Hola de San Silvestre :)

Hola todos! How´s the Spanish coming?

Sierra, how is that method of studying Spanish with the notebook of words going? It was such a good idea that I decided to start doing it, and it has helped me a lot. I pull it out to study a little all the time, and all the investigators and missionaries love it! Thanks for the idea!

Kai! I need you to do the ward young men a favor. Teach them the habit of keeping their shoes polished! This is how I think would be the most fun way: start a shiny shoe contest. Kindof like how you, Nate, and I would always have cool knots and ties and whatnot? Well now start comparing how shiny your shoes are! Really, it makes a bigger difference than I thought. Start the tradition!

Dad, did you ever get in contact with your companion from your mission that lives in Colorado Springs or something? How many people have you contacted, missionaries, investigators, members, from your mission since you left?

The past few weeks I´ve been thinking a bit about resillience. There´s an article in the March Ensign that talks about raising resillient children. M&D, how did you teach me to be resillient? I don´t know how you did it, but I want to see if I can teach it to my companions. The culture and lifestyle of many of the native missionaries doesn´t exactly mesh with the ideal of missionary WORK. It isn´t easy, if you're doing it right.

Random (outdated) question: How do they choose the Hymns for General Conference?

Random (outdated) comment: I have decided I want to wear white shirts with cufflinks from now on; class.

 31 Now, I, the Lord, am not well ^apleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are ^bidlers among them; and their ^cchildren are also growing up in ^dwickedness; they also ^eseek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of ^fgreediness.

Careful! This is talking about you kids! Make sure you´re seeking first the kingdom of God. It´s so important that we are instructed in both 3 Nephi13:33 and Matt 6:33 to seek the kingdom of God first. And the promise we are given allows us to act, or learn by faith (I absolutely love this talk by Elder Bednar). We must make sure that the spirit is louder than our wallets, and that our scriptures are closer than our phones.

In the WVCM (West Virginia Mission) we were instructed to spend an hour each week watching Mormon Messages, and to share a MM (the movie clip, not the candy) every time we had dinner with a member, which for us was every night. Through this, I have developed a testimony of the power of everyday feasting on the words of the living prophets. 

A grand question that has been recirculating through my head time and time again recently is: Can I recognize the bessings of those who are praying for me? And from a different perspective, can I feel the prayers of those whom I serve? I don´t have a lot more to say than that the perseverance for a positive answer to these questions.

Sorry I don´t have more about what I´m actually doing! I´ll work on that!

¡Que Dios les bendiga!