January 27th e-mail

Hello family,
WEll things are going really good here we had a pretty exciting week on sunday was Michele's Baptism and things went great. It was a really cool experience to be able to be apart of her life and perform the baptism. President Thornock came and was there for it also. We got alot of support from the ward and had a pretty good turn out. Well we got our transfer call last night and gues what I am going to be training AGAIN... Man I can't believe this!

I am just kidding I am not training iam going to be a Zone leader in Blacksburg VA. Thats where Virginia Tech university is. Its going to be pretty interesting to see what all goes on there I heard that alot of things have been in the news about it lately. My companion is Elder Gerrard He is from Vegas, I think. I went on exchanges with him once while I was in Lynchburg. It is sort of funny everytime I get transfered I go to a new zone this is my Fifth area and my fifth zone. I am getting a wide variety of the mission. I really am excited to be a zone leader but sort of nervous this will be a great learning experience and a great time in my life. I am really going to miss elder weathersby he is a great missionary and we have had alot of fun this last transfer it went by way to fast but there is a reason that iam leaving. I am going to miss him But we both hve promised that were going to hang out when we get home and do things together. Thanks for the package I got it yesterday and I really am grateful for the perfect push ups I have used them a couple of times and really like them. I cant wait to go out to dinner with you guys when i get home we dont eat out that much but at least iam not getting fat:D
Well not awhole lot else is going on just excited for this new area. When president called he said that he wants me to get blacksburg on fire like i have done here in Roanoke. It lifted my spirits to know that he thought that highly of me. Well family hope that you all are doing good back there in Utah and that your winter isn't that bad. we were told that the weather was supposed to be pretty bad today and actually Snow. (I think that they lied to us all its doing is raining) well we will talk to you soon Love you all and miss you guys Bye.
Love Elder Cory Alan Downward
here is my new address.
314 Reynolds st. Apt A
Blacksburg Va. 24060

Silly Elder

Aspen and Brylee made this of uncle Cory and I thought I would share!

January 20th E-mail

Hey family, So sounds like things are going pretty good with you all. That is sort of weird to think that there is going to be a new bishop when i come home. Oh well Who is Brother OLsen? I cant think of him off the top of my head. I am glad that i made moms saturday(with Sandys help of course) Sandy is the one that did it all! I just asked her if she could and she took control so you should probably give her a call and thank her for doing it and also let her know that iam very thankful for it also. What all did you do for her birthday and all that fun jazz. I hope that you had a happy birthday and that it was good. SO next week is transfers alrea dy and we have no idea what is going to happen so if you send anything to me this week send it to the mission home thanks. I will be looking for the package later this week. Did you get mine yet? I wil let you know soon as we find out what is going to happen. So what did Elder weathersby have to say in the card he didn't tell me a thing that he wrote you guys? I wrote his family and let them know how much ireally apperciate serving with elder Weathersby. I had no idea that Josh and Ryan moved out. I was going to ask you guys to start looking up things for me about schooling. I think that i want to go back in the spring semester at SLCC. SO if you can start finding out things for that would be great. So here is your exciting news for the week Michelle Thompson is going to be getting baptized on Sunday and Iam going to be performing th e Baptism. Iam so exxcited this transfer has been one of my more favorite ones out here me and Elder weathersby are getting along great and we are really liking it here together. I Hope that the rest of my mission will be as good as this one. If you see BJ Gardner again tell him i say hi back. SO what all did ashley put on the blog page of me? Well Family that is mainly it I Hope that you all have a good week and that evereything goes good with you guys. I love you all bye. Love Elder Cory Alan Downward P.s. Maybe he colbey smell something in the garage and doesn't like it in there anymore.

