Baptism Pictures

Hello, how is everyone? I got the letters from mom, dad and Alyssa. I will be responding via letter though. I don't like sending emails that much so I will use this email only for sending you pictures.

So let's get to those pictures, shall we?

This is Jackie Phan. She was my first baptism. She was baptized by Elder Berger.


This is us doing the "baptism thingie". Yeah, I have no idea what it is, or why we do it, but it's where we point at the camera with our index fingers and one of our feet. I don't get it. I just do it.


This is the Prestidge family. Izaac and Alyssa were baptized. Alyssa was baptized, I think, about 10 months ago, and Izaac decided it's what he wanted. There are their other three kids, but I don't know their names. Annoying thing, though, Alyssa has not yet been confirmed. She is what Joseph Smith called a "Sandbag".

These pictures were taken after the baptism, so that is why Izaac and Alyssa are not in their jumpsuits.


This is Brother Peck and his wife. He was excommunicated and found faith just a year ago. When he wanted to get baptized, they couldn't find his records, so it counted as a missionary baptism. Mwa, ha, ha, ha. He was hilarious, though, as you can see as he unzips his baptism jumpsuit.


Us doing the pointing thing. Still don't get it...but okay.


Here is the greatest family of all time. The Llamas. That's Jamie and Oscar, and their three kids: Alex, Jr. and Juan. Yup, that may just be the highlight of my entire mission. And it was in my first transfer.


The man in the picture next to Oscar is Brother Lewis. He was the one who baptized them. He was awesome. It was weird though. At first, he hated the missionaries, and it wasn't until he met Jamie and Oscar when he realized we're not so bad.


You know the drill.

Dear Mother and Father

Well, this has been a pretty stressful week. We did not give a single church tour. No church tours means no new investigators. No new investigators means no baptisms. I had a falling out with Elder Cook and overreacted. From this, Elder Berger taught me a very important principle. D.G.A.F. Don't Give A Flip. You know how little things just bug me. Well, don't give a flip! Big things will happen and I have to take them as they are, and move on.

Jamie and Oscar were baptized on Saturday! I was an amazing baptism. Elder Berger sang with two other missionaries, I gave my testimony on the Book of Mormon, and everyone came. Even President Bowen. I haven't told you about him. Oh, I will later in the letter.

Holy Cow, I finished the Book of Mormon! I know it's true! I prayed about it and received and answer!

We are baptizing a family on Sunday! Gary and Michelle and their two kids. They are so legit. I actually tuaght part of the gospel of Jesus Christ (lesson 3) to them, and I didn't do terrible. I actually taught repentance pretty well. Woot!

I've finally decided I love tracting! Seriously, I love it. Whenever I am having a hard day, tracting always makes me feel happy. Although this has been a hard week, I have learned so much about how to be happy. Tracting brings happy blessings!

I just realized that I haven't told you about my mission president! His name is H. Kent Bowen. He's super short and he is so smart! He went to MIT and graduated in less than three years. Then he went on to be the head of the professors that taught him. He's super spiritual, and when he asks you questions, he always pauses, staring straight into your soul. He's awesome, though.

I got your packages. First, the one you sent. Thank you so much! The gloves rock! jamie and Oscar had given me gloves but they were thick winter gloves. So, now I have spring and fall gloves. And, yay for stamps!

The other package from you and the Mongie's was super, SUPER fun! It made my day. There was so much good stuff that I didn't know what to do with it all. Thanks so much for thinking of me.

well, I think that is all that is going on here. Transfers are coming up in two weeks and I am pretty nervous. Well, loves and stuff. Thanks for the packages.

Elder Courtney Casselman

p.s. Sunday will bring ten baptisms. TEN! There is also another family that wants to be baptized on the 26th. I may get thirteen baptisms!!

Next letter

Dear Mother and Father,

So, holy cow! This is the last week of the transfer. Part of me can't believe it's already over, and the other is so happy that five long weeks are finally over. It's been a crazy week. And when I say crazy, I mean no real missionary work, sorta, but while tracting, people have been so rude. I've got so many stories of rude people, but I'll spare you the details. Tracting has brought zero success. That's hard for me. I have not set up a church tour and then given it. Oh well, I will see success later.

