Mom and Dad,
Thank you both for your emails this week! The week often feels like a backpacking trip. It starts out great, I feel energized and i'm excited to be setting out. Then comes the whole middle part of the trip where all you can think about is a hot meal and a warm bed. At the very end you see the car again and all the lousy stuff and the exhaustion disappear. Your weekly emails are like seeing the car again, they encourage me and get me excited again for the week ahead.
I'll start out by telling you about my week because I don't think I ever give you much in the way of details. Monday was rough because I was feeling discouraged and like I was doing a lousy job of being a missionary. Every night we talk to our district leader to check in and that night as always he asked me how I was doing and if there was anything he could do for me. I gave the usual fine and no response but he asked again and I told him some of the things that were bothering. In the end we talked for about half an hour and he shared some of his own experience with me. I felt way better afterwards and was able to start the week on a way better note. It was good for me also to realize that there are people here in the mission whom I can talk to and who can help me when i'm having a hard time.
From there the week went. I honestly don't remember well what happened in the first half of the week. We had our district meeting on tuesday and that went as usual. Thursday we had exchanges and I went to another area with one of the district leaders. We had study time together before we left and because he is an american too he had me practice teaching in english. I hadn't taught in english at all until then but I was able to teach very well and that helped me to have confidence and learn how I can improve my teaching. After that we knocked doors some but didn't have any success. We then had lunch with a member and had a wonderful spiritual message with them. Our plan was to go from there to teach a lesson but we heard from the elders in the area one over that a very large fire that had been burning all day was getting close to them so we got to go over and pick them up. Elder wahlstrom, one of the guys in my district from the mtc, was one of the missionaries who we picked up so for the rest of that night we had fun talking in english. It was such a wonderful break. At this point seeing an American is like happening upon a well while dying of thirst in the desert. It's really nice. Even though we didn't have the chance to teach much that day I got to experience some missionary camaraderie in the field and actually have fun out here which was really nice for me. The rest of the week kind of flew by. At some point I got sick and so have been having a rough couple of days since. Im hoping that the sickness abates soon but i'm not too worried.
In a nutshell that was my week.
Other pertinent info. On Sunday the 24th I think we will have time to call home around 4ish i'll check on that but it will definitely be sometime on the 24th or 25th. I can't wait to talk to you guys! let's make sure we have a time that works for both of us.
Dad, yes, you are fine to use the brackets and wood to do shelves for Mom. If there's anything I want to change i'll do it when I get back. Mom need not wait 2 years for those. It does kill me not to be able to finish those myself though. I never want to leave home again once I get back. I have too much work to do.
Thank you for your testimony, it is always a source of strength for me! Your advice and experience are good. I will go and do. Eventually something good will come down the line.
Thank you also for the announcement from uvu! That's exciting, who knows what I'll do in 2 years but that's another great opportunity.
Mom, Thanks for sending a package! I can't wait to get it. There's something to look forward to! Also thanks for your sympathy as far as ovens go. That is the worst surprise that I have received since I heard that we weren't allowed to listen to good music but alas I will live. Thank you also for the words of wisdom that you shared with me. Those are awesome indeed.
Sorry that I haven't been able to give you guys much info. one hour really is no time at all. I'll try to write more in the letters I'm trying to send and in my emails of next week,
Until then I love you guys so much! I can't wait to hear your voices again!
