Week Nineteen

We had a nice visit with Eric last Sunday when he called home for Mother's Day.

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It was fun to talk on Sunday too, but it was the quickest hour ever and I don't remember a thing I talked about.  I think I pretty much just babbled the whole time about...whatever.

I do feel like I need to clarify how zones work in our mission a little bit better since you guys asked.  Because of the special nature of our mission, think of the zone you are put in as the place you are called to serve.  So basically if you are put in a zone you're expected to serve in that zone for your whole mission because that is your calling.  But like I said, if a higher position is needed you can be called to a different zone, but that rarely happens.  Getting put in a zone isn't just a pick and choose thing.  The APs and the Brandons spend all the two weeks of training when you first arrive analyzing and praying about all the new elders and looking at their interests and abilities and when they've thought it over thoroughly and prayed about it (thoroughly) they send it to the president.  Then he does the same thing.  If he feels differently, he'll tell the Brandons and they'll start the process over.  So me being put in British Services was a calling from God and that's why I'm flourishing in it.

We do change companions as often as other missions, as well as districts.  Like I said, a district leader still serves in his zone, but he has some special leadership over his district and he reports to the APs, who report to the Brandons, who report to the President.  Like you've probably noticed I've already moved apartments 4 times and have been through 3 district leaders, the newest one being my companion.

Anyway, I know Grandma is already getting me stories about her ancestors and such, but I was wondering if Dad could talk to Grandpa and see if we can [get] info on his dad, grandparents and so forth.  And I also want to know a lot more about the Crockett line because I really don't know much.

Becca singing a solo is wonderful news, I'm surprised she didn't tell me about that.  Well actually I'm not really surprised because she doesn't make her reply close to Thursday.  But I'm happy for her, she sounds like she's doing so much better.

I've never heard of a Temple walk but I would totally do that.  Good for Katie for going on that.

Janetta doing softball is also really amazing.  Thanks for those pictures and tell her I'm happy for her.

Janetta plays catcher

You'll be shocked to know that every pun you told me is already on the wall.  We got some pretty good ones up there some of my favorite ones are:

• I was wondering why the baseball was getting bigger, and then it hit me.  
• England doesn't have a kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.  
• Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.  
• The frustrated cannibal threw up his hands.  
• Someone stole all the toilets in the police station, the police say they have nothing to go on.

Yeah and we have a lot more if you can comprehend that.

This week was pretty awesome.  Did you know that I got to call home on Sunday?  Oh wait...

I got a new mattress and it's awesome, all the mattresses in the apartment complex were replaced and they're all new and comfortable now.

I spent a lot of time in the Temple yesterday (about 3 1/2 hours).  I was sealed to Kenneth Harbert's parents in behalf of him, and I did a session for another guy...forgot his name.  And I did a lot of research on the Larson line.  I got a baptism record for Mons Larsson:

And I got a baptism record for Lehi Larson Sr.:

And I got a household record for Mons Larsson's family in 1857:

What I found cool about this is that it says that they're moving to North America soon.  On the very far right they're listed as "Mormoners."  And the consultant that was helping had a hard time reading a lot of the other stuff, but she said that she thinks it says something about them not offering tithes to the Lutheran church because they're part of some crazy new church, which I find pretty hilarious.

Today I'm teaching a class to my zone about Ireland Maps and Gazetteers.  And I'll teach it again tomorrow.  I'll attach a copy of the handout I'm giving them while I teach.  

I'm still serving well, and helping many people.  It's always a good feeling to help people discover their ancestors, and they always see me as their hero.  (Yes I am letting all the I love yous get to my head sorry.)  Like I said on Sunday, my mission is starting to wiz by in a horrible blur and I'll probably be home before I know it because I'm enjoying it so much.  Although it probably won't feel like that to you.

Love, Elder Larson

P.S.- I forgot to tell you on Sunday that I've known when my release date will be since January, but I'm not going to tell you yet because you'll be really surprised by the day.  Have fun wondering when it will be.

Week Eighteen

That rainstorm on Tuesday was pretty close to hitting me.  I was walking home for dinner when thunder and lighting started going off everywhere.  Right as I was walking into my apartment building the raindrops started to fall.  When I got into my apartment it was POURING.  The water flooded up in the parking lot to about half a foot.  It was pretty insane.  I'm glad I was able to get home before that so my suit is still safe, and I got to walk back to my zone with my coat.

