Email From James - September 5, 2011

We had a way fun preparation day last week. We rode bikes to the hill of crosses again. It was a lot of fun and we got some more funny pics. The weather was way good. Ah I miss riding bikes so much. :D We also got so see a bit of some jazz music on saturday. We decided to gets some kababs and eat outside and watch a jazz group that was playing. Elder Lindell used to play in a jazz group so he was flipping out about it so we watched them for a while. It was pretty fun. They had some huge festival this whole weekend so there was a lot of craziness going on all week and weekend. That was a lot of fun dealing with all the drunks. Ugh I hate alkohol so much. Thankfully it's all over and school has started so there won't be so much choas outside, hopefully. An investigator of ours just had her baby, she has been taught by the missionaries for a long time. So we went by with some of the members and went to go see her. She really wanted us to come by. She loves the missionaries. It was so fun to go over and see her little baby boy. It made my day cause this past week has been kinda hard, but seeing that little baby made it a little better. He was way cute and we got some pics. :D It made me think back to the day when parker was born and how exciting of a day that was and way back to when anna was born. I laughed caused I rememberd how loud she was screaming and when mom wanted me to sit by her on the med-bed and I was terrified of that bed thing. :D

That's way cool you are going to have a missionary focused sunday in two weeks. You'll have to let me know how that goes. I know one message I am going to tell all the young preisthood when I get home and that is to study preach my gospel early and learn the scriptures because it's kicking me in the but and I have been out for a while. I can barely find scrips and what to teach from Preach My Gospel. It's hard to remember scrips and then think about the lesson to teach in another crazy language. Haha. Don't expect me to be a scripture wiz when I get home. :D

That's way fun mom suprised you with your date night in downtown. I can't wait to spend a day in downtown. It sounded like you had a lot of fun and that there have been a lot of changes made around there. If you can't find a journal that's fine. I can just buy one here. Also a little heads up incase you didnt' send a package off yet, transfers are next week. They changed the date of transfers and it's going to be next week so just incase you haven't sent it off, just wait til I find out what transfers are. If you did already, it's fine. I should get it before transfers.

That's way funny about the van and the magical garage doors. Hahaha those are going to be so amazing to see after the mission. I can't imagine how they used to be. It's rare to see a garage door in lithuania. Hahaha since the toilets flush differently, we were talking about how to flush toilets in america. Elder Lindell and I couldn't even remember. Elder Kezele told us laughingly and it was weird for us to imagine the little metal thing on the side of the toilet instead of a button on the top. Anyways haha, The new van sounds like it is working pretty well and you are all liking it. It will be fun to see it after the mission.

Ah Parker!! I'm so glad you told me what he does and says about me. :D That made my day. I miss him a ton and tell everyone all about him. Tell him I can't wait to see his rollerblades after the mission. :) I carry a picture of all you everywhere I go and I have had some good opportunities to tell people about you all.

There isn't much to report about this past week. We have been trying to find people to teach. It was a pretty hard week for me personally but today is a new day and it's the last week of the transfer. We have a lot of lessons this week so we will be kept busy. God gives us trials and we have to endure to the end and rely on him. It's hard to change but it's all for our good, as I said. I thank you so much for keeping me in your prayers and always being there for me. Sometimes it feels like there isn't anyone out there who cares about us, or sometimes me, in a country where not many people like us. I got a harsh reality of that this past week but it's not worth going into details. But it's just the advesrsary just trying to bring down a glorious work, which will never happen. I'm so happy to be serving here and love it every minute. It's the Best Two Hard Years. :D There is a story that has stuck out to me this past week. It was in an older ensign I read that was in the apt. It talked about some forest fire fighters who had been called to put out a fire. They landed in the spot where they were supposed to be. They knew that their chief was going to radio them where to go to put out the fire. The landed and tried to radio their cheif but got no reply. They waited for about a half hour for another chance to hear from the cheif but no communication came. They ended up just waiting, taking their lunch. A few hours later a firefighter came running up, covered in ash and dirt from the fire and yelled at the guys why they hadn't helped out. They told him that they were waiting for a call from the cheif of where to go but hadn't gotten the call. The other fireman took the remote and walked 20 yards and was able to get a signal. He came back and told them they were in a dead spot and had to just move. They were dead weight. Sometimes in our lives we have dead spots. We wait around for God to tell us something to do. We feel we have to be lead on what to do next, what to study next, shown how to grow. God, at times, wants us to make a move forward on our own. We have to take that step of faith into the darkness when there is no light. It becomes an act of faith and trust in God that He will help us when times get hard. That's kinda how my last week has been. It's kinda transferring to this week and I'm hoping it won't last too long. Press forward in faith! :)

I love you all so much and I can't wait to hear from you next week. :D Emails from you are the greatest part of the week. It gives me an extra boost for the upcoming week. :D

Love,
James