November 4, 2009

Dear Family,


To to answer your questions… I am fantastic. The weather is crazy here. Sometimes it is a little chilly with a cool wind, enough to wear a jacket. Other times it is really hot. It has been very hot this last week and we are now in November. Luckily today and yesterday it cooled off, and I am afraid that I have put my last short sleeve shirt on for the winter. The food is great. I probably spent a little more than I should have these past two weeks, not too much, but luckily it was food that will last a long time. I have no problems with the food. I love cereal, which is usually what I eat for breakfast, and for lunch I will have a ham and cheese sandwich, a hand made pizza with pida bread, hot dogs, or pasta. Really Spanish huh? I haven´t really ventured off to cook something that is really exquisite, mainly because I am not good at cooking, especially here with weird measurements, and not much time to do so. We have 2 hours in the middle of the day, during what is commonly known as MEDIO DIA, to study for 30 minutes, plan for the rest of the day, and eat for about an hour. We are right now trying to make this time most effective.

I have to regret that I still haven´t received any of the packages, other than the Bible and the BYU stuff, and candy. We haven´t received pedidos for 5 weeks or so. I am not quite sure the reason, other than schedules didn´t work out to meet other missionaries half way or that we can just wait for an interview or a zone conference. Fortunately, tomorrow is both of those, the interview that we have every transfer, and the zone conference. I get to give the opening prayer tomorrow in Zone Conference, which is a little scary, but will go over fine. I am excited to get them, as I have had my cream cheese waiting in the fridge for about 3 or 4 weeks now. Luckily it doesn´t expire until January. So if worse comes to worst, I could at least get the pedidos, mail, by Christmas and still be safe. But we have been told that we will get them tomorrow. 100 percent certain. I am sad, as I fear that you had Halloween treats in there, but Elder Carr and I will have a special celebration by ourselves and roommates, and it will still be greatly appreciated. In the future I am not sure what the best way to send things is. This is the only sure and safe way, just a tad slow. In the future I think that we will be better at receiving mail at least every 3 weeks, but again, I am at the bottom of the chain, have no influence, and have no idea what is going on.

The language is great somedays and really bad other days. It just depends on who I talk to. It´s not really bad, just not where I would like to be. I can talk fine with just about everyone, and I understand just about every as well. Except for the Spaniards who have an incredibly thick accent and talk without moving their lips. It´s impossible to follow and an amazing talent that I think I would like to learn. The sound of their voice is like they have a bit of apple that they are not trying to chew in their mouth, while also trying to cough up phlegm and mucus that is stuck in their throat. It is incredible, but still is very hard to understand these people. I can speak well, more so when we are talking about the Gospel, because we do that most. But the day to day activities and just chit chat, is a little bit more difficult for me. I do feel confident thought that I can go up to someone and just talk to them, without having the fear that I will not understand them or worse, that they will not understand me. I am still going and almost desperate to improve my ability to speak the language, so that I can continue to feel more confident, contribute more during lessons, and be able to focus more on others, rather than myself and be preoccupied about trying to communicate clearly. Todovia estoy en ello, pero tirando. Tirando is a term they use here that means, just going. Working and going, not giving up.

Have a great week, keep doing everything that you do so well like you are.
I love you,

Elder Driggs