Second Email From Maren on April 7, 2010

Maren sent a second email just for me (Ty).  I liked it and want to share it with everyone.  The first part is my original message.  The second is her reply.  With this message goes a request for you to start sending Maren tokens of your affection.  It doesn't have to be much.  Just being remembered is the important part.

Hi Maren.  This weeks letter is going to be very short, as I'm currently working on passing a kidney stone.  The doctors have me on a lot of pain killers.  Your mom says I'm the ultimate space case and thoroughly dopey.

I just wanted to write and tell you that I love you. I'm proud of you.  I pray for your success.

Your mom says she will write with the news of the family.

Is there some type of goody you'd like for us to send to you?  I made bread the other day and I thought of you.  Not sure what condition a loaf of bread would reach you in, but if there is something you want, please let me know.

Work hard.  Study hard. Keep the rules.  Try to love your companion.  Love all you meet and teach.  Even killer bunnies.  Remember your prayers and make them meaningful.

Love,

Dad

Yep, you're dopey.

I'm sorry about the kidney stone. I've been having a hard time drinking enough water, too. I carry a bottle with me, but I hardy ever drink. I don't drink in appointments (because we have to be careful of the whole food-pride thing) and I drive so I don't in-between either.

As for goodies, bread would be wonderful, maybe you could plastic-wrap some rolls, and them send them packed in a paper-lined box?

To tell the truth, out in the field, what you get doesn't matter so much as getting something. For example, elder Trujillo got a purple and pink stuffed snake. he loves it, and it's always in his car. He doesn't like snakes, or stuffed animals, and he hates pink, but someone went to the trouble to get it for him, so he loves it. As missionaries, we're hardly ever wanting, so it really is "the thought that counts."

I hope you get well soon. Drink lots. I miss you, and pray for you.

Sincerely,

Maren

Email Received April 7, 2010

General conference was awesome. I liked Saturday best, end evidently, the priesthood session was "one of the best," according to President Monson. However, something kept bugging me, and I didn’t really figure it out until Sunday. I realized, as I listened to all the familiar voices, and felt the special spirit, that I wasn't used to being in a church building for general conference.

I was used to being at home.

I'd be sitting on the couch, drawing or something, and someone would be sitting on or near me, while someone else played quietly on the computer. Someone else would be in the kitchen, making sandwiches for themselves and Tegryd, maybe for everyone.

I started crying. Luckily, the room was dark, so I don't think anyone saw. Still, I really just wanted to be home, for a little bit.

This has been an up and down week. We've dropped a lot of people, So we don't have deep back-up plans. still, the next should be better. a lot of people who went back to Mexico for Semana Santa (Holy Week, including Pascual for Easter) should be coming back.

Today, we have plans to take the English young women tracting. Since these girls are seriously considering serving, this should be fun.

We've nailed down an alcoholics anon. for one of our investigators. The problem: it's in St. Catherine's catholic church. Wish us luck.

Love you all and hope that you're being good missionaries, too!

La Hermana Jones

Email March 31, 2010

Still on the finding side of our cycle, we were knocking door the other day, when a little white rabbit hops by us.

Huh?

The rabbit hides behind a tree, watching us carefully, but not fearfully. We continue knocking doors, the rabbit preceding us by one or two houses for most of the street. He's obviously not a wild bunny, but neither will he allow us to get close to him. I make a fool of myself by calling "here bunny bunny," quietly. Did not work, obviously.

Finally we knock this one door. The rabbit is hiding under the car, about three feet away. After they politely decline our offer, we ask if they know anyone in the area who may have lost a rabbit. They explain that the rabbit is theirs, and that they let him roam free. Evidently, he always comes home again.

At this point, the rabbit hops away, back the direction we had come.

Later that same evening, we talk with a catholic lady. She is well educated in her religion, and surprisingly in other religions as well, although she has never been to an LDS service. She Geniealy gives us catholic 101 (which I actually needed). After that we ask if we can leave with a prayer to bless her house. After fixing some confusion (she was ready to do the lord's prayer) I offer the prayer. She then asks if she can pray over us. She puts a hand on each of our heads, and begins to pray, asking the lord to bless our work, and provide us with the revelation we need to teach. She asks him to help us find people to teach, and to bless us with health and strength, and ended in the name of Christ. Even though she wasn't a member, I could feel the spirit was with her. It was a strong reminder to me that our prayers are answered based on our faith in Jesus Christ, and that God answers ALL prayers according to our faith, not according to whether or not we're baptized members of his church.

That's all for now. I've gone way over time.

Sincerely,

Hermana Jones

Email March 24, 2010

As I'm sure father laughingly reported, we got more snow this week, and on the first day of spring, no less. It SHOULD be the last of this winter. We all blame Pres. Doll because he said he hoped it would snow one more time.

I freely admit I've been very negligent with my camera. I won't be able to print you pictures this week, but next week I should be able to. Regrettably, I have no means to e-mail pictures: the computers here at the library do not have SD card readers, and are frozen, so that I cannot install drivers for my camera.

I am sorry for not giving you more heads up for the Video. We never know what is going on the blog.

Everyone has a cage of birds outside the house. They croak at us whenever we pass by. While we've seen several parrots, none of them talk, which is sad. I want to talk to a parrot in Spanish.

Hope springs eternal. We’ve got to find someone eventually, right?

Hermana Padilla has been in for some hard knocks this week. I'm very blessed to have a hearty appetite - generally; I can eat like an elder. Hermana Padilla cannot. We’ve been having some interesting dinner appointments as a result.

Not much else to report. We've really not done that much this week.

By the by, several elders have a copy of what is named the "Nashville Tribute" CD. The songs are amazing, and focus on the story of the early church... but they are NOT motab, by any stretch of the imagination. My favorites are "Say Uncle," an instrumental that is dedicated to the Smith brothers and their legendary place as stick pullers, and "Sleep," which is dedicated to all the pioneers who died crossing the plains.

Also popular are soundtracks to Braveheart and Mulan. The mission is just plain odd, sometimes.