(Written letter received on Jan. 30)
Dear Family,
I’m writing another letter because I didn’t like the e-mail I sent you yesterday (Saturday). I was really tired and grumpy and just overall having a bad morning. And because of that, I was kind of rude and unresponsive and for that I am sorry.
I really do appreciate all the stuff you guys tell me, even if I have a hard time responding to it because I have a bad case of “Missionary Brain” right now. And yes, I just made that term up. I’m not sure if I’ll even be able to remember how to enjoy movies and TV when I get back.
Winter here is starting to annoy me too, Mom. I’m tired of having to walk through the wet salt on the pavement as well as the gross month old snow that refuses to melt. The other day it was so icy that Elder Scotto slipped and landed flat on his back, and was pretty hurt for most of the week. And as you can imagine the air here is terrible. For the past week the pollution has been so bad that you could practically chew it.
I do like wearing my trench coat though so that’s one plus to winter.
I forgot to mention that it’s raining now so that’s probably why the air is clearing up. Instead of being stuck in the air it’s now poisoning the rain and descending upon us.
I keep forgetting to tell you about the panhandlers all around Temple Square. I know you guys are smart enough to know better, but I see gullible people giving money to the beggars in front of Temple Square all the time. It’s both city and Church policy to not give money to panhandlers because they know that they’re usually frauds. When I was living in my old apartment one of the panhandlers would sometimes park his car right where you guys dropped me off. At the end of the day, he’d walk back with his little red wagon, put all his earnings and cardboard signs and such in the back of his car, and then he would drive away.
Sorry for that random thought but there were a ton of panhandlers at Temple Square this morning because Music and the Spoken Word crowds are some of their biggest profits. I just wish more people knew that Fast Offerings and Tithing is how we help the poor, not by giving money to full time beggars.
So yes books with pictures of animals, scenery and maybe people is all I need (for now.) Hopefully we have books like that around the house. I’m doing really well besides that. I’m good at shopping for groceries (only spent $37 yesterday) and my hands are better.
Love,
Elder Larson
P.S. It snowed so hard this Sunday evening that it was just announced at 8 pm that all mission zones will be shut down until the weather clears up. It looks like I will be spending my Monday quite literally snowed in. Let’s hope I don’t get cabin fever.
P.S.S. I don’t know how bad it is over there, but I had to walk home from Church in knee-high snow. And it’s still coming down hard. I hope you guys actually get this letter this week…
With the exception of the opening sentence of his last e-mail, I didn't think he sounded rude. But he clearly didn't want to chat with me. Here is the exchange:
me: Hey, Son!
Eric: Um, hi.
I gotta leave in like 5 minutes but hi.
me: OK. Thanks for the letter. Chin up. Love ya lots, Mom
Eric: Yes I wrote that letter on Monday. Lots of free time because the library was closed.
me: So why do you have only 5 minutes? Writing to friends?
Eric: No I'm just really slow today. Plus I gotta go to Wal-mart at 10:30. I didn't want to come this early but Elder Scotto wanted to.
And I haven't gotten anything from friends yet.
me: Bummer. I hope they write soon. Everyone here thinks you're funny. Bro. Gibb said he couldn't stop laughing while reading your last email. Keep up the good work! Bye for now, Mom
Eric: Cool. I gotta go. Bye.
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