Email from James - April 2, 2012


Hey family,
 
Today I am living in a Winter Wonder Wasteland.... :D Last night it got way stormy so all through last night and today it has been super windy and snowing and it is way lame. I thought spring was here finally and I wouldn't have to wear my paltas no more. But nope, the snow has returned. Ew. I fear I may not see a warm lithuania before I leave. I have my fingers crossed though. So this morning we listened to christmas music to see if that would make things more happier and it just made us more excited for christmas. Haha.
 
So yes, everything got worked out for applying to the U. The cost for it is actually 46 dollars and not 30. Thanks for getting that info for me. President Boswell was so nice on the phone when I asked if that was ok that I did that because I didn't know you had to apply and all that. It was actually a miracle how I found that out. I was talking with one of the sister missionaries about college and she said I had to apply and that the deadline date was sunday. So I quickly called president boswell and told him the situation and he said, yes get that taken care of without delay. :D He's so great. So after church, I used one of the senior couple's comps and took care of all of that. So now we will know if I get accepted or not is that they will send a letter to the home by letter. I can also check through email. I am way excited to find out because for some reason I felt like I should apply there too. I have been thinking about my "carrear choice" and it might change possibly. I still got time to worry about it later. But I think if I get accepted into UofU, I think I may want to go there rather than UVU. We will see.
 
So MOMA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! I would sing a song for you or make something yummy or clean some dishes or help out but I can't right now but I will when I'm home. Just write up a big long list of chores that need to be done around the house and I will do it. deal? :D  So whatever that fire of doom thing you got from dad sounds pretty cool but I have no idea what that is. Hahaha oh I sometimes wonder with all of the weird gadgets and cool futuristic things you can buy now, that cars will be flying when I get home and we will have a little robot who is working in the house and I will call him GIR. I think only dad will get that joke. :D
 
In church, I had my last testimony meeting and I bore my testimony for my last time. It was really weird to think as I fnished that that was the last time I would bear my testimony in lithuanian on fast sunday. Maybe I will just do it "on accident" when I'm in america. ;) I love the members here so much and I am so close to all of them. The little kids here are so funny and I am going to be so sad when I won't be able to see them anymore. The members were so nice, they all said they wanted me to come over and eat at their house before I go home. There is a less active member I have grown really close to and since I came he became my new goal to get him to come back to church and he has been coming almost every week. He wants to make cepeliniai for us before I go. He is so awesome and I am so happy he has been coming back to church more. The branch president is one of the nicest guys I have ever met in the whole world. He came up to me and gave me a side hug and said thanks. I laughed and asked for what. He said that us missionaires always bring such a strong spirit whenever we are around. :D
 
We had a "talent" activity on saturday which was so much fun. We had a lot of non-members there so we had a great way to talk more about our church. A couple of the cute little girls here showed their gymnastic skills and one of the 23 year aged girls in the branch sang some songs and played the guitar. It was really cool. A lot of the elders played some really cool piano songs they had writen themselves. A lot of talents were shown. I spoke at the end of it all infront of everybody. Pretty much just made up my little spiritual message on the spot because Elder Rich asked if I would give some spiritual thought right before the activity began. Ha, I think I have dad talent for speaking or something because I act like him whenever I am around youth because I love them so much. I talked about talents and I asked each person about how long it took them to practice those talents lots of other questions while funnily acting out what they did. :D I then talked about why we have talents and that I believe God gave us talents to make the world a better place to live. It was really fun to do. After, some of the non-members said they really liked what I said. They said I have a great "talent" for public speaking. That really made my day to hear that from people I don't even know. :D 
 
A small little miracle is what has been happening in the arronic preisthood quorum we have here. In the quorum here, it is just Simonas who is a deacon and Adomas who is a teacher. We have combined classes with them and when I first got here, only the missionaries taught the lessons. Adomas and Simonas during lessons all of the time would act really rudely and say how boring it was or wouldn't act that interested in the lesson. When we aren't in lessons, they are so great and I love them to death. They are such great guys and we have become very close. When some of the elders give lessons here, they don't act to excited and they treat it like a burdon and it shows in how they teach and act. I set a goal when I first got here that I wanted that to change. It started by having me and elder rich give lessons and I would try and think of ways that would make it interesting to me if I was Adomas or Simonas. It helped a little bit. After class one sunday, I pulled adomas to the side and talked with him for a bit. I told him he is such he could be such a great example to simonas because he looks up to him. He said he will try and be better and he knows he should. He said the classes are just boring. I asked what we could do to fix that. He said, " I don't know, maybe bring candy." hahaha. So I told him I would buy candy with my own money if he would help simonas act better in class. I then had a thought to ask if he would give the lesson next sunday. He looked surprised and said the missionaries have never asked them to give the lesson. I said I wanted him to and it would help the lessons be better. He said he would and I promised I would give him candy after he led the lesson. He did lead the lesson that following sunday and it was wonderful. He forgot to even ask if I had gotten him candy. :D So after that lesson, I asked simonas if he would give the next lesson. He was a little "active" in Adomas' lesson so I felt it would help him as well. He asked about what topic. I felt it would be good for him to teach about the sacrament since he is a deacon. He said ok and we lent him the manual. He gave the lesson yesterday and he led such a wonderful lesson. We were all so amazed. It actually brought tears to my eyes to see how he taught with sincerity and really meant what he said. I see know why church leaders get tears to their eyes when they talk about the youth of the church. That I think, was one of my personally favorite miracles I have seen my whole mission. I was so proud of him.
 
Nothing really much to tell about. It was a pretty fun week. It started off really hard but in the end, turned into a really great week. :D We will be starting to watch conference this week and I can't wait. I have heared about some of the talks and they sound great. I can't wait to see those talks that you made notes about. I love conference so much and I still enjoy reading over last conference and listening to them.

Random note, let me know about the money for the suit situation next week because I don't have much time to do that. I have been looking around at suits.

Well my wonderful family whom I love so so much, I look forward to hearing from you again next week. I can't believe either it is April. Where did the time go? hahaha. Crazy huh? I have been having a lot of fun contacting people on buses. I have a good trick because I know sit by guys who are about college age more because I ask them about what they are studying and then I explain my situation with college and then they are way interested in why I am here. I have met some great guys and it has made bus contacting so much more fun. That's one of the fun things about Vilnius, it is that you have to ride buses everywhere so I have many opportunities to meet some great people and share the gospel.
         I love you lots,
          Vyresnysis Džemsas Senfordas
 
Čia bus pranašimas jums apie tai, ką darysiu savo paskutiną pasiruošimo dieną. Aš tik rašysiu lietuviškai visą savo laišką jums. Taigi kitą savaitę bus angliškai bet kitą kartą bus pirpildyta lietuviškai. Tada, čia yra praktikavimas tam, kad galetumėte pasiruošti. :D hahaha sekmės su suprantimu. Jei bus  jums per sunku suprasti, išversiu jums kia esu sugrižęs amerikoje. Myliu jus labai ir laukiu jus matyti.  

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