Hi parents! I love you so so so so much! I'm actually way sorry that I haven't written you two a letter just for you guys! I never thought about doing that. Thanks mom!
Haha so the jacket - funny story! Elder Johnson was like "hey I have this jacket but I have another one so do you want it?" and I was like "heck yeah I do!" so I got it! And then last week, when transfers happened, this Elder Sutton moved in to our house and, and one of the first things he said was "hey, I like that jacket! It looks a lot like the one I left in the other Porto house." Apparently Elder Johnson took that jacket and gave it to me, and then the elder who it really belonged to found me wearing it! Haha! But he said I could keep it because he left it because he didn't want it. So free jacket! Elder LeBaron wore my GoreTex jacket for a while, actually! I'll send a picture of us, but that jacket is a little big, so I'll wear it when it gets cold and REALLY rainy, which happens in like january!
So. How am I feeling? Honestly, a lot of the time I feel inadequate! I feel like I don't have enough experience or know enough portuguese or know how to contact or help people feel the spirit. But I do know that I am being qualified to serve, not serving because I am qualified. Yeah? Also, I feel like I never am able to do enough. It is hard sometimes to talk to 100 people and not have any of them stop to talk to you. I have been trying to think of ways to find people besides what we normally do, through the spirit, so hopefully we will have some new ideas. One of the problems in this new companionship with Elder Crist is that it doesn't seem like he is in a hurry to do anything. It takes him a long time to get out the door or get out of the church building on Sunday or think about something to plan and I just think "Come on Elder! We have work to do!" I'm not saying he is a bad missionary, but I guess I was pampered having two AP's as my companions. Elder McGhie has been out the same amount of time as Elder Crist and there is a HUGE difference in the two. When the transfer happened, President Amorim actually talked to me for a little bit and told me that he wanted me to push and motivate Elder Crist. And Elder Crist told me "I won't tell you what, but president is really expecting big things from you." And every week when I write president he says something similar. I'm not being prideful - but it seems like I'm being put in these different situations that are just strange. First a training with the AP, and then being told, as the trainee, to get my companion to work hard, it's kind of weird! Sorry, this is all kind of sporadic. Point is - I feel like there is so much more I could do but don't know how to do. I always have this feeling that I am not doing enough. It's hard, some days. Good thing we have the enabling power of the Atonement! Mom, you talked about that a little, and I am just so glad that we have it. Anyways, I am gonna write more to you guys in a christmas letter, but there ya go. Some of the Spencer struggles! But I'll talk to you guys a little later! I love you so much! Bye!
Love, Elder Valentine!
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