"We rocked this week!"

Okkkkkk! Here I am!

We went to use the internet at 4pm, but there weren’t enough computers, so I didn’t get to write! Thank heavens, though, Hermana Ligias is letting me use her computer to write to you guys! We just finished Family Home Evening. This is a really great family here. I’m very excited to have a family I love and who loves me to spend my Christmas with. I need that . . .

I’m very proud of Dylan . . . Like always! And I’m positive that he had a great solo! And, as far as basketball for him, he’s doin’ great! He is really rebounding well! It’ll be fun for you guys to be able to compare our stats on MBay Prep . . . LOL! Good job though, Dylan! You better already have a DearElder sent off to me! If you don’t, you better do it soon!

So . . . The Mom from Utah . . . Is she friends with Melanie? And is her son friends with McKay? Good to hear that Elder Larsen’s Mom wrote to you! The Moms love talkin’ to other Missionary moms, so I’ve heard. I talked to Elder Larsen last night for almost an hour! The time passed sssssuper fast. Good guy, that man . . . And I talked to Legua a few times this week, too. Poor kid. He’s goin’ through a tough time. He’s been a reall good example to me.

I did get your package this past Wednesday! I almost started crying, kinda . . . LOL . . . But, really, it was so thoughtful of you guys to put together a package like that! I got to open nine gifts that first day! After that, I’ve opened them one per day in the correct order. I’ve guessed what each one was before opening it, too. I’ve guessed by the scripture and not by the size or shape of the package. I’ve gotten some right and some wrong and I wrote down my guess and what was in each package each time, so it’s been very, very fun! Thank you sooooooooooo much! Really, really! It means the world to me . . . Something thoughtful like this . . .

As far as talking with you guys on Christmas, I will call you guys. It will just be easier that way ‘cause we don’t have a set time. I do ask one favor, though. Can you guys open the package I sent you before I call you? That way, we can both give thanks for what we have received . . . LOL . . . But, I dunno . . . I just wanted it to be opened already. The niece of Hermana Ligia sent your package today from Miami. She says that it should get to the house on December 21st. Can you do me a favor and send them something for Christmas? They are going to have a baby girl, so you can send her something little for the baby. I bought them a li’l, too, but what they did saved us like $50. So, could you send her a li’l something? Thank you!

Okay . . . So now for my weekly update! And I have quite a good amount!

Well, I’ll start with my new Companion. His name is Elder Flores and he’s from Honduras. He’s been a really good Companion so far. We have had a great time so far and we had a huge, great week of work! I loved it again ‘cause I got to work like a Senior Companion since he doesn’t know the Area yet. And, we rocked this week! We have been happy which is good, too. He got mad at me once, though . . . LOL . . . ‘Cause I gave away our li’l cakes to two li’l kids . . . Hahahahaha .. . It was funny that he got mad, but he apologized later.

I want to give a shout out real quick to Grandma for always writing to me. I haven’t had a chance to write to her by my hand and pen yet, but I really appreciate it!

Oh! I was wondering . . . On one of the CDs you sent, the one with mostly Christmas instrumentals . . . One of the first songs, I think Number four, was kind of a gospel song and has a really good solo on it. When the soloist is in the low range, it sounds like Dylan . . . But that isn’t him, is it? If it is, wow! That’s crazy, crazy!

I’ve carried three things with me every day since I got in the field in Guatemala. One is my oil, the other is two linked chains (which I’ll explain another time) and the third is my first Guatemalan coin. Well, this week, I lost the coin! But someone found it and gave it back to me! LOL . . . I was very happy, though. When I get home, I wanna make it into a necklace. Random story . . . Sorry . . .

We have one investigator progressing a lot, a lot . . . Her name is Vilma . . . She has been awesome! She is a single mother of three children. The sad part is that she has cancer in her stomach. Today, she is supposed to have surgery. I’m scared, she’s scared. I really hope all goes well. It has been a long time comin’ with her. I guess they plan on taking out all of her woman parts as well. Kinda sad and depressing though, huh? Pray for her with me!

This week, I was playin’ with matches. Puttin’ ‘em out on my tongue and all . . . LOL . . . And then I did one trick and the match touched my lips . . . And they got burned! LOL . . . It hurt but I’m all good now . . . Guess I shouldn’t do dumb stuff . . .

