sorry that I'm not going to write much but we have a 4 zone activity today and being late isn't an option because it will start on time whether we are there or not.
Easter was awesome this week. we had 6 investigators and 10 less active members in church on sunday. it was really cool to see so many people there. the ward also just had a missionary end his mission this last week so he also said a few words. he looks really exited to work. we talked to him on sunday and he basically asked us when he could come with us and so he is going to come with us tonight after we finish P-day. so that is cool.
Elder Jason Blanding
(I have to add Jason now because Mike is on his way out in a few months and I need to get accustomed to it)
[a reply to my email to him earlier in the day]
didn't feel the earthquake at all. we were in a combi (the public transport here) at the time and we were probably moving at the time. with the way the combi drivers drive it would have just blended in with everything else at the time.
I sent an email to jessie about mike (saw hers first)
oh yah I got the package and the book and all. thanks for the jolly rancher and the cookies :) I haven't really gotten into the skittles yet but i will :D
[Here was his reply to Mike receiving his mission call to California San Fernando, Spanish speaking. Steve translated it for me]
I don't have his E-mail so you will have to tell him CONGRATULATIONS for me. and you can print this part out and give it to him to see if he can understand it
"¡¡Felicidades hermano!! tuve un sentimiento que ibas a ir a una misión hablando español. también pensé que quedarás en los estados unidos. es un idioma increíble para hablar. no puedo pensar en un idioma mas útil que el español. una manera que aprenderá mejor y mas rápido es intentar hablarlo el mas que puede en el CCM. vas a tener la prueba de que casi todos tus compañeros van a saber ingles también y va a ser una tentación muy grande de hablar el ingles pero te ruego que ¡¡no lo hagas!! practica te va a ayudar mas que cual quiera otra cosa en el aprendizaje. ¡¡Felicidades en ir a la misión!!
con mucho cariño;
Elder Jason Blanding."
just print that out and give it to him. it will be his first test on learning spanish.
Elder Jason Blanding.
Congratulations brother! I had a feeling that you would go on a Spanish speaking mission. I also thought that you would go stateside. It's an incredible language to speak. I can't think of a better language than Spanish. The best way to learn it fast is to try to speak it as much as you can in the MTC. But you'll probably have the problem that all your companions will know English also and it will be a large temptation to speak English but you need to resist. Practice will help you learn it more than any other thing. Congratulations on your mission!
With much love,
Elder Jason Blanding