Christmas is coming!

Hello Familia,

so we have been working really hard... and it has been interesting to see how the work of God goes forward. This last week we had some really sad numbers, and calling in our key-indicators was really something we couldn't take any pride in. Nonetheless, we have had some interesting prospects this week. We had someone get baptized into the English ward... a veses, es dificil a ayudar la gente que estan tratando ser bautizado. Este es porque some of our members need to get married first (Ahem* Yanelly and Jesus... though mostly Jesus), or have been baptized 5 times and want to know more before doing it again (Cough* Jesus Carrasco). Well, this girl that got baptized had a child with this guy Jose (who was an inactive member- but a great guy), and we had the opportunity to teach her. It was so amazing because my companion and I were on a trio with an Elder Seumanu (American Samoan) and we were able help teach a lesson...whew, the Spirit in that room could have been sliced with knife... or generated a small lightbulb. Even though she wasn't really our investigator, it felt good that we were able to help her come to the waters of baptism.

This week, we have had people calling out to us in the streets and asking, "Hey, are you Bible-guys?", "Aren't you those Mormons?" or "Hey, why are you all dressed up?" It has been interesting because sometimes, Spanish is a pain in the pants. Other times, its as if I grew up hearing Spanish, had parents who were both fluent, an abuela who lived with us for several years, went to a Spanish Branch as a kid, then moved to Miami, and now am on a mission speaking Spanish... nearly effortlessly. The other day, I was reading in DyC... ok, I lied, I was reading in D&C (Spanish is coming, but English is still how I do personal study... for sentimental reasons) D&C 100 and it was incredible to see how that applied to me. The Lord said something along the lines of (I'm at the library and don't have my stuff with me =/ ) "I have called you to the *so-and-so Mission that I may gather some souls." That stuck out to me - That I have been called here to serve that I may gather some souls because they are important to God. After finishing that section, I jumped over to 3 Nephi 17... where Jesus Christ was talking to the Nephites after descending onto the steps of the temple. And casting His eyes round about (after telling them to go home and ponder on the things which He had taught them) He saw that there were tears in their eyes and they looked on as if to ask him to tarry a little longer. And He said unto them, "My bowels are filled with mercy towards you." And then He said, "Have ye any that are sick? Bring them hither." He wanted to help. Then He had them send up their little children.

As I was reading this, I thought, who am I to think to myself...Ahh, that person doesn't look worthy or prepared to have the Gospel?" These people are important to the Lord. After reading that... I have been able to talk with people with much more ease. I am merely a means to an end. I am not called to judge who is or is not worthy of the Gospel.

Yesterday, I thought of this brilliant idea. A brilliant Christmas present for me would be a CD with the Forgotten Carols (the ones we have...not the newer one) and a bunch of classical music.... probably along the lines of Chopin, maybe some Beethoven or Dvorak. We aren't allowed to have any non-LDS music... so I can't really think of anything Mission appropriate that falls under that category.

Hmmmm.... Oh, I will DEFINITELY be calling for Christmas which means that yall better be ready for me. Hmm... oh our Branch Mission Leader was mugged a few weeks ago. We haven't gotten mugged yet though.

My companion hates the fact that I'm not afraid of dogs. They have some really nasty dogs here... aka pitbulls. Hopefully I'll be OK.

Since I am out of time... Dad I'm counting on you to send this to everyone ok?

Love ya,

Elder Ostler

My Little Analogy

So I didn't have a heads up for today... and that big fluke shouldn't happen for awhile.

So we went to the temple today, and apparently whenever we go to the temple, we have to switch our preparation-day to the temple day. So that was fun. I learned a lot today at the temple... much of which I can't really talk about until all yall go through. Something that I really thought about though was that it would be incredible to go through the temple with the whole family when we get to that point in time.

Anyway... I was just kinda trying to side-step that gouge after hearing Tina's "You know what tomorrow is?" comment. Our preparation-days end at 6 and my companion and the district leader and his companion (who cover our area but in English) didn't even really want to come to the library! I was like "I made a promise to write my family EVERY week!"

And by the way, I will be here next week and the next.... probably for a long while. Oh, and I will give you heads up as best as I can. I cannot say this more... I am VERY VERY SORRY... please continue to have faith in me! I love writing to you and write as often and as much as time permits.

To answer your question from last week Dad, my Mission President, President Gonzalez, worked in the CIA and thus, it is very possible that his name is NOT John A. Gonzalez. I'm not sure if I included this in my last letter, but Sister Gonzalez reminds me a lot of Mom. She is very sweet and mild-mannered and yet she has many of the same mannerisms as Mom does.

