Finally I have added some posts to the blog. These are the most recent ones. Enjoy!


Hey Fam. Sounds like you guys had a great time. (Taylor and Vince went camping and gun shooting and Bryce, Lilly McKenna and I went to Utah).

Me and Elder Houghton are going to shoot ducks together after the mission haha. How come we never shot the shotgun before?

I am sorry to hear that your back (Vince’s) isn´t doing so well, it´s true about once a year you throw the darn thing out, poor man. I am also really sorry to hear about McKenna´s sickness... I thought I would be more likely to get the stinking flu considering where I am but... I never thought that somebody in my family would get it. I am excited to see the house now that it has been painted, send pictures please, I want to see it.

This week has been great, we baptized! wooo hooo! His name is Thalles (Talees) he is 15 years old and a few members of his family are already baptized. My companion got to baptize him and it was great. He´s a good kid... and he reminds me a lot of Brad... isn´t that weird? We are hoping for a lot more baptisms.

I was glad to hear that Mom’s trip went well and that Bryce had such a great experience when he was at the temple. It´s good to hear that Jamie is doing well as well.

This week I received 2 letters from Jamie, 1 from sister Catron, a postcard from Japan, and the Bass Lake letters. It was really good get those, keep them coming!

I am also very happy to hear that you were able to see the Dahlstrom’s. I will definitely go to visit them after the mission, I am really grateful for them. It´s good to know that the dogs are still doing well also. Anyway, I have got to get going, I love you all very much and hope that you are happy. Be good and give lots of hugs.

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays




Hi Mom! You´re in Utah again?! Why does it seem that once I left everyone started to travel all the time?!haha Just kidding. Everything is going great here, It was a fast week and boy are we tired. We worked hard and almost baptized 2 little girls, unfortunately their mother decided not to sign the papers and they will have to wait until their mom lets them get baptized. That was kind of a bummer but we can´t insist. This week we are going to have 3 baptisms and the papers are already signed. One is a young man about Taylor’s age but the kid reminds me of Brad haha. Then there are two brothers, they are 9 and 11 and their mom wants them to get baptized. We are really excited for these people and I am sure the Lord has great plans for them. I am really liking my new area. This branch has its challenges, but that is okay we just push through them and everything works out great. Anyway. I love you very much and next week I will have pictures of the baptisms and more stories I am sure. I will write more in another email.

I love you Mommy!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays


Hey mom yeah I am doing great here in Anapolis! My companion (If I didn´t tell you last time) is Elder Lewis from Arizona. He is great. We are in a little branch called Industrial. I love it here! We already have about 8 people that we are going to baptize including 2 little girls this weekend. The roads are all dirt so my shoes are always dirty. The people are really simple and I love them. We worked really hard last week and broke the branch record of 31 people in the chapel, it was great. Elder Lewis is a great missionary. While his Portuguese needs to improve a bit he is full of the Spirit and that is what counts, I love him. I would like to inform you all that I am officially the master of Passion Fruit Mousse. It´s so funny that I never knew that Passion fruit was a fruit until I came to Brazil, I thought it was just a bunch of fruits mixed together. It has a chemical in it just like turkey that makes you sleepy so I love to make it on Tuesday! haha! I also make mousse of lemon.

It´s good to hear from you all this week. It is good to hear that Jamie has gotten home safely, I haven’t heard anything from her yet, but I am sure that I will get something soon. I am jealous of the California Brittle of course, but that´s okay. Grandpa is going to come to the Northwest? To live or just to visit? I think it would be cool if he moved there, but who knows? I am glad that the surgery went well and that there weren’t any problems. I wonder if I will be able to understand Spanish when I get back as well... hmmm maybe.

Sigh anyway, once again I have forgot the address so you will have to wait a little bit longer, I will probably be going to Goiania in the next 2 weeks or so and I will be able to get letters there, but I will get the address of my house as well don´t worry.

Anyway, I hope you are all happy and well I love you very much, HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD! I hope you aren’t mad that I didn´t send anything, but I love you very much... we will have lots of Fathers days after my mission so don´t worry, we´ll go fishing! I love you all very much, be happy give lots of hugs.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays



Hey Mom how are you doing? Everything is going great here. haha. No, the transfers haven’t happened yet, next Tuesday we will know the transfers. There’s a 50/50 chance that I stay here so we’ll just see how it goes. I don’t know if I will be here for their baptism or not because they have to get married first, but we will see how things go there. We are working hard to find the elect, I am sure the Lord will put a baptism in our path.

