March 27 Letter

At least some of you may find it pretty interesting. anyways, to start off, i've got a milestone coming up tomorrow. 6 months of glorious missionary work. I have to say...6 months and only 2 areas, i wouldn't trade that up for anything. I don't want to move around much. We have transfers in two weeks and it would be great to stay. Thats what we are hoping for.
Well the cool news is this.....follow me into storytime....

So it is Thursday night, i'm eating some fruity pebbles, a normal occurence, and i overhear my companion and one of the Spanish elders talking about the Apopka ward, where they both have served at some point. They were talking about the people in the ward, and i'm just coming in and out of the convo, when they hear the name.....get this....."Michael Wood." And i stopped, put my spoon down and listened some more and they said, "He went to Canada in a Spanish speaking mission." So finally, i did what i could only do, and interjected. "this michael wood doesnt by chance have flowing red hair does he?" i asked. "yep." Well long story short, these two knew the Wood family, and they have since moved to Tampa i guess, but i told them that i used to go to high school with Michael Wood. The Spanish missionary said that Mike went out with them one night, and he speaks no Spanish, and they asked him to say something and the would translate. And Michael said something like, "no, i'll try it" and he just busted out in Spanish. I thought...oh, only Michael Wood could do that. Talk about a small world.
There is a new rule surrounding P-days.....this is worse than any rule ever imagined. Brace yourself. We can't spend time on P-days with other missionaries now. For some odd reason, we can only get together twice a transfer (twice every 6 weeks) with other missionaries. So no more hours of basketball on Monday. No one understands this one. Let's just say i'm not sure how many people will follow it, and that i can just see the new mission president come in 3 months and see that rule and wonder what was going on through President Farnsworth's mind. They also want to take money away from the missionaries in the State's. That's all the state-side missions though.
Missionary work wise it was a very up and down week. No one who was progressing last week is progressing well this week. Quite a bummer. But we are still finding new people. We just aren't finding the "elect" very well. Our elect last week weren't acting like elect this week. This are is so much different than St. Cloud. There it was steady work, but here it is very up-and-down. You really don't know what to expect. Makes things a little more difficult, but that is expected. What is a mission without difficulties?
This week i left the car keys in a members car from the night before. So the next morning we walk out of the apartment and my companion sayd "You have the keys right?" Well, i didn't. I paused on the stairs, tought about the night before, and quoted one of the famous lines from arrested development....."I've made a huge mistake." My companion didn't find the same humor in the statement as i did. Anyways, the keys were where i thought they were. It jsut took all day to get them back.
Some lady told me this week while i was talking to her, "Wow, you are the nicest minister i've ever talked to." Definitely strange to be called a minister when you are 19. But we do have cards that say we are authorized ministers. Did you know i can marry someone? Don't plan on doing it, but it was just weird to be called a minister.
Thats pretty much life right now. Been writing a lot of ukelele songs and writing them down in my journal. So i'll have a nice bunch of songs when i come home to fool around with. Oatmeal rocks. Sounds like things are going swell as usual back home. I still can't really think of anything i would like for my birthday. Bummer about the sweet bomber jacket that i have to send back to that old lady. Thats about it. Love ya all. Dad mentioned something about hoping at least one of his sons would live in the bay area....if that is an open invitiation to inherit the house, then yes, i will live there. Have fun and be safe this week. It is good to hear that Annie is growing into a Grandpa Ringger chin. Keep the tradition alive.
I got the cookies mom and makenzie made this week, the ducks. the other elders really lke them as well. Oh ya, some of the candles in the envelopes you are sending have been popping out while traveling :). So i am going to be short a few candles by the time i get them all. Looks like i'll only be turning 15 or so.
Some of these life stories you are sending me are bringing back memories, and some i refuse to believe. I remember getting my checked out in little league because they all thought i had tampered with it so i could hit further. That was a great day. However, the incident in McDonald's, where you claim that i just left my mark all over the McDonald's floor as a 3 or 4 year old, i refuse to beleive. When was the incident in Maryland where we were playing whiffle ball outside and the enxt door neighbor somehow swung and managed to just nail me in the ribs. Remember that one? Good thing i was wearing my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle baseball glove and my motorcycle helmet to soften the blow. Remember those days? Or in maryland when i couldnt figure out how to slow down my bike, so i just went straight for the curb and launched myself off of the bike? Well, life is good. I'll talk to you next week. Love ya.