Sometimes, our district leader/my companion does not have patience for things as unimportant as writing home. I got scolded the other day for going over time while writing you... I have a feeling there is a bit of a sensitive nerve there. I love you all so much. The way i feel here is something interesting. I miss you all but I feel that I am changing so much and I don't want to miss out on any of the lessons or blessings that the Lord has in store for both me and you.

Something interesting that I have encountered here is the importance of obedience. I probably have talked about this before, nevertheless, it is so important and the difference it makes here creates a sort of polarization amongst the missionaries.

Allow me to explain. There are some missionaries who do anything they want. They play basketball, waste proselyting time, even leave their companions. This they do because they think that this will make them happy. Nevertheless, it is interesting because there seems to be a dark storm-cloud hanging over them which nearly corporealizes and becomes visible to the human eye. They are NOT happy. Our district leader was trying to put together a musical number and during the time when he was away practicing, one of the elders actually said (and I quote) "Had I known the mission would be like this, I would not have come." He has turned his mission into a 2-year prison sentence. He just doesn't have the... largeness in stature... to go home and confront everyone. They do not have ANY success.

Then, there are those who are obedient. We are happy here and don't want to waste an hour of our mission. We are happy. We have fun. We are blessed with success.

And now I ask, why does it make ANY sense that we who are following the mission rules as best as we know how, are happy? Well, it is because we are on the Lord's errand, and He has set the rules. He knows that as we follow the rules and work as hard as we can, we will be happy. He also makes it pretty clear that those who do not, are miserable. And so my dear readers, being somewhat of a sound mind, I have devised a cunning plan. I will be obedient because obedience = happiness.

And I will call you on Christmas, I guarantee it. Or your money back.

And your letter Tina will be in the mail tonight. I got repremanded for trying to write it throughout the week.

I have a cool little analogy.

A farmer has a bag of wheat. He can do whatever he wants with this. However, there is nothing he can do to that bag of wheat to increase its quantity. Nothing except to plant them. As he plants them, he gives up his bag and, with as much faith as he can muster, will try to make them grow. Only by sacrificing not only the his bag, but also putting in the work, does he gain an increase. And when he does, his increase is a hundredfold.

When you write back, send me the meaning of this analogy (individually, or collectively if you like) and also give me the reference for that in the scriptures. (Hint: it WILL be hard to find but know this... Jesus said it)    ;)

So anyway... I will talk to you later... I love you!

Elder Ostler

PS ~ I will write you this Monday as expected. Same schedule as usual.

Our Vast Library of Knowledge

So I am including a few pictures. I figured out how to do it and I am hoping that I can figure out out to do this so I can upload a majority of my pictures rather than hope that they get saved by email. Also, it seems way safer if I can upload them than sending them home and hoping that my Memory Card is safe that way (which sadly, doesn't seem likely). The reason I say this because of the condition that many of the letters I have received, or at least, the condition that the envelopes are in, because they're kinda nasty in condition.

I recently (as in just now) found out that my companion Elder Smith is related to Ostlers. I told him, bestowing upon him my vast library of knowledge concerning our geneology which consisted of..."Well, I've heard that I'm related to all LDS Ostlers." Curious.

My bike is great. I heard that I made a great choice and that this bike usually sustains well under the heavy usage of our mission. My companion and I have the same model. The only problem we have is that we look a bit like  dorks with helmets, riding around in slacks. (Just kidding.) So I conducted an interesting experiment the other day with my companion - me, being my usual, geeky self. 

So my companion and I would ride to the top of this powerfully great and spacious bridge, would get into the same gear, and would be going the same speed on the way up. Then, coasting to the bottom, I would pick up some serious speed and would pass him. I was wondering what you might think about that, Dad? What laws are coming into play, causing me to gain such wonderfully marvellous acceleration? Curious. =T

Well, so we are usually on bikes. Our area is called Ceres, although we cover Modesto and Keyes. My spanish seems to have a mind of its own, and comes and goes at its own will. Paying attention is quite a burden, and it is difficult to not zone out sometimes. 

We do have a car but the English Elders who cover our area as well, like to use it quite a bit, so we are left to biking and walking. The only problem with this is that it has been quite cold lately. It is hard when it is cold, windy, raining, and nighttime, (as it was yesternight). But I love the work.

