Only 3 weeks left!

Dear family and friends,

It was a pretty good week this week. Lots of our good friends have headed out to the field but I've only got 3 weeks left then i leave. This next week i should get my travel plans and hopefully its not like those going to Hong Kong where they leave Monday morning and after layovers and so forth get there Wednesday night. Yes we definitely heard about the BYU Miss game. A guy in my district is in love with sports and byu. He is seen on the byu sports annual catalog giving jimmer a blessing... And this week i am excited to hopefully see Texas beat Byu. Elder Embley, same guy i just mentioned, is also going to the San Antonio mission so he cant decide who he wants to win.

Yesterday, another elder in my district had an interesting experience. Since our third week he has been one of the only elders left here going to the Dominican republic because of the lack of space in the Dominican MTC. Yesterday morning they paged him and said he was leaving at 830 that night. He spent all day getting packed and getting ready, then a couple hours they called him back and said never mind. He was a little frustrated but he is still happy to be here.

Umm, not much else has gone on here. I'm still studying all the time and trying to get the language down but it wont happen for a while i know. I did go to the temple today and ended up talking to an elderly guy who served in my mission back when Argentina was all one mission.

A couple thoughts from the week:

In a Fireside by Richard Heaton, i realized that as missionaries sometimes we focus too hard on the wrong things. My purpose is not to baptize people but to strengthen there faith in Christ and possibly (hopefully) bring them into the gospel. Sometimes we miss the spirit, the promptings, and the feelings of those we are teaching. God has been working on these people i will meet. I need to make sure what i teach coincides with what they have been feeling and with what will help them.

On Tuesday, we had Jay E. Jensen come speak to us sort of on, "Decisions Do Determine Destiny." I have realized that in my life, but i have always learned that decisions are made everyday. Decisions to change can correct past decisions through time. When he spoke to us he said that he didn't plan to go on a mission at first. He was going to marry his girlfriend, now wife, and not serve. It wasn't til a return missionary spoke in church that it hit him that he needed to go no matter what. Now quickly, what is the first scripture that comes to mind about success? In i think D&C 18:15-16, it talks about if you bring save it be one soul, how great shall be your joy. Who is the "one soul"? As I've learned here, that soul could be me. This mission i am going on could not change another persons life but my own. And if that be the case, then how great will be my joy? It could be a companion. It could be the people in Argentina. My point is, I need to be an impact whether it be on myself or others. Also, on a side note, it wont necessarily be what i say that effects people but what they feel because of what i am telling them.

I am still excited to be here and time begins to fly. Ive learned so much and already feel completely different. I am so happy to be able to have this opportunity to go share this amazing happiness. I haven't known this all along, but this gospel can bring so much happiness into your life. Christ can bring so much happiness, help, comfort, peace, guidance, and etc. I plan to do my best as a missionary and get out there. Be bold with everything i say and teach knowing that angels, God, Jesus Christ, and my older brother are right beside me helping me the entire time.

Last little note. I didn't go to choir this week because i wanted a chance to actually hear the choir instead of myself. But trust me, i will be singing alot down in Argentina. I ever heard that even if i have a bad voice here, ill sound great over there. Either way ill try my best.

Dad- Thank you for the letters! I think the 11-13 they wont print out dear elders because they are moving buildings. Sounds like everything is good and your busy with the missionaries as well.

Mom- Thank you for the letter even though 90% of it was a talk. :). Sounds like everything is also going well for you. I had something i was gonna ask but i forgot...Oh, and i told you like 4 weeks ago what the scripture is i wanted! Its in 2 nephi. I don't remember where though.

Samye and D- Have fun on your little get away trip and Happy Late birthday Samye!

Nicki- Thank you for the package! umm and all the papers. I don't know if ill ever get a chance to read them but thank you! I hope school is going well! And remember, if something very significant in your life happens in the next 2 years, i better like him.

Alex- I hope you got my letter and everything is going well! good luck in school along with everything else you plan to do. Just remember that you have the light of Christ and the best thing you can do it is by sharing it. You know how?! SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the time! It is actually proven that it is impossible to stay mad if you force yourself to smile. So DO IT!!!

I love you all and you are in my prayers every night.

Oh, and tell Jean and Russell I am writing them today. And Thank you!