(March 10th)

Okay, well hello everyone. I don't know what to tell you. I don't remember what's happened this week. Mostly just practicing. Do you remember me talking about the new method of teaching that they taught us? Well we're still trying to figure it out. they said it would take 20 hrs to be competent in it. So I know we got at least 5 hrs of practicing it outside of comp study with other missionaries (that was a commitment from our district leader) but we got more practice with people on the street. But I'm gonna need a lot more than 20 hrs to figure it out, cause I'm all switched around. But what would actually really help is if I had everything that I remember getting from Brother Bingham in how to teach people to teach themselves, mostly the inspired questions. So if Rachel has any that she can share. . . or Rollin. . .  or if you can find my things of m soul from seminary, it would be awesome. If it's in that box where you found my books that I asked for you to send, it would be great if I could get them. Something. There is a specific hand out with a bunch of different question beginings that Bro. Bingham actually handed out at mission prep, so if Rachel has that, I'd really like to have a copy.

While I'm requesting things, mom, my white undershirts are wearing out. they're getting threadbare and some of them stained, just at the top of course, where I actually need it. And I have been craving jerky, and not store bought kind, cause that's weird to me. Thanks :D

Okay, so with this change in the way we're teaching, I don't know if it's a world wide change in missions, or if it's only here. It could be a test it out thing or could be like the ipads and just starting it out slowly. But either way, I'm pretty sure it'll get to be a world wide thing. So Rachel, now that you're getting all pumped to go on a mission and you've got all kinds of advice to gather a bunch of ideas. Simplify. Cause now it's teaching the lesson in 7 min. so there's not room for stories, analogies and object lessons, and they're not allowed anymore anyway. And now we teach with the pamphlets. So if you have access to them, start reading them. Maybe when I get around to sending the package I'm gonna send home I can send you some. We still use Preach My Gospel, we are actually following what it says more, just ignore some things like the 45 min lesson plan, yeah, that's not supposed to happen. (we struggle keeping lessons short, but they should be no more than 20 min including the "hey how ya doin?"

Hmm, This keyboard reminds me of a laptop so I'm kinda liking it, but at the same time I'm having issues with it, or maybe I just forgo how to spell. Don't know.

Okay I'll try not to do any venting or whatnot. I have a hard time when it comes time to e-mail. Sorry.

Oh yeah, here we go, guess what? I have now for the first time eaten shrimp . . .  ha ha yup we even had shrimp in our house but I was too chicken to eat it then even though dad was trying to get me to. But I also had crab legs! woo hoo! that was fun. And guess what? I like it. it's just a lot of work to get the meat out, and it's like fish so it shreds up really easily. So just imagine trying to pull cooked fish out of a long narrow shell. It just falls apart, but if you get good at it you can kinds suck it out. but I'm not good at it so it was difficult. But yup I've now had shrimp, crab legs, caviar, mussels, and the little squids. The one I like the least is the shrimp actually, although that might be partly because of the sauce it was in.

I remember I started updating you on the people we are teaching. Well it's kinda fallen down to only Christina, (George's fiance) and the Lopez family. But we actually haven't seen either for a while. This week has been crazy weird and slightly frustrating. Cause it was hard to catch people, and we got lots of practicing the new teaching method with people on the street, but most of them didn't really go anywhere at all.

But life is great, I love being a missionary!!

Con Amor, Hermana NJ Nielson