Thank you Tia Ivonne for sending me Elder Davis' letters. It is so encouraging to hear of his work down there. He is an amazing person and a hard worker. I have no doubt that he will do well. 

Now to the main part of my letter. WOW!!! Send me as many pictures as possible of the New Ragsdale family with child!!

That is soo cool! When I got the email with the pictures, I was about to break down and begin crying right here in the library!. WOW! I'm an uncle.

I wish I had more time but I spend too much time fiddling with the pictures and not enough writing. I will have to write some more by hand.

Something that I thought of that brought a little fear into my mind, was that when I fly home, Tina might be able, (if, of course, she has been true and faithful), to drive me home! That would be so wierd and a bit frightening. OK just kidding. 

So I got your email Tina and I may have to send you your reply by hand.... Please send the package to me! I'm excited.

I love you all. I am out of time...

uhhh.... yeah, so love you!

Elder Ostler

To Be More Specific

To whom it may concern,

I have received compliants from the audience, suggesting that I should "be MORE specific in everything". Thus I will attempt to correct this obvious error and give you a brief glimpse of my life.

So this week, we had the amazing opportunity to baptize a young man by the name of Rodolfo Chavez. What an INCREDIBLE thing! His life is being completely changed for the better. It is truly amazing. He also received the Aaronic priesthood that same Sunday.

 

I don't know if you know but I am a designated driver (seeing how I have an immaculate driving record). Regardless, we bike around quite a bit and as of late, walk.

 

Which brings us to the first 3 pictures that were attached to this email.

 

So late last night (around 7:00 pm) (it gets dark here like at 5:00, ok Miami people?!), it was raining and we were biking. We pulled along the side of the the highway (Hatch Rd). (Speaking of which... we live off of Hatch Rd. and Central - It is right next to a Walgreens, in case you're interested).

 

So alongside the highway runs a canal. It was dark and we road with the canal between us and the road so as not to be splashed on by every passing car, though what would happen next would completely change the outcome of my mission, and moreover, my outlook on life.

 

We continued, sliding around on the slick wet mud (luckily, I was wearing the Poncho/Overcoat thing that Abuelito gave me). We road for about a mile and as we neared the next... approximately 0.010356 miles from our house, we noticed that the lane that we were taking was narrowed off by a 10 foot chain-link fence, so that we could only very carefully walk upon a ledge about a foot-and-a-half wide. We carefully held onto fence with one hand, holding onto our bikes with the other (which were being held over the ledge of canal (which makes a moderate "V" shape in to a murky torrent) walking to then end). After walking about 100 feet or so in this manner, we did not notice until arriving, that the last 30-40 feet narrowed off even more (around a 4 inch ledge.) Whew!!! That was a pain in the butt, I'll tell ya hwat! (yes, I misspelled "what"). I slid my arms through the bars in the bike and held to the chain-link fence, which hurt quite a bit (as it was really cold). I reached the end after much tribulation... to find that our adventures were not quite at an end. We had to jump of this well-looking thing, walk another ledge, and climb over a fence. Yeesh!!! That was an amazing experience.

 

Anyway, we lived. The whole experience took about 45 minutes. Turning back would have taken about 15, but pshh... we couldn't let that defeat us!

 

Anyway, we ended up getting somewhat dirty... and taught a few lessons despues...

 

I am super happy to be here... We have been told to extend baptismal invitations to everyone we come in contact with. Honestly, I thought that would be strange...and it still is kinda... but it is much better and we are working as hard as we can to bring everyone unto Christ our Savior.

 

I am going to send as many letters to you as possible. The Gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives... It brings happiness to us. We are ALL on a mission, as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on a mission to save the world from the grasp of Satan. It is real.

Some of the side-affects of Satanitis are Hopelessness, Despair, and that.

 

The Gospel brings hope to ALL those who truly receive it and believe on his name.

I came to the realization that Joseph Smith must have had an amazingly spiritual experience when he translated the 1st Chapter of the Book of Mormon.

 

Anyway, I send you stuff by snail mail.

 

I love you all.