I was running an errand for my zone and I had to go to the 23rd floor of the Church Office Building.  Sister Simmons (I think that's who it was) ran into me while I was there.  I don't know if she told you that she ran into me or not yet.

I sent you a birthday letter (with a gift enclosed) and I hope it will get there soon.  Also remember how last Thursday I was all like (I don't know about calling home yet)?  Well that very night when Elder Hurd was doing check ins he announced the signing up for call times.  I will be given a cell phone at 6 PM and that's when I will call home, so be prepared.  And please tell Grandma that she is invited to come over during that time because that's perfectly okay it being Mother's Day and all.

I kept forgetting to tell you that I haven't been sending picture because my camera broke.  I'm serious.  I can't get either of the cameras here to work.  No matter how many times I change the batteries or mess around with the settings or anything.  So here's what I did.  Last night I asked Elder Hurd if he could take some pictures of all of us and then if he could e-mail to my church e-mail (we have familysearch e-mails that we can use whenever but they're only for church and missionary business...and that totally counts.)  And I will attach those pictures.

Also, I got a letter from Elder Gibb all the way from India!  I don't know what it had to go through to get here (I appears to be covered in some sort of sauce, but it was still legible thankfully) and it was dated Feb 27.  It took two and a half months to get here.  Elder Farrel told me that if I can get a first class international stamps that I could reply quicker, so I was wondering if you could try getting me some of those.

This week has gone well.  The patrons I help are always awesome like always.  Although there was this one person (and she was a Senior Sister on this mission but she worked somewhere else) who kept wanting me to help her find a Utah death certificate. The particular ancestor wasn't even born in England or anything, and she was on the BRITISH FLOOR expecting help from me a BRITISH SERVICE MISSIONARY.  I kept telling her that I wouldn't know how to find that certificate but that if you go to the 2nd floor (the US/Canada floor) they could definitely help her, but she refused to go up and she wouldn't stop asking me for help.  I tried my best with what I know on Familysearch and everything but again, I'm not familiar with all the other vast resources that exist for the US, BECAUSE I SPECIALIZE IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND IRELAND.  Anyway, yeah, that was annoying.

We also had an interesting experience with one guy coming in saying that he did believe in God, but that he doesn't agree with our church.  However, he said he wanted temple work done on our ancestors because his reasoning was that he wanted them to have salvation, and if it wasn't true, then what harm would be done with us doing it.  A pretty interesting guy, but he did have some pretty good points.  I don't know why so many people get mad at the work we do in the temple; but like a non-member himself said, what harm is it doing?

One more thing:  Elder Brandon took me to see Dr. Ferry again.  We told him about my headache and neck problems and how they still seem to happen even though I'm doing my stretches and whatever.  He adjusted my medication...AND IT'S WORKING MIRACLES.  So it took a while but it looks like I finally figured out [what] works for me.

Love everyone that reads this and I'm looking forward to [calling you] Sunday.

-Elder Larson

Pictures: I already dressed for bed but no one else had so I quickly put on a tie and my name tag.  And that wall you see with all the words is the "Wall of Puns".  Elder Farrel really likes puns and will just randomly write them down and hang them up on the wall.

Eric and companion

Eric and roommates

Eric and the wall of puns

Closeup of Eric and the wall of puns

A letter from India

Week Seventeen

Before I forget:  Elder Earl, an elder from Canada that came in my January group, told me that his parents discovered the blog you guys made about me.  Apparently it's the first thing that comes up when you google my mission.

It took so long (to have a driving test) because Elder Brandon is a busy man.  Also the APs (assistant to president) are supposed to arrange that and they kept forgetting.

Sorry I keep forgetting to bring more pictures.  Especially since there's new hideous baby pigeons. 

Elder Hurd is my companion and no he is not in my zone.  (Elder Davis, one of the AP's, was in my zone before he became an AP.  He doesn't live with me but we're pretty close so you might have confused him with my companion.)  Elder Hurd is my District Leader as well.  He's from Missouri (which is why I can barely understand him) but was living in Salt Lake City for about a year before starting this mission with his grandma. 

