April 21

It’s been a slow week for us here to. But we are happy and working so I can’t complain.

On Easter I taught the youth during Sunday school - the 14-18 year olds - about learning the difference between Truth and Error and how to know which is which. It was Hard. I don't think I did a good job but my companion said I did. :/

Alright sweet!!!! Oh and I don't have much to say about this week. Not much super exciting happened. I cut Elder Renovato’s hair. I cut Hermano Rodriguez's hair. I cut Elder Baer’s hair today. And we had a bunny cake at the Peralta’s for Easter. Oh, and I taught the 14-18 year old youth in Sunday School. It was scary >.<

But like the sisters are in our area all the time and they are visiting because Hermana S. used to work in our area so she knows all the members.  We are coordinating with them to make sure we are effective and not duplicating work or missing people.

Ummmm. We built a trampoline. That took forever.

Favorite thing I've eaten. It’s all been a lot of American food lately and I don't like it. I just want my tortilla, frijoles, arroz, and carne, and then throw it all together and eat it.

For this week - I'm working on reading the Bible. I read the Book of Mormon in about 4 weeks. So I was like well. What the heck. Why not.

No dreaming in Spanish yet.

Maricela is the girl that took the picture. She is a 16 year old in the branch. She wants to serve a mission and their family invites us over and they try to have something for us to do every week to serve, so it’s nice.

Elder R. burns everything he touches. He knows how to make it. It’s just he burns everything that he cooks on a stove. Or at the very least it’s always smoking. But if its microwave or anything else yeah he can make it and it’s good. I'm going to learn sometime this week how to make hecho en casa tortillas de harina. (home made flour tortillas).

Dinners have been hard lately, because we no longer use a calendar and so like we have to make all our appointments and it’s hard because the most we can do is a day ahead, and in our area that's not enough time for most. The (branch) presidency should be in the process of calling someone to help fill our calendars for us. So we'll see how it goes.

We do zone sports every other week or so. President doesn't want us having tons of contact with the sisters on a regular basis. Just because there are so many now. And it’s just better if nobody has a chance to start forming feelings.

We offer service at everyone’s house, but nobody ever wants us to do anything. And it’s like they don't want us to clean our dishes and they get mad at us if we try to. Latinos are wonderful people. It’s cause we are on bike and they say no because we need a break from working. But then it’s like but we are losing blessings and you are too. But nobody really understands that we really just want to serve and help people.

Mom’s musing on the subject: I am the same way about the dishes etc., but I think you have helped me see another perspective, I need to let them help more! 

It’s true. Because it’s a blessing to them because they are serving and it’s a blessing for you because you don't have to do them. At the very least let them wash their own dishes. Have them come help one day with the house for an hour, or build something. It doesn't have to be big and extravagant. Ask them to come on a Saturday and help weed or trim the bushes or something, paint a wall, move furniture. They need the service. It's in our handbooks. And it's hard to give service to non members sometimes. So the members need an attitude of giving them something to do.

Today, we will:  

Cut hair 

email 

shop at walmart.....

And write some letters. I need to write to some of my mission friends and to Uncle Roger and them. And I'll probably start shipping some stuff home to you (to make transfers easier, not because he is preparing to come home!). I can't keep everything I have. Mostly clothes are going home.

It’s that I don't have space. Cause now I have to fit everything into 2 suit cases and a carry-on. I had like 2 or three other boxes last time I moved and I have a lot of clothes I don't need yet. Like my thick shirts. I'm probably never going to wear them. And I only wear long sleeves to the temple.

We are working with the young men and less active members. We have figured out that the ward at this point really needs our help. Only a certain number of people are willing to take responsibility and initiative and they all have the most important callings. So we are trying to help all the other members get moving. We can't bring more people into the ward if the ward isn't doing anything. My time is up so I have to go Hope you all have a good day and week! Love you! Talk to you later!

Elder Zachary Gore :)