Two Changes In!

Wow! In two days I'll have completed two changes in the field. Crazy. We find out tomorrow what the plans for changes are, and then changes happen on Wednesday. I'm both excited and nervous. It's going to be an interesting week! I'm pretty jealous of your guys' spontaneous California excursion! Definitely miss those kinds of trips. Hope it's a great time! I do write my mission president every week, but it's just a few sentences to let him know how everything is. I think he just skims them unless we mark them as super important. There isn't much to what I write in those, so I'll just keep doing things the same way I have been.

As for CD's... I would love to have everything The Lower Lights have ever released! I love the four songs you guys gave me, and I totally want the rest! According to the bishop's wife, I have bronchitis, and she's all concerned about it and says I need injections. I don't know if I do, but if I'm still coughing like this and happen to see the nurse at changes, I'll probably mention it to her. Most missionaries make it their whole mission without a doctor's appointment though, and I've already had one, so I really don't want to become that guy who's always going to the doctor for every little thing. Our new pool of investigators is going pretty well. None of them came to church, but they're actually reading and praying, and deserve the proactive title of ''investigator.'' To answer dad's question, we normally teach between 5 and 10 actual investigator lessons every week. The perfect Catholic family said they couldn't meet again till this Saturday, so me and my new companion will be hitting that up! So excited.

I bought a backpack at Walmart this week! The school year here starts in February, so there was a big back to school sale and I got a decent one for like 15 bucks. It was really cool to have Elder Christofferson with us on Saturday! We all got to shake his hand before the meeting. As the agenda was announced, I learned I was saying the opening prayer, so that was a little nerve-wracking, praying for a room of hundreds just a few feet in front of an Apostle. He speaks perfect Spanish, too, so it's not like he had no idea what I was saying. Despite all the speculation, he didn't come with any big announcements or changes to the mission! He actually just let us ask him questions the whole time, which was awesome. He said the questions should pertain to missionary work, so we didn't get into too crazy of stuff. In answering what he expects of us, he talked a bit about how for these two years we're set apart with the same apostolic duty and authority he has. Awesome. There were people filming the whole thing and taking all kinds of pictures. Guess we'll probably show up in the church news or something!

I love to hear your temple goal, mom! I really just love the temple. I've come to see myself easily going once a week when I get back. It's too important of a thing to not go often. Love your guys' addiction to LOST! Don't worry, there's definitely no ''It was all a dream'' twist. Some people misinterpreted the ending to be that kind of cheap twist, but it's not what it is. As long as you're watching every single episode, paying attention, and loving the characters, you should understand and be satisfied with the ending. So just keep plowing and enjoying it! The Spanish is still improving every day. I understand most people most of the time. I wouldn't say I dream in Spanish though, because I still talk with Elder Baca in English all the time. If my next companion is Latino though, my Spanish is going to skyrocket.

Loved the message you shared about getting rid of the little things, Dad! It's inspiring to me, and I'm going to start making a bigger effort to identify those things. Yesterday was some sort of area conference, and the stake choir sang ''I Am a Child of the Lord of the Rings.'' At least, that's what Elder Baca and I named it. They sang ''I Am a Child of God'' with several 30 second interludes between verses of the song ''In Dreams'' from Lord of the Rings played on a flute. I guess the people of Costa Rica aren't familiar with Lord of the Rings, or aren't fazed by the fusion of hymns with blockbuster theme songs, because only Elder Baca and I were looking around in disbelief at what was happening.

We had a pizza party today as a district since it's the last P-Day of the change, and probably about half of the district will be changed this week. The pizza was from some member's pizza store. Hopefully this offers a little more detail for you, Mom! Don't know what else you want to know, haha. Things are going great, though. I've really become confident with calling this place my home for these two years.

Love you all.

--Elder Hampton