YEAH! We got a 7 page letter from Dave last week and a 6 1/2 page letter this week. He is doing great! He said it is hard to write everything he wants to tell us because he was always used to telling us everything but he'll do his best....7 pages is pretty darn good!! He wrote it while doing his laundry. He said you don't realize how long laundry takes until you have to sit and wait for it. (So we are grateful for laundry! We get long letters because of it!) He said he was one of the few guys that knew how to do his own laundry. But he is also one of the few that never made his bed! So he sent us a picture and a video clip of his beautifully made bed, it shocked us all!

His companion is Elder Iuta Levy Laimaui Faamausili. He said it has been an adjustment getting used to him. They are very different. But Dave said after some talks with their district leader, Elder Pili, they are starting to understand each other better. And he is grateful to get to learn these things while still in the MTC. He companion is actually quite a crack-up, we have some hilarious video clips of him goofing around and dancing! And his accent is awesome!

He told us the story of falling out of bed...the top bunk bed. He said his alarm was going off and it is really loud so he kept trying to reach for it but he was reaching the wrong way and fell off the bed. He said the other guys in the room were still sleeping and didn't even know what had happened but later said they did remember hearing a loud boom. He said at the time he did not feel any pain but later he found bumps and bruises on him. And he is happy to report he has not fallen off his bed since then!

He has shared some amazing spiritual experiences with us! And what is so awesome is we have felt this same missionary spirit in our home and I know it is one of the many wonderful blessings we have received for having a son on a mission!! He got to hear Elder Richard G Scott speak. One of the things he told them was that "he knew Christ leads this church personally" and then he said it again very strong. Dave said there was an amazing spirit and he got chills! Then Elder Scott asked who had not shook an apostle's hand and almost every missionary, About 2,000, raised their hands. So Dave said they waited in line over an hour to shake his hand. When he finally got to shake his hand he said he looked him right in the eyes and Dave said he could feel his amazing love and spirit! Dave said the thought came to him, wow this is a modern day apostle like Peter, James and John. Dave said it was "such an amazing event in my life". He has been grateful for other wonderful talks and lessons were he has learned, he can only do his best and it only matters what Christ thinks of us, through trials we can learn and grow-like a refiners fire and he is growing stronger because of it and he only has 2 years to serve the Lord and he can't waste a single second.

We are very grateful for this amazing time in our lives to have a son on a mission! Our

testimonies have been strengthen. Our love of each other and the gospel has increased. And like I said we have all felt this incredible spirit! Love y'all! laura

More MTC pics!