I wish you could see Nicaragua. It`s beautiful. There are banana, lime, orange, and mango trees. There are palms!

I`ve hitchhiked,  roasted marshmallows, played with little kids and introduced lots of people to the Book of Mormon. 

November 14, 2011
Happy Birthday Nani!
Happy Birthday Mom!
Thanks for the emails Dani, Mom, Dad, and Cheryl! 
    Kevin I got your Dear Elder last week.  I hope school is going well  Tell me how it is going
    Mary Katherine, can you forward this to Regan?  Regan, thank you for your letters and pictures.  I got two last week a card and the photos of your sister`s wedding!  I wrote you about 3 weeks ago but I didn`t actually send the letter until a week ago.  Thanks for being a faithful friend! 
     I`m excited to get a recording from you all Dad!  It`s okay if I don`t get the package until after Christmas.  I don`t know how I`ll actually feel on Christmas, but right now I don`t really care if I get the package on the 25th or in January.  I`m excited to talk to you all.  In less than one week I will complete four months on my mission.  I know I have a long time left, but it`s crazy to me that I`ve been here that long.

Hna Sobeyda!   Hola!     Estoy feliz que usted me escriba!   Masatepe es perfecto.  Tenemos un investigador que esta dejando de fumar y tenemos otras investigadores tuanis.   Pero siempre hay mas trabajo.  Espero que ustedes esten felices !  Cuanda van a ir al templo?   Diciembre?  Mando Saludes a Hna Carmen Axelito y Abel.  La Quiero Mucho!  Hna Tew
(forward to Hna. Sobeyda please Mother!)

Hi Grandma, I  hope that you are doing okay!  I heard about your fall and  I`m sure it`s been kind of rough.  But I`ve been thinking about you and praying for you too!  I wish you could see Nicaragua.   It`s beautiful.  There are banana, lime, orange, and mango trees.  There are palms!   I`ve hitchhiked,  roasted marshmallows, played with little kids and introduced lots of people to the Book of Mormon.  Our mission is trying to focus more on the Book of Mormon since it`s the evidence for everything we believe.  It`s the way we know the church is true because its the way that we receive personal revelation together with prayer.  This week my companion and I worked in splits.  It`s always humbling to go on splits because I can`t rely on my companion.   I have to do my best and trust that the Spirit will help me, my companion, and the people to whom we speak.  I am getting better at contacting people but its still kind of rough.   I always feel happier after I contact someone, though. Love, Marybeth

An excerpt from my journal  What I've been learning:  We can't control a lot of things, but we can do our best with what we have.  I can't control all, but I can control if I go to bed on time.  I can control how many contacts I make.  I can control my personal study.  I can choose to be patient.  I can choose to think positively about my life and my opportunities.  Another thing I've been thinking about is how I want to be if I have the opportunity to train or when I am a senior companion.  (Thanks for  the suggestion, Dad).  I want to be happy and share everything pretty much equally.  I want to be humble and listen to her ideas.  I want to trust her and gain her trust.  I want her to feel important and valued.  I want her to feel loved.  I want to congratulate her in her successes.  I want to share and make goals with her.  I want to talk about life, everything with her.  I want to  focus on the good that she offers and try not judge.  I want to learn from her and apply everything good that she is and has.  I want to support her in hard things, and I want to ask for her help  in all things but especially the things I cannot do well.  
    Dani I hope all goes well with your mom, and you and little critter.   I`m putting down 10 cordobas that it`s a girl.  That`s less that 50 cents.
    Kyle.  I'm sure you'e already realized this but I think the opportunity to have Thanksgiving in Turkey is too good to pass up. I hope you have fun doing whatever you decide to do. 
     Mom, I`m glad that I have those shirts from Columbia.  They`re great.   I love all the shoes I brought.  Tom`s deodorant is awesome because there are no stains from sweating.  I've heard good things about the salts that they sell or something like that.  Thanks for telling me about Sarah Cotton I was going to ask about her but I forgot.  I know there are a bunch of missions but Rachelle Romney is in Antofagasta.
     Dad It sounds like life is good!   I hope all goes well with the town houses and retiring.  I`m really looking forward to  hearing your voice.  I was going to suggest that you could  record something on the MP3 player, but I decided not to.  I`m glad you read my mind.  I guess Dads can do that. 
Today we went to Diriamba (our zone only our zone) and listened to a presentation by Pres Monestel about the BoM.  Afterwards  he and Hn Monestel played soccer with us and then we went and ate pizza!  Woohoo! 
    I`ve been happy but also pretty stressed this week.  I`m trying not to make myself sick, though.  It`s been a good week.  We need to focus more on families so that we can baptize a family in December.  Hopefully Ernesto and Rosa can be baptized.  Eddy, will be baptized next Saturday. 
I love you all!  I wish I could write more.  I`ll send a really short letter this week!
Love love love Hna Mb Tew