doing better and making a more concerted effort.

8. Crazy thing that happened to you this week? We ate some oysters at a member’s house and also we almost got arrested haha. We were with one of our investigators this week and he told us while he was taking us home that he had been hiding from the law for the past week. Then the cops pulled us over and we thought he was going to get arrested, but I was praying my guts out that we wouldn't have to have that happen and the cops let us go!

9. How was the Chinese food that you had? Any good? It was pretty good nowhere near maple gardens chicken but pretty decent.

10. How are the ward missionaries? Do you guys go to a lot of meetings with your stake or wards? They are pretty good. We have a lot of people that want to come out with us so that is pretty cool. One thing I would encourage for Ethan and Noah and even you Dad is to go out with the missionaries every once in a while and help them out so they don't have to walk or bike. Plus members are awesome at lessons. The only meetings we really have are Ward Council and PEC and Missionary Coordination with the Ward Mission Leader.

Thanks for the thought and the letter Dad I appreciate it!

My thought comes from Priesthood yesterday. Someone said this during the lesson.

"God is capable to love you or me as if you or me were the only person in the universe, while he loves everyone else the exact same way. So don't ever feel that he doesn't have time for you."

He loves us!

Love you DAD

Eldr Wilson Atagi