Phone Calls!

Hello everyone! 

I am doing great! Glad to hear everything is semi normal back home! Ya know I almost forgot how crazy our house was after living here for 7 months lol! But that stinks about Todd and the concussion! And yeah I am way excited to see Brother Tuttle! I am anticipating his phone call and being able to see him! I really can't wait! And I was going to see Aunt Cindy! You guys told me she was coming again soon like 4 months ago... I would love to see her! Just so happened that she came like my first week in NY and my comps guilted me into not seeing her lol! But is she coming again soon I hope?? Before I leave Mann? But really I am way excited to see him (Brother Tuttle is a family friend/former bishop that will be in NYC next week on business - one of Mark's favorite people)! That will be fun! Also I am seeing Elder Sawa probably next week! Well I guess not elder anymore but Sawa lol!(Sawa, aka Hiroki Sawayanagi, is a former missionary who served here in St Louis.  He recently moved to Queens).   He called me the other night and I talked to him for like 30 minutes! haha! Hopefully I will be meeting up with him sometime next week! That will be fun! Such a great guy! :) So I am pretty much ecstatic to see the both of them! Something familiar! haha! 

I feel bad for Elder Hellberg. His mom is in the city this week! haha He wanted to go spy on her today for p-day. He is so trunked out! He is trying to hold it in but it is so obvious! And his mom being in town this week made it worse lol! Elder Clark and Torres went down to the temple this morning to go meet her. Both Torres and Clark are in our district and both served with Hellberg as well. lol! So I just think it is funny! Elder Hellberg is always talking about home though lol! Its kind of funny, but at times can be a little distracting for me as well! 

So we seem to  be losing all of our investigators lol! Edgar moved to Miami :( But he said he is going to find the missionaries there! So Keep that man in your prayers please! And Custodio is now in the Bronx so Elders Dilling and Hume are teaching him and helping him out! But yesterday we started teaching Miguel, Pedro and Ana again! I don't know if you all remember them but I was teaching them with Elder Huerta and Elder Martindale about 4 or 5 months ago! So we will see how this goes for the second time around! I pray they are willing to Act this time! Elder Hellberg is a great teacher so I think it will go really well! :) 

Haha so you will never guess who just called!!! Brother Tuttle! Lol! That was so cool to be able to talk to him! I'm excited! I am going to see him either Saturday or Tuesday! :) I don't really have any idea where we should go, but i will figure that out! lol! But its going to be fun! :) I love him so much and I am excited to see him again! 

Also we are teaching this guy named Anthony! He is way cool! I was talking to him about the World Series!  He is newly wedded to a less active in our Ward and she decided to come back to church! Also they came to Church this weekend so that was awesome! He is a cool guy. He is from the DR. (Dominican Republic) We plan on setting a baptismal date next time we see him! 

Also we are teaching a friend of Luis Munoz. He is 14 and goes to Scouts on Fridays with the kids. Also he has gone to church a couple of times and he is peaking some interest! So we are excited to begin talking with him! So is Luis! So its going to be a good week this week! I can just feel it! :) 

So we watched part of the New York Marathon this weekend! That was cool! They ran right by the church! We were standing there trying to cross 5th Avenue with the Munoz for about 30 minutes lol! It took Jose forever to run across. And yeah that just made me miss XC a ton! I really wanted to just jump in there and run with them! I really hope when I come home I can enter some races on my own! Would not mind to come back at some point and run the NYC Marathon with Jackson and Tre. Just like the good ole days! Also missing hockey a ton! Gash. Every time we walk through Central Park I can always see the kids skating around off in the distance! I'm for sure going to join an adult leuge or something when  I get home! 

So LSU spanked Bama! Haha Elder Willis was so mad! Sounded like a great game! I really hope you recorded it because that is one I will want to watch when I get home! That is so awesome though! Makes me so happy! LSU is still #1. What # did Bama drop down to?? 

Well  mom glad to hear work is going good! I am so grateful for both you and Dad and all you do! You both are awesome and the best parents ever! I hope I can show more gratitude than what I did before my mission! Because the 2 of you are seriously just amazing! I don't have a whole lot to say this week! Just thank you for everything! I miss you all! I miss the Ward! Please let them know that! :) And I love them! And  please help out the missionaries there as much as possible! This is the Lord's work and it is such a blessing to be part of it! You all should do the same! :) 

Love you tons! 

Love your goofy son Mark! :)

P.S. Tre, Mckeon, Jackson and Rj are freaking awesome! I just read an email from Rj and Jackson and I am so proud of all of them! That's just exciting! So many people are being affected that it's not even funny! How blessed they are to be out of the country in other parts of the world serving the Lord! It really does take someone special to go to a place like France and Russia! I truly believe that only those that are truly prepared and truly called to serve the Lord could do something such as that! And how lucky Tre and Mckeon are to be in Mexico! From my experience some of the most humble people in the World! :) Tre and I might as well share the same mission! Because 90% of the Mexicans we meet here are from Puebla! :) I just love them! sorry just wanted to throw that in there really quick! :) They are examples to me and how blessed I am to have them in my life!