Hey!

First off, we haven´t even heard of a Hurricane Earl, so no need to worry, we had some rain and wind this week, but nothing else. We´re completely fine and I never even would have known about it if you didn't tell me!

So yes, I just saw Elder McBride yesterday! He was here for his Temple trip and I was actually inside the MTC across the street, so he sent someone up to get me! I went down and talked to him. He is doing great! He thinks that his companion is going to get transferred this next transfer, so maybe I could be with him! Haha, I don´t know about that, but it was awesome to see him! He said that there were a lot of elders from Arizona here, and I saw another one, Elder Senderhaus, he played basketball at Red Mountain. (We are soooo excited that Jeff and our friend Elder McBride were able to see each other! We have been waiting for that opportunity to happen and we consider it a tender mercy for us as his parents!)

Speaking of Arizonans, one of the counselors in the Area Presidency is named Elder Anderson, and he is from Mesa! He is here and he spoke to us in a large group meeting on Tuesday, he asked me what my Dad´s name was and what my Grandpa´s name was, but he never said if he knew them, so I don´t know that he does. And there´s a couple other Arizona Elders in the group as well. I don´t know if I told you that, but there´s Elder Jordan Holt who played us in basketball several times while he went to Red Mountain High, so I've been to several events where he was, and there´s Elder Kleiner, he played football at Red Mountain, so I've been at a game or two with him too, but I had never met them before!

NO WAY! Elder Taylor and Elder Hyde, sweet! I took some pictures with Elder Hyde before I left the Provo MTC, they were by the Provo Temple, so that was sweet. And I've got to take some pictures here, but I can´t send them, I have to wait until later. We´re not allowed to use cameras here, only once and once again when we leave. So you´ll get some pictures in a while, haha. (We just wrote Jeff to tell him that one of Jeff's friends from our ward, Elder Jake Taylor is training another one of Jeff's friends from Mesa, Elder Quentin Hyde! They don't know each other but they are both serving in the Philippines.)

This week was pretty normal. We had a great experience during our university experience last week. We got to place all of our pamphlets, we did really well, and at the end we had like five minutes left, and we went and tried to talk to one more guy while some of the Elders gathered up getting ready to leave. We talked to him and he was actually learning English at the university. We placed a pamphlet with him and another guy walked by while we were there and he yelled something at us about Jose Smith which is Spanish for Joseph Smith. We didn't understand, but the guy that we were talking to was able to translate, and he said that the other guy wanted a pamphlet, so we gave him one also! Very simple, but another example of the Lord putting people in our path.

Ok, so it looks like I´m leaving a week from Tuesday in the morning, then I´ll be in the field! Wow, way soon!

Mom, thanks for what you said, I am so grateful for a righteous Mother in my life. I pray that I am worthy and that the Lord is pleased with me just as you said. I would love to live in peace knowing that. That´s all that I want, is to always stand worthy before Heavenly Father.

I love you all so much! I love you and I´ll write you!

Elder DeSpain