(NOTE: I think Eric means that Elder Hurd lived with his grandmother for a year before starting the mission and not that he started the mission with his grandma.)

He worked THREE jobs before his mission so he could save up the money.  He's a really nice and hardworking guy and I like him.  He's always really concerned about my health to and I recently found out why.  When he came on this mission about a year ago his trainer died in his sleep and he was the one that found him.  Apparently his companion had type 1 diabetes and wasn't really taking good care of if, slipped into a coma due to low blood sugar during the night, and was dead by the morning.  So yeah he's really pretty cool that he was able to experience something as traumatic as that and still be on his mission (and he talks about the experience pretty casually so I don't think it really bothers him.)
Elder Farrel is my other roommate, he's from Idaho.  He's been out here for over a year too and he's a pretty fun guy to talk with because he knows a lot about this mission and what goes on around Temple Square and such. 

And my other other roommate is Elder Stringham.  He's from a town near Weber, I keep forgetting what it's called.  He's a mumbler and he tends to slur his words so he's kind of hard to understand as well.  I feel bad that that's all I have to say about him but he kind of keeps to himself so I don't know.

I still don't know what's the deal for Mother's day.  They keep telling us they'll announce it soonish.  No we don't use Skype.  Apparently we're just going to get a cell phone at a scheduled time that works for everyone and I'm going to talk to you for 45 minutes.  (Yes apparently we only get 45 minutes.  Lame.)

I'm trying to think of things to talk about but there isn't much.  All my days and weeks are starting to blur together and I can't believe i'ts May already.  Grandpa told me in an e-mail that I probably forgot since I'm so busy but of course I remember that your birthday is on Wednesday.   I bought a Mother's Day gift too but I'm not sure if it will arrive in time so sorry if it doesn't. 

Peter Howard McBride does not have a patriarchal blessing as far as I can tell, neither does Janetta.  I'm trying so hard to trace their line but the records just don't seem to exist past the 1800s for that family.  I'll keep trying though. 

Things are getting busier at the library and I'm helping more and more people.  What amazes me is I have not dealt with one difficult person yet, they're all really nice. 

I'll end it here, sorry I couldn't think of more stuff.

Elder, Larson     

Week Sixteen

Our stake conference was last Sunday (April 21, 2013). Our visiting general authority was Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy. He encouraged us all to know the conversion stories of our ancestors.

I tell you this before adding Eric's letter so you will understand what he is talking about in some of his responses to Molly's letter to him.

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Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.  Are you talking about Elder Walker as in Elder William R. Walker?  You guys are lucky, he's going to be the next speaker at the CES Fireside.

Yeah the Falcons don't do much but I've seen some pretty crazy stuff.  Sometimes the dad will bring in food and that's hilarious to see because the mom just sqwuaks at him like crazy as if she's saying, "Where have you been!  I'm starving and have been watching the kids all day and have been worried sick about you!  You were out hanging with your friends again weren't you!"  The eggs should hatch in a couple of months and then it will be a little more interesting.

(The female with her eggs)

Everyone told me about Shamus*, poor little dummy.  I really do miss him though, as well as the kitties.  The only animals I have right now are the falcons.  Becca told me that you're feeding Viktor dandelions lately which is really good for them so I'm happy for that.  I wasn't sure where to buy dandelions at stores and it was during the winter so I could go out and pick some for him so I'm glad you can do that now.  (Yes real men pick flowers for their tortoises.)

*Note: Shamus and I went on a really long walk at Art Dye Park and he managed to get an infection in both eyes. It has been "fun" putting drops in his eyes all week.

So I have to tell you about this experience.  Elder and Sister Ejima, a senior couple on this mission from Japan, invited my companion and I over for dinner.  They fed us well.  I was shocked but they had a flat stove top for Japanese BBQ and gave us piles of sliced steak, cucumbers, squash, and mushrooms.  It was amazing.  a-maz-ing.  And Sister Ejima prepared a little lesson for us with pictures she drew herself and little quizzes.  They're still learning English so it was really nice.    

Elder Brandon took me to Dr. Smoot on Monday where I THOUGHT I was going to get my teeth in.  Nope.  He just buzzed off some gum around my right implant and told me I'm ready to go to the dentist and get them in.  Why he can't just do it I don't know.  So yeah try to arrange with Elder Brandon a time to go to the dentist so I can get those teeth in.  I'm not sure which dentist it has to be though. 

