November 24, 2009 Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey everyone!

Hows everybody doing this week? So I wrote a letter to the fam and I just sent it off today. Mom I answered many of your questions that you wanted me to answer but there were a few that I thought you might want right away so I'll answer them now. Q3 It does get pretty cold here. There is no snow yet, but I think they expect some soon. The biggest killer is the wind. There is such a cold wind chill here. And it blows way hard against you. I have been wearing that scarf that you sent me and I pretty much wear those sweaters everyday. Q4 ya my razor is still working. My facial hair is coming in nice haha. I decided I'm not gonna shave when I come home so I can be a grizzly man. Q6 my shower sponge is still good and if I need another I can get one at Walmart Q7 things that I might need....well if I could get some thermals that would be nice. My pants are really thin and don't really keep the cold out. Ummm...I have been using the Perfect Pushups that Elder Cashin has when I work out. They are awesome. But maybe if you wanna send me those for my Christmas gift. Maybe some shoes too because my nice Sunday shoes are getting torn up. And if there is any way you could send talks on cd by like John Bytheway and maybe even a cd player. You could just send one of the old ones that are in my room. But music is also pretty lax here. As long as its uplifting its approved. So we can have lyrics and all. Some missionaries stretch it to normal music, but I might want to stick to church music still. But if its uplifting, send it on over. Ya the Josh Groban cd would probably be good. Also chips are always a plus. So I think that answers the questions that I didn't answer in my letter. And you don't have to send me all that stuff its just ideas. But the thermals are probably the most needed.

Well for Thanksgiving we are going with some members to a buffet. So we are going to pig out there. We got asked by one of our part member families if we want to come over for dinner too. So we might go eat with them before the buffet. I think we will be okay. Don't worry.

Hey tell Glenna Bird I got her letter and I sent her a letter back. Also tell JoAnne I got her letter and she mentioned something about a package. I haven't gotten anything from her yet so I don't know if I just haven't received it yet or if she hasn't sent it out yet. I'm gonna write her today.

How was dinner with Elder Wright? Is he doing okay? I wonder how it would be to serve in slc. I guess he is in a companionship instead of a tripanionship now huh. That's good. Well this week was a little taste of ethnicity for me. I went on exchanges with the zone leaders and they are Spanish speaking. I went with elder Godinez in his area. It was way fun. He's a cool kid and he is actually the only one going home this transfer. But we went around to a lot of his investigators and I just sat and watched because I had no idea what they were saying. At the end I would bear my testimony and he would translate. But it was cool. He is a great missionary. We went and saw one of his investigators who is going to be baptized soon. He had to leave, but we talked to his parents who are both members but haven't come to church in a while. The mother was distraught. I guess her dad lives out of the country and he is dying and she doesn't know if she will be able to see him. But E. Godinez talked to her and she was just bawling the whole time. I asked what happened when we left and he said that she needed to come back to church because when things like this happen you need a reservoir of faith and right now she is dry. Pretty bold huh. Well she agreed and said that she would come back to church and she and her husband are going to take the temple prep classes so they can go to the temple. It was crazy because I could feel the spirit the whole time we were there and I had no idea what was going on. It goes to show that you can feel the Holy Ghost even if you don't know what's happening. But we went to some Mexican store that some members own. They gave us Etoli, I think that's how you spell it. I bet Daniels had it. I thought it was hot chocolate. It tastes like you have tortilla's, beans, and corn all blended into liquid form. It was okay, not the best thing to drink but it warmed us up. So ya that was exchanges.

E Cashin and I realized from our exchange that we need to shorten our visit times with people and make them more frequent throughout the week. That way we can help people keep the commitments they say they will keep. Well the other experience we had was on Sunday. There is this Vietnamese lady who speaks very little English. She has been taught in the past, but she just doesn't understand everything. But a kid in the ward just got back from his mission in Texas speaking Vietnamese. He got all excited when he heard there was a Vietnamese lady in our boundaries. So we went and taught her. Again he pretty much talked to her and elder cashin and I just sat in confusion. But it went really well and she understands things a lot better with him there. So those are the two things that happened this week. Our work here is kinda getting tough. The investigators we have don't really want to do anything to find out the truth. I don't know if they really care. Many have been investigating for years, so we have to approach things a different way so they have a desire to learn and also a desire to do things. Oh hey E Cashin does have good family support so you don't have to worry about him. I guess you could send something small, but I think he'll be good for Christmas. Also I don't think your pictures went through on your email Lynds. It was all weird when I opened it up. Guess I better go. Love you guys and have a great thanksgiving.

