August 14, 2012

Hey Family!

I hear the kids are starting school tomorrow, that’s exciting! Tell them I wish them good luck. It’s kind of crazy they are both going to new schools, but I am sure they will love it.

I got your package! You guys are awesome, that was some of my favorite food! Mom, don’t worry about a dear elder package, honestly I didn’t know they existed but I like the stuff you send better anyway. You asked if I was craving anything and you would send it to me, I think I am pretty set for at least a little while, I still have all the stuff I brought with me plus almost all the stuff you sent. I think people have it in their minds that we don’t eat here! But really all we do is sit in class eat sit in class eat sit in class again and then eat again. So don’t worry about sending food for a while, honestly I have been trying not to eat it because I have already gained a little weight!

Thanks again for the updates on the Olympics; that is super exciting that Mexico won the gold in soccer! And it’s always good to know that we won medals overall.

Big news for the week, Elder Nash got added to our companionship, so we now have a threesome companionship. Elder Nash is going to Peru Lima South, but somehow did not get his visa with the rest of the Peru missionaries in our district. Elders Hartvigsen, Van Komen, and Atkins left this morning, it was sad to see them go because we have all gotten pretty close but I am excited for them. So I am really excited about having Elder Nash in our companionship because he is awesome and we are pretty good friends. The only part I am a little upset about is that all the rooms are now being changed around. Luckily we get to stay in our same room, and Elder Nash is moving in with us. But unfortunately our current roommates Elder Peterson and Elder Boyce have to move to the room next door. It’s been fun rooming with them. This new companionship is going to be interesting; it will be weird getting used to keeping track of 2 people instead of 1 and weird to teach with 3 people. Elder Nash will be sent to Peru when his visa comes so we are not sure how long he will be with us. They said he could have it within a week, but they also said they usually only send missionaries down there every 3 weeks, so it could be anytime really, we just don’t know.

Other than that it’s been a pretty normal week, nothing exciting has really happened. The language is coming along, we study and learn all day, we teach at least once a day. We do a lot of role playing in class. The Spanish is tuff, every time you think your starting to get it they throw some new grammatical thing at you and you realize that you really don’t know anything. There are days I am so stoked because I did so well with the language and then there are days when I think I don’t know anything.

What else? I got a kick out of dad’s letter when he said “It’s been a really chill weekend". It makes me wonder how much things have changed in 3 weeks! I have never heard him say that before.

I am glad you guys are doing well! This week I have been studying a lot about faith, through faith weak things can become strong (ether 12:27). I was studying for one of our investigators but I realized even though it’s such a simple thing, the first principal of the gospel, it is often overlooked. We forget that just having faith in God and trusting him in everything will lead us to leave better lives and overcome our weaknesses. I realized that I can learn from these simple principals over and over again, and I know you can too. Please read ether chapter 12, and also ether 4:12 (I am pretty sure that’s it...) and Alma 32:27. I know that anything we are struggling with we can overcome through faith in God and being willing to exercise that faith. One last thing is a quote from preach my gospel it says “there comes a time in every man’s life where he is backed up to a wall of faith, and there he must take his stand".  I challenge you guys to take a leap of faith and let God direct your lives.

I love you all!

Elder Utley