"All is well"

We recieved an email from Jake yesterday that informed us he got to witness his first missionary baptism on Sunday night. A woman named Rose from the Marshall Islands. She was referred to them by her brother Saila, who is apparently moving to SLC Utah this friday. He wants to meet Thomas S. Monson... among other things as well.

Jake is "really enjoying the mission!" He has struggled with the fact that he hasn't taught anyone yet that has accepted the message. but it will happen. He is also just starting to get his voice back. Poor guy! He also said "It still hasn't rained!! I brought the sunshine i guess. every day i've been here it's been pretty, and i'm beginning to think that everyone was lying to me about washington being really wet ha ha. i'm sure the weather will change soon." He told us that they got to play Frisbee Golf on P-day.... It is a huge sport in Washington I guess. He said it was a lot of fun, but his skills weren't the greatest.

He sounds good. Remember him in your prayers!

Email from Washington!

Jake reached the rainy state yesterday and today we got an email from him. It sounds like the mission is really thriving. The goal for March is 250 baptisms. Wow! He said "I got here just in time", To be a part of those baptisms. He said that the mission President expects a lot and told Jake that he would succeed... no question about it. So Jake said "I guess I'm going to succeed!!" He sounds really happy, possitive, and upbeat about all that is ahead of him. He said, "I'm still fighting this cold which is kind of a bummer, but thats ok because now I just sound like a smoker which kind of fits in nicely up here ha ha" He also said that he loves getting mail, so whoever gets a chance feel free to drop him a line.

We're happy he got there and that he sounds so great!

Flying to Washington

Today is the Day!!! Elder Slater left the MTC early this morning headed for the mission field. He called my mom around 6:30 this morning and sounded great! (except he has a cold, so his voice was scratchy) But she said he sounds really happy and excited to be on his way. Then later this evening Mom got a phone call from one of the senior missionary couples, telling her that he had arrived and is doing great. He is in Lakewood. They also said that she would hear from them again soon. Mom is amazed at the contact she has had with his mission. They are just very good to let you know what is going on.

I guess we will hear from him soon.

Letter

He talked about how excited he is to get out to the mission field. He had a hard time with one of the new missionaries that thought he wanted to go home... He spent a lot of time with him. The missionary ended up going to the hospital for medicine and for now is still on the path to the mission field. He said helping that elder had been a good experience for him.

He has gained 4 pounds, and he says it is all fat! But I think he was sad about it, He was hopeing that he would gain more.

He says he has loved the 1st lesson, about the restoration. He is anxious to share it with others.

Email!

We got an email from Jake today!! Not much of anything new, but he said things are continuing to go great!!!

Letter #2

The letter told us that he hasn't been homesick at all, and that things have been going great! He feels like he has already grown a lot. "Even after the 1st day I felt stronger" he said. His companion is Elder Meehan, and he will be serving in the Washington, Tacoma mission as well. He says they are different than each other, but that they get along fine. He mentioned that one of the hardest parts is being with a companion "ALL THE TIME" but that he would get used to it. They have been called as the Zone leaders.
He talked about an Elder Tolentino who is his "HERO". Elder Tolentino is apparently philipino and is the only member in his family. He has been called to the Provo mission, so Jake encouraged the family to look him up. Elder Tolentino had a lot of trials after he joined the church and almost got disowned by his family, but he stuck it out and is now 22 years old and anxious to get to bring others into the gospel.
He bore his testimony of living prophets and the true gospel.

What a guy. It's great to hear that he is doing so well.

First Letter

Mom recieved the 1st letter from Elder Slater today. It was so good to hear from him! It always seems like forever waiting for that first letter to come to know how they are doing. It sounds like things are going great. He said "So far things here have been really good" and "I have felt very normal about being here." Which is awesome. It was a really short letter. Hopefully we get more info soon about his companion and stuff.