Zone Leader

Dear Elder OAKES,
Congratulations on your new assignment as a zone leader! Please see the attached letter regarding your new assignment.
Sincerely, The MTC Presidency

Congratulations on your assignment as ‘Zone Leader’. You have been assigned by inspiration and given the responsibility to be an example to the members of your branch. As you personally maintain the high standards of the Missionary Training Center, and keep yourself spiritually prepared to receive the promptings of the Holy Ghost, you will be an inspiration to the missionaries in your branch.
This is a special opportunity for you to develop the Christ-like qualities of leadership that will invite others to follow your example. This means to lead in love. Be sensitive to the needs of the missionaries in your branch. Some may need an encouraging word to bolster their faith and confidence. Remember to follow the counsel of your branch president. Make him aware of special needs as you see them and report anything that you may notice as being amiss.
By your example of faith and obedience, you will encourage and strengthen others to serve with commitment. In the Doctrine and Covenants 121:41, the Lord counsels: “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned.”
Be clear and bold in your counsel and your leadership of other missionaries. (D&C 121:43) If you expect and require the highest level of obedience and dedication, your missionaries will raise themselves to that level. Please refer to your missionary leader guide book for specific responsibilities.
May our Father in heaven bless you as you serve in this important responsibility.

Dear Mom,

Easter was Amazing! President Uchtdorf (no idea how to spell that) came to speak to us. They have never had a member of this Presidency to speak before. We have had so many awesome devotionals!

Thank you for the Easter box! The rock candy was probably the best part, tell Naomi thank you. I really liked the glue though :). The SD card won't play on my camera so I am hoping I will be able to plug it into the computer to see all the pictures you guys sent.
Tell Lizzy and Naomi they are very talented and I wish I could have been there. Those Easter eggs are works of art!

I got all the pics you emailed. Thanks for sending them!

BY THE WAY MY PDAY IS CHANGING TO THURSDAY SO I WILL NOT BE EMAILING NEXT WEDNESDAY

Love you guys!

Zone leader!! That is so great!
Uchtdorf!! Wow! I am so jealous! I love him! He is one of my favs! What did he talk about?
I didn't see the video for Doug Tanner or any other video. Did you email it?

Yeah, I shook his hand and all no biggie... And I emailed those videos via my camera. Take another look. See if you can't find them. If not, I can resend them later.

You stinking shook his hand!!! Oh, I am really jealous now!! That is so cool...what did he talk about?

He talked a lot about the Atonement and what it must have been like for his apostles. It gave a very unique perspective of the trans-formative effects of the Atonement. How it could change apostles who feared and worried when their leader was taken from them into courageous and fearless preachers of the word.

I bet it was really good. I love hearing from him and Elder Holland. Always great perspectives on things and tells you how it is. I loved his talk when he said the "just stop it" line. When did you find out about being a zone leader? Are you excited?

I knew last week. I am out of time so I have to go! Love you so much!

Elder Oakes' email to Lizzy

MTC 1/2 way! Week 4

Hey Everyone!

Mom, I love getting your dear elder letters they are usually here in the afternoon every day. Tell Greg and Mary I super appreciated the pillow they got me! Funny thing is since I asked for it I "accumulated" another 2 from other missionaries who left and didn't need them ^_^ so now i have 4! The one Greg and Mary sent is good! It really helps because the beds aren't super great here! I love going to bed at night! I'll send a pic later I can't always send them so we will see. I'll try to get more pictures out soon. I am pretty sure I can send video. I tried the other night but didn't have wifi. I am going to see what I can do for Doug Tanner.

The MTC is pretty great. Time is really starting to pass quickly now so it's pretty awesome. We have had a ton of great devotionals in a row! David Archuleta and Richard Eliot, Vocal point, The LDS Missionary head Honcho, The BYU men's choir, and we just had Neil L. Anderson LAST NIGHT! Which means Easter has got to be somebody big! I got to the MTC at the right time. The hardest part is realizing I am a missionary. I can't just do the things I want to any more. But it's all good!

I haven't gotten Austin, Tym, or Jon's letters. I tried to send an email to Jon but I'm not sure it got to him. Can you make sure they all get my email? and please get theirs for me.

Tell my primary kids I miss them and that Lizzy will make them Origami for me (Lizzy you can't let them down). Tell Rebecca I arm wrestled my roommates the first week and won!

40 minutes on the clock and ticking!

Love you guys!

Does that blow you away that you have already been gone a month?! It seems like you've been gone forever! I am so bummed about Mother's day that you cannot call me. But I know you leave the next week and you get to call then. I'll be patient....

I know it almost worked out that I got to call you twice!

Oh, I am sending out a box today, is there anything else you want me to throw in?

Um I really would like 2 or three more Five Star Composition note books (non spiral bound) Oh, and popcorn is a really good snack because we have microwaves.

Are you taking lots of notes? That was the smaller size ones, right? I'll throw some popcorn in but I'm probably going to wait on the composition books unless they have some at Fry's. I want to get the box out today to you so you get it before Easter. Dad said to do more videos. He will make little montages of your videos so you have a video of your mission when you get back.

Okay that's good. The comp books are Five star, mead Brand they have the plastic cover not the cardboard (cardboard rossz) Lots of notes but that can wait.

What is rossz? You look so good in the video! Is the bathroom stall the only place you are going to be able to take video?

haha, no but I am busy a lot and I had a second then, but the battery died before I could send it last night.

:) I was worried you were going to send a video to the stake for Doug Tanner from the bathroom stall..

HAHA NO! and I'll see what I can do. Anyway I got to go, I love you so much!

I love you too buddy! have a great day!

