Yep, still in Kansas. We got to teach in primary on Sunday and I loved one little girl's definition of faith.. "It's when you're room is dark and you don't want to sleep alone or go inside, that it's okay, because you have faith there's no monsters to eat you or anything." That's just so deep. Do you have faith the monsters won't get you? I know I don't always.

It's been a week for monsters, too. I'm pretty sure they've been eating some of our investigators, because even though we taught 35 lessons this week, not a one came to church. Understandably a few were out of town, but we realized we needed to really work with our ward mission leader, and not just tell him what needs to be done, but why we're doing it. If any of you are having missionaries over or have to sit in meetings with them, ask them what "Personal Daily Contact" (PDC) is and what activities they've got planned out for their investigators this week.

Por ejemplo, we call Laura Mon, we have an appt on Wed, she doesn't show, so we resched for Thurs, have the lesson, commit her to come to church and call her Sat night. No answer. She's not at church that week. Or the next week. Then she's not really investigating anymore. So, we've been asked to plan for members to go meet investigators, so it's not just her or him stepping into a building solo, not really knowing anyone or what it's like. That's a scary thing for people. Not for me, I've been to lots of churches, but I'm quirky. I'm glad we helped the mission leader/missionaries see why its so important, because now they're helping us think of activities to invite investigators to and who would be good people to fellowship, etc. Did you know we spend three hours every week doing weekly planning?

Dad, you're right. There is no such thing as an inside dog. Everyone in Kansas has a dog. We're 20 minutes into lesson one, and it's really spiritual and then. "Scooter! GET OFF THAT! What are you doin! Whaddya I tell you about being on the couch!" either that or "Oh wait, just one second, Mopsy's hungry."…30 mins later…so I like outdoor dogs now. I'm a convert. Especially, after holding a poodle puppy for a whole hour with very sharp little teeth and getting gnawed on to keep it from being a distraction. I love animals, but I prefer wildlife.

But I do like playing with the little kids while Sis. Cornell teaches. And I like those lessons the best, because I play out all the visual aides and everything ahead of time and they like to participate, they like to answer questions, even if the answers wrong, they like to pray, even if they need help. I've got lot's of cool object lessons and I'm going to start sending some of them to the Welleritos and the Parsonitos. Let me know how they go.

I think the best lesson I taught this week was to a referral we received. Sis Cornell and I had a RM with us and his sister so we went to try and see if we could catch Fernando at home again. He was there, along with 2 of his bros and a couple roommates. Teaching the Restoration to 5 Chihuahans at once, was not as intimidating as I thought it would be and the RM we brought had served in Mexico and the lesson was just really smooth and they had good questions and were super receptive. Sis Cornell read a scripture. They got called into work on Sunday morning. They sincerely wanted us to come back next week, though. I don't think they'd be able to get baptized until they went back to Mexico. We believe in obeying and honoring the law, even if it's a poorly written one.

It's an odd situation to be in and one bishop was pretty vehement about what a waste of time trying to build up a Spanish ward is in Lawrence, since there's so few legal Latinos here. That was a little discouraging to know there must be more then one person that feels that way, but I know I've been sent here for a reason and I think the mission president can see a bigger picture than a Univ. ward bishop. I think just like "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," "The Word of Wisdom," "For the Strength of Youth," all were written addressing issues that at the exact time of publication, weren't really even issues yet. I think I'm not the only Spanish-speaking missionary that's been called to an area without a lot of Hispanics to teach. Because, I think in the not too distant future, there will be a lot, and President Hacking has been made aware of that, even if he doesn't know all the details.

I was also asked by my ZL if I would prefer to be in a Spanish area, since Spanish study is very frustrating with no one to practice with as a greenie. I can't write letters to friends in Spanish during that time. I do appreciate the time to study, but learning a language alone is weird. I told the ZL, I needed to be here, because I really really miss spending time with Latinos and being part of the culture. So who better to find Hispanics to teach? I've never prayed so strongly for to Lamanites, because I think if I don't succeed in getting a progressing Hispanic investigator fairly soon, Prez is not going to put in another Spanish-speaking sister. We're in fairly limited number and if it's not going anywhere he won't waste resources. So I've actually started marking every person with a Spanish last name and first name from the phone book on a map at night. And finding excuses to go into Mexican restaurants and talk to the bus boys (Chachos). We had one contact at a Mex restaurant last week, but he lives in Topeka.

I like the challenge. I like trying to find people on Purple Wonder II without Mapquest or a GPS and only half an address and just knocking on every apt 7 until we find the right one. True story, we're teaching a Jordanian woman because we knocked the wrong apt. I like the challenge of the mission and getting up to run every morning. I'm determined to have a 6 pack by the time I get back. I like riding bikes everywhere and actually one of our investigators is selling a low-end mtn bike for $50. I'm going to go ahead and get it, if that's okay, if not call the mission office. Purple Wonder II actually belongs to a member and is cheap as free. The back wheel likes to fall off. I think I'll return it.

Well, thanks for the letters, the postage (Mom), and your prayers. I liked the ginormous stack of emails with pictures from Lisa. We have stupid possums here, I have yet to see one alive, maybe they're related to your chipmunks. "Do not go silently into that great night, like a possum, because you'll be road kill." Meggie I did get your original letter, feel free to chew out Kellen for sending it 2 weeks after he got it. The dinosaur picture is super cool. Thanks for the letter Sis B! No I haven't gotten mission cookies, but it takes forever for missionaries to get boxes. I love you all. Hasta ver.

Hermana Deb

TQM chilango mio
kd