Ummmm . . . Here’s my reading update . . . I’m in Jacob again; And in D&C 60, I believe; And in the Bible, in Judges 10 . . . The Old Testament . . . LOL . . . Sometimes very boring but good stuff too, though.

This past Friday, I believe, we had Luces Campero here in Guatemala. Pollo Campero is a good fast food place like KFC or something, almost. But they put on a light show here on December 2nd. It’s kind of like 4th of July in Guatemala. LOL . . . Not really ‘cause it’s not a day of independence, but it’s fireworks! Anyway, it was pretty fun and cool. We watched it from way up high in our area.

I got to give another blessing this week. It was to a woman and I gave it in perfect “tu” form. It’s been really hard for me to bless in “tu” when I only talk in “ust”, but I did it perfectly which was cool! And then her daughter told us that she had been praying to have someone give her a blessing, so they felt like we were sent by God. Pretty cool, huh?

We have a return missionary in our Ward! He just got back. He got here when Elder Martinez left. He’s a really good buy and was Assistant for five changes in El Salvador! All the people say he is way more serious than before his Mission, though. I wonder how I’ll have changed when I get home. LOL . . . I hope I’m not weird . . .

Can you do a search on “laky soup” and tell me what it says about it? How many times I can or should eat it per week?

Anyway . . . That’s all I’ve got for ya! I sure love you and can’t wait to hear your voices! I hate that I’m used to not hearing you guys! Anyway, I love, love, love, love you! Love you ALL!

"It was my Companion's last week . . ."

Hey, hey, hey!

Goooood to hear from you again! Yes . . . My six month mark just passed! Twenty-five percent of the way! It’s not a lot, but it’s a ton at the same time . . . LOL . . . I know you know what I mean. I am proud of myself for accomplishing what I have and I look forward to just pressin’ forward. For sure two years is a huge sacrifice, but I know that this is what I need to be doin’. Livin’ with your family forever, in the presence of God and Jesus, is kind of a big deal, so I’m tryin’ to do my best to be there for that. Can you imagine just one person from our family not making it to the Celestial Kingdom? It would be the saddest thing ever. I hope everyone at home is doin’ well and being good!

Well, I’m sad that Brad isn’t going to be entering the CCM . . . I was really lookin’ forward to seeing him!

Thanks for the Dylan quote . . . LOL . . . That’s a good one . . . For Dallas I got, “C’mon Florida! Come on!” Yellin’ of course . . . LOL . . . And, maybe for Tom, “Thanks for the compliment” when Ashley told him that he was acting like Dallas . . . Hahahaha . . .

That’s very exciting that Dylan had such a good first game! I was very, very, very, very excited to hear that! I don’t think I scored eleven points in my Junior year until about halfway through the season! Make sure Dylan remembers that I didn’t play attttt allllll to start the season my Junior year. Then, by halfway through the season, I was starting and our team played really, really well. Coach Dirks will see in time if Dylan is playin’ good and helpin’ out his unit. Then he will start to play a lot more. Just make sure you make a point every time you’re in the game, Dylan . . . Not a point as in scoring, but as in blasting someone or gettin’ a loose ball or a few huge rebounds. Things like that, yo . . . And just get ready for your Senior year! It’s right around the corner and you’re gonna wanna be the best possible, dude!

I’m very, very excited to have music again, so thank you for thinkin’ ‘bout me on that Choir topic! And good luck, Dylan, with your solo! You’re amazing, dude!

Okkkk . . . I have something sad to say . . . I don’t have my agenda where I take all the notes from the previous week. I brought my new one, dang it, so now I just have to try to remember what happened this week.

Did you guys get to watch the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency? Pretty cool, huh? And how ‘bout the version of “O Holy Night” that the Tabernacle sang? “Fall on your knees. Oh, hear the angel voices” . . . I think that might be my favorite Christmas song and they did it soo, soo, soo good. SO powerful!

I have a new Companion now. It was really sad havin’ my other Companion, Elder Martinez, go. He is a real good guy and I’m gonna miss him a lot. I got to give him a blessing of comfort this morning before he left and it was a really cool experience. All of my best friends have officially left the Capital now. LOL . . . Kinda frustrating. Legua and Larsen are in Polochiek; Wood and Ireland are in Peten; Goodwin in Coban; and Martinez is in his house . . LOL . . . Kinda frustrating for sure, but oh well I guess! Only three people in our whole Zone had a change, though, so kinda boring. The group that entered the CCM with me is really, really good, but the President still hasn’t made anyone from our group a Senior Companion. My new companion is Elder Flores from Honduras.