November 17, 2009 - Week 14

Hey everyone,

Well we had breakfast with President and Sister Belnap today because our zone is doing really well and we are having a lot of baptisms. So that's why I am emailing so early today. It usually wouldn't be this early. I haven't gotten any emails from you guys yet but that's okay. Again time is short but I am going to try and write a lot. I'm a fast typer. I got all your mail and it all came at once so Thursday was like Christmas to me. It sounds like Halloween was really fun. I want to see that pumpkin Daniel carved. Did it turn out okay. It also sounds like the AutoRx party was fun too. Remember when I got second place haha. And then everyone thought my shoes were part of my costume. Nope they were just my regular shoes. Crazy that was only a year ago. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week? I'm still talking about Halloween. Hey dad your costume sounds great. I hope you guys took a picture of that too. I'm sure Lyndsie did.

That's kinda sad that Christmas will be changing this year. But I guess it has to happen some time and a good time to do it is while I'm gone because it's going to be different for me. Mom you sound real busy. Hows your feet doing? The kids sound like they're changing so much. Just from the letters you write me I can tell that they are talking a lot more. Weird. Alright the U is tearin it up too. The TCU game will be pretty big. If they can beat them then the U will probably rise pretty high. Thanks for the updates. How are the Jazz doing this year?

Well this week has been pretty awesome. On Saturday Elder Holland came to the mission and spoke to us. It was so cool. We got a mission picture with him and they are going to print it off for all the missionaries. Sister Belnap said she might just send it home for Elder Olsen and I if we are gone. Then we walked into the Gage building (my old area) and we all got to shake his hand. It was awesome. Also Elder perry of the 70 came and Elder Neilson, President of the 1st Quorum of the 70 came as well. They were all great talks and they really hit hard on teaching with the spirit and then living up to the covenants you have made even after your mission. Elder Holland said that we should not even think about going back to "Real Life" after our missions. We need to take everything we get from our missions and take it home with us. He said a mission is as close to real life as you are ever going to get. It really made me think about life in terms of eternity. Our life here on earth is such a short time compared to the overall picture. And once we pass away from this life we have so much more to do and learn. And it will all be centered around the things I teach and learn on my mission. So the mission really is the closest thing to real life, in terms of my eternal life. He also came and spoke at the Pasco's Stake Conference so we got to hear him twice. They blocked off the whole chapel area for investigators. There were over 100 investigators who came to hear Elder Holland speak. What a miracle. E. Holland said three things about the church. He talked about in Acts where Peter heals a lame man. The man stands up and rejoices and starts leaping and jumping for joy. Then he also talked about when Christ healed a blind man with the clay. And when people came to talk to the blind man he said in my own words, Once I was blind but now I see. From these two examples he said 1. you can't deny the truth, the man simply said, "Once I was blind but now I see." You can't get anymore truthful than that 2. the blessings keep coming. Those who are faithful in the church, the blessings just keep coming, just like the lame or blind man. 3. then he said that this is God's truth and it will never go away. People thought if they could get rid of Jesus it would all go away. Others thought if they could just get rid of Joseph Smith it would all go away. But Christs church is still on the earth and it will never go away. So those are 3 powerful things Elder Holland talked about to over 100 investigators. The spirit was so strong and we are going to capitalize on this event because those 100 investigators had to of felt the spirit.

