Recieved Tue July 6, 2010

Dear Family,

This is kind of a weird e-mailing session knowing it will be my last and by next week I'll by flying on an airplane at this time on my way home. I of course have mixed feelings...it is weird to stop doing what you've been doing for 2 years, but I am of course excited to be back home. I bet by the time I am on my way home my mixed feelings will all just be happy feelings. We are going to have a good week this week still though.

No, we did not sing any patriotic songs in sacrament meeting. I thought it was weird. We did have a combined activity with the English ward yesterday to celebrate the fourth of July. Since it was on Monday, our P-day, we actually got to go. We had a pancake breakfast, then we played soccer for like 2-3 hours on a nearby field. It was awesome. It was a good P-day. I did get a little bit of a sunburn. I've got myself a pretty good collar tan on my neck, and since I was wearing a t-shirt, all that white skin was exposed to the sun and it got scorched. Its not that bad though. It is pretty funny to see like a 3 inch line around my neck of sunburn and nowhere else. It was a good P-day. It was my last one too. Next P-day I'll just be going to the mission home and we'll have an interview, testimony meeting and a dinner. Then the next day I'm not sure whats happening other than going to the airport. I got my flight plans in the mail...I think I'm arriving in the afternoon sometime? I'm not sure...I'm assuming you got a copy of that too. If not, just call the mission office to get all that information because I didn't think to bring it.

This weekend the Mendez family will be getting baptized. I am pretty excited about that. The best thing about them is that they've had a full social conversion as well as a spiritual conversion. They go to all the activities, Jesus, the father, has volunteered to go help out with service when they needed it. We did an FHE with another family nearby. They will be a new strong family to help out the ward.

Sunday was a good day in church. We had several different less actives who are in the process of reactivating come and bring their kids. There were a lot of good testimonies, including one other family who just got baptized last week. They all got up, even the 6 year old, to bear their testimonies. It was awesome. They are a good example to the Mendez family. One family who is reactivating also came and had their baby get blessed. They are from the Dominican Republic and they are definitely one of my favorite families in the ward. He is a chauffeur. He has a really nice Lincoln that he drives around and picks up rich people and drives them around the city. Anyway, their parents just moved in with them and they are really active. The dad who just moved in blessed the baby and I got to stand in the circle with the bishop and him. It was a good experience. It was a good Sunday.

Good things are happening, good things will keep happening and that's pretty much the story of this area. I really hope something clicks in my companion's head and he can start remembering where stuff is, because he's got to take over the area next week. That will be one of our focuses this week.

It sounds like everyone at home is doing well. Thank you Mom for the full update. Happy anniversary Mom and Dad! That day is my 24 month mark and I will be going to the temple here in Houston one last time on that day. That is a good way to celebrate it. I love you all and I will see you next week!!!

Love,
Chase