1 Enero 2002

Dear Family,

How's everyone doing? Things here are swell. How'd New Year's go? Yesterday was a tough day to work because everyone was (1) drunk or (2) preparing to get drunk. We only had to work up until 6:00 p.m. so at 6:00 we went to the house of a member to go out to Ciudad Alianzo (my first area) and to go to the house of another member and eat some food and chat. We got there a little late so we didn't have much time - only like an hour or so because we had to be back at the house at 9:30. So we got back and it sounded like Afghanistan outside. Everyone was pretty tired so we showered and everyone but me went to their beds to lie down. I knew that with all that din outside I wouldn't be able to sleep so I grabbed a book by Grant Von Harrison called "Tools for Missionaries - Harvesting the Lord's Way" and read it all. It is such an awesome book! It makes me want to serve for 2 years more to be able to apply it all. I especially learned a lot about faith - how it's a principle of power, and how we shouldn't limit our faith (or the Lord, for that matter) to just being a force of motivation, but to being a force of calling upon powers of heaven - like the difference between studying and memorizing the scriptures [over] a long time and calling down the powers of heaven (that kind of faith) to do it in 1/2 the time. Way rad. I also learned a lot about prayer. Now that was the book I wish I had read before the mission. I also hear that "Drawing on the Powers of Heaven" is an excellent book, too.

Oh, on the phone call I forgot to ask about Oliver! How is he? Still alive?

I'm using this monkey pen that you sent me. It's great!

I just got my hair cut. It's way shorter now, so we'll see how it goes.

On Friday we have an appointment with an Evangelist church. I'm way stoked! It should go well. I'm praying that they may be prepared to accept these things that we'll teach them. It'll be my first time. I haven't even heard of any other missionaries doing it here, either. Just Alma, Ammon, and all of them. What happened is that we saw a family sitting out in front of their house, so we walked over and shared with them. What I didn't realize was that 3 houses over was an evangelist church. They said that they were members of it, and then I started asking about the pastor, the times, when they congregated, etc. Then they promptly invited us to come and share with them at thei chapel. Should be a great experience.

Well, not much to share. Doing great and feeling great. Chao, pescado!

Love Elder Onken