Welcome Home Elder Grover!!! It's wonderful to have him home!!!!!! It was the BEST 2 years for sure!  Although we love having him home, there are lots of mixed emotions....noone ever told me that his coming home would be as emotional as his leaving and that I would feel so much of what he's feeling...He misses his mission desperately and would go back in a heart-beat, if he could. But, I wouldn't have it any other way! To me that just means he was a wonderful missionary! Welcome Home Elder Grover!!!

June 7, 2012

So, we are busy ripping out floors, painting etc getting ready for our son to come home, but had to stop and post this letter we got this morning since It's one of the last and may be the last one I'll post. We have only posted a small portion of the letters he has written.  I'm so proud of this kid. He is just awesome! I can't wait to see him!  1 week, 5 days and 10 hours!

Hey Family
Sorry I haven't written lately...Don't worry, you will get 1 more after this...I will make sure! So, how are y'all doing? How is Aunt Linda? I hope news is good.

Well, this week has been really good to us! We found 6 new investigators! 2 while on exchanges...2 are from service a week or two ago. We helped them move into their new home in our area. They are both in wheelchairs...The guy, Gary was in the navy back in the day and is a huge guy. We taught them about the Book of Mormon and started on the restoration. It was awesome!

So, a couple of weeks ago there was a solar eclipse and we went out tracking and ran into a lady that had been baptized 15 years ago and has not been to church in about 13 or so...but she was totally awesome and cool. We've been back twice to teach her and the last time she told us that she had mentioned before the eclipse to her boyfriend how she missed church and all. She said when she saw us she was like, "really, God?"  She said after we left, she went inside her house and cried. I was glad the Lord led us to her. one of those tender mercies.

I love my mission and it is honestly kind of hard coming home. It will be awesome seeing ya'll and everyone. But, I am going to miss this. I have grown alot. I suppose I have come out of my shell while on my mission. atleast some. I've made alot of friends on my mission. I want to come back by the mission soon! It will be fun.

Anyway, how is the family? How's Browser doing? Some lady I was talking to said mutts live longer than normal. .....He probably needs a bath. lol

Anyway, Love y'all. I will see y'all soon! The church is True!!!!
Elder Grover

Letter received May 17, 2012 written May 14, 2012

Hey Family!
Good talking to y'all yesterday! It was tons of fun seeing all the little guys! I have to get used to saying all their names....Alayna, Ellie, Jonah & Noah and Kohen, right?
Thanks for being awesome! Oh, I just got a haircut today! So glad! The lady cutting my hair was pretty cool...She had some interesting pink hair. lol But she was cool. Her mom & sister are members though. I'm not sure if she is, she just may not think she is...lol
So, like I said, I have a goal of writing every week til I go home. So 4 more letters after this week. I'm going to start sorting through my stuff and figure out what I want to take home and I will send that stuff home. Also, I may be sending a bike home cause I may buy this trek this guy is selling. It's a Trek 3600 21" for $100.  Did y'all say that Hattiesburg is more bike friendly? I hope so cause I want to use my bike...
Oh, so let me tell you about a cool experience. We had Zone Leader Council and President showed us a new teaching approach. It's pretty simple really. Basically we ask if we can have a prayer with the family and then if we get in, we kneel and ask what we should pray for. Actually, we did that Saturday to that black lady I told you about. We asked and she let us in and we had the prayer. She thanked us and started talking about how she used to live in Utah and how she enjoyed it. We talked about the church and set up a return appointment. She started talking about her grandson and how he looks like me.!!!! lol !!!!! But, it was pretty cool. Such a simple thing..praying!
Anyway, thanks for everything you do Y'all are awesome! Love the gospel, Go do missionary work!!!!
Love y'all!
Elder Reo Grover

 Hey Family,

It was fun skyping yesterday! I really enjoyed it... It was fun seeing everyone... So many kids there! I think it will be fun... I'm gonna do some cleaning up and decluttering in my room/closet! lol, thanks for cleaning it up though... I left it quite a mess... didn't I? lol. So, you apparently got my flight itenerary then... It's crazy I don't get home till 8:30! it will be more like 6:30 to me but still! It's gonna be the kids bed time and just about mine! So am I getting released that night? that will be so weird! I'm gonna feel naked with out my tag... Anyway thanks for the fun yesterday...

 

Well we had a good week! We had 20 lessons this week... the highest I've had in a while... We set a date with this guy named Mark... He's a good guy but we are pretty sure he wants to be baptized because of his wife... So we are going to try and take it slow and make sure he gets a testimony... We had a good lesson with Marez in which he committed to quit coffee and tea... he is so addicted! lol but it will be good. He will give it up... Mary went to a baptism and loved it! once she quits smoking I think we can baptize her... She understands alot better than before... She's starting to get it... 

Well anyway, thanks for everything and we will talk later! Thanks for being awesome! love yall BYE!!

Elder Grover

Hey yall!