I got the hook ups! The niece of Hermana Ligia lies in Florida, but is visiting here right now and leaves in like three days. The great news is that she came to have a baby shower but didin’t receive many presents, so she has a bunch of extra space in her suitcase! So, I already gave her the money and I have to give her my package tomorrow! She will send it from Florida and you guys will get it before Christmas! It will be wwwwwaaayyyyy faster and way cheaper. It couldn’t have worked out better, huh? Oh! And she told me, too, that there is a mail service from the United States that only delivers to Central America. She says it’s way faster and cheaper, too. I don’t know what it is, but it’s just what she told me . . . You could try to find out what it is, I guess!

This week was pretty crazy because it was my Companion’s last week. We had worked soooo, soooo hard for eleven weeks together and then he got sooo, sooo baggy the last week. I found out that it’s really hard to “kill” a Companion ‘cause all they do is talk about goin’ home and thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ home so you do the same with them! It was a li’l tough, but worth it ‘cause I love the kid.

Did you talk to Elder Larsen’s Mom? Or the Mom from Lehi?

If I get the package you sent me this Wednesday, I can open it, right?

Well, I can’t really remember much else about what happened this week. That’s why I always write it down, LOL! So, I’m gonna go write to Dallas. If I think of more stuff to write, I’ll write you again . . . LOL . . .

I love you all billions! Thank you for all of your prayers! Surely the Lord has been answering them! I love you all sooo, sooo much! Be good! Be safe!

I almost cried when I said what I'm thankful for . . .

Heyyyyy, yo!

Thank you for all of your nice updates again! I really hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving and wedding time!

That’s crazy that Aaliyah could recognize that picture! My li’l genius! I love ‘er to death . . . If you didn’t know that already!

I haven’t received your package yet, but I really, really, really hope I get it this week! I’m prayin’! Haha! Not really, but I sure hope it comes!

I’ll be ashamed if Brad doesn’t come to the CCM here. He should if he’s serving in Cenetral America. And, that’s ggggreat about Brett, too! I can’t send him a DearElder, but if you can get me his “myldsmail” e-mail address, I’ll write to him sometime soon!

I’m very excited to hear how Dylan’s basketball game goes this week as a Varsity man! I wish him the very, very, very best . . . As always . . .

My li’l updates . . .

Yes, my Companion leaves me a week from today, which I am not very happy about. He is very excited to go home and he has told me some things that have made me very happy. Well, we haven’t had a lot of success as far as baptisms go here, but he’s told me these things . . . He told the whole District that this has been the most spiritual change he’s had in his whooooole mission because of the high goals we set and how hard we have tried to achieve them. We have been very happy together because we know when to have fun and when to just work hard, work hard, work hard and still stay happy. He also says that his thoughts have changed for the better while we have been companions. So, even though this change has been tough with baptisms, we are still very happy with what we have accomplished. My companion has been a very good missionary with success, so I’m very happy with the things he has said of our companionship. He’s a good guy and a really good friend. It’ll be sad when he goes . . .

So, yea, changes are comin’ up a week from today. I’m really hopin’ I don’t leave my area. I feel like success is just around the corner and I wanna be here for Christmas and all ‘cause there is a great family to be with. I’ve gotta be with a great family for Christmas ‘cause that’s just how it is at home!

For Thanksgiving, I got to celebrate! I got invited to a dinner with two other Elders in another area. It was a really tasty dinner. The Mom and Dad were Mission Presidents a few years ago. It was a really good opportunity. I almost cried when I was sayin’ what I am thankful for . . . LOL . . . But I talk more about what I said on my voice recorder. It was awesome to celebrate Thanksgiving, though, ‘cause it’s such a big important time at home.

This week has been very, very tiring. We had service three times this week! And two of the three were really, really hard! We had to move a huge chest of drawers and I was holding it above my head for dear life. I suppppper sore the next day! Then, the next service was moving huuuuuuge bags of dirt up and down a hill to dump them in the lake. We had to throw ‘em over our backs and carry ‘em. I did about 10 bags and I was wasted that night! I had very sore legs and shoulders the rest of the week! Then, our third service was at Metro Norte (like the mall, really). There, we shined shoes for free! While one person was shining shoes, the companion shared a message. It was a great activity, though, with a lot of success. I really enjoyed shining other people’s shoes . . . LOL . . .

