Fish Fish, got your Wish

Hey hey everybody!

First thing's first, congrats Bryce on your mission call!!  I couldn't be more proud of you bro.  Let me tell you, it's gonna be difficult.  Really difficult, in ways I can't even explain.  But it's so, so worth it.  So worth it.  The blessings outweigh the downfalls by 1000 times.  You will learn so much - about the Gospel, about other people, and about yourself.  You'll learn things - things about yourself as well as practical skills - that will help you for the rest of your whole life.  Tuscon, AZ that's awesome man!  Fish fish, got your wish: you're staying in the states speaking English haha.  Poor guy ;]  no no just kidding haha.  You'll love it, and I know you'll do great.  I should be getting more stamps this week or next week, so I'll get you a letter before you report to the MTC.

Ok, secondly, what the heck?  How are we almost in February of 2010 already?  This means only 1 thing - that it's Dad's birthday this week!  Happy birthday Papa Bear, you crazy 21-year-old you!  Haha but yeah, where did my 5 months on the mission go?  It still feels like I'm getting accustomed to everything, or that I just got here yesterday.  Changes came and went on Tuesday, and believe it or not, Elder Ganga and I are still both here for a 3rd change.  That's really, really rare in the mission.  3 changes with one companion is strange enough, but he has been here for 6 months already which is even more weird.  He'll have 7 1/2 months in his mission here in Ciudad del Este after this change.  And he only had 1 area before this, so that will be 2 areas in 10 1/2 months.  Insane, I tell you, insane.  But, it's the Lord's will and we'll keep working.

I'm way stoked, our zone is going to the temple in Asuncion on February 9th!  Let me tell you, you don't know how lucky you are (those of you in Vegas) to have a temple that you can visit practically whenever you want.  I miss it so bad, I'm going to want to just stay there the whole day haha.  Way stoked.

On a more sad note, I found out some bummer news last week.  We all got calendars for the year made by the mission, and they have the photos of the some 170 missionaries in the mission on top and the calendar on bottom.  I was looking at everybody's pictures from my district in the MTC, and I couldn't find Elder Short.  I said to President Callan "I think I already know why, but Elder Short was my companion in the MTC and his picture isn't on the calendar.  What happened?".  He told me that this was the mission as of January 1, 2010 and with all the complications at home and the problems he was having, he had to go home.  Poor guy.  Bummed me out the whole week.  He's going to have a lot to deal with at home as it is, and now he's got to deal with the people around him knowing he came home from his mission.  I'm going to write him this week as well.

Anyway, not much else for this week.  Still working hard, and way stoked for Bryce.  Love you and miss you all, I'll write again on Monday!

Pic - us at Pizza Hut the other week after Itaipu.  Oh yeah!

Bryan for President!