LOVE YOU TO!!!

MTC Week 3-Send Super Glue :)

Hey Mom,

Pretty good day today! The last few weeks have been crazy! Its been a lot of fun though. Class is good and I feel like I am learning the language more. I can finally understand what my teachers are saying. The Stromboli you mailed in the cooler, didn't work out because my district leader forgot to give me the package slip the day it got here. It sat at the postal room for a whole day...

Elder Cannnon and I will be comps the duration of the MTC. Conference was great I didn't fall asleep at all!

None of the missionaries went to temple square except those that that is their assigned area. Dad, I love you and wish I could have gone to priesthood with you! I told all the other guys how we would always go to priesthood then out to dinner.

Mom, I need new tooth brush heads. It is the same one you bought me and all the girls. I need like 8-12 depending on how much they are, just so I have them in Hungary.

Also I need Super glue (or epoxy I might have left some on top of the medicine cabinet). Tape of all kinds (scotch clear, duct tape, tape tape tape "" "" ""... and glue...)

Still have half an hour if you want to message back!

Love Your son,
Elder Oakes

Where is Cannon from?

He is From Brigham City, Utah and is a great guy, I love him! We get along really well!

How was Vocal Point?

Vocal point was way cool! I wish I could sing that well. I recorded it all though so if i can figure out how to upload I'll send the vid.

I was reading your letter out loud to dad and we were both cracking up that you asked for super glue and tape!! I think we pictured you taping up your companions and super gluing someone's shoes to the floor :). Jk What do you need it for?

Haha! Random things, I've wanted it so many times and haven't had any!

Did you get a good laugh from dad's pic of you guys?

Haha! Yeah everyone thought it was funny! Hey, tell Josh Holyoak to email me I would like to talk with him.

I'm going to send out a box first part of next week in time for Easter. Any Easter goodies you want me to include? If not, I was going to try to respect your request to "back off on the food a bit" and just send some stuff. (Unless you just want some cash for Cookies N Cream milk :)

You can send goodies those Winter Green Mints. We aren't allowed to have gum... Little chocolates are great (that bag you sent is already gone) just don't go crazy, unless its the mints you can send as many of those as you want... and the super glue you probably can't send enough of that...

I talked to Mary Slack (Greg's wife). She was super excited to do something for you and is getting your pillow today, she said you would probably have it by tonight. She won't let me pay her for it. She said it was their contribution! So sweet! Their son is out on his mission right now. Us missionary mommas love to look out for you guys!

That would be awesome, tell her thank you! I got to go now, I love you!

2nd Week at the MTC and doing good!

Hey Everybody!

I am going to type fast and not in as much detail so hopefully you can have time to respond. Things have been going great at the MTC. We have a lot of language study. Like 10 - 12 hours a day.

Thanks for everything that you guys have sent! loved the cinnamon rolls and cookies. I have already put on 20 lbs so let's just calm down on that. I love you but I want to fit onto the plane. If you can send other stuff like cards or letters that's just as appreciated!

Addressing mom's question about if I needed anything, if you could send me a nice pillow, a 3x3 Rubik's cube and an extra micro SD card (load it with pics of the family so I can see you all). That would be great!

I am so sorry Naomi isn't feeling good tell her she isn't allowed to die :P but seriously I hope she gets better.

Oh and tell the girls that David Archuleta got back from his mission and performed at the MTC for the missionaries this last Sunday with the organist of the Mormon tabernacle choir. He was amazing and shared a lot of great spiritual stories from his mission. This isn't an April fool's joke so the girls can be completely jealous if they would like!

How is home? Love you, hope you email back. I have about another 40 min.

Hey! So no more food? Well, I already sent a box...sorry! The girls will totally be jealous. I heard Archuleta came home already. We are good, except for Naomi, but honestly she is doing better today than I've seen her all week. I just got the new pics up on the wall. You in your missionary suit...you're so handsome!

Haha, thanks. And I did get those pics you sent so, yeah, I can receive pictures in the emails... is everyone at work and school? Hope Naomi gets better!

Except for Naomi. I forwarded your email to dad, he said he sent an email back to you, did you get it? Naomi said to say hi. she misses you. She said she misses looking in the fridge and seeing no leftovers. no one else is eating them up :)

Have you told Drew to email me yet?

Drew texted me and said that he did send you an email. did you get it?

I didn't get Drew's email. my email is daniel.oakes@myldsmail.NET

He sent it to bryce.oakes....He is laughing. He will email you. Have the new missionaries started arriving yet for today? Are you the new greeters now?

Wednesday afternoon they arrive and we don't bring them in, it's not our service assignment.

Are you missing the Albanian group? Were you sad to see them leave?

Yes and yes. I really liked them they were great Elders. My favorite one in that group though is still here. He had a seizure before getting on the plane so he will be here for a little while. It was brought on from lack of sleep and stress. He will be okay, his name is Elder Waters. He's from New Zealand and has an awesome accent!

Are you feeling stressed there? How is it? Your pics look good. I found Elder Waters.

I am doing great, the first week was tough, but I'm fine now. What do you mean you found him?

I found Elder Waters on a picture you sent, so I know who he is. Did you get the info about the food I sent in the box?

Yes, you're funny! Dad told me what you sent! I'm actually really excited!

He is such a stinker! I wanted it to be a surprise! If it's not still cold, don't eat it! I don't want you sick!I sent a few other things in the box too, along with letters from all of us crazys btw, if I send you a pillow, are you going to be able to take it to Hungary with you or will you have to leave it behind?

Should be able to take it if I can fit it :) I need to go, love you so much!(We got snow!)