I will be praying for Dad, for comfort. You´ve had a very hard life Dad. You deserve to be rewarded for all that you challenged in life. I´m really glad that your enjoying life. It sounds like everyone is progressing and that you enjoyed my card.
Sorry my letter was so short last week. I didn´t have much time because I was in the bus station in Asuncion, waiting for our bus (5 1/2 hour bus ride). I left at 5 pm and I we arrived at our apartment at 11 pm. And this tuesday night we go again for a special seminar for new missionaries. I´m excited to be in the semiar but not travel. It throws us off, but oh well.
I said last time that you should only sent small packages, I mean that not to sent huge packages(it takes 1 month to recieve it here). The things to sent would be food, candy, summer sasage(if it would last for a month of traveling), chocolate, and stuff like that oh and spices would be really good here for when I cook. And anything you think would be good. -Every thing is cheap here. I just got a haircut for 2 dollars (10 guarani). And that is not what I need. I already get stared at all the time. I always here "Rubio" (blonde) and they talk about my blue eyes. But now, with a fresh to death haircut, I´ll have to have a walking stick to keep them away. But, I give no heed to them. Some of them, well actually most of them freak me out because they are missing teeth *yesh*. Back... you... creature of the night!
I´m picking up Spanish pretty quick. It´s still hard to understand people down here sometimes but I don´t worry about it too much. I know I´ll get it soon enough. I always remember the words of President Baer "...You will be more able to comunicate in you mission language then your native language" <-- that is why I do not worry so much. I still just do the best I can and not worry, because that is when the Holy Ghost takes over and gives power to my words and I need not worry.
Well, It´s actually cold right now. It´s about 40 degrees in the shade. But at least it´s not raining right now. It was about this cold yesterday and the Paraguayos use that as an excuse to not attend Church. !Que amor! Well we can´t force them they do have their albedrio.
After this email, we are going to go buy food. A weeks worth of food is about 30 US dollars. And we can get a lot of food with that. and ten I´m not sure what is next. Maybe almuerzo, the biggest meal of the day. I miss having dinners (cena) as the main meal.
There is so much to tell you but not very much time. I´ll just have to tell you when I return. But I do have a story right now. There a man a bike and he had his kid with him on the bike. This guy looked freaky. He had smeagol teeth. Anyways he had us follow him to his shack, I mean home. And the lesson went pretty good, except for he was a little drunk and he was very hard to understand. We finished with the lesson and he started talking jibberish like."The elephant is part of this plan", as he gestured to the Pamphlet. And that was the end of the lesson. And after we shook his hand he had a weird look in his eyes and he said with clenched teeth, "If your lying about this, I´m going to put a bullet though your heart" -The thing is I didn´t know what was going on at the time. I´m not worrying about it though. I´m not invincible but I am protected. It was pretty cool.
Thanks for your prayers. I am loving it here and I feel more grown up spritually. Love all of you.

Wow, it is so cool here. Theres alot motorcycles and buses and cars. There are no rules om the roads pretty much. I see people with a nice phone and nice car, but their house is a shack. I'm in Hernandarias, east of the Asuncion mission. I can see brazil outside my Apartment balcony. There is Spanish, Portugese and gurarani spoken in my area. It`s pretty crazy. And the food here, you would be amazed at what I ate. I`m no longer picky about my food, except for tomatoes, I still don`t like. I now eat onions, peppers, etc. I have no choice now. The food here is pretty good though (so far). Oh and I had ramon noodles yesterday, excellente.
My Spanish is taking off, and my english is fading. The first day I was here I was contacting others. But I still need alot of work to learn more. I really like the people here and my companion Elder Butcher. We are an awsome companionship. And the members here are great but they need to be strenghtened. (We can do that)

The reason I didn`t write yesterday was because I went to the Temple today. It`s a beautiful Temple, we get to go every months.
You can sent dear elders here to the mission home.
Well, my bus is going to leave soon (5 hour bus ride back), so know that I`m doing great and that I am working hard.

ps I don`t think I`ll be able to sent pictures, it´s kind of impossible and when you sent packages, just have them as small packages. Love you all (:

I recieved my Travel Plans! Only one week left here! I leave here June 13 @ 8:00 am and my first flight is at 12:45 toward Dallas, Texas (4 hours). I'll call by during that time. After that I fly to Sao Paulo, Brazil (12 hours). Than it's an hour flight to Paraguay. And than in a month I fly down to Argentina (3 hour flight) to pick up my vista. Well, it's kind of weird that my previous companion is gone, but Elder DiPiero is a really good companion. Everything is really great here... I am really excited to get out of here.
I was thinking of how different everything will be when I'm finished here. And how I'll always be reflecting back on my mission. And how I'll someday look back in my journals and relive the memories. I have 7 journals. #1&2:for everyday writing, #3:for elders that I have met, #4:"Missionary Memories" journal, #5: Talks and firesides, #6:Scripture Journal, #7: Language, Doctrine, study. I want to make sure that I have all I need to remember my mission as best as I can.
Saturday, we have another P-day before we go. I'm not sure if I can write another email, but I will write a letter.
When I am in Paraguay and when you sent a package, you should put a sticker or picture of Christ on it or else it will get stolen. Remember this is a very poor place and it is the black market capital of South America. Also letters take quite a long time.
I'll be sending a package home with my debit card, pictures and something else. You'll most likely recieve it next week. I haven't recieved your dear elder yet because they arrive in the afternoon. So I'll write my letter later. I'll talk to you later. Most likely in Paraguay. I love you all. Goodbye!