A Little Sunshine

Yes! Im starting to get to know the area better and I feel like were about ready to just dig in and work! I have yet to see any great or unusual effort on the part of the members, were still hoping and praying for just one referral in any given week. Maybe its about to change but for the most part it seems like the members and the Ward Council dont really understand their role in missionary work as of yet. Interestingly there is quite a large number of members here who are only 1st or 2nd generation members.
Yesterday was my 4 month mark!!!! Im 1/6th of the way through the mission!! My companion says the end of his mission isnt soon enough but I feel like im losing days at an accellerating pace! I dont want to leave!
My Scripture readins is awesome right now! I just started Deuteronomy in the OT and Im in 3 Nephi in the BoM. I cant wait to read throught the NT and D&C and of course the Pearl of Great Price. When Ive read the entire standard works I think Ill study by topiv for the rest of my mission, or something like that. I just really want to have read it all soon! And my comprehension (in the BoM at least) has been higher than ever!
Things are awesome and we should have a good two weeks of sunshine!

I love you!!

Happenings in England

Jake to Dad:
Lots to tell this week! I got my bike back! I got to eat Haggis and visit a site similar to Stonehenge (except within mission boundaries) I put my hands on the rocks and felt the 'energy'. We had a nice pagan lady for our guide! I missed a train stop and missed Zone Conference! I got absolutely soaked from pouring rain! Its abundantly clear that my coat is not as waterproof as advertised. I also had a good old fashioned American barbecue with an American member in the ward who works at the nearby air force base. Most interesting of all I discovered that the Bishop in Swindon knows you! Remember Elder Brown? While you were serving with Elder Hunt? (Who supposedly is a Stake President now) Youll be getting an email from him in the near future! He says you were a really zany guy and a hard worker. Im not so sure!
Otherwise things are going well! Im getting to know poeple. The area is nice and there are some cool people here. Right off the bat we have a small handful of good poeple to teach, there are a lot of really nice less active members here. We are teaching a less active family who is incredibly enthusiastic about working towards the temple (and feeding us) and their 18 yr old duaghter is going to start taking the missionary lessons tomorrow! We also have dinner with a Chinese girl and her mother that we met last week and came to Church on Sunday! President Rasmussen seems nice but its easy to see that hes fresh and maybe a little intimidated by his calling. The first thing he said to me after I introduce myself was "Come here, I havent had a chance to tell you I love you yet" And then he hugged me. I have my interview with him on friday. I cant wait! I do miss "The Og-Dog" though, he was something special. And now hes back in Arizona!
Ive been having a really good experience with the scriptures lately! Ive been reading the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament (I finished Jesus The Christ a while ago) and Im in the middle of Alma and I just started Numbers (Leviticus is incredibly tedious and Numbers is proving to be similar) As ive been reading though the scriptures have really taken on a new life. Im finding myself comprehending things on a much higher level, rather than simply remembering the story and the major poeple involved. This week I discovered the names of The Sons of Mosiah and one of the two unknown 'brethren' that made up Almas 'posse' I feel like now I grasp the story of the Book of Mormon on an entirely new level. I actually look forward to my personal study every morning and I know how the various books and people fit together! I find it interesting that about 400 years of Nephite history gets a bit glossed over! The sealed portion of the [plates I wonder? The last 3 months of studying and sharing the gospel have done nothing but strengthen both my testimony and knowledge of the Gospel. Just the other day we talked to a trained and educated minister with multiple degrees in theology and had a civil conversation. I thought it was cool that we could match his knowledge and carry an intelligent conversation on the Bible and its history and teachings with him.
Anyways, Im really enjoying it here, theres no place I would rather be! I love you!

We'll Keep A Welcome

Jake to LoraLynn:
Loralynnnnnnnn... The Welsh farewell song beeeautiful (We'll Keep A Welcome). Its one of the most special parts of wales. Its the only place in the mission where they sing a farewell to missionaries who go home from there. You should send stuff to the mission home. I know that as a result it will take a little longer for me to get things but its much safer that way especially if i were to get transferred again or something. Its much easier to get something from the mission home then from another area. And since when was it your birthday! I forgot! D: How old are you now anyways? How tall is John?
My week has been good so far. The first few days were pretty hard, way harder than leaving home. I feel a bit like a greenie all over again! Having a new companion and a new area at the same time is tough, but I can handle it. Weve already had a few funny experiences and me and Elder Callen are starting to open up just a little more. By this time next week i should be a lot more comfortable here. Ill need to get a map of Swindon first. I havent taken any pictures here yet but ive got it in mind!
I love you!


