11/23/15

Dearest Family,

So life is awesome. It always is. I am exhausted. I am hot. And just
about everything else. BUT I LOVE IT! AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE ANYWHERE
ELSE. All I need more in life is you guys to be here and then I would
be the happiest man alive. It really is incredible fun and happy out
here, but it is by far the hardest thing that I have ever done in my
entire life. I am so excited for the rest of you that still get to
look forward to two years of this wonderful service. I am already so
sad that 6 months have already passed. And honestly, I feel like life
has already been going so ridiculously fast! I do not even know what
to do about it!

His week was very nice. We had a zone conference, and so we had the
wonderful opportunity to be taught at the feet of the President
Sweeney. He taught us about how all things testify of Christ, and,
also, about the Holy Ghost and having it teach us what we need to work
on. Yesterday, there was a French fireside that I was going to play
the piano at, but then a French man decided to play instead. So, I
missed the Spanish fireside that was running at the same time. But it
was so cool! I couldn't talk to these people, and most of them were
from the Congo, but I loved them! They are so cool! They taught me a
little bit of French as well. President Sweeney was there as well.

We have been teaching so many people, but we have been talking to even
more! We talked to sooooo many people this week, and we got a lot of
not very kind things said to us. BUT I LOVE THAT PART! It makes me
respect how precious of message we have. And how we are fulfilling
prophecies, and walking and experiencing things very similar to the
prophets of old. It is awesome! There was this one man that we were
trying to get ahold of, because we felt like he was really important.
And this last Sunday, right before we were supposed to contact him. He
showed up at church! IT WAS AWESOME! It turns out that he is a CFO in
Scottsdale, and that he has already read the Book of Mormon and the
pearl of great price and is reading the Book of Mormon AGAIN! But he
has never ever met with missionaries! He is awesome and ready for the
gospel.

I have, also, experienced the gift of tongues! It is awesome. So the
Elder I am training is an English Elder who I am teaching Spanish, so
I am pretty much on my own speaking Spanish and teaching Spanish
lessons. AND I DO IT! Well, I obviously do not do it. Because I can't
really speak Spanish so good yet, but I can communicate and speak it
and hear it. It is a miracle! And now our Spanish work is picking up
again! We have an awesome family that we are teaching that is SO going
to be baptized, and a few other Spanish families that we have taught
that already have invited us over for Christmas! We helped put some
lights up for them, but they still do not compare to ours! This really
is a miracle!!!

Please know that I am watched over, because I am. Every moment. You
would not believe the places we go. The people we meet. Or the things
that happen. And yet we remain untouched, and healthy, happy, and
strong. God IS with us. We do indeed have angels walking with us and
guarding us. It is dangerous. But we are fine. Thank you for your
prayers of faith. God is watching you as well. BE STRONG. I love you.

Elder Flake