Letter Home:)

Hey everyone!

Well, it`s yet another rainy day here in Formosa. It started raining at about 4 in the morning last night. It just stopped, everything is all wet and muddy. We spent the morning studying and cleaning the apartment. Today is going to be a day that will be very similar to the last week's PDay. Wandering around centro taking care of some stuff that we need to take care of and then going and maybe playing some games before buying the food we are going to be eating for the week. Even though all I ever buy is cereal and milk these days. :) I wonder if when I get home I am going to eat this much cereal. If I can ever get to an Internet place that will be friends with my camera adapter, I will send photos of all of the cereal boxes that we are keeping as a collection. It`s gotten to be quite a bit these days. As I said it`s raining. I`m hoping it doesn`t rain too much more, for a couple of reasons. First, it makes it hard for the clothes that are hanging up outside to dry, and I`m in need of some clean socks and white shirts. (Speaking of socks, most of mine have managed to bite the dust, an accidente with bleach...) Second reason, working in muddy streets just isn`t fun. It really tires one out to walk around in the rain. I think I mentioned this before, but there are absolutely no paved streets in my area. Third reason, the more it rains, the more humid it will be when the sun finally decides to show it`s face. Really humid days just aren`t fun.

Alright, moving on to the events of the past week. We´ll start going backwards. Yesterday, I got to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. Right before the Branch President walked up to the stand to start the meeting he stopped at the bench I was sitting on and asked if I could give a talk about obedience. Then, I became the first speaker. With some help from on high, I was able to put together a pretty good talk, I was pleased with it. That marks the second time I have had to speak in this branch. Before Sacrament meeting started I left with another Elder to go around looking for investigators and some converts who hadn`t made it to the meeting yet. It felt like we ran across half the city before getting to everyone we had to.

Saturday night, us along with the other companionship of Elders from the branch put together a birthday party for two kids whose family has been getting more active in the church. We got them cotton candy and stuff like that.

Friday was zone conference! It was a really good one, I think one of the best in my whole mission. The only down side to it, was that it was my last one. Elder Mohlman and I had to get up and give our testimonies as the Honorables, who are those Elders that are in their last transfer. I remember being at the first of my mission and thinking how cool is must be to be giving your last testimony as you get ready to go home. But, actually having to do it, I was sadly mistaken. I think it was one of the saddest moments of my whole mission. Otherwise in the conference, President talked to us about how to keep the new converts active in the church and not lose them back to the world. We also watched a talk that Elder Holland gave in the MTC in January of this year. He talked alot about how when we signed on to be disciples of Christ, it was for life. That we shouldn`t and can`t ever go back to being the same people that we were before the mission. It was a really good talk, got me thinking...

That`s about it for the major events of this week. We had divisions with our district leader during the week, but nothing too terribly exciting happened. Except, well we made that cake! :) That was nice. The cake turned out pretty well. It was just hard guessing what 350 F was to cook it. Our oven just has a dial where you turn the fire up or down...

Anywho, I am happy, and healthy. No complaints from me. We have baptisms this week. :) I`m excited; the first for my companion. We also have this guy Ramon who is progressing quickly, we had a lesson with him and our Branch President on Saturday.
Well, I gotta go, love you all!!!
con amor,
- Matthew