Tuesday Jan. 6th E-mail

Hey Family, SO things out here is going good. We are doing amazing. The weather is really starting to tick me off because it just gets to about 60 degrees and stays that way for the whole week. Today it got colder but nothing to special. I really want to get some snow I miss it so much. It hasn't even really snowed here yet all it has done is start to snow then melt ten minutes later. SO confusing! Sounds like it it is cold there it was about that bad here last year but that was farthur north. It was supposed to have ice rain today but nothing has happened yet. Oh well. Yes, we heard about Utah killing Alabama and that there is a big debate about who should be #1 that woould be cool if they did make it. This area is not real big on sport teams from the west all we here about is Virginia Tech. and North Carolina. I had no idea that aunt Beverly died. How is grandma taking it? That is cool that Grandma did the closing prayer. I had a bunch of thank you cards left over from when I first cameout and thought that I would send one to everyone that sent me something from the ward. I didn't get one to the ertals but will soon. It makes me happy to find out that everyone liked them and was grateful for them. SO Sandy Got me a shirt and two ties, a puzzle that goes over the plan of salvation so that when we teach people it they can see how it all works. a Jar with a bunch of thoughts one every sunday till I get home. It was a really good Christmas alot better then last year But probably because I got the gifts before christmas :D. SO Josh and Ryan are up to no good still huh? well Something that Rob Said when we were up at the Cabin Two years ago Has stuck with me to this day. He said that when he went on his mission his friends that didn't go hit a wall and didn't really progress for those two years. He said that he had alot more skills when he got home then his friends. So we sill see if it is true when I get home. I wish that they would take the time and think about how much fun and how many different people you get to meet out here. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything it has helped me grow and progress in a number of ways. So the helicopters take them to Costco Ashley said they would take back anything. Thats just me being greedy and wanting them to play with. Well that is mainly it for this week not a whole lot of things are going on out here We are trying to find some more people to start teaching and get progressing. I will let you know how michelle is doing in your letter. We havn't gone out to dinner yet but I will soon I'll let you know Thanks. Melinda I hope that you are having fun in Logan Love you. I miss you all and love you alot. Talk to you soon Bye. Love/Elder Cory Alan Downward

Christmas in Roanoke, Virginia!

The family that Cory spent Christmas day with, sent us these pictures of their dinner! Looks like a lot of missionaries joined them-I hope they had enough food! We appreciate all of the people out in the mission field that befriend, feed and help Cory! Thank you!

Nov Letter

Hey family how is everything going? It is going amazing out here our area is on fire. Last week since I am the district leader we went out on exchang es and we found four new investigators and then we found two more before sunday it was amazing to see how the lord blesses us. The people that we found seem pretty promising and hopefully will be good solid investigators. Our main investigator Cody stephans is doing really good we are hopefully set him for baptism this up coming week. YAY:D it has really cool to see him change and progress sense we first started teaching him. He has changed alot in the last couple of weeks. We are doing really good I made myself a promise last night that before I come home iam going to read the old testament, the new testimont, the book of mormon, doctrine and covenents, pearl of great price, jesus the christ, our search for happiness, our heritage, and preach my gospel. that is one a transfer. Hope that i can do it. Iam sorry to hear about the odekirks and the loss of his daughter and son. that would really suck to have them both die in one week. that is why we have the word of wisdom and we have a prophet to lead and guide us so that we dont make mistakes that could end up taking our lives. The district leader position is amazing its not that hard but sort of fun because i get to see whats going on in the district and see what i can d= o different. I got an email back from sandy and she said that she was ok with out emailing. She understands that its from a prphet and that this is what were supposed to be doing. The size of pants i need are either 32W 34L I wont black ones gain. and the size of the vest is a large. black also. Thanks for the compliment on the hair cut i cut it myself now:D i cut elder Lopez's last night it turned pretty good its not that hard to do. so the picture of my finger where it was all bloody. we were moving a family into a home and i was carrying a box out side and when i put it down it cut my finger it was way worse then a paper cut and hurt like the dickens:D but its all better now just a sweet scar. the explorer combo is 51979 i think. write it down this time. Well i got to go i miss you all and lOve you guys thanks for the letter kristin. Oh the pictures that you can erase are the ones of the pumpkins and what ever other ones there are on it. just not the ones of the hike. you should be able to put a couple of videos on it it holds alot of videos. Well i love you all and hope that you have a happy thanksgiving. Love/Elder Cory Alan Downward