Don’t worry about me, sharks can't walk!

Mom :) Man I worried that you didn’t email me, then in the middle of Dad's email I got yours!! That was pretty neat!! You are so funny in your emails I love getting them!! You tell me all the important stuff and the fine details of Macey's love life ;) haha too bad its all gonna end when I get home and the enforcer and the protector of the family is back. Second to Dad, of course  But I am meaner…. Ahaha  This week was pretty good. Nothing extreme happened but we taught a lot of people. We made a goal to talk to 50 people a day just contacting and running into people on the streets. The housing here is not like anything I have ever seen. Its all stacked on itself and you never know who lives where and when you ask someone where they live, they just say by a green building…. Hahaha I am basically whitewashing/opening this area because its new and I have a new companion who is good at Marshallese in lessons!!! So I made a list of stuff to email home about so its gonna be completely random…. So here goes… haha
So a drunk guy came up to us elders after we were eating and he starting talking to us and he said “praise Jesus” then rubbed my belly like I was budda or something…. Haha that was the most awkward thing ever. And all of this was just after I was saying how its like impossible for an elder to get kidnapped or anything out here…. Then… I had icecream and milkshakes for the first time in 7 months…. Ice cream is so sweet and to be honest, I don’t think I could have it again…. I can't believe I just said that especially because I used to be obsessed with it…. But not now… And beef…. Haha nope…. I’m not a vegetarian but I just get sick from it…. Then in one of my lessons where the lady knows English, I yawned… and she asked me If I was tired and I said no I’m a robot… and she believed me! Man some people are so funny… but its okay. One other person asked me if there were cars in the states that can turn into robots the size of trees… I said yes and showed him a pic of my car…. He's a firm believer now… hahaha someone watched transformers!!
I came to realize this week that us elders were all called here because we just could not function in a state side mission. Its weird and I don’t know how to explain it, but none of us could do it.. haha Heavenly Father works in some mysterious ways… haha and oh yeah whats the  recipe for Wild Rice Soup? And I received a letter from you guys that was sent back in March…. Haha it was asking me if I would get to Skype you guys.. haha the answer is yes :) and I did get your package with the candy and the journal in it!! And Elder Parkinson got his and he is bragging to everyone that you love him and he is so happy you sent him candy!! He is the man and I work one district away from him… which here… is about a mile haha so I see him a lot. He's like one of my best friends here. What else…. Oh yeah dogs….in the chapel during sacrament there are dogs that come in and run around… its crazy… they are so skinny here. American dogs have it so easy. I love how there are hundreds on hundreds of puppies here though :) they are my friends  Haha

