Called to Serve

Dear Family,
I expect to see some pretty awesome pictures in the next couple of weeks. Im super jealous of Italy, I do think i would understand some italian, its a lot more similar to spanish than french is. Any i didn't know that this is a like a anniversary trip, that makes me less jealous, That's great 27 years... wow. You guys are getting pretty close to the big 30. That will be a fun party. 

 So this week was pretty normal. It was good. I had a really good Sunday. We had Stake Conference. It was completely focused on Missionary Work. They gave every family a book of Mormon. Our stake president talked about some really cool things in the book of Mormon, interesting statistics.... Also we did a special musical number, all the missionaries and all the valients the older boys from primary and the young men of the stake. We sang Called to Serve. The missionaries started in the back and we came into the big hall from the two sides in two lines singing Called to Serve, then they had asked all the boys that were going to participate to sit on the edge of the rows so they could easily join the line after we passed by. It turned out really good. The congregation sang the last 2 verses with us (in Spanish there are 4 verses in English only 2) Then we stood there and the Stake president started his talk and we all just stayed standing. He gave some really sad and drop cane statistics.  I don't know if they were statistics from the stake or from Uruguay but he told everyone to look at the primary children and young men and said something about how they are really important and that in the stake only 2 of every 10 deacons ordained are ever ordained priests and of those two priests only one of them goes on a mission. "Which of them are we willing to lose?" he asked. It was really powerful.  The transition from youth to converted adult member is a really tough one especially here. Really the only adult members are either returned missionaries or people that got baptized  as adults. Then he went on to talk about the power of the book of Mormon, it was a good talk.

 Our investigators are doing más o menos. So-so. But we are excited because we were able to find some new investigators that have potential. A younger couple, and a well established family. The family is really cool, they are super good people. I'm sure they wont have problems with the commandments because there is a really good chance that they are already living most of them. The big problem is their schedule. Its a little harder here than in Florida everyone is just busier. I loved Florida. Maybe its just because i was there for so long. 

 Oh i got kinda sick on Tuesday, but i felt better by Wednesday. I hope i don't get sick this winter. i feel like i was sick a lot last winter. Maybe it was just that time i got really sick when i arrived in Minas.... anyway, i feel fine for now! That's about it for today! Have fun in Europe and be safe! 

 Love,
Elder Carlson