12/22/09 Merry Christmas HoHoHoHoHoHo!!!!!!!!! 12/25/09 Visit with Jacob on Christmas Day

Dear Family and Friends,
How are all ya guys doing. I am doing great.
My sweet place that I'm staying at, a house (if you wanna call it that is huge) it is more like a mansion, everything metal is made out of brass. It is always nice and warm in there. Our host is a great old lady, that built it for her maid to live in, but the maid didn't want to live in the house so she gave it to the church. So it's like our super nice pad.
Oh and about the ipod remember I told you that it was stolen? If it had not I would have it on my mission, because I found out that our mission president is a very awesome guy and he lets the missionaries have ipods as long as it has church approved music on it, so he basically holds us to our word, I love him a lot he is a great guy.
That is great to hear that the package is on it's way, to tell you the truth I was getting kinda a little jealous of my comp getting Christmas cards and money practically every other day.
Oh and something that I would love is some pictures of the family, especially the nieces and nephews. I want to watch them grow up, so make sure you keep those updated for me.
About the call, I don't really know what time I will be calling, so be at the phone ready to pick up. Sorry I couldn't get a time, I've been really busy lately.
Hope you all have a merry Christmas. Talk to you in three days.
Love ya much,
Elder O'Brien



12/25/2009
Christmas Day Call
We had a very nice talk with Jacob. He sounds great, it was great hearing from him.
He is doing fine. He had a very nice Christmas.
He has been eating very well and has gained 25 lbs. Unfortunately now his clothes don't fit and he had to get another suit (used). I told him he better start riding that bike again as he has been driving around in the car. We call him chubs. He did not like that.
It was great talking to him
Posted by,
Mom

12/14/09 News from MAPLE VALLEY

Hello Family and Friends,
It has been great here, the people are great, they are so awesome.
I finally somewhat memorized the area enough so at least we are not late for each appointment.
Oh and we got our first snow storm here it was a whopping inch and a half a lot huh and then it melted like a day later, so clear street again. It has actually been very cold here recently tho, people around here say it doesn't usually get down in the 20's like it has been for the past few days. Yeah I know it still isn't as cold as Utah, but it sure feels like it, when it gets down to 20 and the wind chill factor is in the the teens and to top it off we have high humidity, it gets pretty nippy when we are out tracking, the wind not only freezes you to the bones, it freezes you to the soul, it's nuts. Anyways I love ya all, have a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

12/7/2009 Greeting from MAPLE VALLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the Nativity Pictures

Hey Family and Friends,
Wusup, that is great that Danny boy is going to college, Snow is great.
Everything here is green as always no change, tho yesterday it did snow a little at church, but then it melted and it was once again green.
Oh and about the pictures I will send them home, hope 232 or so pictures will keep ya busy for awhile.
About Christmas as soon as I get the number and time I will send it your way.
This week has been great, mostly I have been memorizing this humongous area. Also this last weekend was awesome I got to usher in this annual Christmas creche thing that Maple Valley puts on every year. What the creche is, people who have nativities from all over the world bring their nativity to be exhibited, it is so awesome I got to see all kinds of them, from a nativity made out of food and chocolate and legos and wood and shells and veggie tales and even had some snowmen nativity. They also had some silver and crystal ones as well, I will be sending those pictures home also. Also they had people playing instruments of all kinds and singing, it was a great three nights, very tiring, but great tiring. I did two 7-9 patrolling shifts and one 5-9 shift. Basically my job was to make sure no one touched anything and didn't steal anything and it was also our duty to shew off any anti Mormons that was hanging around and putting anti-Mormon literature on the windshields, thankfully we had none of that. But they said last year there was a group of people that would come to bash with the people that was trying to mind their own business and look at the creche, so the users had to shew them away. So yeah that was my week.
Love ya all, have fun at home, your son and brother,
Elder O'Brien

