{GoiNG tO HaVE to WorK ReaLLy HarD}

Hey henrie's!!

Wow...this week was a bit nuts. Sorry for not writing you guys until today...yesterday was p day but we didn't even have time to write. We had p day because changes were yesterday. We went to this place called bella vista in panama city and they did the changes a little differently this time around. It was really fun. And then we got back to Alcalde Diaz around five so the other missionaries had time to write their families and go to their areas...kinda hectic.

Sounds like thanksgiving was fun! We had rice and chicken here haha but it was EXTRA good that day. Just so you know dad i`ll be beating you in racquetball when you hit 58 haha especially if you're ripping off toenails every time you play. Things are good here in Alcalde Diaz. It just started snowing and we`re wearing our winter coats down here. Haha no! The weather is good...we're getting into summer in about two weeks...the rain should stop and we'll be back to hot days! I went running this morning with an elder from mexico...elder monroy...and it was a nice temperature. it`s really beautiful here in the mornings because there`s a lot of fog covering the hills until the sun starts coming up.

Big news of the week is that i`m staying with Elder Poli another change! that`ll make six months with him in panama...let`s just say we`re getting pretty close. Haha didn`t see that coming but we`re going to get right to work with the new members of the zone. It's been good to be with Elder Poli...he's taught me to correct people with a little more seriousness. I don`t really like telling the missionaries they need to change when they mess up...but Elder Poli told me i was too nice about it and it`s really important to take it seriously, and i`ve had plenty of opportunties to help teach the missionaries when we have problems with obedience.

The zone should be good this month. We`re going to do some cool things as a mission for Christmas...not really sure about the details...i just know that it`s going to be awesome.

We had a cool finding experience last night. We tried to get out as early as we could to start looking for people...we ended up getting out on the street at about 7 30 at night because of the changes. So we started looking for a family. We contacted this young kid from the Dominican Republic and he let us into his house. He`s 17...has been here for five months...and is living with his aunt and uncle. His uncle came in right as we started the lesson and then his aunt got home...really a great family! They have a baby that is only five months old and they had lots of questions. It really is a testimony builder that making small sacrifices to find people really helps us find families.

We don`t have any baptismal dates in our area for the moment...going to have to work really hard to baptize this month but we`ll see what happens. I love you all! I know the church is true and i know that people really need it! Time is passing to fast...i feel like november didnt even happen! Man. I love you guys so much. I always wonder how you are doing when i talk with members and investigators about my fam. But i`m not really worried about you. I know god will take care of everything. I love you all a ton!!!

Con mucho love,

Elder Henrie

Hey Mom!!

Just wanted to share an experience with you from this week. One of the areas in our zone had a baptismal date set with a young girl, 15 years old, and told us that her mom was active so it was ok to baptize her. Turns out her mom isn`t active haha oops. And the rule we have is that kids 8 to 14 cant get baptized without their parents because they just go inactive almost 100 percent of the time. The mission is also against baptizing teenage girls without their parents...for obvious reasons. So we told the area that they couldn`t baptize her and called the assistants and everything...but these elders insisted that she was ready and would remain active.

So we went to visit her and her family. Before going in i asked for the spirit to be able to know if she was ready. We talked about the commandments, and enduring to the end...and asked her to bear her testimony. That was a really special experience for me. When we received an answer that fernando couldn`t be baptized without changing...it was very clear. and this answer came just as clear. I felt peaceful, really peaceful...i felt like she was ready. The assitants said if we felt like she was ok...she could get baptized. We both felt good and left their house being really greatful for the spirit and the way that god gives us guidance.

Well mom, my times up :) but i love you and i hope this experience can help you to remembr to seek the spirit in decisions this week. It really gives us a lot more clarity on things. I know the spirit guides us and i need to work harder on always having it with me...because missionary work is ugly without it.

Love you mom!

Elder Henrie