Week 3

Hello everyone, how are you all?

I am doing great. Everyday I go through at least three distinct cycles that
go like this. "Ok, I guess I'll go learn Mandarin." "Mandarin is really
hard, I don't know what to study." "This is impossible! I'll never get
this down!" -spiritual experience- "I love this! I am going to work as hard
as I can and learn mandarin faster than I've ever learned anything!"

So yeah. That's my life.

I struggle to control my appetite on Sunday and wednesday when they have
BYU creamery ice cream. Their chocolate sauce is pretty good, and they have
peanut butter too. On sunday I put chocolate sauce, peanutbutter and
strawberry jam on my chocolate ice cream. My friend from France who struggles
with english said, pointing to it, "This looks like nothing. Like nothing?
Can I say this?" I guess it's a French expression. I don't know.

About the lack of letters. According to the white missionary handbook you
can only write on P-days. At first I disregarded this rule, but my branch
president told me I needed to be completely obedient if I wanted all the
Lord's blessings. He told me that part of that is not looking for Elizabeth
during mealtimes to talk to her. I don't know what that's about... Whatever,
she's leaving today anyway.

Yesterday I decided I would be 100% obedient. i would go to bed on time, get
out of bed on time, shave everyday, be on time, etc. So what do you think
happened yesterday? They told us about a new rule. Absolutely no music
in the residences. Ever. Three months without listening to music (other
than hymns in devotionals and other meetings, and "Mormon Radio" in our
classrooms if we're into that kind of thing). I think it's just a test of
my will power. It's a rule specifically made because made that commitment
.

On Tuesday someone started a rumur that the Prophet was coming to the
devotional. The lines were ridiculously long, but we got pretty good seats.
I knew it was just a rumur, so I wasn't freaking out. But it was a bit of a
surprise when Richard G. Scott walked in! He gave a wonderful lesson, the
best part of which was his beautiful testimony at the end. I would quote it,
but I left my notes in class. I said lesson instead of talk, I didn't mean to,
but it's kind of true. He called on people in the audience to answer questions
and give examples, and he didn't read out loud, just talked. He told us about a
time when he narrowly missed an encounter with Che Guavera (however that's spelled). It was a great first devotional for me.

I love you all, and miss you. I love getting letters. If you can, please send
a few tie tacks. I've never used tie tacks before, but i use them all the time
here.

Love you very much!

-Elder Kershisnik

P.s If you'd like you can send me emails. I get on and print them and then
get off so I have plenty of time to read them. If I do it fast enough it
doesn't count the time. Also, anyone can email me who wants to. I just can't
email them.