Monday, May 24, 2010

Mom and Dad,
Well nothing really happened this week, just a lot of doors slammed in our faces, but that's OK.  No worries.  We will be doing that this week, but I really don't know any new ways to find new people to teach.  If you would send me more pictures for my planners, that would be cool.  How are things at home, anything really that new going on at home?  I hope everything is going good.  We had this guy that we talked to, but he followed us around and said that we were Satan's Church.  He wouldn't leave us alone, but Elder Yorn pulled me away because he kept saying things about Joseph Smith and I was getting mad.  Elder Yorn keeps me in line because there are a lot of people that don't like us at all.  Well I have to go, but I love you and miss you a ton.  Have a good week and I love you.

Love,
Elder Rice

Some updates from emailing today, June 1, 2010
When I asked him how he felt about his mission, especially since he is in a more affluent area and people do not seem to need religion or do not like the church he said,
"I LOVE MY MISSION!!!  I wish I would not have been sick or went home before.  I LOVE BEING OUT HERE." and  "Well everything is going good.  I love being with my companion.  We have a lot of fun together and the work is hard, but it is so good at the same time.  I just hope Dave will be baptized soon.  My blood sugars are going really well and they are staying right where they need to be.  I am so blessed with this."

Dave is an investigator that does not want to commit to baptism at this point, so Tommy says, "I am going on splits on Friday and I'm going to go and see him and have a heart to heart with him.  So pray for me on Friday, I will need it."

One last thing is that he was way excited about what we told him via email today (see below) and thought it was way cool.
Channel 8 News, May 28, 2010
“The story of the amazing football turn around at Hillcrest 2008 could be hitting the big screen in the future. Knight’s head coach, Darrin Owens, telling me that he has signed away the rights to his life story to a major motion picture company. If you remember, Owens was brought in from California to take over a team that had lost 22 in a row. Using an old school “double wing” offense, he led the Knights to an 11 and 1 season in the 4a State Championship. Owens was approached by a couple of different people about writing a book about his story. He then got an agent and now a movie deal.”
I asked him that, after his football season in his junior year (not winning any games), if he was glad that we moved to Idaho, because I am sure he might have had second thoughts his junior year when it came to football.  His response was, "I know.  I would have just been happy winning one game after that and if someone would have came and talked to me and said that you are going to be a state champ, I would be like ya right-get out of here.  I just can't believe that!"  I also asked him if he used what he mentally learned through that Championship season on his mission and he said, "Ya, I do.  I try to be really happy when things like that come up (talking about the hard times)."

Tommy (#51) holding up the Championship trohpy--he didn't want to let go!

Moments like these are what movies are made of!!!!!

Tommy still holding the trophy (2nd row from bottom, just right of center of picture)

And Grandmas, if you are reading this, he says he is back up to 225 or so, which is almost football weight.  He says his new suits fit him perfectly, so he is putting back on some muscle and feels really good.