Today's Letter from our Missionaries

Here's the letter they wanted me to post today! Enjoy...

Dear family and friends,

We are on a steep learning curve here! We are getting a little more settled everyday. Today the big event was the delivery of our new mattress. We have decided to just put it on the floor and thus avoid the extra expense of a frame and box spring...very high class. But we now have moved the blowup bed to the guest room! hint hint

We had a baptism in our district last Sat. The elders were very happy! In the two weeks before they baptized a whole family. Our district leader has been here for six months and those five baptisms are the only ones here in the past 6 mos. He goes home this Sunday so it has been satisfying for him. Another fellow committed to be baptized this Sat. but has now backed out. We went with the elders to teach him last night. Personally I think he was wise to, but of course I didn't tell the elders that.

For the first time last night we went out alone contacting part member and inactive members. We even made an appt. to teach a lesson to Javier next tues. evening. His wife is a member and they have a 5 week old baby. He is working here in a pork packing plant and he and elder garnica had fun talking about how the dirty deeds are done, all in spanish. But I caught the drift as I sat there smiling like fool who doesn't speak spanish. This could be a very weird mission if all I have to do is sit and smile.

My admiration for the elders has grown. Yesterday we had a district meeting, us and four elders whom we have so far spent lots of time with. I think they felt a little weird presenting training to us senior missionaries but they have been invaluable to us in helping us figure out what we are doing here. We decided to let the elders teach any lessons to prospective members so that if one does get baptized they can do it. So when we teach Javier on Tues. one of them will go with elder garnica. Papa will have to teach because it needs to be done in Spanish. Only two people can go cause the apt. is to small for more.

We were charged by Pres. McConkie to support and strengthen the ward and it has taken time to figure out how w
e might do that without offending the Bishop, ward missionaries, elders and home teachers. We think we may be getting a clue now but our district leaders leaves Sunday and we're getting a new bishop next week! So we will probably have to adjust. Ha!

We managed to get two easy chairs this week, now all we need is a table to eat at and some chairs. The members are great, we have visited with lots of them. I've never had to write so many thankyou notes. Many of them are willing to go with us to teach and they feed all six of us in the district 5 nights a week.

I had to give in and reveal that I can barely play the piano in RS last Sun. I had hoped to avoid that but I did promise the Lord I would do anything required while I am here! It actually turned out better than singing acapella.

Our air card hasn't arrived yet so we are in a McDonalds again using the internet. Lots of good people watching here!

Please e-mail, write and post on the blogs. Noelle put some great pictures up so can the rest of you. Keep having fun and pray for us we really need it. HAPPY NEW YEAR

LOVE, HONEY AND PAPA