Letter from Alabama 1-23-12

helloo!!!

Glad to report that we are all doing just find after the tornado. I'm here in huntsville, AL which is in madison county way up north so we weren't affected at all by the tornado. I honestly didn't know anything about it untill we had a conference call about tornado safety procedures this morning. but yes all missionaries are safe and accounted for. It hit down in the Birmingham area which is two hours south of me. The birthday party sounds fun! Wish I could have been there for Dads Ribs that sounds marvalous! Sounds like quite the Biggest Loser competition the whole family is in on it and you even have a blog! Olivia and Abbey are doing it? We've had some pretty nice weather here like in the 50's all week and didn't rain much either. let's see well today I got another new companion. Elder Hortin went down to pratville he will be missed. So Elder Nelson and I are still together and we are also with Elder Reed. Which isn't too much of a change. He's one of the Zone Leaders that was living in our apartment before so I know him pretty well. But we'll all be together this week and then transfers are next week. Probably a good chance I'll be transfered next week with another visa waiter so I can practice portuguese. But I guess you never know so I'll have to keep you updated on that. Teaching is going well since taking over Winchester byrd Springs seems to have been slowing down. None of our investigators have been progressing much. But we have been teaching Jimmy in the winchester ward and he's progressing a ton. His baptism is set for feb. 12th and we asked him last night if he wanted to move it up since he's progressing so fast and he said he wanted to pray about it. So we'll see on that. But his faith is jsut incredible he seems to understand everything we teach him we thought word of wisdom was going to be a tough one but he said he doesn't do any of that stuff and doesn't want too. He also completely understands tithing and said he wants to help build up the kingdom of God. So we only have a few commandments left and than he's ready for baptism so that is definately a blessing. Might be a good chance I won't be there for the baptism though. so that's kinda sad:( but just keep pressing forward i suppose. Other than that kinda a slow week. Ever since spencer went to school though I haven't heard anything from him. Is he doing good? Is it still weird to have him be home, or being able to call him whenever? It just still seems wierd to me! that's awesome about will's Call! that came really fast! May 30th isn't that far away only for months. better than the 6 I had to wait. I have a buddy in the paris france mission he actually went to the MTC the week before me so I saw him there. His name is Brayden Maxwell. Ivan is actually next in line his birthday is in April. Then Johnny in may braxton in august and kyle in september. That's pretty exciting though! you'll have to keep me updated on where all these guys go! Well roll tide roll as another week here in Alabama is about to commence

Over and out
Elder Fogleman

On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 10:59 AM, wrote:


Dear Elder Fogleman,

What a surprise to receive an email from your mission president reporting that all missionaries were accounted for after the Tornado! We didn't even know that it was going on. This morning the new report showed home totally demolished and stated the counties but we arent sure where exactly you are located. Were you guys affected? I hope everyone is doing alright. How was your weekend? We had a big birthday party here for my brother Chris's birthday and had dad's ribs, a broccoli salad, garlic bread, baked beans, potatoe salad and cake! It was very delicious. We also all have started the "Biggest Loser" contest on our own! We all have gained so much (except dad) so he is our weigh master. LOL Anyway I have gained 34 pounds since my brother moved here and so, Stacy, Jordan, Laura, Uncle Chris, Omi, Olivia and Abbey and me are all on the program. Stephanie set up a blog so we can all go on it and get encouraged from each other, share recipes etc. Today I am going to the gym with Cindy we are going to do "gentle yoga". (you got to start somewhere) Sunday I stayed home from church after having an asthma attack during the night, and it rained and rained and is still raining! As I drove to seminary this morning (not really wanting to go out in the rain) I felt very melancholy as the thought crossed my mind how you kids went every morning early morning and never complained and how difficult that must have been sometimes! I am very grateful for that and want to say thanks for being so willing and enduring to the end. :-)

Well,how is the teaching going? How are the people receiving the gospel? How is your new companion? Have you seen the mission president lately? Br. Wagner said he sent you a package have you received it yet? He would have sent it to the mission home as that is what is on the back of the program. Will Guyman just got his mission call to Paris France! He doesn't leave until May 30th! I think Johnny is close to putting his papers in...doesn't he turn 19 next? or is it Kyle Gillingwater? Speaking of Kyle, br. Wagnere stopped by last night during the last 5 minutes of the game. He had been gone for the past two weeks in Florida

