16 July 2012

Hey family,

  thanks for the letters Mom, Dad, and Kevin. 

Write me a quick letter! 

How is paul doing?

Is Kyle going to BYU?

love, hna tew 

Hey family,

    Kevin, sounds like you are having fun!  Enjoy your summer and good luck with the potato guns.  That sounds like a fun project.  I hope school and church and family is going well!  I miss Tanner and Nani.  and you guys too! :) I can´t believe that Tanner is able to spell some words!  Wow!

    Mother dear, thanks for the letter.  Philmont sounds like it went really well.  If you end up going to the Tetons with Kyle that would be fun.  Congrats on finishing the watering system in the garden.  That will be fun to see it.  I got your package last week.  It came super fast.  I like the puzzle letter and the bracelet you made me.  The chocolate covered raisins melted into a one big chocolatey raisin mass.  Mmmm... yum.  Thanks!  I told Hna Silva that you sent her a package.

    Dad, thanks for the letter. I love to hear from you.  Philmont sounds great!  I´m glad to hear that the Capron Tew water fight lives on. 

    Well, I have a new companion.  Her name is Hna. Martínez.  She´s from El Salvador.  She´s great!  I was so nervous.  Wednesday we got to the chapel in Managua really early because we caught a ride with someone (not hitch hiking).  Only one new hermana was coming so when we saw her we knew she was going to be my companion.  She´s really fun and I enjoy being with her.  One of my favorite moments of the week was when she almost invited our recent convert to get baptized.  She was about to do it and then I started talking about the day of his baptism and she realized that he was a member.  She told me afterwards and we laughed and laughed.  He probably would have accepted.   haha

    Enrique!  I really believe that he´s going to be baptized this month.  He tells us that this month isn´t going to pass without him getting baptized.  Last night he shared some verses with the BoM with us and he was so happy and I was so happy because he was happy.  I feel really blessed to be able to see all the changes that he has made.  Everything has changed.  We went to help him prepare a message for FHE last night, because his son always does the FHE and we thought that el papá should start directing the FHE. Turns out that he had the same idea and was already studying in his Book of Mormon to give a lesson on repentence and baptism.  So tonight, he´s going to teach his wife and five kids (all of whom are baptized except for the five year old) about repentance and baptism.  Isn´t that great!?  He´s going to be a great member. 

    The mission has a goal to baptize 60 families in one month.  At the transfer meeting hna Monestel talked about the little engine that could and how we need to believe that we can.  The thought of people waiting for us should get us moving.  We´re never too old or too young or too weak or too tired to get going on the mission.  I liked that because I really don´t have a lot of confidence in what I do.  Sometimes I think that I just can´t.  But of course I can.  No one was sent to earth or on a mission to be a failure.   I´m glad that I get to be in the Borgoña for probably 6 months.   The Monestel family is so good.  They really love us, all of them.  For the transfer meeting they had vacations so they all spoke to us.  Their oldest daughter gave her presentation in ENGLISH!!  she was nervous but it was great!

     I feel like I have made a lot of progress on my mission.  I love people a lot more now.  It really makes me sad when I see people who aren´t progressing.  Yesterday in the gospel principles class I felt happy because everyone participated and talked to each other.  They are each other´s support.  Rafael was talking with Enrique and Enrique was talking with Roberta and Alba.  I feel like I actually care about people now.  That´s a good change.  I´ve been thinking about what Christ did when he was here and how I can be more like him.  I want to have charity and faith and hope and an eye single to the glory of God. 

Well, my time is about up. 

I love you all.  I´m praying for you and I know that you all will be blessed as you live the gospel because the gospel blesses families.  I love you, family!

Love, hna tew