Jake to Dad:

This week has been getting progressively better, the first few days were really rough, having both a new area and a new companion I just felt like a brand new missionary again and it was kind of discouraging. Its getting better quickly though, I just have to keep working and learn the area and the poeple. Im looking forward to this transfer; the numbers here arent any better than in Cardiff but i really believe that if we work hard we can build up this area. On the upside, there arent as many hills here and there are lots of beautiful bike paths through the area. Good luck with the heat, in Swindon its been rapidly switching between heat and heavy rain! My waterproof stuff is really muddy since the bike im borrowing doesnt have mudguards and I need to get some bleach today for my shirts as well. Such is missionary work! I cant imagine whats its like in 3rd world countries! Im off to shop now! Ta-rah! I love you!


Since Elder Jake mentioned it, here's a link to the Welsh Farewell Song- We'll Keep A Welcome In The Hillsides:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98tM3ZGrAuc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Past Month and a Baptism!

This going to be a pretty hefty update - I've been gone for Girl's Camp, work in-service, and a trip to Utah! 


Here goes :)


Jake to LoraLynn:
5/28

Doooooood,

this week has been stupendous! Refer to Dads email!

Its been HOT here! Muggy! ive soaked more than one shirt with sweat we perpetually have our sleeves rolled up behind our elbows. I would wear short sleeve shirts but i only have  (which are dirty) and theyre super baggy compared to anything here. British clothes are way trim fit and its sweet as butta'. Luckily British clothes are way cheap as well (unlike evrything else) so im going to get a pair of british shirts today. I am continuing to put the peanut butter to good use, primarily by swirling it together with nutella. mmmmmmmmm! Love you!

6/6

Ill give you a teaser, on Monday I got fitted fro a British suit! :O It wont be way slim fit unfortunately, so it may not look totally British, but hey... its tan! ooooh! I wanted a gray one but they didnt have a cheap one in my size. The cool part is the suit was only 49 pounds! Taylored! And since Katie sent me a good 30+ pounds in the mail I didnt feel like I was wasting Dads money :D Ill have it for District meeting next week, im so excited hehe. I went on exchange to Bridgend yesterday and man im sad I dodnt bring my camera. Its all green and hilly and theres a river and flowers and all sorts of stuff. Its just GREEN. We pretty much rode through trees on bike paths the whole day and with the gray sky and barely visible fog is the distance it looked amazing..... but i dont have pictures! Im sure its not the last time ill ever go there and next time I wont forget my camera.

Im glad everyones alright. I dont have much time to worry but i do sometimes. Im not homesick though! :P Its funny you should share that scripture with me (1 Ne. 15:8) because I cant find one of my pocket badges right now and I didnt even think to pray to find it! Shame shame!

 

Love you!

6/18

I dont particularly miss anyone, or anything or anyplace... except playing my guitars and listening to music! Wedding I hear? Thats just weird.

The last two weeks have been frustrating what with sickness and bike problems but Elder Hutchings assures me that the greatest trials always come before the greatest good so we have high hopes! Hugh had his baptismal interview yesterday and he is good to go for Friday! Hes excited for it! It was way cool to hear him in Gospel Principles talk about how it just made sense to be baptized after he got his answer that the Book of Mormon is true (and it was after I told him to pray for a specific answer that he got it!). My suit is the best! Ive gotten lots of compliments, my ward mission leader said i was looking very british yesterday! Interesting notes American ties are super ugly here! They are all wider than the average HBritish ties so they look really huge and a lot of our colors and patterns are pretty terrible in British Eyes, they didnt like my black and blue tie or my dark green one, they very much like skinny ties and diagonal stripes as well! Music just has to be appropriate, and uplifting. No romantic overtones or stuff like that. Its just gotta be really wholesome and not distracting, so I doubt anything youve got for me is inappropriate. I dont know about NEEDING but one of my ZL's told me about some sweet cds he has (maybe he has them on an ipod im not sure) but its these BYU Scholar seminar thingies where all these BYU scriptorians go through all of the standard works a chapter at a time and talk about the scriptures really really in depth, like with the old testament they talk about the original Hebrew and its meaning and historical context and all sorts of way deep understanding stuff. Elder Hopkinson knows the bible like crazy because of them! So thats way cool, and I also am interested in Truman G. Madsens series of talks about Joseph Smith, I think Dad actually has them so ask him about it, but if i could get a hol of those that would be really cool and also way good for my spiritual progression as well :P Love you!

