November 28, 2012

Thanksgiving with the Eynons

Thanksgiving dinner in the Canary Islands (thanks Eynons)

Thanks is written all over Elder Bauer's face

Why hello Family!!

My week was good!! It will be shorter than usual since Thanksgiving I already wrote to you guys! Thanksgiving was great though since the Eynons invited us over for dinner that day!! LOT´S of food too!!!! I got really full that it hurt, but that didn´t matter since it was food from the Eynons!! Friday was pretty full of running around and stuff!! We were canceled by Cristian, but that was fine. We had extra time to contact and find more people. That wasn´t too successful either, but it´s okay. Later after Medio-Dia [lunch break] we went to Soila, but we got the message that she doesn´t want anything anymore so we´ve dropped her for now. I´m sure in the future she´ll progress. We then took the Guagua [bus] over to Maria Jose, a less active lady from Sevilla, and we had a member come with us! The funny thing about this one is that she wanted a blessing, but we couldn´t find where she lived. We got in the right building, but just couldn´t find the door on the 4th floor. We knocked on all but one of the doors when Elder Valenzuela said that he didn´t know if it was that building or a different one. So we called a few people to see if they knew where she lived.

In the end, it turned out that the only door that we didn´t knock on, was her. We pretty much said sorry, about being late and not being able to stay for very long because we had a lesson somewhere else. All for nothing pretty much, but it was fun! We then had to go to the Port where Fausto and Deila live. They´re a less active family and we were there for 30 minutes, taught a short lesson, and went to Fani, a new investigator´s house. We taught her the restoration with candles, just to try it out. It was pretty good so yeah!! Fani is the type that likes to talk a lot so it was hard to keep it short, but at 9:30 we got out and took the Guagua [bus] back home.

Las Palmas

Saturday was another day that was pretty empty. We tried to see some people, but none of them were available at the times that we had set up so we didn´t have too much of anything. At 6:30 we had Jonatan and Fran and we talked to them a bit about their doubts and answered their questions. It took quite a while to end the lesson, but we ended it at around 8:30. Unfortunately we didn´t get to another appointment that we had set up. We tried calling, but nothing. We ended up getting off of the Guagua [bus] and walking back to the piso [apartment]. We got back at 9:15ish.

Las Palmas (and the Atlantic Ocean)

Sunday was a pretty good day as far as the morning and the evening!! This Sunday I pretty much presented myself to the branch and it was pretty good!! I told them that I feel blessed to serve in the Islands, and to escape the cold, haha. It was good!! Right after church we had a lesson with Maria about the importance of reading, praying, and going to church. It was a good lesson, even though she was in a slight hurry since she had to work. We even talked a bit about her baptism and she said that she´d have to look at her schedule to see if it´s still okay. We then had Medio-Dia [lunch break] and afterwards we went to the JAS [young single adults] Center to wait for Cristian. He failed us again that day, but it´s okay. We left to do some contacts and it wasn´t really very effective, but it´s okay. We then went to the conclusion of Noche de Hogar de los JAS [home evening for the young single adults] in the JAS Center. The Eynons always bring good food there and that´s pretty much what we go for, haha. It was Shepherd´s Pie and OH GOODNESS!!!! YUMMY!!!!! We then spent a bit of time there with the JAS [young single adults] and went back to the piso [apartment].

Elder Ezra A. Bauer and Elder Kent F. Richards

Monday was an awesome day!!!!!!! So we had a Mission Tour here in the Spain Madrid Mission, and it was great!!! If you remember back in the visa waiting days, I had one of those there in SLC and Elder Paul V. Johnson came. This time we had Elder Kent F. Richards of the Second Quorum of the Seventy come and talk to us!!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got to shake his hand too which was awesome!! He talked to us about how to more effectively find and then how to teach for understanding. I learned a lot from him!! President Jackson was there too and it was fun to have him with us as well. The whole Zone of the Canary Islands was there too so I got to meet the new guys as well as see Elder Wride again!! We then ate super yummy food and it was good!! We then went and had a Noche de Hogar [home evening] at a member´s home and it was pretty good!! I was really excited to work after Elder Kent F. Richards so it was really good!!!

