November 24, 2014
Hey guys
This week was pretty good. We found two new investigators -
a couple of 12-13 year old kids. Their parents aren't very interested, but
they're very friendly and open to having us teach their boys, so that's cool. Elder A and I are getting
along great. He's the first companion I've had on my mission who I feel is a
really good friend as well. So we're having a good time.
The highlights of this week were mostly culinary. On Friday
we had the branch Thanksgiving party, complete with candied yams and fried
turkey with cranberry sauce. Then on Friday we went over to Brother M's house
for hamburgers.
It was a life changing experience.
Bro M doesn't just grill hamburgers, he starts by folding
the patties over slices of cheese then wraps each one in bacon and grills it
over charcoal. It's amazing.
Then for desert we
had peanut-butter filled brownies and ice cream. My mouth is watering just
thinking about it.
All I all this week has gone by really fast. We teach English
classes on Wednesday nights and play soccer with the branch on Thursdays, so
that helps a lot.
Last Friday my companion's bed fell on me.
We have a bunk bed, and I sleep on the bottom. After an eventful day, I was lying there
thinking about the things you think about before you go to sleep (food, did I
leave the iron on, what am I going to eat for breakfast tomorrow morning,
rating the sisters in the zone by attractiveness, etc.) when all of the sudden
I hear from above an ominous creak. I have just enough time to make a sound of
confusion/terror when the mattress (and Argyle with it) falls from above and
lands unceremoniously on my face mid-shout, driving the air from my lungs. This
made a sound that I can only describe as a rubber mallet coming down full-force
on an unsuspecting duck. Thankfully my companion had the good sense to get off
of me quickly, and I escaped with a bruised forearm.
Turns out his mattress board had been shaken loose earlier
by all of us roughousing/trying to take down Elder L. I guess that was God's
way of saying "knock it off".
I didn't sleep very well of the rest of the night.
So that was my week. It was a fast one. I sure miss the
snow, and skiing, and mountains. All it does is rain here, and there's nothing
do to outdoors in Lincoln CA. Mom will be happy to know there are no cliffs
here. I checked. Just miles of rich white suburbs as far as the eye can see.
Time really is flying by. I'm excited to talk to you all
this Christmas.
I'll finish these last six months strong, and then I'll be
home to experience Swig and the Greek Food Truck and hang out with all of you
people.
Have a great week
Love
Jake
p.s.
You were asking about the members and how they feed us:
I love tamales. My favorite Mexican food is caramelos
though. It's like a Mexican Philly cheese steak. Don't ask my why it's called a
caramelo. It just is. And it's delicious
Our members do ok feeding us, which is good because our
allotment doesn't cover our dinners, but sister M (codename: the
fun-sucker, a sister missionary) had complicated things by saying she doesn't want to eat in the
same homes as us.
So, if at any point you think to yourself: "I feel like
sending jake a package. What should I put in it?" Food is always good. Not
just cookies though.
I didn't get to be as buff as I am eating top ramen and
peanut butter sandwiches. ;)
