Hi Mom,
Yes this is the week of transfers and I might be getting a new area. I'm not leaving, but one of the areas (the one right below ours) is closing, so they have to redraw the boundaries for our zone to cover that part as well. Best of both worlds really, I get to stay in my area with my Recent Converts and Investigators, but I still get to explore more of the mission.
One bit of advise to help with your... stress levels. STOP CLEANING OUT THE BASEMENT UNTILL YOU'VE PASSED THE FINAL AND ARE CERTIFIED!!!! It will do wonders for your stress levels and your study time. Focus on the STUDIES, and then AFTER you PASS clean out and set up your studio. Also, you have four (soon five) little helpers who can clean and cook and wash for you. I know they know how because you taught them, so USE THEM. I really do LOVE you Mom, that's why I write this.
Our schedule is still just as full as the last few weeks, and getting even more full (or "fuller", but that ain't a word). We found three new investigators last night, and they all seem really solid. We set up times to come back this week and hope to be able to not go by S* every day so we can take care of our other investigators.
Speaking of S*, Every Missionary that hasn't taught her loves her. Every missionary that has taught her (and isn't me, Elder Gonzalez, or Elder Garcia) gets annoyed by, but still loves her. The rest of us have moments of love for her and moments of frustration about how much she can fight us on everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. She accepted a fecha this Thursday of the 15th of Febrero. Her reason of accepting the fecha was because she wants to get money by paying tithing. We went back for lunch the next day and talked about it to make sure we under stood her right. We did. So we haven't accepted her acceptance of the fecha. For the last few days we've been talking about what the prophets have taught. We literally listed off all the prophets we knew, old and new, and she went through and asked us what was something that God revealed to each and everyone of them. We honestly didn't know much about the resent prophets, but we were able to tell her about the old testament prophets.
A* conformation was actually a little problematic. I accidentally said "Recibe el Don del Esptiritu Santo" because I'd never done one in English let alone Spanish, so we had to fix that this Sunday. The actual phrase is "Recibe el Esiritu Santo". The Difference is that "Don del Espiritu Santo" means "Gift of the Holy Ghost". Bright side, he now holds the Aaronic Priesthood at the office of Deacon. We also started teaching his brother (E*)'s Girl friend, K*. She only speaks Spanish and I honestly wasn't expecting it.
When does Spencer enter the CCM?
No I don't have regular access to weights. Right now, in the apartment I live in, we have two bench presses and some more free weights, but I'm focused on losing the weight, so I've not been using them. I do have a plan for work out's after I loss all the weight I want to. I plan on doing a VERY extended version of P90X, I call it P360X. It should start in abril and end the next year, IF I can stay on point with my weight loss. Elder Gutierrez, Elder Rangel's trainee, is a supper fit elder. He did something called Physic Body Building, which is all about being in good shape and being symmetrical. He's been going around teaching the Elders about good eating habits. He taught me on Friday, during our exchange, about eating and how to count calories, basically he taught me about losing weight and building muscles. Unfortunately it'll be hard on the mission, but I can still try my best. The whole sugar thing has been just that. I say no if it's offered, but if it's given to me I eat it. Saturday, I had both sugar and cake, the two thing's I gave up. We were having a member dinner and she offered us cheese cake. I said "no" right when Elder Gonzalez said "yes" so they heard yes and I had to eat it. I don't count that as breaking my fast.
I've actually added to the fast. For this next transfer (so the next six weeks) I will not eat bread. This is going to be really hard because we have coupons for a half of a foot long at subway that expire this month coming up, Elder Gonzalez isn't joining me in the fast, and S* just gave us two loves of French Bread for free. Please pray for me.
Time to be needy:
Could you send me in the next package some work out bands. I don't need anything heavy to carry around the mission, but resistance bands would be nice to work out my back.
Also, let the Seahawks know that Elder Blanding needs two more workout/Preparation Day shirts, so they better win. We actually have a repeat of last year down here. A* is routing for the Patriots and so is Elder Gamble-Thompson (an elder from my CCM District) and I'm all Hawks all the way. I don't suppose you could send some stats on the game this week, just so I can smack talk with A* appropriately.
Oh yah, and for P360X, it'd be nice to have the work out sheets so I can plan the workouts appropriately.
RETERN AND REPORT
Weight loss. one pound, which gives us 176. so close but I wanted 174 this week. That cool though, I'll get it next week.
Spanish; 3/4. I need to work on it.
Love for my mission, my investigators, my leaders, and my Companion; off the charts.
Love,
Elder "Thin'n Out" Blanding