Heaven for Fanatics!

Hello All!!!



We just got back from a great trip to California where we visited family and friends and found Heaven on Earth for two little boys in a little place we like to call LEGOLAND! Ethan and Drew are at the perfect age for this alcove made especially for boys and filled with the things they dream of namely Star Wars, Water Fights, Roller Coasters and millions of little plastic blocks!



What could be better?

Here is the short list of the things we loved about our trip to Cali:

1. Great friends - the Kraus Family and the Ashley Family made our trip all the more fun.


2. Grandma & Grandpa Ehorn - for loving us despite the wrestling matches, loud man-made motor sounds and for eating all the cookies!




P.S. Nothing was broken in the making of this picture.

3. $.99 masks (on sale!) at Legoland that kept my boys happy the whole way home and have proven very useful for spying on the enemy while playing "army guys."


4. Going to Legoland on a Monday - no lines, no waiting and very little maneuvering the double stroller. Oh yea, and that little bonus of free tickets to come back in January or February. Road trip anyone???



5. Life-size Lego-made Darth Vader and R2-D2, need we say more?





6. The "how its made" little portion of Legoland - they have a plastic injection molding machine and I know this because my Dad had one in his shop and I knew how it worked because one summer I spent a lot of time pulling apart surgical rings that my Dad made on his machine. I walked in and it smelt like my Dad's shop and that made me HAPPY!



7. Miniland USA - because it had a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge and I almost felt like I was home again.



8. Can we say HOTTIE?!!! Just look at the picture of my husband - who thought Legoland was made for kids and proved it by having more fun than anyone!



Needless to say...we had a great trip!

Latest and Greatest from Elder Ehorn

Hello everybody. thanks for all the emails. I got a lot this week. It was nice. I am on the island of Bohol now and my new area is called Tagbilaran 2. I am a zone leader now and have a car and a cell phone. Kind of weird. I dont really like it to be honest. now that I have a car and a phone i feel like less of a missionary. but they are necessary for all of the things we have to do. I am always on the run doing stuff. Baptismal interviews and moving elders and stuff like that. I do want to share quickly about a baptismal interview. it was actually my first one I did. It is so amazing that even though these people are extremely afraid of these interviews (I dont know why) I can feel the spirit of the person so strong. Its like the Lord wants you to know if they are really ready for baptism or not. sometimes even though the people can answer the questions perfectly you feel like they are not ready. then they are other times that they cant answer all the questions exactly but that they are ready. Very very amazing experience. So I interviewed this family. one by one I interviewed and the father just seemed a little bit unclear but then when I had him say the closing prayer it hit me hard that he was ready. He had been a little unclear with his answers to questions but then his prayer was just amazing. The spirit was so strong and you could tell he was really talking to his Father In Heaven. This experience testified to me that The Lord is in charge of this work and he decides when people are ready or not. well thanks so much for the Christmas gifts and for the money. That family did receive the money you sent and will be getting sealed on Christmas Day. How cool is that.
They go up to Manila on Dec 24. I have a picture of the fam and I will get it off to you as soon as I can. I am actually back in cebu right now for the zone leader Conference which lasts three days. thanks again for all your support

Love Elder Joel Porter Ehorn

Lemon Meringue Pie Anyone?

Yes it is December. But in Arizona we're all kinds of mixed up. I have lemons! Bright yellow, juicy, beautiful lemons. I have been nursing this little Meyer Lemon tree for months now (haven't actually looked at it since the landscaper planted it about two years ago) and was overjoyed to find blossoms this past fall. Those blossoms have turned into some gorgeous lemons (that I didn't actually notice until Eric told me). A beautiful harvest after all of my hard work! Mom - I'm going to need that recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie now! I bet you all didn't know what a green thumb I have. I'll post some pictures of the pie when (and if) it actually happens! When life (literally) hands you lemons, make PIE! Happy Arizona Winter!

And Today....Seriously - My Bro is the Coolest!

