my poor companion

My poor companion is going home in this coming month. He, like many other missionaries has become a missionary so much that he hardly remembers how to be a normal person. This will probably happen to me as well. Poor missionaries everywhere.

What do I mean poor missionaries? Being a missionary is the life. Seriously, we eat great food every single night. It's not fair. There are people in other places who are lucky if they eat anything at all in a whole day, even days. Here I am stressing out that I have too much food to eat. The world is very backwards. Being a missionary in Arizona is sometimes just too silly. Members all over are wanting to do nice things to help us out. Many members give free things at their businesses to missionaries. Mostly restaurants, but Elder Wood and I were offered free tanning any time we wanted at a member's tanning salon--I don't think we're going to take the offer.... I never would have imagined my mission being like this.

And we are working hard. We are tracting, walking around the streets to talk to people, contacting referrals, searching in every neighborhood for Spanish people. We're working. We have faith that success is on it's way, though not here yet. Last week we tried to set a baptismal date with a couple and were devastated to hear: "We need more time." And so we keep working.

And the weather keeps warming up. We're in the 90s down here, if you can believe it. It would feel great if we were wearing shorts and sandals and t-shirts, but the collar and dark pants with black leather shoes is a bit confining in the heat. We'll just see how I handle things when we get to 115 and 120. I'll be honest, I'm nervous.

I know that my mission is the one the Lord has called me to. It seems strange at times that this is where He wants me, but I know it's true, as ugly and as hot as Arizona may be, it's my mission, and I'm lucky to be here. I also know that the Lord answers all efforts with blessings. Generally His plans are different than mine, so I have to look around to see the blessings, but they are there. I know that the Gospel is taught in the Book of Mormon, that it is the only way to get back to our Father. We are loved so much and our Father in Heaven designed our lives to take us back to Him. It is the whole point. And it is for everybody.

I love you all, take care of yourselves. Keep praying for the missionaries, trust me, us kids need all the prayers we can get. Do your best, even when it is hard, because we always receive blessings, every time we act righteously. I'll write again, bye.

-Elder Sam Bostwick