And on Wednesday (yesterday) Elder Brandon passed me off to drive other elders to Wal-mart for shopping.  Which I did today.  I'm glad I'm driving today because most of the elders driving here terrifies me.

I do know the conversion story for Mons Larsson.  There was excitement in the area where he lived (Malmohus, Sweden) because a Mormon missionary was going around.  I don't remember the details exactly, but I do know he and his wife Elna read through a Book of Mormon, compared it to The Bible, and found no fault with the doctrine and knew it was true.  Then they immigrated over.  He was in the George Rowely Handcart Company and because he was a master carpenter of sorts he built his own handcart.  When he got to Utah it was taken away because they didn't know it was his own personal handcart and he didn't speak English well enough to tell them.  He didn't mind in the end though.

Robert McBride III was one of the first persons in Britain to get baptized (so some of his kids claimed.)  He moved around from Rothesay, Scotland to Lancashire, England quite a bit before finally deciding to immigrate to Utah.  They were part of the Martin Handcart company and he sadly died on the upper crossing of the Platte River along with many others that night.  I actually requested Robert McBride III's patriarchal blessing the other day because I found out he had one.  

I only remember tidbits of Grandma and Grandpa's conversion story, but I know Grandma wouldn't marry Grandpa until he was baptized.  You'll have to tell them to send me a long e-mail or letter describing it all in great detail because I would enjoy that.

I don't have much time for anything else so I'll just say I'm still doing well and I still have the same companion and for once I'm not moving out of my apartment even though it's a new month.  

Love, Elder Larson

Week Fifteen

Eric is feeling much better after a visit with the doctor.

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I guess I didn't bring my Citalopram with me because I wasn't taking it.  I remember everyone telling me that all I needed was Wellbutrin so that's all I've been taking.  Plus I figured that since I didn't even know why I should be taking Citalopram, let alone that I needed it, made it a good reason to not worry about it.  So whatever it's all sorted out now.


I went straight to Elder Brandon after buying my medication and told him that, so I was still in the area when he called you.  I yelled "Tell her that I'm going to go ahead and get money out of my savings!" as I walked by but I guess he didn't hear me.  I already took $20 out but I think I'm going to grab 20 more out because I ended up having to pay like $27.

Yes I'm grateful for how nice my roommates (and Elder Davis) were in regards to taking care of me. When I threw up all over myself and my bed I sort of hobbled out saying I threw up again and that I'm going in the shower.  When I got out I was just sort of sitting in the tub feeling terrible when my companion knocked on the door asking me to hand him my soiled clothes so he can go wash them.  When I got out all of my covers and clothes were in the wash and they had made my bed with my extra sheets and everything.  It was really nice.  I still have a ton of candy that I can give them and I'll just say that my mom wants you guys to have this but if you want to send more candy for them then I guess you can do that.

Dad told me in an e-mail about his trip to San Diego, complete with pictures.  Janetta also sent me an e-mail and I responded saying that she's the first sibling other than Andrew to e-mail me, and that they can do this every week yet they don't seem to for whatever reason.  She didn't reply, and I still haven't gotten an e-mail from the other two sisters.

What team is Katie in?  Is she playing for the Jr. High or something?  Sorry I don't know these things but I don't recall you telling me.

When I go to the site for the falcons and click on the cam, a new tab will open and a window asking me what application I'd like to launch it on.  I choose Windows Media Player every time.  Maybe that will help?

(Salt Lake City Peregrine Falcon Cam - http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/learn-more/peregrine-cam.html)

I haven't used this format in a while so here goes:

SUNDAY: We had a Stake Conference in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square.  It's cool that we get to have it in a really historic building but we had to sit on the balcony.  I don't know if you've ever sat on the balcony in the Assembly Hall but unless you're sitting on the very back side that faces the pulpit you have to sit at an angle because the sides of the balcony are slanted down towards the pulpit end.  So for two hours all the weight of my body was resting on my left butt cheek.  It was very uncomfortable.

