Bruce's email February 9, 2015

Dear Family,

Once again, :) I hope everyone is well and in good health.  I am doing great! :) This week was a really crazy week though.  We had to do many things because changes were last week.  We had 36 missionaries leaving and 33 coming in.  It was definitely a big job to get done, but with a lot of work and little sleep, we made it through.

On Tuesday all of the new missionaries arrived and let me tell you, that was a great experience.  I love seeing new missionaries.  They were bright and full of light.  We are so happy to have them here.  24 came from the Guatemala MTC and 9 came from Provo.  They all arrived well and we got them to their areas, except the ones from Provo didn't arrive until 9:30 at night, so they slept in a hotel.  Then on Wednesday we had the training and sent them off with their newly assigned companions.  They were all so happy and excited.  After finishing that part, we started getting all of the changes done throughout the mission and helping with calls and getting other missionaries to their areas in the Interior, or in other words the other areas that aren't in the city and that are really far away from here.

After all of that, we were with the old missionaries and they ate in President's house while he was doing some final interviews.  We then all went to the office and had a pizza dinner together.  We then weighed their bags as well so that we don't have to pay overfees in the airport.  It was a busy time.  We then took all of them to their hotels with their luggage.  It was an insane job at a crazy hour.  That night we only got a couple hours of sleep and got up real early to be at the airport at 4:30 am so that the missionaries could enter through 'Migrations' at the right time.  Then we took a bunch of photos.

Last change with my first time in the airport was really a weird feeling.  But now missionaries have to go home in the middle of the change sometimes, and so It feels normal going there now.  But everything was a success and all of the missionaries went home. :)  It was a really crazy and fun week filled with things to do.  President said that nothing like that will happen again because there aren't going to be that many missionaries coming and leaving until next year.

We have now just switched gears and are doing a lot better.  I feel really good.  I am reading Preach My Gospel and cross referencing that with Doctrine and Covenants, and it is amazing what one can learn.  I love learning.  I wish I would have had these same desires that I have now before the mission so that I could have had a head start, but how grateful I am for the blessing that I have to have the desire to do these things.  It's just so fun. :)  I never thought I would say that about learning and reading.

Happy Birthday Breannie and Dad!  Love you guys.  Hope you enjoy those days with the family and that you have some great special days :)

We have lots of investigators that went to church on Sunday.  Many members are taking their friends to church, and this week we have many appointments to go and meet with them.  I can't wait! :)  We are teaching a couple of families, but it is hard because of their situations.  But we do have a lot of investigators and will have some appointments today.  We are going to be planning for the mission too.  The mission is improving so much, but there is still so much to do!  Elder Duncan will arrive here in a week and a half.  It will be fantastic to have him here.  We can't wait.

I just would like to say how much I love you all.  I know that this gospel is true with all of my heart.  I know that God and Jesus Christ love us.  I know it.  I know that the scriptures are true, and that the work is true.  I love how much God helps one who gives up just some of their time for Him.  The rewards are eternal.  If we give Him just a little, He will give us a hundredfold more.  I know that to be true :)  Thank you for all of your support and love.  I love you from a couple of countries away.

Love, Elder Bitter