THANKSGIVING WAS SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!

     No I haven't got my glasses yet they are being so slow! but, I pick them up tomorrow. We spent Thanksgiving with part member and less active families. We had 4 invitations for Thanksgiving dinner but only made it to two. (The people like us here.) >.< We started by playing football in the morning then we went for Thanksgiving lunch at the Greens home. Joe, the dad, is not a member but he is the one that invited us. He got up at 7 a.m. to start cooking for us. .>.< It was sooooooooo good! There son wants to be baptized, he is super cool and was so happy when he found out we were the one that teach people so they can be baptized. When we left the Green's we went to the bishop's home and there were a lot of non members there. Oh, my goodness it so so goooooooooooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  sooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooood!!!!! That is the most amazing thing this week and we got a referral from the bishop and another member. And we have another investigator that wants so badly to come to church and be baptized. The problem has been finding him a ride. you see he is really big. but I think we have worked that out so he can be baptized soon.
     Yes, I did get your favorite Thanksgiving card and yes I did laugh very hard! I will get Lynn's address for you next week. Tell dad and Sarah Thank you for the letters. Oh and for Christmas I wan Onzies pajamas with footies and everything, with Turtles on them if possible. (That should keep me busy trying to find those). Oh, and lets see I got sick. I'll try not to tract in the freezing wind and rain for a little while. I'm so excited to get my glasses! My headaches have gotten a little better because it has been so cloudy and dark it has given my eyes a rest. I still have some what of a headache hopefully the glasses will fix that.
      Tonight we are going to a park that is covered in Christmas lights so I will have more pictures next week. Lynn went with us to try and visit a referral yesterday we ended up being in the bad part of town where we don't tract because Lynn will have a heart attack because this is apparently where everyone gets shot. Don't worry we only go there to visit appointments, no tracting) but lynn was all jumpy and stuff. It was so funny I told him to just drop us off and we'll tract here. You should have seen his face! Lynn always makes sure we have food and arranges rides for us. One time the elders were stuck in their apartment because of a really bad storm and Lynn called 9 different pizza places to find one that would deliver Pizza to these hungry Elders. Everyone seems to want to feed us. We got 2 dozen farm fresh eggs. So even though I'm coughing to death and I have intense headaches - I am loving it! >.< This is what I signed up for =) I would love some nyquil I am all out of that and as for coats and winter clothing I am good except for some thermals.
     I loved Zack's letter it made me laugh so hard! Tell max I do not agree with griefing in minecraft.The scriptures even talk about it you see Satan can only destroy he does not have the gift of creation like god.. Man are given the ability to create so Max should exercise his godliness and create not destroy.
Elder Mason is becoming a district leader!!!! You should send him a letter. Just address it to the mission office with his name on it. All righty then I think that is everything.
                                                            Love, Elder Campbell

Don't Worry Mom!

So Alex decided to send this picture and let me know that on May 23, 2011 the same day that tornados hit Fredericktown the apartment next to them caught on fire. I guess he thought since 6 months had passed I wouldn't WORRY!

Glasses!

    Well they said I needed my glasses as soon as possible so they started making them right away, even before you called and paid for them. The people there were very nice.>.< So there are a thousand things that I should send pictures of because there are some really famous things out here. Anyway back to the glasses and eye condition. It turns out that I am farsighted and needed a prescription... not to pumped about wearing glasses all the time but if it takes away my headache I'm all for it. So, being farsighted and still having 20-20 vision causes your eyes to over focus, also, my eyes are different prescriptions so that doesn't help with the headache thing. Basically my eyes were over working my brain and I also have enlarged pupils which makes my eyes light sensitive which also causes headaches. I can't explain it well so hopefully the eye place can. So I have tinted glasses that also get darker in the sun and make me look smart. It is hard to find glasses that don't make your face look fatter than it really is.
    I have been too busy to write to the Houghtans. I'll probably write them soon. I hope I get a notice when the baby is born and when they are getting sealed in the temple. If you want to do something for me. Please Pray for us to find an investigator. We have worked for 6 weeks and have not been able to find one investigator. So it would be so kind of you if you could pray for us to find people to teach.
    Thank you so much for all the cards and such!!! I'll try to take more pictures because at this rate I'll only have used one memory card by the end of my mission! Love Ya! I'll let you know how the headaches go with my new glasses. It might take a few weeks to know if the glasses are going to help.

