Get a fire going!

Get a fire going! This week I discovered how to say manflesh in spanish, that was kind of a big deal. And I've been saying it all the time. Me and my district have been having fun with it. And making fun of how the people in the computer program speak spanish. like robot zombies. Its hilarious.

Well, this week has been interesting. It's been a fine week, and I've had some really great experiences. It's been kind of a tough week, mostly because I've been sick the whole time. I thought I was getting better, but then the last couple days it started coming back even worse. So that's been tough. And i've been a little stressed, everyone says you can't be a good missionary unless you're a little stressed, but the stress and sick haven't been a good combo for me this week. I think i'm getting better though, and I've got an appointment tomorrow so hopefully it'll all clear up. It's been a mostly good week otherwise. Spanish is actually going really well, my teacher, hermano Gillon, is amazing. He's such a good teacher, he really brings the spirit into the lessons and teaches very well. My other teacher is great too, hermano clegg, he just got back from his mission 3 weeks ago, and his birthday was tuesday, so our district got him a present to help him get back on the dating scene. But spanish is great, hermano gillon says that we can already speak better than his other district who's been there a few weeks longer, and lots of people have told us our spanish is very good and they're amazed we've only been there two weeks. It's amazing to me too. I really love learning a language, it's really cool to talk spanish to people, and really cool, because a couple times this week I've been speaking and I haven't even been translating it in my head, just speaking straight spanish to spanish. That's been cool, learning the language is probably my favorite part here. besides Lewis Park of course. We had a great fireside sunday, Brother allan came in, and he's the guy who makes all those mormon messages. He showed us a ton of us, and they're super corny and cliche but I love them. Some of them brought tears to my eyes, they really do have some great messages. My district has had a couple testimony meetings, and it's been great too. I really love my district, we all get along really well, and it's great. Except Elders moss and boyd leave for the Peru MTC next week, so that will be sad. Oh also, I've seen tons of people I know. I think I forgot to mention it, but I saw TJ in my first 5 minutes I was at the MTC, and I see him all the time, except he left for Fresno yesterday. But if you look on his blog, i think its eldertjmelanson@blogspot.com, you will probably be able to see a picture or two of me on there in the near future, we took some before he left. But it's really fun how many people I recognize here from the ward and school, and every wednesday so far brings in more people I know. Also, my district thinks i'm the most popular person alive. I've gotten a package almost every day, and tuesday I got 5 letters and 3 packages! It was great. And for the record, KT and Amy are now my most favorite siblings. They have both sent me packages, and they were great! So awesome. And Brent is my least favorite cause he ate all the candy that was supposed to be in one of my packages. Also, I showed my district the toothpick trick, and they are all amazed. they can't figure it out. Also, I think I forgot to tell/show you guys this, but while I was at college I learned to tear an apple in half with my bare hands. So I did that too, and that impressed them. But I can't think of too much else to tell you guys, it's been an interesting week. But thanks so much for all your letters and packages, it's made my week so much better, I can't say how grateful I am for them. also, we committed one of our progressing investigators to baptism, that was cool. everything is going pretty well, and I wish I had more time, but I can't wait to hear from you guys and I can't wait to write again!

borsh-Hey buddy! I'm glad you're taking good care of Kola for me. and I've stayed away from g'bees don't worry. But you'll never guess what I learned this week. One of the guys in my district, know the Kid history guys! they're in his stake, and we spent a solid 10 minutes quoting them and laughing. Also, "we keeping them safe!"

Yam-thanks so much for my package! those cookies were so delicious. And the M&M's had a rough journey, but they were still delicious! That package made my day. I sure love you! And say hi to Cary for me!

B-I'm sorry to hear about the slim pickin's, but I'm excited for you to be back out here so you can send me tons of stuff. That will be great. I'm very impressed to hear you've still been running, i've been doing basketball myself. Thanks for your great letters B, and and I'm picturing you making your Area 51 noise right now

Matt- Thanks for the letters! your letters about mops text made me LOL in the bathroom while I was reading. And then LQTM after. It was hilarious. tell Lauren I say hi, and can't wait to hear from you!

KT-YOur bread was so delicious. It wasn't even stale, and the butter was squished but it was still delicious. Me and my district ate both loaves the first day we got it. Thanks so much! I can't wait to see the cutie outfits, and hope your sunburn gets better! and tell Todd to eat all the cheery (thats what he said when he wrote me) pie he can handle.

Mops and pops-I love! but I'm running out of time, I hope you're all goijng great. Also i'm running out of Nyquil, and I'm actually not sure if I can buy it at the bookstore. I love you guys, and I can't wait to hear from you again!

Donde es Waldo?

