Look for a call (on Christmas Day) between 8:30 and 10 probably depending on how long the drive takes and how long it takes to check baggage and get through security. You have to answer the first phone calls if you can, because I have $5 on my call, and every attempt removes 1.29 from my card.
I gave my first blessing this week, which was also incidentally in Spanish. So it probably could have been a lot better. Everyone acted like the words just came to them and they didn't think about what to say, but I did, which might have been partly because it was in Spanish, but I didn't really feel like that was the case.
I was pretending to be an investigator and during the prayer of one companion, the other farted and then after the prayer, ran out of the room and said he couldn't do this anymore because everyone was laughing. So that happened.
There is also an irritating thing that happened this week, but I just won't talk about it, because it's over and it's just not a big deal I guess. But it's just that I try to be reasonable and practical, and sometimes that seems to contradict perfect obedience.
Thanks for the package. I don't ever know what you mean since you said it was a small package and it had tons of stuff in it. I like that some of them are healthy, but I don't know how many I'll be able to take because of the baggage weight limit (be careful with the coconut for example because it has like 30g of sugar, don't quote me, per serving. I already ate it all thought). Also, I like both ties a lot. One is my favorite colors and the other is colors that I don't have.
I already opened all of the packages (wrapped Christmas gifts) in case there was anything that I didn't want to take and didn't want to ship all over the world. and the only thing was the shoe shining things, which are pretty light, so I'll carry them around for a while. But those don't actually re stain scuffed areas, I think it is just grease to make them look shiny for a minute. So they aren't actually shoe polish.
Yeah, I thought the Sundance snow looked really great, so Colorado snow must just suck. (Or be really bad, I mean; I learned the hard way that you aren't supposed to say that, especially in spanish with the informal you pronoun...darn other missionaries get me in the darndest bad habits)
My companion just dropped me off to catch the bus, but there were 10 other missionaries, so it didn't matter.
The tie clip I threw in the trash was a paper clip, not an actual tie clip. I was just using it to hold my tie together and didn't want to bring any tie clips, so now I have the one that you sent me. But if it was real, I wouldn't have done it.
I got my pants fixed (the hem stitch just ripped out) and I decided to only fix the leg that was broken and not have the other reinforced, because I heard that sewing is muy cheap in Mexico.
The cookies are also good from Jessica. Is molasses better than sugar for you? Also, if you decide to send packages in the future, don't send caramels or the like, because I really like them, but they're kind of time consuming to eat. So I have a lot with the Riesens, caramels and werthers I got. Thanks though, I just can't really talk or brush my teeth with them in my mouth, so like maybe, if I'm lucky, one a day on average.
I was thinking about practicality and I decided that God must be very practical, otherwise the church wouldn't be run like a business. Also every apostle seems pretty reasonable and practical to me. Thus, I think ethical practicality in a lot of senses is spirituality (the Spirit would encourage you to do that I think). Like Mom is always saying, about God hitting two birds with one stone.
I always tell the truth in these letters (I think) unless I'm being sarcastic. So, if I'm happy, I'll tell you and if I'm depressed I will too.
So did Matt's pomegranate trick work pretty well then?
Also, as for the coconut that I ate all of, I wonder if I can find it without sugar somewhere in Mexico.
Ben, I am glad that you're looking at the bright side of me not being able to tell you to brush your teeth. Love you, too. Also good luck on your finals, you too, Josh.
I hope I am up to the challenges, Dad. I guess time will tell.
We were talking about why people obey commandments and our teacher said the three main ones were fear or love of God and wanting to receive the blessings. So I was thinking why I try to do them, and I came to the realization that just like serving others is like serving God, loving others is like serving God. So, if we do something because we want to be courteous to others or recognize the effects of doing what is right for them or wrong, then that is like loving God. Just something to think about.
As for going to Mexico on Monday: "Faith is not knowing what the future holds, but knowing who holds the future."
Right now I am listening to health training while I do e-mail, because otherwise I won't have time to e-mail you at all. He keeps saying how we should not eat any raw fish or vendor food and always wash our hands after all these things (animals, meetings and bathroom and carry soap around with you) and make sure our meat is cooked through. And we can get shocked by wires that they wrap around the shower head to warm the water and die because of carbon monoxide poisoning and how we have to do everything with pure water (but not even bottled water is guaranteed to be anything besides tap water at all). Anyways, there is tons of other stuff. He also said some other stuff that I liked, like that no one is perfect, so try to get plenty of sleep and try to follow the rules (but I think he is saying that health comes first, so Josh's rule about WebMD must be right). Other stuff too, like don't eat raspberries or other fruit that you can't wash and you have to wash all fruit in a bleach solution. And I just know that I can't live all of those rules. So I don't know what to do about that. Because I think in practicality that very few missionaries live even half of these rules. So I will try, but I just don't know. So pray por favor. He also said that it is important because our body is a temple and it will be more difficult for the spirit to dwell in it if we don't take care of it. So I just don't know. Also, other stuff about how in some countries they don't throw away used toilet paper in the toilet, and you keep it in a bin that you should wash every 48 hours. I just am not sure how I can do all that, but I will try. It just seems unlikely. (Don't worry especially Mom).
I told Elder Hesterman who is also going to Tijuana that there is a reason that diariamente (I think) looks so close to diarrhea (I think that is the spanish word) (diarrhoea (I guess that is how they spell it in England, according to our Oxford Dictionary)).
Also, the guy on the health video had a missionary nametag that said Doctor, so you should try and get one of those Dad.
Anyways, I will leave now. I love you guys and love you and stuff like that. Eternal family and everything else. I am nervous about going to my mission, but I am sure that everything will be fine. Faith and fear cannot coexist. Anyways, love you again and I will talk to you soon, I hope (don't forget to answer the phone because I will use all of my minutes up).
Diariamente Means DAILY, so that's why Kaden says it is appropriately similar to the word diarrhea in the language spoken in Mexico
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