I need to know somethin’ . . . What is the quote most famous for Dallas, Dylan and Tom? I need one for each of them. You’ve gotta send me the answer next Monday! Please!

I talked with Elder Larsen about how you could to other moms in the mission. He says there is a website but he isn’t sure what it is, so he gave me his mom’s e-mail to give to you. That way, you can talk to her! Her name is Amy Larsen, mother of my buddy, Taylor. Let me know how it goes. Oh, and yea . . . Let me know what happens when you talk to the mom from Lehi, too.

The other story I forgot to tell you guys . . . A few weeks ago, I saw my old CCM teacher in Stake Conference (Hermano Culcue). It was great to see him again, but when he was about to leave, he asked if I could give him a blessing of comfort and what not. He said he was going through tough times. So, I gave him a blessing. The next day, he e-mailed me and said that I spoke about a lot of things that are mentioned in his Patriarchial Blessing and that I gave the same advice! Pretty dog on cool, huh? I LOVE HAVIN’ THIS THING CALLED THE PRIESTHOOD! LOL . . .

Anyway, those are my updates! I sure love you guys billions! Less than a month and I get to hear your voices! Be safe! Love you all!

Elder Jensen

"I'm a soldier out here in the Mission field!"

Heyyyyy yo!

Okay . . . I’m not sure how you can talk to the Missionary Moms, but I know there is a way. So, I will call Elder Larsen and get the answer form him this week.

That’s so sad about David and his Mom and brother. I really, really like that family. I hurt for him for sure just like I know you do. That’s so sad . . .

Great to hear that Adam is getting’ his paper done, though! And crazy to hear about Rachel! Wowzers! Welp, growin’ up starts very soon for her!

I wanted to give you a bunch of info again this week, but not way too much happened . . .

First funny story, though . . . I got a DearElder form a lady named Leslie Smith. She told me that I don’t know her, but that her son is going to serve in this Mission, so she wanted to get some information from you, mother. . . Wanna know the crazy part, though? She’s from Lehi! So, it’s possible that I’ve met her son when I was with McKay or something! That’s where the Livingstons are livin’, right? Weird, right? But you should call her! Lemme know what she says!

That’s crazy that they have found a city bigger than Los Angeles under a hill here in Guatemala! It’s just more proof that the Book of Mormon is true! It’s pretty cool to get to live in this area, though . . . Not gonna lie. I can’t wait until after the mission, though, when the whole family can go with me to visit placed!

I finished the Book of Mormon again. I was on my knees prayin’ and prayin’ again to try to receive an answer to know that the Book of Mormon is true. Well, it took me time to realize, but I did receive an answer . . . I already knew it was true! I didn’t really have to ask again! LOL! But, yea, I’m in Dueteronomy right now in the Bible; and I’m in like Section 30 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I just finished the Pearl of Great Price again.

When does Brad Scherck enter the MTC? He will end up in the CCM after three weeks in the MTC, won’t he? I’d like to try to go visit him if he’s going to be there.

This week I got to go on Divisions with Elder Primo in my Area. He is a pretty cool cat from Peru and has one more change than I do in the Mission. It’s always good to go on Divisions ‘cause I really learn a lot from the style of every Elder . . . The good and the bad, of course! But it was a solid day with him.

Ummm . . . We painted a house as service this week. Woo hoo! Fun! LOL . . . Not really . . . And the lady whose house we painted didn’t even come to Church on Sunday, so it was in vain! LOL . . . Just kidding, just kidding . . . She was sick . . .

Ummmm . . . This week, I ate a TON of pupusas. Have you guys had them before? I don’t think we had them in the States. Ahhhh . . .They are soooooo good, though! You guys gotta look ‘em up and make some . . .

Church kinda let me down this Sunday. A lot of investigators didn’t come, but I have to remember how good last week was . . . And we had two new investigators in the Church this Sunday, so we still did okay. Now we will see if the members come through this next Sunday. I’m really hopin’ we strike gold! If we don’t, I’ll just keep tryin! I’m a soldier out here in the Mission field now! Really, thanks to Dad again . . . Keep challengin’ me!

