querida familia,
Feliz año nuevo! It sounds like you guys really had a super great time. I am happy the little boys behaved and that they are growing. This last week as you know was fast Sunday and it really kinda hit me just how short the mission really is. I don´t really know how much longer i will be in Bani, i assume until February but we will see. I really hope so because Jennifer is progressing so well despite our mistakes we make as missionaries. If i left this transfer i would miss her baptism. Sunday was a bit of a bummer because it was raining so not too many people were able to make it out to church but i had the chance to bear my testimony which always feels very good. The spirit was still very strong in the meeting despite the lack of numbers and the little apostate things. There is no such thing as an unitresting testimony meeting here. I had a really nice and short dream last night of me and Zack teaching a Mexican family together back home. I don't really know where we were exactly but i remember both of us teaching this small family in Spanish and then asking if the missionaries could come over and teach her more. It was a very powerful and nice dream and really reminded me how amazing Zack is. He is my best friend and i know he prays for me and he knows i pray for him. he is the kind of person you would really want in a leadership position because you know he will the do the job right, help the people and the other missionaries, and he will never do anything to satisfy his own pride. I have learned a lot from him and his example. I will definitely tell Elder Santiago that. He isn't trunky at all. He is very excited to get back home and he knows where he will be living and all, its just he served a very good mission. he told me he trained 4 other missionaries. That's pretty incredible. i cant remember if i told you this but i read a talk at the beginning of this transfer talking about the importance of a good trainer. A good trainer really makes a big difference and i am very grateful the lord has given me the chance to train so early in my own mission. I am trying my best and even though im not perfect and make mistakes i always feel so good every night when i talk to the lord and feel the spirit tell me that all he is asking for is my best and that i am improving day by day. I know all these feelings i have are of the lord. And even though its hard he is really helping me out here and i have seen so many miracles. Elder Mortensen is super comfortable now and is sharing with los demas. Its so awesome and humbling to see the hand of the lord in his life. I really love him and we have such a fun time together. He is honestly one of the funniest people in the whole world. So we got the name of our new mission president the problem is i cant remember it but i know he will be a north american. President asked us to include him in our fast yesterday. President Rodriguez is really such an incredible man and it will be hard to see him leave when the day comes. I really love these people mom. Today we went to this place called ocoa and saw this water fall and what not and it was incredible. We got to hike around in the mountains up there and i felt right at home. I met some pretty incredible members out there who were super funny. Played a little baseball too. Ill try and send some pics. Anyway i really love you guys. Thanks for all the prayers. Please mom if you could send me some medicine. I don't know if i will have to pass another kidney stone here but i would like to be prepared just in case. And as I've grown a little i have realized that not taking certain medicines, which are given of god, we kind of offend god and are suffering a lot more than we need to. So thanks to the mission and God i feel like maybe i am growing up just a little.
Thanks again for everything,
Con mucho amor y un abrazo por cada uno de ustedes,
Elder Spencer W. Hulsey
