Letter #40, Stuart March 8, 2010

Hey Mom,
It's zone p-day today... so I've been playing b-ball all day! We got up really early and went and watched the sun come up... it was really pretty and I loved it! Well last night Gladys Knight came and had a firesite.... it was way cool !!! We went with Brother Futo and another lady in the ward named Michael she is really nice! The firesite was so cool... I loved it!! Her and her husband bore their testimonies and it was really good! The music was sweet it was really good! Humm Brother Futo got a really bad headache though so I had to break the rules and drive home so don't tell ok!!!!! Well Elder Engemann is doing pretty good.....I'm just trying to be a good example but sometimes I have to give him a boost... but it's ok I'm sure I was like that when I first got out here! Well I saw alot of people from St.Cloud last night at the fireside and they all talked to me! It was really cool that they all remebered me. It made me feel really good !!!Well I have to go but I will write back soon..... I have to go LOVE you !!! Elder Summers!!!

Hey Mom,
I'm back I had to go the library to finish this!! Well how is everyone doing?? Hmm how are the kids in Pima doing ? The youth in the ward is really weak so I'm trying really hard to strengthen them!! I have had a little success but not as much as I'd like.... but we have found alot of new people to teach last week so that hopefully will lead to some more baptisms!!! Well tell all the family thank you for the gifts and cards.... sorry I can't write back but I don't really have anytime!!! This week we have to end are p-day by 4 so we can bike 15 miles to a appointment that we have. Man it's going to be a really hard and long ride.... I'm really tired from playing basketball all morning!!!! Well I'm doing good I don't really need anything but tell Dad and Cal that I'm really sorry I haven't been able to write them!!! Tell them that I love hearing from them and that I love them!!! So has Cal started to work out yet??? How is your diet going?? I'm really stating to like fish and I buy some every Monday! I have it once a week but it's pretty expensive. I'm doing good but I need to start writing in my journal more!!! I'm going to buy another "Preach My Gospel " ...mine isn't in very good shape! Well I LOVE you guys so much and thanks all you do to show your love for me!!! Elder Summers

Letter # 39, Stuart March 1st 2010

Hey everybody thanks for writing me. I haven't got the packages but I am going to get them today!!! Well I'm doing good and working hard my trainee's name is Elder Engemann ...he is from Provo. He is a really good missionary and I love him a lot!! Well thank you guys for all your support.... sorry for not writing more but its hard ....I never have time !! But I do love hearing from you guys!!! Thank you for the b-day packages too!!!! Well I'm doing really well and Michael's baptism was really good!!!! We are pretty low in are teaching pool but we just need to get out there and find more people to teach. Well I'm doing good but in a little while I will need more white shirts and church sock but I'm good for now. I opened the last two new shirts a few days ago and I will probably throw away a few of the really gross shirts. I will need new pants soon too but my shoes are fine for now. I well send a box of stuff home before I get transfer. Can I send a sword home? OK I'm going to deposit all the of money today. I kind of want it to go into my bank account so it can help build interest but whatever!! Well I love you guys so much and hope Bentley is getting better! Thank you for the tape it was way cool... I loved hearing bent... that is crazy she can talk so good.. man I miss her!!! Well I'm ready to watch all the naruto with cal but I still have along time before that happens and I need to make the most of it while I'm here!!! I love this work so much I'm doing great..... love you guys bye Elder Summers

Letter from President Darrington 22 Feb 2010

Dear Elder Summers:

Congratulations on your call to serve for a period of time as a Trainer in the Florida Orlando Mission. As a Trainer you are filling one of the most important positions in this mission. The work that you do as a Trainer, and the diligence in which you carry out this responsibility, will determine the effectiveness of this mission for many years. The missionary you train will be your legacy. As you know, that success will greatly influence how the rest of his life will turn out. As a Trainer you must do the following to set the right example for the new missionary you train:

1. Become a missionary of faith and be strictly obedient.
2. Plan daily, weekly, work smart, and hard.
3. Pray with faith that you might be successful in teaching and baptizing.
4. Set the right example in every way.
5. Make Preach My Gospel the focus of your preparations, planning, study,proselyting and teaching.

We know that you will be successful as you train a new missionary. My prayers and blessings are with you.

