Dear Greg

So how has this week been going? Did the baptisms go as planned? Exactly what is the name of the Burmese family? Who did you baptize?
 
This week has been busy. With all the baptisms and stuff its been crazy. I feel like I have made a big difference in this area. 6 baptisms happened this week and 1 is going to happen this week. We also have gotten this Less Active family to go to church. It was so stressful because we had to squeeze in lessons for the Burmese family. Then we had to find someone that could do sign language for their deaf girl.  We had to use one of the Burmese girls that spoke little English to translate for her into ASL. While the baptism interview was happening at their house we were talking to a guy from Kenya who helped the family out with stuff. His English was so so. But we just happened to have a Swahili Book of Mormon on us and gave it to him. He was telling us about people in Kenya throwing gas grenades in churches and killing tons of people. It was pretty crazy. The Burmese family doesn't have a last name. The two I baptized were Ynay meh and Preh Mo. I think that was their names. It was a really good experience though.

the Burmese family

 
How exciting! Hopefully you took pictures. I guess riding the 4 wheeler was a pretty cool experience for you. So Trevor was talking about how there are various rituals to mark off certain timepoints in your mission where you burn a tie, etc.. So did you do anything special at your 6 month mark or any other time?
No I didn't do anything special at my 6 month mark although I was supposed to lol.
 
Well the Cardinals have been doing really well. The other night they went 20 innings against the Mets, scoreless until the Mets ultimately won. I have been following them much more closely than before, I guess because they remind me of you. Dad and I were talking the other night about things that remind us of you. This past week I have found myself thinking about you even a lot more than usual. There's just lots of things that make me think of you and smile. So I hope reminiscing doesn't make you homesick, but are there certain things that you see or hear, etc that remind you of home of of any of us in particular? Stuff that reminds me home would be baseball and going to cardinals games. This week we did something fun on Friday. We went to this thing called Jive. We were invited by sister Kerr and Chalice to come to it. Chalice did a good job  of singing and stuff. It was basically like a musical and it was really fun. Sister Kerr kept teasing me cause I thought this one girl up there that was Chalice's friend was cute and I guess I kept eying her and Sister Kerr is like "Elder Mattei you need to wipe the drool from your mouth."  lol. She keeps on teasing me about it now lol.
 
Today was a rather stressful day though. I had a patient who was HIV positive, plus she had hepatitis B, ( btw that reminds me did you ever get your other shot?)
No I never got my other shot cause I didn't have money put in my account to go get it lol.
 
Will you be sending pictures soon? Is your weight still down? Unfortunately mine is staying put. I was hoping that my stress level and crazy work schedule would help me lose some, but not yet. Mark got his graduation announcements last week, hard to believe he and his friends will be graduating. They are excited for prom.
 My weight right now is at 172. Its staying about even but I'm trying to work out and I'm taking protein every morning after I work out. I just need to be more consistant about doing it. I want to be in really good shape when I get home. Yeah I'll probably send pics home soon.
 
Yesterday all of us went to Weldon Spring for a hike. It was fun, it has been a long time since we did something like that as a family. Garrett really enjoyed it as did everyone. I think even Todd had a good time even though he complained a lot at first. Did you get to take a picture of your shoes?


Well as usual, I have to get up way too early in the morning. Take care and remember how much you are loved. To quote my fave Rascal Flatts song, " hope you know somebody loves you!" LOL We are so proud of you. I've told Mark repeatedly to follow your example and he'll find himself and the Lord will answer his prayers. Here's one of my favorite quotes. Dad and I were talking about not worrying about the things you cannot change or not sweating the small stuff. Here's the saying which is actually a prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." I'm so glad you are happy where you are right now and that you're enjoying your time with Elder Crook. Remember always what a tremendous work you are accomplishing. I hope that you don't feel defeated and discouraged too often. Are you really doing better in seeing the glass as half full as opposed to half empty? Take care. We all love you so much.     Love you,  MOM   Yeah I would say I see the glass half full more than half empty but I do see it half empty sometimes too.
 
 
So I heard Carrie Underwood won entertainer of the year. I really like her new song.  Well I got to write dad some now. Hopefully he will read yours cause I might not write as much on his considering I'd be saying a lot of the same stuff.

Love

Elder Mattei