A Better Week

We are about 8 hours by bus from Barranquilla, and so it is slightly cooler here. In Valledupar the majority are very poor. As in a concrete one room house with a bed and a sink and a tin roof and a dirt floor. There are many dogs with flea bitten diseased bodies. And bats that come out at night. Lots and lots of bats! Through the Lord we can do all things! I try to serve with all my heart, and ignore the less than fun stuff. I am feeling the spirit a lot, and working hard for my investigadores!I miss my ukulele a lot! I will pray for Ava, she is so little and cute! I hope she had a ton of fun in her star raising! This week I want to speak to every one of the family members and relate experiences by person: Dad: You can buy peanut butter here. But for about $10. The craziest thing I have eaten here is pig heart soup! Delicious! Oh, and look up Salchipapas! They are so good, I wish I could eat it every day! Élder Giron and I were teaching a lesson to a super poor lady who is leaving the church, when a dainty young lady came up behind us and started speaking as though she were a gruff old man, which was not her voice, but it wasn´t an imitation of an old man´s voice. Super creepy! She said "open your windows" and then walked away. But I am doing much better at speaking and listening in spanish. I love you tons! Mom: Sign language came in "handy" because we met a deaf guy in the street and my companion just abandoned him without trying. But I stopped and shared the gospel. Colombian sign language is way different, but he understood, and said "God bless me for trying". I miss your cooking, but I have now tried about 12 or so different ways to eat plantains. I miss hugging you and Dad, and love you guys a bunch! You mean the world to me, and I attribute all that I am to Dad and you! Lauren: I had a dream last night that we got to spend a day together and we spent it in a costco eating good food samples together! It was the funnest day! I hope things are going well with your suitors. And if it isnt going...I think you are superb and hope senior year is going great! Make the best of it! I hope swimming is going "swimmingly", and you are dominating the pool, the tests, and the Laurels quorum. I miss you a ton! Nicholas!: I hear you got your Patriarchal blessing! I dont need to see it to know you are destined for great things! I hear you have been working out (watch out ladies)! I want to hear from you, because out of the siblings I might think of you the most. I want to speak spanish and stay up late with you! If school is stressful and you feel like you have no friends, turn to Mom and Dad. I did in school and I don´t regret it! They are lifelong friends! You will make an excellent missionary, and I hear you are progressing in so many ways! Love! Jack: Your jokes are what I miss the most! You are a little buddy full of energy to go play with me and the boys on the trampoline. You are in 4th grade right¿ You are way smarter than I was at your age, and I hope you use that talent to your good! I saw a picture of you the other day, and thought to myself: Now that is one who will grow up to be a strong man! Don´t let anyone tell you different! I love you muchisimo! Nate: You were one of best friends back home and so I miss you in every way! You are growing a lot of muscle in your brain and biceps! I hear you are starting to learn to play the piano! I hope you love every moment of it. Like a mission, it will be hard at first, but you will love it when you can say that you completely dominated it! I hope your year is going great! You are like a majestic polar bear with a spiky mane who looks threatening at first, but then you can tickle it and it will start laughing and playing with you! Stay awesome! I want to hang out the same way we used to! Ava: There is no doubt that I think about you every day! You are the cutest thing I have ever seen, and that is a known fact! I wish I could graze on your little furry blonde head! You are an insipiration to me and my investigadores, whom I tell with pride of your battle with cancer with the Lord on your side! You continue to grow in intelligence muchisimo, and I laugh/cry when I hear of your cute progress! Enjoy preschool! It only gets harder ;). You are so cute and I love you so much! Mom, you make MY heart go round! You ARE phenomonous! (borrowed quotes from Ava)