THE SINK

Hello Family!
Yup, I didnt get the email last week, but thats ok, since we had just been talking to each other. Would have been fun to call on New Years too, but alas, only so much can be done. Glad there was pot banging and all that on new years. We taught lessons, ate dinner with a family from Guatamala and drank a lot of sparkling cider (and the members joking about us needing to be sober for the lessons and stuff, oh yes). Also a new years tradition in Mexico, at midnight you make 12 wishes/desires for the new year. After each wish, you eat a grape and drink some wine (sparkling cider) - each grape is a month of the next year. So we did that - got tired before midnight, we did it at 11, but we tried... not quite as epic as Jeffrey's party probably...
Good job Jeffrey on the gas tank, we (well, I) always forget to fill it before Sunday, so we are left walking more and things like that, dumb...
Here its just COLD, we were at -7 again today. The mountains keep the valley pretty constantly between 0 and 5 degrees. Yes I'm doing better at bundling myself up, mostly because all the ladies in the branch chastise us at every visit if we aren't.
So answering the password security question: "Jeffrey's face is a____________" I remember it comes from him making noise in sacrament meeting, and someone said "you're making a ...." and I said "your face is a...." and I died laughing and couldn't control myself.... What is... a spectacle?
Glad I look 35 to Grandma, people dont say I look 13 now, usually they guess around 20 when I ask. Glad I've matured some... although this morning I propbably regressed: we gathered the zone this morning for transfer calls, and afterwards we all went to a local restaurant called Angies. Angies is famous, because they let you clean "the Sink". This is a small gallon sized sink, complete with the pipes and drain and stuff, that is filled with a gallon of vanilla ice cream, 4 bananas, chocolate, carmel, oreos, strawberries, etc etc etc etc. If you eat it, you get a bumper sticker. I tried. got really sick. Failed. then in the car, an Elder passed some of the WORST gas I've EVER smelled, the Elder to his right was so repulsed that he threw up on the Elder to HIS right, and he TOO had eaten the sink (and succeeded) and well, HE got sick (because duh theres barf on his lap) and HE threw up. I saved mine for the bathroom at home... it was pretty epic, and we all have bumper stickers to remember it by.
I'm staying in Valle Hermoso till February 16th.
I dont have much time (well, in the mission, but also in the family history center). The week went really well. Many miracles, many good friends amongst the members, many evidences that this is the work of the Lord. A young man called us to his member girlfriend's house last night, we went, and he basically said, I've investigated a little, and finally, in THIS church, I feel like I'm in the right, I feel increased love, I feel this is the truth. I know very little about God, and I need desperately for someone to teach me. Please please, could you teach me? I could feel the Spirit there, testifying of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and of his complete faith and sincerity. He even offered to pay for the Book of Mormon we gave him!

I have felt the Savior near as I've taught this gospel. I love the assurance that there are two things which can bring the Spirit faster than anything else as I testify: The reality of Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer, of His Atonement and love for us, and the power of His Resurrection and Redemption; and two, of how Our Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in answer to prayer and chose him to be a prophet, restore the Church and Gospel of Jesus Christ, and translate the Book of Mormon. Every time I open my mouth and begin to bear testimony of these things, the Spirit comes quickly, and visibly affects the people in the room. I know these things are true, and by trusting and acting on this, it is the key to happiness and salvation.

I love you all, Elder Thelin

PS The STORY! The claw opened and let the group down in Alaska! The girls shivered, and began to wonder what to do... Holly noticed that Tippy ran ahead to an igloo... and found some sled dog friends...