Tuesday was amazing!!!! We knocked a building and of the 3 people that answered the door, 2 wanted us to come back a different day and talk to them about the gospel!! It was awesome!!! Seriously I think that the Mission Tour helped my attitude a lot and now we´re both working on making things simple for everyone so that they could all understand!! I loved it!! We then met with a less active member called Cristo, and it was a pretty good message! I don´t really remember what we did, but it was good!! We then went to the JAS [young single adults] Center to have a lesson with Jonatan and Fran and it was really good!! We did the Restoration again and showed the short video of the Restoration. At the end of the video, Fran said that he felt something, and that he really liked the movie. We told him that he felt the Spirit and it was a cool experience!!! I love teaching simply!!! It´s amazing the miracles that come from it!! Today we had something planned, but it was changed to something else so I don´t know what we will do. Since Christmas is coming, when would be a good time to do Skype over yonder? I´m not really sure what our plans are, but it´s okay. Just tell me what you guys think. Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!!!

Elder Bauer

November 22, 2012

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as seen from Pico de Bandama

View of the Atlantic near Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 

Family,

The Canary Islands are AMAZING!!!!!!! So last P-Day we went on a hike somewhere near here and close to the Mission Home in the Islands. The Canary Islands used to be its own mission so there´s a Mission Home here where the Eynons live. I didn´t bring my agenda this time so I´m not going to be able to give you a big weekly email like usual, but I can give you a bit of what happened and the people we are visiting.

Mission Home in Las Palmas

Mission Home in Las Palmas

So Wednesday we did the hike that I told you about and it was pretty cool!! Elder Eynon brought his Frisbee and we played with it as we went down. It was pretty cool since the weather was just right to run down and up and stuff. Elder Eynon then told us to climb on a rock so that they could take a picture of the District from below. Then we went down a little further and there were old houses or buildings and it was weird, but it´s okay. Elder Eynon then asked us if we could climb on a tree limb so that he could take another picture of the district. So we did and it was pretty cool and fun, hehe. Every time that Elder Eynon gives us a challenge, we always do it and it´s just fun!! He´s like a teenager but older, haha. Then we did a Manger scene in one of the old buildings there, it was Elder Eynon´s idea, and it was pretty funny how it turned out, and then hiked back up. Oh, and one of the older Frisbees of Elder Eynon was stuck in a Palm Tree and so Elder Lisonbee, Christiensen and I tried to get it down. Elder Lisonbee almost got it once, but didn´t succeed. When we hiked back up we drove to a peak where you could see the entire place and it was really cool!!! The view was amazing from up there and you could see the ocean super clear! We then drove back to the Mission Home and had lasagna made by Hermana [Sister] Eynon which was really good!!! We then came back to Las Palmas and worked the rest of the day.

The district on a tree.

From L to R: Elders Christiensen, Bauer, Valenzuela, Lisonbee, Hermanas Voemba, and Marshall.

Thursday was Weekly Planning and we planned for the week (duh, the name says it all). We then had food with la familia Nacimiento, from Brazil. I think they said that they were from Sau Palo, but I´m not sure. Their food was good!! (I just stole Elder Valenzuela´s agenda so I can tell you my week with more detail.) Then at 5:30 we went to see Jonatan y Fran, which are two jovenes [young men] that are investigators and Jonatan is getting ready for baptism!!! Exciting!!!!!!!!!! Fran is there to learn too and they´re both pretty awesome!! We then went to see a new investigator and just got to know her. Her name is Fani and that´s all I really know about her. Not too bad of a day so yeah!!!

Friday was a pretty empty day as far as lessons are concerned. We tried to set something up with Andres, a JAS (Joven Adulto Soltero [young single adult]) but it didn´t work out so we just had one lesson, which was with Edward and his family. The two younger kids Yiesi and Maicol have potential to get baptized, and the two older ones, Carmen, not really wanting to do her part, and Edward Jr. same as Carmen, except that he´s a less active member. Edward Sr. is about the same as Carmen and it´s just frustrating when no one wants to do anything for their own good. To get to their house we have to take a bus and it´s high up on a hill so you could see the ocean as well as a different part of Las Palmas! We always go there at night so we never really see anything. Just so you know, here in the Islands it gets dark at about 6:30 so by 7:00 it looks like it´s 9:00. Pretty crazy!

