August 2, 2011

Dear Family,

I am currently in the Springdale city library and I have about an hour to email. Thanks so much for emailing me! I'm so so so soooo excited to write a letter to you that I just can't stand it! I have so much to say, and so I'm happy that I have more than the measley half hour the MTC gives me. This should go well :)

First off, I just want to say I'm happy. I'm very happy! Not gonna lie I'm a little homesick at times, but I'm definitely happy at the opportunities being in the field presents. I'm a real missionary now, and so of course this should bring me some amount of satisfaction (haha). I've had a lot of fun since flying on the plane(s), arriving at the mission home, and being transfered to my new area last Thursday.

I'm guessing you received the letter I sent from the mission home, so you know a little bit about where I've been assigned, who my companion is, etc. I'll try to answer all of Mom and Dad's questions, as well as tell you how things are going.

Oh boy! Springdale, Arkansas... First off, just in case you didn't know this before, Elder Villarreal (Zeke) was just barely in this area right before I came, and he was transfered to Carthage, Missouri just a few hours before I showed up. Isn't that crazy!? I just barely missed him! All of the Elders around here have said nothing but good things about him, and they tell me of all of the good things he's said about me. I guess there's some pretty high expecations for Elder Atkin... But anyways, Springdale is quite the interesting place. From my experience so far, the people are quite nice overall, but there's also a lot of wackos. Pretty much everybody down here (they consider this the South) smokes and drinks, and I'd swear this is the redneck capital of the world. Every house we pass there is a half naked man sitting outside working on his car. Sheesh! It's quite funny to me really, but it only makes Cache Valley, Utah seem even farther away. I feel like I'm in a different country! There's churches EVERYWHERE around here, and I'm pretty sure none of them are the same. Crazy...

It is definitely HOT over here. In fact, right now it is 105 degrees with a heat index of 115. I've never been so thankful for AC in my whole entire life. When we first stepped out of the airport in Tulsa, I thought I was drowning in a hot tub. But I do have to admit I kinda like it. Sure I was melting into the pavement when we were biking the other day, sure I was soaking wet as we were knocking on less actives' doors, sure it's going to take a while to get used to. But yet it's exiting to be in a new environment with new people and the thought of working hard for the Lord. I feel so legit when I'm soaking wet and talking to someone who's smoking on their front lawn :)

Haha I've totally been persecuted already! We were biking for the first time last Saturday and we were on a busy street. Cars were passing by and a few people yelled at us and laughed at us. I'd thought I'd be scared out of my pants, but I actually just laughed and kept on biking. It was awesome :) That's the thing about the people here in Arkansas. They either love us or hate us. I've had people give me their spare change at Walmart and thank me for my service, and others give me death glares and the stink eye. Yeah it's wild. But that's why I love wearing a name tag for our Church. Heavenly Father has truly blessed me so far.

My companion's name is Elder Stephen Charles Navratil. What a stud :) Elder Navratil hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he is a redhead, and he's way shorter than me. He's one of those stereotypical Canadians that says "eh" after everything. That really makes me laugh. He's really nice, and I know we'll get along just fine. He's 27 years old, so that's a little weird, but at least y'all can find comfort in the fact that he is very mature and hard working.

We live in a pretty nice apartment a little ways from downtown. The Marshallese speaking Elders also live with us (Elder Rodrigues from California and Elder Latrik from the Marshall Islands) and it's just a super fun time. I feel a little spoiled living in such a big apartment, but that's all balanced out by the fact that Elder Navratil and I don't have a car. The Marshallese Elders do, and so we get rides with them to places sometimes.

My bike came today! It was super exciting to see it sitting on the neighbor's porch (they're members and they have a reliable address). Elder Navratil helped me put it together, and it is VERY sleek. Wow. I'll have to send pictures so you can see it's awesomeness.

Speaking of pictures... I'll be able to send pictures with emails, but I forgot my camera today (sorry!). I'll try to get some up next time. Mom I'm so glad that you got my SD card. Hopefully you liked all the pictures. Mom, you should send me some pictures in the mail sometime just so I can have some. I miss you guys so much!

We've made a lot of street contacts so far, and we've visited a few less actives, but we really haven't had too much of a chance to teach yet. We'll definitely get more of a chance this week as we get out more, so I'm excited for that. As we teach more, I'll tell you more about it, okay?

Yesterday was P-Day, and so that's when I'll usually email. Their computers were down and so we had to do it today. You can expect an email from me next monday. And I'll expect one from you too :) And yes, I can email immediate family so the sisters can send me emails and I can send them emails too (if I have time).

