HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!! How awesome is that!?? Nineteen years of blissful happiness ;) I hope you kids do something peaceful and relaxing. I think you are all vacationed out about now. I am so grateful for you two wonderful parents and for the things that you have taught me. I owe you everything, and there isn´t a day that goes by that I don´t think about how much you do for me and how much I appreciate you. I can´t tell you enough how awesome you both are. I am so blessed to have the parents that I have. I love you so much!!
Well I feel awful. I should have just written you a normal email last week, but since I still hadn´t seen the broadcast, I decided to just write a small one and use my computer time watching the missionary broadcast. I was definitely disapppointed that there wasn´t any emails, but I also realized right away that you had Duane and Misty coming and you had just barely got back from CA. Please don´t even worry about it. Even more, I was able to get back on the computers the next day because I was making a baptism announcement so I printed off your emails and read them that night. Don´t worry at all. Everything is fine. I am sorry for not writing you anything of substance.
When it comes to me, things are going well. We had 2 more baptisms on Friday. Emilio and Rosario, a couple with a seven year old (DANG IT) daughter. I will post some pictures. We have another baptism this week on Saturday. It is the wife of Rosario´s brother. Her name is Maribel. She is really prepared and we are excited for her. Her husband will take more time. The work is going well. We need to start finding more investigators, cause we are running out. If I end up staying here for another transfer then I will have to start finding. I really really cannot wait for the next transfer. Right now I am in week 11 of my training. So this week and next week and then I am finally finished. Thank heavens. Pardo and I are getting along pretty well, but I just want to learn from someone else. We have no idea who will stay and who will go. But we´ll see. Jordan Quinn enters the mission this next transfer. I am praying that he will come to my side of the country so that I can see him. I just want to see something from home. I can´t believe I have to wait another week to see where Spencer goes. I wish I could give you advice about the process but I don´t understand it anymore. It has totally changed. It could be whenever at this point. But it really shouldn´t take them this long. If it isn´t here by this week then there might be a problem or something.
Speaking of Spencer, I have been writing him a letter forever. But I waited to see where he goes to send it. I might as well just send it today though since I don´t want to wait another week. Tell him that I flipping hate his attitude. The mission you serve in says NOTHING about the kind of missionary they think you will be. That is ridiculous. There are good missionaries and bad missionaries everywhere. And if he wants me to give him the lecture on how flipping fantastic it would be to serve in the states I will. Not to mention speaking english. Really I have thought about it and there are wonderful things about every mission. It´s great to experience other culture and learn a language, but serving in the states would be wonderful as well. There isn´t a bad mission. Even Texas would be amazing. All of them are great, and the one you go to will be perfect for you. So stop worrying about it. It doesn´t matter where you go. What matters is how hard you work and how obedient you are. I have been surprised to find out about how many jack missionaries are in my mission. I have been blessed to have a trainer that, although he is way too obsessed about his numbers, is really obedient. But there are lots of missionaries that just don´t obey. I am super excited to find out where you are going. Although a mission is a mission, it is fun to think about it. But really the location isn´t the important thing. It´s hard everywhere. I think the best mission in the world would be Utah. They baptize so much in Utah, and the wards work like they are supposed to, and the members are willing to participate, and there is no knocking or contacting. Just references, teaching, visiting less actives, you get to go to the temple, the weather is great, food is normal, plus you never have to cook cause members always feed you, and they have cafe rio in utah, and you never have to worry about paying for a meal when you eat out cause someone is gonna end up paying for it!! And from what I have heard, arizona and idaho are really similar to that. Same with certain parts of California. So count your blessings if you get called there. If I was waiting for my call, I would be praying to be sent to Utah. No doubt about it!! The Utah Ogden mission would be heaven.
But my mission is great too. Lots of good things about it. Really Spain is great. But more important than the country is the people. They are the things that matter. The people you learn to love and care about more than anything. They are the reason that we´re doing this. And you will be called to the people that need you. That is the most important thing. Whether they be American, chilean, british, spanish, or whatever it be. That´s what matters. Personally, (and this is my guess) I think he´s going to England/Ireland. MAYBE Australia. Those are my guesses. I think he´ll speak english. I hope he has to learn spanish, but I don´t think he will. Anyway. Don´t even worry about it. I know it´s impossible. But in seven or eight months from now you will be walking down some road somewhere in the world and you will be so tired and exhausted and you will think about this time when you were so excited for your call and life was so easy and you will just laugh to yourself. I did that yesterday. It was the hottest day so far, and we were walking in the outskirts of jerez and I just started laughing. This is the hardest thing I have ever done!! It is awesome and I am loving it more and more. But it is hard. Mentally exhausting. And physically exhausting in Spain (not all missions are physically exhausting). Buckle up, Spence. I would tell you to enjoy the "fantasty" stage of this process as long as you can!! :) Really though it´s great. I am definitely enjoying all of this.
I am sorry about your computer. Really that is awful. Years of pictures and videos. I hope and pray that they are retrievable. And yes I did back up all of my pictures. The videos no, but the pictures yes. They are on my pin drive. I am super jealous of the month you guys have had. It hurts a little bit to see pictures of you guys playing in the water (which I DREAM about during the day) and eating fruit pizza. Talk about salt on the wound. There are two things that I know for sure I am doing when I get home. First thing I do is make a classic PB and J with homeade jam and jif. With sunflower sycamore bread. And then (although Í have to wait months for this) I just want to go boating. So badly. I miss the water so so so so much. I hope there will be trips to california that summer. If you guys want to pick me up that´s great, but I am totally happy just coming straight home. Elkins told me that I would quickly lose the desire to travel around after my mission, and he was dead on. I am more than happy just coming home. But we don´t need to worry about that for an incredibly long time. I am glad you guys are having such a great time with the family and everything. Spencer you better enjoy that while you have it. Please please don´t take it for granted. I totally did. Those times were so fetching amazing and I didn´t even realize it while I was living them!! That´s kind of how it is with lots of things in my life though. I am glad Duane is so willing to spend time with us. I love being around them. He really is an awesome uncle. I miss them a lot.
Well I have basically spent my whole time on this email. I want to send you a picture or two. I miss you guys a lot. Thanks for being so supportive. I didn´t want to say it, but I am secretly hoping with all my heart that spencer comes here. I know he won´t- but it would be so wonderful if he did. A guy can dream right?? I hope things calm down over there back home. How is the yard looking?? You should send me some pictures of the backyard. I am glad dad has another counselor to help him now. I hope things pick up with his work and everything. I hate thinking that my parents are sad. I just want everything to go well with you guys.
I have grown a lot in the past few weeks. I know I haven´t said a whole lot about my life here but really I have learned tons. I am growing much closer to God and understand more and more every day the importance of what I am doing. It´s crazy how much I have progressed in just a few months. But I know that I can accelerate this rate of progression, with the Savior´s help. I am really thankful for the stuff that sister lindsey gave me. It has been amazing to have and I am so grateful for her. I don´t have any time left. But thank you for everything
I love you all so much. Can´t wait to find out where he gets to serve!! Be happy!! We really are so blessed. Living here and seeing the lives of so many of God´s children, I don´t think you realize how blessed we are. Enjoy this week!! I hope it´s peaceful :)
Love, Elder Sharp
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