09.08.2008 (E-Mail)

Hola! Como estan? I hope everything is great. Mom and Dad, I haven´t read your emails yet, but I know that you´re back from Denver safe! How was it? I´m sure that you had a wonderful time. AK and Ryan are always great hosts. :) And you got to see Nyah on her own turf as well. Que Bueno! Mom, did you end up learning a little bit of spanish with AK?

I have a favor to ask... I don´t know if it´s really even possible. The song in my big red piano book -LDS Favorites- that´s a combination of the songs: Amazing Grace, As Now We Take the Sacrament, and How Great Thou Art... it´s on page 19 I believe. Is there a way to scan that and then email it to me. I really don´t know if it can be done. If so, great. If not, it´s okay too. :D

First off, Gabriela and Adrian were baptized on Saturday! Yay! The baptism went really well. Both their parents were able to be there, and some other family as well. And we had great ward support as well. It was great.

Then on Sunday Gabriela, Adrian, and Andrea were all confirmed. And Juan Varela, a convert that was baptized a few months back, received the Aaronic and Melckizedek Priesthood on Sunday too. Have I talked about Juan and Enriqueta Varela? They´re great. They actually remind me a lot of Grandma and Grandpa Pincock. I like it. It´s very fun.

AK, I got your letter with the Touch of the Master´s Hand in Spanish. Thank you so much! Also, I believe that you can send pictures to the other address I left. The one that´s not the Pouch. I got a wedding announcement from Jenn Packer last week that way... so I guess so!

The missionaries of our zone, and two others, met with the area president of the seventy for our area. Elder Bowen. When we got there he wanted to shake all of our hands and meet us. It turns out that he´s from Idaho Falls, and that he knows Uncle David! Well, I´m guessing it´s Uncle David. He asked if I have any relatives in Rexburg... but what a small world!

Elder Bowen had some really good things to say. He was talking about references, and how we often ask members for references. This is a very important part of the work because it works best this way. He said how at times members don´t have references. But, every member knows someone who is inactive in the church. He talked about inviting those families to befriend an inactive family. To invite them over for FHE. What a difference this would make in a ward if every family did this! I would like to see this happening here, and I thought of our ward back at home too. Food for thought for the stake...

Elder Bowen also talked to us about the importance of goals. More specifically, goals for what we want to study throughout the mission. What books do I want to have studied, and how many times? How am I going to accomplish this? I am now in the process of making a goal/plan... something that´s reachable, but that will make me stretch.

I love making goals because we can be so much better with them. I was thinking about when I made the goal to run a marthon. Without that goal, I would have NEVER run 26.2 miles. It just wouldn´t have happened! I think this really applies to all aspects of our lives.

I was thinking about the heroes that we have in our lives the other day. I was thinking how I practiced soccer so much - I wanted to play like Mia Hamm! I think it was good, it gave me a goal. And I worked hard at it! But in reality, when it comes down to it, our heroes should be those in the scriptures. I read about Captain Moroni in Alma 48 - now there´s someone I want to be like! It was a good reminder. It´s the importance of good examples in our lives. I´m grateful for all the good examples and influences that I have in my life. Family members and friends who are striving to do the right, even when it´s hard. Especially when it´s hard.

I was thinking, are the Longs all moved in by now? How are they doing?

Oh yeah! Transfers are today! I wondered if Hermana Celis would get transfered today because she has now been here 6 months, but she gets to stay! I´m glad because it will give me more time to become more familiar with the area and the ward before a new companion. She has only been in two areas and she only has six months left. Pretty crazy!

Now about all of you... I´m excited because I think I´m going to get some letters from mis hermanas :D hoy. Yay! I´m excited to hear all about what has been happening with all of you. Work, Church, Nyah and Hallie and all the fun things they´re doing... everything!

Shari, how´s work going? Are you still meeting with Greg? How´s your ward? Orrin, how´s everything going?

Lisa and Jordan... Jordan, you´re started back in school right? But you´re almost done! Yay!!! Some fun PE classes right?

AK, everyonce in a while I´ll meet some named either Ana or Carina, and it makes me smile everytime. I think of you. :D Ryan, how are things with your boss? Are you still getting together with the people in your ward to watch-what is is? Boxing? Sounds like a party.

Aaron, what´s new? What´s the temperature like? Can you still go boating right now?

Mom and Dad, I love getting your emails everyweek. What dedication that you wrote so late last night! I love hearing everything. Thanks so much for the support. I love you all very much. The church is true!

Love Forever,
Hermana Pincock

Jami, Feliz cumpleanos if you read this! I hope you had a great 22 birthday. Wow, 22! We´re getting old. :) I was definitely thinking of you on the 5th.

P.S. I forgot to tell the Chocolate Chip Cookies story! Well, it was quite the experience! I´m afraid the ingredients are a little different, a ¨cup¨doesn´t exist, or ¨350 degrees¨ for that matter! It was an experiment - a bit of a guessing game- but they turned out suprisingly well. I thought you´d all enjoy the story. Love you all!

Hermana Pincock