Sledding in AZ!

For the record, I had absolutely nothing to do with the planning or conception of this little scheme. I can't believe how their little minds work. I was cleaning up the garage on Friday morning and the boys found one of our sleds. Ethan ran to the backyard and grabbed our sprinkler hose thing and when he came out front he says, "This is going to be so cool!" Drew was happy to oblige and climbed on the sled. I traded out the sprinkler for some rope - it's still a little hot here and I'm not ready to give up on the sprinkler just yet. Ethan tied it up and off they went. Seriously, where do they come up with these things?

Jungle Boy!

Uncle Joel is officially "Jungle Boy" now. When I get some pictures, I'll post them. For now, here is a picture of him on the day of his farewell with us. Gosh, I really miss him!

Hello Family and friends, Good news, I will be able to email every monday still. I take a (hubble hubble) ride on the back of a rugged scooter for an hour and then take a bus for half an hour to go to Toledo. The nearest town with internet. That is where the rest of my zone is. We all sleep there every Sunday night and it is way fun. Its just really expensive for me and my companion to do it. Oh well part of the adventure. My area is so crazy I love it. You can not even understand what I mean when I say I live in the middle of the Jungle. I really do live in the middle of a jungle. I cant wait to send pictures. I think it is probably the most beautiful, peaceful, tranquil place I have ever been in my entire life. It is absolutely amazing. I am definatly going to get skinny here because I walk up and down steep steep hills everyday. The work is really hard though. There are only 3000 people in my area and that is like throughout the jungle. Their houses are not close at all. A lot of walking being that their are no vehicles no roads no nothing except coconut trees, banana trees, rice terraces, monkeys, huge spiders, haha I love it. My new companion is awesome. I told you I am follow up training him right? Its a little hard because he was with his trainer for 4 and 1/2 months and really has not experienced doing things different ways. Plus we got here at the same time and he probably does not want to take advice from me. But its a good relationship. I have learned so much from him already and I know I will continue to learn from him. He is very humble. The branch is struggling very badly. There are about 40 active members. only 7 of those 40 are men. That is including the missionaries. Really hard when there is no priesthood. I am really determined to get this Branch on its feet. Its really going to be my focus here. There is really no reason to convert more people if the Branch cant sustain itself. But I am definatly going to keep my eye open for future priesthood leaders that the branch so desperatley needs. I hope it does not sound like I am complaining. I am really not. It is just going to take a lot of work. :) Aside from all that I am great. Health is good, and im happy. Well Please pray for the Members of the Lamac branch and for my area. Cant wait to hear from you all again next week.Sincerely Elder Ehorn

"Mom, I willy miss Efin"

Ethan started school last week and each time we drop him off, we haven't even pulled away from the curb and Drew says "Mom, I willy miss Efin." So I thought it only fitting to post a picture of them both on Ethan's first day. Sometimes, albeit rare and random moments, they really do love eachother.







Eric took Ethan to the D-backs game with the Wallin boys last week. They didn't come home until 11pm! It was the latest Ethan's ever been awake in his whole life. I guess it's okay in the name of baseball.

Yes that is a corn dog. from the baseball field. with ketchup. And I heard he ate the whole thing. Oh my grossness!

Ryan, Brandon, Ethan and Kyle - (Eric had to take the picture) I don't know who the very happy lady is behind them but she's now had her 15 minutes of fame.

What Have I Been Doing?

Busy, Busy, Busy! My desk looks like this...so you know it has been crazy! Somewhere under there are bills that need to be paid, projects that need to be done, things that need to be mailed and a half-eaten bag of swedish fish. I am totally embarrassed but wanted to prove that I'm human too. Apparently there was some confusion. It will be all clean before I go to bed tonight. Enough blogging...start organizing!




On a brighter note, my ribbons went from this....

...to this. Ahhh, the important things in life.

The world can sleep better at night knowing that if I desperately

need a pink gingham ribbon,

I now can find it.

Elder Ehorn - Transfer Time

Here is Joel's letter from this week! What will we do if we don't get a letter from him??? Oh how I'll miss my weekly dose!

