Creepy

Okay the rest of the creepy pictures finally loaded. Enjoy!

There are many more pictures of this.... well... I guess you'd call it "artwork" but for some reason blogger isn't loading them right now. I keep getting error messages. So I'm going to call it a night, publish what we've got so far, and try again tomorrow.

I can see how this is kind of cool, I mean obviously it's very creative and takes some serious time and effort and well, vision. But still, I find it creepy. Probably because of all the snakes and fangs and stuff.

Wonder why he's getting fat?

So here's the thing, Cody sent two cute little videos, one showing how much food they had brought into them for one night (it was crazy a whole chicken, a full bowl of ribs lots of sides and two bottles of soda) and he showed the Twenty Nine Palms Inn where they eat lunch every Tuesday. It was cute. I've been trying for the last 7 hours to get the videos to load and they're hating me right now. So I'll try later. For now I just want to get some of these pictures up!

YAY! It worked!

Elder Cunningham Live & In Person (Sort Of)

Apparently we get to have video now! YAY US!

PS - Cody sent over 300 photos this time, so there are about 6 or 7 posts forthcoming throughout today and tomorrow. I'll be sorting through and posting pictures as I get time. So keep checking back!

Elder Cunningham's Christmas Letter

Well, I have some very good news because I had the privilege of baptizing one of our investigators. Jayson, that young ten year old boy that I told you about. It was a pretty sweet one, because that is the first time that I personally have baptized anyone. But better than my own satisfaction was the spirit that was in the room. It was awesome. The best words I can think to describe it, besides spiritual, are hip, groovy, sweet, righteous, outrageously off the hook, straight up and down satisfaction, fullest gratitude and love beyond comprehension. Yep, I think that covers it.

It was quite funny because Jayson tried to dunk himself before I had even said anything. But luckily he is not very big and I had the back of his suit so he didn't go anywhere. When I actually did immerse him in the water he kicked his feet up so I had to push him pretty much to the bottom of the font before he went all the way under. But for the most part it was quick and smooth and I only had to do it once so it was great. Then, right after I baptized him his little sister was baptized by Brother Walters who knew the family way back when. On top of all the funny details the spirit was very strong and it was very touching to see their mother support them even though she has been inactive for years. She is striving to do that which is right, and of course she was in tears and so was their grandmother. It was very much a growing experience for all involved.

Well, I must go but I wish to leave you once again with my testimony that is that I know this gospel is true because I have seen with my eyes, heard with my ears and felt with my heart that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders." ... and he shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Almighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no greater word to speak than that of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his love for all mankind. So.. "Be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.." just as I know you all are. My heart is full because of that which I know and this opportunity which I have to serve.

Merry Christmas.

I love you and may God Bless you.

Elder Cunningham

Greetings from the California Riverside Mission

Greetings from the California Riverside Mission

May we offer some Christmas Gift Suggestions?

Christmas letters from family & friends

PHOTOS of family and friends

Approved Missionary Music

Ties, garments, shirts, shoes, socks, nylons, belts, athletic shoes & apparel

General Conference talks on CD

Candy, Treats, Beef Jerky & other food favorites

New Scripture Covers (if needed by your missionary)

Christmas Packages need to arrive no later than December 12, 2009 to the Mission Office at:

3233 Arlington Ave. STE 107

Riverside, CA 92506

Please label "OPEN BEFORE" or Christmas or "DO NOT OPEN"

Merry Christmas & Thank You!

The Announcement you just read recently arrived from Cody's mission president, along with the attached letter:

Which Reads:

Dear Parents and Families our California Riverside Missionaries,

With the holidays nearly upon us, we want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas holiday! How much we love each one of your sons and daughters! It is such a privilege to serve with them. We want you to know that each missionary will spent Thanksgiving and Christmas day in the home of a family that loves them!

Each week, our missionaries are full of excietment and anticipation as they wait to receive your emails and letters! (Some of you send both!) These weekly communications are so meaningful. They are especially looking forward to talking with you on Christmas Day! We thank you for all that you do to love and support them!

Things are going very well here in the mission! We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for the many new members that have recently come into the Church! The Lord continues to pour out His Spirit and prepare many to tlisten to the messag eof the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

On November 20th & 21st we will have our annual "Mission Tour" visit from Elder and Sister Kenneth Johnson of the First Quorom of the Seventy. They are from England but live in the Salt Lake City area with Elder Johnson's current assignment. Each of the missionaries will have the opportunity to personally meet and be trained by them. This is always a special privilege!

We send our love to each of you and wish you the most joyous Thanksgiving and Christmas!

With Love,

President Melvyn and Sister Linda Reeves

Cupcake Soup & Other Halloween Horrors

Oh look, it's an unused parade float. I can't decide if that's supposed to be for Halloween or Cinderella.

One of the great perks of having an older sister who served a mission, is that I do excellent care packages. For Halloween I made each Cody and his companion a goody bag, which contained an expected amount of candy and games, but also useful stuff like sticky notes, pens, pencils & erasers. But the most important part of the package was the cupcakes. The pumpkin spice cupcakes I made and then frosted with cream cheese icing & rolled in orange sugar to make them look like pumpkins. Then I carefully placed them in the container, decorated with candy & held in place with more candy.
Unfortunately what Cody recieved was cupcake soup. Apparently it got really hot somewhere in transit and all of the icing melted off. This kind of makes me want to cry. I worked hard on these!

I guess he still ate at least one though.

I don't know if he was just trying to make me feel better, but he said the cupcakes tasted good. (Although they kind of look like what I regurgitated during my run today. I know, T.M.I.)

Well I guess you can't go wrong with PEZ. At least it won't melt.

In addition to candy and fun little toys, they each got a Halloween tie in their goody bags.

Cody wrote home that they got into a war with the sticky hands last week, smacking each other in the back of the head. Well, that's why I bought them.

Oh fun, they got to carve pumpkins! I'll bet Cody loved that. Now I'm anxious to see if he can con his companion into hiding Easter eggs for him next year.

I swear I sent way more candy than this! They must have eaten a lot of it already!

At least they looked festive in their ties!