Elder Henry 9/12/11

Dear Mom,

I'm glad you enjoy my letters :).  I'm always worried that I don't send enough details because of the limited time and my lack of attention to detail. 

I'm glad that Spencer is having a blast playing tennis!

I did not get to do my online portion yet.  Its rough waking up every morning hoping that today will be the day that I get to do my online, and going to bed disappointed.  It's a surety that I'll be reassigned at this point.  It takes about 4-6 weeks after you get your online before you get your actual visa (from what we have observed, but even that is a very weak trend). 

This past week has been pretty rough on our district.  All of us have been getting pretty stir crazy.  Being cooped up in the same building for 10-12 hours a day is hard to do.  So there has been some friction, but with some good problem solving it seems the peace has returned.  Its really quite rough because we have a couple of Elders in our district that have a really hard time being here.  They haven't quite figured out that it is time to grow up, they are still stuck in high school and can be quite the bullies.  Hopefully we will be able to continue to help them grow into the missionaries that the Lord has called them to be.

Elder Henry's Spiritual thought for the week!  This morning for Personal Study Time I have been trying to read the Bible cover to cover, and I was reading in Exodus 32 about the Children of Israel building the golden calf to worship.  I was trying to figure out what on earth would posses you to do such a thing?  All Heavenly Father asked of you was to sit here for a little bit and wait for Moses to come down from the Mountain.  Then I started to think, how many times has Heavenly Father told us to just sit and wait for a little bit.  How often does he ask us to be patient but instead we get caught up in what we need right now.  I'm sure the Children of Israel had sick children, or didn't know what to do on the sabbath, or something really hard for them came up.  So they started pestering Aaron and he had no idea what to do.  So thus came the Golden Calf.  When we ask the lord for help we need to have the patience to wait for the answer, lest we build out own Golden Calves.

Portuguese is always quite the rollercoaster.  Its really rough trying to study hard knowing that in a week from Wednesday I'm going to get my state-side reassignment.  Hopefully I won't forget it all by the time its time for me to go down to Brazil.  I keep hearing of awesome missionary stories from Brazil.  I'm so excited to be able to serve down there, I just hope my visa comes.  But perhaps I need to touch the souls of someone in the United States first.  Wherever I go I know the Lord is there with me.

I don't think I know Elder Teuscher, they stuck the new districts in different branches because our Branch is already the largest in the MTC at over 100 missionaries. 

I love to hear about other missionaries missions.  Also if you could get me their address when you forward them that would be awesome.

I hope you are all having a great time back home.  Enjoy your week!

I love you all,

Elder Henry

Dear Dad,
For sure I can see that light at the end of the tunnel.  Only 15 more days here, not that we are counting down or anything.  Only 9 days until we get our reassignments.  Happy Birthday!  I was going to send you a card in the mail but all the cards in the bookstore were super lame.  So instead you get a Happy Birthday email.

Its funny it has actually been pretty rainy for September in Utah.  Its always warm in the afternoons but not the blistering sunny days that I had when I first came to college.  Looks like an early winter this year.  I was about to say fortunately I'll be out of here by then, but with my luck I'll be headed to Salt Lake City, South for my reassignment. 

Finally got started painting the house eh?  You've only been talking about it for what 3 years now?  I have successfully dodged that responsibility :P.  Although right now that actually sounds fun.  Its amazing how much your attitude changes when you have nothing to do but study Portuguese and the Scriptures.  You get so excited about the smallest things.  For instance basketball has become an intrinsic part of my life now.  Its funny how many of my journal entries start out, "Basketball was awesome today!"  or "I couldn't make a freaking shot at Basketball this morning".

I hope you have been enjoying Doctor Who for me.  Sounds like you have an epic season to look forward to.

Love you lots,

Elder Henry