I found your note in the Ensign, thanks a bunch. The cologne is great, and yes they are envious. Don’t worry about girls, I don’t wear it during the week, just on Sunday. The pants fit great, to tell you the truth the other pants got really tight on me, I was dying!

I am sorry to hear about the trinkets,(my Mom’s), if I were you I would try and preserve one of the trinkets for yourself, that helps sometimes. I know that psychologically speaking one of the ways to get over a difficulty is to make a change in something, move the room around, style your hair differently, do something different.

I am glad to hear that Jamie is sending you updates and stuff. I will be excited as well to hear how Japan was when I get back. I forgot she was staying there for such a short time. She is going home in the next 30 days right? Don’t you forget to keep in touch with her, she loves you guys and I know you love her. Include her often in your activities and when possible and keep her in your prayers.

Anyway aside from that there is not a lot to say. If possible it would be nice to have some money to buy some things I am needing, I will probably buy new shoes soon. If you could plan to have some money in there by Thursday I would be very grateful. Also the next time you send a package (note: I said the next time so don’t rush if you weren’t planning on sending one sometime soon) if you could put the thin brownish blanket that you bought for me before my mission in it that would be great, I donated my other one to my companion who was freezing at night.

Anyway, I love you very much and hope you are all doing well. I hope you are all happy and healthy. Don’t forget who you are, you are children of God that stood by Jesus Christ in a great council before this life. Each of you chose individually to come to earth as valiant warriors who cast Satan and his angels out of the presence of God. Be strong as the war continues and forget not the covenant we made when we came to this earth. The time is short and the road is long but Jesus walked it as well, he knows you all better than you can imagine, he walked a mile in your shoes and then kept going to save us all. Take up your cross be strong. I love you all. DO NOT FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND WHY YOU ARE HERE, BLESSINGS AWAIT THOSE WHO ARE OBEDIENT. I love you all very much! In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays


Hey Mom how are you doing... I think I said something wrong by mistake, but transfers aren’t for another 2 weeks, but thanks for the kind words... Funny things is though he was still transferred! haha. The President needed him somewhere else for the last 2 weeks of this transfer. Unfortunately I wasn´t able to say goodbye to him, but that´s okay, sometimes things just don´t work out, I don´t complain.

Don´t listen to the silly shows that they pass on the T.V. about Brazil, they just say a bunch of funny stuff to make people get interested. I haven’t seen a single dangerous thing here except for some psycho huge spiders that stay in the almost nonexistent forest here in Goiania. Brazilians are actually pretty ticked off that we come there thinking that we´re going to die at any moment haha. There is nothing dangerous about this city at all. We clean the house frequently so we don´t have to worry about any type of pests, and it´s all good.

This week was great, we brought some members with us to teach a family that we met. We taught and asked the members to bear their testimonies. We showed them a movie about the restoration, and then we testified of its truth. A feeling came into the room that was unmistakable to all as the Holy Ghost. I told the investigators in that minute that what they were feeling was the Spirit of God telling them that our message is true. Sister Rocha, who is one of the members we brought, almost cried as well as me. The investigators then told us they were looking for a true church. I am really excited to help this family enter into the church, without a doubt they will be baptized. We are trying really hard to work more with the members. It is proven that the more lessons that we have with members the more success that we will have. I was very grateful for that experience, and has renovated my desire to do even more.

I hope you are happy, I love you very much, don´t worry too much about the past and what hasn´t been done, just look forward to what you are going to do now. There´s nothing I can do to change the past but the future is bright. As preach my gospel teaches us, ´the best remedy for anything is work work work. If I were you I would be reading preach my gospel it is full of doctrine that can help our lives. Look for the part that talks about the importance of members in missionary work. I love you very much Mom. Be happy give hugs!

Love,

Elder Summerhays


I have sent you another letter with everything I wanted to say, but I would like to thank you for this letter, it was touching to me. I am glad that the Lord was able to use me as an instrument in his hands to comfort you. I have no doubt that the Lord wanted you to know just what was said. Personally I had to read it again to make sure you were actually reading the letter that I wrote! I barely remember the words I used. I see now the hand of the Lord. In Alma 26, Ammon says ´I am nothing´ or something to that effect. The Lord changes the heart of stone of a heart of flesh and blood, I have seen this great and marvelous change in my life. I love you Mommy, I am glad that you are happy. Don´t worry about me I am fine, it´s a little weird to know that she´s gone, but my soul is at peace. I will comment with the President, but I am fine. I love you be happy!

