Awesome Week and Maybe last day in Raymondville

March 22, 2010

Hey Everybody!

We find out about transfers today! Idk whats gonna happen. I could totally see me leaving but at the same time Elder Horton, Hernandez and another missionary were all here for 5 transfers. We'll see. I'll try to send out a letter as soon as I know.

Anyway it was a fun week, crappy at times but fun. We had 250 contacts this week, 61 one day. Those are both records for me haha. We just talk to EVERYONE. I have seriously talked to like 2500 people here in Raymondville, pretty crazy. And even though we had a ton on contacts we still had a ton of lessons. We were able to get members out to 15 lessons and just taught a ton!!! Close to 50 lessons this week haha. Its so true that when you teach more you become a better teacher.

So I'll start off with the crappy lessons. So we took out Junior with us, who is a way good member to take out cus he knows a lot. Anyway, we take him to this girl Marissa, who we set a Bap Date with the time before. So they realize they went to school together. (Juniors 23 shes 21) So thats always good. So we teach about the BoM and about authority and she felt the spirit and started to open up and whatnot. We were in the process of extending a church commitment, and then her mom walks out and is like "Hi Im Marissa's mom, blah blah blah, we have our church" Snatches the BoM out of her daughters hand and hands it back to me. It sucked. It was honestly the best lesson we had all week and Satan ruined it. Junior said hes gonna try to talk to her on Facebook tho haha. So then, we go to another lesson with this lady Bebe. We had gotten members over there 2 times earlier in the week, and she had kinda showed some signs that she did some research online. So we were expecting polygamy to come up. Sure enough, about 5 minutes in it did. So good thing I studied it that morning so I was able to destroy that doubt, but then she kept saying all this stupid stuff about how we just need to accept Jesus to be saved. It was dumb. I got mad, I tried not to but I did get mad. It was really frustrating. She tried to say she read half the BoM but she hasn't.

Oh yea I went on splits with Elder Horton this week. It was fun, like my first transfer all over again. We had a pretty good day. And on Wednesday, Elder Guillen and I went on splits with some members. I went with Louie, who is a 16 year old kid who got baptized a few months ago, and Elder Guillen went with Junior. It was so much fun. Guillen and Junior went to our set up lessons, and me and Louie went and knocked doors. I taught Louie how to contacts, and it was pretty funny, the first door he did by himself the lady was a jerk. She was like No, Were not interested, Bam door slammed. Luckily Louie is a cool kid and just laughed about it. Hes so going on a mission.

Oh yea HAPPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER!!!!!!! You better pass your permit test boy, its so easy!

Anyway, thanks for the college bball updates, but I already know all of them. Matt sent me a bracket so I printed it out and filled it out. I got 21/32 in the first round and I mission like 7 in the 2nd round I think. Kinda crappy but alright for not knowing anything. I still picked Kentucky last summer to win it and they are so going to. There is this number we can call that tells us the updates for the sports scores, so I do that on the nights when there are games.

Mom good to hear about what your learning from church. Joe Quintero totally taught that same lesson in church. I guess Pres Ramos called him and asked him to do it. So he studies it and then planned it out, and then like timed himself teaching it to his kids with questions and everything. He's such a smart guy. It was a really good lesson. He's so cool. Hopefully he gets a calling soon. I guess the sisters are going to go teach his mom this week so thats cool.

I finished the Doctrine and Covenants today. It took me about 6 weeks I think. I didn't enjoy it as much as the Book of Mormon. I love the BoM. I am in Mosiah right now. Love it. Dad how far in are you now? Probably like Helaman? Good to hear you got a job mom, that should be fun for the summer, and hopefully set up for a job in the future.

As for Prep-Days mom, we dont really do anything. There isn't much to do in Raymondville, and we don't have the miles to go to Harlingen, and that's not even that fun anyway. We played Monopoly with the Sisters at the park one time. That was alright, I won haha. Our appartment is pretty nice, it gets the job done except for the heater/AC. They both don't work. Its whatever tho cus it isnt hot yet. I do my laundry every week mom, it costs $3 to do it now. My favorite food I have had here is Choriso, I think thats how you spell it. But we had it with Hermana Barreras homemade tortiallas and beans, it was soooooo good. I loved it. Basicly every meal with a memeber we eat with Tortiallas and beans. I love both of those now, a lot haha. I had some BBQ one time at this guy JTs house. He is a guy that lives in the sisters area but we are going to start teaching him cus the sisters dont like him. He's kinda ghetto, he's killed someone (it was self defense) and he has a huge bullet hole in his truck door hahah. True story, anyway he made us some really good BBQ one time. I usually love the food down here. There isn't anywhere cool down here accept for the Island. Also known as South Padre Island, which I think is where the Druckers go. Its basicly just a huge party. Tons of Beer and half naked people. Its a big deal I guess, its the only thing cool in south texas, but we arent allowed to go out there haha.

Well I think thats about it. It was a fun week, we worked super hard, didn't see the success we wanted tho, nobody came to church. We did everything we could to get them there tho so Im not going to worry too much about it. I love you guys and cant wait to get that package!

HAPPY Birthday TyLEr!

Love,

Elder Given