oh no!!!
I love you your on right now!!
Tanya Fogleman for

Letter form Alabama 1-2-12

Dear Family,

Another week has passed here in Alabama as well! I feel like a lot has happened this week. That's crazy tia flew in! where is she living now? is she still in israel? that must have been nice to have her in town. Spencer already drove back to Utah? that seemed super quick! who's car did he take? Shayla started school the day after new years?!! CUSD is a joke! haha I'm sorry that's kinda a bummer. New Years was alright didn't do much we went to visit a member new years eve and he invited us in for dinner we had chicken and french fries with fruit and stuff it was good. Wow melissa is married? crazy! Is he from Arizona? Braxton has a girlfriend from gridley?? is it that girl from oroville maybe? I didn't know he was still dating her. is he going to go back to school next semester? I would love to hear from him. I was told to only email family. I think maybe he can email me but I can't email him back but Idk. No update on my Visa. Elder Bacon got his Visa and is flying to Brazil on Thursday and Elder Doyle (one of the Elders that came out here from our district) Flew to Brazil today. So I don't really know what they are going to do with me. I hope I get to stay in Byrd Springs, because I'm really excited about the work here. We got a referel this week to go visit these people who malory the wife is a member (less active) and larry the husband is not a member but they just got married 6 months ago super cool couple and malory really wants to make church apart of her life again and Larry said he really loves everything about the church that he's heard so far. anyways we taught them the first lesson it went really well and they came to church yesterday and malory even bore here testimony so that was awesome! so I'm excited for them! You let shayla get High heels? o brother... hmmm. . . the dunhams don't ring a bell but if we haven't seen them for 16 years than I would've been 3 so probably don't remember. Did Will like it at SVU? I sure do miss all the people there! that was so awesome that They sent me a package with a shirt and tons a letters! it truly was christmas! I would like to write them back. Maybe you could figure out Zach Garner's Address for me and let me know. The address you gave me for Steve was his address in idaho not Virginia but I sent it there anyways hopefully he still gets it but I'd like a virginian address I can send it to. Did melanie just graduate from there or does she have one more semester? O and also All the priest in our ward sent me a package for christmas with letters that was super awesome. I wrote a letter back to them. Today for preparation day we went to the space and rocket center here in huntsville alabama. So that's why I'm writing so late. But it was pretty cool It's kinda where NASA all got started and they had a moon rock there and some really neat rocket ships like the real deal so pretty awesome. I'll have to send you some pictures next week. Other than that though it was just another week in Alabama. o I got a letter from sam and laura it was there christmas card. Man carolyn looked really grown up I had forgotten that they moved to michigan. but that's all the new stuff here. Love ya lots

Love, Elder Fogleman
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 12:57 PM, wrote:




Dear Elder Fogleman,


Well another week has passed, and it still seems like the holidays here. Tia flew in on Friday and will be here till Friday this week. Grandpa is coming in on Wed and Steph extended her stay to visit. Jamie had to go home to work though. Spencer drove home yesterday to Utah, still doesnt have housing! School starts on Wed so he will stay with Steph until he finds something. Needless to say it has been crazy around here! Julian has earned the name "destroyer" and Luke has lost the title to him! Jullian is very busy and wanders the house taking things and throwing them and knocking them down or breaking them. LOL He is just very curious about everything. School started back today for Shayla but dad's office is closed. Did you have a nice New Years? Melissa Passantino got married in Arizona on New Years Eve. I saw Braxton at the dance for Student Ward that Dad is over, and he introduced me to his girlfriend from Gridley I think? He said he got your letter and asked for your address. Can he email you? or is that only for family? What is the update on the Visa's? Is Elder Bacon still there? Dad and Steph ran 3.1 miles this week, which is a 5k! The same one we did in Utah only she had to walk run that one! She was very excited! Shayla went to the New Years Eve dance and got all dressed up, I even let her buy her first pair of "high heels", they were red! I will attach a picture. Well, shoot my card reader would not read the chip in steph's camera! I will have to download them another way and attach it next week. But, here are pics of Tia from my camera.. Also, we had a surprise visit from Brett and Jenny Dunham! They use to be our assistant managers at Oak Meadow. We havent seen them in 16 years! Do you remember them? It was fun to catch up! Did you make any New Years resolutions? Its hard to believe its 2012! Oh, by the way we were attending the Student ward Dance and we ran into Melanie Guymand and Will. I didnt even recognize her, she asked about you and then proceeded to tell us how popular u were at SVU! Everyone knows Shaun Fogleman she said, and then Will said ya every time someone asked me where I was from and I said Chico they would say, "Do you know Shaun Fogleman?"! Melanie said, "He could run that school, everyone loves Shaun!" :-)
Well, I know that dad wrote a long letter and I want to attach some more pictures so I am going to do that before I miss your letter! You may be on the computer right now! :-)

Love ya lots,

Christmas Letter December 26

dear mother,

Feliz Natal is how you say it in portuguese haha but I appreciate the effort. It was good to hear from y'all as well too. I wasn't hesitant just didn't have too much to say. The rest of christmas was good we just chilled at the apartment watched some mormon message videos. Did you know luis lugo is in that mormon message video??? the one about temples! we were just watching it and then all of a sudden he popped up and I was like what the?? "I know that guy!" and Elder bacon was like "really?" ya wierd. nope we haven't had any zone conferences. yes the paxton's and I'll get an address for you next week. O and I made schnitchel today it turned out really good!! I couldn't find cornflake crumbs though so we used bread crumbs but it was still pretty good. Did you get the pictures I sent last week? I'm gonna send some more for ya! love ya!

Love
Elder Fogleman

On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 12:56 PM, <FocusTanya@aol.com> wrote:
Dear Elder Fogleman,

It was so great to see and hear you on Christmas day! You look great and we hope you had a wonderful Christmas! You did seem a little bit hesitant? Did you find it awkward or weird to do skype? Maybe it wasn't as personal as a phone call? Was it strange to have everyone hear what you are saying? How was the rest of your Christmas? Have you had any zone conferences? Everyone here is fine. We all ate tooo much! And then everyone stayed up until midnight and went to In and Out, only they were closed so then they went to Denny's! Steph and I went to bed! :-) The people you were with seemed real nice. The Packston's? Can you get me their address so I can send them a note? I am going to send this off right now incase you are on line. I want you to be able to get some mail, since we didn't get a chance last night......

Love ya,
Mom