8 Oct. 2001

Dear Family,

How's everything in socal? Things here in ven are pretty good. Today I had to go way out into Valencia to a hospital because Elder Castillo twisted his knee about 3 days ago and it hurts him at night. He's freaking out because I think it's the first time it's happened to him and he thinks something's wrong, but it's just like a normal soccer or wrestling or rugby injury. Should heal up in about 3 or 4 days.

It's been way hot this past week, but luckily we've had a Zone Conference this week and then General Conference as you know, so in that we've been able to keep out of the heat a bit.

Got a package! It had the Abinadi shirt, the Jesus teaching the girls pics, face medicine, and the bag of candy bars (tasty . . . it was good G.C. food).

Oh yeah, at Zone Conference like normal the new elders gave their testimonies. One Elder, Elder Burman, said that he was from CA so I made a note to ask him afterwards from where in CA. After Conference I found him out and asked him, "You're from California, right? What part?" to which he replied, "Simi Valley." I gasped and almost shouted, "No Way! I'm from Calabasas!" He's like, "Woah, cool" and then I asked him if he knew the Huse family. He said, "Danny Huse? Yeah! I'm a convert, and he gave me both the Aaronic and Melchesidec priesthoods. He's in my ward." How rad is that ?!? I was pretty stoked when I found out.

Looking at the letter dated 10 Sept 01 . . . as for X-mas, I really can't think of anything I need that you can send me. I guess you can just put money in the bank, seeing as that I'll be home 2 months after X-mas :( which is less than 3 months away, for a grand total of 5 months. . . one thing that I'm learning just now in my mission is just how dang SLOW I learn. Every night after saying my prayers I lay down and think about the day, and how I did. I often get frustrated by myself at myself, and then I spend a long time instead of getting rest thinking about that. But that ever-patient being we call Heavenly Father always listens to my second set of prayers and helps to clear my mind and put it at rest, allowing me to be able to sleep . . . finally.

I'm also learning to be more laid back and patient with myself and others. For example, many times at church I'll see something that is actually way minor but in my mind I blow it up as something detrimental, and then I get mad at the person, judge them, and lose the Spirit. I'm glad I'm finally learning this valuable lesson but it's taken me this long to learn. Man, I love the mission.

As far as our program of investigators, it's a little scarce. We've got one way rad family who's looking really good, and some little potencial in some other corners. The mission now is 95% family oriented, meaning that our sole desire and purpose is help the family units in Venezuela be baptized to be able to go to the temple and be sealed. It's 95% our focus - the other 5% meaning that we haven't totally abandoned the singles, but it's still 5%

I enjoyed conference a lot. It was good. :)

Gotta go. Love you!

Elder Onken