Turkey Bowl- Nov 26

Hey mommy

How are you doing? I hope you are doing well and that you arent havign more dreams of me sneaking home in a nascar trailer. lol only in the south. I find myself saying that phrase all the time! I should probably keep track of them so i have a future record of all the crazy stuff that happens in the south.

Glad to hear you make it through turkey day with few tears. I was fine, the turkey bowl was fun, a lot of people were there and no one got hurt. Thanksgiving day we had two dinner appointments, one with the Boyd family, which makes up a big part of our ward, and another with the Schloemmer family, in theodore and i had my first deep fried turkey there. Basically at the end of the night i thought i was dying for an overdose of food. lol

This week had its ups and downs. There were a lot of interuptions to the work... for instance on Wednesday Jorge Cruz went to the hospital... basically he is refusing to eat (or do anything for that matter) because his dad is finding work in Tampa Bay. It was frustrating to me beacause we were there ALL day translating, and he wasnt even really sick. Also, we found out that are main investigator moved to Biloxi this week... which is probably 30 minnutes out of the mission. lol He is a good guy though (Jorge) and i have no doubt he will someday be baptized... the question is just when.

Besides that, now all of our efforts are spent trying to find new investigators. We have found a few, but to be honest i cant wait to find some that were as prepared as simplicio and silvia. Oh, speaking of them, yesterday in church, during sunday school we were having a lesson about prayer. Silvia was reading a section in the lesson about how others sometimes are answers to our prayers... she read down the list of people, family, neighbors, friends... and then she got to "missionaries" and she started crying! I cant even begin to describe the happiness i felt in that moment. OH and yes i did give a talk, it was on the spirit. I did the best that i could, i think it went well. I have learned the most about the spirit since i have been out, and i know that it is something very real. Also, the 6 missionaries sang "how great thou art" with one verse in spanish... i video taped it and i will send it home. It was really funny though... lets just say that the english missionaries have some interesting investigators! One investigator, named John Green, (a slightly crazy black man) is pretty interuptive during sacrament meeting. lol During Elder Lauritzen's talk, (about the atonement) he kept saying "Amen" and "hallelujah" really loud, and afterwards he started clapping. lol and another investigator, is isnt jewish, he is actually very christian, but he studied in a jewish school for 7 years and he wears a yamika to every meeting. He is weird, but a nice guy.

I am learning so much. I have come so far in the 4 months i have been out. My spanish has come way far, i can understand most hispanic people (unless they are puerta rican or dominican) and i can read confidently now. but i still have so far to go. I am so thankful for this calling though, this is where i am supposed to be. I am learning so much here that i wouldnt be able to learn anywhere else.

Although this week was a tough week, i still love being a missionary. I wouldnt trade it for the world, weeks like this make the good weeks that much better, and i think this week will be a good one. Thanks for making the sacrafices you do so that i could be out here.

I love this gospel. I know it is true and i love sharing it with others. Please stay strong, be happy, and count your blessings. Love everyone a little extra for me and have a wonderful week!

I love you mommy

Elder Kenck