Love,
Cameron Dean Summerhays



I am glad to hear that the funeral went well. Now that I think, being the oldest I never had opportunities to see weddings or funerals... things like that. I don´t remember anyway, the only time I remember is when I touched Grandpas hand as a child and it is a very vague memory. I am so glad that the family was able to have a good time afterward, I am sure that made Grandma very happy. I have to say I am a little jealous about the whole dolphin thing, I will get over it! haha. Way to go mom with the toe by the way! “that doesn´t look right”. haha. I had a good laugh about that... but I am sure it hurt. I can´t believe Taylor attacked his own mother! haha. sigh...

In other news. I received the package with the pants and the socks and the perfume... I mean cologne, and all the other stuff. Thanks very much. I loved the letters and the pictures and everything. Tawni sent me some pictures. It´s kind of weird that everybody has grown up, but it was good to see her. Good thing Janelle started driving while I was gone it´s not safe anymore! McKenna is next huh!? noooo way Jose! That just doesn´t work out in my book.

This week has been good, we´ve had some people falling through, but we look forward to the future with bright hopes. The Lord will make everything right, I will be in division this week with my favorite missionary buddy, he works hard and we have an extremely strong spirit while working together. I have told you about him on the phone, his name is Elder Moura. I love that guy so much. He is going home in about 3 weeks and I will miss him a lot. When I get home the first thing I will do is call him! haha Then you can hear me speaking unscripted improv Portuguese!

I am so happy that you all have a good outlook on things, and I am glad that everything went well in California. Always look forward with faith in the Lord and everything will work out right. We have a formula for faith in the mission that is written in the form of a pyramid. The base is EXACTNESS. To show our faith we must be exact! Keeping the commandments is the easy part, exactness is following everything, counsel of the prophets for example, for the strength of youth. Exactness is just the start of true faith then we have to get rid of silly excuses and get to work. I am glad to see that you as a family are doing a form of work in supporting one another. I love you very much, be happy give hugs pray hard. Pray as if everything depended on the Lord. Work as if everything depended on YOU!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays



“Mommy,

Deus nos due as lembrancas para que tenhamos as rosas de verao no inverno de nossas vidas.
God gave us memories so that we have the roses of summer in the winter of our lives. (Thomas S. Monson)


I am confident that the fond memories will find a great place in your mind as you think of my grandmother. I know that she was a great woman and I am eternally in debt to her for giving you to me as my mother. Never will an evil word be said about her in my presence. I am deeply grateful to my Father in Heaven for receiving his valiant daughter into his rest. Do not worry, your mother is watching now and is happy to see the family that you have raised. Wash your face dry your tears your Father loves you. I love you very much Mom and I hope that you find happiness in these tough times. I have no doubt that your Mother is very happy. Smile it always changes the outlook of things, help somebody with something it makes the outlook even better!

This week has been good working hard and happy. I found out that my package arrived, I just don´t know when I will be able to go and get it is all. But I am sure in the next week I will have it. I will keep this short, but be happy. I love you very much Mommy, go the temple your Mom is closest to you there.

You loving son,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays

E-mail from January 21, 2009

(He’s responding to Vince’s letter and he told Cameron that he was put in as 1st counselor in the Bishopric)

Yeah, Keno Granger told me that you were on his short list of people to be the bishop, close huh! Well congrats, good luck work hard! haha!!! Hey, make sure those missionaries get the help they need to, I can´t believe how ignored they are for the work they do, they need the members to do stuff. If the members aren´t helping they aren’t doing their job. Who is the ward mission leader?

I am fine here, you know the life of a missionary, it´s not always easy, but we walk forward with faith with the Lord and everything works out right, I am fine no worries. This week we managed to bring 10 people to visit the chapel and we are working with a great couple to set a goal for marriage. They are family members of a young woman in the ward here, and are for sure going to get baptized after a few changes, I probably won´t be in this area any more as I´ve been here for almost 5 months. We are also trying to help the sister of one of the members here to be baptized, but her mom needs to sign the paper, I don´t know why she is making her wait, but she´ll get baptized if not now when she turns 19. This week we had family home evening with members and some non member family and friends, it was good and we left a message with them, hopefully we made a difference and we can help some more people join the fold.