Elder David Ostler

Fed like a Champion hehehe

Hello Family (and friends if this is going up on the blog),

Everything is great in California. I'm so glad to be here! It is hard. Just putting that out there. The hardest transition is going from the MTC where you are sitting in a desk for 12 hours/day (that means "12 hours PER day" for those of you who aren't especially mathematically inclined), to working 3 hours at home before going out and working 10 hours (and when I say 10 hours, it means ALL 10 hours). We bike everywhere although we have a car in our area. We share this car with the English missionaries who love to use it with GUSTO. Just kidding, but seriously! Anyway, so I am the designated driver in my companionship. The ranking goes from A-0 (which literally means, "Awesome missionary with tons of incredible friends who write him from home, who by the way has never been in an accident or gotten any sort of citation") to C-# (which means "in-Credibly Cruddy reCord" - I'm not sure why they made it like that. <=T ) 

So it has been really cold here, strangely. I have had to where sweaters and suits here for much of the time. The day we arrived, it was around 80 degrees, and a lot of the new missionaries were COMPLAINING! I was thinking to myself (as I often do), "What are you saying? This is INCREDIBLE weather" (or as Sannie would say "vat faiyn vetha ve ah heving" ~close quote). Yeah, so now we are having fifty-some degree weather. Eehh... not wanting to complain but I'm not a fan. I guess I will probably appreciate it more after experiencing a summer (or at least, so I hear).

Ahh, I love having an our to pour out my thoughts! I think my more brilliantly interesting side comes out in the last 30 minutes.

I am fed like a Champion. Seriously, I am fed like a cage-fighter. And yet I keep losing weight. I don't know what that is about. The belt which was bought with Steve does not fit any longer due to the exceeding longness thereof. Or perhaps I have simply inhaled a tapeworm and I am feeling the effects accordingly. Or maybe my body has begun to burn more fat because the growth of my beard has rocketed...yes Rachel, Rocketed.

 

Well, I am nearly out of time with only 9 minutes left (haha, a week ago that was a third of my time allowance). Hmm... what else would you like to know?

Oh, President Gonzalez is an amazing person. He is quite funny, very spiritual, and it turns out that he used to work for the CIA. That being said, he has commited us to be really careful with our cars, and obeying all the laws of the land because, he said, and I quote "I will know! I have friends who work in the CIA." He then told a story about how he had shown during an earlier zone conference some footage of some Elder Missionaries (their faces blurred out for obvious reasons) running a red light. Nonetheless, we are careful because we know whose work this is and who we represent. Oh, y Hermana Gonzalez me recuerda de Mami. Es verdadero! Ella es muy amoroso para nosotros y nos ayuda estar mas mejor con nuestros actuaciones...(i'm not sure if that is a word but I'm running with it).

 

Oohh... I just received a pop-up which asked if I would like to extend the period of time I have to write letters by 15 minutes! Clicking...yes.

 

Anyway, so I may or may not use the whole time which has been given but regardless, the extra time is quite lovely. I have heard from my sources that (Ahem Mariam) the 7th Harry Potter movie (el primer parte) es muy bueno. Estoy allegro. Presidente Gonzalez nos da una paqueta para Navidad. Nosotros mostraramos una (g-rated) pelicula. El Companero y yo estamos diciendo.

 

Well, I gotta go. Be good. I love you. BE GOOD. Missionary work is great. You should try it **wink wink!

Les AMO!

 

Elder Ostler

First Week in Frezno

Hello Family,

So I have arrived in Fresno, CA! I'm really excited to be here. Everyone seems really nice and keeps saying that this is the BEST mission in the whole world!

They say that the trick is obedience. They also said that they part their hair as a sign of obedience, this because they received a promise from a General Authority that if they parted their hair, they would reach their goals. So if you see some new pictures with me having a somewhat inconspicuous part in my hair, you will know the reason for this.

I love you all and I am going to work my hardest. I'm going through orientation and I have been told that Preperation Day is on Mondays.

Also, other than obedience, Sister Gonzolez loves etiquette which includes no abbreviations.

Remember, Monday is Preparation Day!

Love you all,

Elder Ostler

Last Week in the MTC

Hola familia de mio,

¿como fueron tu semana? I hope everything has been good. Anyway, I am SUPER excited to get out of this MTC... It is so weird being in a place were I have SO little communication with the outside world. It has been helpful but it makes me feel that this place is kinda like "Limbo", ya know? Anyway, I'll be able to call you from the airport next Wednesday... so make plans for it ok?

It was really cool because yesterday, I went to MTC Choir practice as always and to my surprise, standing at the pulpit was Elder David A. Bednar. We've had 4 of the Brethren in a row. It has been quite an amazing experience. he was talking about the difference between "Doctrine", "Principles", and "Applications". It was an amazing experience but I cannot include it in here for I haven't the time. Anyway, I'm really excited for the whole 1 hour of computer time in the field thing, as opposed to the 1/2 hour rule that the enforce here. It has been a bit infuriating at times, i'm not going to lie. I love you all and hopefully, i'll be able to send some pictures home via the computer's in the field. As I said before, I'm really excited and I will be calling home on Wednesday. You might try to conference call so that I can talk to everyone? Just a thought.