We also had a very excellent fireside by Tom Holdman and his wife Gayle.  I don't know if you know who he is, but he makes stain glass windows; his work can be found in over 27 Temples.  He's also very slow to speech, as in he has a stuttering speech impediment.  So it's very inspiring to see how he manages to give firesides all the time and how he managed to serve a mission despite that.  The only work I've seen by him is a new addition to the Salt Lake Temple.  There's a stain glass window above the exit stairs of the Celestial Room depicting Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden.  Apparently that window was made with the left over glass of the burned down Provo Tabernacle, which is really cool.  Anyway, I looked him up on Lds.org and he has a bunch of articles and stuff about him talking about the very stuff he told us about so I'll just leave them here so you can read through them.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/everything-creative-documentary/5
https://www.lds.org/new-era/2001/12/windows-on-eternity?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2002/04/sacred-grove-sacred-light?lang=eng

MONDAY-TUESDAY: Umm...nothing much actually to report.  I helped patrons and they listened.  One little old lady was so fascinated by the microfilm that she spent all day just reading parish records one by one.  I don't even know he she found the ancestor she was looking for or not.

WEDNESDAY:  Al the young missionaries, the Brandons, and the mission Presidency had a session together at Salt Lake Temple.  We do this as a mission twice a year, and we eat at the cafeteria afterwards and get up to $7 paid for us.  Tell Grandma and Grandpa that I was endowed for Kenneth Harbert, an ancestor of ours.  They sent me a bunch of Temple Names and I'm slowly going through all of them.  Also all throughout the session we kept hearing people outside the Temple cheering as newly wedded couples came out to greet their guests.  It was pretty annoying.

THURSDAY:  I bought food now I'm typing this up.
That's about it for now.

Love you all,

Elder Larson

Week Fourteen

Not very good news from the mission field this week. Eric is more sick than we thought he was.

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No the problem isn't allergies, but I've been taking those Clariton anyway just in case.  They haven't helped at all.  The last week has been the worst week ever, despite conference.  My headaches are strong, persistent, they just won't leave no matter what I take.  On top of that, the dizziness is back.  I'm trying my best to cope with it but I just get horrible waves of nausea and dizziness every time I turn my head, so I'm pretty much walking around like Batman did in Batman Begins because he couldn't turn his head.  I also always feel like I'm about to faint, so the last couple of days I've been doing almost nothing but laying in bed for hours on end, I don't even know how I managed to get shopping done today.

Monday was the worst night.  I came home from my zone feeling terrible and I just collapsed on the coach telling my roommates that I wouldn't be able to make it to district meeting tonight.  A little bit after they left I knew I was going to throw up so I ran into the bathroom and vomited profusely for about 20 minutes, got a good amount on my white shirt too.  Having no roommates around and no way to contact anyone else I just layed around in the bathroom waiting for them to come back. After about an hour and a half they finally came back and I told them to go get Elder Davis immediately because I think I may need to go to the hospital.   They assured me I was fine, ran out and bought some Sprite and crackers, and had me eat those for a sec.  Then they gave me a blessing and got me into bed.  As soon as they were out I then promptly vomited all over myself and my bed (it came out of nowhere.)  I got into the shower and washed myself off and when I came out they thankfully cleaned up my bed for me, put my old stuff in the washers, and put on my extra sheets and found some extra blankets and I slept until the morning, and they rushed me to the nurse's office.

The doctor's and nurse's there have no idea what to do with me, so Elder Brandon's trying to get me in with a specialist that apparently takes a while to get into, meanwhile I'm not getting any better.  And I don't think it's stress because the only thing I'm stressed about is how much of my zone I've been missing lately because I've been too sick to serve.

Conference was still enjoyable though.  I thought I said that the missionaries watch in the theaters at the visitor's center on Temple Square, that's where I saw it.  We're not allowed to watch it on tv over at senior missionary apartments, nor are we allowed to listen to it on the radio or whatever.  Priesthood Session was the best, we had seats up at the front of the front on the very right where the general authorities walk in.  None of them came over to shake our hands or anything but as they were walking out they all waved directly at me and my fellow missionaries and Elder Holland even gave us a thumbs up and a righteous fist of power.

I'm already out of time and this is all I managed to type up so sorry about that.  I'm going to go talk to Elder Brandon and see if I can arrange a time to e-mail when I'm not feeling so sick.