I'm running out of time, but I just want to say I love you and pray for you! Thanks for all the letters and the prayers for me. I'm doing just fine, and I'm excited to really get rolling. In your next email you guys should tell me about everything that's going on and how things have been. I'd love to hear from you! You can never send enough letters and don't be afraid to send a letter whenever you want to.

I love you so much and I look forward to hearing from you again. I'll include more in my next email. See ya!

Love, Elder Atkin

 P.S. I love the ward. They are all so nice! The church is truly true wherever you go.

 Elder Atkin with his new companion Elder Navratil

Willie's new bike

July 28, 2011

Dear Family,
Howdy! I am Currently in Tulsa, Oklahoma and it's 5:30 in the morning. But hey, it's a great day :) I had to wake up so early so I could actually get a shower before I didn't get the chance. That and I leave at 6:45 for my first new area in my mission. So exciting!
we landed in the Tulsa airport yesterday and i remember walking outside and about suffocating to death. Holy hot and humid, People where right! but immediately we were whisked off to the mission home of Pres. and Sister Merkley. we ate food and spent the rest of the day learning about the mission, learning how to drive safe, and near the end of the day we received our assignment. Here it is:
My companion's name is Elder Navaratil from Canada. I'll be serving in Springdale, Arkansas. How exciting! I don't know much more about Elder Navaratil, but I do know that he's a red head. Oh boy... this ought to be fun.:)
So. I leave in about an hour. Wow! Its all very real right now. In a few hours I'll be in training and possibly teaching. All of a sudden its coming full speed! But I love it. I love my mission president, I love this hot and humid place, I love the weird bugs I've seen already, and I already love my companion. Arkansas sounds just so cool right now!
I was so good to talk to you yesterday. I hope y'all know I love you very much, and that I'll email you soon. Preparation days are on Mondays, so it should be then.

Pray for me! I will pray for you!
Love,
Elder Atkin

July 20, 2011

Dear Family,

Laundry time again! So I'm here, sitting at a computer, and writing you a letter. Last week at this time, I was freaking out. I was doing laundry with about 100 more people, I didn't know exactly how the email on these computers worked, and I almost ran out of time. To add to that, I got mom's email address wrong. Let's just say it was a VERY stressful experience. You weren't able to get my email, and things were just a little crazy.

But this week, there is barely anybody here, I know what I'm doing, and I already have a good start to the email. Hooray! I was going to include last weeks email, but it won't let me copy and paste. I might just send it again to mom's real address, but I have to make sure I get this done first.

How are you? I've gotten all of your letters (as I explained in another hand-written letter I sent yesterday), and I just love hearing from each of you. It's good to hear that mom is going back to school! Awesome possum. Rachel, I just can't tell you how hard I laughed at what you wrote me :) I can just hear the way you talk when I read it, and I just want to eat the letter up. Dad, that's a bummer that the U.S. lost... Well, at least we got to the final. I play soccer like every day here at the MTC, and every time I do, I realize how out of shape I still am. Plus the MTC food is just too good...

Anyways. I'm not getting fat. Don't worry.

Basically a normal day for me consists of:

6:30 Wake up

7:20 Breakfast

7:50 Zone teaching

8:50 Class

11:50 Lunch

12:35 Class

4:50 Dinner

5:35 Class

8:35 Personal/Companionship study/planning

10:30 Sleep

As you can see, there is a lot of classroom time, but I'm growing to love it more every day. There's nothing more fun than learning from Bro. Hopper and Bro. Cowan with my awesome district. I can't explain how much I love my teachers! They are so amazing at teaching us how to teach, and they also give us great role-play scenarios every day. They each act as an investigator, and each companionship plans and teaches them every day, switching off. Bro. Hopper acts as a man from D.C. named Cam who is curious about temples, and Bro. Cowan acts as a man named Mark who's wife just left him. These are excellent opportunities for us to know what it's like (sorta), and learn how to teach an investigator, not a lesson. Just so you know, Elder Denton and I committed both of them to baptism the past few days :) I'm sure it's harder in the field, but I truly felt very accomplished. Imagine what a real baptism will be like!

Along with our teachers, we get to teach other investigators that are actors that come to the MTC to help train missionaries. Elder Denton and I have had the opportunity to teach a man named Bobby from New Jersey. To make a long story short, when we first showed up last week, he wouldn't even let us in. That's how real it was :) He finally let us in after ten minutes, and we were able to gain his trust and teach the Restoration. Through a couple more visits through the last week, he has become more and more friendly and accepting, and he's become our favorite investigator. Elder Denton and I love him so much that we tried to make him break character (stop acting) after our last visit and give him our info so he could stay in contact with us. But of course he wouldn't break character :) Let's just say we were extremely embarrassed.