Well also during this week we had some great lessons with two of our investigator families. One is the Raddy's. Actually since I last emailed we have taught them twice. The last time was last night. We have had two fantastic lessons with them. We read about the tree of life last night and asked them if they want this love for their whole family. The dad said that with work he can't make it on Sundays. Elder Cashin for the first time listened to the spirit and read 1 Nephi 3:7 and promised him that God gave us a commandment to go to church and He will provide a way for it to happen. He said he would pray about what he should do. They are a great family. They have 4 daughters and they all want to be baptized, its just the parents holding them back. The oldest daughter bore testimony in sacrament and she also expressed that she wants to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead. She is 14. Our other lesson has been with this lady named Vien and her son Michael. Vien was previously Buddhist and has just converted to Christianity. She currently goes to a baptist church, but knows very very little about Christ. We have had to take things really slow. But we talked about a lot with her and she said that she has never felt the spirit. So I shared Moroni's Promise with her and I asked her to look for what Moroni has promised us. When she read it her eyes got real big and she said, "OH!" She said that she would pray to know if the things we taught her are true. She is doing really well. Her Son is incredible. He is only 7 but he sits with us and participates and asks us questions. He said he would pray too and he asked his mom to read the scriptures and to pray and then he told his mom he wants to come to church with us. She was kinda of hesitant so we are doing a church tour with them this week. I think it will go very good. So those are my big things for the week. The work here is great. Like I said, last night was the first night Elder Cashin has taught with the spirit. He told me last night that he has been so worried about being senior companion that he hasn't really focused on the spirit. Hes a real good kid. He is really shy and he said that I'm a really good teacher and he wants my help. So like I have said in past emails I know we can learn a lot from each other this transfer. And my high hopes for the area are actually getting higher.

I hope everyone at home is doing well. I'll try to write some letters today. Its been hard because planning has taken so long I haven't had any free time. Today we are going to play basketball and soccer too. It should be good. Well I have like 10 minutes left and I want to email some pictures home so I guess I'll send this off. Love you all and have a great week.

November 10, 2009 - Week 13

Hello hello everyone,

My time is short now. We only have an hour to email now and I have actually spent a lot of time writing other emails to people. So I will have to be really fast and brief. I guess I better write more letters now. So the mission office sent all the mail you sent me to Benton City. My old district leader calls me up and says, "Do you know an Aeiko Nakamura? Do you know a Whitney Klc?" So I really have no idea if I am ever going to get those letters you sent me. I think Roy Bird sent me a letter too. And Lyla sent me a letter that I got. Tell them thanks, but tell Bro Bird that I haven't gotten his yet.

So I have no idea whats been going on at home. How is everyone? I actually do not have the address of the house I'm staying at right now sorry. I will get it and I'll try to send out a letter to you tomorrow so you can have it. But for now send it to the office. They straightened everything out so it should come to me now, but I'm a little worried about the other letters if I will ever get them. So Pasco is great. Everyone is really nice and more open to listen to us than in my other area. This is E. Cashins first time as a senior comp and I think he was having a lot of problems with his old comp and they didn't do much work. So we are just going around trying to meet everyone and determine what we can do for them and where they are at in their progression, if there is any at all. E. Cashin seems to be very shy so I am going to try and help him with that. It's good because this transfer I want to be super bold. I've come to realize that I don't have to be scared of anyone. Who cares if they turn me down. Who cares if someone thinks I'm wrong. I've been reading a few talks about being bold and I'm going to apply it to my work. Oh that book Danny Bird suggested about becoming a bold missionary, our members have it so I'm reading it and it is so good. Our members are awesome too. The house is really nice. We have the basement to ourselves and everything is really nice. And the wife does our laundry haha. She is really nice. Ya I really like this new area. E. Cashin and I just have to work at being bold together. We don't have much of the same interests, but he is a nice kid and he wants to work hard so he is fine with me. I think we can both improve and grow a lot this transfer and hopefully work some miracles.

Oh by the way, I'll tell you a little about E. Cashin. He is from Platcity, Missouri, but he lived in St. George Utah for 14 years. So he is pretty much a Utah boy like most missionaries. He did not do any school before he came out because he was working to save up for his mission. I really admire that. He made some big sacrifices to come out. He is the oldest of his siblings and is the only boy. We are kinda opposites. I'm the only boy but the youngest. But ya he stresses out about a lot of stuff and I just have to calm him down. I'm a little more laid back than he is haha. But ya we are teaching a few people. I haven't really taught any yet. Most of our appointments are for this week so we are going to be really busy. We did teach a lady who used to be Buddhist and is really unfamiliar with Jesus Christ. We taught about the plan of salvation, but we only had 30 min and rushed it. We probably shouldn't have, but we set up another appointment and we are going to take it a lot slower and answer her questions and focus more and more on Christ. We should do that all the time anyway.

