Fast Week!

This week went by so fast and it feels like I am going to be so busy the next two. Especially since I have a companion going home. Elder Cameron Scott from Draper, Utah, he goes home on the 20th.

Another reason this week went by fast is because we had to go on two exchanges and then yesterday I was on one with Assistant Adams from Cedar City, UT. He actually went to middle school with me. That was fun. The reason I'm e-mailing today instead of preparation day is because today is temple day and I was privileged to do a session. There is nothing cooler to me than seeing a temple I was able to help work on. Even though I wasn't endowed at the time I love seeing all the stone base on the upper floors. It looks really good. Feel proud Bottema Tile!

Our Investigator Mariana is doing amazing. She is still on for September 18th 2010 and she wanted to do a 24 hour fast with us this Sunday AND she paid her tithing even though we told her she didn't need to pay until she was baptized. She keeps every commitment that we extend to her. All we have left to do is cover a couple more commandments from Preach My Gospel and start organizing her baptismal program. School starts soon thereafter she is baptized. I have never been so anxious for school to start in my life. I'm ready to talk to all the new people coming in. As of now there are between 8,000 and 10,000 students on campus right now and starting September 29th 2010 there will be around 45,000. I am SO excited! I am ready to baptize everyone in my path. I'm really pumped because I'm really sick and tired of the institute being so slow. Thank goodness we've found ways to stay busy.

Some of you have asked if I was able to do anything or see anything besides missionary work.... not that I can think of. I was able to meet the assistants in my first area last night which was really weird. I felt like I was at home. I really can't think of anything. Our mission president changed our schedule in the university wards. We no longer have a specific schedule and we can now have dinners any day of the week. I was excited at first and then remembered I was in a singles ward. I would have LOVED dinners everyday in my last ward. Oh! They were so awesome and made such good food. Mmmm.... how sorry I am that my time has passed there. We are still required to contact/tract 4 hours a day but we can choose when to do those. Other than this news the mission president hasn't really changed anything else. He's full of ideas and very fun to talk to but we've only been able to try a few of his ideas.

I've enjoyed the letters and such but I'm sad to say little time to write back. Let it be known I love reading them.

I love ya all!

Elder Bottema