Wednesday, January 26, 2011

January 19, 2011

Family! How excited are you guys right now to here about week number 2 in the great Salt Lake Valley? Man, I never thought I would end up here as a missionary, but here I am. So I get to write emails in a library, and this place has the weirdest people in the world. For example, right next to me is a guy with giant blind person glasses, but he definitely can't be blind. He's using the computer! Whatever, I love it here. I meet seriously the most interesting people, and believe it or not I'm starting to gain a little appreciation for the peeps of Utah. Even if they all hate Kobe and act as if he was a terroist, naturally I look for every opportunity to wear my Kobe shirt. And if anyone ever brings up his ol' trial days, I've looked up a few scriptures to snap back with. Needless to say, my personal study has been very effective.
So it's been another crazy week that will be really hard to fit everything in here, but I'll do my best. I'm going to start with last night. We tracted into this Native American lady named Juanita, ha ha this is kind of boring isn't it? Come on guys, don't you want to learn more about Juanita? She's been meeting with the missionaries for like 20 years, and she said that she thinks that we might be the one's to finally convince her that the church is true. Bam! I also got my first door slammed in my face yesterday by some guy in a towel. I kinda started laughing afterward, but I really do feel so bad for the people who don't have this Gospel in their lives. I just think it would be such a bummer to go through life without having any real depth or purpose, and I love having the opportunity to tell people that they definitely do have a purpose. Ok, so common misconception about Utah, like nobody is Mormon! Ok, so that's not really true, but there are tons of people who aren't. I'm not exactly sure why people would live her if they were normal dude's, but we definitely have a lot of people to teach. I commited my first baptism last night! We're teaching a mostly def kid who reads lips, and we just got used to speaking VERY slowly. Imagine someone teaching about Joseph Smith in slow motion, and that's we did. And it worked! Chance is getting baptised next week! We actually have like 4 baptisms lined up in the next couple of weeks, which we're excited for. My companions tell me something changed when I got to the area, things have been going a lot better. Which I don't really get, I haven't really done much of anything but it seems to be working. Hopefully I'm helping.
Also! We're riding bikes now! So how come like no one in our family ever really learned how to ride a bike? Or was that just me? Either way I am definitely riding bikes now, and eat it roughly every ten minutes. But this is where I actually like the snow, doesn't hurt nearly as bad! It's pretty funny actually, once you've just accepted the fact your going to fall down numerous times, it becomes a lot more fun. I also met Elder Bednar's niece yesterday, and she made me some hot chocolate. Gotta love Salt Lake. I definitely do eat like a King most nights, even though I'm in the poorer side of town, people go all out to feed the missionaries. And we're really grateful, especially after they bring out the best desserts ever. But the good news is, we do get a car every other week and I think our week starts tomorrow. You guys have no idea how happy I am for that. Bike seats stink. Perro, esta bien.
I try to go on exchanges as much as I can with the Spanish missionaries, and it's been super cool everytime I've been able to. But for now, my English is improving. We found this family the other day in the basement of somebody's home, and it was a little Latino family of 5 living in a fairly small room. My companions don't know Spanish, but they let us in and we couldn't blow a chance to help these people. So this was kind of my sink or float moment. Happy to say I think I mostly floated! The words just came, I was able to teach about Joseph Smith and how Jesus Christ's church needed to be restored just like it has been in the past, and we are meeting with them again tonight! Wish me luck family.
Thanks for all the emails from everyone! It was kind of a bummer last week, my head was still spinning from all the craziness going on and the only email I got was from my mission president. Wah wah wah wahhh. But not the case this week! Heather! How is your finger? You should really think about not using knives for a little while, make Marvelous do some cooking. He's always had the dream of becomming Jamie Oliver, and now is his chance. Just make sure he makes the funny faces when he cooks, and looks hilarious when you put him in slow-mo. Mark, how many orbs have you saved? Save more orbs, Mark! Kev, keep playing Monkey Island everyday, and just so you know, I sing the Woodtick song pretty much everyday of my mission. And Cameron has a puppy?! That rocks! Cam Cam, can you send me a picture you think? I like the name Sugar. Has she met Sambo yet? When they do, take as many pictures as you can, and send them to your uncle. And for all my neices and nephews information, I talk about you guys all the time! I always say how lucky I am to have all of you, and how much I love you. I want all 14 (?) of you to know that. Unco' Bert, your emails are always the best. I really look up to you man, and I hope all your kids are still crazy. And Miso, you know you want to go to the Dicken-palooza with Abby and Papa sometime, how could you miss out on that?
Well, life is pretty good out here in Salt Lake. I'm still figuring out the reason why I'm supposed to be here, but I know there's a reason. I really appreciate everyone praying for me, and being as awesome as all of you are. I do hope my Visa comes sometime soon, but until then, I'm plenty busy here. Aw man, just looked outside, totally snowing. I will eat it so many times today. But that's ok, because the church is true. Everytime I eat it, Heavenly Father will bless me that much more because he probably thinks it's hilarious. Hey listen family, I want to be with all of you forever. ALL of you. So do the things you know to be right, and be happy! Thanks for everything you do, and I love the all of you's.
Love,
Elder Abbott

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