December 9, 2013

Dear family!

This week has been a great one. Elder Sua'ava and I are having a good
time and things are moving along. Transfers is tomorrow, we are both
staying, just one Elder in my district is transferring. This weekend
we had stake conference, and we went to the priesthood leadership and
adult sessions on Saturday. It is all about "missionary work," but
they are working on redefining that in our stake or maybe eliminating
the term because sometimes it as seen as the work that the
missionaries do, and not personal. It's all really the work of
salvation. I think it was really cool for helping the members (and us
missionaries) see how big this is. It's crazy that I am in the middle
of the beginning of this huge new era. They showed the quote by Elder
L. Tom Perry that says that this time in the church compares to the
restoration in significance! I'm a missionary in it, and you are all
the members in it! Imagine that. No wonder we have all been told at we
are a choice generation, saved to come to the earth in this specific
time. It's a huge thing that's going on! Our stake presidency is
really into it and it's pretty cool. Elder Sua'ava and I saw the stake
president in town before the meeting on Saturday walking to the
church. He was walking fairly quickly and told us "as with many things
now, I am 'hastening!'"

Christmastime is getting closer and I'm enjoying it. It snowed last
night and stuck, but melted later on in the night. But I did get a
snowball or two thrown.

Side note. I'm at the laundromat doing laundry, and they play some
Spanish channels. A Spanish soap opera just turned on. Never watch
them. They are so dumb and way too dramatic. But they catch your
attention! It's like Satan. He does whatever he can just to get your
attention. So don't even go to the Spanish channels! Sorry for going
off on that. That's just a look into the life and mind of Elder Schenk
on Monday mornings.

Back to the good stuff. Christmas is coming! This morning I exercised
to the DVD Mr. Kreugers Christmas. There is a separate video that is
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir so I listened to Christmas carols for the
main part, then when I stretched at the end I turned on the nativity
short video. It was so nice, I had a lot more focus for my studies
today.

Just so you know, my shoes are getting worn out. I don't think I need
new ones for Christmas. Maybe some for more towards my birthday. If my
shoes that I left home (Nike grey and light blue) are still there I
think they would be great. If not, maybe just look for sweet deals on
shoes that I will need eventually

Today is Elder Sua'ava's birthday! I think I will give him the card
that I bought and meant to give to Devin for his. Sorry Devin, but I
think you can understand how things almost never go as planned on your
mission. We are going to the mission office in Rego Park to play some
basketball. We are going to be extra careful this time if we actually
do play to make sure we conserve Elder Sua'ava's recovered ankle.

Catching the train just now to go to Rego Park was exciting. We were
walking to the train station to catch the m on central ave and saw the
train coming (it's above the street) while we were still around the
corner. I asked elder Sua'ava if we were going to run for it and he
started running so we did. I'm faster (especially on the stairs - long
legs) so I got to the place to enter and swipe my metrocard first. But
I had put my wallet in a different pocket! So it took me extra long to
find it. Then we got in and ran up he last stairs to the train, but
the doors had just closed, and it took off. Then the train heading the
other way got to the other lane of tracks at the station, and Elder
Sua'ava realized that we needed to actually go that way (we usually go
to church, and that is the opposite direction as Rego Park) so we ran
down the stairs back down to the staton lobby, and I slipped on some
of the last steps down and landed on my rear. Elder Sua'ava stopped
and was going to check if I was okay, but I already knew I was so I
just said "I'm okay, I'm fine, go!" We switched sides of the station
and ran up the other steps to the queens bound train. Luckily I'm fast
getting up the steps because we could hear the recording "stand clear
of the closing doors, please" as we were running up. I got to the top
before the door started to close, and held it open so Elder Sua'ava
could get in. It was intense! And really fun.

So right now we are on the bus close to Rego and Elder Sua'ava is
reading the Liahona in Spanish. He is improving on it and really
excited about it so he is working so hard to study and participate in
lessons as much as possible. I love Elder Sua'ava. He is a gentle
giant, half Polynesian half Mexican that tries so hard to be his best
and lives others more than almost anyone that I know.

So far my clothes are warm enough. If it ever gets really cold I will
wear a sweater and the green jacket with a scarf and then the black mr
Mac jacket over top. I think that will pretty much take care of me. I
found some ear warmers out here so that has been nice sometimes. At
night it's pretty warm in our apartment at night, sometimes I just use
a top sheet and sometimes I use one blanket.

For Christmas I hope to get a stocking with the usual goodies. Music
on a cd or two maybe would be nice, the DVD player we have plays music
louder than my speaker. I'm not sure what more I would want. Just
share the gospel.

Wow this is a long email. I don't know if it has everything you wanted
to hear, but I got to go.

Love you! I'm so glad to be here learning and growing in the gospel.
Love
Elder Schenk

Sent from my iPad