12/2/2009 GREETINGS FROM MAPLE VALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Family and Friends,
Hey uhhhhhhh sorry bout the delay on the email. Got transferred yesterday and didn't have time to email so that's why I'm emailing today.
This transfer my new companion's name is Elder Knotts. He is a great guy, both of us are lost most of the time because I am new and he has only been in the area for six weeks and this area is like HUGE!!!!!!!!!! compared to my last two areas. He is from Payson Utah and has been out for 17 months, so I am going to try to learn all that I can from him.
About Christmas could you ask aunt Dede if I could get a navigational system? They are so nice to have especially in big areas and also I would like more care packages which I have not received too many.
Thanksgiving was great we went to this Lady's house and got there at 5 and didn't eat until 7 ,but it was awesome, got to see a few raccoons. It was great yummy food.
All is great here, my new area is beautiful, it is full of pine forests all green, it actually hasn't rained in a couple of days. It has just been very cold (the low most of the time has been 45).
Well have fun and I love you all,
Elder O'Brien

11/24/2009 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Family and Friends,
My week has gone great, can't believe it was three months on the 19th time, It is going fast for me.
I do have a Thanksgiving planned for me. I'm going to a less active lady's house and I'll bet her food is going to be great.
Oh man did I eat good last night. I went on exchanges and one of the missionaries is a Tongan so I got some Tongan food which I found out that you eat with your fingers. He cooks this huge pot of chicken and potatoes and onions and while it is still steaming hot he tells me to reach in (without a serving spoon) and grab what I want, at first I thought are you crazy? Then he goes reaching into the pot and grabs this extremely hot potato and hold it in his hand for like 10 seconds, so I couldn't let him show me up, so I dove in too, got burnt hand, but at least I showed him that palangis (translated from Tongan as, white boy) ain't wimps, it was a lot of fun.
Well I gotta go. Luv ya much, have a great Thanksgiving.
Elder O'Brien


Family we taught in Bellevue name Tony and Teresa


From back left to right Elder Adams Me Elder Samani, front left to right Sasha's mom Kay and then Sasha, the person who baptized her, brother Ven,

11/16/2009 News from BELLEVUE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Family and Friends,
The weather is awesome not too cold not too hot just right, it rains a lot though like every day and when it is not raining it is drizzling.
I can't believe I only have two more weeks in my transfer where has the time gone? I got a baptism last Saturday is name is Benny Kuo he is Chinese and an awesome guy.
Love ya all very much talk to ya at Christmas,
Elder O'Brien


From left to right Elder Gemmel he is one of my AP's next is Elder Samani then a guy I met only twice named Matt he baptized Benny next is Benny Kuo he is Tiawanese and is a great guy before he was baptized he was thinking about going on a mission.


Benny Kuo and I

11/9/2009 I got to shake Elder Perrys hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Family and Friends,
The work is great I have a baptism this Saturday so that will be my first baptism his name is Benny and he is 17 he is a great guy he has already set up his program and is very excited about being baptized and receiving the priesthood. My other baptisms are on the 21st 28th and 19 of Dec. the last one I doubt I will see, but hey who cares at least they are being brought into the fold of God.
The work is great, tho I am suffering a little from homesickness once in awhile.
Elder Samani is teaching me so much as is Elder Adams. They both come from way different worlds then I do and are teaching me a lot of patience and humility.
As for the mission it is great. I recently went to a mission conference where Tacoma mission and Seattle mission combine. We listened to Elder L Tom Perry and L Whitney Clayton And G Garon Walker, it was an awesome experience. At first we didn't think that we would be able to shake their hands because of the swine flu that is going around (in which I got a shot for which was not fun at all) but then Elder Walker came up to the stand and says that Elder Perry and Elder Clayton wants to shake our hand and that they will have hand sanitizers available. So we all lined up and got to shake the hands of Elder Perry, Elder Clayton and Elder Walker. All I can say is oh man it was AWESOME!!!!!!! and the stories that I have heard about Elder Perry being a large man is not a lie, he is a tank and getting to shake my hero's hand was a very humbling experience. Then all three of them talked to us about our missions, it was great. Elder Perry is a very funny man, he was constantly joking around with the missionaries he shook hands with. Anyways that was my week it has been a very fulfilling week and also good news is I finally got 20 total lessons this week which is the mission standard.
Well love ya all very much,
Elder O'Brien
P.S. I will try to take more pics and send them home ASAP.