Just love each other. I love you and miss you, be happy and don´t frown! Give hugs and trust in the Lord!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays

E-mail from January 6, 2009

Nope, I´m not getting transferred! Whooo I love this area, I am going to ball my eyes out when I leave here. I am still with Elder Lima, and we are doing a lot better in our relationship, he misses his family, but he will be fine. Yesterday was crazy though! He hit his head on the shower handle while he was taking a shower, and it was really loud, I heard it two rooms over. When he came out he didn´t say anything for a bit, but then he started telling me about it. A few minutes later he started freaking out and saying he was going to die. His vision had gone black for a bit and he said he felt something in his head that felt like running blood. He got really nervous and was trying to leave and then came back like a thousand times. I was trying to calm him down. I told him to sit down and take deep breaths and then he asked for a blessing, so I gave him one, and he calmed down some but we called the bishop to take him to the hospital. We got there and they took 2 xrays and said he might have a small fracture, but they weren´t sure so they sent him home with instructions that if anything strange began to happen he was to return immediately, if nothing happens he is fine. soooo. That's what we did, and he´s fine now, but it was sure crazy! I knew he would be okay though, I don´t blame him for freaking out either, I probably would! That´s not how we opened the new year though! We opened the new year with another baptism! wooo. His name is Thiago (James in English) he is the son of Maria José the other lady we baptized, she cried and cried when he was confirmed. It was a really spiritual experience! Now we are going to try and baptize his brother who is afraid of water, but we´ll pray and comfort him and he´ll be baptized.

How were the fireworks this year? Last year they were terrible! Here was pretty chill, everybodys just a little drunk is all haha. We taught a lady last weekend that attends a church that yells their prayers, and after we said ours she asked to say one of hers. It was scary to tell you the truth, I felt all goodness leave, and the door literally slammed behind me without any wind. I just prayed for anything bad to leave and we left there as quickly as possible.

Anyway that was my week haha. How are you? Oh and tell Jamie thanks for the email and that she can send the letter to this address because I wasn´t tranferred. Tell her the letter was something I needed to hear.

Love,

Elder Cameron Summerhays

E-mails's from December 23rd

Yes I received my packages!!!! It was great thanks alot! My companion and I are doing much better and you don´t have to worry about a thing. The time difference is 4or 5 hours? I don´t remember. It would be best if you called at 3 o'clock my time in the afternoon which is like 10 or 11 your time. The number is 0115503433172938 if that doesn´t work use this one. 011553433172938. Let it rings 2 times hang up and call again we share the line with our neighbors we already talked with them so everything is set. If those 2 numbers fail I will call you after an hour or 2. Also if they don´t work look up instruction about how to call Brazil. Alright haha. 2 days! haha Be ready to be happy again! haha. I don´t have much time today I had to get some email's off to the President that took some time, but I will do my best to respond, but it´s not too big of a deal I´ll talk to you soon! haha.

Ahhhh the snow makes me more trunky that anything else!!!! grrrrr. haha Just kidding. What is the deal? It´s like I´m not allowed to enjoy snow anymore it´s a curse! I leave and the snow won't let up!

E-mail's from December 16th

Hello family how are you today? Sounds like this week was awesome with the no school day. Did Taylor get to pull the stitches out himself? I showed a lot of pictures of you guys off last week. The loved seeing everybody, especially our recent convert. She wouldn´t stop talking about how gorgeous everybody was and how cute she thinks that Lilly is. "Linda Demais"! No I haven´t received any packages yet but they will get her someday haha! I miss the cold so much, but the rain finally decided to kick in here during the rainy season. It´s been raining for days on, needless to say I am in heaven! I went to see the Christmas program it was great! The sound system wasn´t that good in the chapel so I couldn't´t enjoy the music quite as much, but the Spirit of the event was still there. Anyway I´ll stop now to let you know I´m on the computer!

I think the Internet is messed up again. I have to get going pretty quick here. Just remember that I'm okay and I'm happy. I love you all very much and I hope you savor that wonderful snow, I really miss it. The church is true and Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God save it be ourselves. No matter what happens to us we can be certain that he loves us and will take care of us. Never doubt that. I love you all and "sejam felizes"!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays

Cameron's Christmas Letter-Received in January

December 9, 2008

Hello Family! I hope you are all doing well in wonderful rainy Washington. Last I heard there was a snow watch going on up there.

