June 28, 2010

My Dear Family,

So this week has been quite the event!!!!!!! For starters.....I FOUND A COUPLE BED BUGS IN MY NEW APARTMENT!!!! Well, it is technically not new, but it WAS clean of bed bugs... and now it is not. These things are killing me... and the chemicals that I have been spraying all day onto my bed and around my room and all over my pillows are for sure not good for me either. In fact, I am trying to decide now which is worse for my health... the bed bugs or these chemicals. So yeah, we took this morning and we sprayed everything and put our mattresses into these white coverings things that we bought at Wal-Mart. Hopefully they will not be a problem for us. There were only a couple that I found...and they are not everywhere the way that it was in Bradenton, so I am not as worried...but still. I am super annoyed with these stinking things, and I am trying so hard to stay focused because they keep distracting me from the work... and that is NOT good!!!!!!

The work is going amazing!!!!! We ended up having TWO baptisms on Saturday!!!!! Juan AND Alejandro got baptized and it was beautiful! Last Monday we went over to their house at the end of the day and Alejandro told us that he had thought and prayed about it and that he felt that he was ready to be baptized now! And the way that he told us was funny because when we were walking up, he ran out of his house and said in spanish, "I am going to need a white shirt and tie immediately!" with a big smile on his face. It was wonderful and we we were so happy. The baptism was wonderful and afterwards both of them asked to bear their testimonies and they got up there and Juan thanked us for finding him and sharing with him the truth that he had always been searching for. It was so wonderful. I loved it, and the spirit was incredibly strong.

Also, the Colombian family is getting baptized this next Sunday and I am so very excited for that as well! This week could not be any sweeter!!!! Not even the bed bugs can fully dampen the glory! (Although I really loathe those creepers!...I wonder what the Lord is trying to teach me with those stupid blood suckers) But the Colombians are beyond wonderful!!!!!!! I love them and they are so great and they have such a wonderful light in their eyes.

Then the following week we have another baptism with a man named Santos Diaz, and to be completely honest.... there is something not right with him. I feel like he lies to us a lot, and when we teach him I (and Sister Murray also) have a uneasy feeling. I am not sure what is going on with him, but I am sure that the Lord will enlighten us. We scheduled his baptism with 3 weeks extra just in order to feel things out because he wants to be baptized immediately. He will be the 13th baptism that I will have had the opportunity to be a part of out here.

Also, this week is my 6 month mark, which is weird to me. I cannot believe how fast time flies by out here.....I still feel like I am going to be here forever, but I already have less than a year left out here, and I cannot believe that.

Oh, and another massive thing that is happening this week is (Dad you already know about this...) that we are getting a new Mission President! Yes, he is a Professional Golfer, and only retired like last year! Sweet huh! His name is President Bruce Summerhays. He is also from Utah, which will make it easier for me to stay in contact with them after my mission. President Colten lives in Virginia, so it will be harder for me to visit him but I still will because he and Sister Colten are wonderful and I will miss them so much! I really do love them! They are wonderful! I am super excited for President Summerhays though! It will be sweet getting wisdom from 2 wonderful men and their wonderful wives out here on my mission, and I will be with President Summerhays for a lot longer than I have been able to be with President and Sister Colten, so it will be a sweet thing for me! Everything that I have heard about him so far is super awesome and so I am very excited to meet him! He also coached the golfers at Stanford University for a while!

Oh and one more thing!!! Guess what I get to do next Saturday for a ward activity for the 4th?!?!?! GO TO THE BEACH!!!!! For my first time since being out here! Yippee! And President even said that we can wear jeans!!!!!!!! can you believe it?!?!?!? I am so excited! We have to stay far away from the water, but it will be BEAUTIFUL! I cannot wait!

Well, I love you all so much! Everyone should write me!

Love, Jenna