Sept 7, 2011

La familia Gleed,

HOLA! How is it going everyone? I appreciate all the packages and letters I have received. All of the Elders were super jealous of me because I got all of the packages in one day. It sounds like you all are doing very well. So Dillon is going to homecoming huh? Reminds me of when I went to homecoming for the first time my sophomore year when I was....15 *cough cough* Anyways! Im sure Mom remembers that pretty well! How is School going for everyone? Hopefully great! Lots of homework yet? Make sure you let me know whats going on in your lives! By the way im trying to write as many letters as I can on Pdays so be patient ha. There is hardly anytime to do anything on Pday so I try to write as fast as possible to everyone.

Well I will tell you about my week. On Thursday We had a big Spanish meeting/Workshop thing for all of the Spanish speaking elders and sisters in the mission. It was pretty good and I learned a lot about teaching specifically hispanic members and how to use my time more wisely when studying Spanish. Hopefully it pays off! We have been teaching a ton of lessons the last couple of weeks so we have been really busy! We pretty much just taught all day both members and investigators on Friday and Saturday. Up here we are able to use the Visitor Center at the temple which is super cool! We bring our investigators here and the Sisters teach them with the resources here at the VC. We also had a ward Mission Activity on Friday. The members were able to learn more about the Kindoms of Heaven through different rooms we had designed to represent each of the 3 kingdoms. It was really cool! Francisco(got baptized 2 sundays ago) has been doing great, he actually got confirmed this last Sunday and I am the one who confirmed him....IN SPANISH! ha can you believe it? It was super intense and a really neat experience! Francisco is a great kid and he really has that desire to change his life and follow JesuCristo. He has been looking up all the Missionaries on facebook trying to figure out our first names and I guess he found Elder Croft and I ha. On Sunday we also had a special Spanish Noche de Hogar (family Night) at the Matsumori's house. It was super good! We have a lessons games and delicious food made by Sister Matsumori. Delicious! We actually had one of our investigators, Jose Paz (he is a Dad with 4 kids, his wife and kids are baptized and go to church but he is not a member) to go. He went without his wife and with all of his kids so it means he really wanted to go! and He had a great time! Then everyone showed up for the Combined ward BBQ on Monday. It was raining all day but we still had a blast, everyone was soaked. We played tug of war and ate a ton of food (of course, its the spanish way) Hermano Paz and his family had a great time! Were going to be teaching him again soon and we are going to give him a baptisimal date. Cross your fingers he says yes! Also on Monday I went on with exchanges with one of the zone leaders, Elder Edwards. He is a really good kid from Draper he will be going home in December. It was a ton of fun, we went to a members house and ate delicious food and then just went and did missionary work. He is a really good kid and I learned a ton from him. yesterday (tuesday) was kind of tough actually. First of all it rained all day so we were soaked. And it was cold! Elder Croft let me wear one of his sweaters ha. And then Im pretty sure we talked to every chinese person in the state of Maryland yesterday. We knocked forever and the only people that answered were chinese. Ridiculous! We only taught one lesson and that was with Francisco. We are preparing him to receive the priesthood and he is super excited about it! Hopefully in a couple of weeks! As for today, its still raining and we havent really done a whole ton except shop. I bought a sweet calender with some cool pictures of the temple that I think I will just send home or keep for the pictures because its a 2011 calender. But hey it was only 2 bucks!

I hope everything is going well at home and that you guys are enjoying life! Last night we had dinner at the Bishops and we talked a little bit about adversity and how sometimes life is just tough and gets you down. Elder Croft and I found this awesome scripture in D&C 58: 2-4. It says something like after much tribulation comes the blessings which is true! The best thing you can do during tough times is get on your knees and pray for help. And then after get up on your feet and get to work! Keep working hard and making the most out of everday, read the scriptures, in them we find so much hope and guidance! I started reading the new testament the other day and I love it! I figured if I want to become like Jesus Christ, I need to do the things he did, and if I want to do that I need to know what He did! ha So I started reading and im loving every minute of it! When you guys get the time I would love to hear your testamonies! Just send me an email or letter if you can! You guys are amazing and I love you! I know your striving everyday to do whats right and as you continue to do your best you will only receive blessing from it! I cant wait to hear from you again! Have a great week and remember to smile! :)

Love Elder Gleed