Hey family and friends
Its been such a good week. lots of work lots of good lessons. there is good news and bad news. good news I am getting transfered to a new area on Friday. Its called Lamac. There in Lamac I will follow up train. Cool huh. The hard part is that I am going to be follow up training someone from my own batch. meaning someone that got to the mission the same time I did. But he is
Philipino so I dont know him yet. I hope it is not hard for him to be trained by someone that got here the same time he did. President told me in my interview on Friday that the spirit was very "firm" about where he needed to transfer me. So that means I know the Lord wants me to go there and do what I can. President said you are in for a real challenge there. The bad news is
that it is the most bukid or Jungley part of the whole cebu mission. There are no cars there no roads no nothing. No grocery stores. and here is the shocker, no internet. Meaning I am not quite sure how i am going to continue to email while I am there. its pretty expensive to go to my area because the only way in is on the back of a scooter because there are no roads just dirt paths. its about an hour ride on a scooter to the nearest town. haha I am so excited and pumped about going and teaching the gospel there. There are not a lot of people there so the work is hard also. I guess maybe every other Preperation day me and my companion will Pakyaw or scooter to the nearest town so we can email. So if you dont get an email for a few weeks or something dont worry im still alive. ha. Isnt that so crazy. I am so excited to go live in the jungle. Im sad I will transfer on Friday and we have two baptisms on Saturday that i wont be there for. I guess thats part of the mission experience. Sounds like everyone is doing really good. Oh i want to tell you about a new family we started teaching last week. they live out in the middle of nowhere in our area right now and we met the son as we were walking in a different part of town. Anyway said he was interested to here our message so we went with him to his house and
taught the whole family. There are 7 members of the family and they are just super stoked on the gospel now. I know they are going to get baptized. I just know it. they are probably the poorest people I have taught and last time they made us dinner. I could not beleive it. I could tell they had not eaten yet but the mother had made us Mais which is basically corn grits, (only the most poor people eat mais because it is cheaper than rice) and Utan which is basically plants from around the area turned into a vegetable soup. It wasnt the best dinner I have ever had but it was the most delicious meal i have ever had in an indescribable way. I wish every member of the church could just come take a look at the sacrifices people are making here just to get a feel of the spirit. Just to get take in the gospel. Its absolutely amazing. I will take a picture with the family before I transfer so you all can see. I dont ever want to forget them. oh and the son that we talked to out in the street. His name is Joel. weird huh. anyway really great experience. Ok everyone remember to pray for me because I will be in the Jungle starting this next Friday. I will do all I can to get to a computer to email but i make no promises. Just remember that the Lord is watching out for me. If I die there buy a pet bull-dog and name him japedo for me. Joke. I wont die.
Bye
Sincerely Elder Joel Porter Ehorn

Elder Ehorn - "The Well"

Here's Elder Ehorn's letter this week! I decided just to post them on my blog so that everyone can read his funny stories. Please excuse his spelling...my mom is very concerned. That's an english teacher for you!

September 2-10
Hello Everyone!
I have to tell you all about my week. or i guess its the past three weeks. Our zone which is called Liloan zone started some new goals at the beginning of the last transfer. These goals were to get 30 new investigators every week and have at least 6 investigators come to church every sunday. It has been so hard to keep up with the new investigators part of it all. I am really tired from all the trying to find new investigators. But through it all my area is going to have a total of 6 baptisms this month. How awesome is that. we had 2 the first week of september and we are going to have 4 on the 22 of september. What is funny about that is that it still does not feel like enough. I feel like I am not working hard enough. To be honest I think i have been like that my whole life. Like what I am doing is never enough. I think I got it from you Mom. Being that you have been on the go always ever since I can remember. I know that my using every minute of everyday is really going to bless me when I get home from the mission. I honestly feel like if I can do all this i can do anything in life. Which includes the following. Getting married. :) Getting straight A's in school. being a doctor. not really I dont want to be a doctor. Not that they arent great I just dont think that it is for me. When Are you going to go on a mission mom? Grandma you need to hit up another mission as well. :) Can you all beleive it is 1/4 over? I can not beleive it. I really can not beleive it. I need to hurry up and get stuff done or else the mission is going to be over before I know it. Anyone have any good ideas for finding investigators? i mean creative ideas. besides tracting and just talking to everyone on the street. Remember that resources are limited. Ha I thought of a really funny one that me and my companion are going to do. Maybe. there are tons of wells here and thats where people get their water. i mean old fashioned wells where you have to use the rope and everything. I thought that we need to take Ang Basahon ni mormon (the book of mormon) and put it in zip lock then put it in the bucket in the well and when someone pulls the rope to bring up the bucket there will be a Book of Mormon there. Then they will think that God sent it to them. About thirty seconds after that My companion and I will jump out of some nearby bushes where we were hiding and offer to teach them about that book and why God sent it to them in a zip lock bag. haha what do you think? Effective? After I presented the idea me and my comp could not stop laughing. I think it would be funny. anyway. If you have ideas that might actually work please share. Well I continue to love it here and am still working hard. Yeah I am probably getting transfered on the 21. we will see. I will let you know.
Thanks everyone. Love you all.
Elder Joel Porter Ehorn