Oh Elder Holland is coming on Saturday. He is speaking to the Pasco stake too so I get to see him twice. I am really excited for that. It sounds like there is no new news with my visa huh. That is good news that the 12 wouldn't permanently reassign that other elder. I really want to get there. I saw Elder Olsen at transfers and we had a good talk. His comp just went home and now he is getting a new one. I hear that his new comp is kinda hard to work with. He wants to get to India too. He sent me an email that his mom sent him. I guess they are trying to work with the Indian govt as best as they can but it didn't say much else.

Well I love you all. My time is running out soon. I hope everyone is doing good and hopefully your letters get sent to my right address from now on. Sorry if I haven't replied to some of your letters, but I want to get them before I write back. Maybe I can when we go see Elder Holland. But that's on Saturday....OH boy. I guess I'll have to wait for those too.

Hey those Halloween pictures were really cute. All the fat babies were really cute. I can't believe you let Mak and Isabelle paint pumpkins. That's a big risk haha. How'd that go? Well gotta go. My time is really low now. I'll send this out and make sure it gets to you. If I have time I'll try to send some pics. Love you all and until next week

Elder Garrick

November 3, 2009 - Week 12

Well ldsmail did it again. I had a huge emailed typed out and ready to send and something happened and it got lost. So now I'll have to be fast. Sorry about that.

So the story on transfers. I have been transferred. On Saturday President left a message and said I would be going to Benton City with my current District leader Elder Bart. I was super excited because he is a great missionary and Benton City is total farm country and I'd stay in the same district so I'd have unlimited time to email. Then yesterday (Monday) president calls again and tells me my transfer has changed. I'm going to Pasco with Elder Cashin who has been out 6 months. I guess E. Cashin has been having problems with his current comp so prez decided to make a change. Elder Smith is really happy these days and excited about working. Maybe that is why I was assigned to serve with him. He just needed that fire brought back into him. Hopefully he stays that way.

Well Halloween was okay. We did nothing really. Tracting was forbidden and we ended up going to the Halloween party and then over to a members house for dinner.

Have you had dinner with E. Wright? I wonder how he is doing? I guess E. Olsen has had a great trainer, but he is going home now so Olsen is getting a new comp. He is really anxious to leave too. Any news on my visa? If the first ones haven't gone through yet, I doubt I'll leave in January. This visa thing is killing me.

That's cool about your new Bishopbric. You can tell the ward that I approve. All those guys are amazing and our old one was great too. Sounds like the U is still tearing it up. How about the Jazz? Mom I haven't gotten my swine flu shot, but I have gotten my seasonal. I guess they're all out of the swine flu shot. I think I'll be okay. Havent gotten sick yet.

Well today I'm getting a haircut and then we are going to play a little basketball and then go bowling. So it should be a pretty fun day. Well seriously my last email was so much better, but I have to go now. I don't know how the email will be in Pasco so this might be my last time I get to email the whole day. I hope everything is good though and I love you all.

Love,

Elder Garrick

Tuesday, October 27 - Week 11

Hey everyone. I guess I'll jump right into things. Thanks for the sweaters and scarf and candy mom. They are great and they fit perfectly. I don't think I'll be needing any more, just the two you sent are great. I don't need any levis. I brought some with me when I came out. They are getting a little hammered, but that's how they should be.

Dad that's hilarious that you slept out. Always trying to prove a point and then you can't ever seem to follow through with the sleep out. It got pretty cold then? I can't believe its snowing already. The weather here was pretty warm for a while, but it has been raining like crazy! And the wind is way strong. When we were biking yesterday it was like I was constantly biking up hill because we were against the wind. Man I was so tired by the end of the day. My legs are killin me today.

