2014-11-15

I too have experienced snowfalls this week. I am told that there were at least 20 vehicle accidents when it first started. Thankfully none happened near where I walked and worked.
    For Thanksgiving we are going to eat at the church, so you don't need to worry about getting food for me. We'll try to avoid the Black Friday crowds and instead look at the Christmas lights on Temple Square. I saw some people working on setting them up just a couple weeks after I got started on my mission.
    I have been trying to get the tape recorder to work, but at normal volume the music just sounds unnatural. Perhaps if you send me a speaker I might get better results.
    I have something I have neglected to ask you; which of my ancestors worked on the Salt Lake Temple? I would like to tell others, so that information would really be helpful to know. 
    I haven't really come up with anything I really want for Christmas, but I will try to send a list before the month is over. 

2014-11-08

I just wanted to let you know that I am having a great time on my mission! I know that you wanted a picture of Elder Bowers, so I pulled one up from an email one elder sent us. Both of us are in the back, and Elder Bowers is the one with the sky blue tie. Since it was Halloween, I decided to wear my orange-and-brown tie.
    I have moved every time I got a new elder, but I don't think that will always be the case. Also, you don't need to worry about sending me any Ensigns, we get one each month. I also found where the foot spray was today! It was in such a small section that it's no wonder I couldn't find it last time
    Anyways, here is what my schedule is basically like:

• 6:30 am- Wake up and have breakfast
• 7:15 am- Walk to Church History Library (CHL) weekdays or Joseph Smith Memorial Building (JSMB) Monday for morning devotional
• 8:00 am- Get newspapers from Church Office Building (COB) and take them to the library
• 8:15-10:55 am- Circulation
• 11:00 am- Deliver mail
• Noon- Lunch in the break room
• 1:00-4:15 pm- Circulation, on Wednesdays and Fridays we travel to the JSMB to do linking from 1:00-4:00
• 4:20 pm- Return to apartment for companion study and dinner
• 6:00-8:30 pm- Travel to FamilySearch Center for teaching index research.
• On Saturday we shop at 7:30, clean laundry at 9:15, have lunch at noon, run to the dry-cleaner at 12:30, email around 1:00, dinner at 5:00 and go to sports at 6:00

    I sent an email to the mission president concerning Grandma and Grandpa coming to Salt Lake City, and I am confident that we will do something to avoid an accidental run-in.
That's all I can think of to say. Good-bye for now!

2014-11-01

I am having a great time on my mission so far. I can't believe it has been two months already. I have had two great companionships, and I am confident that this one with Elder Bowers will work out. We teach a nightly class together about the essentials of indexing. I hope to be a good aide with him.
    I gave Elder Rodriguez his gift this week. The funny thing is that the package you sent came on Elder Rodriguez's birthday, but I had to wait for the next day because I had already moved into Elder Bower's apartment.
    Halloween was another temple trip, and we spent this one going to the Bountiful temple. Do you remember that presentation of the Creation of the World inside the temple? The one in the Bountiful temple is an updated version, and I was on the edge of my seat at some moments. 
    Know that I am thinking of you and you will always be in my prayers.

Write Jacob

Mailing Address

Elder Jacob Derricott

c/o FCHH Mission

JSMB - East 3rd Floor

15 E South Temple St.

Salt Lake City, UT  84150-3460

Email Address

jderricott@ldschurch.org

2014-10-25

 Hi guys. It sounds like you have had a fun time at the Klinglers. If you are having trouble with your new iPhones, I completely understand. It takes me a while to learn things here on the mission. I tried shopping for some athlete's foot spray but can't find any, so could you send some within the next few weeks?
    Do you remember that missionary who likes to draw? His name is Elder Bowers, and he is going to be my new companion starting next week. I am hoping that he will share some tips and tricks about his work. As for Elder Rodriguez (for the few weeks he has left) his new companion is Elder Jacobs, who was elder Bowers' companion before the transfer. Plus, all four of us work in the CHL. What are the odds?
    I promise to send a picture of Elder Rodriguez and myself before he leaves in November. I hope that I will do well on this mission.

2014-10-18

I have had a pretty good week. It sounds like you guys are having fun! It's nice to see Emily in that marching uniform, she's that good at music and I can't believe it's been only a year.

This week at Music and the Spoken Word my companion and I sat in the balcony, right near the box where Lloyd Newell (the announcer) was being filmed. We also learned who the special guests for the Christmas concert are; Santino Fontana from Frozen and this year's Pioneer Day concert, and the Sesame Street Muppets! 

I have been told that we take a temple trip in the middle of each month (there is a second October temple trip coming up on Halloween.) We usually do baptism, confirmation and initiatories on the same day; then endowmennts on another day.

I look forward to receiving word from you each weekend. See you next time!

P.S.; If you're going to get tickets for the concert, do it soon. I have a hunch that they will be sold out pretty quickly.

2014-10-12

Brother and Sister Derricott, 

My name is Gil Rodriguez. I am the father of Elder Rodriguez who is the trainer of your missionary. I felt impressed to reach out to you. Elder Rodriguez has been out 22 months and is nearing the end of his two year service. He was very nervous about being called to train, but also very honored. It has only been a short time thus far, but Elder Rodriguez has reported really liking Elder Derricott. He reports that the two of them get along well and have fun. As may be the case with your missionary, ours is on the Autism Spectrum with Aspergers. So it is a huge blessing that he is even able to serve in this mission. I can report that the first three months Elder Rodriguez pretty much kept to himself and did not socialize much. But not sure what, but something happened and that brought him out of his shell. He is a very kind hearted and sweet man. He has a huge heart, and wants to see others happy. I believe he will make a great trainer. When Elder Rodriguez emailed me to inform me he had been called to train, I told him that this was the Lords way of allowing him to finish his mission exhausted. That he is a great missionary, but to let Elder Derricott see his BEST. For how he is as a trainer will set the foundation as to how he will be the rest of his mission. Elder Rodriguez is a follower of the rules. He needs and uses them as guide posts to stay on the right path. He does not deviate from them. His 22nd birthday is coming up soon, at the end of the month and we are getting things together to send him in celebration. I wanted to include some fun things for Elder Derricott also. Might you make some suggestions on things he likes, maybe candies. Elder Rodriguez told me he is a Disney fan also. Our family is BIG Disney fans. We have been to Disney World many times and have loved it every time. So maybe a favorite character, shirt size something we can include for your missionary. 

I can tell you for us the first six months was the hardest having our missionary away. It just seemed to get easier after that. He is in a great place and is being watched. Not just by your Father in Heaven, but by many of his servants around him. The 600 senior couples absolutely love these young Elders, so they are being watched all the time. If you would like to talk I am open to that, just let me know and I will send you my phone number. I hope this letter finds you well and happy. 

Sincerely, 

Gil Rodriguez