January 3, 2011 Email

Hello my people that are AWESOME!
It's really cool having p-day on Monday, but I think I'll still get to Wed. and it will feel like we need to have p-day for some reason. Wouldn't be that I've been accustomed to that for 15 months. (WOW that's a long time). It's awesome though, because now the week will just keep progressing with the work; rolling like a stone cut out of the mountain without hands every week! But we are losing some originality! I'm pretty sure we were like the only mission with p-day on Wed. and now we've just conformed to the rest of the world! So our mission is not unique at all any more. NOT!!!!!!!! We're still awesome and will just keep getting more awesome!
New Years was pretty legit! Everyone in the Mission (except the 2 Elders out in Wendover) went to the Mission Office and we played all sorts of games. Modified basketball, human Foosball, tug-o-war, etc. Sis. Winn's YSA skills from their calling before the mission really came in handy. It felt like a big Institute or YSA activity! LOCO. We drove there in the snow and I've never been more scared in my life. But I always feel that way driving with this new elder that is the only one of 4 of us that has driving privileges. We almost got in a couple of accidents today; one only inches away! I want to drive. I'm pretty sure it would be much safer. Anywho, the party went from 5-10 at night. Then tack on time to drive back to Tooele and starting 24 hour exchanges with two of the Elders in the district and at midnight I was with the crazy driver on the way to their house with all my bedding etc. WOW!!!
Fireworks legal in AZ!?! I never thought that would happen! What a bummer that the cops rained on your parade! But I guess every party needs a pooper. I think it's pretty fun. Not quite as funny as when Kayla got cuffed on New Years Eve for stealing her own car! But good!
I'm doing well! Just barely surviving the cold. It got down to -8 degrees the other day! Brrrrr...We totally go out when it's that cold. And it's not really bad considering Lucas was out tracting in nearly -40 degrees in Canada. Please, no more hot chocolate. I still have a ton you gave me plus more from members for Christmas! :)
Cool that you saw Kristi Oakes, too! Ya I remember Cheyenne Standage. I had seminary with her my Senior year. Good to hear she got married, especially in the Temple. Good old Organ Stop! Never really realized how awesome it was until I thought about it.
I bet dad is looking classy in his new apparel! Good form! I'm sure he gets it from me! haha!
Ya I messed around with some of the settings on the camera, and it's doing better pics now.
I'll keep praying for L and I'm way excited that the other mole isn't cancerous, so there's just the one to deal with.
That's so cool that Rachel's kids pray for me! I definitely feel it! I really appreciate all the prayers I can get! I definitely feel them and they help a ton! My testimony of prayer has been strengthened just recently with L and her mole, too! Big answer to prayers!
I know that a mission has been the best decision I ever made and I've gotten so much better and grown up a ton just from this experience! Granted, I know I would regret it if I didn't serve, due to the fact that it's something the Lord requires and expects of me plus it's all I've looked forward to my whole life! So ya, I wasn't looking forward to marriage or college or really anything else. All I knew and anticipated was what I'm going to do living up until my mission, and everything after that never really crossed my mind. I know after this comes all those steps and I'm excited for it, but it wouldn't mean much/I wouldn't have been ready for bigger steps like that without serving the Lord first. All I can say about my mission is that I've had the HAPPIEST experiences of my life on my mission. It has been hard a bunch, but holy little smokies sausages it's been worth it!
That's awesome that Jackson and Talia's baby girl is here! It is weird to think about and hard to comprehend, but very cool for them. Tell them congrats for me please!
I don't remember the name of the family that knows Dayne, but do you know any Cope's or Daylee's? cause they both asked if they knew you.
Emerald is still amazing and reminds me so much more of L and Payton last lesson. Like when you said she came over and called you mom and stuff; last lesson we had was at her friend Ashley's but Ashley wasn't there, and Emerald kept calling Ashley's mom "mom" and it brought that to mind. So it's really cool!
Audrey and her family came to church on Sunday, which is awesome. Only it's hard because they meet at the same time as Emerald's ward and we weren't able to go to either of those wards this week because we had to teach part of a lesson in Young Women. But they still went! The ward's been great at helping them feel welcome! I love Tooele!
Our teaching pool is growing, in fact, we're adding four investigators tomorrow; two part member families. It's cool.
It's really weird that I'm now on my tail end of my last winter in the mission. I won't even have another entire Fall. Crazy thought!
I love our family! We went to Elders Quorum on Sunday, yesterday, and they were talking about parenting and guess who gave a comment about it...? Me! I know, I was pretty shocked too since I'm not a parent. But it was cool because as missionaries, we deal with all the situations they were talking about. Plus it was prompted by the Spirit, so that helped!
I'll try to keep being one of the best kids in the whole world for you and for Heavenly Father!
Love you tons!
Elder Partridge!