I have 20 years

Hey family,

I hope everyone had as good a week as me.  I got the birthday package on Friday from the fam and one from grandma!  It was really great.  Now my pench smells good, my neck and hands are warm, and I have rice crispy treats :)  The kids here really like the candy too.  It's really nice to  have people back home that still remember who you are and care about you.  I felt the love in the packages :)  

One thing that makes me kinda sad is the lack of unity in the ward here.  There are sooo many inactives and pretty much all of them have the same reason, because the people in the ward... this tends to happen when people aren´t magnifying their callings.  When we stop thinking about ourselves, we think about other people and we are happier, and so are they.  

I think our biggest problems are that people arent praying, reading their scriptures and going to church.  if we arent donig these simple things, the other things seem to sort of fall out place.  

Something really sad happened to one of our new members to the ward, he and his wife are an older couple that recently joined the church.  One of his kids and people from his old church (including the pastor) and I don't know who else, came in and wrecked his house and burned half of it down.  They would´ve killed him but he somehow got out.  We are trying to help them the best that we can.  But there is opposition in all things.  It's really sad though.  It's kinda like the saints in the olden days right?

I just got the news of K Hall´s mission call and I just about screamed in the middle of the cyber.  That's seriously the greatest thing I've ever heard.  Will someone please tell him to write me through email through mom and I´ll do the same cuz I want to hear all about whats going on in his life.  Is he going to the same mission as Tanner? Tell him Happy Birthday too, (June 25th)  that´d be nuts.  Anyways, i am so excited for all the missionaries in our ward that are leaving.  I get so excited cuz I know the church is true and that this is the best thing for them and for the people waiting for them.  We are helping so many people including ourselves out here.  I dont remember who gave the talk in conference that talked about just doing the visible things in the gospel (going to church, taking the sacrament, etc) but if we aren´t doing the other stuff behind the scenes, (reading, praying, really focusing on Christ and the things that are important) it becomes a lazy routine and meaningless.  I think we all need to constantly have an interview with ourselves, a worthiness interview, to see where we are and how we are doing, and also what we need to improve on.  I pray for all of you every day, and look forward to hearing from you next week.  

Love you all so much!

Elder Skousen