HEADACHES

   Well a quick story for you about my headaches. they have been the worst they have ever been on my mission but I don't let it stop me. I might go through horrible pain but when the lord asks me to do something he always provides a way for me to so it. Wether it is my headache going away for 30 minutes or someone else filling my shoes during my last weeks in Frederictown. I had some really bad headaches and the past week in Alton has been almost unbearable, headache wise. But, there is a reason I came to Alton and why my headaches have been so bad lately. They believe they have found what causes my headaches and why I ge so tense. Remember Lynn the amazing member I told you about? He went through the same thing in his life. It started affecting him in his teens and got worse and worse as he got older to the point where he would black out. Mine have been getting worse and worse. Well remember we never went to an eye doctor about my headaches. Lynn was sensitive to light like I am and we both see really well at night. My pupils dilate often and so do Lynn's. He had to change the amount of light that enters his pupils. This sensitivity to light also causes stress to the neck and shoulder area. Also, his headaches would start in the back of the head that is where light and color are processed by the brain. My headaches were on the right side of my head, I am left eye dominant and the left eye transmits to the back right side of the brain and the right eye to the left. I don't know why I haven't n put the pieces of the puzzle together before (this being stuff I already knew)... Lynn fixed his headaches with tinted glasses and different tints work with different people. I forgot the actual name of what this symptom is called, but there is a name for it and it is something pretty new. I.m sure it is ok if I use our insurance for an eye doctor appointment. The day when Lynn, The Maclaims and I were talking about my headaches we also got a letter in the mail that there was a place giving 50% off of glasses this month.... I don't think all of this is by chance.
    Anyways on a lighter note Alton is great and the future looks good, Things are not going very well as far as missionary work but we can find comfort knowing that we are fight a good fight and not giving up. Elder Kennedy loves cookies and cream bars. Thank you so much for the packages they always make my week so much better. Speaking of feeding missionaries, ( I told him we were having the missionaries over for dinner) people feed us too much here, missionaries have been known to gain 35 pounds here in Alton. I have to be careful not to gain all of the weight I lost back. I just keep working it off.
    I am very excited about the possibility of my headaches going away even if it means wearing glasses the rest of my life. I'll be a new person. I'll be able to think so much better. But, even if it doesn't do the trick I've shown my heavenly Father a strong will and that I won't give up. I know I will be blessed for that! I can't wait to take you and dad and hopefully Sarah and Max to all the places that I have served, you will be so proud. Alright, time to go, I would love to hear from Zack Peterson and Max again>.<
Tell Max he will never beat me at video games because those who do the Lords will are blessed and receive strength in all things. Bye Bye Now.
                                                    Love,
                                                     Elder Campbell

Alex and the world's tallest man

Robert Wadlow is the tallest person in history, he was 8 foot 11 inches and 430 pounds when he passed away at the age of 22. Robert Wadlow was born and raised in Alton, Illinois. Alex looks like he is just a little kid eating his ice cream cone.

Surprise more pictures!

A member gave us 5 packages of Bacon!!!! Me cooking the bacon!!!!
Alex is looking like nobody better try and take his bacon away!

LETTER TO MAX

 I just had to post this.

Max, I'm gonna pawn you so bad when I get home in gears! You better get ready for your mission because if you don't I am gonna beat you to a pulp! I will make you ride bikes with me for 14 miles and then run 2 miles and then do 3 hours of scripture study a day!!! Oh, and keep beating Broc at video games.  >.<

SEND TUNA ASAP!!!!!!

     I Loved Halloween Here!  I NEED TUNA!!!!!!!!!!! I could use some more socks.... Yes, I got the package from Hawaii. Thank you very much! So Training is tough! I don't know why I am training so soon but I learn so much at the same time and I get to go to a ton of great meetings.
     I miss Griffin! I miss Max a lot. He better be getting ready for his mission!!!!! I never had to tract very much in Fredericktown because we had so many investigators. We have to tract here a lot...but it is so ineffective. If members would get involved we could put the Lord's time to better use.
     Did you know that Teej's sister just moved to Hawaii and you we're probably there when she was!!! The Fergurson's ( a family in the ward) just left today for Hawaii.

                                                      My HUGE pile of leaves.

                                                Enjoying a drink in my new turtle mug.

                                     Elder Kennedy looks a little worried about his companion.                                                                                                             So it was Elder Mc Daniel who left to go to the Netherlands. Elder Kennedy is here in Alton with me. There are too many things to tell you about so I'll send some pictures.
                                                              Love, Elder Campbell

MY APARTMENT IN ALTON!

Halloween in Alton

     So I have some sad news...... one of my sons left!!!!! His visa came really early which is sad but also nice because now I can focus on just one elder. Well, that is great that Tutu is doing so well. (Tutu is his ukulele teacher in Hawaii, that we visited last week.)
    Training a new missionary isn't really hard but you get to grow a lot and be blessed. Now white washing a dead area with almost nothing going on and trying to find out where to direct the work, now that is the hard part. So today Lynn a "freaking sweet" member, (am I allowed to say freaking?) is going to take us to see some historical places today and we are going to a Halloween parade. (The thing with floats and stuff)
It is the second oldest Halloween parade in the world. Oh and Alton is one of the most haunted cities in the United States. This is because of an old Civil War Prison was here in Alton. Almost all of the prisoners that were held here died from a small pox epidemic. When the prison was closed down it was torn down and the building materials were used in all of the old buildings in Alton. So, hopefully I will have some cool pictures next week.
     My son is from the North Salt Lake area. So going from Fredericktown and having 23 investigators, 8 baptismal dates to Alton having 4 investigators and 0 dates is kind of frustrating, but the ward mission leader said this is a really hard place for missionary waork. I do not want to fall behind on my goal, so I am going to do all that I can and hopefully we can find those people that are prepared. So I have one great story for you, we were in the ghetto's of Alton visiting a less active part member family. This little black kid about 6 goes " what are you" and I kindly replied "missionaries" and then the little kid says, "well you are one UGLY missionary"! I was laughing pretty hard.
    So along the river there are cliffs. I haven't seen cliffs in 6 months! I miss the mountains. I don't have  much to write about because I have been in leadership meetings and training meets in St. Louis for half of the week. I am so proud that you are reading the book of Mormon! Tell dad that I want him to read all of the standard works before I get back. Anyways I have got to go!!  I Love you and I'll write more next week.    Love, Elder Campbell