Funny Stuff!

So I got an email from my friend Sarah (cute blond, mom of 3, married to Derek - some of you might know her) - it was so funny and had this really funny link to an ebay auction. If I didn't forward it to you or if you didn't read it, here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675
Well it turns out the lady that posted it has a blog and she is hilarious! I instantly feel better about my day after reading what hers was like. I find joy in knowing that no matter how hard I think my day was, she had it worse. Sick, I know. In addition, she has provided me with the evidence I need to convince Eric that three kids is plenty. She is also in the middle of writing a book which, for all my bookworm friends, will need to be pre-ordered. The link to her blog is called Funniest Mom Ever - check it out. You won't be disappointed. As my sister would say, "Another person to spy on." Hee Hee!

Details...

Our Cali trip was so much fun! Our kids did amazingly well. I didn't have to say "No" or "Don't" or "Time Out" nearly as much as I thought I would which made it a vacation not just for the kids but for me too! We loved the San Diego Zoo and spent so much time on the beach - Mission Beach, Emerald Bay and Monarch Beach - we weren't picky - we just wanted the sand and the waves! (I have to ask, who ordered the HOT-ness? I thought we were getting OUT of the heat for the weekend!) Nonetheless, Ethan learned to Boogie Board and Drew got buried! We also got to swim at Aunt Gail's and at the Kraus' and my kids just loved every minute of it! Ty was a good sport and managed to sleep through most of the trip - although I think he really was enamored with all the love and attention he got from his adoring fans! We ate like royalty and got to spend some time with some of our favorite people - who could ask for more? So here are some pics from the trip...

The GUM KING strikes again!

We L-O-V-E the Kraus Family!

Dr. Tony and Lauren...Lean Cuisine from the 918

Ninja Mark with his SWEET wife Lisa!
And Graham...President of the Babysitters Club

Smore's Flinders Style - One hot mallow and two fudge stripes...mmmmmmmm!

Cousin Tallin! Happy 1st Birthday little man!

Eric got'em!

Shout Out to Our People!

We had an amazing time in California over Labor Day Weekend thanks to some amazing family and friends! So here is a SHOUT OUT - in no particular order:

Becky & Tim - we had so much fun with you guys! I wouldn't have laughed nearly as hard at the people on the strand, we wouldn't have had buttermilk pancakes and I would never have learned the FLINDERS S'MORES SECRET if you weren't there! In fact, I don't think we would have gone at all if it wasn't for you. Gotta love Mission Beach!

Aunt Gail - TWO MEALS, the pool party and lots of fun! Thanks for putting up with the crowd, the kids and the mess! I sure had a great time catching up with you!

John & Kelley - Your house was wonderful and so comfortable. Thanks for letting us stay there. We'll get you back when you come visit us soon :)

The Beidlemens and the O'Kellys - How fun it was to see you and your babies! Mark and Lisa - what amazing hosts! Mark's no slacker but he sure got lucky catching Lisa! Dinner was delicious and your house is beautiful. Thanks for making us feel so welcome and loved! Graham and Shannon - we sure love you guys! Dylan is a stud! We hope you all make it back to AZ sometime soon.

Steve & Kath - as always...an amazing time! You always make us feel like part of the family. We love you! P.S. Thank you Ben & Hannah - you make Ethan and Drew soooooo HAPPY!

Tony & Michelle - from AZ to CA - you are always so great and kind to us! We're so lucky to have you close by!

Charity & John - so great to see you and so kind of you to make us yummy dinner and entertain us - I hope we weren't too scary. :) John - if you ever want to hear some funny Charity stories (and I have lots) just give me a call. Don't worry Charity - they're all good!