This morning, I went to the Dentist ‘cause my permanent retainer was starting to come off. It’s a clinic that the Church started. Guess what, though? I was the first patient EVER! LOL! Kinda fun, huh? The doctor said I should give you his blogspot address, ‘cause I’m gonna be a star on it . . . LOL . . . He said it should be up within the week. The address is wayneandsusanne.blogspot.com . . . LOL . . . Lemme know how it looks!

Well, sorry I didn’t have a bunch to write this week! I hope all is well back home, though! Thanks for everything . . . All the support and love and all! And, I’m waitin’ on the package very anxiously!

Love you guys billions! Keep sendin’ me DearElders . . . Hahaha!

We had eight investigators at Church on Sunday!

Heyyyyy yo!

Man! Four days sure is a lot better than seven! You’re dog-on right, mother

I’m excited for the package! I’ll make sure to read your instructions on it first, though . . . Don’t trip, home girl . . . Thank you!

You could send a DVD like the one Skye mentioned. I’d like to watch it. I’m sure I could find somewhere to do that! And, if I cry, it’s all good! I’d only watch it one time per year!

How cool that SJCC won the tourney! Their team should be really, really good this year. A part of me is for sure sad that I can’t be out there playing with a team that I was with last year. Especially since they’re so good and two of my best friends and a bunch of really, really good buddies are on the team! Kind of a bummer for sure . . . But, that’s cool that they beat the defending State Champs!

Very nice on Gilroy beating Hollister! I don’t think that rivalry will ever die down. Maybe a li’l with Christopher High, but not a bunch.

That’s crazy that Brad is about to enter the MTC! And Brett, too! Wow! All of a sudden, Gilroy has a good number of missionaries out, huh? I hope Adam Betita already left on his mission or something and that’s why he isn’t responding to Stacie. Who knows, though!

Thank you for all of your updates right thurr . . .

Okay . . . Now “all about me” time . . .

I was wondering . . . Do you think you should delete all of the pictures that are on the memory cards I sent home to you? You could just put the pictures on CDs. I don’t want you to have to keep buying memory cards. I think it would be smarter if you deleted them all off my memory card after you make a CD or save ‘em on the computer or something. Could you also make sure you put pictures and videos from home on the memory cards I send home, too, though?

Las week I was sad that I couldn’t write to Dad and all, but that’s the price of keepin’ the rules every week! I’m the only one out of like ten last week that only had to pay the one hour internet fee. Everyone else had to pay extra! I’m trying to be good! I’m tryin’! I’m tryin’!

Hey, mother . . . Do you talk with other moms that have sons in my Mission? I’m just wondering. If you do, that’s cool! Elder Snell told me that his mom asked him if I had talked to him in a while . . . Haha . . . Just kinda random . . . Then Elder Larsen’s mom told Elder Larsen that she wants to meet me. LOL . . . Who knows what’s going on . . .

Hey, what size shirts does everyone back at home wear? All eight of you . . .

I had divisions again with Elder Lopez this week. I guess he’s been havin’ some trouble in his area, so my Companion (being District Leader) wanted to go to his Area to talk to members and see what’s goin’ on and all. So, I had Elder Lopez, the 25 year old from San Marcos, Guatemala, with me in my area again. We started divisions after lunch and had seven lessons that day! Wow! I made that kid work! It was fun, though. I like being the leader . . . You guys know me! I like to do things at my pace. And my pace here in the Mission is tough stuff, home boy!

One of our investigators had a question . . . She went to school in the States until she was a Junior. She finished her Sophomore year, but didn’t complete her Junior and Senior year because she had to go live in Guatemala. She was wondering, though . . . Can you go to a junior college if you haven’t graduated from High School? I don’t know if you know or if you can find the answer for me . . .

This past week, or past four days, I should say, we had a lesson and my Companion and I were already sittin’ down about to start the lesson with four people when one other girl came downstairs to join us. She shook my hand like normal and then went in for the kiss on the check (that’s all normal for everyone here . . . Minus missionaries . . . We don’t have any female contact except for shaking the hand). I had no idea what do to! LOL! We hit cheeks really, really hard . . . LOL . . . And I’m pretty sure I turned really red, although no one said anything. I know my face looked shocked, though, and the brother in the room was laughin’ a li’l. LOL . . . It was kinda funny. She didn’t do it to my Companion, though . . . She just wanted the white chocolate . . .

