February 18, 2011

Family!

Out of the weak things the Lord makes them strong....and thus it has been this week.

On Monday, I went to the health clinic, because I had pressure in both ears and a sore throught. My temp was 99.9 and my blood pressure was 117 / 72 . . . and a pulse at 64 ish. The doctor told me that all I needed to do was to take some decongestants and it would all be good . . . so far . . . I am waiting for that promise to be fulfilled. After looking in my ears he said that I didn't have fluid behind my eardrums, but my eardrums were swollen and redder than they ought to be . . . but he told me to wait it out and it would go away, that it was some virus going around the MTC, that a lot of missionaries have. Lately, I have developed a cough at nights, so I am dead tired, but come what may and love it! They asked me if I wanted to use my families insurance or the missionary insurance, and so I decided to use the missionary insurance, because it was a $10 co-pay and everything else was covered . . . including return visits. . . but I would like you to send some more airborne if you would

Dad, how did you cope with hard companions? So, in other words, the lord has sort of forced me to become weak. Every week as district leader, I get to meet with the senior companions and discuss their companionships and stuff. I learned that as a district we have become more and more sickly and companionships are beginning to have their tuffs. Our branch president has let us know that it is our responsibility to help them work it out, and I have been trying, but it is hard.

I guess that after I am weak, the lord will raise me up to be strong . . . and if I am lucky, that strength will come in Portugueese and Physical strength. My companion is fluent in Spanish, and so he has picked up Portugueese really quick, and during practice door approaches, I don't say as much as I would like to.

I go to the temple every Friday. I miss having dad sitting right next to me in the endowment room and being able to have him right there by me. 

The lord is not only building an army of missionaries. . . he is building us

The lord has built us up and has helped us so much, but he has been building some of us up through trial and sicknesses . . . only to raise us higher  . . . the whole "if you endure this well, you shall be exhaulted on high"

We have an English progressive investigator that has been reading the Book of Mormon, and we are going to talk to him on Tuesday about the Plan of Salvation and maybe challenge him to baptism next week on our visit on tuesday or thursday.

Megan, get better soon, bronchitis is no fun . . . I know. If I can give you a suggestion it would be to stay in spanish, and learn spanish well, It will an invaluable trait of yours.

Jessica, I will really send the pictures this time, I forgot, and the only day I can send letters is on Friday. The MTC, you cannot leave MTC grounds except to go to the temple on P day and sunday. That means that you don't get to go to walmart either or into the "real world" until you get into your mission , but the MTC has everything you need.

Greta, thanks for giving me the paw!

Mom and Dad, I found dad's garments in a group with mine, so I will send those sometime before I leave. I am also sending this early today because we have other things to do later and so this is an exception to the regular time I send my emails. Also, I plan on sending a letter to you . . . soon as well as a package with dads garments, but I don't know when, I think I willl wait until the end of march to send it, so I can send the things I don't need back all at once. Thank you so much for the thoughts on valentines day.

may the lord bless you

Elder Hope

**Editors note: Just kidding! Jessica's note!! Every time we have sent Nick a letter, we have included Greta's pawprint. It hasn't been easy getting her to stay still long enough to do it and I end up getting more pawprint on me than on the paper :)