 

Anyway, be good and read the LAST talk in the Ensign that just came out by Pres. Monson.

I love it.

Love you all

Elder Ostler

Apostles at church

Hello Everyone,

So This is my first letter that I will be sending today. We have had the most amazing experience within the last 2 weeks. It just so happens that every sunday, some older missionary crew says something about an apostle coming. It bugs me that the can promise me that what they say is true when they know what they are saying is a bald-faced lie. Well, two weeks ago, we saw people going in between the aisles of chairs with mirror-sticks (so that they can see everything on the bottom of the chairs) as well as flashlights in the dark space above the ceiling. I thought that was weird... then I during the session, one of the MTC Presidency said, "Make sure that you remember that we do not stand for the hymns EXCEPT should one of the Brethren walk in. Then, make sure that you stand!" 10 seconds later, Elder Russell M. Nelson walked in!! It  was incredible. Then yesterday right before the devotional, they said the very same thing! My eyes widened as I looked at the Elder next to me and asked, "Do you know what that means?" He was a newer Elder... I explained to him that I had only heard that once, and that was last week. I had also seen the odd chairstick-men and flashlight-wielding-attic-searching-men. The Elder next to him was sceptical, but then what do you know, the next moment we were all rising to see Elder Richard G. Scott walking in!!!! I'm not going to go into too much detail, but I have notes in my Study Journal and will soon take it down in my personal journal. What he talked about was being guided by the Spirit. He said that he was compiling a lifetime of his own personal learning and he had given fliers of notes for the missionaries to learn from.
Neither I, nor anyone else in the room, have ever heard so many Apostolic Blessings ever. He gave special blessings to the Sister Missionaries. He also gave us all a Apostolic blessing of the Gift of Tongues. I have never taken part in such an powerful talk in my entire life. Based on this talk, the last talk, and a few other significant things, I feel that we are some of the Last Missionaries/Servants to go out and work in the Vineyard.

Prepare yourselves. I wish I had more time but I don't. Everything else that I need to say will either be via Snail-mail or in my Journal.

I love you all.

Elder David Randall Ostler

Avatar Journal...yes, no, maybe so?

Hello, how is everyone? I have been doing pretty good here. Today, we're teaching the entire first lesson in Español at the TRC. It is truly amazing how fast we've learned the mission. Last week...our whole district heard this and we're astonished. But we've worked really hard this week and we've been able to teach the whole lesson entirely in English. So every week, our branch presidency has us write 5 minute talks on a specific topic and then during sacrament meeting, we are called out. We're now the 2nd oldest missionaries in our zone which is weird... our ward pianist left out into the field and everything and so I somewhat reluctantly went up to the branch president and told him (after hearing the... hmmm, i shouldn't talk bad) that I indeed to could play a bit.

He looked at me, squinted, and said," I knew someone would finally fess up and tell us you played." He then laughed. He's a funny guy but he believes in obedience with EXACTNESS. When I say this, i mean that he has zero tolerance for anything less than the best. When our rooms are checked, they get graded " Commendable, Acceptable, Needs Work, and Unacceptable". He has a ton of pet-pieves. Getting an "Acceptable" room is not ok. Might as well go home. You never say, "Pretty Good" to him. You are either, "Great" or "Bad". "Pretty Good", and you might as well go home. I don't think he actually means it but the rocky exterior intimidates many people in our zone.

So I had this idea.... If you don't like the idea, then just say so when you DearElder me. So I can do the thing like in Avatar (Blue-Pocahantas) where I videotape my letters to you instead. Just a thought... then I'll just send my memory card to Jessica, and she'll upload the whole thing to you and send it back... seeing how it takes 5 times as long to letters to you as it does to her.

I love you all. Keep up your amazing work. I love the letters that I get from you... They are MOST welcome and they keep me going through the hard times.

I think that the hardest thing for me to learn here is humility and I am constantly seeing how proud I am, and where I can improve. I have faith that I can make these changes with the Lord's help because honestly, it is really really hard.

I love you all!

