WEEK 44:

Heeelllllooooooo, everybody!

 

I apologize for the absence of e-mails. The library usually opens at 12 PM and we tend to e-mail at around 4 but situations such as last week where we get to the library at around 4:30 and with a few obligatory e-mails to send out, I'm left with no time to write all of you with the happenings of the past week. However, with school starting back up the library now opens earlier. So what's happened in the past two weeks? I've had a birthday (^_^), which by the way I thank you all for the cards, e-mails, and love; Elder Bittner and I have had the opportunity to teach some great people; we got a food storage of potato chips going in our apartment (thank you to you know who); and (roughly typed) 'Ejercisio bendice la vida de nosotros' or 'Exercise blesses our lives.' ¿Que?

 

Well the last bit was what my companion claims were my exact words as we were speaking to a guy in a new set of complexes nearby. Rather than the gospel (evangelio) blesses our lives and our family, I came off telling him how exercise brings blessings. Despite my blooper and thanks to his knowledge of English, we got to carry a more fluid conversation with him and he did invite us to come by another day, which is good. Aside from that blemish and a couple bad Spanish speaking habits I have, such as using the word 'siempre/always' as a filler word (another story for another time), my Spanish has been improving and is coming along well. I do not know how long I will be here though since next Monday is transfers. I will find out if my Spanish call will go on an extra six weeks or if there's a more permanent place awaiting me in Northern California.

 

In regards to my birthday there is not much to write about. Yes, it was neat that the bishop of the Winters ward and his family signed up for the 12th not knowing it was my birthday but he found out after coming out with us to an appointment the night before, which unfortunately fell through. They made us a big meal and even made me a homemade cake which I'll have to send pictures of sometime soon. I know that I haven't been sending out pictures as much as I would like but I do look forward to sending some soon.

 

Before I sign off I will share with you one lesson that we've had in the last week with Jose. Jose is a member of the church but he hasn't come for about a year now. We even went by one Sunday to help wake him up and do whatever we can to help but his sister answered and then we heard them talking and then she came back and told us that he was sleeping. V_V So we taught him the importance of the Sabbath day and towards the end he said he knows what he needs to do and said that he would come to church when God wanted him to. My companion told him plainly that if there was a reason why he wouldn't have been expected to attend last week which he gave no answer to. Unfortunately, he did not make it to church again this past Sunday, but we're still hoping for the best with him. He's a very admirable guy and he even gave us a piece of cactus to take home and cook. I passed on trying it but my companion says that it's delicious, needle-free of course.

 

Well I'm down to 40 seconds. This e-mail cannot fill you all in with all of the events of the past two weeks but I look forward to share more next week!