Heyyyyy!
First of all, thank you so much to friends and family that have sent packages, letters, etc. They make my day! I will try my best to write everyone back but just know that I'm very busy. Love you all!
Happy Birthday Mom! I decided that I was going to write YOU for your birthday. Others can read it too, but this letter is mostly for you. I hate to say it but usually I write down a few things that I want to say but I didn't have time to do that this week. So, I'm just going to have to wing it. I guess first of all I'll just talk about how much I love you. Last night I was reading yours and Dad's letters to me and an overwhelming feeling of love came over me. Love from Heavenly Father, and from the Savior, but most of all I felt love for and from you and Dad. I think that one thing that a mission really does is allows you to love people with greater capacity. It's strange to think that I could love you and our family even more when I'm gone but this is the case. I kept having this impression, "Trevor, I love you, and that's why I gave you the parents that you have." I love you so much, Mom. I know that I would not be here today if it weren't for you, so just remember that YOU have had a big part in my mission as well. I'm so glad that I am serving a mission and I hope that I can repay you in some small way for all that you've done and will continue to do for me.
So, tomorrow is the official one month mark. I cant believe that I've already been here for that long. Time is flying. All is well here, and I'm glad to hear that things are going well at home. I had the biggest smile on my face as I read about "Pumpkin Trevor" in Collin's, Dad's, and your letter. I love that girl! (Note for those who don't know what I'm talking about: Ava carved a pumpkin with my dad and decided to name him Trevor "so we wouldn't miss him". She really went to extra efforts to include "Pumpkin Trevor" in our FHE, family prayers, etc.) There was one night this week where I was sitting there feeling really tired and even a little sad for some reason. I can't remember why but I started to go though the big stack of pictures that Ava and other cousins had drawn for me. I hung them all up on my wall and looked at each one. Though most of them just looked like little scribbles with random symbols, something hit me. Little children truly do have the pure love of Christ. In fact, it is probably most easy for them to demonstrate and understand. If you ever pay attention to what Ava draws, it's mostly hearts, names, animals, and people. I'm pretty sure that she draws things that matter most to her, and if that's the case, she is full of love (hence the billions of hearts). She has so much love for the people in her life, and she knows that everything on this earth is from her Heavenly Father and is grateful. Anyways, I'm rambling, but it really made me happy. We would all do well to follow the example of little children. Tell Ava and Aubrey that they make me so happy. :)
So guess what? Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us this week for devotional. That means two apostles in a row!!! How crazy is that? Must mean that missionary work is a big priority for the Lord right now. It was a truly amazing and spiritual talk. He talked a lot about recognizing and following the Spirit. I think I'm going to make a copy of the paper that he gave all of us and send it home because it has lots of good points about the Spirit. He also invoked a protective blessing on the sister missionaries and the gift of tongues upon all those that were learning a language as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It was pretty amazing.
So I witnessed a small miracle in the TRC on Tuesday. We aren't supposed to teach in Spanish until this next Tuesday, but we decided that we wanted to try anyways. We go in there and we have a native Spanish speaker. I could barely understand him. I said a quick prayer pleading for the Lord's help. Even though it had flaws, we taught the whole second lesson in Spanish. I know that the Lord has the ability to help us do things that we wouldn't usually be able to do (especially if we're about his work). It was a pretty neat experience. There have been a lot of other small miracles every day and so many uplifting experiences. Nothing new really, but I'm still loving being a missionary. I'm so excited to get out in the field and start teaching the people of Nicaragua. It's gonna be here before I know it too!
Well, a couple things changed. More elders went off to the field from our zone. This was kind of sad since they were starting to become really good friends, but we were happy for them. We got a few new ones in our zone and they're all great guys. We convinced two elders going to Chicago that Elder Amis (in my zone) went there before on a mission but that he had to come home. We explained that someone was trying to mug him and his companion. The mugger dropped his gun, and Elder Amis picked it up and shot and killed the robber. It was perfectly acted out. Elder Amis was shining his shoes in the back of his room with only his desk light lighting up his face. Seriously, he could've gotten an academy award for it. We told them it was just a story pretty soon after but it was hilarious. They were terrified to be in the same hall as a cold-blooded killer. What else....it snowed! Which means, (which i had no idea of), that elders HAVE to wear a suit all the time. Which means I wear one of two pairs of suit pants and the same jacket every day. Oh well, have to be obedient right?
I'm not sure if I really have a challenge except for this. Tell everyone in the family to try to love each other even more than they do. I'm starting to realize more and more how crucial families are in the Plan of Salvation. I have such a great love for everyone in our family and I'm so glad that we have the gospel.
Well Mom, I need to go now because Elder Durrant needs to use some of my time to e-mail something to his family, but I love you so much. I'm sending you a little birthday present today so it should get there soon. :) Thank you for being such an amazing mother, and for teaching me so much about this gospel and for being the perfect example of love for me. I hope that you have the best birthday ever and I hope to keep hearing from everyone in the fam.
Love your son,
Elder Trevor Ward
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