Email from 12.28.09

Well there isn't really anything to report since I have told you everything already on the phone on Christmas. So I'm going to tell you about a family we have been teaching. I just call it Mary's family or the Mary clan. Because there are 8 kids and Mary and I think there is a dad somewhere I just haven't seen him. Anyways, they are going to be baptized on Tuesday pretty cool huh? I will be baptizing 4 of them and elder Sepulveda will be baptizing 3 of the kids plus someone else so it is going to be a crazy the next couple of days. I think I might do some confirmations I'm not exactly sure, but they will be in English, because the whole family likes to speak English more than Spanish. Though they can speak both.

Also there is a guy whose name is Roy who comes over a lot I think because he likes the oldest daughter. Almost every time I have taught he has been there and he is now investigating the church so the Lord has really blessed my comp to find this family and me because I taught a lot. So, Mary's family is really excited about the baptism. I really had to make sure all of them understood the law of CHASTITY!! (Ya somebody kill me). Usually I do all the talking when its English, unless we are talking to just one person then Elder Sapulveda will give parts of the lesson with me. And that is kind of the way it is with Spanish, I will give little parts but he will do most of the talking.

Elder Sepulveda says he likes letting me teach English because my voice is kind of loud/strong and I am able to keep the attention of people. lol It’s pretty funny when he tries to imitate my voice, he tries to go really deep. ahh funny stuff. So things have been good.

Love you guys.

Christmas Zone Picture

Here is Sterling's Zone Christmas picture. He is on the last row to the right. His comp is on the front row to the left of Sister Hale.

At the Christmas Missionary Dinner:

Email from 12.21.09

Ya it has rained a lot, more than I have ever seen I think in my life lol. No problems though. My comp and I are in a car so everything is good.

My new place is an apartment. It is a small place with only one bathroom and four people in the house. It's definitely interesting.

My wrist is hurting more and I think I messed it up playing basketball, but the swelling has gone down. And, I have a brace I just don’t use it. Plus I’m in car so not much that can hurt it. My bike is still busted and I did bring it when I transferred.

Elder Sepulveda, my new comp, is from Puerto Rico, and speaks pretty good English for only learning it 9 months ago. He is a hard worker, and cares for the people, there is a language barrier sometimes, but we get through it usually. He is about 9 months in the mission. The other people in our apartment: Elder Barrett, used to be my comp’s comp, pretty good in the language and has about 7 months in the mission. Elder Orton, if you remember he used to live with me in the MTC but got moved because he already knew a lot of Spanish, he is comp with elder Barrett.

I’m in a branch and there are about 150 people in it. We have a lot of people we are teaching here in El Portal, around 15 people, and some of them have big families.

Where we teach there are only Hispanic and black people around. I’m definitely a minority around here, and yes we only teach Spanish except for some youth, and my Spanish is so bad, I realized that I have only been teaching in English basically for 2 transfers and now I’m really paying for it. My Spanish is really bad lol. Well, if I don’t learn Spanish here I’m not going to learn it anywhere lol. (That was a very nervous lol over here)

Well I got to go I love you all so much and the gospel is still very much true. Thank you again dad and mom for the gifts, I really appreciate them.

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He is emailing from a Library and his computer has a timer on it so he can’t write as much. He said that he has sent some more pictures, so we are looking forward to that. Sterling is now in the Miami Beach area in the city of El Portal. Here is a picture of him and his comp:

Email from 12.15.09

Well first up I will be transferred again to what area you ask, I have no idea. It’s too bad; I really liked it here with these Elders and the people. I prayed for understanding, it’s hard for me, but I’m holding on to the knowledge that I at least know that the Lord knows what’s going on.

The heat over here got to 91 degrees can we all say ridiculous. It really doesn’t feel like Christmas at all over here.

I was supposed to go back to the doctors on the 24th but now that I’m leaving I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t wear the removable cast anymore even though I’m supposed to and they left half of the stitches in because they couldn’t get it out. They said it shouldn’t be a problem. Though I have this weird twitch in my wrist and eye... lol just kidding. My wrist feels really good so don’t worry.

We baptized Manny, he’s a great kid only 14 years old and he was so excited to be baptized. Here is a pic of him.

I think I had the FLU, I’m not exactly sure why it lasted that long but it was partly miserable. Luckily i had AFRIN the miracle drug. So that was good. I actually haven’t been a 100% since I started my mission, I’m always kind of sick lol, kind of weird, but I don’t notice it much after 11:00 AM.

I don’t know when I will be calling on Christmas but that will be a fantastic gift just calling you guys.

The stages are to pack all my bags, take them to transfer meeting, find out my new companion, say hi, drive to my new place, then unpack, then meet everyone and meet some members in the new Ward.

Email from 12.07.09

So just a funny story to tell you guys. After the surgery they told me about this nerve block they put in my arm, which numbed my whole left arm. They said I need to keep it up at all times and to keep it away from anything super cold or hot, because you won’t know something’s wrong until you smell your burning flesh. I thought well that's a little morbid but whatever. So I say ok then hold my lifeless left arm to my body and get into the car to drive home. Well, when I get home I have to use the restroom, and I thought, boy this is going to be hard I can’t let my left arm go below my waist so I saw some potential problems. Oh, by the way my arm was in what looked like a big cheese thing and I had to have it on all day and night for that day and then every night until the check up. So I went in and I realized I have to sit lady style lol. Because you know one arm has zero feeling and the other arm has to control the arm with no feeling from falling down so that left me with no arms to control other things lol. So I get up then I realize some potential problems. First, I need to pull up my pants and I need to keep my arm elevated. So what do I do? I put my arm which is in that big cheese thingy up on the towel rack as I tried to pull my pants up. Well I got my garments up and my pants half ways up when I realized, my left arm is slowly falling out of the big cheese thing, and I'm thinking oh crap so I quickly grab hold of my left arm and can’t put it back in the cheese thing because I have zero control over my freaking left arm and my pants fell back down. And I'm slowly losing the battle to keep my left arm from falling. So, here I am in the bathroom arms falling out, my pants are down, I don't know what to do so I yell for Elder B. I said something like "Elder B. I need your help right now hurry." so he runs in and just starts laughing so hard that he wasn't able to help at all. So I grab my arm the best I could and, had my pants around my ankles and I slowly scooted out the door around a now on the floor laughing Elder B. and into my room. I crawled on my bed then turned on my back and proceeded to put my arm back in the cheese thing and pull up my pants. So that's the story. Pretty funny huh? Lol Ya we have had some adventures over here lol.

Well I think I found the answer to my question while reading one of D. Todd Christofferson talk in the book of Mormon study guide about unity with the Savior and the Father. So, I will work on that. It is great that we can get answers to our prayers because the Lord loves us. It is sometimes hard to follow what is asked of us huh? I love our Savior and Heavenly Father, I really do.

I just hate feeling like I can’t do all that I need to be doing with the investigators, because I want to say so many things to these people and tell them about the gospel. It’s just frustrating that I can’t do it as well as I want too. I completely rely on the Lord, and I know He knows the struggle I’m going through cuz He knows me personally through the Atonement. Well, all things will be good. Here are some pics of me in the cheese thing and after Thanksgiving so you can see my hand all wrapped up.