Saturday was a pretty good day! In the morning we played Fútbol [soccer] with some JAS [young single adult]and their friends and that was pretty fun. Then at 1:30 we went to la familia Romero´s house to eat foodlets (say that one to Giselle), and it was pretty good!! Later on we tried again with Andres, but nothing, so at about 5:30 we went to see Soila, which is an investigator, and we taught her the Plan of Salvation! It was pretty good since according to Elder Valenzuela, she didn´t open up the first two lessons until now. It was cool to know that she was more open! I´m sure that she has potential to progress!! Later at night we saw Jonatan and Fran so that we could go over the baptismal interview questions with Jonatan to get him ready for the interview. Those lessons always turn out really well.

"Jesus wants me for a sunbeam"

Sunday we had church and it started at 10:00, which was really weird for me since every place that I´ve been here in Spain, church started at 10:30, but it´s okay. Right after church we met with another investigator that is getting ready for baptism called Maria. We shared with her the law of tithing and she accepted to live it after her baptism. We then ate with la familia Marguez and it was good too!! All of the food was good!! Then later in the evening we went to see Edward and his family and at the end of the lesson, I put emphasis on the importance of praying to find out about the truthfulness of what we were teaching. We then went to the JAS [young single adults] center for the end of the Noche de Hogar [home evening] that the JAS [young single adults] have there. It was pretty fun!! I got to know different JAS and Fran challenged me to an arm wrestling match. I told him that I´m going to lose anyway and so why even try, but everyone then went against me and so I sat down and the match started. Surprisingly I "won" because he gave up in the end. During the match, I guess that I had my arm in a good position so that I could use minimal strength to keep my arm in a vertical position and he could push all he wanted, but wouldn´t move my arm. That would´ve exhausted his strength and not much of mine so that in the end I could just easily push his arm down. But he gave up, so I won easily, hehe. Plus I´ve been doing morning exercises so yeah.

Monday we didn´t do too much of anything. We went to the Ayuntamiento [city hall] to try to get a map of Las Palmas with a list of the streets on the back, but that wasn´t successful at all since they ran out of maps. We then went to a part of Las Palmas, by bus, to pass by less active families and it was pretty cool and successful! We found 3 less actives and are planning to pass by 2 of the 3! We then had Medio-Dia [lunch break] and it was relaxing, then went to the JAS Center to use the computer there to find streets. From there we went to the Branch Mission Leader´s (Fran, not the Fran that is the investigator, but Fran the Mission Leader) home to have a Noche de Hogar [home evening] and we talked about patriarchal blessings. It was pretty cool and according to the Hermanas, spiritual too. We then went home and slept, and that was the end of the day of Monday.

On the day of Tuesday we had district meeting in the JAS Center and it was good. I had a talk on how to find new investigators and it´s something that I need to work on more. Then Hermana [Sister] Voemba had the practice on how to use the scriptures and it was really good!! I learned a lot that day!! Super good district meeting!!! Right after District Meeting the Hermanas [sisters], my companion and I had to go to an eating appointment, but I had to get a new Guagua (that´s how they say Autobus, or bus here, pronounced wawa) bono [card] of 10 trips. So I got it and we met the Hermanas [sisters] on the Guagua!! We then got to the eating appointment and the food was good, like usual, and we shared a message and it was all good!!!!! We then went to see Andres, and it worked out this time!!! YAHOO!!! I got to know him and he seems like a good guy!! We taught him about how we need to apply the Gospel in our lives and how it will help us out in the end!! It was a good lesson! At 8:00 we had the interview with Jonatan and I did the interview and he´s good to go. He gives me really elaborate answers and understands everything, but he´s got a problem with his father and him not wanting Jonatan to get baptized. Jonatan has faith that all will work out though so it´s pretty cool how much faith he has!!

Wednesday was NOT P-Day, but Weekly Planning. Later on we saw Cristo, a less active guy and we talked to him about following the prophet. Then we tried contacting, but it didn´t work out too well. There was no one out in the streets. Today is Thursday, Thanksgiving, and an all day P-Day!!!! We´re planning to go to a science museum and then at 4:00 go to the Eynon´s house to have a Thanksgiving dinner!!! I´m really excited to go and do that!!! It will be fun!! How have you guys been? How was Thanksgiving? Was it good? Take care and I´ll talk to you guys soon!!! Love you all!!

