December 27, 2011
Ahoy, ahoy!
It’s the weekly review. How’s it going? I saw the pics you guys sent in the e-mail from Christmas. It looks like you guys had a blast? Molly’s hair is so long! And Anna, where’s your braces?! Ha ha, you look sharp. Glad to hear your birthday was a blast Lauren. Pizza Factory is good cookin’! Speaking of pizza…. Thanks for the pizza. It’s a hot commodity round these parts. We have pizza night every Friday but sometimes I just got to have some Sleazer’s pizza so thank you.
Thanks for the presents! I loved the Lego missionary and the journal and stuff. But thank you guys for your letters and your testimonies and for the letters in the journal. For quite some time I felt really sad like I have to have a constant need for reassurance that I can do this. I felt this Christmas from the talks given and especially your testimonies that like really, it’s all good, like I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to get it but now I do. I’ve realized that it’s all going to be okay. If I just do what I’m supposed to do then I won’t have to worry. This sudden blessing of self confidence doesn’t mean I don’t want letters of encouragement (please, I love it), but that Christmas night as I read your letters and testimonies and personal stories under my blankets with a flashlight (cause it was lights out) I just got such a warm and sudden feeling that yeah, this mission is going to be hard, and there are going to be times that I worry and I’m scared but those times will be trumped by the good times. I feel like I can do anything that is required of me now. I feel excited, ready to go, and extremely blessed. Thank you so much you guys. I love you. I am so grateful for you guys in my life, thank you. I know this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for all your prayers and the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father. I’m so grateful for Him and his son Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful that he gave me such a wonderful family and this amazing gospel! Not a prayer goes by where I don’t mention those things. Thank you.
Well, as I said in the e-mail, I’m hosting this week so that should be an adventure in and of itself. Word is we get our travel plans this week so I’ll keep you posted on that…exciting! I’m getting along great with everyone but, boy, I’m so ready to get out of the MTC. I’ll miss all the fun here and its perks like free food, hot showers and mail all the time but I am stoked for Argentina! Even though I have (decent at best) cave man Spanish I have the first vision down in Spanish so I’ve got that going for me…..which is nice. We finished up our last Spanish subject: past subjunctives. Apparently they don’t exist in English and all the teachers say you just have to pick it up while you are down there (along with the entire language) but everything else is great!
Thanks for the advice in getting along with Elder --------. It really worked. He’s still a baby at times but I have just learned to say “whatever” and be the best I can with that guy. Also, I heard you said someone named Taylor Fletcher wanted to add me on Facebook. He is one of the MTC teachers so it’s all good to add him as a friend. I told him to add me, our whole district told him to add them all on Facebook.
By the way, Elder Beal and Elder Zulauf say, “Thanks for the ties Sister Elder Allphin’s mom”. You know how five year old boys have to say thanks. Ha-ha. Really, they loved them. Paisley ties are a hot commodity here.
Well, I guess I better wind up this letter. I love you all so much. Thanks for everything. Thanks for being happy this Christmas. I was too. It was a Christmas I’ll never forget. I’m so grateful for your kind, caring, heaven-sent words. You guys are, in the words of Bill and Ted, “most excellent!” I love you guys so much and I hope all is well and you have a Happy New Year. It will be 2012! I’ll be home in 2013. Thank about that! Pretty cool, huh? I love you! I’m so thankful for all of you. The Church is true. It’s all good.
Con amor,
Russ
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