6/28

The Baptism was good!! ill see if i can attach photos and send them
but if not ill have to wait for that flash drive. I got to do the
Baptism! It was way cool, i dunked him pretty thoroughly. Hugh is a
kingdom builder not just a kingdom filler. I cant wait to see him a
year from now at the temple! I know hes going to grow so much, you can
just tell from the way he treats the quad we made the ward get him :D
As im sure you know by now I have been transferred. While Elder
Hutchings gets to stay in Cardiff for an even 6 months I have been
called to Swindon. From what little ive seen so far its a beautiful
place and it should be good to serve here but I miss Cardiff already.
Im Welsh at heart! But now I can actually say I served in England on
my mission to England! I dont know that Ive been picking up on any
accents, i might without realizing it, but i havent put any active
work into it. Cardiff was quite a melting pot of British poeple but
maybe Swindon is a little more Swindonish... maybe ill pick up a local
accent if its common enough! Thats cool about the temple! I wish every
temple had murals in the rooms, that was my expectation before going.
The Preston Temple had a few landscape paintings, rolling green hills
and rainy skies, my favorite! Its easy to see that Britain was just
beautiful green forests and hills in the past.

I love you!

Jake to Dad:

6/6

Dad!

This week has had its ups and downs, my new tubes for my bike are supposedly the wrong size and so ive been getting holes. I may have to get new ones or a patch kit or something. Its frustrating because we have to stay in to work on bikes and shelf the work for a while, not to mention the monetary costs of getting new tubes or other things. Despite that we have things to be thankful for! Hugh is going to be baptized on the 22nd of June! He called us on Monday to tell us that he got his witness that the Book of Mormon is true! He was already so willing before but now that he KNOWS it nothing will keep him from his date. Hes going home to Portsmouth for a visit for a week and a half but hes going to go to Church there and we have arranged for missionaries there to teach him. Well call him frequently as well to keep track of his progress. Its exciting! Elder Hutchings (and others) say theyve never seen anyone so prepared. Elder Barker from Cardiff Bay says hes just a dry member.

Im glad everyones alright,

I love you!

6/18

Way to go Dad! The best shot in the west! Make sure to keep practicing! (Dad won Scout Camp's Top Shot competion!)

Make sure to tell the family i say hi and find out how they are doing for me, find out how my guitars are doing!! I cant believe Lindsay is getting married its too wierd! Colds are the wrost and I can testify. Both Elder Hutchings and I have had fairly serious colds and even spent an entire day inside this week. Its frustrating but at the same time its quite relaxing to take a day off to get better! I definitely felt the difference afterward! This week has been a little lacking but we feel really good about next week!

I mentioned to LoraLynn that id really like to get a hold of those Lectures on Joseph Smith by Truman G. Madsen and I also mentioned to here some cds ive heard about: Something to do with BYU scholars who go through every chapter in the standard works and discuss the scriptures really in depth, even looking at the original language that verses were in and what they mean in Hebrew or Greek and so on, historical context, etc. Ask LoraLynn!

Im running out of time (we have to Presidents letters online now!) and I dont know if ill get much next week because of transfers! If i get a new companion i probably wont have time but well see! I love you!

6/28

Hughs Baptism went perfectly! There were 35 poeple there, lots of support from the ward. And of course there were plenty of refreshments afterwards! It seems like its helped the area a bit already, the Rhiwbina Elders brought an investigator and now he has a date! We dont have any other investigators in Cardiff so the new missionary will get to start from scratch! We had a girl named Amanda but she just doent want to make the commitment. She feels that faith is enough and doesnt like the idea of one true church. We had to drop her and give her time on her own. I promised her by the Spirit that if she would attend the baptism she would get her definite answer that the Book of Mormon is true and she seemed like she would come but when the spirit

left with us an Art Exhibition was more important. We still run into her sometimes and we know she will be baptized in the future but for now its up to her.

