Week 55

Hey guys!

:P It's funny to me when you say that the 25 years you and Mom have been married seem so short, to me it seems like you guys have been together forever already, but time started slower for me, so I guess it all makes sense.

Going back to BYU for me should be pretty cheap especially if I nail an RA (Resident Assistant) job.  That would be a great job, and would really help pay for tuition and books. I was already planning on getting a job in one of their computer labs to assist people.  I heard they get paid about $13 an hour, which I think is pretty good. We'll see how that's changed when I actually get there. I am wanting to be an RA for an entire years worth of schooling until I can get good enough grades to get scholarships, but again we'll see how it goes.

:( It's sad that Leah wont be coming along to BYU- Provo... but I’m excited she’s getting to go to BYU – Idaho.  She’ll love it there.

Mom, I think that if you could make and send me some of your bread, it would be awesome, but I don't know how it'll survive shipping during this 6 month rainy-cloudy season, but it's worth a shot. I do miss your home cooked bread. 

I do hope to have the chance to see Jenna perform in concert chorus (and in a play). I'm glad that she enjoys it so much. I know that it will help her make good friends, and enjoy school more.

It's wild that Ben's already getting ready for his mission... :P He'll leave right as I have 6 months left for my mission. Just watch and see. Yep, same ol' Ben.

Yeah... Even though I’ll be coming home in October, I'm definitely not excited for fall raking.

Well this is the first time I've heard anything about missionary work and being on facebook... maybe that's what they'll be talking to us about at this next half-mission conference this November... (after checking out the mission blog) It seems interesting enough. That's something that I would enjoy doing as a missionary to blog my adventures, talk about my gospel questions and answer peoples questions about the Gospel. It sounds like something that my patriarchal blessing mentioned about other responsibilities beyond proselyting... but hey we'll see what happens and where it goes.  (FYI transfers are Nov 7th)

I will be sending a letter soon with a couple of pictures of me and Elder Zufelt, and the 1st talk I gave here on the mission. Which I gave yesterday, on missionary work. I enjoyed it, and it made me reflect on the last time I tried to give a talk in Spanish in the branch back home. It made me laugh inside. I hope you enjoy it.

Doing the crown molding in the living room using an air compressor must have been very noisy and irritating, but they sure do get the job done.

I did get your package, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I enjoyed Mom's little notes on everything. It was special. I thought that it was funny that she sent me out the EFY "thank you" notes that I got from my group. That was a funny little memory.

Well I hope that things are going good with the complete house reconstruction while I'm gone! ;-) It'll be weird to come back to when I come home.

Well as far as missionary work goes, Elder Z and I are doing great! Not a whole lot has changed. We're still working with Anita, and her 3 children who are steadily coming closer and closer to baptism, and also with Janet who should already be a member (she already studies from all of the standard works, and is loving Principles of the Gospel),  but has to work through to get a divorce from her first husband. We're increasing the effort we're putting into getting more members up and excited about missionary work, and I think that we helped a lot with our talks that we gave yesterday. (Mom will have fun trying to decipher it when she gets my letter) That's all for now, but we have some good looking prospects coming up on the horizon.

I know the church is true, and I know that the Book of Mormon is more of God's word for us, His children. Read It!

I love y'all!

Elder Mackelprang