Sincerely,

John C. Darrington
President, Florida Orlando Mission

Letter #38, Stuart Feb 22, 2010

Hey Mom,
I'm doing good here. I am going to be training this transfer.... so that pretty crazy!!! I'm getting to know the ward a little better but anyway Elder Carmack is going to go with a light house builder (suck up) and Elder Whittaker is leaving and Elder Barnes is getting a missionary that went home but is coming back! Elder Barnes will be with me and my companion for like a week!!! I'm really stressed bout being a trainer but I'm OK.... Joshua 1:9!!!! Well tell Uncle Ty I said to give Mandi a blessing!!! I'm going to write her today again!!! I still haven't seen pictures of James baby... tell him I'm waiting !!! ok it's still President D!!!I won't get the other President until my year mark remember?? Well tell Cal thank you for her letters it means alot to hear from her. Tell her I'm proud of her... and are you guys still working out? Well my leg still is messed up and it sucks but Oh well !! Michael is going to be baptized this Saturday!!! Yea I see some of my MTC people every once and awhile! It is always really neat to see than and I would want to be companion with Elder Ellis because he works hard!!! Well I'm doing good I don't need any thing but should I put my money in the bank or what? I have alot so what should I do with it??? Hey I'm going to hunt and fish alot when I get back. I'm going to hunt with a bow after awhile... but tell Uncle Mike I'm ready to go with him!!! Well send a questionarie thing if you have any more questions!!! Ok I love you and wish me luck on the trainer thing and KEEP PRAYING WITH CAL EVERY NIGHT PLEASE OUT LOUD AND TAKE TURNS !!!!!!! Love You...Elder Summers!!!

Letter 37, Stuart Feb 15, 2010

Mommy,
I miss you! I'm always so happy to hear from you and thanks for all you do. I'm doing great and Elder Carmack is doing good! Transfers calls are this sat wonder if I'm staying or going! Humm the only friend that writes me still that isn't a girl..... is Zach!!! I miss him and I'm really scared for him!! But I mostly just hear from you!! Well I took that 100 dollars out to give away to this poor guy!Just kidding.....I'm going to buy some stuff that I need!! I have a lot of money hanging around ....should I just put it in the bank or send it home or what I want it to go into my account so the interest will build !!!! I'm happy you still talk to Tracy and Liam and all the Halls! We are going to go see them when you come get me OK! I haven't gotten your packge yet! I would have gotten it Saturday but since we live in an appt they just leave a note saying that I have to pick it up at the post office and since it's Pres. day today..... no mail for me!!!! There isn't that many cool members here but there is a few my favor..... is the Futo family!!! They are having us over for dinner tonight again.... stuffed peppers!!! Hey you guys should feed the missionaries once every month.... that's what I'm going to do when I get back !! Well Michael is still going strong and he is coming to dinner with us.... then we are going to watch The Testament.. it an hour long but it's a really good movie!! The Futo family is Bro and Sis Futo the two daughters Courtney and Chesly and two boys Clayton and Carson ..so they are cool!!! I will try and keep taking pics. Do you have rechargeable batteries though.... I'm almost out!! Well I have been sick for like a week but I think I'm over it. Well I'm starting to work out a little bit but I'm still skinny little Braunson.... I think I have gained some weigh though!! So that's cool you don't drink any sodas now. You are like me... I try to have the vey basics and only eat bread, water, milk, plane oatmeal and I sleep on the floor still.I don't know why... I just like to try and and do stuff that the natural man doesn't like to do..... like fasting and not eating sweets or sleeping to long!!! I know I'm a wierdo!!! Well tell Cal that I'm really proud of her and tell her to give President Monson a big hug for me!!! The last time we were at the Futos we watch this thing on the life of President Monson and it was really cool !!! The other Elders I live with are Elders Barnes and his trainee Elder Whitaker!!! Barnes has been out over a year he is the big Asian kid in the pics and Whitakers has glasses!!! Elder Whitaker will probaly get transferred... he is a really nice guy and he looks up to me... I think he is always talking to me anyways!!! Barnes is also a cool guy!! Anyway I have been good lately and I'm alot better on not getting mad !!! Carmack has been out one less month than me....he is cool and I love him ! They are all cool guys and I love them all! But we could all work harder so I don't think I should judge!!! Well tell Tracy I said hi and I love her and her family!!! I never got any tapes from you guys or even a blank one so I can make one for you guys... so send some so I can listen to your voices and send a blank one and I will make one for you guys!!! I have lots of cool ties now!!! I wear a lot of brown ones and purple ones but they are cool!!! I gave two of my suits away so I just have that blue one and a brown one Elder Delucchi gave me! Elder Delucchi is 2 years older than me and he is now a zone leader!! I'm going to write him and send a pic or something!! He is still my favor companion.... I think ...I don't know I have had three good ones!!!! Well are new mission Presindent name is Hall and it's going to be different with a new President! So I hope there is stamps in the packge if not I will buy some!! Humm when I get back or maybe at my year mark I'm going to buy a camo backpack so that I can use it for hunting when I get back ok.... they are like 90 dollars for a good one but I will talk to you about it later!!! Well I'm glad everyone is doing good and I'm going to write Brod and Taryn a happy b-day letter! I still have your CTR ring mom and I will send it home soon!!! Well ok how is everyone doing there?? Could you get Riley's address for me... I think I'm going to drop him a line! I can't wait for some good food when I get home!!! Tell Grandma I'm ready for some rolls or tortillas or both ...I had some good bananna bread the other day and it made me homesick for Grandma's good food and yours too!!! Well i guess Elder Carmack is ready to g...... so I LOVE YOU!!!! bye bye mommy Elder Summers