Grandpa and Grandma are so lucky that they got to visit the Charlots! How is Javin? I really miss my basketball buddies! Basketball has been my life since I was seven and now I can’t play at all! It’s tough, no doubt . . .

Yesterday was our Stake Conference. It’s really cool here! I guess this new Stake Conference just started here in Guatemala. General Authorities do it over the television like General Conference and it’s only for Guatemala. Pretty cool, huh? So, first we got to hear from Whitney Clayton ( of the Seventy, I believe). He’s a white guy, but he spoke Spanish. Then we heard from a lady in the Primary Presidency. She spoke through a translator. Then, Spencer V. Jones (of the Presidency of the Seventy) spoke in Spanish. And then, to top it off, we got to hear from Elder Packer! I love that guy! It will be so sad when it’s his time to go . . . We got to listen to him through a translator, too. I missed hearin’ his real voice, but it was a really cool Stake Conference. It was in our Ward building and it was packedddddddddd! My Companion and I didn’t get to listen to much of the first two talks because we were tryin’ to get everyone seated! The other really cool thing is that we had eight investigators in the Church this Sunday! And, six of them were first timers! That’s sooooo much better than what we have had in the Church here in Atlantida!

Well, it’s only been four days since I was able to write last, so my e-mail isn’t as long this week. I’m sorry! Thank you for everything, though! I can’t wait for the package! I sure love you guys! You know it! Love you!

I'm trying to be more humble and meek

Hey, Dad!

Sorry I didn’t have time to write to you last week, but here I am now! Thank you for all of you help with all my questions . . . That’s what I wanted to say first! Here I go answering your questions!

Everything is goin’ great here! I really just continue to grow . . . It’s really cool, actually. My Companion is doing great! He only has three weeks left on his Mission. I can only imagine being in his shoes right now. He and I have been working rrrrrrrrreally hard, though, so it leaves a good taste in our mouths even when we don’t have a bunch of success. Usually, at least . . . Some days just aren’t our best. Our Area is doin’ really good, though, too, and investigators are gettin’ sooooo much closer to Baptism! I feel like we could get one in the next three weeks . . . We’ll see, though!

And, of course, my testimony is growing . . . Little by little for sure. But it’s growin’ and growin’. I know it because my mind is changing on worldly things . . . It’s really weird, actually . . .

My first eight weeks, the most investigators we had in the Church was four . . . I presented the plan you gave me to my Companion. When I first read your letter, I really couldn’t believe it. And, I was a li’l mad when you said I didn’t have faith . . . But you were so right and I really tried to improve in that! Two weeks ago, my Companion and I started announcing a date for everyone to bring an investigator to Church on the 29th of this month. We are really trying to get it done! We had eight in Church yesterday, though, and it was awesome! I just hope we can keep growin’ in the investigator number. We actually had thirteen committed to comin’, so we continue to improve, I hope!

I really, really wanna thank you, Dad, for your help and caring. I’m really trying to be more humble and meek and take advice better. I feel like the challenge you gave me really helped me grow. I love you so much and you mean the world to me! I hope everything is well back home and that you are able to find peace and joy in your busy schedule. Thank you for all you do. I never told you enough. I love you, though, Dad!

Guess who gave a 16 minute talk in Spanish?

Heyyyyy! Express how sorry I am for last week! I’m so, so sorry! And, Dallas, I’m sorry!!!!!!!!!!!! Really . . . I’m so, so, so, sosososososososososo sorry! I really can’t express it . . .

Okay . . . I’ll answer your questions first. I’ll also try to answer the ones I can remember from last week, too .. .

I love, love, love the sports updates you give me. All of you! I can’t get enough of sports updates to be honest. You can send even more updates if you want! They make me so happy! Please keep ‘em comin’ always!

I’m soooo, soooo happy that you got my memory card and letters. I was gettin’ so worried about it. I don’t think I will send a memory card again in a letter . . .

The people don’t really celebrate Halloween in Guatemala. You can celebrate if you want . . . LOL . . . People get dressed up but there is for sure no trick-or-treating. I think it’s the same with Thanksgiving. You can celebrate if you want, but most people won’t. I don’t think they will get dressed up fancy on Thanksgiving or anything either . . .

I got the video you sent me, but I haven’t been able to watch it. I’ll try to figure it out if I have time at the end of my hour today, though . . .

