January 26 letters

To Mom: This week was really great. We got a lot of awesome work done with our investigators. We had to drop one of my favorite families ever because they aren't progressing but we picked up a bunch of new really awesome ones. Things are increasing a ton in our area; it is super nice. We cooked some awesome meals as well this week. I made my biscuits and increased the butter to 1 and a half cups this week and it actually turned out really good. 

There is a new Elder in our house who I really enjoy talking to so that is super nice. He goes home here in a couple transfers. We had a super good division. It was super fun and we got a ton of work done. We ended it off with a family night at my recent convert's house with a couple of progressing families, those m&ms you sent, and a cake that I made. It turned out super good and was a really great night. 

My comp hit his year mark this week so we went to the nicest hotel in Mozambique to celebrate with a good lunch there. I just got Ice Cream which was pretty good. keep sending me as many dessert recipes as possible so that I can make more good stuff. And there is no way I can get shortening so I need another pie crust recipe.

To Dad: This week was really good. Church was a little disappointing because our frequency went down. The members didn't show up as well but it's alright because we'll bounce back. We've been working a ton with the branch, which I don't know if I've already said. It's super rewarding and everything has been growing a lot. 

We are going to get a bunch of general authorities this week (seventies and stuff) and have a big conference because I think we are preparing for stakes, nothing is for sure but that is just what everyone thinks. If we get stakes I'm hoping the prophet or an apostle comes to establish them and stuff. Either way the church is very exciting here in Mozambique right now. 

January 19 letter

Transfers are every 6 weeks but this last transfer randomly was 8 weeks because of the end of year situation and zone conference and stuff so this transfer will only last 4 weeks. These past weeks have been good. Last week we did three family home evenings where we brought one of investigating families over to the houses of members like usual. They all turned out just great. I brought Uno to one of the houses and it just killed it. They loved it so much. I was wondering if you could send me 2 or 3 new decks of uno cards so I could give them away. They really don't have anything like it and it would mean the world to them. 

These past few weeks the work has been going great. We're working our butts off and it's really paying off. We are having tons of success and it's really fun. I really am grateful that I'm out here serving the lord. It's super awesome. 

Zone Conference

Daniel's in the third row back just to the left of President Kretly

January 12 letter

To Dad:  I don't have any time to email this week because it's transfers and we had to do a massive cleaning project of our house to get rid of the cockroaches so just wanna say that I love you. 

To Mom:  This week was really awesome we had probably one of, if not the most successful weeks of my mission, finding tons of new families, getting them all to church, and just killing it. It has been a really awesome time this week. Transfers were today but nothing changed with me so it's all good there. Still in this area that I love with a bunch of families that I also love.

January 4 letters

Yeah, my baptisms happened and they turned out super awesome. Everything is amazing, I can't describe how awesome the area currently is and how awesome these new families we have are. For New Years we had to come home early because there were so many drunk people. We just did weekly planning so it was whatever. Other than that we didn't celebrate at all. 

Our zone conference was this past Friday. I got your big package and also the one from the young women. The candy is super awesome. I'm gonna use it in church to control the kids with candy. We really need to show the primary how it's done so Elder Dustin and I have taught the primary and I intend to really whip it into shape. They don't learn songs and the kids run wild in the church all the time. We need to get them on the right pattern of learning songs, being reverent and keeping them away from their parents. No worries there though, I'm great with kids so we've kicked some butt. Plus they're kids and African so they're suckers for candy. Also thanks for the shaver, workout equipment and everything else! 

Here in moz a lot of the work that we do has to do with strengthening the branches. The organization is absolutely terrible, they really need help. So there are some questions I'd like to ask to Bishop Nelson about presidencies, callings and stuff. Right now me and my comp are working with the branch president to call and solidify all of the auxiliary presidencies in our branch which will be a lot of work and training that Elder Dustin and I will be giving. 

Dec 29 letter

This week was really awesome. I already talked about the whole thing over skype but this coming week we will be getting 2 family baptisms of a couple of really awesome families. I'm super pumped for it all to work out. The marriage for one of them was this week on Saturday. Either way, we had a really awesome week and talking with you at home was really awesome.