Email from September 26, 2011

Yo what up!

First of all, Happy birthday Holly! I hope you had a wonderful week.. You deserve it. Then this next week better be good, cause I better deserve it, my last birthday on the mission!

So it sounds like everyone had a pretty good week. Mom, you got to find out which General Authorities are coming to our stake conference. That is so cool you are in charge of the food. Don't give them food poisoning! :) No pressure though... hahah

This week for me was very bitter-sweet. Very bitter at moments and very Sweet at moments... Got to love the mission eh?

Start with the bad. They four baptismal dates we had for this upcoming weekend (October 1st) all dropped. Shawn and Nicole had a bunch of things fall right at the wrong time. They are going through a tough time. We are praying for them and hoping that all will end well. I have loved going over and teaching them. Shawn has been amazing at recognizing the spirit. We have a good connection with them. It is really neat to have and see the gospel work in their lives.

Dusty, had a trial come up. Tithing. The circumstances that came up are very difficult. He only gets money from the govt. That is it. The program he is on, he actually isn't even allowed to pay tithing. We didn't know about that until after the lesson. So we are going to try and get him going again for this Saturday. We will see what happens. Keep them all in your prayers.

So this week I may have made the newspaper, and for sure I made the article on the Internet. Find where they do the "Calgary Sun" News on the Internet and you might find me..

We helped out a ton with a Food Drive on Saturday and the newspaper was taking pictures and I am in one of them.. You will have to go find me on the Internet! hahah except it says nothing about my name, just the other missionary, but I am definitely in the picture!

Me and my new companions are doing great. Elder Hawkins and Elder Stephon. Elder Hawkins is from Ogden and I think I have played against him in basketball in a summer league (of course we beat them though) hahah and Elder Stephon is the brand new missionary from Alpine. So he went to Lone Peak. He knew Travis VanLeuwan ( I don't know how to spell that at all) pretty well. So it is always fun trying to figure out who we both know. We know quite a few of the same people, just mostly people from Alpine though.. Us two get along really good.But I am just going to make a really strong effort to include both and never get annoyed! haha Because that would not be a good way to finish.. It is interesting having a companion that is brand new just as I am about to finish up. It really helps me not talk about home because it would make him a lot more home sick. I don't want that to happen. So I just won't think about going home!
That will be easier.

Oh yeah, I forgot what I was going to say about the SWEET part about this week. Fil's baptism!!!!!!! It was so good. It happened last night. Their wedding was on Saturday and that was great as well. Elder Newman, Elder Langi (My last two comps.) and me sang at it... I know that you are all laughing right now, but it actually went pretty good. It was definitely really good. I was so stoked the whole night.. Last night, I was able to just sit and think about how much I love it out here. So many cool things happen. The spirit just overwhelms at baptisms. You HAVE to love it!

Elder Newman's parents are coming up today, so him, his parents, Elder Langi and I are going to go teach one more lesson together at Fil's house tonight. It is going to be awesome. Definitely going to love it.

Well I am out of things to say, but I love you all. and Miss you.
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Elder T. Dastrup