Hello Familia! You're letters and emails this week have been amazing, having such a wonderful and loving and supportive family behind me really makes an incredible difference in my effectiveness here. And I really appreciate it. The letters and emails have been making me LQTM, ROFL, and LOL. Which earns me a lot of strange looks in the laundry. But it's really been a great week since I last emailed you. I have some great things to tell you. First of all, I had an excellent embarrassing (not embarazado) moment in spanish. Me and elder Harper were practicing teaching, and apparently it's really easy to get Yo se (which means I know) and Yo soy (which means I am) mixed up. So I was trying to teach him the 1st lesson en Espanol, and i accidentally said yo soy padre celestial. So I accidentally said I was Heavenly Father. Luckily the law of Moses has been fulfilled, and we don't stone for blasphemy anymore. They just laughed a lot. Spanish and teaching is really coming along actually, I usually start of each day feeling completely brain-dead and pretty sure I've never actually been to church or spoken english, let alone spanish, and then usually by the end of the day I get a weird energy boost and I can speak spanish and teach very well. It's interesting. I'm usually pretty slow until at least 2, it takes me about 7 hours to wake up. Plus the MTC food isn't helping. I don't know what it is, but es no bueno. My stomach feels like the 4th of July everyday. And it makes my face and hair really greasy for some reason. Super weird. But it's good. Me and my companion were practicing teaching another companionship, and when we do that the person being taught pretends to be someone they know very well who they wish had the gospel. So we were teaching, and it started off good and pretty normal. And about halfway through, the Elder just starts crying and doesn't talk much, and we just keep on teaching as best we can. At the end I bore my testimony, and you could definitely feel the Spirit in the room there. After we finished, the elder said that about halfway through, he'd stopped thinking about his friend and started thinking about himself. He said he'd been struggling lately, and that he knew we;d been guided by the Spirit, and we'd said just what he needed to hear. That was really cool. I had no idea he was struggling, and I didn't even realize I was being led. It was pretty amazing, and very humbling. My teacher said most the time, we don't even realize we're being led by the Spirit, just like the Lamanites, who were baptized with fire, and they knew it not. That was probably the highlight of my week. The firesides and devotionals have also been great. They've said some really good things, we haven't had any of the 12 or anything yet, but they've still been good. And I've decided me and Elder Auna are gonna join the choir, so that'll be good. That's about all I've got to say, it's been a good week, and I am enjoying myself here, especially when I am able to forget about myself. That's the key there. It's fun though. I've learned so much, and when I look at it, it's amazing that I can bear my testimony, pray, ask questions, and teach most the 1st lesson in espanol, in only a week. It's pretty amazing actually, and I know I'm definitely not doing it all by myself. And, I would definitely prefer more Dear Elders and letters to emails, because I can read them when I want, and decide what I want to say, which gives me more time to write for you, cause I only have a half hour each week. Muchas Gracias!

Borsh-I hope everything is going great for you buddy! Are you getting ready for dances and high school and everything? Ask todd for some pickup lines, he'll help you out there. But i sure miss you buddy, and I hope you're taking great care of Kola for me!

Yam- As for personal letters, I'll leave that up to you and Mops discretion. Unless it's something very personal, or you don't want it up there, or I say not to, I'm just fine with posting the personal letters to the blog too. It's up to you. I haven't gotten your package yet, but I haven't checked the mail today, so it might be there. I love all your letters, and I can't wait for a blog post! and tell Care-bear i say hi!

B-finally. the answer. I've been waiting for that. No more turbans for us. Although I am slightly grossed out and confused by that, I'd rather not find out for myself. I do still use TALL here, although It hasn't been super effective for me yet, I'm not sure how best to use it. Although having the right headphones makes a world of difference. I hope that you have a girlfriend by now, I'm disappointed if there is anything less!

M@-- I had my first service assignment yesterday. It wasn't bathrooms, but it wasn't quite as good as the pillow room. We exchanged blankets for all the rooms, which was super boring until me and Elder Moss realized if you took a running start and launched yourself into the laundry bin, it was really fun and didn't hurt. We pile-drived those blankets like there was no tomorrow. I haven't read the BOM in the hall yet, I just got that letter last night, but I should definitely try it. Although there are always more people in the hall than my room so no se. thanks for the letters, and tell lauren i say hi!

KT- SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! I'm gonna be an aunt! we we we so excited. I can't e'en b'lee dat. I'm so excited! I canot wait to get pictures and see all her and get cutesy letters from you. It's so cute i'm gonna die! also sometimes people at the MTC call me a nutball. Just because I eat the cereal with the fibers and chew it and chew it and chew it all day.

Todd-I love the pickup lines, keep them coming. I'm glad that you shared the love on your birthday and let everyone else get presents, just like a true hobbit. I hope you had second breakfast too. and elevenses.

Mops and POPs-my time is running out, so you got the short end, but I got a ton of free time so I'll do a snail mail for you. I love you guys, thanks for supporting me in everything and raising me up right! I love you all so much.

I'm sorry for those questions I didn't answer, the timer ticking done is stressing me out and I can't remember everything. I love you all, and I love hearing from you! Buenos noches!

Enough goodbyes

I'm tired of saying goodbye to everyone. So instead, I will say see you later. And now, in the famous words of Bilbo Baggins, "I feel quite ready for another adventure."