Spanish Coming Along

Hey Mom!  And Family and Friends! :) Whats up??? I'm going to need to keep it a little short this week! But all is Good here in Harlem! Elder Huerta Luna and I are doing fine! We have five baptisms planned for August! I am sad, because most likely Huerta will not be here to see that! They are Eric and Christina, Silvano, and two kids of a less active member who we just started teaching yesterday actually! Their names are Jasmine and her brother Rogelio. They are 10 and 13! Shy Kids but this is something that they want! I am excited for them all! Arlen was Baptized by Bishop on Saturday!! That was so awesome! She was so happy and I could see it on her face! On Sunday when she received the Holy Ghost she started crying and it was a really sweet experience! Sad thing is she is moving to the Bronx at the End of this month! I wish I could have expressed my feelings for her a little more but it is all good! She knows what I meant lol!  

But the Spanish is coming good! (Don't know why it is in bold now but I am too lazy to change it lol!) I actually have had 2 times this week where I just spoke fluently!! I was really happy! Elder Huerta told me he was impressed! One of the times was at our investigators house. We were visiting Miguel and Pedro... We had to drop them :( I shared with them my final testimony of the Church and how we loved them. It was a really sad experience! And the other time I experienced Spanish just come naturally is when we were visiting with Nelson Yesterday! The older man we are teaching English! He is like 66 and just an awesome guy! We were talking about my family! And Melissa, and he told me I need to hurry up and Marry her when I get home! lol! And that both of us need to visit him! Also that i need to take my whole family to meet him! He is an awesome guy! I speak so naturally around him because I am able to just be myself with him! But in Spanish! There are still some things I do not understand but I get most of it! It was really cool! He was also telling me a lot about himself! He is from the Dominican Republic and since he has moved here has not had close contact with his family. Even though his brother and sister live in Brooklyn and Queens. But he told me that I was his brother  and that we were family and I was in his family since my family is so far from me now! He is a really sweet guy and I love him to death! I really want you all to meet him! He knows he has a family in the Church and said that he has never been happier! Even though he lives alone and only has his Dog for company at times! He is a great guy! I can't wait for you all to meet him one day! 

Another really awesome person I have met here is Felipe Munoz! He served a 4 day mini mission with us last thursday, friday, and saturday! I have never seen someone that was so prepared to serve! He is not going to the MTC and now I know why! He has such a strong testimony and love for the Gospel! And he loves people and that is one of the most important aspects of this Gospel! He has lived a hard life! And that has helped prepare him to serve the Lord! Haha he has also lived a really fun life! He told us about how he hitch hiked/walked all the way to BYUI to go to school lol! and he just registered when he got there! Knocked on a random door the first night and asked if he could sleep there until he found a place to stay! haha Crazy kid! He said going to school there was all a last minute decision!  I want to do something like that sometime! But really he is one of the most legit kids I have ever met in my life! And I am sending the pictures today for you all to see! Mom I am writing a list like I did last time with the pictures so you can understand lol!

Sounds like home is changing! But all still sounds the same at the same time! I am happy for you all! I am really happy with Todd! That was so nice to hear from him! That email he sent me made me cry! I am so so so so Happy for him and the decisions he has made! I love that little kid! Way weird Greg is getting home so soon! Seems like just yesterday I kicked him out of the car and into the airport! :) But I'm happy for him! He did it! And I know how hard it is! haha! Not as easy as I thought it would be! Both physically and emotionally! Glad Lindz had fun in Utah and Cali! Weird to think she will be going to college next fall and Todd to High School! Let me know what teachers Todd has when he registers! Okay well I gotta go!  And Mom if you could send a copy of the DVD that would be great lol! I never got it! And Send the package today, because I am sending the package for you all! And there will be 5 bucks for Garrett in the mail since a card is not good enough for him :)

Oh also three quick things! Find a dermotologist and give me the address nearest to me! Also! See if you can get me Yankees Tickets for the next game on Wed this month! You might need to call President Smith about it just so he knows! Buy four for me and my roommates and we will pay you back! Elder Nevarez's dad did the same with us! He was super nice though! Gave them as a gift! I was so thankful for that! And also!  one more thing! I need Gregs Costco Card!!!! He needs it no more! Okay Well I love you all  very much! I am happy :) Things are hard! But I'm a big boy! Trying to stay cool! Very Hot here! Okay well I love you all! Keep me in your prayers, and even more importantly the people here! Because they need them more than I do! They are Crazy! Haha not all of them.! But Just pray for them because they really are a people that have good hearts. You just got to get it out of them to tell sometimes! Okay well I love you all! God Bless! See you soon! :)

Love Mark :) or Elder Mattei!  HAha! Bye! Seriously! Take care! Love you all and See you soon!