Elder Denton. He's doing great! He's feeling a lot better today after his nasty head cold he's had. I was able to give him a blessing yesterday, and it was awesome to serve my companion. I've grown to love him so much :) After last night's devotional, our district shared our thoughts and feelings about the talks, as well as our experiences. I talked about how much Elder Denton has taught me, and I cried like a baby. I was a little embarrassed, but Elder Denton just thanked me and said the same about me. We're probably going to be friends forever.

Augh only 5 minutes left! This is just SO stressful.

Oh yeah! Yesterday at the devotional, we sang Called to Serve in a cool way. The first verse was sung quietly, and it built until all 2,500 missionaries were basically yelling the song. It was absolutley amazing! I have been waiting to do that the whole time I've been here! It's sort of what I always dreamed of doing that.

Just so you know, I leave next wednesday, early in the morning. At the airport, we all get to call home before we get on the plane, so PLEASE answer the phone when I call. I want to talk to you!

I love you so much! I'll talk to you more later!

-Elder Atkin

            Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (I love this scripture)

July 13, 2011

Dear family,

It's email time! I'm here in the laundry room waiting for my laundry to get washed. It's crazy in here... There's people all over the place and it's hard to find an open washer and drier. But hey, it's a good time :) I'm sitting here next to Elder Denton (he says hi) and now it's time for me to think of something amazing to say. Hmmm....

I don't really know where to begin! But I don't have much time so I need to hurry. I'm sure it's the same for all first time missionaries, but I really have been through a lot in the past week. So many emotions, so many experiences, so many new faces... It's all hard to take in, but I'm already getting used to it.

Side note: I just remembered that I forgot to bring my camera. Sad day :( Don't be sad though! I promise that I have taken some great pictures and I will post them next week. Promise.

Anyways. Pretty much I love the MTC. My district is so awesome and spiritual. They already feel like family. The majority of the last week has been spent in a classroom with these 10 people (9 discluding me). We have great teachers, and everyone loves to learn. Here's a little bit about everyone:

I'll start with Elder Denton. What an awesome companion! I've already told you a little bit about him in my first letter, but you'll find out a ton more in another hand-written letter I sent today. I knew I couldn't fit everything in this email, so I thought it would be a good idea to respond to Dad's email. But anyways, Elder Denton is seriously the companion that I needed to get kick-started in this mission, and I don't say that lightly. Like I said, Elder Denton is from small town Utah in San Pete County. He grew up on a ranch with his family, and he LOVES to "saddle bronc" haha! He talks with an accent that only a small-town boy can get. Just imagine a Texas movie star accent. Elder Denton just itches to be in his jeans and boots, riding horses. Pretty much the most opposite from me as it gets. I thought it would be a disaster from the very beginning, but we are getting along just nicely. In fact, I just love him to death! There's a lot more to tell, but like I said you'll find out more about him in the letter I sent you.

Elder VanWagoner and Elder Urban: VanWagoner is from California and Urban is from Nevada. VanWagoner is a little chubby, but he is flippin' hilarious! I laugh whenever he laughs. What a funny guy :) Urban is the classic city slicker boy. He loves to play baseball, and he actually played for Dixie State his freshman year of college. Yeah, he's pretty good. I can certainly tell from the few times we played softball during gym time. These two elders are super awesome and easy to be friends with, and so Elder Denton and I do everything with them. We actually moved in with them last night because of some happenings in our dorm, but that's a long story that I will have to tell later.

Elder Holmes and Elder Bott: Holmes was a 3-year camera salesman before his mission and he's from Utah. He's over-the-top sarcastic, and he is very good at impersonating pretty much anybody. Elder Bott is your classic nerd from Utah.

Only 5 minutes left! Okay the sisters in our district are named Sisters Hanshew and Flansberg (both from Nevada), and Sisters Bedard (from Oregon) and Hawkes (from Idaho). I don't know a ton about them, but they all bring a sweet spirit that fills the room.

There is a lot more to share about all of the people in my district, but overall I just love all of them and they all have great testimonies.

The food here is totally awesome! I try not to eat too much so I don't get fat, but it's really hard when they serve something yummy every meal. The cafeteria is absolutely packed every meal, but it's just fun to be in the midst of so many great missionaries. I've literally met so many missionaries from all over the world. So cool!

