Here is Elder Hayden on November 28, 2012, being dropped off at the Missionary Training Center in Provo by Bryson and Mona Laine Jones!  He flew down from Boise and they treated him to good food and good donuts!



Here's a little note from one of his email's in the MTC.

 They had us fill out another form for our Visa applications yesterday, so I still don't know for sure how that process is going. There's two companionships going to Brisbane. There's me and my companion Elder Telford. He's a great guy. He's really chill and easy to get along with. Then there's Elder Nelson and Elder Hodges. I'm short on E-mail time so I'll write you some fun stories and things later. Have a great week everybody! It's getting closer to Christmas time! I am having such a great time and I am learning so much. It feels like I've been here for months. Its like time goes by slow, and the date has no meaning. I never thought I could stand to sit in one class for three hours at a time and have so much fun and learn so much about the Gospel and about Christ. Jackson, take advantage of Seminary! Raise your hand. The teacher will love you if you share spiritual comments and feelings. Same for you Evan, next year. I can't believe you'll both be in high school! I wish I could have overlapped with you guys.

     Mom and Dad, I love you both so much. Thank you for your testimonies and examples.

     I can't wait to get into the field! I love it here in the MTC but I can't wait to get out and start doing it for real! I know I'm becoming what the Lord wants me to be. I love the Book of Mormon! I love all of you! I'll send a letter. Miss You guys!

 Here is Hayden showing his two mission areas once he found out he was going to be shipped somewhere else for a time.  Assigned to Australia, Brisbane, and sent to the Farmington, New Mexico Mission when his Visa did not go through.  

So, he arrived in the mission December 17 and was assigned to labor in Blanding, Utah, about 100 miles from anywhere.  It was about 12 degrees.   All his clothing and gear was for Brisbane, which has a climate like Miami, Florida.  

24 December 2012

Hey! How is everybody? It's been sort of a crazy week. The trip was pretty uneventful. Except for our flight getting delayed from Denver to Durango. It was because of snow. But we got here and they drove us to Farmington to the mission president's home. President Batt is awesome. They fed us pepperoni pizza with green chiles. Then we had like an orientation thing. Turns out I won't get to drive while I'm here. All the companionships have a vehicle. We have a truck, a Chevy Silverado. We stayed one night in Farmington with all the new Elders and then we had a meeting where we found out about our assignments and all that. I'm with Elder Lewis. He's a convert of about a year and he's been in Blanding, UT all three months of his mission so far. He's pretty awesome. We have the same sarcastic type of humor. So anyways we're in Blanding. It's so small. It sorta reminds me of Shelley, Idaho a little. Everything is close and there are a lot of single wide trailers and small homes. There's also a lot of Navajo families, but we're not like on the reservation. A larger part of the community is LDS, so we teach all the investigators we can find and we teach a lot of less-actives and a few recent converts. There are really great people here. The members are all super nice and they feed us a lot. We get a free meal once a week at Subway and some steakhouse and a place called patio burger. Every other day patio burger is half off. We ate there today, Monday is the free meal day there. Thats also our P-day. Their hamburgers are pretty dang good. We had a district meeting in Monticello and we ate at a place called pj's afterward. Their burgers were awesome. They also feed us free. Man, none of them are like Mainstreet Burger in Meridian though.

So yes we are allowed to skype. I'm not sure how we set it up together though. Maybe when I call we can figure it out. We do it at a member's house. The Arthurs. They own patio burger and they feed us every Sunday. They're awesome people. Brother Arthur makes knives. He picked it up a few months ago and now he makes awesome home made knives. I might have him make me one.

It's been pretty dang cold since I got here. If I didn't have that peacoat I'd be dying right now. Sorry Jackson, you won't get it for a while. I'll take nice care of it though. The first day I came it snowed a couple days. I taught like five lessons on my first day! We just dove right into the work as soon as I got here. It was so cool! I seriously love all the people here. Most people are real nice. Then again, most people are members so...

We get up early to go to the high school gym where they let us work out. I've already put on a little muscle since I've been pumping iron, plus there's a pull up bar in our house. But one morning we drove to the gym and the truck said it was like 7 degrees. Well, I look forward to calling tomorrow. I'm not sure when I'm gonna call. We just use our cell phones. But I'll either call in the afternoon or in the evening probably. Sorry, I'm still learning how everything works around here! Love you all!

 31 December 2013
Hey! Merry Christmas and a happy new year. My companion is super pumped for tonight because we have to be inside by 7:00. I think its to keep us away from all the parties and crazy people. Ya it was great to see and hear from everybody. Thanks for the uplifting letter as well. That was my first official letter in the mail out in the field! I was so excited! My Christmas was great. I've put all those socks and the boots and the hat and the water bottle to good use. I hung my calendar too. I love all the pictures in there. I haven't used that sweet camera stand thing, but I can't wait to use it. Sometimes they go hiking so if we ever do that I'll be sure to bring it.
     Give Gma and Gpa Thieme my love and all that. How are they doing? That would be cool to Skype with them. It would also be cool to talk to like the Bradford's and other people we don't see a lot like that. I was kind of nervous before I did it with you guys but I really like being able to almost feel in the same room as you.
     Man, Mom won in bowling? That's a shocker. She always wins. She's like good at everything. Bryson beat both Evan and Jackson? That's embarrassing. Haha Just kidding. Way to go B! Show 'em how it's done! I was always terrible at bowling. At some point I would stop caring and start throwing behind the back or between the legs and messing around.
     So you and mom are chaperoning the New Years Youth Dance? Are you going to stay up all the way 'till one to do that? That'll be fun. Is Jackson going with you? I remember the New years ones usually being pretty fun.
     Ya Blanding weather is cold and dry. We do have snow, but the air is very dry. I don't know what I'd do without my little wool socks and peacoat.  Thanks for sending the warm clothes!
     Church is so fun in the field. We went to three different wards two Sundays ago and then this Sunday we went to four Sacrament meetings and visited the singles branch. Man, it is just so cool to be a missionary. I've had some really cool experiences with people. I'll write some cool stuff that's happened in a letter today.
     Thank you for your prayers. I know for sure that God wants me here at this time for a reason. So far the word on the Visa is that I'll probably be here the rest of the transfer, but that's just the rumor. So I'm working my hardest and doing my best to make a difference to somebody while I am here. And though I may never see the fruits of my efforts, I still know that there is a purpose for me being here, possibly just for me to learn something. I love the book of Mormon so much. I can even say book of Mormon in Navajo now. I don't know how to spell it though. I've been reading about the prophecies about the Lamanites and how the Book Of Mormon will be brought to them by the Gentiles. We are fulfilling prophecy in bringing this great work to the descendants of Lehi. The Lord loves ALL of His people.
     Oh, I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting too this week. Both me and my companion did.
Tell all the family I love them,
 Love you dad,

Elder Thieme