Hang in there Roy.  My prayers are with you.

Dad

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 1:19 PM, Layton Bethea <layton.bethea@myldsmail.net> wrote:

thanks dad, we will see how this goes, hes a great guy, just i dont know about being a missionary

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 11:26 AM, Bethea, Derek <dbethea@sanjuancounty.org> wrote:

Try to get a split once a week with zone leaders.  This will help.

Derek

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 12:20 PM, Bethea, Derek <dbethea@sanjuancounty.org> wrote:

Layton: I am so so sorry you have had to run into this with this Elder.  You may try and set a boundary with him that you respect his opinion but yours differs.  Then tell him to keep his opinion within himself and you will keep yours to yourself.  Then secure that if either of you want each other opioion on a subject you will ask.  

Roy: Pray for the strength to deal with his negativity and if it becomes to much, counsel with the zone leaders and possiblly the president.  You have to care for yourself.  It is not weakness to ask for help.  Thanks for reaching out to me.  

Dad

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 12:05 PM, Layton Bethea <layton.bethea@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Dad,

Im going to be completely honest with you right now, these next six weeks are going to be rough for me. I figured out that i will be with elder Layden for another transfer and dad, i dont know how im going to do it. Im at my breaking point with this elder. He is so negative about the work other missionaries, the mission president and everything elde that pertains to the mission. He will come out and work and he makes a very big point in that but he doesn't work with the spirit, i hate it, i cant feel the spirit and i have no idea what to do, im not going to complain to to mission president because thats not who i am, but on your mission how did you deal with elders like this? I try to tell him things but he jsut reverts back to, well ive been doing this for 21 months and im not going to change, and my way is the right way and everyone else is wrong i dont know what to do.

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 7:01 AM, Bethea, Derek <dbethea@sanjuancounty.org> wrote:

Elder Bethea: So the family is in Florida and I am stuck at work.  They flew out last Saturday.  I had a meeting to attend on Friday, so we went up North on Thursday night and stayed at the Rindlisbackers and had a good time.  Mason had been getting spoiled by Danielle two days prior to us getting their becuase of being picked up from the BYU baseball camp by the Rindlisbackers.  Him and Matti were having a party ever night.  You will have to ask him and Matti about their adventures.  It was nice to be up there enjoying the city, but it was nice to get back home and enjoy my own bed and get the house clean.  Ya, you know me, cleaned all the bathrooms, vacumed the floors and cleaned the kitchen.  I know, I am a weirdo, but that is who I am.  I am in the middle of my training for the xterra pagosa springs triathlon, so besides working 10 hour days and training, I have little time to breath....but that is good, with the family in Florida I need to keep myself busy.  There hasn't been any other news to let you know about. 

I did want to share with you some inspiring thoughts I had during church yesterday.  It was amazing to me to review the nature of Baptism and why we have to follow this commandment.  As the instructor was presenting this lession, I was reviewing Ether chapter 12.  Elder Bethea (Roy) I love Moroni.  He talks so plainly to us about faith and our day.  How there will be many who will say, because I don't see it, I will not believe it.  He testifies about he the reality of atonement and the power it brings into our life, if we will exercise faith and hope for a better tomorrow.  I believe this.  I can not explain it rationally to anyone or prove it scientficially, but I know it is true by my experience of living the gospel.  You are bringing the people in Washington a great gift, do not ever doubt it.  I am so grateful to you for your decision to serve a mission and learn to love the people of Washington as your father in Heaven.  Moroni bears such a sweet testimony of faith and hope.  I love you son....Keep up the good work.  Never back down from the testimony of the gospel.  Thanks for all you do.  Your Brothers are greatly blessed because your example.

Dad