Well, I'm out of time, but I promise to write more next time. It's so busy! I love you guys so much and I know that the gospel is true. This is where I need to be.

-Elder William Atkin

First letter: July 9, 2011

I love the MTC!  What a great time!  What a great opportunity!  I feel so great, I just don't even know how to explain it.  Who knew I could learn so much in a day and a half?  There is so much to say, I don't even know where to begin.

But, first off.  The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I'm alive.  I'm happy :).  I love my companion and it's just great to be here!  I can literally feel the weight of the spirit oozing from each smiling face (how was that for a description? haha)  I love the gospel!  I love missionary work!  I love it!

Today was rough, as I got a bad night of sleep last night, but it was awesome to learn new material and meet a lot of new people.

There's too much to tell you!!

My companion's name is Elder Kip Denton.  Oh.  My.  Hash browns.  What a man!  Elder Denton's hometown is Sterling, Utah.  He is the epitome of a farm boy/cowboy and he sure talks like one too :).  He talks real slow and a couple of octaves lower, as if he's the wisest man in the world.  Oh man.  I love Elder Denton :).

My district is so amazing!  We're already all friends, and me and Denton are buds with Elders Van Wagoner and Urban.  We pretty much go everywhere together.

By the way...the food is awesome.  I hope I don't get fat...

Well, I'm, out of time!  There's still SO much to tell you and that'll all come next Wednesday, okay?

I love you so much and I know this is what I need to be doing.

Talk to you later :)

Elder Atkin

The Send Off

 

Pres. Israelsen came to our home to set Willie apart.

The final packing.

 We thought it was cool to pass a car with a Oklahoma license plate on the way to the MTC. 

 The before mission shoe picture.  We'll post the after in two years.

 A beautiful place for our good-byes.

 One last family shot.  Wish everybody could have been there!

 These siblings adore each other.

 What a handsome missionary!

 One last good-bye and he never looked back.

Here it is!!!!

Hello friends and family! It's finally here!

Tomorrow I enter the MTC and will thus begin my two year adventure serving the people of Oklahoma (and Kansas and Arkansas and Missouri...). I'm extremely nervous, but I seriously can't wait. I get set apart tonight at 7:00.

So. Regarding this blog... The Road to Tulsa has gone very well so far, as we are nearing the 1,000 mile mark. Woohoo! We plan on racking up the miles until I leave the MTC, and hopefully by then we will have walked/biked/read the over 1,200 miles. If we don't make it, I blame this all on my parents, as it was their idea. It has been super fun to wake up every morning and exercise with my family. We had many great conversations while we walked/ran, and it helped me so I didn't get too fat this summer :)

If you were to look at our progress, you might notice that some people (I won't say who, but it's pretty obvious haha) did better than others at keeping track of their miles and updating the blog. I'm sure we could've already reached the milestone, but I'm not complaining because we had a good time anyway. That's the point, right? Especially when we make up how many miles reading scriptures, attending the temple, and a daily schedule are worth. We could've easily had made it to 5,000 miles if everything were worth more, right? Overall, it was a great success and there were a lot of experiences that I'll cherish forever.

One of those cherished experiences was my first time going to the temple. Words cannot describe the peace and burning spirit I felt there! It was a lot to take in the very first time, but as I attended more and more these past couple months, the more I felt that I was absolutely doing the right thing. There is nothing more complete and joyous as the temple, and I can't think of a better place of learning than within its walls. What an amazing blessing the temple is, and I'm excited to teach of it's importance in the mission field.

This summer has been so fun, and it couldn't have ended in a better way than an epic 4th of July weekend. The fireworks, the food, the family.... It was one of those moments that just stood still :) I'm going to miss my family so much, but I know that this is what I need to do. Yesterday, we had a BBQ and cooked some kabobs on the grill. I told my mom that I want to do the same exact thing when I get back home, just as if I had never left. But only this time I'll have a lot of experiences to share.

Oh boy I just don't even know what to say... I'm just so so so sooooooooooo excited to start tomorrow!! Wow. My dreams are coming true :)

Thank you one and all for supporting me, and hopefully you can find some sort of joy, entertainment, enlightenment, or inspiration from my letters being posted on this blog. Or if you are just bored and you're on here because you have nothing better to do, that works too! I'm not much of a letter-writer, but we'll see if I can change that. Thanks again!

God be with you 'til we meet again.

Sincerely,
Elder Atkin