So dad you asked if I do any service. I have done a lot of service here. I have painted a house, stained multiple fences, raked leaves, helped people move, moved a piano, and I laid sod one day. So even though I don't do yard work at home, I'm still getting my yard work in for the year. That's awesome that the U is doing so good this year. I didn't think they would with a lot of their seniors leaving. I hear TCU is doing awesome too. Well it looks like you had a fun Halloween. All the kids looked so cute. Mak looked like he was hating his costume haha. Isabelle looked like she loved hers, and the twins costume was funny. Holy Cow Burton's big. Ya he looks like a Klc to me. Oh I like Maks haircut. Its sweet, real stylin Mak.

So I gotta tell you my story this week. We were at the AP's house still and President Belnap calls us at like 7 in the morning. I answer it and he says he wants to talk to me about my visa and he's at our house right now. I explain to him that we aren't there and we are living with the AP's. So he says he'll be right over. So I'm freakin out. I throw on my clothes and put in my contacts. I'm just thinking, "oh my gosh I have been reassigned, they're not going to approve my visa." Then I thought, "maybe some miracle happened and I got my visa. No its way too early, I got reassigned." So my hearts pumping and President finally arrives. I go and sit in the car with him and he goes, "Elder Garrick I'm not so concerned about your visa as I am about your companion." So he asked me how Elder Smith is doing and I let him know and then he says, "Okay well thanks for the update, see ya later." And he leaves. So it was nothing about my visa, it was just a way to get me out without Elder Smith thinking of anything. What a dirty trick huh?

So I'll update you guys on E. Smith. We have been working hard which is good. He seems happier. Yesterday we had a pretty heated discussion because I want us to work with the ward more and he just wants to knock on doors. Ya nothing came of it.

I know that whatever is in my way I can emerge victorious (I liked that letter you sent me Whit, and I read the talk, did you read the one I suggested to you?). But I know there is a great work out here for us and I want to do every thing I can to share this gospel with everyone. I've been reading in the Book of Mormon about Ammon and Aaron. Wow I want to be like them. Well this email has turned into something I'd write in my journal haha.

Oh some other good news. The Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is coming to speak to our mission on November 14th. How cool is that? I'm so excited for that. He is one of my favorites. Hey Lynds don't worry I get all of your letters and I love them all. Sorry if I don't respond to them all, but I at least try to in my emails. Well I love you guys and have a Happy Halloween. Oh I'll find out on Saturday if I'm being transferred so if you send me anything this week you better send it to the mission office. I'll let ya know by next p day if I'm being transferred or not.

Love you guys,

Elder Garrick.

Tuesday, October 20 - Week 10

I can't remember if i ever sent this one of us mini golfing. that was a few weeks ago. Like my second week here I think. And then that's the street I live on Sherman Ave. Sweet huh.




Hello everyone

Well I really don't have much to say this week. Things are still really slow and we haven't found anyone to teach. We got dropped by another investigator. I actually have never taught her, but since I've been here we have been trying to set up an appointment. I thought we should have dropped her a long time ago, but Elder Smith wanted to keep trying. So on Sunday we went to visit her and she wouldn't answer the door and then her boyfriend walked by and we asked him if we could speak to her. He came back and said she really doesn't want to meet with us. So I was fine with it. I figured that was the case anyway, but Elder Smith was crushed. He fell into super depressed mode.

Our visits with people are going better and I'm able to listen and teach by the spirit more easily. I had an awesome experience the other day. We went out on exchanges with a member (exchanges are pretty much where a member drives us around at night) last Friday. We stopped by another members house the bishop just wanted us to check on. They were sick so our exchange suggested we go across the street and see a lady he home teaches. She is less active and hardly ever goes to church. So we visited with her. Her mom was there too so she thought she had called the missionaries over. We explained we just thought we would drop by and no one called. Well we found out that her son committed suicide about a year ago and she has been really down ever since. We thought we would share a little message just about hope to cheer her up. So we went to the great chapter in Moroni 7 about Hope. As Elder Smith was talking I had the strongest impression to go to Alma 28. We talked about this chapter in our comp study that morning. At the end it talks about how the people mourned because of the loss of their people in war, but rejoice because they are made a live through Christ. So I flipped to this scripture and shared it with her. I told her that I knew this scripture was meant for her. Tears filled up in her eyes and all she said was, "What time does church start again." I guess he was recently baptized for the dead last week so it was perfect timing. And she came to church the next Sunday. It was so cool. Its funny how the Lord works. That scripture really was meant for her, but we never would have shared it with her if we had never talked about it in comp study and if our first appointment didn't fall through and if our exchange had been someone different. So ya that's my cool story for this week.

