2013 October

7th
A happy birthday to Aunt Deanna!

 

Also, congratulations to Aubrey and Matt. I am happy to say that I am excited for them and my new nephew!

 

To answer your question about General Conference, I did not have a favorite talk this year. Typically I have always gone with the talk from Elder Holland, but this year I don't have any preferences.This time around was particularly inspired, and inspiring. I don't think there has ever been a better General Conference, at least that I have experienced.

This was a very good week. Last Tuesday, I once again was able to go to the Temple. I love being able to do that. The temple is absolutely my favorite place to be and I can't wait for the next time.

I did receive letters as well, if the letters were one from all three of you contained in one envelope. I don't remember if I have said this already yet, But I love the ties and am very thankful for them.

 

I would love to be able to write more, but for some odd reason, we have a lot of stuff going on today. Who would have figured for a P-Day?

 

I love you all. I love the photos. I hope you all have a great week.

21st

I am remiss for not e-mailing last Monday. I usually respond first to those who have e-mailed and then if I think of it, I will write e-mails to those I did not see an e-mail from. I ran out of time and was unable to e-mail because of it. However, I am able to e-mail today. E-mailing days are still Mondays.

 

This week has been fantastic! I have had several experiences in my studies that have helped me to understand better the things that I teach. I have come to love studying about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is quite probably the only point of doctrine so immense, encompassing so many other parts of the doctrines that we, as missionaries, teach our investigators. I have been blessed to come to understand it more fully, so that I may teach others about it.

 

It is probably exciting to be around Vara. She is quite the energetic and spastic little girl. I hope that she did a good job of helping with the no-bake cookies. I hope, also, that regardless of how runny the no-bake cookies were, they tasted as amazing as they typically do. I remember how fun it can be to spend time with family making treats and goodies for all to share.

  

I would like to thank you for the quotes (from General Conference). They are always good things to have.

 

One more piece of news that I have to share is that I have finally found a way to start sending some pictures home again! So I will be sure to include some in what I send home today.

 

As always, it is wonderful to be able to hear from home each week, and I am grateful for each e-mail.

 

I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week.

 

 

 

28th October

It is good to hear from you again this week.

 

As for Brinya. I am glad to hear that she is in such High Spirits. It is also good to hear that she has started making up jokes again. That is something that every little person does at one time or another. It is also good to know that her hair is growing back. My question, however, is whether or not it will stay with the next few rounds of chemo.

 

Zach told me a little bit about the opportunity for the water in his e-mail from 18th. If I understand correctly, it already happened and probably went well, but I haven't heard anything about the aftermath. He also told me that the Katana he got didn't turn out so well and that he wants to send it back.

 

That would be especially cool to see Grandma on Skype. I will have to make sure with the members around that time if I will be able to skype from their homes and how to set it up.  I am sure that my companion and I will be able to figure it out.  Members are usually great with that. 

 

As far as budgeting is going, I have been doing fairly well. I probably could be doing a little better, but I am not worried about anything turning out poorly for me. We are supplied with just enough at the beginning of every month to last until the next month. So basically we have to be smart about what we get. I am learning all over again, the difference between wants and needs, that dad liked to tell us all about and that it applies to everything.

 

I don't remember what I had asked for in preparation for Christmas, but I am thinking a lot about that, because I want to make sure I only ask for things that I will be using regularly. I think I had asked about shoes last time.  (If ever you want to send gifts, though, I will not reject them.)

 

I have come to the conclusion, that because of all the experiences I have had in the time that I have been out, I am not quite the same young man that you all watched leave. I think, however, that that is a good thing and that I will be pleasantly surprised with who I grow to be by the end of my mission.

 

If ever there is anything you want to know about, maybe things that I have learned through my studies or things that I have learned from others, I would be pleased to be able to share that with others.

 

I love you too and I hope that you all will be able to feel that love, despite the distance.

 

Love,

 

Elder Jastal