Hola! Did you say hello? No I said hola, but close enough

Familia,
Phew, I’m sleepy. Luis was baptized yesterday. It was a very stressful day. All the elements were combining against us to thwart our plans for helping Luis receive a remission of his sins, but after frantic phone calls running por todos lados del mundo and some fervent praying/begging we were gifted with SUCCESS! Luis is very excited, he looked so cute yesterday. He’s twelve and small for his age, so he was practically swimming in the jumpsuit. I’ll send pictures soon.
Aside from that, I’m not really sure what to report on this week. It went by SO fast. Elder Meade said some more funny things… I can’t remember what they were though, but it definitely had to do with tracking down Elder Bone (he prefers Elder Hueso, but is very white)’s girlfriend when he goes home in nine days. He and Elder Remington wrote a song about her actually. She hasn’t written him in a while, so the titled it, “Kirsten, write this Bonehead.” It’s sure to be a hit someday among miamaids (Damitas) all over the western front.
Two former missionaries from our zone got married. Like. To each other. It’s quite the scandal actually. Hermana Forsling was companions with the Sister, while the Elder she just married was their district leader. So, she’s pretty weirded out by the news, along with everyone else who knew the two of them. I think they make a cute couple actually, but I greatly disapprove of the clothing they’ve got on in their engagement photos. Why are crocs trendy? Why, I ask you? I mean if you really think they’re all that comfy, fine, but don’t take pictures! Why would you ever want evidence of that? And engagement photos, really!? Our ward mission leader and his wife also met in their mission when he was her district leader, so they think it’s the best thing ever. I just don’t understand.
I went on exchanges with Hermana Frieszell and that was REALLY cool to get to hang out and work with her for one more day before she goes home. She’s not happy about her time being up at all. She didn’t want to talk about it and didn’t bring it up at all except right before the exchange was over and then she just said, “Okay hijita… what of my stuff do you want?” I think she’ll be happy though. She’s just a super hardcore missionary who’s pretty sure there are a few hundred more people out there who need to be converted.
I’m taking some of her clothes and one of her Spanish books that I enjoyed reading.
I’m so sad to hear about your short/triste visit to San Clamente! How sad… it’s just not the same without everybody else there, is it? I’m glad you guys got the chance to go for a few hours, but seriously… we’ve got to figure this out so that we can have our family reunion thingy in San Clamente like before. Somebody get rich! Jensen?! Can you do anything about this? You’re clever, go make money. You’ve got the looks, you’ve got the brains, let’s make lots of money…
I really thought that I’d forget all music that wasn’t hymns, but no, random little snippets of songs come back to me at little intervals. The other day it was dépêche mode.
This movie (Lost in Austen) sounds like EXACTLY my kind of thing. Geez, I am such a girl. I really want to see it, but you’re right I’ll enjoy it fabulously with all of you in like a year. Time sure does go fast. Somebody pointed out to me the other day that I’m approaching the half-way point and I just about had a heart attack when I did the math and realized that they were right. Crazy. I can’t believe that, I don’t feel like I’ve done nearly enough… I guess I’ve just got to keep improving—work harder, proclaim the gospel to every creature and all of the goodness of life!
It sounds like your visit with the Lillywhites and our whole Californian branch of the fambly went way groovy though. I LOVE islands, I’m so jealous. And mommy, to your question about Hermana Forsling being familiar with In and Out Burger, my companion replies: “I’ll have a cheeseburger with no onions, fries and a chocolate shake, thank you very much.”
There are no In and Out Burgers here… It’s very sad. There is a suspicious looking “MR. BURGER AND SEAFOOD!” on Jensen street. We once saw a man on a horse trot up to the door, dismount and tie the horse up outside so he could go get himself some quality fast-food from the ghetto. It was an amazing moment in my life.
I’ve never eaten there.
I love it when you tell me about the food! I LOVE food. It’s a problem, I think I’m gaining weight. They told me it would happen. I don’t understand how, as I’m on my feet so much.
Anyway, I LOVE your nice long letter and hearing about your trip, it sounds like it was REALLY fun. That’s really sad about the ward not paying attention to the cute little white-haired man… Being just plain friendly is an important part of missionary work for full-time missionaries and everyone else.
Wow, I can’t believe everyone has to go start school again! It seems like it just got out… well, good luck to everyone! Work hard y’all. I don’t have much time left, so I’ve got to get going, thank you SO much for the nice long letter, it’s so good to hear about everything back home, I look forward to getting the San Clamente carta. I hope it wasn’t as miserable as you made it sound and that you were able to enjoy yourselves a little. I agree about the ‘not-beach’ bodies with all the tattoos and navel jewelry. What is that?! I got in a conversation with a ‘missionary’ from another church who had a large tattoo of a naked woman on his arm and was wearing a Santa Muerte shirt. I gave him a card, but he wouldn’t give me any of his information and he just wanted to debate, so I pretended not to know what he was talking about. If he ever gets baptized he should get the tattoo removed… or at least go buy her some clothes.
I heart you all with all my love. I hope everything is as pleasant and summery as I imagine it in my head! Live life, be cheerfull! MWAH! MWAH! Good luck back at school and work and life everyone. I miss you all like you were chocolate. Besssito.
Hermana Lillywhite