Luke's Letter June 29, 2009

Dear family and friends.

How is everyone? This week has been a week of change for me, but not too much. I have a new companion from S Carolina. He has a about a year out here in his mission so he has a great grasp on the language and stuff. This week has been interesting though because I’ve kinda been the one to lead us around the sector and everything until he gets to know it a little better. So we’ve been walking a lot this week, probably 5-10 miles a day I would bet, our sector is huge. I hope everyone liked the pictures I sent, they were fun to take and the Flores family really is lots of fun. They allowed me to participate in the confirmation of their daughter Carla on Saturday which was special.

A couple things for mom here- about the cd player, I haven’t seen any portable cd players here and if I did I couldn’t afford one, we have a very tight budget for food and stuff. But there are speakers I could use in our apartment and stuff. The thing would be finding a cd player plus a plug that goes with it so I don’t have to buy batteries. Also, a couple other things I would like is a couple tide pens just in case, some pen refills for my G2 pilot pens, and I’m going to need more paper eventually for my journal, the ¨Missionary Journal. Thanks. If its all way expensive don’t worry about it. My comp right now has music so I’m fine. Also mom, this weekend, 4th of July, Brittany wrote me and told me her friends are all going to be gone so she is going to be all alone, you don’t have to but maybe call her and see if she wants to hang out with you and Julie or something? I dunno, its up to you. She says she has lots of fun hanging out with you.

So this Sunday I got to give my first talk! It actually went pretty well I guess, at least people said they could understand me and everything. I might have been a little too forward in my talk though, but if I was, the stake president talked after me and he was even more direct so oh well haha. The stake president here is amazing, his talk was so great. Very direct and to the point with no going around the bushes or whatever the phrase is, I am forgetting stupid little English phrases. Oh by the way, I found a perfect nickname for me haha, its kinda ugly but when you look up what it means its perfect. Boanerg. You’ll find it in the New testament as boanerges but there’s only one of me so I had to make it singular. Its pretty awesome I thought.

I don’t have too much more to write about this week, its been a long one and a little frustrating. Hopefully the work picks up a bit more this next week. I love you all so much. Thank you telly for the letter, the pics of zoey were way cute that mom sent.
Love you all!
Luke