Dear Mom,

So my camera works! I had somebody in the ward help me figure it out. Apparently, the cord that I use doesn't charge the camera. It only attaches it to the computer to download pictures. I've been going off one charge since the Christmas I got it. The guy in my ward bought me a battery charger and wouldn't let me pay him back for it. Now I'll have a battery charger for my camera. I'm confused too. I thought for sure I was charging the camera the whole time. The guy at the electronics store said that the little hole that I plug the cord into is not connected to the battery to charge it when I plug it in. I don't know how I went that long on one charge, but whatever! It's working now!

Last Monday, before my camera was charged, This same member took us down into Hoboken. Hoboken is right by Union City, however it's down a cliff right on the Hudson front. Union City is almost all Hispanic and Hoboken is as American as it gets. We went down a main street where all the shops are. We went by a shop called Carlo's bakery. I guess that's where they film Cake Boss on the Food Network! I never knew! I've heard of that show but I don't ever remember watching it. We didn't go in because there was a line on the street to go in. Then we went to a shop called Benny's. They sell pizza slices as big as a baby. It was a huge slice and it only costed $3. They had a huge TV on the wall and that's where I heard about the Boston Bombing. I was kind of a little bit captivated by the news. I may or may not have watched it while I ate my pizza... Not too many people have talked about what happened there. I feel like Hispanics don't really like to watch the news, so I don't hear about anything going on. I just hear about stuff from the youth in the ward and other missionaries or TV's in tempting hard-to-avoid places... After we ate the pizza, we passed by a German Bakery shop. We went in. The guy working there was from Germany! I tried to speak some German with him but I failed pretty badly. Oh well, at least I speak Spanish just fine! Then we went to the pier. They've built a giant pier that goes way out onto the Hudson river. That's as close to NYC you can get in New Jersey! I felt like I could reach out and touch it, or swim there. It was way cool! At that time, my camera battery was still charging. I'm going to have to go there another P-Day and take some pictures. It was really cool! That will definitely have to be a place to go visit. Hoboken has a lot of cool looking restaurants too!

This last Saturday we had a service project in the Clifton/Paterson area. I got to go back to Paterson again. We helped clean up a park that was damaged by the hurricane and years of lack of care. We came in with a bunch of plastic bags and picked up a bunch of garbage. It was pretty fun. We picked up fallen branches and pilled them up so the park would look nicer. It was pretty nasty at some parts, because I found hundreds of what's called nickel or dime bags. That's how they sell marijuana. They come in tiny bags that look like button bags, those bags that have a button you can sew onto a suit or pants if a button falls off. Those bags were everywhere. I found a couple needles too. They had special precautions for those. They got their own separate bag and were picked up with mechanical hand by one of the guys in charge of the service project. They're disposed of properly after that. It was a fun project. They gave us all t-shirts to remember it.

Not much else happened this week. Just teaching lessons. We're finding some cool investigators. I also might be leaving this next week. Transfers are coming this next weekend. I've been in Union City now for 4 and a half months. I could go. I hope I stay, I really like this area!


I only remember Donkersgoed. Vimahi sounds familiar but I don't remember anything about her. I've heard all lot of good things about Wilcock.

So Roy's Quiznos is a real Quiznos or is it his own thing?

Great story about Chubs! I love to hear them!

I can't believe that Jaime and Patrick are already coming home. I guess it kind of does feel like two years, but at the same time they kind of flew. I feel like my mission has been flying by. I'm at 8 1/2 months left. I'll be coming home in no time. I'm used to the mission schedule now. It's easier to wake up now, because the sun is coming up earlier. I think I've just become accustomed to New Jersey and the mission. I miss even more having my own schedule, but I know that I'm going to miss terribly teaching people.


Q of the W:

1.  Why is a branch a branch and not a ward?  Do you know what the difference is beside the size?

I think that in order to be a ward, you need to have a certain amount of active Melchizedek Priesthood holders. Also, a Branch President does not have as many rights as a Bishop. A Bishop is a Judge in Israel and has responsibility over a ward to guide it. After a Bishop is released, they are still a Judge in Israel, but do not have that personal responsibility over a ward. That's why we still address them as Bishop. A Branch President, I think is a temporary Judge and are not addressed as President when they are released. They also don't necessarily have to have the Melchizedek Priesthood or be married. It's preferred I imagine, but not a necessity.

2.  What's the name of the store that you guys do your grocery shopping at?

We shop at Wal-Mart, but there is another store that we go to on occasion called Aldi. I think that it's the east coast version of Winco.

3.  I should be sending you some more contacts soon...anything else you need?

Just that sheet music "The River Flows in You" if you can find it. Also, if you can get the Jon Schmidt music called "All of Me", that would be cool!


Love you mom! Talk to you soon!

-Justin