Week 13

word up family,

Another week gone by and a good week it was. For the first time in my life I watched all 5 sessions of conference and it was awesome with a capital sauce. I think it`s the missionary spirit or something but I was super excited for conference. They broadcasted it at the stake center about 30 minutes to an hour away depending on how many stops the bus makes. and by direction from the area presidency or something, they always have an English room. So there were the 12 English missionaries in our zone of 20 in there. Just as a quick side note, I see the zone leaders every Tuesday at the very least for district meetings, because we meet together as a zone before breaking into districts. Anyways, conference was awesome. We would eat, study or go do contacts in between sessions. The two overarching themes were definitely the Savior and the family. There was some super good stuff. I loved the Saturday session a lot because it started off with Elders Perry and Christofferson and then finished with the 1-2 punch of Elder Bednar and Elder Holland. They`re my two favorites I think, even though I love all of them. so yeah, I took 14 and a half pages in my little journal (the one from the MTC). Good stuff.

Um, no cars here, and no we don`t get rides. Not a problem. Each day I can understand a little bit more and depending upon how much I actually focus, I get more or less out of each conversation. Yes, weather is cooling down which is not good for laundry. Today it is fairly chilly, windy, kinda humid, and mostly cloudy...not very conducive for drying clothes outside. Fail. As far as lessons, we teach recent converts and less actives in addition to investigators. We teach a fair amount of lessons each week, but I feel like we could be doing more.

I feel kind of sorry for my companion. His parents are both dead and he is the oldest. He is trying to learn English so that he can get a job when he returns home and help his 6 younger siblings.

Anyhoo, the church building for Sundays is about 15 minutes walking away from my house...not too bad at all. No we do not do splits with the members, or have not yet.

Yes Easter is down here. They have huevos de pascua or easter eggs like us. I don`t know too much about the whole thing, but it doesn`t seem all that different from us.

That`s really cool that Patrick and Chris got to go to the session (at the Conference Center). I thought of you guys as I was watching priesthood and at various other times during conference. Sauce. Oh, mail. yeah, I got a letter from Grams, Aunt Margaret, #11 from you, Nana`s letter, and a letter from Cy. Good times.

So did you see the Sunday morning session...if so, you remember the story that Pres. Monson told about the boy James and his unwavering faith. remember the picture they showed of him in the hospital room...yeah his brother, Kyle? I know him. He was in the MTC for 3 weeks with me and is currently in my mission. weird huh. One of the guys who came out right before me and who is in my district was like "whoa that`s Elder gurr" when the picture was on the screen. Bonanza tires.

So this next part I have been meaning to tell you since I got here, but there is an email dedicated for missionaries in this mission. Anybody can send an email to this address with my name as the subject. They`ll print it off and give it to me. Anyways the address is urumontemission@gmail.com Remember that my name goes as the subject. Elder David J. Thornton will be fine.

I hope Patrick is feeling better. Tell him I got his email and note from Kyle. Thanks a ton. I`ll be expecting a letter in probably 2 weeks then. I think it takes about 3 to get here.

So quick funny story and then I`m off like a wedding dress. :P Anyways, Cy`s letter had all of 34 cents of stamps on it. I haven`t a clue on this planet how that letter managed to get to me. I`m fairly certain that that letter wouldn`t even make it in the US. Isn`t the stamp price like 44 cents or something retarded. So yeah, I don`t know how he managed to send a letter with 3 sheets of paper across the world for 34 cents. Don`t ask. I don`t understand. but it`s a good story and it made me giggle (tee hee hee).

Cheese and butterflies. Hope this next week goes well. You`ll hear from me again next week . chiste (spanish, look it up). Peace out all. Till next week comes. Word.


Love always,

DJ