Answers to Questions, Finally

Hi Greg,

Here's a thought: Copy and paste this into your new email and just answer the questions briefly. I even left spaces for you to write the answers.

How's it going? So, did your baptisms happen this past weekend? That's neat that you got to confirm someone. You said you were nervous about that. But I'm sure you did fine as you were led by the promptings of the Spirit. Any other people you're teaching?

I'm doing good and only Russ's baptism happened this week. We are teaching pretty much the same people. I wrote a lot about some of the people in the letter I sent home. You will find Russ to have strange beliefs lol.




Are you guys getting meals pretty regularly? How have you been feeling? This is supposed to be a bad cold/flu season. Todd has been diagosed with H1N1 (swine flu). He is doing better now but he had fever of almost 104 this weekend. Thomas had a mild fever yesterday, not sure if it's just a cold or the flu, though. So far everyone else is fine.

We are getting meals this week but we haven't the past couple of weeks so I'm pretty much poor. I'm feeling pretty good. I'm sorry to hear Todd got the swine flu. That really sucks.




How is the weather there? It was pretty cold here last week staying in the 40s and low 50s last week, but this week is supposed to be warmer. So did you ever get your coat? Does it fit Okay?

The weather this week has been pretty nice. Its been in the 60's and it seems to be sunny during the day and it rains at night. I got my coat and it fits fine and its warm.




So, we've been waiting on the letters you've promised. And the pics. Did you get the memory card I sent? I also sent a package that you should get some time this week. Mark and Lindz have sent letters as well.

I sent the letter on Monday with my memory card in it. I held off on sending it cause I was gonna get a picture from the baptism. I have not gotten a package but I will check at the mission office tomorrow morning when i get my new companion. I got Mark and Lindsay's letters and I enjoyed reading them. To make it clear I don't have a ipod. OOPs! Lindsay told him I was worried he had an iPod.




Sorry about the misunderstanding regarding your purchases. Mark did buy something off Itunes for a project at school. I actually wondered if maybe you had bought some sunglasses as I never found yours at home. So what kind of thing did you get for your bike? I didn't quite understand what it was from you description.

Its like basically a treadmill for my bike. Like I screw my bike into it and its hard to explain but think of it like a treadmill. (stationary bike stand)



And we finally found out the street where he lives!

Short and Sweet

Mom I bought a pair of sunglasses that I got a discount on and they are really nice and I bought a thing for my bike that cost 100 and they are normally 200 but it allows me to work out on my bike in the morning. (answers to questions regarding large sums of money disappearing from his bank account)

Mom I don't have an ipod. Someone at the house is buying things on Itunes because I don't have access to that kinda stuff. Mark or someone is buying it on my laptop. (another response to yet another email that questioned a purchase at a pawn shop and a charge for an iTunes purchase. Yes, I'll admit it, I thought he had bought an iPod. Important lesson learned on jumping to erroneous conclusions~of course I should have trusted that he wouldn't be breaking rules! And that's why I'm posting it here. It was a great lesson in humility.)

I'm gonna write you and mom a letter this week. Sorry I have been so
lazy about writing letters home. We have another baptismal date set on
halloween. There will be 2 baptisms this week: Russ and Jackie. I will
be giving Russ the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. I'm kinda nervous
but that is the important stuff that has been going on this week.

So I'm guessing my questions aggravated him enough for him to keep his letter this week a bit brief. LOL However I received the following note from a sister in Idaho who belongs to a missionary mom's internet group that I also belong to. I'm including it here as I thought it was kind of neat and makes up for the short message in a way . . .

Hi Gracie,

My son, Derick, met your son when Elder Mattei and his companion came to talk in his seminary class yesterday. Derick is a big Florida Gators fan so they chatted a bit about the Florida-LSU game. Nothing exciting to report, just that your son is alive and well! ...and perhaps a bit damp today, it has been raining.Hope you are having a great week!

Kristi, Boise, ID

It's Getting Colder

There are way too many questions to answer so I'll just answer them in a letter home. It has been cold this week and we taught Russ and Jackie 3 Lessons. General Conference was really good. Elder Holland gave the best talk during the 2nd session on Sunday. It was really good.

Yesterday I got to watch MNF (Monday Night Football) with a guy who is less active and going to jail today for drinking and driving. His mom wanted us to come over and just kind of hang out with him and help him out. Today we are going to go play frisbee golf with him so it should be fun.

I probably need a shorter coat for when I'm riding my bike because a trench coat wouldn't work so well while riding a bike. I also bought ear muffs and gloves for the cold weather. I have been having trouble sleeping at night. I go to bed on time but I wake up in the middle of the night and it takes me forever to fall back asleep. This morning I woke up at 4am and couldnt fall back asleep till about 5 am. I'm gonna try writing letters to yall and granny and grandma and stuff this week.

My companion is from Nashville. I will answer your question about my address in a letter home. You asked way too many questions for me to address. I do email 2 a day so I don't know if yall can respond to this one in time. I usually get on here again around 4 or 5 in your time zone. We just got a referral about an hour ago to go visit someone that wants to be taught lessons. So hopefully that will go well. All the peoples baptisms are set for October 17. Mkenna and her family had swine flu or some kind of flu so we couldn't go over there this week.

I like the blog you set up for me. It looks nice. Thank you for doing that. You will notice in the pictures I have on my camera that I have lost weight. I weigh about 169 right now. I also have my head shaved lol. I don't really like my haircut but o well. Its growing out so it's starting to look a lot better.

The Saints and LSU are doing awesome. I saw some of the Saints highlights last night. Their defense is doing so much better than they were last year. The Saints defense probably hurts dad's fantasy football team because Drew Brees doesn't get the chance to throw the ball as much as he used to lol. This is the best start they have had ever though. I really wish I could watch the Florida and LSU game this week. Its going to be a really good game. Well I'm gonna go but I will try and write some more later today when I get back on.

Love Elder Mattei