Our black family is being irritating. They know the church is true, but they are scared to be baptized. In fact, one of their Baptist friends invited them to a Baptist church, so they went to that instead of going to the true church. Argh!

We got a hold of Collin. He's a single military man. He is always busy and we can never set up a church tour. Then, God intervened. Collin dropped a gun safe on his foot and almost shattered it. He's stuck in his house. Ha, ha, ha!

We've taught the first lesson and the Spirit was super strong, and we are teaching the Plan of Salvation tonight. He wants religion in his life but he loves chewing tobacco. I taught my first lesson without my trainers. It went awesome! I led another lesson all by myself! Woot! It wasn't really a lesson out of Preach My Gospel, but read Alma 32. So, woot!

I went and bought my own Risk board. I spent an hour and a half preparing the box the the two year journey. I taped the box, got bags for all the troops, and made these awesome card holders of tape for the two sets of cards. I'll send a picture of my awesomeness. Speaking of pictures, sorry I couldn't get any to you. I'll see if there is more time on my computer counter today. If so, you would have already gotten them.

Well, I am doing great! I've learned a lot. I love you. Thanks for the letter, dad.

Elder Casselman

Lacey, Washington Letter and Pictures

Hello! Wow, the family room looks great. Do the shutters block the sun well? I bet it is awesome not having that irritating glare on the tv anymore.

So, before I begin this email, let me say this. I don't have time to read the novella you sent me mom. Please don't send so much in an email. I don't have time to read it all, reply to it and send you pictures. Write a letter or even print it off.

Oscar and Jamie Llamas are so amazing. They are the people we baptized. The ward loves them, Jamie is looking forward to her next calling and Oscar is getting the priesthood on Sunday!! Woot!

Gary and Michelle are making us very mad. They won't commit a date and they went to a Baptist church just to check it out. We are still working on it.

I will be e-mailing you pictures now. I love you all.

This is a picture I took of myself one day. It's pretty sweet and I thought it would be a good heading for my blog.


This is Elder Cook and I.


Elder Berger and I. He's my favorite, and he really likes me. I try to obey and totally respect him. If not he'll wrestle me to the ground. I totally love him and he and I work so well together.


Elder Kanno and I.


So, Elder Kanno eats everything! This is his worst yet. It was a banana, strawberry, chocolate frosting sandwich. Yah, nasty.


Walking in a winter wonderland. Seriously, it was like Kaysville for a week. SNOW FOR A WEEK!!!


Our bedroom. Yup, when I saw that, I almost cried. Seriously, sleeping on the floor is weird.


HAHAHAHA! This is our wall of hotness. All of the chicks came out of the Ensign and the New Era. My bed is right below that.


These next pictures are of the bathroom and kitchen when I moved in.

The sink. Not as nasty as the tub but still, I didn't even brush my teeth in that thing!


The cleaned sink and counter. So beautiful.


Here is the tap of the tub. I had the hardest time showering in this place. Eew!


This is the infamous tub I told you about! Is it not gross?


Here is the clean tub. Look how sparkly clean it is. We tossed the shower curtain...there was no hope for it.


Our nasty, nasty kitchen.


Our kitchen after we deep cleaned it. The picture that I sent to you before doesn't come close to showing how disgusting it was. Well, it's clean now!


Well, that's pretty much all the pictures that are worth showing you. I have a whole ton of others but they are just silly things. The ones I have sent to you matter.

There are the baptism ones though, and they are coming soon. So, stay tuned.

Next Letter

There's not a lot to say. Sorry. The mission, the whole mission, has not done well...a fairly uninspiring week. So, not a whole lot has happened, so not a whole lot to say.

Washingtonians keep to themselves. No one actually know their next door neighbors.

The architecture is unusual. The dryer vents empty onto the front porch.

Also, they all have dogs. I don't like dogs anymore. Almost every house has them and they are loud, rude and make door approaches difficult.

Jamie and Oscar are getting baptized on Saturday. They are so amazing. It's kinda sad I may never meet someone like them again. I'll just work as hard as I can and talk to everyone!! We're up to four baptisms and Jamie and Oscar will make six. Woot!

Well, thanks for the letters and packages. I love you all and miss you all.

Elder Courtney Casselman