Dear family,

Thank you all for the Happy birthdays I had a wonderful birthday!!! And I absolutely love the ties and tie bars that you sent me! The first half of my birthday was hard just because we had to drop a couple of investigators:( because they weren't keeping commitments. There was such a sweet spirit about them too. We had to drop this guy named Rigo because he didn't want to give up smoking but absolutely loved us and the church. And he wasn't keeping our appointment times so we had to drop him. And also one of our investigators who we have a baptism date for, her mom got really mad at her and told her not to go to church. So we are having a hard time with that. She is really progressing but her mom has some issues with the church. I keep praying that her mom will soften her heart toward her daughter's decision to be baptized. But the second half of my birthday was awesome!!! We had a miracle happen to us! So me and my companion were contacting a referral that we received from somebody. We knocked on her door and she welcomed us in to her house. There were 3 people in the house and she told us that she loves the church and she has a firm belief in Jesus Christ and the only thing holding her back was her schedule she is very busy but she wants us to come back and her family does too! In fact, they were the ones who set up the return appointment!! we even set the expectation to be baptized. On my birthday we added 3 new investigators! so awesome! And later that night we went to visit a recent convert. She was really sick so we weren't able to teach a lesson really, so instead we gave her a priesthood health blessing. It was probably one of the revelatory blessings I have ever given to someone. I really have a testimony of blessings! And all of my doubts disappeared on my birthday!! I'm so grateful for that. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday!

On Saturday, I went on exchanges with the Chinese elders in downtown San Francisco! Haha that was very interesting! I got to ride bike for a day so that was a workout going up all the steep hills and everything but it was so fun!! I didn't understand much of anything that had been said that day since my companion that I was with that day only taught in chinese, but it was still awesome! We went to china town that day!! So cool!! there are a lot of interesting people in downtown San Francisco! Lot of hippies!!! its pretty funny! I have never ever been in such bad traffic as I was in Downtown!! We were swerving in and out of so many cars! Oh and I went to this place called Hunters point for the first time a few days ago and man, that place is so scary!!! There are so many killings that happen there! The day before I went there, there were 3 shootings, and the day I went there, there was another killing. We found this guy in hunters point and started teaching him outside and me and my companion heard another gun shot!! ahhh so scary but don't worry Mom and Dad I'm being very obedient so nothing is going to happen!!:)

That is really weird how Parker is taller than Kam!! I can't believe how fast a person can grow within a couple of months. And that is awesome how they are coming to San Fran!! perhaps I will see them here! haha I know its against the rules but if I happen to find them, then that is alright. There is not much you can do about that. I already have seen 3 people here that I knew from high school here!! Super weird! they came to our sacrament meeting because they were here for some symphony orchestra thing. what are the odds! haha. I'm not sure if Stanford is in south san francisco or not.

It is actually a decent possibility that I could get into the Samoan program. I know a lot of elders who got transferred into another language program after they arrived. Oh I forgot to tell you that I absolutely love the CD you sent me! The music on it is great!! I love it!:) I can't wait to see Ryan and Lindsay's finished house!! it will be awesome!!
 
It is still very cold here although we had a couple nice days but then it just became foggy again and cold. I'm looking forward to spring though because spring and fall are supposed to be the warmest months in south San Francisco. And summer is when it gets very cold here. Which is weird but ya! I had my first Samoan meal several days ago and it was horrible!!! They eat this stuff called Taro. It's like this root similar to a potato its just really thick and bland. I don't know, just takes some getting used to. And they love their corn beef and I don't!! They also love their fish!! not the good kind either. It just tastes weird, I don't know. The best thing I had at that meal was the orange Shasta soda haha. Very fatty and greasy meals!! Its fun though. Actually Samoan people are generally hard to convert I don't know why. But Tongans are much more likely to convert than Samoans. I can't remember the percentage, but a huge percentage of the church are Tongans. Very few are Samoans. But I love all of them!

Tell Brian that there is no rush I completely understand! And sorry I didn't have time to mail my photos last week but I am mailing them today for sure! So plan on receiving them this week sometime. I'm having a great time. I am slowly getting the hang of being a missionary but I am constantly tired. I can't get used to waking up at 6 and I don't think I ever will! All the boys in the family are probably laughing at what I just said because I'm sure they know exactly what I am talking about. It is so fun being in the city it is just so different than Utah I can't even explain!! But I love it and I got a happy birthday phone call from the Chinese Elders! They sung Happy birthday 5 times in 5 different languages it was pretty funny! I had a great birthday. It didn't really seem like my birthday though it was weird but fun!

I tried listening to the file that Ryan sent me but it wouldn't work on the computer I'm using:( I'm sure it was awesome and I'm sorry I couldn't listen to it!! Thanks for it anyway though!:)

Well that is about all I got for now Thanks for the letters and the update I miss you all too! And I didn't get the package that Holly sent me yet but I'm sure it is at the mission home, I just need to pick it up. I'll let you know next week if I get it or not thank you so much! I love you all very much!