Bruce's email November 11, 2013

Hello My BiG Family:)

How's it going everyone? I love you all.  Thank you for writing me every week. It makes me feel so good.  I have a lot of things to say and only less than 30 minutes to say them, so I will try and get right to it.

First of all, my shoes that we got from Ross Mom, they are going to be destroyed right quickly.  But that is okay, I haven't spent a lot of money and am budgeting (kind of), and I have a lot of money left over.  But I do have the debit card too.  And my exercise/other shoes are about done for too... So I might buy new other shoes sometime soon, but I won't buy new church shoes for maybe a month or two. Depends. I also started to get a foot infection... It was kinda freaky.  I still kinda have it, but I have never used the oils so much in my life haha.  They helped kinda deplete it a little bit and contain it, but ya it is great.  I love the smell of Balance and Serenity.  Every time I put on oils, the smells remind me of you, Mom.  I am so grateful that you gave them to me.  I know it was a sacrifice.  Breanne, be grateful for Mom's oils.  Be grateful for all that you have at home.  You will never realize how much you had, until you have almost nothing.  Then the eyes are opened, and God shows you how much you are blessed because of His hand.  But more importantly Breanne, be grateful for our family.  Be grateful for Mom and Dad.  They are the most amazing people that have ever lived.  Honestly, take everything Dad tells you, and cherish it.  Take everything Mom says, her studies, her stories, her reading to you, and CHERISH it.  Once you leave home, you will long to be with Dad and be out working with him in the garden or fixing something.  You will long to be with Mom and have her talk to you and read to you.  You won't realize how much you love these things, until you go without them, so I am telling you now, cherish them.

  

Anyway, the food here is once again fantastic.  I think I am losing a little weight.  I am kinda starving out here compared to how much I ate at home.  My stomach is hungry as we speak... well, as I write.  But the fruit here is theee best fruit I have ever had in my entire LIFE.  The bananas here and the pineapple here are so amazing.  You have never tasted a real bannana or pineapple.  Oh man, banana is my favorite.  It reminded me what my favorite fruit and flavor is.  I had the fish again yesterday.  Oh it's amazing.  I ate pretty much everything on it and about half of the bones.  Yes Chris, I ate the bones.  Anyway, it was so amazing.  I ate the fins, and I ate the bottom of the head until the upper lip and then it kinda tasted way fishy, so I stopped there, but it was so amazing.

My Spanish is coming along.  Oh how many lessons I have learned out here.  I have changed so much.  I can't even believe how much I have changed from what I was, to who I am now, and I can't even fathom who I will become in the next two years with God's help and through the grace of the Atonement of Christ.  For it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. I have had so many lessons taught to me.  For instance, at the beginning of my companionship 2 weeks ago, I thought, "Oh this is great, I am going to learn Spanish and have a good area.¨ Then it got hard; not being able to talk to my comp (communicate) or with anyone.  I was frustrated, I got impatient in my suffering and affliction, and was not submissive.  Then the Lord showed me: I am with my comp and in my area more than just to learn a language; but to learn how to love; TO learn how to work things out in a difficult situation.  I know, with all of my heart and soul, that God puts us in places, and gives us things in life for a reason.  Always.  I know that it is by divine revelation and inspiration that I am with this companion; that I am in this area.  God knows what I need more than I do. Once we realize that, God can shape us.  He is shaping me.  I plan on serving him the rest of my life.  He is shaping me into the tool he needs me to be after my mission.  He is helping me learn by my own experiences, what to do, how to handle things, and how to develp Christ-like attributes, and become like his Son, Jesus Christ.  

Prayer is so important.  Unity is so important.  I was selfish earlier this week and resented my companion because he wasn't as obedient as I was trying to be.  I thought that this was the right thing to do.  But God surely showed me differently.  This is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned out here.  I'd say that I have learned about 6 lessons out here so far, that have had a monumental change inside me.  This one is that I was once like that.  Before my mission, I was not exactly obedient, and still am not, but trying to be to my utmost ability.  I was once like that... and God still loved me.  He saw the potential I had, and he worked with me.  He helped me to see.  He helped me to change.  And he reminded me very bluntly, that as he has loved me and done this for me, that I need to cease with my hypocrisy, and love others; see the potential they have and what they can become, not judge them for what they are, because God didn't do that to me.  He changed me.  Anyone can change.  Through Christ, His beloved Son.  I have begun to see that I have started to love my companion so much.  Our relationship is stronger just like it says in my setting apart blessing.  I am starting to love the people so much, like in my setting apart blessing.  Blessings are real.  God loves us.

The music that I have helps me so much.  I love music. I love the spirit that music can bring.  My comp loves my music.  Nothing better than 17 Miracles and Tab Choir.

The language is coming.  I have studied so hard.  I have learned so many new verbs and studied grammar, and I can't believe that I know this much in just 2 weeks.  The gift of tongues is real and God visits us in our stuggles.  I am not smart, ha at all.  But through my weakness, God is showing his marvelous power.  He is showing you, and me, His power, His endless power, through me.  Just like in the scriptures over and over with Nephi on the ship when his brothers tied him, with Alma and Amulek in the prison.  Sometimes God suffers us to be in trial, he suffers it, so that He can show forth his power unto the children of men; unto the people of Panama.

Sundays are thee best day of the week.  How blessed we are to renew our covenants and come to repentance. I love the pictures that I have of all of you and love you all so much. I am becoming responsible, and becoming something more of a man.  I hope you're proud.

We did service on Saturday and we mixed cement, and when they ripped the bags open, Dad's voice came into my head saying, don't breathe it in or let it get into your eyes.  This has happened so many times.  I am so grateful for you teaching me Dad.  In all things.  The son doeth nothing but of what he seeth the father do.  Thank you.  Breanne, TAKE ADVANTAGE of our wonderful parents.  Please.

I have made 3 lists out here besides my journal, they are: Gratitude, Learned on my Mission, and Miracles.  They are all pretty much full.  I have learned soo much.  I have seen how blessed I am and how filled with gratitude I am.  And I have seen miracles out here.

I love you all so much.  I am so happy to be out here :) I am trying to obey God and serve Him, and in turn, He is blessing me with things that I cannot do for myself.  He is changing me.  I love it.  I love Him. I love this work.  I love all of you.  God be with you.  Be safe. Be smart.  Always say I love you to each other.  Be strong.  God is with you.

LOVE,

Elder Bitter