Family,
Turns out I did get a
chance to email for a bit today, so I'll just write a few things that happened
this week as well as some things I forgot to write from last week.
Last week I gave my
"farewell" talk in the branch. I told them that most
missionaries only leave home once, but I'll be leaving home twice.
Yesterday they had Elder Bradford say the opening prayer, they had us both
bless the sacrament, and they had me give the closing prayer. The final
hymn was "para siempre Dios este con Vos"... Afterwards I got
pictures with everybody and said my goodbyes. It's kind of crazy to think
that I'm actually leaving for good this time...
Last P day we went
with a member who is in the Air Force onto the base to see the other part of
the museum. They had all of the past Air Force One planes that carried
all of the past 15 or so presidents. We got to walk onto all of them,
which was pretty cool.
On Friday I
had my departing interview with President. He gave me a lot of really
good advice for my life. He and I both agree that I've changed a lot
since the beginning of my mission. It's kind of weird thinking that I met
him in the MTC two years ago...
I got to go on an
exchange back to Dayton 2 on Friday with Elder Seegmiller. It was really great to see some of
my friends from down there one more time.
I found out that
everyone likes to take missionaries out to eat when they're about to go home,
especially if that missionary has lived in the area for nearly 2 years.
We got fed for just about every meal this week. It was really crazy.
Speaking of eating, I
ate probably my last weird thing on Saturday.
It was a raw, live oyster doused in valentina hot sauce and lime juice.
It wasn't too bad...
Yesterday we visited
the familia Loza again, and we invited them to be baptized. They haven't
been too interested in it before, but this time the Spirit was there very
strong and they told us that they would like to prepare to be baptized!
It was a great lesson, and a great experience to have in one of my last
lessons.
Well, I think that's
about it. I'll close this final email by sharing my testimony. I
know that Jesus Christ is my savior. I know that this is His work.
I know that the gospel is here to help us change and become more like
Him. It has changed me. It has changed my fellow
missionaries. It has changed the members here. It has changed the
people I've taught. I can't express how grateful I am to my Father in
Heaven for giving me the opportunity to witness these changes and see the
affects that the Savior's atonement can have on a person. I know that God
is my Heavenly Father. I know that Joseph Smith was the instrument in the
Lord's hands to bring about the restoration.
See you in about 48
hours!
Love,
Elder Foote