Now for my funny story. We were out on another exchange with a member and we thought we would stop by this family and see if we could get a referral. Its a young family and they have a four year old son who is sitting in the dads lazy boy. He was happy and nice and was talking with us. So we start to give our little lesson and we are at the end. Elder Smith bears his testimony and then I bear mine. As I'm bearing my testimony the kid just starts to breath really hard and groan, but I just keep talking. I get to the end and I'm about to ask for the referral when the kid just pukes all over the chair. I stop talking and just say, "Oh, Oh, Oh man." Then the kid threw up two more times in the chair and we just sat and watched the whole thing. Our exchange held their baby as the mom and dad cleaned up the kid and the couch and Elder Smith and I just sat and watched. Oh man it was so awkward, but I thought it was so funny. I was laughing about it the rest of the night. Needless to say we ended up not asking for the referral, we didn't feel it was the right time. So ya those are two stories from this week.

Hey that's awesome the U beat Colorado St. I told E. Smith about it and tried to rub it in but I guess he likes the University of Colorado or something. Hey mom sorry I may have been unclear but I still have my meds I was just wondering in the distant future if I need to refill them. I'm fine now and I'm sorry if you got some more already. Hopefully you haven't but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have more. Dad that's cool you went and saw your great grandma and grandpas graves. It really is amazing that they are pioneers and they are only your great grandparents. Lynds and Whit I sent you both a letter yesterday. Sorry I wrote them on like Friday, but forgot to mail them until yesterday. And Gran I'm working on one for you right now. Thanks for all the news on my visa. I have just dealt with the fact that I'm going to be here until January. I hope I'll at least be able to go by then, but I pushed away the idea of a miracle happening and my visa comes in tomorrow. Oh I forgot to tell you, the members we live with redid their wood floor so the fumes from the stain and finish are way strong so we had to move out for a couple of days. I'm staying with the AP's and office elders so that's been fun. So maybe the office elders can just bring my package home when it comes in. Ya mom thanks for going ahead and just sending me the sweaters we are pretty busy. The two should do me. Oh ya and today is zone p day so our whole zone is getting together and I think we are playing walker (its soccer but you can only speed walk, supposedly its really fun. Sounds kinda weird to me) Well I hope everyone is doing good and I love you all. Oh and I think its your turn for the scripture right. If not let me know and I'll send a good one to you. Oh ya and if there is anyway you could send me the March 2008 Ensign I would love it. It is amazing! Thanks. Mom you said Whit was going to email me today but I haven't gotten one yet. Maybe I'll check back later.

Love you guys,

Elder Garrick

Tuesday, October 13 - Week 9

So this is a golf course that a member made. There are like 4 houses with the golf course surrounding it and going in between the houses. There are 5 holes, but 9 different places to tea off at.

In this picture I chipped it in from probably like 40 yards out. It was pretty sweet. The other picture is one of Elder Smith. I had to add it because he was SO BAD at golfing. Man it was hilarious. I'm going to start carrying around my camera so maybe I'll take more pictures. We'll see.



Well Hello Everyone!

So I can not believe that Whit already had Burton. I'm so glad everything went well and that both she and Burton are healthy and safe. I have just been assuming that he would be here in the next two weeks. What a shocker that was for me to hear that he had already been born. He's a cute little guy. Thanks for the pics. And it happened on the day the twins got blessed. What a crazy but fun day. The twins looked so cute in their dresses. And seriously I am always amazed at how big they get with every new picture I see of them. Even Mak and Isabelle are looking bigger. Well it sounds like you all had a big eventful day on Sunday. I was just sitting in meetings thinking, "I wonder how the blessing is going."

