July 18 2010

---Dear Mom,

You will be happy to hear that my cooking career has progressed a little bit. I did something successfully that I have always done horribley wrong, and that is boil milk. Here they sell pudding that is like flan that you boil the milk for and then add a milk/poweder/sugar mixture to. I decided to try it, and it actually worked out pretty good. The mix was pretty old, so the pudding turned out a litle lumpy, but I actually boiled the milk without burning it. Also, one more flavor that I wanted to tell you about that I don't know about its availability in America is Pumpkin oil for cooking. It has a pretty interesting flavor that I can't really describe, pretty savory and earthy. I don't exactly know how I feel about it, but I think I will try it again. I might even bring you a bottle back.

But as far as more important things, this past week was a kinda busy one. We had another exchange with the other Elders here in Ljubljana, and I went with one Elder Schneider, and at the beginning of it, things kinda fell apart that resulted in me being on the phone for two hours. We also had a concert here this week where one of our sisters played classical violin music for us. It was so great, and I felt a little bit homesick and decided that when I go home, I am going to try to go to as many concerts like that as I can. I just love the atmosphere. Everyone dresses a little nicer, and people leave smiling. There is something about great music that makes you want to be better, and that is the Holy Ghost. I don't really know how people can listen to that and not believe that there is something higher out there, and that that something wants us to be happy.

I am glad to hear that the Cross family has been coming back to church more regularly. They are such nice people, and so friendly and polite. Have you seen Rowland lately? Please say hi to him if you get the opportunity. But I would have liked to be there to hear that talk. I really like to hear people's conversion stories. It reminds me that the best way and method of doing missionary work is in the promise in Proverbs to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding, and he shall direct thy paths. It is the only sure-fire way of doing it.

This week we will be teaching english class here in Ljubljana, and I am pretty excited about that. I think it is one of the areas of missionary work that I am better at. I am not exactly the best at contacting and tracting, but I do enjoy teaching english class. So I am excited for that.
(IN REFERENCE TO A PRIMARY CLASS LESSON)
Just remember Elder Ballard's promise that when all you get is that glossed over look at what you think is the best part of your lesson, they are still listening, and they are still learning. So things will work out for the best, even if you have a rowdy class, or if you are teaching people on the street who want nothing to do with for at that time.

 Well I think that is about it. This week we will be having a meeting with the district leaders about how to have district meeting, kinda funny because neither Elder Johnson or I or either of the assistants have really taught district meeting.
But the church is true, and Heavenly Father cares about us.
On tad of news: We just got a new branch presidency this week. Our new branch president just got home from his mission in october, got married in April, and is 21 with school and all that. I don't envy his situation much either.

Have a good healthy week, and love that heat,
Love,
John