The LAST door‏

Let me explain that picture that I attached. We showed up to our investigators house, and he was watching a cheesy cartoon network cartoon in spanish when we came in called "Dragonball Z". I laughed way hard, and that night, my companion and I took some fun "Dragonball Z" pictures.
The other picture has a good story with it too. We had this appointment with a woman who lives way out in the boondocks of our area. I was surprised that any Hispanic people lived there, because it was a neighborhood for old, white, well-to-do Americans, and it was just unexpected. Anyway, we walked for about 2 hours, talking to people in the streets on the way, to get out there. It was really cold and cloudy. They weren't home... That's the face that I had on.

 It turn out to be a fruitful venture, because we stopped by someone who I hadn't seen in several months. We had a nice chat with them. They think that demons have been haunting their house since we stopped going over. We said a prayer and everything felt better. We'll start teaching them again this week.
We're quickly approaching thanksgiving here and it still hasn't snowed yet... not like Utah. Andy and Ashley set me some really great pictures that I enjoyed very much of them making snowmen. I was super jealous. As soon as it snows here, my companion and I will be sending some pictures your way. The beautiful fall colors still linger here, but it's getting really cold. It's been cold enough to snow the past couple of days, but it hasn't been wet enough. It frustrates me, because all fall long it was raining and wet, and now that I want it to snow the moisture has left. *sigh* I have hope for a white Christmas still.
So, you know how in all the 'American' wards they always play football on thanksgiving? "Turkey Bowls". What a great tradition. Last year in New Haven, I participated in the turkey bowl, and I got creamed, but it was lots of fun. This year I'm in a full out Spanish ward, so no one plays American football. They play the real deal: "Futbol", or as gringos call it, soccer. They're playing 'futbol' as a ward thursday morning. I'll definitely send you some pictures, because I'll be the only white guy out there, and I'll be a foot taller than everyone else. It'll be awesome.
We had kind of a rough week this week. My companion and I are both sick, and we had to walk a lot in the cold. Lot's of our appointments cancelled. It's sad because we'd like to see more progression in the people we're currently teaching. It was good though, because we met a lot of new people who have a lot of teaching potential for the future. It doesn't matter how many doors I've knocked, or how many people I've opened up conversations with in the streets, I still have that initial 'butterfly in the stomach' feeling as I open up my mouth. "Are they gonna yell at me? The last guy spit on me... I don't know if this one looks any brighter. What am I gonna say to this person?" etc... are kind of like the thoughts that describe that feeling. It's hard getting past the doubt and fear and opening up your mouth anyway when you've already had 100 people reject you that day. What's cool about those kinds of stories is that it's always the VERY LAST door that you knock, or at the VERY LAST minute that amazing things happen. You've probably heard lots of missionary stories like that. I've lived them. This week for example, we were walking for a really long time in the freezing cold and a lot of people had already turned us down that day. People who shout, "Go Satan!" out their window as they drive by in the car taunting us, doors shut in our faces, and cold shoulders and awkward glances in the streets. Most normal people would give up by this point, but we were on a mission and we stayed strong. It was dark, we were tired, and it was probably about time for us to start heading home, but we decided to knock on one more door. This nice old man answered, let us in, served us sprite and cookies, talked with us, sang hymns with us, and invited us back. How cool is that!? God is so good to us when we persevere. I certainly don't like the pain and suffering part, but I know that no matter how fat and ugly this dark cloud may appear, it will have it's silver lining, and I'll be grateful for having seen the storm through till the end.
The mission is pretty much the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. I LOVE teaching! I LOVE the people! I don't know if that's corny or not, but it sure does ring true to how I feel. The mission has made me a much more 'grateful' person. I count my blessings more often, and I give thanks to God for them. Try it! You'll be a happier person.
I love you all so much, and I hope that you have a happy Thanksgiving!