Elder Bauer

November 14, 2012

First view of Las Palmas, Canary Islands

Why Hello Family!!

Well first things first, the big fill-in-the-blank that you left for me to fill as far as where I´m serving. I have gone out of Parla, and out of Madrid in general. I am now serving in the Canary Islands!!!! I know what you guys are thinking, but it´s TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I´m serving in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria!!!!!!!! It´s much warmer here than in Madrid (duh) and I really like it!! Unfortunately since I´ve been here, the days have been cloudy and sad, but it´s okay!! I´m on an Island!!!! I´m really REALLY happy to be here and I´m excited to get to know the place!! I also got to work in San Sebastían de los Reyes for a day with Elder Wride, and it was fun, but first starting with the week from Thursday.

Thursday was a crazy day!!! We had weekly planning and Medio Dia [lunch break], but after that it got to be interesting. We actually ate with a member called Angel there in Parla. The Hermanas [sisters] of Leganes needed me to do a baptismal interview with a girl called Belén at 4:30 and we had a lesson at 6. So after eating we had to do exchanges so that I could do the interview and Elder Alvarez could go to the lesson. So I went with Elder Cunningham and we had to take the Renfe [commuter train] over to Las Margaritas and be there before 4:30. We got there at like 4:15 and had to wait for the Hermanas [sisters]  for about 20 - 25 minutes before they got there which was pretty annoying, but it´s okay. I did the interview and got back to Parla at about 7:00. We had a lesson at 7:30 and had to meet Elder Alvarez and Elder Rose at a Tranvia [transfer] stop so that Elder Alvarez could get on, and Elder Cunningham could get off. We then went to Cleme y Selena and had dinner with them which was really good!!! Professionally done too!!!

I don´t remember too much of what happened Friday except that it was pretty good! I got the phone call from the zone leaders about transfers and it was pretty intense for me!! I asked them about everyone in my district before I knew where I was going. Elder Alvarez stayed in Parla, with Elder Perez going over there, Elder Cunningham goes home, Elder Rose went to Alcala de Henares with Elder Verdu, Hermana Farías and Piedade going home, Hermana Sicán staying in Leganes with Hermana Miron going there, and Hermana Voemba going to the Canary Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. I then asked where I would go, and Elder Perkins told me, "You are going to the Canary Islands, to Las Palmas!" I couldn´t believe my ears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was smiling and rejoicing the rest of the time in Parla!!! I then called Elder Argyle and asked him how he feels about leaving San Sebastian de los Reyes, and he feels sad to leave, like usual. He´s training Elder Pluim to be the new beast secretary of the mission!! Elder Argyle then told me that I will be going to work in Alcobendas with Elder Wride on Monday!! I got even more excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get to go to the best area that I´ve had on my mission, and then get to go to Gran Canaria to have an even better area!!!! It was COOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday and Sunday was spent saying goodbye to members and investigators. Among them were Erick y Yulliana, Melisa, Cleme y Selena, Manuel from Cuba, and others there at church. I also got to say goodbye to Ana which was awesome!! Not too much that I can say about those days considering I don´t have my old agenda. It was pretty sad, but cool at the same time.

Four generations of mission secretaries: 

Elders Jeppson, Bauer, Argyle and Pluim.

Monday was a crazy day!! I was all packed in my new suitcases and ready to get going to San Sebastian de los Reyes and to Gran Canaria. I had to go to the stake center at 9:30 or 10:00 and I stayed there until about 12:00 or 1:00 waiting for Elder Wride to arrive. When he got there, I was happy to see him and he was happy to see me as well!! It was awesome!! We were given keys to the piso [apartment] there in San Sebastian de los Reyes and got on our way to Alcobendas! When we got there, the first thing we did was go to the piso and leave our stuff there. I missed the view that the piso has there!! It was pretty awesome!! We then were off to visit some people that Elder Wride got to know and I also got to visit people that I got to know. We first passed by two places where some investigators/members lived, but they moved from those two locations. We were then walking and we ran into the member that Elder Wride wanted to visit!! It was a miracle that happened!!! We then went with him to Natalia´s house to see how she was doing since the missionaries serving there couldn´t ever get contact with her.