Hey fam and friends!
Pretty weak on the emails this week. I cant beleive you all already forgot about me. haha just joking. I know you did not forget about me. Anyway. Bex wrote me and told me she is having a girl. I have some name ideas from here in the Philippines. haha To be honest the names in the philippines are hilarious. Most girls have their first babies when they are like 15 or 16 years old and they name the babies after famous american people. It is absolutely riduculous. like I met a little boy. His name was Kurt Cobain. I was like...... YOu have got to be absolutely kidding me. Ha funny that here in the Philippines I have met Kurt Cobain, Brad Pitt, Pamela Anderson. too bad they are all two and three year old kids. It is so funny. I was like... WOW!!! these poor little kids. Whats funny is that I actually found these three kids in one day. When we did a service project and helped give free shots for Polio we went door to door and gave shots to all the kids and we had to write down there names. Even if their parents were not there we gave them shots. Could you imagine a group of people coming to your house, knocking on your door to find that there are no parents there and then giving your kids a shot. haha Thats just how they do it here. The kids need it and its free. The church sponsers it. Its the only way these kids get vaccinated. anyway about the kids. Who knows how many fake movie stars there are here in the Philippines. haha. I always laugh about it. Anyway. Guess what... I am getting transfered. I am officially out of the Jungle on Friday. I am actually going to a different island. Its called Bohol. It is supposed to be absolutely amazing. The most beautiful place ever. All the pictures you see of white sand beaches are actually taken in Bohol. and guess what else. I am going to be a zone Leader there. Which seems a little weird because I have not been a district leader yet. I am going straight to zone leader. I honestly dont feel like I am ready for that much responsibiltiy. I still feel new in the mission. I guess President thinks I need to step it up more. Maybe I am not doing enough. I just know I am going to have to rely on the Lord more than ever. I have heard a lot about the elder that is going to be my new companion. His name is Elder Domingo. He is supposed to be like the
nicest guy ever. I am really excited about that. There is an up side to being zone leader on Bohol. First is that I have a car. yep I said it. I have a car. Actually not a car. A big van. So that will be nice. The other thing is that I have a cell phone. Because you always have to be in contact with the mission president and the assistants to the president. I am going to have to ask again. I really need your prayers. This is a big responsibility. I really dont know that I am ready. I guess the Lord thinks I am. Well thanks so much for all the support. Oh by the way. I am actually not sure when I will be calling for Christmas. So weird I get to call and talk to you. I like completely forgot that I get to call. Hard to believe its christmas already. ok so stay near the phone. Either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. I will try to call as many people as I can. sounds like you are all going to be in different places for Christmas. If I dont get a hold of someone sorry. I will say sorry now because I just dont know how calling works here in the mission. I do know that it is ridiculously expensive and that I dont have money to pay for it. Ok. I just found out from another elder that I will call you so that you have the number then you will call me back. That way you just pay for the phone bill. haha. its probably really expensive. sorry. hope its worth it. ;) alright thanks again fam. Love ya

Elder Joel Porter Ehorn

Whoops! The week before last!

Hey everybody!!!

Ok uh before I forget happy thanksgiving. Oh and Val and Jenni could you send some pictures of your kids to me. Seeing as how they are coming up on being 5 and 6 months old and the only pictures I have seen was when they were first born. Thanks holla at ya boy! So I have a cool story. Its called Typhoon Mina!!! So I was down in Toledo which is where the Zone leaders apartment is. And a Signal 3 typhoon hit here. haha It was so crazy. There apartment flooded up to the waist. All the missionionaries were out and about trying to pick up fallen down trees and stuff. And trying to save all the stuff in the Zone leaders apartment. They had to sleep at the Church. Lots of memebers did. I dont know how many homes got ruined but it was pretty bad. But everyone was ok. So that was my excitement last week. So yeah I think I am getting transfered. I am pretty excited about that. Getting a little tired of being out in the jungle away from everything. We do have 2 baptisms on dec 1 and 2 on december 15. That is pretty cool. and we had 58 members out to church on sunday which is definatly the most we have had. There are about 85 members in my area. So that is really good for us. I keep promising them blessings if they will come to church. This last sunday I told everyone at the church that I
will help them make a budget for their families with the Church's budgeting system. Its called "Every Needful Thing" I think that is what it is called. The whole Branch has a really hard time paying tithing so I told them and promised them that if they would come and meet with me for 30 minutes we would make them a budget so that they could pay their tithing and still be able to meet ends meet at the end of the month. Figure I might as well put some of my college classes to use while I am here. I thought everyone would be really excited about it but they werent as excited about it as I thought they would be. They probably just dont understand that if they budget they will do a lot better each month. Ha sometimes I still dont think I have learned that lesson. Sounds like you all had a good thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of you having a good dinner. I am thankful and Jealous. Me and the rest of the Americanos in my zone are having thanksgiving today. there is three of us. haha. sad. Sorry brian about your hand. I dont think it will ruin your golf swing. There was a movie called rookie of the year where a 13 year old kid broke his arm and because he did he could throw the ball 100 miles an hour and he played in the major leagues. Tiger Woods better watch his back because Brian Foy broke his and and now he has a perfect golf swing and is going to the PGA. In our wildest dreams no? hahaha Well thank you all so much for your prayers. Cant wait to hear from you all again next week.

Sincerely Elder Joel Porter Ehorn

Last Week - Elder Ehorn!

Ok im sorry i really have no time to write. We had an awesome baptism on friday. I find out if i am getting transfered on wednesday so the next email I will let you know if I am or not. I am attatching a picture from the baptism. It is awesome. it is in one of the waterfalls in my area. ok love you all

sincerely elder ehorn