Let me tell you all a bit about how things are going down here. The weather is really hot for starters! While you are enjoying winter, I on other hand am soaking up all of the wonderful sun that Uberaba has to offer! My hair has taken nicely to it and decided to turn blond again. My lower arms, my face and my upper neck are well tanned but the rest of me is still Washington skin. I love Uberaba and wish I could take all of the members home with me and make them live in the USA but I can't. My companion's name is Elder Lima. He's black and a little shorter than me. He is from the north (in Brazil) which generally is hotter but his city has lots of wind so the heat here bothers him. He love soccer and he is 23 years old.

I have been reading a lot from the Ensign lately. I always thought it was just for adults, but it's great reading for teens as well. The words of the prophets are the most recent words that the Lord wants us to know. More recent than The Book of Mormon even. I have read the April General Conference of 2008 4 times and I always learn something new. That conference session was in my opinion the best session to date. I have never heard so many inspired messages. With Christmas rolling around I would encourage you as a family to read the article which I believe is called "Righteous Traditions" and ponder on the traditions that we as a family have developed. Now that I think back it wasn't until I was older that I actually thought about Christ on Christmas Day. Which is no fault of Mom and Dad by the way. They always taught about the nativity and read wonderful stories about the newborn Jesus. But I wasn't focused on it. May I suggest a new tradition for our family. Each morning on Christmas Day, each person pulls a prepared scripture out of their stocking first and take turns reading about the Christ child (starting with the youngest would be best). I am sure Mother and Father can easily arrange this with Santa through a few letters. Then having a family prayer to begin the joyful activities of unwrapping the bounteous gifts under the tree. I just thought that up all by myself! I also re-read it and that's not how I normally write or talk. Weird, huh?

Anyway, I love you all very much and this should be the last letter you receive from me before Christmas!!! So Merry Christmas! Happy New Year and all that jazz.

Love,

Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays

PS Someone try and See if they can get Sammy to remember me, play a recording of my voice or something.

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 - Emails

Hello Mom, how are you? I am doing well here in Uberaba.

My companion is from Ceara (SEA-A-RA) it is near Fortaleza in the North. He is 23 years old. Not everybody in his family is baptized. You´ll hear more about him in a letter.

We are working to baptize the child of our last baptism and also a young girl who has been going to church with her baptized sister for so long she needs to be baptized! The problem is her mom won't let her because she thinks she doesn´t know what she wants with her life. She is an absolute sweetheart just like her older sister who will be serving a mission soon. Those two are some of the friends I was promised to gain in my patriarchal blessing. They made this really cool mini-Christmas tree out of old magazines. I love this area so much I am going to miss it when I leave.

I miss the Christmas creche. I explained to the members what it was, but they don´t really collect stuff like that. Up until now Christmas hasn't been terribly celebrated. A few houses have lights and stuff, but the commercial push to BUY BUY BUY is very low compared to the United States. This is not to say that everyone is more focused on the real meaning of Christmas, but I think it is more of a lack of money. I havn't really seen anything particularly different about birthdays or Christmas here. They have gifts that they wrap and that;s about it. A nice dinner.... yeah. The main religion of the country is Catholic sooo it doesn´t have anything very different.

Yes I already heard about President Worthlin, it was the first time when I thought I was ready to let somebody go. After I saw him suffering that one time, I was happy to hear that he is now enjoying the blessings of spirit paradise.

I´ll get the phone number to you as soon as possible, I might just have to call you again though, we´ll see haha It will all work out, always does.

I hope that my packages get here soon as well. I will be here in Uberaba for Christmas for sure unless the president decides to put me on an emergency transfer haha! doubtful.

Anyway. that's what´s up in a nutshell. How does Taylor´s chin look?

He thinks it´s cool huh? is it in the front or on the bottom part of his chin? Scars are kinda cool though haha. Hey I was just thinking, how is the computer doing? does it still run well? have there been any problems? Also how is my dog? is she happy? do you think she´ll remember me after 2 years? I hate dogs here grrrrr haha not all of them, just the ones that bark all the time(almost all of them).

I just thought of something different about Christmas here. They love fireworks, they don´t stop and they are reallly loud. They are less into the pretty ones and more into making a ton of nose, that's how a lot of things are actually.

I have to get going soon. I love you I´m sorry I have to finish this so fast. I love you, send me one more so I can read it and then I have to go. I love you so much. Be happy and give hugs to everybody. Never lose your temper and always show love in all of your responses to anything. I miss you all and I pray for you often. Be happy!

Love,
Elder Cameron Dean Summerhays