I know this blog is where I'm recording thoughts on Colby's mission, but I'm SO thinking of another mother who today sent HER son off on his mission.  Maybe it's cheesy, but I've admired this young man for years... best wishes for a happy, safe, and successful mission, David.

{source}

Today's email...

FINALLY! Well, it spring break. Come in the library around 10:20 and EVERYONE is here. It seems that more people in this geographical region of the world use the library for their computer time. Which I guess is good, but at the same time it doesn't help us out since this is the only place in which I can use a computer. We then did our shopping and lunch and all the other stuff instead. Now I'm online!

Well, today is suppose to be a big rain storm, we did have fairly big clouds but it didn't rain all that much. I'm waiting for all this "bad weather" to happen it really hasn't happened. I can't wait for the rain so we don't have to pay to wash our car, we have so far gotten, a pretty good clean of our car but it could still use a better clean. On top of all this weather, I have a sore throat and really don't feel all that great. I can't wait for it to pass away!!

As far as missionary works goes, this was our worst week since I have gotten here!!!! It just seems that all of our appointments canceled and we were able to teach a couple of lessons. Well, hopefully a tornado doesn't come in this area of the mission!!!

well,. . . . . . that seems to be all that I have to talk about! Onto the 8th article of faith!!!

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

aaahhhhh, this one. This one you will get a lot of varied responses. Some will say that the Bible is missing some things, others will say it's perfect, some will say you can't add or take away from the Bible, etc. All of that is nonsense, besides the first one. That is the main reason as to why we even have the Book of Mormon in the first place. The Book of Mormon is another Testimony of Jesus Christ, another witness to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. You would think people would love to have more to read about Jesus Christ. A decent amount of people probably don't mind reading it, but at once they don't see why. They look at it as another Bible but different story. Some of my companions have told me that people think it's the adventure of Brigham Young as he and the pioneers went west. Some people even mistaken it for the Doctrine and Covenants.

Like I said earlier before going on my rant. The Book of Mormon, helps us understand the Bible, at the same time it's not a documentary of the Bible. The Bible is a record of God's dealings with the people in Jerusalem, the Book of Mormon is the record of God's dealings with the people in the new world (America.) Their both history books in a sense. The thing that is different is the fact that the Book of Mormon was set for us, the people in this time/generation. You might ask why/how that is possible. When Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon he had about 1000 years of history from 600 B.C when Lehi and his family came over to the America's, down to about 400 A.D when Mormon was compiling the records. I cannot believe that 531 pages in today's syntax would have been 1000 years of history. In 4th Nephi that encompasses 300 or so years and it is only 4 pages long. I'm sure there could have been some good stories there, but Mormon didn't see them as something that could be of benefit to our generation.

I challenge you (the ones reading the e-mail) that you go through the chapters of the Book of Mormon and give them a title about what the chapter is about, for instance: Alma 32 is a chapter about faith, same with Ether 12. Ether 13-15 are war chapters, Alma 40 talks about the Resurrection, etc. So on and so forth. Do that with every chapter or most of the chapters. You will find a trend among the Book of Mormon and I will say to you all that those chapters that you find about faith, the one that has the most occurrences of that topic is what the world needs the most. I seem to be ranting, but I'll close with that the same thing Moroni did, the last book wasn't necessarily intended to be there, but he had the time. All the 10 chapters in Moroni are packed full of things that Moroni thought we would need. Who else was going to read the records? The rogue Lamenites? PLEASEE, they were too worrying about being wicked to want to read things that are spiritual.

I know that the Book of Mormon is a clarifying witness of Jesus Christ and the Bible, the Book of Mormon did not come into existence to do away with the Bible. Jesus Christ himself came into the world to fulfill the Law of Moses, he even observed it himself. Thus the Book of Mormon does the same, it comes to adhere to the Bible, but at the same time it extends our understanding of the message that Jesus Christ wanted us to here, I know that this is absolutely true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

received this photo today of elder haymond from a member in his area...

he looks pretty happy, huh?

elder haymond and elder eyre

my note back to the sweet sister that sent me the photos:

debbie, 

if you only knew how wonderful it is to see my boy!  thank you for sending those photos... we miss him terribly, but know that he is where he needs to be right now.  he looks great!

thanks again!

jeana haymond

her response back:

He does look great.  They got to stop by on their way to meetings at the stake center with the president. 

I love hearing about my elder and the next best thing is sending photos to MM moms.  Thank you so much for sending him our way.  I so know how it is to miss your sweet young man.  But, at the same time it is so comforting to know that he is doing such a significant work.  Not only in the lives of those he is teaching and serving but in his own, his companion’s and in those of his future wife and children.  What a blessing a mission is.  Seems like such an inexpensive way to create some pretty extraordinary people.

Have a fabulous day.

Debbie Jo

Thank you Debbie Jo for the wonderful pictures of our hard working elder!

Colby's First Transfer

We learned last week when Colby emailed us that he was being transfered this week, to Siloam Springs, Arkansas.  It's located just over the Oklahoma/Arkansas border and home to John Brown University.  Colby was scheduled to leave Sapulpa Thursday morning, and we hope he arrived in one piece =)  we usually hear from him on Mondays, but with tomorrow being a holiday we probably won't.  Complete bummer. His new companion is Elder Hammon... that should be interesting for the two of them.  Elder Haymond and Elder Hammon... updates to come!

It's Christmas Eve...

Yup... well, actually it's after midnight, which makes it Christmas DAY.  I've envisioned Elder Colby Haymond snuggled up in his top bunk in his new Christmas pajamas that we sent him.  He was supposed to open them tonight.  I wonder if he was sneaky, and opened them early... hmmm.  Better not have =)  I can envision the cute little tree we sent him with all the decorations all set up on his small desk, with the packages he's to open in the morning scattered around it.  The packages are larger than the tree, hee hee.  I know he will be cared for and loved tomorrow by wonderful ward members, but I can't help missing him just a little...

We do get to hear his cute voice at 1:00 tomorrow when he calls, I am excited for that!  I'm excited to see the look on Rian's face when she gets her turn to talk with him.  He sent us a card...

total Colby face, like he's not sure exactly what he's doing or how he's supposed to pose.  I love that he thought to send out cards! I know he is right where he needs to be, and that this will be a wonderful Christmas for us all.  I look forward to sharing it with him "cellularly..."

We love you Colby, Merry Christmas!

Colby is alive!

We were a little worried about Colby after the happenings of last week... they had several earthquakes last Saturday, the largest registering 5.6 - and tornados not too far from him.  When he didn't email on Monday OR Tuesday I was getting even more anxious.  I knew he was "fine," but I really needed to hear from him just to re-assure myself.  FINALLY today we were able to chat for a little bit and he has survived the natural disasters happening around him. Thank heavens!  =)  His email today is under the "Colby's Letters" page above this post.

newest email...

Colby actually gets to enjoy his p-day ON his regularly scheduled day... MONDAY!  we've been hearing from him on Tuesdays for the last few weeks, so it was surprising to get an email bright and early THIS morning.  =)  I was able to chat with him for a few minutes (via email) and he is missing family, but doing great.  Truly, great.  It's heart-warming to hear him so up-beat about things, especially finding investigators and his companion.  Elder Rowley comes home in December, and Colby has even suggested that we visit him... he must really like him =)

We truly miss Colby, but we know that he is where he needs to be at this time in his life.  His mission is a great opportunity for him to grow and learn life lessons, and we are SO very proud of him for making the choice to serve the Lord.  We love you TONS, Elder Haymond!  (Todays email is under "Colby's letters")