Well on to the things I wanted to talk about. You guys asked about April, our one investigator. Ya she was SOOO CLOSE to being baptized. We were late to one of our appointments with her and when we got there no one was there, so we thought it was our fault. But we spoke with a member who was going to be there and she said that she too never saw April show up. So we are trying to call her and can't get a hold of her. She is in the singles ward, but lives in the apartments that the other elders in our district covers. So they are going to see if they can look her up because a member owns the apartments. We want to drop by and see her. I really don't know what is going to happen now. We also can't get a hold of Raymond, the guy we tracted into and met on his front steps. So we are probably gonna drop him and move on. Dad, you wanted to know what a typical day is like for me. Well at 6:20 I wake up and start to work out. I do that push up and stomach routine I got before I left. Then at 7-8 I shower and eat breakfast, from 8-9 I have personal study and then from 9-10 I have companionship study with my comp. I have suggested that we take 30 min everyday to read Preach My Gospel and then take the other 30 min to prepare lessons for the people we are going to teach. That has been working out really well. Then at 10 we are supposed to go out and proselyte. We actually haven't done it too much because things have been crazy with service, meetings, bike problems and stuff. Then lunch at 12 which is usually a sandwich and chips. Then the rest of our day consists of going to the appointments we have and dropping by some of our referrals or less active homes. At about 5 we usually have dinner with a member and then we share a spiritual thought. Then at 7 we try and get an exchange to take us around for the rest of the night. Then 9 we plan for the day and 10:30 I pass out.

Wow, I can't believe what happened to Spence. Tell him that I love him and hope he is okay and that I pray for him every night. I'm glad you went to the BYU game, dad. That sounds like a lot of fun. Ya the BYU fans are annoying. Everyone here complains about the bad calls they had during the game too haha.

So I really have no idea what you can put into the ward news letter. That I got reassigned and am working my butt off. I guess that's what you can put. Oh and its fun, that too. That's awesome about Toshio and Max. Man they are going to be great missionaries. Tell them to good luck for me and to enjoy everything. Hey mom thanks for your letter this week. I will be sending you another one this week and probably send along with it one to Jake. So could you give it to him for me? I want his home address and email.

Okay so the BIG news about me this week was we had interviews with President Belnap. We had some great training and while that was going on Prez would take missionaries in one by one and interview them. I was the last one to get interviewed. I pretty much told him everything and did not hold back. He said he felt impressed to tell me that this experience will shape my the rest of my mission and my life. His advice was to just be positive about everything. So at 6:30 I wake up Elder Smith and we work out together. And like I said we now study from PMG everyday and we are praying together more. I told E. Smith that I believe we can turn things around we just need to have faith and obey the mission rules with exactness. He agreed with me. So we have only done this a couple days, but it seems to be working. Yesterday I went on exchanges with the Zone leaders. I went with a different Elder Smith. He is a great missionary. I really enjoyed last night and it was a lot of fun. So during my interviews I talked to President about my visa and he said the same thing to me that you guys said. I will probably be here until January. With the new news you guys gave me it is sounding highly likely that it will be January with how busy the ambassador is and everything. But at least we know I will be going to India and not have to worry about being reassigned to a different mission. I'm so thankful for that.

So it is getting BUTT FREEZING COLD HERE! Sorry for the non-missionary language but really it is. Dad your jacket is great. I went out and got some gloves and today I got some ear muffs. If possible could you send me some sweaters to go over my white shirts? Most of all my shirts are short sleeves and the cold air rushes up my suit coat. Or should I just buy them here? Oh and a scarf would be nice. I decided that for Christmas I want another pair of walking eco shoes. I wear my nice church shoes every other day because that's all I have. It would be great if I could keep those nice for interviews, meetings, and church and then have 2 pairs of walking shoes for the rest of the week. Oh hey mom I have not gotten the flu shots yet. I will for sure get the regular flu shot, but should I really get the swine flu shot too? I heard its been more harmful than just getting the flu. Let me know what you think. Eh from your email I'll just plan on getting both. Well I love you all. Give lil Burton a kiss for me and I hope to hear from you guys soon. I'll try to send out some letters this week if I get time okay. Oh and my scripture for this week is 2 Nephi 4: 33-35 this is where Nephi puts all of his trust in the Lord. Its such an amazing thing. Hey I'll send some pics of us golfing last week too. That was way fun. Okay love you guys. bye.