Hey, Mum

 2/6/23

Hey mum! 

   I wanted to write you a little something today. I dont have much more time and I wish I could have called again but we´ve still been running. I got another bad haircut so maybe its a good thing I dont have time to call. I hope itll be alright after I shower, I think I could have cut it better myself...

Anyway, I really love your letters and I'm going to try to do better to write you back. I really love them every week and they make me feel loved and cared for. Waking up every PDay with an email always starts the day off right. I like being updated on the family too. Things definitely feel different now, through the words and the screen. It a good and a bad thing for sure.

   Thats crazy they shot down a balloon. Thats wild. Elder Alcivar is finding out for the first time how aggressive china is. Me and Elder Smith have taught him a lot about china in terms of global politics. He finds it hard to believe that they would do that without really a good reason other than power. Its crazy. We always say we'd win in a war because we have the church haha!

   WHAT THE HECK, climate change be wildin these days. Tess told me that its been a really unusually hot year for Argentina too. RIP. I got one more year of wildin 'heat waves before I can have wildin chill.

   I'm really sad to hear that Harrys on his last legs. I was thinking about it this morning and he really is like a weird brother. He's always been there. Thanks for getting him. I'm really gonna miss him when he's gone.

    I dont know if ive ever told you how strong and patient you are with daphne. I dont know what I would do. My ability to go to my room and avoid it is something I took for granted. I dont envy your position but I admire you for it. 

     I've definitely been thinking a lot about consecration. I've had some mental battles with myself and had many study sessions trying to find out how I can consecrate myself. I'm coming to realize that true and thorough consecration is a process that takes time and goals. I get upset with myself when I cant only think about the mission. Tess told me today that one of the things shes seen is that it takes time and that's all part of the process. Eventually, ill be able to have every thought and desire in the mission. It's like a plant that has to push its way out of the concrete. Im still pushing through the concrete right now. Darn it sucks and hurts pushing your head against the ceiling.  So right now i'm taking baby steps. Every week I have two christlike traits that I'm going to work extra hard on. Last week was faith and diligence and this week is love and energy. 

   One interesting thing i've seen is that when I set these goals I notice I have more challenges in that week for those specific goals. Last week it took a lot to be diligent and a lot to be faithful. When I did I was able to do it with his help.

    Maybe you could start there. It takes forever to really get it to start. The biggest thing ive had to learn is that change is not something you can do in a day and you have to start small or you wont be able to do it. I think we both are results based people. Im more like you than Dad I think. The mission right now is pretty challenging because a lot of the time you dont get results. So you gotta get results in the smallest things. The smallest things are all we got cause they're the only things we can do in a day.

     Anyway, we have five minutes left and I have to write president! 
    I love you a ton mum, good luck this week mum! Do one thing every a little bit better. Just one percent! We can do it together!

    Love you, talk to you next week,

    That one kid you have in Paraguay, Elder James T.