Me and elder Lauti then from left to right is my old companion Elder Adams who is from Ceder City Utah, the middle is my old district leader Elder Chalmers he is from Montana he is a great guy the last one is Elder Samani My second companion in Bellevur he is from Provo Utah and went home last transfer he is also a great guy


Elder Wilson me and Sister Wilson they are Senior Missionaries we have in the mission that worked at the office while I was in Bellevue. I got to know them a lot and have considered them as my unofficial Gram and Gramps. They are going home at the end of this transfer which makes me sad.

11/2/2009 Greetings from Bellevue !!!!!

Hello Family and Friends,
Life is great here. By the way I have four on date baptism scheduled for the 14th 21st and 28th of November and the 19th of December. So I am super happy that Elder Samani and Elder Adams are great, they are teaching me so much and yes they are way better than my last one.
About the memory card there is no photos yet I was messing with my camera and I accidentally deleted all my pictures so all the pictures I took in the mtc and my first transfer is gone, so yeah I am really sad right now about that, but yeah thanks for the memory card.
So yeah love ya much,
Elder O'Brien


top from left to right Elder Lauti, me, Elder Price, Elder Mellor, Bottom from left to right Elder Chalmers, Elder Samani and Elder Pettijohn and the rock that was our goals for baptism for the district for the month of November.


Me and Elder Lauti

10/26/2009 Greetings from Bellevue !!!!!

Hey wuss up Family and Friends,
Here, it is great elder Samani and Adams are wonderful teachers they are always teaching me something new everyday (unlike my Trainer). We have three people on date so far and am getting more.
Oh I found out that there is another Elder O'Brien out here, he is from Nevada, haven't met him, yet!!
I wish I could have been there to welcome Daniel home, but this is where the Lord wants me right now.
Well have fun.
Love ya all,
Elder O'Brien

10/20/2009 Transfers!!!!!!!!!

Hi Family and Friends,
I am doing great. I am so happy that I am going to a new area, my trainer elder Yoza was not a very nice trainer, he was constantly calling me names. It was a miserable six weeks which is making me curious as to why he is getting another greenie.
Oh well, it is done.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

10/13/2009 Quickie

Hi Family and Friends,
How are you all doing?
That is cool that Daniel was able to talk on prayer for his homecoming and yes I do pray every time I go out side to go tract.
The weather here has been great the coldest it has been is 32 F and the hottest is 80 F so it is great weather.
I went to the Seattle Temple it is a beautiful temple I was not able to take any pics tho (forgot the Camera) next time I will bring it.
I need to buy wheel sleeves and a flashlight for my bike and yes it is great, it is way better than the one I had.
Oh sorry oi au ee means oh man in Tongan. Elder Vaenuku taught me that one. About my companion Elder Yoza he is fine, I can't believe my first transfer is almost up and I am losing him, this Saturday is the end.
Well love you all, your son and brother,
Elder O'Brien


Me and Elder Vaenuku he is from Tonga and he is very rich but very humble guy and he told me that if i ever decided to move to Tonga he would get me a parcel of land and a house which i might take him up on that offer

10/05/2009 It was great, oi au ee

Hello Family and friends,
Conference was great, wasn't it? Oi au ee I am so jealous, that you (Mom, Dad and Daniel) where able to watch it at the conference center. I watch them all at the stake center, my favorite was Elder Perry on missionary work, it was so AWESOME I hope that the talk will give the people here a bigger desire to share the gospel with their neighbor (something they have not been doing recently) and Holland's talk oh my, that was an awesome talk. I love how he was so bold about the Book of Mormon, it is exactly how I feel like saying to all these people who think that the Book of Mormon is fake, it is so frustrating, as quoted from this one guy I spoke to last weak. "Oh I think that the stories in the Book of Mormon has a good moral story, but I don't thing it is true and I certainly don't think that Joseph Smith translated it" he said this after being taught a lot of the discussions and also reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover. Also this lady whom we have been teaching for a year ("We" meaning SEVERAL missionaries) has been taught all the lessons at least twice and has just barely finished the Book of Mormon. Her reply to us on asking her to be baptized is " I don't think that I need to be baptized again" even after we have taught her about having to be baptized by the authority of God several times, she said she is no longer interested and so we had to drop her. I just hope what she is doing is making her happy because I think she will regret her decision when she dies if she never changes her mind.
So yeah that is my weekly report and God bless you all.
Elder O'Brien
P.S. To explain the title I have a Tongan Elder named Elder Vaenuku (see if you can pronounce that) in my area and he constantly says that sentence so it has caught onto me, so now I am saying it all the time.

