Friday, July 15, 2011

Letter from Dad to Spencer... 15 July 2011

Spence---from me (MOM) first... did you get the bug spray? Seriously...DO IT, you will love me for it later. If you can find an AVON lady get some of the "skin so soft" kind...I will look for some here too...it doesn't smell so nasty and works GREAT...at least it did 30 years ago :)

We are so excited for Sefa...trying to organize a big BBQ here for tonight or tomorrow night. Dad gives the details below. SO HOPE your Pday is SOON. TAKE PICTURES and get me an address to get your picture card back to...

LOVE YOU BIG...Mom xxxxoxoxoxooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoxoxoxox

Spencer! How are you?!!! Really, that is what we want to know!! Where is your area? How is your area and what is happening in your area? Who is your companion? How’s the new bike? Have you met your new district and zone? When is your p-day? (we assume Mondays) PLEASE TELL US ALL ABOUT EVERYTHING and your key experiences and impressions of your first week in South Carolina!

Sefa Tanoai (sp) got his mission call to West Virginia, and he leaves in one (yes, that’s 1) week! Can you believe it?! It is a record in our stake! We’ve never had a mission call 1) come so quickly after it was submitted, and 2) be so short – he received it on Wednesday the 13th and leaves on Wednesday the 20th. In that time period he has to get his mission clothes, get his interview for the temple recommend, go to the temple to receive his endowment, speak in church, get set apart and leave (and probably other important stuff as well). He’s so excited and we’re so excited for him. They moved things up and made it quick so as to help him return for football at the U. of U.

All is well here. Enjoying the summer. The yard is beautiful. Megan, Michael, Josh and Sam are all busy and doing well. The U.S. Women’s soccer team plays for the championship on Sunday. The British Open is going on right now.

How’s the language coming? If you’re anything like me and most of us language missionaries, at the end of the MTC you felt pretty good about the language and your progress, then you got to the mission field and started talking to native Spanish speakers a lot and you felt like you hardly learned anything – that you have SO much to learn! Well, you’re not alone. Don’t worry, just continue to practice and pay attention and study and read in Spanish and listen really well. In about 3 months you’ll understand almost everything you hear, and about 3 months later, (after 6 months in South Carolina) you’ll be able to say just about everything you need to say. Then about 3 months after that, you’ll be able to say almost anything you want to say. It comes – just keep at it, do your best, and pray for God to help you with the language and to bless you with his spirit to be able to communicate your testimony of the gospel, and all will be well.

And remember what I told you before in the letter – LOVE THE PEOPLE. As Mom says, and she’s right, the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about LOVE.

Well, I’ve got to get to work, but I wanted to send a short msg since we don’t know when you have P-Day and wanted to tell you about Sefa’s mission call.

I LOVE YOU SON! I’m SO PROUD OF YOU AND HAPPY FOR YOU! It was so GREAT to talk with you from the SLC airport. You’re doing it son! You’re being a strong and successful and positive missionary and the Lord will bless you!

Un abrazo fuerte,

Don

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