Okay on to the questions…
1.    Do you write in your journal every day? Yes…. Well no, but I write about every other day because I was running out of room on my first journal but now that I got the 2^nd one, I will be better! I write down all the good stuff though!! I don’t write a page everyday.. sometimes more sometimes less. Depends how good or bad the day was haha I write all my bad things in Marshallese.
2. Tell me a spiritual experience you had when you were young. Young as in, when? Probably me just getting asked questions about my religion all the time at school. Just being able to share everything and just bear my testimony. I wish all my friends had the knowledge of our Savior's love that I do right now.
3. What Primary or Sunday School teacher had and influence on your spiritual progression? Brother Holt. No questions there!! He is the man and I just loved his knowledge of the scriptures!! Brother Wengreen was the man too!!
4. What Young Men leader do you think most influenced you to be the man you are today? See above!
5. What is something you learned when you were younger that you still believe in today? That I am the best! Still have my strong ego, just kidding. Well I do, but to answer your question - its simply that I can be with my family forever and I know what I need to do. Its so plain and simple. I am glad I get to share that with people here!!
6. Who is the greatest influence in your life? Probably you and dad. I don’t wanna compare you to the godhead… but kinda the same thing. You guys are separate people but with one purpose… to raise this amazing kid the people here call Elder Eagle ;) haha but seriously. I always try and copy what you and dad do, except for your poor driving skills and dads lame jokes ;) haha just kidding  love you guys!! [I am a great driver, I don't know what he's talking about! No accidents and no speeding tickets, can't get any better than that!]
7. Was there a moment in your life where you realized Heavenly Father's love for you personally? I don’t know if there was a specific time, but a combination of small little things. Definitely finishing reading the Book of Mormon while I was in college. I don’t think there was any stronger time where I just felt God's presence its my life.
8. Do you feel like you receive answers to your prayers? Every day. One thing I learned out here is that the answers don’t come right away sometimes. You just gotta wait for God to give you the answers when he knows that you need them. Its hard telling that to investigators, but God's time is not our time and His ways are not ours
9. What advice would you give for those who are searching for answers to their prayers and feel that they haven't received one yet? Accept God’s time. We are promised that if we read and pray, we will receive answers so we just have to have to the faith to wait.
10. What part does reading the Book of Mormon have in your life? It has 30 minutes a day at least! Haha It is my manual, it is my tool for answering questions and it is where I go to read stories and apply them to my life to make me a better person. Without it, there is no religion.
11. Do you think that Heavenly Father is aware of us all personally? How do you know? Without a doubt. I know that He knows me. He knows I hate lettuce and knows that I love cars. Its simple. He is our Father over everything. We are his child. I know because I prayed about it. I know because there is no other way that all this could be. He helps me everyday.
12. Why do you think He lets good people suffer sometimes? Our ways are not His. Its simple. Its horrible, but without pain, is there joy? Without evil is there good? We are on earth to gain experience. Some people need some experiences. Do I know why? No. I wish everyone could have the best, but we are here to be challenged and tested.
13. Do you feel like you understand the power of repentance and the Atonement in your life? How? Yes, just because I have had to apply it in my life. I’m not perfect… (As much as I hate to admit it) haha but I have to do exactly what everyone else has to do. I repent, I live the gospel of Jesus Christ and I try my best to be a man. I have gone through struggles and it helped me teach with my conviction. Some Utah kids just don’t understand some of these people's problems cuz they just grew up so sheltered and nothing ever happened to them. I’ve experienced what they have, I understand them. Its through my mistakes that I can relate.
14. Do you feel like a person can make a lot of mistakes and still be forgiven? His hands are opened to all those who come. Yes. God knows we will always fall short. So He provided a Savior to atone for us so that we can always be forgiven.
15. Can a person still be good if they don't follow the Prophet's counsel? The prophets words are God's words. Plain and simple. But, yes, a person can be good if they have the desire. They need to act on that desire, though. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes, but it depends where our heart is and where we want it to be. [I think you can still be a good person, but you are leading yourself down a rocky path which can lead to sin if you are not diligent.]
16. What do you want to be when you grow up? I don’t know. My missions' changed me. Advertising/Marketing/Business/Psychology/Management. I will pick from there someday. But I’m gonna be the best at whatever I do!
17. What is your fondest memory of your childhood? Probably growing up with brothers that I got to play the same sports with. Conner and I killing it in football was always awesome. And when we used to go to skateparks with you and got to scooter and rollerblade and skateboard… haaha soooo funn. I miss that stuff. And playing with your hair with conner!! [They put every clippy, barrette and other hair accessory they could find in my hair - there was even a brush tangled in there! Good times!] Haha and wrestling with the boys and always beating up Dad and just being happy. [Dad says that he doesn't ever remember you guys "beating him up". Wimps!]
18. Do you feel that FHE, family prayer and family scripture study are important in strengthening families or can they be strong w/ it?  Its important if you do it right, but if you just go through the motions its pointless. That was my problem. I just went through the motions and didn’t get anything out of it. At some point in time, I realized this and started to pay attention more and learn from what we were reading. That's when it became a lot more meaningful for me. But I applaud you for being adamant about doing it all those years when we were lazy and didn't want to do it or we were crabby or too tired. It taught me the importance of doing it daily no matter what. I would say focus on reading a bit, then read from preach my gospel.
19. Can you remember a time where you were told "no" for something and you were glad about it? Haha no because when I was told no I would fight for it and get it ;) haha just kidding. Maybe a cell phone or something [He never did get a cool cell phone before he left no matter how hard he fought for it! - good parent moment!]… It just made me have to be more creative and really figure out how to convince you guys. It was good for my people and persuasion skills!
20. Isn't your Dad adorable?!!!! :)  Yes Dad is pretty neat!! Shout out to the best Dad I got. Everyone that reads this go tell my Dad he's the best cuz were all thinking it haha

Haha wow that was a lot of questions!! I get to check today if I got a package from grandma! Hopefully! I hate not being able to know until after I email you guys!! Haha Its all good though!! Grandma still hasn’t responded to my last email I sent her so tell her to get on top on that!! Hehehe Love her and give her the yokwe! Thank you Conner for your little note. You have a good time at school and find some cute girlz to hang out with (ditch Ricky… you might have an easier time ;) haha just kidding but seriously.) Hi Tanner, Logan, Conner, Parker, Macey. You guys are awesome. See you guys soon when I come right back.
Love you mom. You have a good day. And don’t worry about me, sharks can't walk. Haha love you babe
Elder Ingalls the Great