10-20-10

Good news dad! I am staying in the district. I figured out that last
wednesday and I figured you wanted to know since you mentioned like 3
times you were sad I was leaving the district. They gave me a choice
since I'm leaving in a week anyway, but I'm so glad I got to spend the
extra 2 weeks with hermana Perez. She's really special dad. She's
gonna bring a lot of people to the church. Oh, and MOMMA. I don't
forget about you.

Speaking of momma thanks so much for your care package, and grandma
scott and Rachelle. I've got so much food it's ridiculous, and it's
all junk food. BUT, PLEASE send me more when I'm in the Dominican.
That's when I'm really gonna need it. Thanks :)

Two weeks has sort of flown by. Like everyone says, the days are long
but the weeks are short.
I still get really tired during the day but I find that if I can focus
my studying I can stay awake pretty well. Even then, I want a nap. SO,
i'm being smart about this P-day and reserving an hour and a half for
sleep. It's MUCH needed.

Also, yesterday at the devotional Elder Russel M. Nelson spoke. He was
just as honest and sincere as I remember him at stake conference, and
he's like a proud father to all the Elders. You can really feel his
love when he's speaking. Especially since I shook his hand.

I miss talking to you every day. Not that I did at byu, but now it's
off limits. I figured something out about myself and about people in
general: if it's off limits, they want it more. So, I'm trying to
focus on WORKING instead of focusing on what i CAN'T have. If I keep
worrying about what I can't have I'll be distracted for the entire
mission. No bueno.

Ok, now from the depressing to the uplifting part of the letter. The
mission really is incredible. I am growing so much in the MTC, which
seems weird since I do the same thing every day. My teachers, hermano
Nava and Orgill are becoming really good friends. They teach a really
good balance of gospel and spanish. It's good because I think my main
focus coming into the mission was learning spanish, but now I have
more of a balance. The gospel and spanish are sharing center stage
while my life back home is waiting in the wings. At the end of the
mission, I'll just tell the gospel to stay where it is and tell life
to enter stage left.

And, since you wanted to know, I DID get the lotion and net. I need a
pillow though, they don't sell those here. And a fan. Sorry for making
you get all those things but the MTC isn't exactly wal-mart..

I am a little nervous about the Dominican MTC. I think it's gonna be
rough, based on what that kid's letters say. But he sounds like a
complainer. I'm excited, going to the MTC in the Dominican is another
step closer to the mission field. Plus, being in the country where no
one speaks anything but Spanish (albeit sloppy and gangsta spanish) is
going to help me learn so much faster.

So, analysis of the week. My companion and I are really close. We
finish each other's sentences, which freaks me out but it's sort of
impressive. I think that's what you want to achieve as a
companionship. We are decent teacher already. It's easy to teach
simply when you can't make complex sentences though. haha

My zone is also really awesome. We got a new district last week and
they're just starting to come out of their shell like I did last week.
It's cool to see.
Also, OU IS #1? WHOOOOOA. I swear if they lose to O state. I will....
so help me.... well i'll preach the gospel. You have to DVR the game
for me if they make it to the championship so I can watch it when I
get back. I hate that I'm missing it but..... There's more important
things to be done.

Well, the Dominican calls. And last week in the devotional the
speaker, brother Edgely, made the point that we as missionaries have
been charged with the respective area we were called to. More
importantly, we have been charged with the people. I took that to
heart. As the baby of the family, I wasn't in charge very often, but I
know how it works. You take care of whatever you are put in charge of
as someone who owns it would. I have been charged with teaching the
people in the Dominican. So, when I put my name tag that says ELDER
SWEENEY-- la iglesia de JESUCRISTO de los santos de los ultimos dias,
I feel the gravity of being in charge of the people's salvation.

That's why I don't waste me time here. I get 2 years, which, as EVERY
SINGLE MISSIONARY will tell you is not very long. I won't waste the
Lord's time.
That's my discourse for the week. I have about 5 minutes left. I'll
fill it with my testimony. I know that this gospel, this church, this
work is of God. If anyone want to know for themselves, they can ask
their heavenly father if it's true, and he will answer their prayers.
The Book of Mormon is the word of God. We have a prophet on the earth
today by the name of Thomas S. Monson.


I am so happy to have the opportunity to serve.

two weeks in, not a second wasted. I love you all back home and
elsewhere. Keep praying for me, keep me in your thoughts. Keep sending
me letters.

Elder C. Rufus Sweeney