Jan 11, 2010

The Family,

Well I guess I’ll just start with the biggest bit of news... changes! Okay, so I didn’t have changes haha. Elder Adamson is going to be seeing me off this February, and the end of my mission has been finalized. Two years, five areas (six with the MTC), and twelve companions. Its been a good time, and I’m excited to be ending my mission out here in Pedro Juan. Everyone keeps asking me about it, but it definitely hasn’t hit me that I only have five more Sundays in Paraguay. It’s probably better that way, it’ll keep me working hard. Actually I’d probably work even harder if it did hit me... so I’m not sure which is better haha. Safe to say, I am working hard, so don’t worry. Elder Adamson sees to that.

Yesterday I also gave a talk in Sacrament meeting... another one of the countless times I’ve been called upon by a bishop or branch president to give a “discourse,” as they say in Spanish, with about five minutes notice. Safe to say I think I’ve become a pretty good improv speaker with topics of the gospel in Spanish. I spoke of the purpose that we have in this life to better ourselves everyday through the help of Christ’s Atonement and prepare ourselves to live with God again. It actually came out way better than I thought it would and I kept the attention of the eight members who were in attendance. But that reminds me: Dad, what’s my topic for my homecoming talk? You gotta give me something... If you don’t, maybe I’ll just talk about that same thing, it has some good potential for sharing mission stories. How much time will I have to take up? Please don’t tell me I’m the only one who will be talking. But whatever, even if I am I guess I could do it. I guess just let me know a little bit more about what’s going to be happening and its all good...

Alright, as for the flight plans, I pretty bummed because I’m pretty sure I’ll be going the WHOLE trip home all alone... so much for having a companion. Because I’ve talked to a couple people in my group, and they’re all flying through Buenos Aires, but maybe they’ll all be rerouted through Sao Paulo because of the tax or whatever. But still, I strongly doubt that they’d fly through JFK, they usually go through Dallas or Atlanta... I’ve never seen another first destination in the states on flight plans home, so I was impressed to be on a direct flight to NYC. I will, however, definitely be the first one to see my family before anyone else! 6:15 am is pretty darn early... So that’s pretty cool. You guys have to plan a little bit of fun in NYC while we’re there since I get there so early... the only weird part is that I’ll still be in a shirt and tie. And will have only left Paraguay 12 hours earlier... half the travel time as before! But Korean sounds really good right now...

As far as schooling goes though, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I really don’t want to put any more strain on the wallet than I have to, and I was looking at all that stuff that you’ve sent me in the last couple months. I think I want to just apply to BYU as a transfer student for the fall semester, and to LDSBC as a backup plan if I don’t get in there. I would love to go to the U of U, and I’ll always be a Ute at heart, but you just can’t beat BYU’s prices. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do, and I really feel that even LDSBC would just be a good start to get me where I want to go and find what it is that I really want to do. I have an idea and feeling, but its just so hard to put into words let alone on paper. So if you want to get those application papers started for me I would love you bunches haha. And you can just go ahead and turn down U of U for now... maybe that’ll be for me a little bit more into the future. Oh, and just tell Parkin that I’m in! I loved Parkin, and that would be way better than being with people in a sort of blind date situation.

Anyways, this week we’ll be moving into our new apartment that's actually in our area. Last week we moved in Elder Brazier and Elder Gumiel, who are in Rama 4, because it’s right on the border of our areas and they were getting kicked out of their other house. So it will be the four of us in their, and it's a way awesome place that is brand new! They just finished painting it on Wednesday. They had the sign up that said for rent for only like 5 hours before we jumped on it. We just had to wait for money to get to us from the office to buy furniture, like beds and desks and all that jazz... and today we went to the place and actually threw down the money, so that’ll get delivered on Thursday. Then we'll live there too. Tonight I go in with the ZLs to Asuncion for a special Leadership Council with Pte Wade that he invited DLs to, and Wednesday we have my last Zone Conference... that’s just wigging me out, you have no idea...

I love you all so much, and tell Cole to keep practicing his snowboarding and to get the snow covered trampoline all ready for my return hahaha!

Love,

Elder Dennis