Hi Family!

How's Colorado, Washington, Utah, Virginia and California treating you? Missouri's good. Spring's really nice here. There's millions of dark purple trees that have been in bloom the last couple weeks. I have my 'tree guide' out trying to figure out what they are, but I don't know. Maybe 'eastern redbuds'. But summer's on it's way and there was a waterfight/volleyball at an FHE barbecue last night. We've spent every activity thus far going around and making appointments and asking referrals. This time we just did our best to make friends and play. No one recognized us pulling into the parking lot because we were wearing shorts. One of our recent converts brought a friend. Another guy that claimed he 'didn't want to be Mormon anymore' because it wasn't fun enough showed up too, and had a really good time.

We got a lawn mower! Going on my mission, I'll admit I haven't missed mowing our yard, Dad. But we've been looking for a way to serve and I'm excited to use my skills. Our elders quorum president finds old mowers all the time at his work. He found one that we can take apart and fit into the back of the Corolla. Sweet.

Let's see, so all that was exciting this week, what else interesting happened...oh yeah. ELDER HOLLAND CAME TO THE VISITOR CENTER! He's really short. But he's really really nice and walked around through everything we had and then when he was done greeted every sister and every visitor lucky enough to be there, actually it was the other way around. He greeted everybody, walked around, greeted everyone again, then said,“I've never met a missionary without a camera. Let's take pictures. Are you all happy, I'm the head of the missionary happiness committee. Are you busy here?” So I have a picture with Elder Holland and we sang "Beautiful Savior" for him and Elder Watson of the 2nd Quorum of the 70. Elder Holland's really funny. He kept threatening to kiss everybody. I was good with a handshake. I found out he did kiss one of the senior sisters he knew from UT on the cheek. Her husband's been teasing her about it ever since. The sister that took them downstairs through the history center said he spent the most time at the one display I don't ever seemto fit into my history tour. It's a rounded plastic display on the wall about the Proclamation on the Family. So I've tried to work it into the history tour more this week.

I'm thankful for opportunities to share the gospel. I was reading on oneof the first pages of Preach My Gospel and it said something like, "We welcome you as fellow servants of the Lord in His work." I recognized this week how true that is. No matter what calling we have. We've been called. I've been choristering at church lately. The person who's called to do has showed up late or not at all. He went up at testimony meeting and held up the program and said, “You see 'Chorister', next to it, it says my name. I need to do better. I know callings are important. And they are opportunities to grow. And I will do better.” He led the closing song. Change is a really neat thing. We're also getting a branch missionary leader. That's a big change. I'm excited to find out who it is.

Well. I love you all. Thanks for supporting me and loving me and doing lots of good. I know you all do.

Tu Hermanita Dev [Translationfrom Samoan - "Dev" = Deb]