View from the apartment in Alcobendas

We arrived and Elder Wride didn´t remember what number it was, but we eventually found her and visited with her. She´s gone less active since September which broke our hearts, but we´re both sure that she´ll come back to church some day. She was really happy to see us!! We then went over to the church, and it was open!! We only found the office elders (which in Alcobendas, all of the missionaries are office elders) Elder Argyle, Elder Bagley, and Elder Pluim. We wanted to see if we could see some members that we know and they said that they were going to have a Noche de Hogar [home evening] in Segundo´s house. So while we waited we went out and did a few contacts and saw Alberto working out in his favorite gym. We then went with Elder Bagley to Segundo´s house and it was fun to see Segundo´s expression when he saw us!! He was suprised to see us and we talked to him about life and stuff!! It was awesome!! Eventually two other jovenes [young people] that we got to know there, one of which is a recent convert, as well as Fousto and his wife came and we talked to them!! It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We then visited a few other people and were picked up by the other Office Elders, Elder Forsythe and Elder Johnson. SUPER FUN DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Madrid from the air (if you look closely - you can see the temple)

Tuesday was a long day but fun!! We had to get up at 4:30 am to get ready and stuff, and get out of there by 5:00 ish. We left at 5:00 ish, Elder Wride, Bagley and I, and met Elder Argyle and Pluim down with the Furgoneta (aka the BEAST) ready to be loaded with our stuff. We then had to go to the piso of the Hermanas in Barrio 6 [6th ward] to pick up Hermana Voemba to go to the Islands as well. We then went back over to the airport and got checked in and it was all good!! Elder Wride was going to Tenerife so he wasn´t on the same flight as us. Hermana Voemba and I though were on the same flight to Gran Canaria so it was pretty cool!! The flight left at 8:30 Madrid time and got here at 10:00 Canary time, so a flight of 2.5 hours. Not too bad. We got there and the Elders of Vecindario and Elder Valenzuela greeted us and we got up to parking and met the Eynons!!! They are a senior couple that I´ve heard so much about and they seem cool!!!! I can´t wait to get to know them!! So the Elders of Vecindario have a car and the Eynons have one too so with the two of us we got to Las Palmas and I put my stuff in the piso. It´s a huge piso too!!! WOW!!!!!! We then had district meeting in the Centro de JAS [Young Single Adult Cener] where the Eynon couple work. We then took Medio Dia and I slept a bit, then we went out to do contacts and stuff! I also saw the church bajo [downstairs] and it looks pretty big!!! I also got to meet some of the members there which are pretty cool!!!!!!!!! The ones that were there that night all welcomed me warmly and I just know that I´m going to have a good transfer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gran Canaria Airport, Canary Islands

Today is P-Day. I´m not sure what we are going to do, but I´m sure we´ll do something!! How are you all doing? Anything cool going on? Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!!! Love you all!!

Elder Ezra A. Bauer

The new district! From L to R: Elder Valenzuela (the new companion - from Chile), me, Hermana Marshall, Hermana Voemba, Elder Christiensen, Elder Lisonbee

November 7, 2012

Well at least he has been praying!

Alex eating a Porra con Chocolate!! It was good, but fattening!

Elders Alvarez and Cunningham in front of the meetinghouse in Parla

Hello Family!!!

This week has been pretty good/stressful for me. Not much has happened, but it was still pretty fun and recently stressful!! I´ve seen all over the place about the stuff with Hurricane Sandy and it didn´t look good at all. I hope that all goes well with it and that the cleaning of the mess and of the flooding. On to my week!!

