Email from James - November 1, 2010

Hey Dad, and everyone,

   So today is "All saints day" which is a major holiday in lietuva where everyone goes to cemeteries and puts candles at all of the graves. So, everywhere is closed except for the mall. We went all over trying to find a place to email. Then one of the members called us to help her move. There are some other lady members here so we have been helping them move most of the morning. Then they said we could use their laptops. So that is most likely going to be our p-day for the day. :D I need to work out my arms a little, even though I lift weights everyday. lol
    
So with the change of times, the sun goes down very very early! We were carving pumpkins/lunch break then we noticed outside, and it was pitch black. And it's going to get darker and darker still. haha it's very weird. So ya, our halloween was pretty fun. Elder Leishman and i carved pumpkins so it was a lot of fun. :D I will email pics next week. 
    
Before I forget, mom emailed and said that you were going to mail my shirt with some cd's and the charger probably this week. If you are, do you think you could send a new journal for me. Preferably one that looks like the one I first had. I really like how it's a darker color and a really cool style. They don't sell journals here, surprisingly, so could you send me one. If you can't I can probably buy a notebook journal thing they sell here. They are like journals, so I guess they do have journals but they are kinda pricey. BTW the package hasn't come yet. I think it will probably take another week to get here but you never know :D It comes when it comes.
    
So I have to address this issue, you said that the elders where over with bro. ashton and some kids trick or treating. So where the elders out trick or treating? if so oh man we all flipped out cause that is so bacho(bad). I told them about that and they were like what!!!!!! and I was like I know. hahaha. Make sure them american elders are working. hahah.
     
I got a sweet coat!!! We went to the Turgus, pretty much like a huge flea market. Grandpa would die to be here cause they aren't old or used things. They are new but for way cheap prices. But they have everything!!!! It was over a mile longs of rows and rows of shops. I will attach a pic of me in my new coat next week too. I love it cause it was for a way good price and it's fitted. They lady was so awesome who helped us. I bought a way nice scarf, let me just say the scarfs here are so good looking and way nice, for way cheap. So as i was buying this coat, she put another nice scarf around it. So I told her I didn't need it but she said, " you don't want a gift?" It was so nice of her. But ya I love my new coat to death. Elder Leishman always gives me a hard time about it cause I love it so much. He only does cause he is jealous. :D
     
So we have been working with an investigator who the missionaries have been working with for a long time. He has a problem with alcohol. We taught him a couple of times last week and we set a baptismal date. He has had so many baptismal dates. So we were working with him and he said he wants to be baptized and he knows the book of mormon is true and everything. So he committed to come to church on sunday, cause he needs to be clean of alcohol and come 3 times in a row to church. He said he would. He didn't show up again to church. He finally emailed us back and said he drunk again so that was why he didn't come. Then he started acting like he didn't care if this church was true, cause all the churches sound the same. Ugh, it is so hard when you get someone so close then they just drop it. We are still working with him though and pray he will want to do it. It's hard for someone to give up old traditions and start new ones that ask you to be better. 
    
We haven't gotten ahold of our other investigator we found a couple of weeks ago. His phone never works and he hasn't called us. So we went and stopped by his home but he wasn't there. So we wrought him a note and said we would come by tomorrow and left our number. We went back the next day. The note was gone so we were hoping he would be home. He wasn't and he hasn't called us back. We will keep trying though.
    
Let's just say it's been a really hard few weeks. We have had no success in finding our teaching. I can see why a lot of missionaries become fluent so quick is because they teach a lot. I wish we could teach more. I'm not lacking the faith cause I know that there are people out there who are ready to hear the gospel. The other elders found a way solid guy who is 23. He is just awesome and already has a baptismal date. I had a chance to talk with him and he is really cool. I hope he gets baptized. He would be so awesome to have in this branch. :D
     
So I loved those pics. Parker looks so awesome with his moustache. hahah. I got a kick out of it. Also I loved how he told the ward about me in his program. I'm always so glad to hear he talks about me and what not. He's such a stud :D 
    
Thanks for telling the members about me dad. I liked how you put it lol. :D I can't wait to get the package. 
     
Well i'm off to eat whatever the members have made us. :D I can't wait to hear back from you. I love you all so so much and keep you in my prayers. 
          Su meile 
              V. Sanfordas