Hey Ya'll!  I am doing well!  We finally got someone to Sacrament Meeting this week and I am stoked about it!  Anyways we had a good week.  We got in with Jon Loftin a few times.  He is starting to read the Book of Mormon and likes what it says so far.  We set a baptism date for him on the 13th of April.  I am so excited for him, we taught him the Plan of Salvation and he likes the idea of life before we came to earth.  We have been working with Larry Yard and he finally understands authority.  And how we lost it when Christ left the Earth and that it was restored through a modern day prophet.  Anyways we also gave him a blessing on sunday because he got drunk saturday night and fell.  Anyways, Steve Leiper is still struggling with the girlfriend issue.  But, we have taught him all the lessons and wants to get baptized.  If we could just get him to church that would be fantastic.  Billy and Claire, are two of our new investigators.  They believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet.  They also have a money issue so they aren't married and they might lose their house today so they are going to go ask the bishop for funds tomorrow.  Anyways they showed up to church and I was so excited and they said they were coming back next week so ya I am pretty much stoked.  I also went on an Exchange this week with the zone leaders.  I was with Elder Hepworth.  It was awesome.  He knows the bible so well and I want to know it that way too so I am studying it more now.  While we were riding to dinner something really funny happened.  We were talking and somehow my front tire got stuck and I went up in the air slow motion and balanced for a second and totally ate pavement!  It was so funny.  Anyways,  We had a good week!  Love ya'll and hope ya'll are doing well!  I pray for you every day!.  Oh I almost forgot.  The bishop asked me to give a talk this week, but it didn't happen because we ran out of time so I will be giving a talk sometime in 3 weeks!
Love Ya'll.
Elder Willden

Hey Ya'll!  So, we had a great week this week.  We got 7 member present lessons!  Which is really good FYI.  So, on monday we had family home evening with some members whom are getting their daughter ready for baptism.  It was so funny they have little kids and they were jumping off the walls!  Anyways we also met with Steve Leiper a few times this week.  He is now living the word of wisdom and the 10 commandments, but he can't be baptized because he is living with his pregnant girlfriend and can't marry her because he isn't divorced.  Anyways he also told us he was coming to church and never showed up so that was disappointing.  So, I went on two exchanges this week one was on wednesday because Elder Ynchausti had to go to leadership training.  I was with Elder Taylor and Carlton.  They were way slow on their bikes.  Haha.  Anyways then my next exchange was thursday with Elder Memea.  We had a great day.  We had four lessons.  And I was leading the exchange in so that was fun.  We just continue to press forward working hard.  Elder Ynchausti falls asleep a lot in personal study.  And so when we started companion study he asked me what hymn to sing and I said, "Number 8"(Awake and Arise)  It was so funny.  Anyways we also reactivated a lady in our ward named Marsha Wilcox whom when I first got here was way depressed and wouldn't go to church.  She is really happy now!  We continue to work with Larry Yard, but he just isn't willing to come to church.  Please pray for Larry to help him understand the importance of the Book of Mormon and church.  On Wednesday we also went and gave a blessing to a man going through Chemo Therapy.  I got to seal the anointing.  It was amazing.  Heavenly Father promised this man that if he would strive to learn more of his word through the Book of Mormon and other materials that he would be fully healed.  The spirit was really strong and he was crying.  I LOVE THIS work I LOVE the gospel and the happiness it brings!  Oh and by the way my district is doing the best in the zone right now!  LOVE ya'll!
Elder Willden

Hey Ya'll.  Hope ya'll are doing well!  This week has been an okay week missionary work wise.  We have been working hard, but nobody seems to want to keep commitments or make them.  That's alright though.  Steve Leiper gave us a call Friday night and said that his girlfriend whom is pregnant with his baby is breaking up with him and moving out Saturday.  Even though he was dissappointed and we felt bad for him, but we're happy because now he can progress!  But, she decided Saturday morning that she didn't want to leave, and we went to Steve's and talked for a while and he said that he is probably going to break up with her next week and have her move in with her mother because, she isn't the type of girl that he wants to be with forever.  Anyways we are excited because he told us he would come to our church next week because he will be busy this sunday.  Anyways we have been working with Larry Yard and he doesn't necessarily like the word of wisdom, haha, anyways he told us that in the bible noah smokes a pipe.  Anyways we will continue to read the Book of Mormon with him and I believe that he will gain a testimony. 

