Natasha Schmid & Elder Arnett-

Natasha is Tyler’s best friend, Christiaan Schmids, Aunt. She lives in California and hooked up with Elder Arnett

I'll send this first just in case it happens again. Last week a missionary from Samoa unplugged the internet cuz his was going slow and jacked it up. It took me most the week to fix it but I did so that is why I didn't email. I had a nice long one written but it wouldn't send or even save cuz the internet was off so that is why I didn't email. No I’m not sick and no I don't hate you.

September 12^th 2011

Ok so things are going good. We are still working very very hard to baptize as many people as we can. We did have transfers and both Elder Manukailea and I stayed here in North Sac which means I’ll being killing Elder Manu. cuz he goes home at the end of the transfer. So that is exciting. He has a big goal of 8 baptisms for his last transfer which I have adopted as mine this transfer as well as if I had a choice but I’m glad to do it. We have a lot of people lined up for baptism at the end of this month and at the beginning of October. We will be very close to reaching our goal. So we have been working with people and some have been solid and some were solid but have been flaking a lot lately so we are really trying to find more and more so the numbers game comes in. Meaning if we have 100 investigators at least a few will get baptized. So that is going good. A couple of weeks ago we knocked on this old guy’s door who lived in a mobile home. He said he doesn't do religion or anything and wouldn't want to waste his and our time but if he was going to join a church it would be the Mormon Church. So we just went on and looked for more people. So this week we rode bikes every day to save miles up for a meeting we had to go to in Elk Grove on Saturday. Well as we were riding down the street we stopped to talk to this old guy in a motorized wheel chair. We talk to everyone so sometimes we have repeats. Well it turned out to be the old guy from the mobile home and we struck up a nice casual conversation then told him we would come by his home and he didn't object. So later in the week we went to his house and started talking to him about God and he said it was about time for him to join a church and the only one he would join is the Mormon Church. So we continued teaching him and gave him a book of Mormon and he accepted it. Everything we said to him he said it was like we were reading his mind and it was everything he really believes in his heart. So it’s been amazing. So he came to church on Sunday and said he can tell he’s making the right decision and was telling everyone he was going to join the church and it’s the only one he would ever join. He introduced himself in priesthood and said it’s taken him 76 years but he’s finally found the truth and he didn't even know he was looking for it. So it’s a miracle. It was awesome and we are super excited. We have experiences like that all the time. We are working with some really great people right now. So yeah it’s been real good. Yesterday Aunt Tasha came and visited me at church. She gave me a bunch of goodies before she left. She is very nice. I might call her up some time to take us out to dinner somewhere nice. So that was cool. You saw the picture of it. So yeah things have been going real good. We have a lot of great missionaries in our zone. It’s very diverse. There is a missionary from Samoa one from Tonga and the rest from the US but it’s cool. Elder Buttars is in my zone. We are doing great in the zone. We are the highest baptizing zone in the mission and are working to keep it that way. Even if we ourselves as the zone leaders have to get half the baptisms. It’s good though. This work is a lot more fulfilling when you exhaust yourself doing the work and then see the fruits of it. I wish I would have figured it out before. So that is what’s going on with me and some of my thoughts. Mom I need a new inhaler but I’m just going to get it myself. There’s a Walgreens around here so I’ll just take the box in and get a new one so I hope I have enough money for it. Also, Mom do we have insurance yet or going to get it ever. Sister Adams went home so she can't convince the missionary insurance to cover a different inhaler that they won't cuz asthma is a preexisting condition and the inhaler cost somewhere between 250 to 300 dollars. So yeah insurance would help that. As well, sorry I’m asking for so much, can you send me more garments. All my polly cotton ones are worn out and one of my mesh ones got ink all over it cuz my companion broke my pen. All I want are mesh ones. Maybe like six pairs? Only mesh though. I don't like the other ones. I wear xl tops and lg short bottoms. Please and thank you. Today is my 16 month mark. It’s going by so fast.

Love, Elder Tyler Pete Arnett

OK, since you didn't get a letter, I'll fill you in on some text messages my sister sent to me just a few minutes ago.

While at church, they were sitting on the first row behind the cushioned rows. They both saw something coming towards them fast & they realize it's a mouse! It ran right between them, they both look at each other in shock, not believing what they just saw. Elder Arnett grabs his bag & puts it on the chair next to him, and my sister is trying to keep from screaming during the meeting, she said it was pretty gross.

Elder Arnett says he is so busy with being a Zone Leader, but loves it. He is in great spirits and loves the area he is working in. He was super excited with all the goodies my sister brought him + the 8-pack of Powerade. She added a couple of bags of Swedish fish to the stash. He & his comp are going to hide everything from their other two roommates. He was shy & quiet when he met my sister at first, but warmed up to her as time went on. She showed him the picture of Elder Schmid & his mission president and wife we received last Monday shortly after his arrival in Africa. My sister told Elder Arnett to call her if he ever needs anything or needs dinner one night, she'll take them to dinner.

Emile