I got transferred yesterday. It was really rough when i got the news, Cardiff and the Cardiff Central Ward feels like home. But im in Swindon now! Its a nice little area, decently populated but not necessarily a city. I havent seen much yet, especially since i forgot my bike at the mission home. It was pretty hectic with everyone trying to say goodbye to President Ogden, and the coach was leaving. I barely got my luggage on and didnt even know my

bike hadnt been loaded. Hopefully the APs or Zone Leaders will be able to bring it to me soon. My new companion is Elder Callen, near as I can tell hes really really normal, so this is going to be an awkward adjustment. Me and Elder Hutchings were the best of goobers. I miss him already; the last conversation I had

with him he had just found out from President that his Brother passed away. On the bright side of things, it seems like Swindon is slighlty less hilly and a little closer together, with lots of cool bike paths. And we

apparently have dinner appointments most nights a week with a good handful of less active members who like the missionaries. Its a 4 man area here as well and the ward is about 150-170. Im looking forward to it but it feels a

lot different than it did arriving at the MTC and at Cardiff. I feel like there are poeple Ive left behind that need me.

Elder Leavitt talked to me a bit before he went home on Tuesday; he told me that everytime he got moved before he thought he was supposed to there was someone who needed hgim in his new area. I know that what he said is true so im looking forward to finding out what i can do here. Im not a greenie anymore. Im not being trained, i dont have an extra hour of companionship study. Im a missionary now like anyone else! Elder Hutchings says now is when Ill really start to learn. At least now I can say Ive served in England on my mission to England!

Jake to Mom:

6/18

John,

Hugh knows the Church is true! He prayed about the Book of Mormon and got an answer directly from God that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and that the Church is true! You can do that too you know! Be careful with knives, they are evil! I love you pal! Find out how my guitars are doing for me!

 

Mom,

Hugh is ready and excited to be baptized on Friday! He had his interview yesterday!

 

How is the family? How is John doing? Whats been going on in the US lately? Are my guitars being loved? Has Uncle Todd used them for anything cool? I dont miss being at home bt i miss my guitars! No offense, missionary work is just really really gratifying! Again i feel a little limited as far as time this week but that always seems to be the case, hopefully at the start of the new transfer there will be more time but know in advance that if i get a new companion i may not get to email next week!

I will keep those scriptures in mind and make sure to share those principles with Hugh this week!

 

I love you!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was Elder Church's first call home. He was able to Skype Mom, Dad, Katie, Derek, and John in Mesa, and Eric and I in Thatcher. He kept saying over and over, "this is the happiest I have ever been in my life." It sure was good to see him doing so well!

I got a flash-drive full of pictures from him in the mail a few days later, and I've set up a Snapfish account so that we could share all of his pictures a little bit easier. The first album includes both MTC pictures, and just a few of his first area, Cardiff, Wales, and his first companion, Elder Hutchings. This week was his first transfer, but as he is still being trained, neither he nor Elder Hutchings are leaving Cardiff.

Click here for his Snapfish.

His e-mail this week was short and sweet:

"Anywho, my companion is NOT getting transferred as i still have 6 mor weeks of 'training', he may very well transfer after that and he and other insist that ill train after 3 months but id like to stick around here for a while with Elder Hutchings after we dont have an extra hour of companionship study everyday! If by Motherland you mean Russia, then no, if America, dont ask me, but if youre refering to Wales, i dont think you should use the term Motherland, 'Land of Many Sheep' would be for more appropriate in any further correspondence. Now as for excitement, we havent baptized anyone or anything but something cool happened yesterday. A chinese woman walked into church yesterday just because she saw tons of poeple walking in last week. This is significant because we have several inactives who dont speak english, only Chinese, and dont come because no one can translate for them. Later that day, on the way to a street to tract i blew out both tires, then i had to alk to Jaz's so we could give her a blessing of comfort and then we walked home. Heres the significant part, while walking i decided we should talk to one person before going home. So we did, a Chinese guy who has no religion. By the end he wanted a Book of Mormon in English AND Mandarin, and said he felt lucky to have met us! Another Chinese/English speaker! and if my tires hadnt have popped we wouldnt have met him!!
Love you!"

