Letter from Feb 5, 2006

Hey all! Thanks for emails from Kelly, Diane, Cori and Rene, Mom, and Alex.. Thanks so much for your love, prayers, fasts, and tears. I don’t know if I have any letters since here in Ruca Hueney, Zapala, we don’t meet the Elders until 1:30. Anyway, thanks for letters too!

¡Feliz Cumple a Marcela!

“I hate to worry you, Johnny, but it’s gettin’ hotter.” I know I said that at the beginning of summer in Puerto Madryn, but holy hanna. That was nothing to the cloudless summer heat here in Zapala. My companion is Hna. Riquelme from Buenos Aires. She is wonderful and upbeat and loves the people. I have a lot to learn from her. The ward is wonderful. Our ward missionary lent me her shoes becuase the ones I have aren’t helpful for this area.

Alex will be interested to know that we met a lady named Iris. I also had an interesting lightbulb moment. We were talking with a returned missionary and he said something to the effect that when you feel you don’t have anything that’s when you need to give everything. I’ve tried to remember that, but it has been hard. The members here are nice. They say I speak very clearly and that I don’t have a yankee accent. That’s kind of them.

So, what is Zapala like? Imagine San Francisco hills only not so steep, no sea, moutains in the background, more hills and pavement on the Wyoming trek route. Yep, that’s Zapala. I love seeing the mountains, but I miss the sea now. Zapala is beautiful. There are no Welsh that I know of. We have Mapuche and Argentine people. So I get my Native Americans. I live in an apartment with no windows. It’s great!

Kelly, you will be happy to know that a couple of years ago, Argentina won the Vollyball World Cup. There is more here than soccer. 

JAY! My wonderful, kindred spirit, and eternal friend! Thank you so much for writing to me! As we both knew would happen, I cried. Actually I cried every day this week. I know things will be different, well, are different. I want you to know that I think about you and pray for you every day. Thank you for your friendship and for seeing me in a way that I often don’t see in myself. You are a choice son of God and he loves you. “Keep on keeping on” as my Dad and Grandpa tell me. Or in other words, “Sigue adelante.” You can make it. Do what you need to because you know it is true. This Gospel and this church are true. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He died for you and I had the priveledge to share that with you. The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. We have a Prophet today who leads and guides us. There is nothing more important in this world than this, because if we stick to the Savior, we will gain the best reward and we can be with our families for forever. Keep on keeping on. You can make it. Hugs and kisses! OH, and please say hi to Wendy and Hna. Ale for me!

This poem is for Kelly and Jay. I wrote it when I was traveling to Zapala.

STRENGTH
“Be strong”
“Don’t cry”
“Be stronger”

Tears show
Weakness.
They must
Never show;
For if they do,
We become
Prey
To the Enemy.

But tears
Are
Not weakness.
They are
Signs of
Strength.

Strength to love.
Strength to sorrow.
Strength in compassion.
Strength in humility.

Through tears,
We release
Our burdens,
We renew
Our strength.

Then we
Get up,
Rise
To the challenge
In the strength
God has
Given us
Through Christ.

“Jesus wept”

And He was
The strongest
Of us all.