Letter #36, Stuart Feb 8, 2010

Mom,
Sorry about the money.... I put it back in the account!! Hey is that my card from the account with my money from Graduation and work? If so let me know because I have some money I want to put in there. Well that guy ripped me off and it sucked..... but I learned my lesson I'm sorry!! Mom I just didn't know what to do but I am sorry and I won't let it happen again!!! Well I don't really want anything for my b-day.... maybe a black suit with purple tint I don't know though.... I'm ok!!!! Well I'm glad the Saints won... good for them!!! I'm so proud of Cal tell her I think that's really cool that she got her YOUNG WOMAN MEDALLION and that she has made me really proud!!!! Well I miss Bent really BAD.... I can't wait to see her again!!! That's really neat that she remember me!!! Humm that's cool about your diet I know you can do it !!! Well my studies have gotten a lot better from when I first came out !! I'm working on things now it's crazy the Lord has really opened my mind!!! Well for my gators we are working with a few people but the only one with a date as of right now is Michael Denis.... he is this 52 year old guy that his son and his son girlfriend live with him along with their twins!!!! He is nice but his family doesn't really talk to us.... so please keep him in your prayers!!!! Thanks!!!! Well I think I'm getting bigger..... is Brodee still working out alot ? He is probably way stronger than me now!! O well!!! So it's week 5.... so that means transfers are soon !!! Well I'm a little sick.. but I'm getting over it!!! How is everyone doing ? Well I'm slowly starting to like the ward and they are finally starting to feed us and help us out. I love them though!!! I'm trying to change even more and become more loving than I am right now!!! I can't wait to come home and spend time with you guys.... its going to be great I can't wait to go home and play ping pong and be with you guys.... but right now I have a great work to do and I'm going to do it the best I can !!!! Well I LOVE you so much!!! How is everyone in the ward doing????? And what's going down in Pima ??? Well I Love you and thank you for everything you do for me mommy I LOVE YOU sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... much !!!! Love Elder Summers

Letter #35 Stuart, Feb 2 2010

Hey Mom
Ok I will write Mandi dont worry !!! That suck about the missionaries that died! Well today is zone pday so I don't have much time but I LOVE you so much and I got you a shirt.... I will send it home before I get transfrred ok? Well I'm having trouble with people not accepting us... but other than that I'm doing great!!! I have step up my studies and its my favorite part of the day!!! I'm working on alot of things at once and the Lord has open my mind and I'm actually learning so much.... I love it!!! Well I'm doing good but I need to write some letters to all the family!!!!! Tell everyone I love them and think about them everyday. I love that picture of all of us together!!! Well I have to go.... love you so much.... sorry I have to go! Cal you are the best sister ever.... I love you!!!!Elder Summers