Peanut Butter

So a quick story. Katie told me last week she was going to send off a package full of Reese's to Jacob and it was more expensive she thought. She told me she wanted to send him some peanut butter, since he's been pining for it, but figured it'd be way to expensive for that. So, I did some research. I looked on Amazon.com for some peanut butter, and found a big jar for $3. Score! So I went through and got to the point where the shipping costs were calculated. $51. Not so good. So I got the brilliant idea, if I do say so myself, to look on Amazon UK. I found a pack of 3 big jars of Jif for $17, including free shipping within country! Now, that's a score! Here's Elder Jake's response:

"Thanks for the PB! it will go well with the tons of nutella that the ward members give us (ive started to stir them up in one jar for quick PBN sandwhiches, but i tend to eat it straight from the spoon, alas im trying to not get fat) In the future though, as I told Katie, it is probably better for everyones budgets to just send me some money through Dad ($10= about £7) except for things i cant find anywhere here (or reeses, those are just expensive!) You can however send me some music! I dont have music and i depend on my comps cd's. We have the Prince of Egypt soundtrack. Sooo awesome. Examples of songs i would like:

 

-A cool version of come thou fount
-A super cool version of If You Could Hie to Kolob, the one with the cool piano accompaniement

-The Prayer of the Children- Inside Out

- ANY Switchfoot songs that might be deemed mission appropriate, (i would exhort you to ponder this and enquire after the possibility, alas i understand if it cannot be done)

-The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack (I wont have Elder Hutchings forever)

- Any other songs that would be cool such as epic piano music, epic classical music (emphasis on epic), super good Motab, etc.

I love you! Thanks again for the package!"

In which Elder Church discovers American ties aren't cool to Englishmen

Jake to Dad:

"Im trying to be frugal! I didnt realize the number of things i would still need to buy when I got here! And things tend to be much more expensive here. I had to buy a bike, and waterproof trousers, bike lights, i still need to find some good mudguards, and waterproof boots, the ones i brought turned out to be a waste of space and weight as they are too rough in appearance, too clunky, and not waterproof enough. Im now faced with the challenge of what to do with them when i get transferred. Sending them home is very expensive and with the additional things ive had to buy i dont know that ill be able fit them in my bags when i have to move. I dont want to lose them but i may simply have to leave them in the flat and hope another Elder finds a use for them at some point. The other elders often tell me to get a British suit as soon as possible because ours look clunky and baggy in comparison, but i keep telling them i cant afford it and wont until my suits wear out completely, which they seem to think is an inevitability in this country. I hope not and i really dont want to ... spend any money i dont have to. I also decided that i wont buy a guitar (probably at any point) due to the unecessary cost, the distraction, and the fact that many elders and flats already have them. I have seen an unexpected answer to my patriarchal blessing though when it said I would use music on my mission! We frequently sing to the members! Elder Hutchings has been in choir since the 8th grade and has a crazy range (several notes deeper than me to severla notes higher!) The other Elders often join in as the member often offer to feed all 4 of us. I will try to find a sister who might be able to repair the long underwear but the ward simply isnt very strong or very large, or particularly excited about missionary work at this point. I will look! But ill need to clean the brown sweat stains from them a little more thoroughly first! Its funny getting extremely bundled up on a cold day because ward members keep ther homes much much warmer on those days! I was dripping sweat in one appointment! I need to figure out how to clean my collars as well because when its very rainy and im very bundled up a long bike ride means a lot of sweat and dirty water finds its way into my collar! My ties dont seem to be a problem though! they havent warped, and they dont seem to bleed (one did just a little but thats because it got completely rain soaked, washed out with cold water just fine). Another interesting thing about ties, the ties here are generally thinner than ours! The EQP and our WML like to tease me when i wear American ties (i did buy a few british ties for very cheap, even got my first skinny tie! Wearing it right now. Thats another interesting thing: ties, white shirts and suits here are actually a bit cheaper even though just about everything else is more expensive)

Im not sure how we call home yet, I believe I can Skype though i dont know where or how yet, Im sure Elder Hutchings knows. Im not sure where exactly hes from in Utah... Springville? hes not nearby at the moment (we have to take any computer we can get at the library) He is an interesting character! He can sing and beat box and stuff really well and I guess before he came out he played ALOT of Halo. Like, almost professionally. Hes been out for about a year and we get along really really well. He likes to hide when im in the bathroom and then make me look for him so he can jump out and scare me. I got him back pretty good last night though >:D Hes a great trainer and really encouraging. Ive gotten a lot of good encouragement! Elder Hutchings, Jaz(see LoraLynns email), and the Assistants! That was probably the coolest recent experience this week. We went on a short exchange with the Assistants right after Zone Conference (which was really good bytheway! The last one for President Ogden and im really bummed that a lot of his traditions might not carry over with the new Mission President e.g. Mision football, jars of peanut butter and nutella for missionaries with especially clean flats etc.) Elder Olson is one of Elder Hutchings old companions and so they went together and I went with Elder Tonga. Hes a big buff New Zealander and hes the man! He was nothing but encouraging and complimentary! Hes also a great missionary, we were driving in the Assistants transporter and we stopped just outside of a parking garage to check the map and he opened the window to speak to someone on the street corner! I guess that what it means to talk to everybody! I want to get that good!