9/23/2009 Greetings from Auburn Washington

Hi Family and Friends,
Everything is great here, my legs are finally getting somewhat strong so that I can make it up all these hills.
That is awesome that Daniel is coming home this Thursday, he probably is going to sleep all day Friday because of jet lag.
I'm jealous that I wish I could go to the conference center to watch conference, and yes I will be able to watch all five sessions, but I will be watching them at the church and not in the comfort of a home and also another thing is I am not going to be able to watch the programs they have in between the conferences, but oh well.
My companion elder Yoza is great even though most of the time we disagree on a lot of things (probably because I'm American and he is Japanese) but other than that he is teaching me a lot. Anyways gotta go.
Love ya a lot,
Elder O'Brien

9/21/2009 Hi

Hello Family and Friends,
Things are great here.
My legs are very sore because of all the riding I have been doing. My companion Elder Yoza is great, he is teaching me a lot of new stuff, stuff I did not learn in the MTC.
We currently have no baptisms yet, but we are trying to get this couple married and come to church so that we can baptize them, we are going to talk to them tonight so that we can talk about their marriage date and baptismal date.
Until next time love ya all,
Elder O'Brien

9/14/2009 Quickie

Hello Family and Friends,
Hey how is it going?
I am doing great out here. I ride a bike all over the place right now, so it's kinda hard, but hey at least I'm staying in shape.
Until next time.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

9/8/2009 Arrived

Hey Family and Friends,
I arrived at the mission home intact. I believe that I am finally here. I rode in the car of Pres. and Sister Moffat and was able to talk to them on the way to the mission home.
Pres. Moffat is awesome, a great man, he is very kind and loving, Sister moffat is the same way.
My new companion is great and the area is beautiful. The weather is very nice.
It is awesome. I am glad that I am going out today to preach the gospel, can't wait. I have an appointment to teach the first lesson at 6:30 today, it is going to be great.
I hope all is going well at home and I miss you all.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

9/3/2009 Doing Great

Hello Family and Friends,
Things are going great here, I am really feeling the spirit a lot, I have five more days here in the MTC until I go out. I am so excited, I have come to consider this place my home these past couple weeks, it's been so awesome here. FYI I leave Tuesday morning the 8th at 4 am, but hey at least I can sleep on the bus and plane over to WA. Well I gotta go.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

8/27/2009

Dear Family,
I am doing great. Today was so awesome, Elder Scott came and talked for one of our devotionals. I could feel the spirit it was so strong. Wish you could have been there when we got outside, we got some more advice from him and I was 9 feet from him. It was so spiritual to be there with an Apostle of the Lord.
How is Daniel doing on his mission? Tell him life is great in the MTC.
Love,
Elder O'Brien

8/20/09 Hello from the MTC

Hey Family,
Life is great here at the MTC. My new compainion's name is Elder Hansen, he is a great guy. I wish I could have him for 6 weeks instead of only 3.
We had a fireside By Elder Bednar, well I would'nt call it a fireside because it was a recording of him doing a fireside in 2001. I will never forget the words he spoke "Become a missionary, don't just go on a mission".
Hope everything is going well and know that I love you all.
Love,
Elder Jacob O'Brien

8/19/2009 Going back to the MTC / PICTURES

After we dropped Jacob off we decided to go over to the creamery and get some ice cream. Going back to the car it was then that we noticed I did not have my keys. So back to the MTC. Jacob had the keys. This time we went in to the main lobby and told them Jacob had my keys. They had a hard time finding him, but 30 minutes later I had my keys.
Pictures: Front of the MTC; one in the lobby. Notice where we are parked, MTC Presidency.

8/19/2009 At the MTC / PICTURES

After 2 1/2 months of getting ready the big day finally came and we took him to the MTC. He was very excited. They don't let you go in so we said our goodbyes at the curb.
Pictures: Top left, Mom, Jacob, Dad; Jacob and the 2 Elders that checked him in.
Bottom left, Hiram, Jacob; Jacob and companion (notice he carries everything)

05/29/09 Mission call arrived / PICTURES

Jacob received his mission call today. We caught a few of his cute expressions.