December 28, 2013

Hi Mommy!

I loved all of my Christmas presents you sent me! Thank you so much for them! They were so great!! I was a great Christmas all around! Sorry I couldn’t email you back.

So for my Visa, I have to fly down to Vegas and get my fingerprints and a photo taken of me at a Mexican consulate. I fly down there, get it done, and fly back all on the same day. It sounds fun! I will fly out with 2 other Elders from my district. I am the travel leader, so I get the cell phone, and to be in charge of everyone. J I can’t wait to fly on the plane! I love flights!!

  I also got my real flight plans!! I leave at 2:30am on Jan 6th. Well, my flight is at 6:30. I have a slight delay in Texas for about 2 hours, which is where I can call you :) I can’t wait to hear all of your voices. It will be from about 10:15 to 11:30. I don’t get to call you while I am signing for my Visa, but I will get to when I am headed to Mexico! 9 days!!!! It sounds like Christmas day was a blast!!! It was the same for me as well! 

           We heard from, David A. Bednar!! It was soooooooo good. He pretty much just spent the whole time answering questions. But he handed out 200 cell phones and passed them through the crowd. He had us text him questions and he answered the ones he felt like he needed to. AND HE ANSWERED MINE!!!! It was so awesome. It was like a direct connection. I asked, "How can I know that Heavenly Father is listening and answering my prayers?" And he said, "If you have eyes to see, and ears to hear, you are able to directly see, and hear of the blessings that you receive." There was more to it, but I don’t have my notes with me right now.

Footprints in the Sand

Oh, and I see Sister C all the time around here!! Also, I got to host Elder A and another girl from my school! I have seen SO many kids I know. I saw the girl who asked me to sweethearts, another kid named M, I saw T, and so many other kids from my school! It has been so awesome:) Host means taking them to their rooms, and then to their classrooms and showing them the basics! It has been incredible!! I love that I have gotten to see so many people:) I’m sure I made Elder A more comfortable being his host. It helps when you know someone because the first day is kind of intimidating. I see him all the time and I talk to him all the time now! It is awesome! The Entire Raintree campus is going Spanish speaking:) Mostly to Mexico!

JACE HAS A GIRLFRIEND?!? Alright!!!! That is about the greatest news ever!! I am SO HAPPY FOR HIM!!!!! Nothing much else has happened here since Christmas, but I think I am the ONLY one in my district that is not terrified beyond all measure to be in Mexico. I can’t wait to go. Everyone else is super scared. I wish I could go now. This mission is the fastest time of my life so far, and once I start to be fluent in Spanish, it will go so fast, and I wont want to leave. I already don’t want to. Oh, the first counselor in my branch is President Monson's nephew, :) Brother Monson:P

Brother & Sister Monson; amazing people!

He is the most Incredible man I have ever met. We basically get to see him every day. I wish I could describe him, but I promise I will try to when I get home.  He is just so... Incredible.

Missing my jeep!

Anyway, I love you very much and I am grateful for all you do for me!! I hope you have an amazing week:) I'll call you in 9 days!!!!! Also, could you send me the "footprints in the sand" poem? I would like to have it with me. It is a big thing that I just felt like I needed. So if you could do that for me that would be awesome! Thank you so much mommy! I love you:) Also, could you please send me pictures of my jeep asap?! Everyone wants to see it!

Thank you:)

                     Love, Elder Shaddick