Dear Mom,
Here is the letter I told you I would write.
Sorry it has taken so long but I have been very busy. The only reason I am able to write now is because I am in the hospital...don't worry I'm only here because I am being the companion of a sick missionary. They choose me because I'm in a trio that is close to the hospital so we have an extra missionary.
It is weird being out in the field. We spend most of the day trying to find people to teach. We look up a lot of referrals and old investigators. It is weird knocking doors, something I never thought I would do because they don't knock doors in Mexico. We also have a car in my area so that is also weird.
I love being out in the field and out of the MTC but I can't wait to get to Mexico. My companions are Elder Adams and Elder Hammond, they are both really cool Elders. Elder Adams has been out for 21 months and Elder Hammond has been out for 3 weeks longer than I have. Elder Adams' Spanish is really good and Elder Hammond and myself are at about the same place with Spanish. We can tell you all sorts of gospel related things but we can't really understand what you are saying to us and as soon as we are off of gospel related topics we are about as useful as a dog trying to tell a human something.
I'm sorry that I missed you both times I have called. Make sure you are there when I call on Mother's Day (I don't know when that will be). Don't think about me too much, I'll be home before you (or I) know it. I can't wait to see you all again.
I am going to send you my schedule at the MTC with this letter because Dad wanted to see what I did while I was there.
(look it's 2 pages!)
You always end your letters with a spiritual thought so I thought that I would give you one too.
3 Nephi 13:31-34 [see below]
Don't worry about me, I have been called of God and I know that He won't leave me hanging.
Love,
Elder Blanding
PS: I just remembered about a story I have of my first day here (Monday). I was riding around on a bike with another Elder (not one of my companions now) and we were just contracting on the street. We talked to a crazy man who said his name was "Jesu Christo" and gave us a piece of paper that said, "My name is Jesus: Luke 8:16 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest: Luke 12:2, 9 Matthew 10:26, 33 Mark 4:21, 25: and Miracles in the Bible brother have word fast in my Lord" (it didn't make sence to me either) and while he was just blabbering on in Spanish the Elder I was with went and started contacting someone else leaving me who didn't even speak Spanish to finish the "conversation" (I put it in quotes because we said maybe 5 words after we introduced ourselves.) He was an interesting person who was obviously not all there. It is interesting that I met a crazy person on my first day in Texas.
Here is the scripture Elder Blanding was referring to:
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.