Thursday was pretty good for me!! Weekly planning of course and then we went to Yolanda´s house!! She's less active with her family, also less active, but we´re working with them little by little. We did the packet of tea lesson about faith and lighting it on fire!! I´m a pyro so what can I say, I like fire, hehe. Nothing else happened so yeah. Friday was a really fun day!!!! I did exchanges with Elder Perkins in Barrio 3 [Madrid 3rd Ward] and it was fun!!!! I was in Madrid City for the first time ever working there!!! Okay, so not the FIRST time, since back about a year ago when Elder Gallego went home, I worked in Barrio 6 [Madrid 6th Ward] for about 4 - 5 days so yeah. So anyway we did quite a bit of contacting and I learned how to contact effectively in a public transportation vehicle so yeah!! I´m excited to try it out some time!!! We then ate with a part member family and their food was really good!!! YUMMY!!! We then had a lesson with them and went back to the piso [apartment] to rest. Then we had English Classes from 6:30 - 7:30 and then from 7:30 - 8:30 Noche de Hogar [home evening] and it was pretty fun!!! We contacted on the way to the church which was pretty cool!! OH and Elder Perkins and Rodriguez-Silva are both beasts at contacting and lessons!!! Wow, I need to learn a lot still!!

Saturday we had correlation with Gerardo Gordon, and it was pretty disappointing really. He doesn´t worry about the investigators at all so it was pretty sad since we have some pretty good people and he just passes them like nothing. Oh well. We then had Melisa at about 1:00 and it was the same lesson as with Yolanda which was pretty good!! She´s not looking forward to me leaving since I´m the first missionary along with Elder Soriano that she got to know here in Spain. It´s okay though, I know my companion is staying so yeah. We then ate with Ronald and Mira and that food was really good!!! After that not much happened.

Sunday we had church and then we went to Venesia´s house to eat!! She invited one of her aunts over to eat and she is really interested in the church and in what we are doing as missionaries!! She´s really interested in missionaries in particular because Venesia is planning to serve a mission and it´s pretty cool!! She´s put in her papers and is ready to go pretty much!!! We then later had a family home evening with Andy´s family and it was pretty fun!! We did the faith lesson and then had a flour lesson combined!! It was pretty cool!! So you pack flour into a cup and then you turn it upside down on a plate and it´s like a sand castle. You then put a coin and the first person to make the coin fall, has to fish it out with their mouth. It was really funny to see Aarón, Andy´s older kid, with flour on his face! We then played Uno and I didn´t lose!! Haha!! We then went home.

Monday was a pretty cool, but crazy day for us!! We had lunch at 1:30 with Erick y Yulliana and it was really good!! Cielo, their older girl that is about 7 years old, just loves me, and I don´t know why! Every time she sees me, she drops everything and gives me a hug. I think it´s pretty funny, but cute. She´s not happy about the possibility of me leaving, but it´s like a 90% chance that I will leave. We then went over to Valdemoro so that Elder Alvarez could get to know Amador, the Branch Mission Leader of Aranjuez and so that I could say goodbye to him. It was pretty cool and fun to go back into that home, but I´m going to miss Amador.

Alex with Amador

Tuesday ended up being a stressful day for me. So, the Hermanas [Sisters] of Leganes 1 [Leganes 1st Ward] have to have 2 baptismal interviews done before this Saturday, and they set up the interview times without me knowing. So I had two interviews right after District Meeting and I had to be in Parla at 5 since I had a cita [appointment] with Erick y Yulliana. I told them that I could only do one and the other one would have to wait for another day. They were okay with that so that´s what I did. district meeting was pretty much a testimony meeting for the ones leaving and it was really cool!! I could feel the spirit strongly there. I then did the interview!! It was a guy called Andres, from Guayaquil, Ecuador and he was ready!! He´s planning to go to England for work, and asked me if the church was there, and so I´m sure that he´s solid and strong for life. Later on, I got a call from the  Leganes 1 [Leganes 1st Ward]  sisters and I told them that Thursday at about 4:00 or 4:30 I could do the interview, but that I wasn´t sure. So they went ahead and put it at 4:30 and it turns out that it didn´t work out for us, so I tried changing the time, but they told me, no. So in the end after a lot of stress, I worked it out with my companion, but I felt like I was back in the office, hahaha.

Today was P-Day and we went to the mission home!! It was pretty cool since I once again got to walk through the streets of San Sebastían de los Reyes!! I loved it and got super office trunky (or in other words, I really started to miss being in the office, more for the area than for the office stress). It was a good activity and President and Sister Jackson were there!! I just think that is soo cool how President and Sister Jackson are at the activities!! I like that. That´s all. How´s everything going over yonder in Texas? Anything new or just the same old same old? Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!!!

Elder Bauer