Monday, December 27 2010

HEY FAMILY!! I just gotta say that dads present rocked!! HAHA i got a good laugh out of that one, thats pretty cool. It was really fun to talk with you guys, i didnt recognize any of the kids voices! Man time has gone by. Anyways sounds like christmas was pretty awesome, and everyone got cool stuff for christmas, my comp gave me a snickers bar, which was an awesome gift haha.I havent had a snickers bar in 14 months. This week has been super tuff with the work, the people were so focused on their beers and parties that they didnt want anytime for Christ, so it was a testimony builder for me, i realized this week that i really do just love testifying to everyone, to be super bold and tell everyone why im here, the way that most people stare at me afterwards makes me happy, because im sure its the first time they have ever meditated about the gospel in their lives.!The people in formosa are so freakin awesome, christmas eve we woke up to start working and everyone gave us this cheesy onion cornbread, so we ate like 5 pounds that day so at night when we went to the bbq we didnt have alot of space to eat the delicious meat. I really have never seen so much beer in my life! everyone was drinking, kids and all, super crazy! But luckily we didnt have any problems.Christmas i got to talk to you guys and then we ate lunch with our landlords, she is a univeristy psycologist but she truly believed that the chinese came from outerspace because they are nothing like us, so kind of wierd haha but they want to learn more about the church and im sure they are going to get baptised in february. Sunday we had a tuff morning, not one investigator came to church and there was no air conditioning, on top of that i was sweating up a storm because i had to give a talk, dont worry, it was the best talk ive given in my life, about the book of mormon, super awesomeI never sweated so much as yesterday, going so long in the heat gives a huge head ache, but i sure do love it here in Formosa, i was super homesick after talking to you guys but here all i ahve to do is go out and work and i go right back into the mood of the missionary, its super hard here because i dont feel progress, but at least im not homesickI actually feel like this is my life.That the other missionaries are my brothers and all, its a great feeling. I love the mish, the only worry i have is the heat, what a blessing. The heat is conquerable, there are alot of problems in the world that arent as easy to overcome, the spirit helps alot. Im learing alot, im becoming a missionary who actually recognizes the spirit, something that i thought was a myth before, i truly believe now the spirit is trueI feel it on a daily basis and i recognize it as more than just my thoughts, thats my blessing for the week. Even though this is the tuffest thing yet, im loving the forced growth that im recieving. I feel sick when i think about college or dating or anything that comes after the mish, so im content with my life. The only thing i want is variety, im sick of eating hamburgers on a daily basis haha, so lifes good.! Thanks friends for writing me! I got some super awesome friends!! And thanks family for always caring for me! I am sure lucky to have the fam that i got! Love ya all! PEACE! Oh hey, i found my evil twin here in Argentina, hes a super awesome, yet super mean guy haha, it was alot of fun to get to know him, wink wink..!

Monday, December 20 2010

Hey family hows it going! Im doing fine, todays weather is alot calmer than this weekend. This past weekend was true summer heat, like 113 with a whole bunch of humidity, and i was sick so that was pretty tuff, not the greatest weekend, a few of our investigators literally ran away from us when we passed by, and we had to let all of our investigators go because they arent progressing, so we have to start over all again, so its been a pretty downer week haha, but at the same time i have loved it because i have worked harder than i ever have before, ive been focused and the first time i got trunky was when i saw the pics of hannahs baptism, so this week was good, i was focused on the work until saturday, the heat still destroys me, but something that ill have to learn to overcome, super hard. The weather here is how it was in feburary in posadas so it will be interesting to see how this summer passes. Anyways, life with my comp is getting better, were becoming good friends. This week we found a family that is super prepared by god, in our first lesson i had what i felt was like dejavou three times in the lesson, when i saw like a vision and then i just said what i saw, so it was a super spiritual lesson, the first lesson that i have truly felt the spirit work through me in my mission. I was given what to say many times through these visions, super sweet. So im super excited to get to know them better, They have three kids, two are in the university studying engineering and a 13 year old girl. We passed by the next day to see how they were going and they were going out to have their own type of family night, they go on family dates like twice a week, something that i have never heard of here before, they literally are mormons without baptism haha. So that made my week, and whenever anything else bad happened i just thought of them and everything got better. So they are literally our only hope right now, the only investigators we got. I got an envelope from grandma jacobsen like the first week of november when i was in Reconquista, idk if that is the same one she sent, but anyways thanks grandma for that! When im in front of the computer screen i usually freak out and panick and can never focus, thats why i usually dont ever answer questions or say anything that you ask, just understand im under pressure haha. And ya i got a letter from derick and maria and from grandpa and grandma cow yesterday, thanks a whole bunch! And i forgot about collins birthday, happy late birthday collin! And happy early birthday mom! Im on a role remembering stuff, ill call like at 10 here, so be prepared! HAppy christmas to everyone and ill see ya all next week!
I would like to say that through all of these trials i am having, i do know with every fiber of my heart that this church is true and that its the only way to be happy forever. I love telling everyone about the good news of the gospel, i plan on staying member for the rest of my days on this earth, im grateful that my savior loves me, even though i do not understand the atonement, and im far from being close to him i feel his love and his mercy in my life every day. There is nothing better than living the gospel. LOVE YA!

Monday, December 13 2010

Hey family! Mom i told you not to worry, we were just having so much fun that we didnt have time to write, the dog didnt do anything to my actual body, i thought it did, because my pants were shredded but in the end the dog didnt even pierce my skin. Ive tried to kill that dog ever since, every time i see it. Anyways this past week has been super crazy, it started off super hot, oh my gosh it was rediculous, im so sick of the heat haha, but it didnt affect me at all, Elder Myrer and I are great friends and its a super help to be with someone so positive like him, he reminds me alot like andy and judd, we got along super well, i was loving the start of the week and working really hard, then thursday we recieved a call and Elder Myrer left in an emergency transfer, a new elder from south Carolina came, Elder Moore, so now im the older elder or whatever its called, anyways now that im there i dont want to be haha, i was so used to just following, anyways Elder Moore is pretty cool. He can teach and talk super well in spanish, even though he only has 11 months in the mission. Its been pretty tuff since he has come because i lost alot of my desire with Elder Myrer leaving and now i have to build it all up again its tuff, but like you said its all in the attitude, yet again it seems like i can have only a couple of days of enjoyment haha, i really do feel like i have lost a good friend, i havent felt like ive had any of those in the mission, but really its all good. Well the work here is at a stand still, i can talk with alot of people, everyone accepts to get baptised, but noone comes to church, i need to learn how to do the work more effectively or something, but im trying my best, and thats all i can give. Yesterday we watched the christmas devotional and it really made me miss home haha nothing new. I have no clue when ill call, in the morning whenver you want, we have a phone in our house. Sounds like the perfect weather at home, and sounds like everything is going well. Well love you all, i am really trying to love the mission, one day! Loves.

Monday, December 6 2010

fam thanks so much, i do love your emails, but i cant write this week, so next week ill let you know all about this week, it was awesome, super hot, then rain, we walked in our ankles in water for 4 days, i got bit by a dog and im doing fantastic, thanks and love you all!