Mom and family,

Thanks so much for your letter mom! That is one of the best letters I have received in the mission and it really motivated and helped me :) I keep on moving forward in the mission. The challenge of district leader hasn`t gotten any easier, but I feel like I am trying hard. For the first time in my life though it isn`t about just doing the best to help myselt, but rather I have to figure out how to help each member of my district. I am just trying to be a super good example in everything. Most of the time if I try to correct people, they just end up getting offended and it backfires on me. Me and Elder Lopez get along alright but we have completely different ideas on the mission work.  I am trying to have a lot of patience because I am realizing just how different the cultures are between Americans and other countries. Both Elder Nail and I are the super different from our companions, but I guess that is part of the mission just learning to love your companions even though there are soo many things that just make me want to freak out! :)

Oh and that sounds so sweet for Christmas! You guys are always so thoughtful and I feel so spoiled because there are so many missionaries that don`t get anything from their families for christmas. A lot of missionaries don`t even get letters from their families every week, believe it or not. I feel so blessed that I always have inspiring letters to read from the family every week and that I have so much support! Another Ipod would be great if you could! I love listening to the classical music so if Grandma could hook me up with some classical music that isn`t on the other ipod and so holiday music would be great too :) but I am just happy for whatever I get, so don`t worry about that too much. 

My week was just normal. We went though the week teaching our lessons and we set one baptismal date, but unfortunately it fell through because the investigator didn`t attend church. Probably the highlight of my week was sunday because I gave a talk in church. I didn`t have too much time at all to prepare (the bishop always asks us to give talks at the last second) but it actually turned out really good I thought. I thought it was for sure the best talk I have given in spanish since I`ve been here! I talked on the members fellowshipping the investigators. I based my talk on one by Elder Ballard named the hand of fellowship (it was in spanish so not actually sure how it is in English). I just talked to the members about how we need to fellowship and greet everyone in our lives. We need to be friends with all our neighbors and all the people that step into the church. Even if they don`t except the gospel that doesn`t mean that we can`t fellowship them and can`t keep on trying. I shared some stories from when I sold pest control and I think the people liked that. I told them all the secrets of selling stuff like the smiling, the eye contact,etc and I told them that we need to be that way with the investigators that step into the church too! 

That is about it for this week, we've got to get out working. Thanks for the lasagna recipe mom, I will have to make that with the investigators if I can find the stuff here. Tell Tanner good job on his eagle, that is super cool for him! Hope the girls are doing great in school and everything too. I will talk to everyone next week! 

Love,

Elder Armstrong