I'm going to zoom through responses so I can give you as much info about experiences here at the MTC.

Yes I go the hair putty and it's the exact kind I like. Thank you. I'm not sick any more. It was really just a sore throat and a runny nose. I've put on 5 lbs already but I'm putting a stop to that. I only have a bagel and chocolate milk for breakfast and usually a wrap or sandwich for lunch, with a salad or entree for dinner. But its really weird that I don't get hungry with so little food. Oh, and I have ice cream a couple times a week. Every time I have some it goes to waist...my waist :) Yo bromeo.

The cupcakes were a delight! I shared them with my class in celebration of our teacher's birthday the following day. And the brownies from Emma were a total surprise, too. My district loves her now.

Erin- You spelt it correctly. Ideally it's "niños" but no worries. That's awesome Dennis published his book. Let me know when it hits the bestseller list :) Keep up the job search too. Look at the last verse in Ether chapter 1. Dad do you remember the FHE lesson you gave about that verse? It was probably ten years ago so I doubt you do.

Jessi, you little anklebiter! I hope you enjoy physics as much as I did. And I bet you can come up with some other good names for Ying Tang - with his permission of course. Have fun being an upper classman! Good luck with school and life :) By the way, Jess, at the MTC we are always told to Speak Your Language whenever you can. Your email was a perfect model for what they mean by that. My Spanish is coming along but I have to use it more. I need Spanish to come to my mind before English does. And that will happen if I speak more often.

Carrie is quite the thinker :) Thank you for your letter. I really appreciate the advice you sent. I thought about it during the week. I'm learning from the missionaries here. I feel like the Orlando Temple is my temple, too. Although I'm only 19, so I don't know if I've got enough experience to really claim one yet. Anyhooligans...

It is really nice to have the cares of the world pushed aside. I actually enjoy not having a cell phone. And I love having so much time to dive into the Book of Mormon. Mosiah is a complicated chapter because of all the history, but I'm figuring it out. Maybe in two years I'll be a scriptorian like Mom and Dad.

I don't have my study journal nearby, which is like my treasure chest (Speaking of treasure, I've traded for some awesome ties recently. I now have 3 more ties than when I came into the MTC, and I haven't purchased any...), but I'm learning all the time. There's a promise on page 185 of Preach My Gospel that was pointed out to me yesterday. If we "listen with love" to those we teach or interact with, then the Spirit will tell us what to say. That is so important. I desperately want to ask better questions in the lessons so that our investigators with open up more and so we can know how to best help them. Listening with love is important as a missionary and as a family member. After all, we should always be looking for how we can help the other person.

Cool thought then I have to go: The two most important events in the history of the world started out with prayer - the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. There is no substitute for prayer. Read Enos 1, verse 13 I think. Pray diligently and you can experience revelation through prayer.

I love you all, por siempe y siempre. I think about you all and what you mean to me. I am so glad that I have a wonderful relationship with each of you, especially as a missionary called to teach how the Gospel blesses families. I want to live with all of you forever. Podemos hacerlo.

Elder Joshua Gathro