Im not sure about Livingstone at this point, he doesnt read anything but the 4 Gospels and cant get over the need for additional scripture. We havent had much opportunity to bear strong testimony and in 2 lessons have only managed to talk about the apostasy and the sacrament.

Elder Tonga challenged me to be patient and to be myself and ive been trying. I desperately want to be the best missionary possible but sometimes I struggle with wanting to feel important. As soon as I can get over the need for recognition I think i will really start growing. Ive been praying for patience, diligence, and humility! I will keep you and the family in my prayers as well! President Ogden promised me that you would be blessed for my srevice! I memorized a few scriptures this week and I especially like the one in Proverbs "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. In all ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths."

I love you!"

Jake to LoraLynn:
"Ohhh Livingstone.... hes being difficult... he cant get over the fact theres more scripture, weve taught him the restoration twice and we havent been able to hit on any really spiritual points because he talks so much and keeps repeating it. We try to use the Bible and read from the Book of Mormon but he only reads the 4 gospels and wont let us read the BoM to him so far (not so much hes keeping us from reading to him as just deflecting and ranting again) My companion is feeling quite better! Hes been tired though as he hasnt been able to sleep. British poeple drink ALOT and sometimes that means loud late night parties downstairs. Speaking of drinking I think it was last week i saw a guy walking on the sidewalk COMPLETELY wasted! He was wobbling and swaying and everything :D


As for the name of my bike, we were with a recent convert (Jaz, ill tell you all about her, cuz shes seriously the coolest ever) I wanted to settle on a good name and so i thought it would be funny to pick an old testament name (as there are many of great variety contained therein) so i flipped to a random page and those names were there :P Not sure where it was, you can look it up or something! I have my flsh drive this week and I will prepare as many pictures on there as i can, but i cant remeber your address exactly its P.o. Box 19 right? or was it 1919? i dont remember! so send me the address ASAP! today! in the next 30 minutes! I will take more pictures of buildings and such, he clouds here are nuts! Big and tall and white and fluffy when its not rainy, and yes its pretty much overcast and cold everyday, ive had one sunny day since i came to wales, and lately its just been windy and rainy all the time. My flat was a bit claustrophobic at first, they have to be way more conservative with space here, and the space in our flat isnt distributed very well. Interestingly, the other missionaries in our ward have the nicest roomiest flat in the entire mission. I dont know about the long underwear, ill ask Elder Hutchings. 

Anyways I have to tell you about Jaz, cuz shes the best. She was baptized 9 months ago and when the missionaries gave her the Book Of Mormon she came to Shurch the first Sunday and read the Book of Mormon twice before her first lesson. She was originally Baptist so she knew her Bible front and back. Shes a serious insomniac so instead of sleeping she reads or works (shes a translator, Spanish) and she also has an insanely good memory. Shes British but her family is from India. Anyways, so she knows the scriptures insanely well and immediately knew the Church was true. She says having readt the Bible and The Book of Mormon several times that it all fits together perfectly and everyone would lknow that if they just read it. She prays for streets for us and we always hand out a Book of Mormon on those streets! She also loves the missionaries and feeds us (generously) every week. Most important of all though she really encourages me a lot and we became good friends immediately. She talks a lot about an Elder Siron (supposedly the best missionary President Ogden has ever had) and she talks to him about me and apparently he would like to meet me (probably not possible though)! She always tells me Im not even a greenie because im "so with it" So she always lifts my sirits and gives me really good advice on how to improve and stuff. Plus the steak fajitas she brings us are tasty. Shes just a great friend and a constant source of encouragement, streets to knock, and delicious deliciuos chocolate milk!

Im trying! (I wrote to him a bit about learning to be patient)
I love you! "