So, last transfer and I am staying in Antelope with Elder Ellsworth! We had a bunch of changes though in the zone... Every companionship has changed except us... Sister Totau who broke her ankle was supposed to go home today but instead she is staying out for a few more weeks till she is able to go to Hawaii and finish her mission there... I am definitely the oldest in the zone how ever... weird! I don't really feel it... lol, but apparently so. So Mother's Day is this Sunday! We are going to be skyping at a member's house. They have a laptop so we will use that... maybe someone has an iPhone... lol, face-time... Anyway, so I would heavily encourage yall to get someone's laptop with a camera built in... It will be alot better that way. You could show me around and everything... it will be fun!

So we had a good week... as far as things go. I've been on exchanges ALL last week just about.  It was fun though.  I was on bike 3 of those 4 days... It was fun! I miss the bike... I think I'm going to buy one when I get home. And I know exactly which one I'm gonna get... 

We have some good goals for this transfer. We are going to find 2 new investigators every week... We about did that last transfer but we want to keep it constant. We are going to try and make every moment count. We are going to have alot of fun and success this transfer. 

So, we also had all the "dying" missionaries at our home last night. It was fun. I am surprised at how not trunky I am for doing that for 4 or so transfers. But anyway, before this transfer I've only had 1 companion go home. Now I have 3... But thats it! Its crazy! I've served with alot of young missionaries man! I'm glad, my name can live on for a while. Elder Woodward and Curfew just got on the plane this morning! 

But anyway, thanks for the letter... You spent 20 bucks though! But that is amazing news about Justin! I can only imagine how his family is feeling right now!  Is he taking the lessons? That is soo cool! Tell him I said Congrats! 

I got the planner! It's sweet! thanks... and the other stuff is cool too... I don't know what I would do with out a planner.

So Sunday... we will probably call some time between 5 and 7 my time... it will be for about 45 minutes... So get every thing set up... I wanna see my room..  Love yall BYE!

Elder Grover

Elder Grover's Flight Itinerary

So we just got Elder Grover's flight itinerary...He arrives home June 19 at 8:30pm...I Can't believe it's already been almost 2 years! They really shouldn't send this information 2 months early, because it's probably going to be the longest 2 months since he's been gone! I'm so excited and I can't wait to be the first to hug that guy when he gets off the plane...

Letter dated 3.12.12 received 3.17.12

Hey Family!
Hey! How's it going back home? I heard about Grandma Trussell. I'm sorry to hear about that. Wish she could have waited a few more months.  I hope the funeral goes well. I bet it will be a packed house! Everyone in the Stake knows her. Could y'all send me some of the talks & such like you did with Grandma Bowman's funeral? It will be sad not hearing her on Fast Sunday "Isn't it Great to be a Latter-Day Saint!" But I bet she is enjoying herself with her family! This must be hard for Grandma Grover, Aunt Teresa, Janey, Linda and Aunt Judy. And Dad...How are y'all doing? I imagine it's been long expected, but going to be sad not having her though. I wonder how it is going to change our reunions. Not having Grandma there is hard. She's what ties us all to the Trussell's. Well, I hope everyone else is doing ok.

Well, on a happy note, we had our meeting with Elder Perry....and guess who I saw??? That's right! Elder Hinton! It was pretty cool! He filled me in on what's going on back home. Elder Perry's meeting was GREAT! Sorry, no picture there! But he shared some things on how the church has never been in the spotlight like they are now. And it's going to do wonders for the work...even the bad stuff is good because truth seekers (the elect) are going to search. And the fact that we have prepared with mormon.org and all the amazing church media is awesome!And that was a year before all of this got going! Elder Perry is the public affairs Rep and he said that if Romney becomes President, then he quits! lol He's joking, of course! But still funny!

So, how is the family? How's Browser? I really don't wanna get anymore calls from President....How are the kids? I still don't really grasp the fact that there are a ton of little kids running around! Crazy! Anyone else pregnant? 'Bout time for Jen, huh????

So, I just got done emailing y'all! Thanks! It was fun! We had a good p-day activity! We played baseball. It was fun! I got a few good hits. ...Our team won! Yeah, last week we played golf. It was fun! At first I couldn't even hit the  ball, but then it started flying! Hit a few 150+ I wanna play again!

The zone is great! Tons of new missionaries and all hard working...transfers are coming up soon though...it's getting weird cause I've only got 2 left after this one! NOT Cool! Wright's probably gone after this one.   So yeah, hopefully he doesn't leave and then I leave the next and spend my last 6 weeks in a new area! I'd rather leave now than do that.  But, hopefully I will 'die' here. That would be nice!  (die in missionary terms means finish the mission--go home)

So how is home? Is it getting hot now? I bet it's gonna be burning soon! How's everyone? How's Grandma Grover handling things? Has the Ward changed alot? Well, anyway, I've got to get going. But I hope y'all have a great week! Hope the funeral runs smoothly! Love y'all! Bye!
Elder Reo Grover