12-31-12

Here's the snow today and my new helicopter. If you want it I will send it to you because I don't need it.

Family,

The year has come to an end. I finished my Freshman year of college and started my mission off with 3 baptisms in 2 months but has tapered off since then. Next year I look forward to hard work and a lot of success in new areas and new companions. This week was a pretty quick week because it was a good week. We invited one of our investigators for baptism this week but ever since that lesson we haven't talked with her. I think she's either dodging us or our phone is broken. Our microphone has been malfunctioning for a while now. So we'll probably have to call the mission office for another new one. It was great to be able to talk with you last week! Elder Hamblin had a tough time saying bye. He has been in that state of his mission that I was in a few weeks ago. So I have been trying to pray for him but I have been so tired every night of the week this past week that I drift off in thought way too much. Elder Hamblin sleep talks too so it's super funny to hear him. Like he said last night "Not the stove! No!" He yells a lot in the middle of the night. I laugh but whenever I'm not looking, it's kind of scary. Just before our skype call last week, I was getting a little bit of a soar throat and cold. But after praying I got over it in only a couple of days. The Lord really blesses his missionaries as I have said before. It has snowed a lot today like Rexburg. It isn't blowing ice snow like it was a couple of weeks ago. It just gently falls. 

As far as investigators go, we are struggling to find them. But this week we are going to get a lot of lessons, I just know it. The other day a lady was very rude to us but that's typical of people here or even anywhere. Whatever. That's where the blessings come. Also, I really enjoy church here. We have 6 hours of church a week and sometimes the meetings are boring but it's fun to interact with each ward/branch. We just got a new ward mission leader for our ward yesterday. The ward has been without one for I don't know how long. Ever since before I started my mission. Brother Bosch is going to work wonders in that position. He is a native Venezuelan so I love speaking Spanish with him and his family. He is one of those families where they had to save up for years in order to go to the temple to be sealed together. The closest one was in Peru so I bet you can imagine what a sacrifice that had to be. Oh, Elder Hamblin broke out his new haircut materials and gave me a haircut. He did a very good job and it feels so good to be able to use very little shampoo again. Anyways, I'm going to miss our acting ward mission leader. He was a funny guy so hopefully we can still visit him as often as occasion permits. Did you know that Elder Hamblin used to be in the same ward as Elder Clare? Elder Clare's family moved in when he lived in Arizona. But then later, Elder Hamblin's family moved back to Seattle. They knew each other so I will ask Elder Clare about it later. 

It's great to hear how the family is doing and that's exciting that Billy and Caitlin finally got a place to live! How long are they going to live in DC? I forgot to ask how's Dallin doing? I would love to get an e-mail from him or something so that I can write him. I also love the new sweater vests you sent me. I look really stylish in them. Not going to lie. They are cool. I also wanted to ask you to send me some stuff. I guarantee you that I will forget to ask you for some stuff. But could you send me some CD's? I would like a lot or all of the EFY music that you have in addition to a capella male voice hymns such as the group called "Voice Male". There are other groups but I can't think of their names. I guess you could put all of this on MP3 CD's or however you want to do it. 

Well, I can't think of anything else to say. If I didn't answer all of your questions, you can write me. It may take me a while to get back to you but I would answer your questions. There's just only a limited amount of time to do this especially here since the Elders here want to get in and get out really quickly. Until then, Bye! Love,

Elder Sutherland 

PS: "Better ingredients. Better pizza. Papa Johns."