My birthday's going great so far! I got your birthday package and opened everything up. Every present was perfect. I got a bit of a cold this week so the cough drops and tissues were great, and even the headlight helped since we were doing some maintenance on our washing machine. My companion gave me one of his really, really nice ties for a birthday present. It's an Ike Behar, and he got it by trading some other nice ties he got basically for free from a Bodega, which is like a super thrift shop. The ties come in barrels by the hundred pounds, dirt cheap. There aren't any in Weslaco, but some day. Our district is planning on going over to a member's house and having ice cream and other goodies, and possibly even watching 17 Miracles, which would be awesome. I can't wait to watch Ephraim's rescue, too. Actually, the member is Sister Jenny Chamberlain, and she was in the October 2009 Ensign. (Here's the link to the article: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/10/the-member-missionary-effect?lang=eng&cid=email-shared.
You should totally look it up, and then picture her teaching gospel doctrine in the Spanish ward. The whole article is about missionary work in south Texas, and I know or have heard of a lot of the people it mentions.
Spencer and Cassidy sure sound like they're keeping busy! It's awesome that Spencer got to babysit, I bet it was super cute. And it's awesome that he and Cassidy are spending so much time out having fun with friends and stake dances and everything.
I hadn't even heard of the day of service down here, but service is definitely one thing we need to find more opportunities to do. Do you have any ideas of ways the missionaries up North have done service?
It has been raining a lot lately but an umbrella isn't really going to help on a bike. The jacket works great for keeping me dry, plus we've started getting more rides with members.
The second counselor asked me to give a talk right before sacrament meeting started (in the English ward, thank goodness.) I really just talked about missionary work and how great their joy would be just by bringing one of their friends into the gospel. Apparently it went pretty well, the Spirit was strong and everything.
The biggest thing we've worked on this week is pushing forward. Every single day is a brand new day. We can't let ourselves be held back by regrets or mistakes we've made. Instead of looking back and thinking, "I should have done this" or "I could have said this," Look forward after everything and ask yourself, "what can I do better this time?" Like a toddler taking it's first few steps, we won't be scolded or merit disappointment from our Heavenly Father. All he asks is that we push ourselves, because that's the only way to grow. Even should the jaws of hell gape after us, all of these things are for our benefit and our experience.
I love you all muchisimo!!!! I hope everything is going great up in Spokane!
~Elder Young
