Mission de Lago Blanche

Excerpts from recent letters - I would relate this part of my mission to climbing Lake Blanche by myself. I'm alone, talking does no good 'cause there is no one to listen. But I am surrounded by nature, someting I love - the people here, the food here. And while actually hiking is not particularly the fun part, you can always try and make it a fun part. Eventually you reach the top, majestic and beautiful - seeing people's eyes light up with the gospel, and serving the Lord. And I know in the end, seeing the Lake and the mountains will be worth it. I just need to work to get there and make the best of the hike. But I have help, Jesus Christ and my Father in heaven. Also, thank you for your help on this journey, you don't know how much it means to me. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to round a corner on the hike and be awed by a pretty meadow, or a pretty waterfall - seeing people's eyes and hearts lit up in the gospel and the joys the gospel has brought to families already in the church. Continue to pray for me, to continue to find the joys of the hike and to see the beauty of everything around me.
It's surprising how many can't read here or how little they have. But as long as they have their family, food and home, they are happy. And by food, I mean garbage, and by home, I mean 4 block walls with a rug on top! And they are happy. One word of advice for the people of the ward, for our family, and for everyone... Spend more time with your family. It's amazing here, 4 generations of people living in the same house, sell tamales on the street and practically have nothing. But they have a special grin on their face because they have what is most important. It's amazing how much people have in the U.S... fancy cars, big houses, lots of toys, and expensive clothes, and still are unhappy. Who okayed that? It's just a different type of world here. A world I would not like to live in, but a world I can look to for a basis of future family.