Hey Dad! How are you doing? I´m glad you got to spend some time with Sterl. I miss working in the yard and all that stuff. Sometimes I get a whiff of cut grass or of an orange blossom and it reminds me of home, and of good memories. Yeah, Anestacio the man who was just baptized, his last name is Ocampo. Maybe they´re related! Who knows! There are a lot of people here that are related. People don´t really move from where they are born here.
That´s awesome Sterl was able to speak in Spanish in the Liahona ward! I still am amazed that I ran into Bishop Ramirez in Cuernavaca, and again in Chilpancingo! What a small world. How are the Young's doing? Tell them both I love them and tell Jesse I´ll pray for him. I hope they´re doing well. It´s good that the ward is serving them!
Have you written my investigators yet? They have already been baptized, but it would be good for you to write them dad in your Spanish! They are awesome people.
So you know who my new Mission President is?!?!? I have no idea who it is! How do you know and I don´t? Well, I think it´s okay for you to tell me if it´s been in the church news or something.
Thanks dad for everything, especially your e-mail about the Holy Ghost. It helped me a lot!
I love you
Russell
Hey Mom!!!!!
Nachooooooo! I love that movie! ¨Sometimes when joo are grown up joo too must wear... estretchy pants.¨ Did Sterling like it? Yeah I´ve gotta say some of the things here are really like that. Just a different culture. But the people are the same!
Anestacio received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday during Elder´s quorum. I remembered yesterday that about two weeks ago I felt good about Anestacio and his progress. I remember envisioning him receiving the priesthood and being baptized. And now he has been baptized. I´ve heard that the Spirit doesn´t lie. I think the Spirit was kind of letting me know that he was gonna make it. He is willing to do anything. He´s humble and is close to God. He´s told me when he prays he feels a ¨pressure¨ in his body, in his chest. Someone in the Presidency told me they want to have him bless the sacrament next week. So I´m gonna tell him to study the prayer. He´s kind of slow sometimes, but he´s willing to learn, and he´s sincere. Those are the requirements for receiving help from Heavenly Father. He´ll be fine. I want to bring him to general conference in April. Yeah I´ve pretty much healed from the fall. I´ve picked off most of the scab, and it´s just pink flesh now. It´s looked pretty gross for a while. Man that hurt. The next day after that I felt so bad. This last week wasn´t too great for my health. I got a little sick, and I was sore from the fall and playing football. But it was a good one. On Saturday we had a baptism of a little thirteen year old. He is living right now with his aunt and uncle here in Jojutla. The family he is living with is so great, one of the stronger families in the branch. I call him my ¨chiquito hijito¨ because he is so tiny. Such a cute little guy. His baptism was simple and good. His mom came to watch, even though she isn´t a member. His uncle baptized him, and it was a sentimental moment for him. His mom was also touched by the service, and will probably take the missionary lessons. I´ve actually been doing quite a bit better with Elder Vargas this week. Just learning to relax and be his friend even when I really don´t feel like it. I am trying to think of everyone as they really are, as children of a God that created the earth! It´s easier to love people when you view them that way. He goes home in June. There are changes this Sunday, so maybe he´s gonna go. I´m not sure. We´re doing good though. I need to be more understanding and patient and EVERYTHING.
I´m not sure what to do to get the members here excited about the work. It´s hard to balance everything sometimes. The people here aren´t poor. It just depends on the part. Some people are poor, and some have pools and stuff. It depends on the part. But you can have a decent house, and then about 5 yards down the road a little shack. It´s pretty humble conditions. It´s amazing to think though that even though some people live humbly, they aren´t humble. The poor can be proud too. But they´re all good and trying to do what´s best. I´ve got a district meeting in about ten minutes, so I´ve got to go!
I love you
Russell
Elder West
