March 3, 2012

Dear Family:

Hi Everyone!!! How was your week? what is new back at home? Any news?

Wow your mission is dividing too?!? That is great! That will really help the work move forward! So what does that mean for the two of you?

We heard he was from South Africa but that was all! Things are moving right along getting things ready for the split! I don't really know too much of what is going on up north since I am in the South, but I imagine we will find out more this week! We have zone council this Wednesday, so I am sure that the President Shulz will talk about that kind of stuff!

This past week has been really busy!!!!! We had the mission tour Monday, Tuesday was P-day, and then we went on splits this past week on Friday! The members are starting to help out more now, we have received a couple of referrals that have great potential, and the members have come with us to lessons so hopefully that will continue!! It was too bad, on Thursday we had a full day of lessons scheduled and even had back ups, but the entire day everyone failed!!! We walked everywhere to visit the investigators we had scheduled and even the back ups, and every single one failed!!! I could not believe it! It happens though, just got to keep working and try the next day...

So a couple of really funny things: 1. Fasting on Mission is not easy!!! All of yesterday I felt like I was just going to fall over dead! I was running on empty the whole day! 2. We were singing a hymn in church the other day and I just was singing and thinking, wow I actually have a pretty good singing voice, and then I listened better and just realized I sounded good because I was the only one who knew the song haha! But the really cool thing is that when they sing even if they don't know the song that well, you can feel the Spirit so strong when they sing! It really does amaze me!

So we have been helping out at a Mission Branch. They have like 20 kids from the ages of 8-12 who all need to be baptized and also about 4 adults! So we go out there once a week and teach them there! It is fun, the kids are sweet, a little crazy at times, but sweet!

I am so grateful for each one of you! I love you all so much and miss you more than you know!!! Thank you for all that you do for me! I have to go but until next week!

Love your son and brother

Elder Ryan S. Alba