Southern Update

Hello Family!

I don't have a whole lot of time to write this - we're at a library with a 30 minute rule and I have to write President as well,but I wanted to let you know that I'm doing well.

A few of our more promising investigators told us not to come back this week and that was somewhat depressing. It's hard to hear that when you've come to really love someone, but I'm confident that the seeds we planted will grow and sprout someday.

On Saturday, Elder Cancel and I had a really cool experience. We were biking out to an appointment on Lady's Island and met a woman on the highway that was several miles out of town. It turns out she lived in a nearby trailer village, but as we started talking with her, the Spirit just came in really strong. We'd only been talking for about 30 seconds with her, when she started crying and admitted that her relationship with God had been suffering for a long time due to various choices and sins she'd gotten into and that she wasn't spiritually where she wants to be. We were already late for our appointment, so we probably only spent 3-4 minutes with her, but she was crying and thanking us for stopping by the time we left.  It just really built my testimony of talking with everyone; most people blow us off, but you never know when you'll find that golden nugget!

Elder Cancel met his first born again Christian who told him he wasn't saved because he believed in something more than the Bible.  It's kinda fun sometimes to watch new missionaries react to situations they've never been in before. =P

This week was somewhat of a trial though. Elder Bishop (district leader who lives in the same apartment) got sick with strep throat. Two days later I was feeling lousy and couldn't swallow from a severe sore throat and lost my voice the day before I was supposed to give a 25 minute talk in the Parris Island sacrament meeting. Thankfully, God pulled us through and Elder Bishop was miraculously feeling better the next day and took my place. Today, I still have a mild sore throat, but I can talk again!  Huzzah!

By the way, mac and cheese is huge in the south.  Not the regular boxed junk, but real mac and cheese baked and all yummy scrumptious. It's almost as common as green jello and funeral potatoes are in Utah. Anyway, a part member took an interesting spin on the stuff and made some smoked mac and cheese for us yesterday; most interesting stuff I've ever eaten. Not bad though.

Lou, that's a good looking Valentine's photo that Mom forwarded to us! From what Mom tells us, it sounds like Mr. Joe is a good catch.  Good luck!

I thought there wasn't enough snow this year to do Klondike?  Did they just camp in the snow, or did they actually get to dig snow caves? Haha, yeah, there were always interesting experiences on that campout. I'm still glad I went though even though it wasn't the best sleep ever.=D

Gotta go; love ya'll!

Elder M.

P.S. This is the photo I sent to Mom and Chantel for Valentine's day.