Jordan: 7/21/2011

Well, we have 3.5 days left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm super super excited to go down to paraguay and teach the people. I know it will be a very difficult experience and that the language barrier will be very difficult, but I know this is the place that the Lord needs me now, and I can't wait to get out and start teaching real people.

Not much too exciting has happened this week. It's been pretty much like every other week that I've had here. My companion still has huge anxiety issues, He doesn't want to go home anymore, but he has huge issues with "the fear of the unknown."  He wants to go to paraguay, but he's SUPER SUPER nervous about what is going to happen when he gets down there. 

Like I said, this week has been pretty similar to every other week that I've had here. My spanish is coming along. I'm nowhere near where I should be, but my spanish is coming and I can say most of the things that i want to say, even if it's not exactly how I want to say it.  We have still been teaching our "investigators" and that has been really good. I've been learning a lot and we have had some really good experiences. we've had some pretty lousy experiences too, but I think that's part of missionary work. We taught one of our "investigators" for the last time yesterday, and we had to tell her that we were being transfered and that we couldn't keep teaching her anymore.  it was super hard to just let my fake investigator go.  I can't even imagine how hard it will be to say goodbye to a real inverstigator in the field.  I'm really not looking forward to that experience at all.

I will call you all from the Dallas ariport on dad's cell phone. It will probably be around 4:30 or 5:00 I think. I'll probably only be able to talk for 10 or 15 minutes because I have to be ready to board and everything, but we'll see how much time I have when I really get there.

John- I hope all goes well with your new companion and that you continue to have success in the mission field.  keep working hard and the Lord will bless you. I've gained a huge testimony of obedience while I've been here. Not necessarily from my experiences, but from my companion. The days that he really struggles with homesickness are the days that he's not as obedient as he should be. When he sleeps in 5 or 10 minutes late or writes a letter on a day other than P-Day, or something else, those are the days that he really struggles with wanting to go home. So be obedient and the Lord will bless you.

Mom- Thank you for the cinnamon rolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they were amazing. They honestly saved my life, because all the food here makes me sick, so I pretty much eat cereal at every meal, so the cinnamon rolls were amazing and I loved them.  I'm glad that all was well at girls camp. It sounds like you all really had a lot of fun. the raccon story was pretty funny, I'm not going to lie.  Raccons are crazy animals and get into a lot of stuff that you wouldn't think they could. Also, I honestly can't imagine Lee Sim acting in a skit like he did. He is just one of the most put together people I have ever met, and I can't imagine him acting the way you described. I bet it was hilarious though.

Dad- did you get an iPad? Your last letter said "Sent from my iPad" so I was just wondering. also, it sounds like the set at centerpoint is quite impressive. If you could email a picutre, that would be awesome, but if not, that's okay.

Austin- so you really are alive. Good to know.  1. you may not like mowing lawns now, but in a year or two, you'll look back and you will be like "wow, I really loved mowing lawns and I wish my life was that simple now." Mowing lawns really is one of my favorite things to do. You have time to be alone and think about life. Mission life is great, but you never have alone time because you have a companion. Alone time is awesome. enjoy it while you have it. 2. Yes i really would pay $30 for mcdonalds. the mtc food just makes you sick after about week 5. everything tastes exactly the same and you just get really tired of it, so yes i'd give $30 for pretty much any food from the outside world. 3. READ PREACH MY GOSPEL. Actually better yet, read preach my gospel and find scriptues to back up every statement in chaper 3 (all  the lessons). I promise it will help you a ton when you get on your mission. i wish i had done this before my mission.

Natasha- i'm glad you liked girls camp. I bet seeing a snake was super fun. Ugh, I HATE HATE HATE snakes. There's a reason snakes are the symbol of Satan.  They honestly are the worst creatures in the world. Ugh...  Also, you should take Chinese. That would be super cool if you could actually learn chinese. It would be a hard class, but it would be really cool I think.

Shaylee- Why did the bat at the cabin scare you? Bats are nothing to be scared of. All they do is suck your blood and give you rabies. No big deal, Right? Just kidding. But really though, bats really aren't anything to be scared of. Have fun at the cabin this week with grant.

Well my time is up. I know the church is true. I know the lord loves us and blesses us when we obey. I know that families are eternal and that obedience is the only thing that really brings happines. I know the BoM is the word of God and it is true. It will solve any problem.

Love,

Elder Jordan Schouten