Dear Mom,

It sounds like a really fun baptism! I can't wait to get pictures from it! I'm also looking forward to talking to Grandpa Lee more about religion. I've come to love talking about the Gospel, especially with those that have been strong members their whole lives and that are really spiritual. Like President Jeppson. I'm sure Grandpa Lee will be the same. It sounds like a wonderful baptism and I'm very glad everything went well. Too bad I wasn't there. I would have enjoyed it a lot. I'm glad to be here though.

I don't know where to look for any Spanish Book of Mormon games. Thanks for looking though! Maybe some day they'll come out with them. 

It's been pretty cold here lately. Not too much snow. We hardly drive, and it's never slippery. So we're just fighting the cold.

So, I told dad about my missionary friend who is from Texas, Elder Henretta. We talked a little bit about where he was from and where dad grew up in Texas. Well, it turns out that Elder Henretta's dad is from Sweden! So the other day, we were talking about our similar Scandinavian heritage. I told him a couple phrases in Norwegian that I know, and he could understand some of them. He doesn't hardly speak Swedish. He probably knows a little more Swedish that I know Norwegian. But that made me really want to learn Norwegian again. Haha. Also speaking of Norway. The other week, we went to TJ Max, and I found something called Voss. It's artesian water from southern Norway. It came in a glass bottle and was pretty expensive. I had to buy it because it was from Norway. Well, it tasted just like regular water. The bottle is pretty cool though. Supposedly, they don't filter it or anything. It just comes naturally to this spring in southern Norway at like 45 degrees. But, yeah, that's it. Most expensive water I've bought..

This week has been a pretty normal week. I have to say, the members in Union City have been my favorite members on my mission so far. Some of the members here are just so great. One of the members in a former Bishop. His name is Bishop Martinez. He's from Mexico. He has three kids. One is on a mission and is coming back in March. The other two including his wife have gone a little less-active. The other son is trying to come back, but he says he doesn't really like or trust the current Bishop. Bishop Martinez comes to church alone every week. He's a very good example of staying strong in the Gospel no matter what. He's very strong and very active. He absolutely loves the missionaries, and the missionaries have always loved him. We went to go with him to give a blessing to a sick member that lives a city over in a place called Hoboken. On our way back from the blessing, our appointment called and canceled. Bishop Martinez bought us dinner at a little store and brought us back to his house for a little bit before we had to go home. He really does appreciate the missionaries and how much they have stayed with him and tried to help out his family when they've started to go off the path. There has been some other family issues that he has told us that have gone on too. I'll always remember his example.

Yesterday was the birthday of our good friend Alan from Mexico City. It was a wonderful little party that we can. Very Mexican style. We had Mexican enchiladas, which were very different from anything I've tried, but GOOD. A ton of Pepsi. Hispanics are all about the Coke and Pepsi. Nothing else really. No root beer, Dr. Pepper, or Mountain Dew. It's never diet nor flavored either. Plain Coke or Pepsi. I've grown to like Pepsi a lot. Then a Mexican tradition for the cake is for the person who is having a birthday will try to take a bite out of the birthday cake. Others will try to shove the cake into his face while he tried to take the bite. The goal is for the person to be able to take a bit and not get too much cake on his face. It was a lot of fun! He got a pretty good amount of cake. This tradition is called 'mordida'. That means 'bite'. So when it's time for them to take a bite, everyone starts chanting 'mordida!'. Super fun! Then we all had cake from the part of the cake that his face didn't touch and had a good time then went home. I love Mexican culture! It's so much fun, and they're tacos are amazing!! His mom will be making us some more tacos soon.. Yum..

So that's about it for the week. Those were the fun highlights!

Q of the W:

1.  What has been your favorite city in NJ to be in so far? Probably Union City. That's hard to say, but I like Union City a lot. The view of New York City is really cool and for the most part, it's been pretty quiet here. 

2.  Who has been your favorite companion?

I would say Elder Carpenter. He was really funny and always got along really well with people. 

3.  What is the best thing you have eaten on your mission?  the worst? 

Those Mexican Tacos. SO GOOD!! Mondongo is pretty bad. That's cow stomach. Mexican tacos are absolutely amazing. They're usually very spicy too!

Love you mom!

-Justin