The Lord sure blesses this area!

I’m so, so sorry ‘bout last week. I just couldn’t do anything about it. It was great talkin’ on the phone to Evalin, though, and havin’ her instant message you. I felt like I was really close to you guys, too . . . LOL . . .Good and tough at the same time.

I can’t explain how pumped I was for Orlando (Derek’s good friend, Orlando Johnson, who plays basketball for UC Santa Barbara who played in the NCAA Tournament)! Please, pretty please, tell me that you guys all watched him play! Twenty points vs. Ohio State!?! How amazing! Of course, I miss March madness, but I only wanted to watch him more than anything and I couldn’t . . . Sad . . .

How cool about Men’s Chorus (Derek’s brother, Dylan, sings in a few Choirs at Gilroy High School. They just got back from a competition in San Diego where their Men’s Chorus, which consists of only 16 men’s voices, got FIRST PLACE)! I wish I were still singing . . . I miss it . . .

LOL . . . And thank you for the Aaliyah stories. I always need ‘em. I miss that girl so much! Oh, well! I’m good, though!

So . . . How’s Uncle Matt? That picture was sooooooo nasty! (Derek’s Uncle Matt had knee replacement surgery last week . . . We sent him a picture of the 40 STAPLES in his knee!) I hope he’s doin’ well! I had no idea that his knee was that bad! How are James and Randy doing? I haven’t heard from them . . . Bug ‘em for me! Oh, and try to bug Lorenzo and Jacob for me again, too . . . I need to hear from them.

Well, I ate like a king this week! Well, maybe not like a king, but pretty dog on good! I have somethin’ bad to admit, though . . . I found frosting . . . And graham crackers . . . You know what I’m talkin’ about (this was one of Derek’s FAVORITE snacks in High School!). LOL . . . Elder Mortensen and I bought two cans of frosting and those two cans were gone in like, ummmmmm, two days! LOL! I guess I ate like a king, but it wasn’t all week. Know what else we make for breakfast, though? We make breakfast muffins, English muffins, cheese, eggs and bacon! Yummy, yumm, yumm . . . We are king’s men! It’s cool, bra! Elder Barrientos eats weird things, LOL . . . Bread with ketchup and guacamole . . . Ummmm . . . Saltine crackers with ketchup . . . Rice and ketchup . . . LOL . . . Just weird stuff that I don’t want any part of! We also had pupusas this week, though! Holler!

Hey, which missionary moms do you talk to?

Well, we have really focused in on Jazmin this week and she will be getting baptized this Sunday after Church in Llano Largo! I think I will get to do her interview, too, ‘cause only Elder Barrientos and I know the sign language. Well, there are two other people in the Mission who know signs, too, but one is a sister and the other is really, really new. It’s been really cool getting’ to teach her, though. I’m really lookin’ forward to this baptism. I’m almost positive it will be a once in a lifetime type of thing. Along with Jazmin, we have nine other baptismal dates set! The Lord sure has blessed this area! I just have to work hard and people are being prepared by Him. I just go to their hours and spit a couple lines and my Companiosn bring the powerhouse Spirit and the spirit is helpin’ em progress! Pretty cool, actually . . . It makes my job easy!

Weird that this change is half over already . . . This week flew by!

I did divisions this week and I went over to Las Victorias again. I went with Elder Fast and I felt like I learned a lot from him, actually. I liked the way he taught with boldness. I think I can do that more. And, he doesn’t even know all that much Spanish, but I liked how he spoke. They are workin’ really hard to have a bigger teaching pool and things are falling into place. Like Preach My Gospel says, nothing happens in this work until you have people to teach . . .

Well, kinda sad note . . . Three weeks ago, we found a new investigator and he was really sick. He was losing his hair, coughing all nasty and had a huge tumor or something on his leg. Anyway, when we went and tried to find him again, his family member said he was in the hospital. Then, a couple days ago, they said he had passed away. It’s sad, but so great, ‘cause now he doesn’t have to live with his bodily pains. And, I know that someone is teachin’ him in heaven and he WILL accept the gospel. I put a lot of money on it! I hope I left a good enough first impression of the Church, though. He will accept the gospel . . . He was even prepared here on Earth.

Well, I think that’s about all for me right now! I sure love you guys! Keep me posted on everything! Love you all millions!