January 5th, 2015

Happy New Year!!!! My most wonderful family! I hope you all set some good attainable resolutions! 

Happy Birthday to the most incredible woman, My Mother! You are the best! I love you more than a Fat Kid loves Cake! 

Second thing this has been quite the week! I feel like 1/2 of the lessons we went to I could hardly understand what was being said, and it is quite the challenge but it is also kind of fun! Some examples are: Spanish lessons, Sign language lessons, lessons with someone with a super thick Jamaican accent! However, the Gift of Tongues-- or should I say ears, is real!  For example, I went on Exchanges this week to an ASL area, and we had three lessons that day that were in sign language, luckily Elder Longherst is really good at it so I could just talk and he would translate for me. I even got to say the prayer is sign language one of the times. :) Also on that exchange (remember how I told you we had a guy (Bugsy) who was "as drunk as a Skunk" came over on Christmas eve and told us how he wants to change his life and we got his info and everything.) ok, so we called him in the morning and he couldn't remember us, But he still wanted to change his life and so he invite us over to the homeless shelter that he Volunteers at so we could meet with him. It was Awesome! He introduced us to pretty much every one there! One lady said she had meet with missionaries before and told Elder Longherst to read her the 10 commandments! She wants the missionaries to come by her place! Kind of cool. Bugsy is such a nice guy. He gave us a tour of the building and then told us how he wants to change his life around. Just before we were about to leave he admitted to us how he was really nervous but happy that we were there. I felt weird that this 40 year old man was nervous to have two 19 year old boys meet with him, I know that there is something behind this name tag that others can see and feel and it is such a privilege to be one who gets to wear it on my chest. I am super excited to see where he goes!  There is something amazing about being able to connect with just random strangers and then be able to come to grow to love them! It real is amazing!

We have had lots of Spanish appointments as well his week. New Year’s Eve we went over to Brother Cruz’s family who were all none members, it was pretty fun, Puerto Rican food is so Good! But that night was short lived because we went to bed at 10:30 just like we do every night! It was kind of nice really. 

So right before we went to meet with Luis for his Baptismal interview, he told us that his wife really wasn't his wife and that they have been living together for the past 45 Years! So he knew that he would not be able to be baptized the next day.  He told us that he is going to use this time to prepare himself spiritually. So I just hope that his wife will be ok with them getting married! Luis then came to church on Sunday which made me super happy!

 Once again I can't believe that it is already 2015! This mission is flying by and it is freaking me out a little! I have learned so much since I have come out! It is wonderful to see the miracles happen each day and to be a part of it is a huge blessing! My testimony in the message we share each day has grown! I know this is true and love being able to share it! 

You guys are the best! 

Hurrah for Israel!

And

Happy New Year!