My Thanksgiving was alright :) Very low-key because no one in Spain celebrates Thanksgiving. The gravy packets got there that same day!! It was perfect :) Thank you so much mom!! The stuffing turned out. It was different than hers (grammy's) but it was good. I spent a ton of money on that dinner but I was glad I did it. Everything I made turned out really good. The green bean casserole was a tiny bit bland, but that´s ok. I will add more salt next time. The mushrooms turned out perfectly. Which really made me happy. Sometimes I impress myself. :) Elder Chapple was in charge of the potatoes (he thinks that being from Idaho automatically gives him the duty to make potatoes) but they didn´t turn out so hot. I had so much else to do that I just didn´t think about the potatoes but man I should have helped him. I did it a lot during college and mine always turn out great. Not all Idahoans can cook potatoes. But that´s ok. I ended up cooking the entire meal. Except for potatoes and rolls :) The Hermanas brought rolls and they were pretty good. Nothing like Williams family rolls, but they tasted good :) Elder Bird brought meat, and I cooked it in the church. He bought turkey breasts instead of chicken breasts, so I guess it was a little more Thanksgivingish. And then we roasted a small little chicken in the oven, that turned out good too. I bought corn and some lima bean looking things that weren´t lima beans, but it was good. I spent 30 euros (42 dollars) on the meal. It was a success. But I am excited to never have to do that again. Well maybe one more time. But after that NEVER again. I am NEVER going to live more than one hour away from my parents. What we learned from this experience is that Preston can hold his own in the kitchen, and that from now on his help should be requested in the cooking of the meal, instead in the cleaning up of it ;)
That all took place on Tuesday. On Wednesday we dropped Elder Bastian off at the Bus Station and spent the day moving a little and then picking up the new elders. We couldn´t move in on Wednesday because the Hermanas still hadn´t moved out. So Wednesday we slept in our old piso with the other two elders, and then moved the next morning. I really like our new piso. The dryer doesn´t work very well, and is incredibly loud, and the water pressure is awful, and there is no hot water in my shower, but it is a super nice piso and feels really homey. I really have nothing to complain about when compared to living circumstances of other missionaries.
When it comes to skype, I am totally fine spending the whole hour with everyone. I am glad that you guys are getting the extended skype package, because I really wanted to skype with Spencer. So I will be content with whatever happens, I just need you to tell me what time to be on. We have tons of people that keep inviting Elder Chapple and I over for Christmas, so we think we´re going to have to house hop. But the only thing that matters to me that day is seeing you, so let me know what time works best for all of you and Spencer.
This week was an alright week. It was very busy and we didn´t teach as much as usual. But things worked out and it ended up being an ok week. The new elders here are...good. I like the younger one, elder Church. And the one who took Bastian´s place is Elder Lopez. Who is nice. The new DL is Elder Vosters who is Church´s comp. He only has 3 transfers left.
This week J G came to church. He is a great guy, but so incredibly difficult to teach. If my testimony of the BoM hadn´t been formalized so much, I don´t think I could do it. He isn´t rude or anything, but he just looks for the tiniest things to prove that it isn´t true. He is so suspicious yet he claims to be open and tells us that he is reading the BOM just like he reads the bible, with an open heart and a questioning mind. (it is so weird to translate things into english). But during church I was sitting next to him and he kept doing all these weird things like taking pictures of the priesthood circle they did to confirm a new member, and then writing down things to look up about things people said. He even wrote down the numbers that were on the sides of the front stand on his little note pad and asked me with a super suspiscious tone ¨what do these numbers mean!!?¨ and I was like ¨those are the numbers of the hymns we sang, bud. tranquilizate!¨ Some people are just so crazy these days. We had two other investigators in church yesterday too. But I don´t know how promising they are. We´ll see though :) It´s a 19 year old girl named M and her 24 year old ¨friend¨ named M. He has stars shaved in his hair and earings and even a tooth piercing. And a huge rat tail jedi braid thing. I really can´t stand that whole jedi braid fad that is still going on. But he is a nice kid. I hope he will listen to us. I like him a lot. The gospel can touch the heart of anyone, no matter who they are or what they do. And looks don´t mean anything either.
Thanksgiving day we moved and then helped the hermanas move. Then we went to McDonald´s for Thanksgiving. Yep. It was nice to be with Americans but yeah. Clark was like ¨let´s go get food right now!!¨ and then I was excited but of course the hermanas chose mcdonalds. They LOVE that place. I swear they eat two or three mcflurries a week. But it felt american, and that is what mattered :) We even went around the table (only four of us) and said what we were grateful for. It was nice.
When it comes to your week, I am sorry. I have been thinking a lot about parenting in relation with the way God parents us. We learn things about this from the parable of the prodigal son. I really want to read that book you were talking about a while ago, about satan´s war against agency.
I am glad that you are going on the cruise. I totally understand your fears, and I think it is completely normal to feel the way that you do. But it´s something that you should face. Especially if you feel vulnerable because of it. At least you tried to put forth the effort. I think you will be glad you went. Especially because it is only two days long. Although I am surprised you´re going on a mexican cruise. Be safe!!
Right now I am in the beginning of 3rd Nephi. I haven´t read very much this week. But I am still loving it. The Book of Mormon is incredible. I am excited to get back in the normal swing of things because this week was quite odd. Anyway.
I love you all so much. Thank you for your support and encouragement.
Only 23 more days!!!!
love, elder sharp
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