Week # 09/14/2009 (Adjuntas)

Email dated: September 14, 2009

Hola
ok so I was so stoked when I found out Jason’s call. Did you call my mission president and tell him? (I emailed Hermana Martineau the Mission President’s wife.) because I was out at like 8 o clock and I got this phone call from Sister Martineau and she was like your brother is going to the Philippines and I was so excited and yeah it was so awesome and I was stoked but yeah that’s so cool he’s going to love it there. Sometimes I wish I went to an awesome place like that I mean I love Puerto Rico that’s for sure but he’s really gonna love it there. And so about the supplies I was going to say that exact thing about the pants haha. Over there you can get way nice dress clothes like your pants and suits and all that for like nothing and they are way nice everything over there is like way cheap and also he’s going to find all sorts of way cool things. It’s going to be awesome I’ve met a lot of people that have gone to the Philippines on their missions and also my companions brother went there so yeah I’ve heard a lot about it and all I’ve got to say is he has to send me some pants and a belt made out of water buffalo horn. It’s really really cool they make a ton of really cool stuff out of buffalo horn so let him know once he gets there that’s what I’m expecting haha but yeah so anyways I’m way excited that’s going to be awesome he will love it!!!Our baptism this week was great it went well. I’ll try and send some pictures this week again but yeah it was kinda funny and kinda a long story but I’ll tell it really quick. The lady is really timid and shy and so she was like freaking out when it came time for the baptism and then once they started going under to dunk her she freaked out and like jumped up and was like coughing and spitting water everywhere and like freaking out. She was afraid of the water but yeah she went crazy so then we decided we would do the husband and then she would go again cuz she didn’t go all the way under. So then the husband went and it was all fine and went great so we went to baptize her again and she freaked out again and was fighting to get out before she went under so the guy that baptized her just shoved her under pretty good and got it haha it was pretty crazy and kinda funny. We decided that the people here in Puerto Rico have crazy baptisms because the other elders that we are always with elder Knudsen and elder Sykes they had a baptism this week too and the kid was a ten year old in a part member family but when he got to the font he was freaking out too and then he just like jumped in and was splashing around for a bit and then he just started swimming around. haha kinda crazy but yeah so they baptized him and then when they were done he started swimming around again and they just shut the doors to the font while they were trying to get him out haha but yeah so that’s our sweet baptism stories kinda funny!But anyways everything here in Puerto Rico is going great and I’m loving the life as a missionary. About contacting people as members the biggest thing I think is to be friends with other people that aren’t members it seems like in Mtn. Home and even here in Puerto Rico where there aren’t that many Mormons all the Mormons are friends with Mormons and that’s just how it is so I think as members we need to try and be friends with other people and then share little points about the gospel and testify what it’s done for you and then just ask if they would want to know more. There are some scriptures and some talks that tell the missionaries to be bold but not overbearing so I think that works the same with members tell them boldly about the gospel and what it means to you and why it’s important and what they can do to find it but don’t try and force it on them haha but yeah that’s my strategy haha but yeah I guess I’m not the best to ask I’m still a greeny I think haha unless that’s just your first transfer that your a greeny I’m not sure :)
About those cds I think you can get the music free on Itunes and just make me a cd if you want. I’m not really sure but yeah that would be cool also all the apartments usually have a cd player so I don’t need that or anything but yeah send me them whenever you can cuz we want some music here cuz we don’t have like anything haha
So the people that got married were both members and they got married in the back yard of the guys dad. His dad is our mission leader but yeah they got married there and then went to Mexico to get sealed in the temple because there is no temple here in Puerto Rico. Most people go to the DR I think but she had family in Mexico or something so they went there.So it sounds like everything is going great back home. I cant believe it is hunting season and I’m not going to lie I’m a bit jealous I want to go shoot a gun and go camping so bad it’s crazy haha but I am having fun here too so it can wait :) and its weird to think about AFAD haha you and Eric were the only ones. It’s weird that all that’s left is him haha but yeah kinda crazy well I better get going but you guys have a great day and tell Jason to write me a letter sometime soon! Oh and tell dad I want to go to the Philippines when Jason gets back so he better start saving up some money hahaha jk but that would be really cool the way I got it figured is that Eric has a lot of good choices to do for his trip after he graduates haha. We have England, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Philippines and idk what else. haha he’s set but yeah I better get going

I love you guys and I cant wait to hear from ya next week.
Elder Ward