For Christmas . . . Things I need and want are . . . CDs, the Nixon watch we already talked about, Muddy Buddies, ties (if you were able to find good ones), a lot, lot, lot of pictures and maybe money if anything else, but I’m good either way. I just figure I have two years of my life to buy things from Guatemala so a li’l extra money could never hurt! I’m also sending you guys a package but not until the first or second week of December, so it will be late! I’m sorry!

Okay . . . My stories, homies . . .

I’m soooooooooooooooooooooo sorry ‘bout last week’s e-mail . . .

Can you guys make sure that you send me every Clippers box score when you send DearElders? I really wanna see what happens every game . . .

I’ve been out for over five months! And in no time I’ll be at six months and 25% of my mission will be done! I think when I have seven or eight months under my belt, though, I will start to sound like I’m not new in the Mission, so I’m still waitin’ on that . . .

I was gonna ask you how you thought I could get in touch with Elder Sorenson (the guy who I sent a letter to and it got returned to you and then you sent it to Argentina for me), but I finally got a letter from him this past week, so I was super happy!

A new scripture for Dad and Dallas . . . You guys should be able to say what is said in this scripture. It is Leviticus 13, verses 40 and 41.

As for my reading, I am in Numbers, 3rd Nephi, almost done with the Pearl of Great price again and starting the Doctrine and Covenants again. I love reading!

This week, I had divisions with Elder Castro. He has been out in the mission field for 21 months. He is half Latino and is from Utah. He is a super cool guy and we get along really, really well. Like AJ habing and me (me and him have become really close) . . . LOL . . . I felt like I learned a lot from him as an Elder, though, like I do from being with every other Elder! He was a cool guy, though!

Do you guys receive the Liahona at home? I don’t know if they are stressin’ the importance of it back home, but they are really stressin’ it here. You guys should make sure you have that at home . . .

Hey, I’m the only gringo in my District! That’s cool! LOL . . . But I don’t feel awkward at all . . . Usually . . . LOL . . . But it’s a cool experience!

Guess what?!?!? Guess who gave a sixteen minute talk in Spanish this last Sunday?!?!? It was ya boy, Elder Jensen! I prepared the talk for two weeks (in which I got to receive help and revelation on how to do it and, of course, God answered my prayers). I was soooo, soooo, soooo nervous when it was finally my turn to talk, but I was greatly blessed. Of course, I had a big outline ready, but I hardly had to look down, you guys! I was lookin’ people dead in the eyes like the whole time! How cool, huh? I’ve been out for only five months and I can do that! I’ve been blessed with so much help! Oh! And, my talk was on Fasting and Fast Offerings, too . . . Kind of a hard first Spanish Talk subject . . .

When I was with Elder Castro, we were talkin’ into the voice recorder and we tried to listen to what we recorded. That’s how I found out that the tape didn’t work . . . LOL . . . So I had been talkin’ into that for a while, but it’s all good . . . I actually recorded my talk for you guys on a good tape and all. That will be part of your Christmas gift though! Sorry you’ll have to wait!

On Tuesday, we had a really, really cool Conference. We had it with the Central and South Missions. Elder Costa (a member of the Presidency of the Seventy) and Elder Clark (Area President) spoke to us. Elder Clark’s Counselors were also there along with three Mission Presidents! That’s a lot of power up on the stand, huh????? Four General Authorities and three Mission Presidents! I learned a lot and I got to see a lot of friends from the CCM who are serving in other Missions, so it was a really cool experience . . .

Then, on Wednesday, we had interviews with the President. Mine went just fine. It was solid. We just talked and he asked me how my scripture study is going . . . LOL . . . I was able to tell him that I’ve already read the Book of Mormon, New Testament, that I’m in Numbers and that I’ve read the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. And I’m almost done with the Book of Mormon again! Hahaha! Cool, huh? All that in less than five months!

We got to go to the Temple this morning. It was all in Spanish, but I feel like I’m learnin’ a lot more in the Temple now and I had a really good experience . . .

I got a DearElder from you, Mom, and you told me about how you were practicing the letter “D” with Aaliyah and that she looked up at you and said, “I love Derek” with a big smile. I almost started crying! No joke! LOL! I get to hear stories every week about things she says about me, but that one really got me! Who knows why??? But I sure love that girl . . .

Well, those are all of my updates for the week! Thanks so much for everything and please forgive me for last week!

Hey, I’ll talk to you guys in like four days now! Holler!

I sure love you billions!