I am not "Trunky"

Hello family and friends,

Once more I am closer to coming home. My companion loves to remind me of the end that fast approaching.  He says that I am "trunky," however I believe that he is more trunky than I about the return home, however I will not lie, I am excited as all get out to come back home.  I do think about it often, but I am trying to be more focused on the here and now rather than the then and later.  It is a strange feeling. I really do not know how to handle myself.  It is rather an odd feeling of excitement a pure fear of the things to come. I am confident, however, that I will return home and everything will work out for my own good.

We had a family come to church this Sunday, out of the blue. It is an answer the prays of my companion and of mine own. We had one of the worst weeks. It was a week that proved and tested my patience.  I never wanted to just call it a quites and pack up my bags as much as I did last weeks.  It has been rather difficult to say the least of the matter.  We were going to baptize a man this week, but he continued to smoke and it has been two weeks that he has not been to church, so last Sunday when he did not go  I took it like a kick in the pants. Really hard.  I was depressed and ready to throw in the towel, and this yesterday he did not go again, but the Lord brought to us another family who as being asked if they were already baptized said, "Not yet, but that is why we are hear."  I was so thankful to hear those words at that time.  I had made a promise to myself, the president, and also to Heavenly Father that I would not "die" until the first of August when I will be in Santa Maria waiting to renew my temple  recommend and also take a class given by the mission president about eternal marriage.  I received as Paul put it in Hebrews 11, the proof of testimony.

I am very glad about all of this, and hope that everything will go alright, with this family.

Love,

Elder Caleb S. Carriere