My new comp is Elder Castro and he is from LA California. He's 21 as well and excited to be on his mission. it has been great serving with him so far, he is really quite when we are in appointments so i do most of the talking ha but i totally understand because that's exactly how i was earlier on in my mission.

I still pray that i'll be able to do a good job while i train him because i'm really nervous and dont want to mess his mission up. it is really a humbling experience helping him because as i teach him how the mission is, i see the things that i need to work on myself. i'll take a picture of us and send it to you as soon as i get a picture and get that other sd card back.

well i've been told that they found us a place to live down in Parachute so that will be cool i guess, i was kind of hoping that we'd be able to stay up here in Rifle since they only have 4 of us in the duplex now. we are going down there later today to get our keys and all the info. so if you have things you were planning on sending between now and next monday go ahead and send it to the 695 McCarron Ct and i'll get it from there 'til i get you my new address.

so tomorrow we have a leadership training up in Frisco at 9. We were originally planning on leaving early ealry tomorrow morning but since it is snowing now we are going to head up there tonight around 6 and stay in a cabin that a member owns up there. my comp will be on team ups with another missionary 'til i get back. and i'm the one that gets to drive our group up to Frisco so it will be awesome driving in the snow and staying in a cabin tonight! :) i'm so excited!!!

we didn't have any of our investigators show up to church yesterday because of the snow, if they really wanted to they would have made it but i think satan just gave them ideas not to go.

so i heard another story of when the branch is supposed to open, either the very first sunday in the new year or the last one in december because they are wanting to have the last Chirstmas service be together.

we have been seeing progress in those that we are working with and that always makes it worth it. anyone who will listen and ask with a sincere heart will progress in my opinion, i've loved seeing the blessings and progress that people can make and recieve as they apply the teachings of the Gospel into their lives. i hope y'all are being missionaries in your own way. it's our privilige to share with others those blessings we have and can recieve from living the teachings of the Gospel.

ok so last wednesday we went up to eagle to drop off my companion and then i was on team ups with another missionary for that day 'til i got my companion the next day and he had been having stomach pains all that night before and throughout the whole day on wednesday, so we got back into Glenwood Springs and we were just resting at their apartment and i was like we should call someone to see whats up. so i called Sister Larsen and asked her what the symptoms of having an appendicites and she was telling us what they were and it was the same things he was feeling so we got permission from Sister Maynes or mission President's wife and i took him to the hospital and they put him through a CT to see if it really was or if it was something else and sure enough he had one. we went to the hostpital at 1:30 and he didn't go into surgery until 6.

Sister Larsen works at the hospital so she came down and spent a lot of time with us making sure he was alright and she had brother Larsen come into the hospital to help me give him a Priesthood blessing before he went into surgery. then i went on team ups with Brother Larsen for like 2 hours while he was in surgery and recovery and the Glenwood Elders went to the hostpital and waited for him to come out.

so because he had surgery he had to spend the night in the hospital and so i was privileged to stay with him! ha it was awesome though because before brother Larsen and i went back they took me to wal-mart and got us stuff we needed like showering stuff and then they bought me dinner to take back with me. they spoiled us like crazy and i'm so grateful for them and all the help they gave us. The Glenwood hospital is probably the nicest hospital i've ever been in, it is so fancy and the rooms are awesome! i was hoping we could have stayed another night ha. but he is doing great now and is out doing work. it was lots better than i can describe. ha

Oh this Thursday is our pday this week because of thanksgiving and we have 2 dinners lined up! maybe we'll get another one we'll see.

Happy early Thanksgiving, i hope y'all have a great week together! think of me! ha all is well with me down this way and i cant wait to hear back from you. i miss you and love you!

love Randy