Update from Ulysses

June 29, 2010
Dear Family,
Man, where did June go? This month went by so fast! I can't believe that day after tomorrow will be July 1st. But before we get off the subject of June I have to say...Happy Birthday Emma! I hope that you had a great "get back from trek and throw a huge party" birthday! :) What did you get? What did you do? I can't wait to hear all about your b-day and the trek. You have a lot of writing to do!
Well Mom, is your back feeling any better today? I hope the answer to that is yes. I hate to think of you lying on your bed in pain. Good job for laughing and smiling even though it's hard...I need to work on that too.
My suits are holding up pretty well. I have never gotten any of my suits wet but the black pinstripe suit needs dry cleaned I think. I think I'll wait until right before I go on my jubilee at my year mark. My slacks on the other hand have been getting a frequent soaking. They're holding up fairly well as well. The seam right below the pockets on both sides has started to come undone but nothing I can't fix with a needle and thread. I'll try and remember to take a picture next time we drench ourselves in the sprinkler!
Wow, I thought seeing the pigs head was gross but that's not nearly as gross as blowing up its bladder and playing with it.
Wow Emma! A test score average of 99%...that's flipping incredible! (Don't get prideful!) I'm very impressed. I bet you're pretty happy!
About the pretzels Mom, I'm sure they'd be o.k. waiting a little longer. Just whenever it cools down over here.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the "Candle of the Lord" talk. I really enjoyed it as well.
Well Emma it sounds like June 5th was a difficult day for you. Two pretzels sold in two hours...that does sound very familiar! Remember how I practically yelled at that girl in a desperate attempt to sell a pretzel? "We have samples!" Ah, what a day.
Well I'm glad you like your cowboy hat. I thought you would. Right when I got it I thought 'I have to find a way to get this back home to Emma.' And I did. :)
I had to have Elder Alonso translate your Spanish to me. That is exciting! So now you're all done with school!
Yeah, we can play games on P-day (if we have time!) Are you making your brother a traveling checkers game!? That'd be awesome. :)
You Touched My VIOLIN! >:( ...Well, I guess that's fine. :) I trust you'll be careful with it.
So Emma, I hear from good sources, including yourself, that you have become a "Social Caterpillar." Is this true? It sounds like you've been having a good time with your friends.
I do like the Dipzy's business card. Man, that is an amazing design job. I wonder who did that? :)
Well like I said in my email we had an amazing zone conference last...well, it was yesterday! I took a ton of notes. I'll see if I can share some of the things that I learned.
We talked a lot about how to get personal revelation. President Pfile taught us the foundation blocks to receiving personal revelation: Obedience, Listen/Ask for it, Repent, Humility.
If we are doing those things then we will be open to receiving revelation. It looks so simple but really it's not. We have to really work at it. But it's well worth the effort. Like Julie B. Beck said in this last conference "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life" (pg 11 of May 2010 Ensign).
President also taught us how we can better use the church buildings to teach and also why we should respect them.
I am learning so much about the spirit and how to let is use me and guide me. It's been neat.
Well, I better let ya go. My hand is aching and that is about all the updates for you. I hope you're all doing great and are staying happy!
Take care!
Love you,
Love Ben

P.S. Mom, no I can't bear my testimony in Spanish yet. I've not been giving my Spanish a whole lot of attention. I need to step it up. I am still working on it though.

P.S.S. I forgot to tell you...last Sunday I gave my very first Sacrament meeting talk on my mission so far! I almost went ten months without speaking! I was asked to speak on D&C 18:15-16. A typical missionary talk! It went well I think. I have always thought that it woudl be hard to talk for 15 minutes but I was actually having to cut stuff out! I had so much to taok about!