Here in the mission, it's supposed to super go time right now, with a lot of baptisms happening in the time of the year. But, that's not to bad for me, I think. So it's all alright, I hope. The good thing is that you are kind of following the prophet's idea for this holiday season, that being that we shouldn't overstress ourselves with the holiday season and instead just try to enjoy what we can while we can in a family. So, simpler gifts, simpler activities, is an actual goal you should have for this season.

I think that this time of my mission I won't be too active in the mornings, being in charge of the office and all. But, that's ok I think. I am having some fun with it all, and while my comps are struggling a little bit with the idea of being "stuck in the office and not working," I am ok for now. I went to the temple this last week, so I think I've done more sitting now than in any part of the mission. And hey, I'm working on some office skills in time management, typing (I now mainly do it while looking at the screen and not at the keyboard, so I feel more professional now, and spellchecking is quicker), and some other things to help my future career.

I think though, that my position in the office may do something crazy with me. Since I am in charge of sending missionaries home, supposedly this position I will hold will make it where I end up super distracted with home instead of the mission. I have no personal idea, but I hope that doesn't happen to me. I just have to prepare for the situation if it comes up.

That's the hidden blessing of being here, is that you see all of the mission, and in some ways in the eyes of the president. I've gotten to know my mission pres more in this last week than in the full first year of the mission. And while I have fewer chances to invite people, the few times we've gotten out it's turned out to be a really good experience, so that's pretty dope I think. Lots of people here and the majority are just as receptive as those up in Catemu.

On that note, in Catemu my previous comp is training someone there. That basically means that someone else's first experience of the mission is going to be Catemu. I wish him all the luck in the world. It should harden him up a little bit more, I hope.

This time I'm close to the middle of the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon, so I hope to finish one or the other before the end of the year. It shouldn't take to long, I think I will have some time at the very least.

If I understand correctly, at the end of April, the ward should have 3 active missionaries in the field. The 3 being Me, Megan, and Thomas. That's kind of crazy considering that when I left I was the 10th in the field. 

By the way, I finally succumbed to the inner man and now on the candy calendar, I am on the 23rd. 3 days ago I was on the same day and not eating ahead. I think it just kind of came in out of stress in the office (I don't usually realize it, but there are many times where I am quite literally stressed and my comps need to tell me about how I am stressed so I can calm down). So, that's fun. I can't really explain what exactly are the causes of the stress (church privacy policy), but the good news is that the majority of it is slowly, slowly, going away. I should be fine soon enough since I have fewer stresses and I am adding some techniques to deal with the stress as well.

Also, a neat thing that went on this last week was how I have been in a 4 person companionship for the last week or so. There is a missionary who injured his knee this last week and has had to stay in the office, helping in the paperwork while he recuperates. Since the president didn't want to split our trio into 2 companionships, we instead just made it where we are a companionship of 4 that splits when it needs to. It's been a little crazy at times, but it's fun too.

Love oyu XOXOXOXOX