Elder Ostler

En Espanol

Hola Ostler Familia,

como estan ustedes? Gracias por todos sus cartas y emails. Recibi La Bendicion Patriocal (lo siento - i don't know how to right that in Espanol). Gracias por su amor mami pero para repuesta su pregunta, no necessito mas pantalones porque mis pantalones fit fine =D

Tengo dos semanas mas en el CCM y el maestro dijo que tiene un poco miedo para nuestros espanol pero.... tengo confidencia porque el companero Elder Thurman y yo tenemos la abilidad a leer El Libro de Mormon.

I just used up most of my time but doing this in Spanish and stuff but I'm working on it. We have had 3 Apostles in a row for our devotionals starting with Elder Nelson, Elder Scott, and Elder Ballard. It has been such an amazing experience.

I love you so much...

Oh... one last thing... can you scan my patriarchal blessing? I somehow lost it, and i would like to have it.

Thanks,

Elder Ostler

Cookie Test... :)

Jessica DID pass the cookie test. It hasn't been easy trying to stay fit here. There is SOOOOO much sitting around here it bugs me. You get EXACTLY 1 hour of workout time if you use your time as best as you can and your teacher lets you out on time (otherwise, it is only 50 minutes). If I have some spelling errors, my bad. I'm writing as fast as my little hands can go! =D Anyhow, It has been a long week in one respect and yet it feels like it was JUST P-day like 2 days ago. I'm trying to learn spanish as fast as i possibly can. My companion and I have gotten pretty good at teaching the gospel in English... but we're teaching Spanish the whole time next week. It is slightly unnerving but once I get used to the whole thing, i'll be ready to GIT outta here! I'm sorry about not writing you all last week. =\ It is just really annoying that they put this stupid timer here... i mean, i realize the importance.... I just dislike it muchly! So today we went to the temple and we did sealings for the first time ever  (for me, not for my comp) and it made me so happy to know that my family has been  sealed in the temple for time and all eternity! =)

Thank you for your letters! They keep me going! They are also the envy of all of my roommates. Please don't forget my JEANS and SWEATER! It's getting chilly here. We can see our breath outside.

I'm glad that Suzanne is doing well in school! I love you Suzanne! Keep up the hard work!

How is everything going? Write me as much as you can and i'll do my best to write you back. Also, tell my friends to write me (in a round about way a.k.a - let Tina write it on facebook if she feels up for it. ;) ) I have gotten very few. I love you guys. I'm working my but off and hope that you are too =D Love you!

Elder David Ostler

First week

Hello! So my P-Days are on Wednesday... All is well and it has been a lot of fun learning about the core principles of the gospel. It is different when you are studying the scriptures with real intent... I hadn't realized that I wasn't before. Anyhow, today has been great. We started off by going to the Temple at 7:00. It hasn't been easy getting used to the constant lack of sleep as they schedule us EXACTLY 8 hours starting from Lights-out (10:30) to 6:30. Well, even in an ideal situation where the lights went out at 10:30, we would still get around 7 1/2 hours total, and lights don't usually get hit until closer to 11:15 so... you get the idea. We've been working on it though. I've learned a lot of charity for the people that I'm going to teach which makes me jumpy to get into the real work in Fresno. The hardest part here is God's lesson for me on humility. I thought I was pretty humble when I got here.... pssh! wow was I wrong! The Lord is teaching me... and it has been a hard pill for me to swallow but I'm working hard at it (a.k.a. my companion). The GYM has been closed for several months and is finally reopening today! I'm really excited and hope that I don't have to write home for a larger size of pants or something. That would be embarrassing! Oh btw, I need my NEW jeans for service day. I hadn't really thought that I would need jeans on the mission thinking that gym clothing would suffice, but I guess it is necessary.

We play soccer ever day for gym even though my companion doesn't like to at all. I really need the exercise because all i'm doing the rest of the day is either eating or sitting in a gas-filled room for 14 hours. So I came up with this sneaky (but true) statement on how in Fresno, we'll mostly be teaching Mexicans playing soccer is a great way to invite them to church! Throwing a frisbee around (they don't allow us to play ultimate) just doesn't cut it.

The best way to keep in touch with me is DearElder.com so send everyone that way but letters also work fine. My Mailing address is:

Elder David Ostler

Provo MTC Mission

MTC Box# 186

2005 North 900 East

Provo UT 84604

Oh, and Dad, I need to know whether the fax was sent and it would also be great if you could send me Jessica/Steve's email/mailing addresses as well as everyone elses. And I would also like rachel's mailing address. That would be great!

I love you!

Elder Ostler