Letters! Yes! I win!

Familia mia,
I’m so happy! Today is a good day, a random Preparation day in the middle of the week is healthy sometimes I think. I hope you all remembered about Monday being a regular day… sort of, it started out normal but then we had to go all the way to the office for a kind of ‘Surprise Zone Conference’ with Elder Paul B. Johnson. Excellent, excellent thing, that. Very inspiring. Then I was on exchanged yesterday, so, today is P-day! I missed you all terribly this week because of the extra-long wait. Baseball playing was really fun last week, I made it to home base, thanks to Elder Zambrano. And Elder McGary almost killed me when I slid into first and he just about landed right on top of me with the ball a split second later—but I was safe! Hermano Martinez said so and there was much rejoicing. Good day. Good game. My companion got sunburned. So did everyone else except me and the other ‘not-white’ people in our zones. (I count as not-white in comparison to these rubios.)
It was a crazy week… we had Interviews with president the next day, then Zone meeting/President and Sister Hansen’s anniversary (they bought us lunch), then temple the day after that, then district meeting the day after that, then we woke up at ‘way-too-early-in-the-morning’ to go to South Houston for a Multi-Mission conference with the South and East missions to hear from President Costa, who is an AWESOME 70. He’s very inspired, said exactly what each of us needed to hear and made us laugh while chastising subtly. Beautiful thing.
Then Sunday. One of the most depressing days of my mission so far—or it might have been, except that some really great things started happening more towards the evening. Miracles, let me just be vague, because I don’t have much time and I’m just not sure this is a good ‘letter-story’. Then, the not-pday Monday happened, and exchanges… I was sent to go work with Hermana Bastian again, in her area, which boarders my old area. We got a referral by accident, that was supposed to go to Elder Dorion and Elder Morin, but they didn’t know that and made an appointment with the man. When I looked at where he lived on the map I was like “Yep… That’s my old area. That’s not you guys.” But we went and taught Mynor a first anyway. He’s from Guatemala and he’s married with four kids (boy 13, twin girls 9, and another boy 8) and I think they’re all going to be baptized pretty fast here. He had a book of Mormon from his uncle back in Guatemala and he says he’s really excited to learn more.
This week has been crazy and wonderful. I’m working with so many genuine people right now. We’ve just got to keep working and watch out for trouble, it always comes, doesn’t it? Hermana Forslying and I are really hoping they’ll leave us both here and together for her last transfer, which starts right after general conference. But wherever the lord sends me or her, I know it’s the right thing. I didn’t want to leave my first area, but God took care of the people I was teaching and now their baptized or they’ve got dates, or are otherwise well in the care of their father in heaven… and since I came here I’ve meet people who I can’t imagine not knowing. I’m so glad I came, and I know wherever I go, I’ll find the people I’m supposed to help, and I’ll love them just as much as I love the people I have to say goodbye to—if only for a moment!
I got several letters from Chantal this week! MWAH! I’m working on a letter to you right now sweetie, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write, but I LOVE you! And I got one from Mr. Jacob Cantwell. Oh my, it sounds like I’m living in a rather dangerous area. Funny story in relationship to previous topics—for the Mutli-Mission Conference President Hansen asked all the Elders to wear blue ties and all the sisters to dress in blue. We’re in the north side of Houston, and we went down to the south. Now, I’m positive that Preisdent Hansen wouldn’t know this, and neither would any of the missionaries who work with him, but when gang members from North Houston go to South Houston, they wear blue. It’s the “North-side Gang Colour—son!”. So, our mission was inadvertently participating in modern day secret combinations, which I found pretty hilarious and also disturbing… mostly funny though.
And I got Mommy’s package! So I feel very loved. The rice crispies were delicious! My companion and I squealed for joy when we got them, and thank you very much Shazi for the letter! And thank you Sifu for your letter which was also contained in the package, pretty, pretty, pretty calligraphy! I’m going to be sending you a letter soon as well and then you can tell me how my Spanish is grooving along. The Baby kitty is SO CUTE! I made a funny noise when I saw her, I’m sure. She’s so ADORABLE! I wanna cuddle. I can’t though, for a bit. And thank you for all the funny comics and the sox and the yummy juice-instant things and the letter! Seriously, I feel so loved. Everybody was telling me how right around 6-8 months you just stop getting mail from anybody because they all forget about you and move on with their lives. But I get love! Yay love! (This is from Elders who stop writing after the MTC, I’m pretty sure is the difference there too).
Anyway, everything sounds amazing, I love it when you go into detail about the food. Me and Hermana Forsling were discussing it and we decided that we LOVE the food bits. Also, Shakespeare Abridged sounds awesome! I definitely have to see that again soon. Elder Meade, who recently finished his mission, was in that play in high school, he played the guy who has to be all the women, he said. At the time he had curly, thick, beautiful hair down to his shoulders (he showed us a picture), but he wore a wig for comic-relief purposes anyway.
I REALLY need to send you guys a package, I know. I’m ridiculous. I have a picture card and other things that I just really need to get back to you folks! I don’t know if I’m going to get the chance to do it today, but maybe Monday? Maybe? Please? I don’t know, man. Life is crazy.
The trip sounds enchanting. I hope Grandma is doing well and that everything goes good with her surgery, I’ll be praying for her extra hard. And yes, that has got to be the most appropriate nick-name for her!
Kimber sounds like a lot of fun, I knew you’d love it! And yes, I think being a teacher would be really fun, and more likely than not, that’s what I’ll end up doing… As much as I’d love to stay home and write books, I’ve always known that’s not really a practical plan to base your life around, but teaching others to express themselves with language would be so rewarding! And as a missionary… I’ve definitely discovered that I do love teaching. (even if I figured out that I like it more on a personal, one-on-one level)… still, that’s definitely what I’m going to have to look into when I get back. Hermana Forsling has basically convinced me that if I don’t go to graduate school I’m a terrible person, so… haha, I’ll probably be doing that too.
I love your description of how daddy gets Laney out of bed and just stands her on her feet in the morning—that’s perfect! I sure do miss you all a lot. But I’m so happy right now, and getting your letters and hearing about all the things your doing helps me feel close to you, especially out here in the fields, it’s easy to feel close to your family when you’re serving Heavenly Father.
The Luvin’ you lots and lots is a reference to… That Thing You Do? I had to think hard, and I’m not 100 percent sure that’s right. I’m losing it, folks. Pop-culture is slowly draining out of my ears at night and being replaced by… well, mostly the Spanish Language actually. Sometimes at night in my dreams I can hear my old playlist. I had a really interesting dream about getting trapped in an Investigators house during a flood and we all watched the rain bury the house through the windows while “Behind Blue Eyes” wafted through the rainy air. I love The Who.
Also, I did manage to remember The Fifth Element in its entirety last week and I rehearsed the whole movie to Hermana Forsling over the course of a few mealtimes, I even had a go at performing what I remembered from the Diva’s Aria. Hermana is sold, she loves the movie and she’s never even seen it.
I hope that everyone is wonderful and happy. Content with life, school, classes, work ect. I know that I’m doing a great work for my God right now, and I know that I am a member of his true church, restored to the earth and in possession of the authority and power of God through priesthood keys, and that Jesus is the Christ, the savoir and redeemed of the world. Even when I get discouraged or when faced with disappointment, I can’t deny the necessity of every day of work that I’m doing, and of every trial and challenge. I’m so happy and so filled with love, for all of you, and for every child of God I see.
I LOVE you family, and I miss you terribly. I’m sure I’ve forgotten to say something important here, and perhaps I’ve said a great many silly things, but what's important is; I love you!
Hermana Lillywhite