So about a month ago we were tracting and we ran into a guy named Greg Thomas.  He told us he had heard some stuff about our church and didn't like it and tried to shut the door, but I kept talking to him and finally convinced him to let us come back.  Well we finally got back in with him and he totally opened up with us and we shared the restoration and he is so excited about the Book of Mormon.  We are trying to get back in with him, but he is hard to catch.  Anyways, so one day after we visited Larry Yard my companion decided to go No hands and No feet on his bike, he did it for a second and I was making fun of how dumb it looked and he decided to do it again.  Well this time he wasn't so lucky, he totally ate the asphalt! I was laughing so hard and some girls saw him do it and they were yelling "Are you okay?"  He was so embarrassed!  And he wripped his favorite pants!  Haha it was so funny.  And earlier that day we were at the Moores (the lady who emailed ya'll when I first got to vidor) and they have a doberman who's name is Rambo.  And Elder Ynchausti was playing with him and got him all crazy and ran away from him.  Well of course he chased him and jumped up bit his shirt and wripped it.  Anyways that was my funny story of the week.  And mom don't worry about my health, I do my push ups every night and eat a bannana in the morning!  haha.  I love ya'll and hope ya'll had a good week.  Keep writing me letters I will do my best to.  I can only write letters on P-day so have patience with me.  Love ya'll and I will continue to work hard and pray for ya.  And if ya'll see tayson ask him when he is starting his papers for me!

I am doing well!  We did a service this week helping an older member of our ward put up a fence.  It was a pain, but I learned a lot.  Kolton will do well he is a hard worker.  Tell luke to be a man!  haha jk tell him I hope he is feeling better.  I am just working hard and doing my best to bring others unto christ and recieve his gospel.  I have been reading Jesus the Christ.  That book is amazing.  Anyways tell kolton to get to know the How to Begin Teaching bullet points.  We use those a lot.  I was reading in Enos today and he talks about how if we ask for something with faith in Jesus Christ that we will recieve it.  I have recieved a strong testimony of that throughout my mission so far.  I love you.  And hope that work is going well.  Tell everyone else I love them also.

 

Elder Willden

And our address is actually 173 black hetzel ln.  But just use that one for packages.  Use 175 Black Heltzel ln. for mail because it is just the house behind us that no one lives in and it is easier to get mail there.

Linger Longer Potluck Ward dinner on 3/3/13

This is a picture Sister Pam Packard took of Elder Chase Willden

 at a ward fast Sunday potluck and then sent 

to his mom's phone to share with his family.  

Yes I got that stuff and the Gps is good!  But, the camera stuff isn't for my camera so I am going to ship it to ya'll.   I will just buy a card for the camera and start sending them in the mail for you.  And I can't print out emails, so I have to read them here.  Anyways this week wasn't our best week Teaching wise because we had to drive all the way to Houston on wednesday for new missionary training.  We tracted into a guy named Ray the second week I was  here and have been trying to get back in with him ever since.  He is the guy that was playing World of Warcraft and watching Ben 10.  Anyways, he finally let us in on saturday and he isn't as crazy as we thought.  He moved down here when his mom started having problems and then she passed away and he is disabled so he isn't able to work.  And he hates it here because he lives in the ghetto with all the druggies and he can't move because he can't work to earn the money to move.  We will be meeting with him this wednesday.  Anyways Larry Yard is the funniest guy and Jokes around with us a lot, but he is progressing while we read the book of mormon with him 4 times a week.  This week I also went on a exchange with Elder Leiva.  He is from Chile and hates it when I call him a mexican!  Haha.  Anyways we taught a lot of people and I loved working with him.  I am loving it out here!  It got really cold on saturday and I had to wear my coat all day!  But, I think it is supposed to start warming up soon.  I have gained 13 pounds since I went into the mtc.  I am going to be a fatty when I come home!  haha jk.  My companion has been called to be a district leader this transfer so I will get to go on a lot of exchanges.  I love this work and wouldn't trade anything for it.  Tell Kolton and Luke to start preparing now.  Read over the Lessons in preach my gospel and get to know them they will help them for when they leave to go on a mission.  Tell Bailee and Corie to do that also if they plan on going on a mission.
Love Ya'll and hope ya'll are doing well.
Elder Willden
ps. try boudin it is really good!

 Hour of Power is every thursday night at 6:00 we go to a members house and they pray that we or some other companionship will find someone to teach in the next Hour while tracting.  The General Authorities also pray for the missionaries at this time in the temple.
  And for nasa.  We went to the head quarters in Houston.  It was way cool.
  And yes I am working hard and having lots of fun!  Love you!
Elder Willden