Week Thirteen

Molly says, "I guess he couldn't see the pictures that I put in the body of the email instead of in an attachment. Looks like I messed up again by not sending him an Easter package.  Double fail.  Well now I can send him a Happy Spring package with an ab roller and CDs, as well as candy.  That will make up for it, right?  Then he'll be the only one WITH a package."

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I can't get the images to show.  No matter how much I seem to mess with them they won't show.  I try reloading them and nothing works, I try to open them in a new tab and I get an error message, and I even tried copying the image and pasting it in Word, it just showed up as a blank image.  Sorry.

I'm really sorry to hear about the girls, in fact it kind of made me quite upset at them.  Tell them I'm upset.

My new companion is Elder Hurd, from Missouri.  He talks very fast, has a very thick accent, and I only understand about half of what he says.  He's a district leader so he's my new district leader, he's very nice and is a huge Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z nerd like me so we get along.  Elder Farrel and Elder Stringham are my other new roommates.  Elder Farrel is from Idaho and is very nice too.  Elder Stringham (don't know where he's from) also talks very fast, and doesn't know how to enunciate and slurs all his words together.  So it feels like I'm living with a bunch of Boomhauers (from "King of the Hill") at the moment.  And I just moved in with them yesterday so I haven't had any time to take pictures.


I've been feeling pretty sick lately and it's pretty miserable.  My stomach always feels nauseous and I always seem to have a headache no matter what I take.  The other day it felt like I was going to pass out so I asked if I could go home and lay down so I did for the next 5 hours before getting back to work.  I'm not sure why as I've been eating very healthy lately.  I've been eating fresh broccoli and celery (even though they're the vilest weeds) and plenty of fruit.  And my fiber intake is normal as well.  I haven't bought soda in a month and I've been drinking nothing but water (and milk for breakfast.)  So I'm not really sure what's going on and the nurse and mission doctor aren't really helping either.

(Brian's Note: I think Eric's body is rejecting the healthy stuff. We Larsons don't know how to eat right.)

On Sunday the tabernacle was so packed for the Easter Program that I was actually sitting in the very front right corner under the balcony in front of the tv (because you can't see anything except for the drums.)  I was really close to the stage though so maybe you can see me I don't know.  After the broadcast Lyod Newell gets off the balcony and he crosses right in front of where I was sitting to get to the stage and I got him to shake my hand so I guess that's something.

Irish research is very, very, very, hard.  Ireland's history is so messed up that it's any wonder how we have any records at all.  First you have the potato famine where the majority of the population was either emigrating or dying so keeping records during that time was kind of on the least of peoples minds.  And then during the Irish Civil War of 1922 the IRA (or anti-treaty forces, whatever you want to call them) occupied the Four Courts building in Dublin where most of the Irish records were kept.  After a stand-off and siege lasting several months the Anti-Treaty forces were defeated, but the building was burned and many records destroyed.  So yeah it doesn't help that there are so many people with Irish ancestry.

You probably already know but us Young Elders only get tickets for the Priesthood Session, and any other tickets for sessions are up to the family or other missionaries or whatever.  The library will be closed on Saturday so I can watch General Conference.  All theaters in Temple Square will be open so that's where we go to watch.

There's a CD player in my apartment but feel free to send me one if you want.  Also did you say that you weren't going to send me an Easter package?  I know I have plenty of candy but seeing everyone in my apartment get an Easter package from their families on the same day (last Friday) and nothing for me made me kind of depressed.  And an when I say ab roller I mean the rolly wheel one with the handles.  Those things are awesome!

I don't know if you realize but your Dear Elder letters seem to be coming to my e-mail instead of in actual letter form in the mail.

Do you know if the girls and/or Andrew are taking proper care of Viktor?  Are they spraying his food with the calcium spray?  Are they feeding him a variety of lettuce so he doesn't get sick?  Is there always fresh water?  Are they cleaning out his habitat?  Are they making sure he's hydrated?  Are they turning the light of at night and turning it back on in the morning?

I'm excited for Conference too I'll let you know how it is.  I'm trying to write letters how but I'm always so busy.  I usually use my free time to study and eat and sleep.

This is the only e-mail from the family I got so I guess I'll wait until next week to hear more.

Love, Me