slightlylessdrama

Dear family,
This week was REALLY amazing. Junior is making great progress. I got to have a very awkward law of chastity lesson with three teenaged siblings, and that was actually a lot of fun… Luis did not get baptized on schedule, but it’s okay, we think we can help him resolve his doubts in time and take this important step. We’ve got some great new people we’re working with and all in all, everything is going quite nicely.
Remember how I have special powers sometimes? Well, the second I realized that another Elder was going to have to come in and replace Elder Geldmocker (I still am not certain how to spell his NAME) I immediately selected from a group of like… well, I don’t actually know how many Spanish Elders there are, but there’s a LOT, and I totally called it. Elder Poole came to replace him. He’s going home at the same time as Elder Meade, Elder Briscoe, Elder Luke, Elder Cypert, Elder Argyle, Elder Drysdale, and Hermana Friezell—so basically all my friends plus a couple of cool people I really wanted to serve around but never got the chance, on account of them being so OLD! And Hermana Forsling is getting up there too… along with Elder Rost and Elder Dorian (who I’ve decided is Daddy, when he was a missionary). We’d better get some cool people out here soon. Anyway, Elder Poole is an interesting fellow. He’s a convert and everyone says he’s got a very interesting conversion story, but that it’s better when he tells it. I’m not sure how I predicted his Emergency Transfer to our zone, but I think he and Elder Rost will be a legendary companionship (for about two weeks before he goes back to BYU to do whatever it is people who already have their Doctorate do after their missions, get married to the woman responsible for his initial interest in the church, if I’m hearing the rumors right.) Elder Meade has a similar story, except that he’s not with her anymore, and also his story involves him being the lead singer in the band at his old church (yep, one of those) he has pictures on him as his Christian Rock-star self with long curly hair, and I guess he had a beard to at one point. (When he visited BYU for a couple of weeks). So, the other missionaries are all doing well, besides going crazy on account of being on their way home.
I’m so happy to hear that you performed a wedding in Spanish, daddy! That is so cool. I wish I could have heard it! Awesome, chido. We’re really hoping to have a wedding soon so we can get two of our investigators baptized…
Also, THANK YOU so much for the package! I needed more thigh highs and inserts and I certainly needed millions of candies! Yay dulces! I think that’s what I squealed when I opened it. Also, I don’t know if I ever said thank you Laney-boo for the newsletter! And all the clippings were really fun. I’m surprised to see that The Mighty Boosh performed at comic-con, I remembered that they started playing it late-night in America shortly after I left, but still… That’s cool about New Moon too, I saw a poster in Walmart the other day and was fairly jealous for a split second of all the silly people who get to see it before me! I also tried to watch a trailer for the next Harry Potter movie in Chile’s a few weeks back, but Hermana slapped me and brought me back to the world of “Soy misionera! Voy a trabajar en el campo de Dios, VAMOS!” I’ve got to be honest, I don’t feel a gut-wrenching aversion to pop-culture, still. I know missionaries who do, and I respect their feelings by not bringing it up/not getting stranded on the way out of chiles or walmart, but still… do not personally feel a sickening “DE BABILONIA!” electric shock when such things come to my attention. Does that mean I’m a bad person? Hermana Forsling says ‘No’, but Hermana Friezell says ‘Yes’.
Anyway, thank you SO much for the comics and goodies and the big bright lovely, wonderful package of LOVE! And especially thank you for the conference on CD! I’ve got this last session on DVD in Spanish, but I’ve really been wanting to listen to it English for my personal study sometimes. I really appreciate the Lauren and Cody’s letters too, and the talk from you, daddy! I have the best family ever, pretty sure: )
I think some people (especially people you like to make analogies and ties things together) often make spiritual connections with secular things. For instance, I LOVE that that Elder used Alice in Wonderland in his talk, it’s an excellent point and I’ve read those books, so I know that they are chalk-full of other really wonderful tidbits like that. Things that could be easily applicable to gospel subjects. I think it’s a great idea to use that same line for class, mommy. If you haven’t read Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass, borrow my copy. They’re very short books and there’s a lot of good stuff in there. The Cheshire Cat is quite wise if I remember correctly.
Anyway, the point is, I think that stuff is important and inspired too sometimes. And I’ll always remember that one teacher at the MTC who applied every gospel principle to Rocky effortlessly.
Oh, before I forget… HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENSEN! MWAH, MWAh, MWAH!!!!! I give you nineteen kisses! You’re all adultish, how silly of you… I’d recommend not getting any older, unless you want to serve a mission, then you at least need to make it to twenty-one, but after that you can stop. I’d recommend stopping, in fact.
~Estas son las manunitas que cantaba al Rey David, hoy por ser tu dia santo, te las cantamos a TI!~
FELIZ COMPLIANOS!
Everything sounds so fun back home, I’m glad Jensen and Chantal are carrying on the tradition of funfunfun. Jensen don’t get discouraged about the animation program! Just work hard and apply again in April! And if you talk to a counselor and pray a lot I’m sure you’ll be able to find a solution. Remember, your heavenly father wants you to be happy and successful and he’ll help you out, you just need to ask and work hard and be patient!
I hope ya’ll are enjoying the river, give my love to the fambly! I do so miss them… Daddy, I’m sorry you had a rough Sunday! I loved your reference to the conference talk, it’s one of my favorites! There’s so many people who need to hear that talk… I’m going to print it out and give it to them, good call. Thanks for the reminder!
Anyway, I don’t have a lot of time today because we’re going down town to play… I love you all SO much, and I miss you like crazy, but I’m cheerful and I’m joyful every day and I’m SO glad I’m here, about my father’s business. I so adore you, my lovelies. Sorry this letter is so short, there’s a lot more I’d like to say, but I got to go!
Love, lovey-love-love, Hermana Lillywhite