August 4, 2011

Hola Familia!

for some reason, this won't let me do a tab, and then it's randomly sending it. It's super weird. But how are you guys? I'm doing just great this week. I saw the doctor this week, and got some medicine and I think i'm all over my cold now. Now my stomach is deciding that it is it's turn to be upset, but it's alright. It was funny going to the doctor this week, because through a random chance it turned out to be the doctor I saw at the BYU health center a few times. He was covering for another doctor, who Uncle Howard was doing a surgery on that day. also, it's really nice having Howard for an uncle around doctors in Provo. They are all super nice to me because they all love him. That's really nice. It's weird typing this email, I feel like I can already feel my english grammar slipping. And after sunday, me and and my companion are going to do solamente espanol. So after sundee, we're just going to speak spanish to each other. it's gonna be tough, but It will definitely help the spanish come better. Also a weird thing about being on a mission is getting used to nobody calling me Ryan. I felt super weird about that at first, til I thought about it and realized that nobody actually calls me Ryan anyway. I don't think i've been consisently called by my first name since middle school. But anyway.

This week has been super busy, really good and a little crazy. Spanish is coming along, everything is going good. It's really sad because two elders in our district, Elder moss and elder boyd, left yesterday. So now our district is down to 7. It's a little sad, but we're getting used to it. They're gonna do great down in Bolivia. And good news is, before Elder moss left, I salted his chocolate milk. And his cantaloupe. And he didn't see either of them, and he ate them both, and his faces were hilarious. I laughed so hard. Also, some of the elders kept hiding alarm clocks in their room the week before they left, and that was also hilarious. We were just trying to get them ready to go. But it'll be sad, I don't have anyone to play basketball with anymore. Or wear my spongebob sweatbands! Muy triste. Another cool thing is, my district got to usher at the fireside sunday. That was kinda fun. Cause we got front row seats, and everything. That was fun. My teaching and spanish is really progressing, I can feel it coming. I'm learning a lot how to teach, and when we do it in English, it's so easy. And it feels so good. And then I know exactly what I want to say, but I can't always say it in Spanish. But it's definitely progressing, and I'm working on mastering the grammar right now, the present, imperfect, preterit, future, conditional, present progressive, it's really fun. I really enjoy being able to use them. And when me and Elder Harper go all spanish, I think i'll progress even more. So i'm feeling pretty good about everything there. Also, there is an elder here named Justin Beazer. We heard them call him over the intercom, and we couldn't even believe it. And I had to fight my innate desire to want to fight him. We also challenged our second progressing investigator to baptism, that was really cool. I was just sitting there thinking and listening to my companion teach, when all the sudden I saw perfectly how to commit her to baptism. I just thought of the questions I should ask, and it worked exactly as it did when it came into my mind. That was awesome, knowing that the Spirit really told me how to get her to commit. That was really cool. I've also gotten better at studying. For some reason on tuesdays, we start with gym at 6 o clock. And then during the day, we have 5 hours of personal study total, including a 3 hour block. usually, that's death. I've fallen asleep every week during it. But this week, I had the best study session of my life. I studied patience for two hours straight! I don't know if it was because the more I studied, the more I learned about patience and that helped me study that long or what. But it was great. I spent like an hour on 3 scriptures, and wrote like 7 pages. It was crazy. I never do that. There is a scripture in D&C that talks about how when we're learning and teaching by the spirit, we both understand and are edified and rejoice together. And I've really started to understand that this week. Me and Elder Harper taught the district meeting sunday, and I felt the spirit when I was teaching then, and when I was studying. And I was so happy about it. There really isn't a better word to describe it than rejoicing, like it says in the scripture. That was really cool.

also, thanks so much for all the letters and packages! You don't understand what a huge difference it makes here. It makes days so much better, and reading your letters always makes me so happy. Thank you so much. And I have enough candy and food in my room right now to get diabetes. Amy asked me what I wanted her to send me, and if you wanted to send me anything, what I really want is pictures. I don't have any pictures of anybody, and I'd like some. Also, I could use some more t-shirts. But I'm all out of time, I love you all, and I can't wait to talk to you again soon!

Adios!