Thanksgiving 2012

Happy Thanksgiving, WHAT, it can´t be thanksgiving!

We are all here writing our families and one elder my Zone Leader, Elder Hobbs goes home this next transfer to Idaho.  We and Hermana Condie got to talking aobut our mom´s cookies.  So I miss my favorite cookies that mom makes, pumpkin chocolate chip.  But we made a list, Gingerbreade, suger, no-bake, and I will have to say coconute oatmeal cookies from Kali´s grandma.  So we are not trunky at all, haha.  

So we had a multizone conference.  For lunch we ate sliced turkey (a crime because its better when it falls off the bone but we are in El Salvador), mashed potatoes, salad, doritos, and donuts.  We wrote our family a thank you letter, but I was too discracted to write a really good one.  So read the instructions of what you all need to do in my letter that I think the mission is sending.  

So it was a good conference.  The area of central america has a new 70 presidente, Elder Martino.  He wrote a letter to all the wards that we are to read all of the book of mormon by next general conference.  As a mission we are going to read special selected parts first and then start from the beginning in January and in two months read all of the book of mormon.  Thats one thing, but I read slower in spanish, but I like to read it in spanish.  The book of mormon is a lot easier to understand in spanish than the bible in spanish.  The area of central america also is starting that from this month on for every missionary that does not baptize for the month has to send a letter to the area presidente of why we did not baptize and what we are going to change.  Yikes.  I did not know what it meant to get chewed out till I got to the mission.  Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed, like, I did not want to serve just following what the Spirit told me, all I want to do is help out I did not want to make a big deal about it all.  But in the end it is a big deal.  THe mission has been really low lately, and the area presidente asked all the mission presidents that since this announcement from the Profet the work is being increased and what are we going to change to increase our faith and work with the Lord.  So presidente changed some rules.  We wake up at 6am instead of 6:30.  I wake up at 4:30 already so that did not change.  Less activities as a zone on p-days, and pday ends an hour earlier, but our presidente already said that so that was not new either.  I am actually really glad for the change because Pday is so hectic as it is that to do an activity all the time just makes it worse.  

So this meeting was good to get me rialed up.  I think after this announcement from Pres Monson, satan started working harder too.  And I am in this new area of which is a toughy.  But, I am disregarding all of that and going to go forward.  We learned that we actually have more area than we thought, so I am really excited about that.  Its almost like opening an new area because our neighbors are office elders and so they do not have time to rob from our area (a lot of you probably have no idea what I am talking about), so this area has been untouched for quite sometime.  We found out in this area is a hor house, and lots of lots of cathlics.  But I will baptize families in this area.  Many of the missionaries including my comp said, how ugly is this area.  I got a bit ticked, pulled down our map and wrote, my area is beautiful.  Of which if it is not right now it will be.  

So I wanted to get Christmas presents to you, but who knows how that will go.  But I got my Christmas package from Jeff and Jenn.  YEAH BABY!  I knew that the big one was hair gel that I asked for so I opened it because I wanted my hair to be pretty before Christmas, sorry.  But the others are still wrapped although Hermana Condie wants me to open them, she opened hers because she is a bad girl haha.  I am working hard, but will now lie I am excited for our Christmas conference when we have a talent show, because Hermana Cordòn said I can clogg, and I am singing in the choir.  It makes it more complicated for my area because we are gone monday and tuesday in the office.  Usually I am only in the office Tuesday.  But if the office elders that are in the office from monday to thursday can baptize so can I.  

I hope you are doing well, each and every one.  Someone say hi to JOrdan boldinghouse for me.  I miss him.  Where did you all have thankgiving, and did you share announcements and clap?  And did you miss my cooking, I have forgotten how to cook.  I can make oatmeal.  I cannot believe how fast time flies.  AHHH demasiado!  
I am nearing 10 months in the mission, and still my spanish is bad.  I cry sometimes because I am frustrated.  Its not sticking sometimes.  Lets just be honest, I am super frustated sometimes.  But deep breath and hardwork, lots of prayer, study, laughter, and love.  I can do it!