April 14, 2014

Dear everyone,

Well, we decided to start this week off with a bang. On Tuesday we had

a few lessons, one with an investigator - who will hopefully be

baptized sometime in the near future. We also got a few referrals -

one of which we'll be passing off to the English elders.

My Spanish was on FIRE. I feel like I've been progressing a lot. We found out

that there aren't any new Spanish Elders coming in this transfer, so I

won't be training. I have no idea what will happen now. I could even

get 6 week shafted - meaning I'll be leaving and they'll just put

another pair of Hermanas here.  I got my B-Day package too! Thanks

guys! It's absolutely delicious. Mom, I'm glad you gave in to impulse

- I'd actually been craving fig newtons for a few days. Funny.

The contacts are working great, by the way.

 

Wednesday was exchanges. Everything went well, except for when my

companion for the day, Elder Miller, wrecked his bike trying to jump a

flight of stairs. Fortunately he was okay. Sometimes I really wish we

were on bikes. I could stay in shape a lot easier that way... Plus you

get to do things like jump flights of stairs,

On Thursday we had a cool experience at the library while we were on

Facebook. A lady came up to us and said that she was a recent convert,

and that she was really glad to see us. She told us that she had been

looking for a new job, and needed help making a resume. She was

obviously pretty stressed out, and asked me if I could help her type

up a resume because she couldn't type well.

Hours of my live wasted in Mr. Drew's 7th grade keyboarding class had

prepared me for this moment.

I knew what I had to do.

Long story short, I helped her make a resume and afterward she said

she had been "asking Heavenly Father for a miracle" and that she felt

like it was us being at the library to help her.

Then she started crying.

It was very awkward.

Friday we were supposed to teach another investigator, which ended up not happening

because he wasn't home the two times we tried to go over that day.

Sometimes agency can be really frustrating. Keep praying for him!

We also went to help a family move. Apparently Elder Rodriguez doesn't

know them, and I had never met them, so it was kind of interesting.

They aren't members, and we aren't even sure how they got ahold of our

number. I think they're former investigators because they were talking

about missionaries who had been to their house before. Anyway, it was

a neat experience because we got to do service and share a little bit

about the church with them. They weren't interested in learning more.

Maybe someday though.

Sunday nobody showed up to church, not even our investigator who said he would.

We did get a less-active member to come for sacrament meeting at

least. So that was good. After church we went around saying goodbye to

everyone (for Elder Rodriguez) and generally just having a trunky time

together. Then we ate chivo (goat) for dinner with an Ecuadorian

family, los Hidalgo. Chivo is like lengua, but worse. Not my favorite

food ever.

I loved getting to see the pictures from your vacation. Looks like it

was a blast. I did recognize the giant telescope from Goldeneye. I had

no idea it was in Puerto Rico though. That's sweet.

Dad, don't give up on your Spanish. I've been laughed at plenty on my

mission, and it's a similar theory to skiing. If you aren't making

mistakes, you aren't getting any better. That said, better to be sure

about things as important as your dinner.

Mom, thanks for being such a great mom. Xoxo

Sam, you're even taller than I remember, and looking like less of a

noob every day. I can see why you got a date to prom.

Katest, you're the greatest.

Libby, I'm glad you're working on developing those adventure muscles.

You never know when you might need them.

Jess, you already look like a different person to me. We're going to

have to get to know each other again when I get home. Love you kid.

And yeah. That's all for this week.

con mucho cariño,

Jake