April 21st

Family,

How are all of you this week! I can´t believe it, but I didn´t realize that it was the week of Easter until Tuesday, the day after I wrote you all, so I´ll include a bit of easterness in this email.

This week being La Semana Santa, or The Holy Week, the last week of Jesus´s life, where he mercifully atoned for all of our sins in the garden, then shortly thereafter was given over to the Jews by his own apostle, innocently sentenced to be tortured by Crucifixion, flogged, spit upon, and then finally after suffering all, in the garden and on the cross, glorifying God, he gave what no one could take from him, his life.

Not only did he live, and die for us; what makes all the difference is that he came back and lives. I know that my Redeemer lives.

This week, we´ve been sharing that message; His good news. It´s been really great to be take advantage of the holiday season of Easter or Pascua (you know, like Pascal Lamb) as they call it here and be able to share this happy message with a lot of people. 

The church made this most-excellent video this week (one of the best, and definitely the best-designed video I think the church has ever made): 

easter.mormon.org 

and we´ve been going around sharing it, using it as our primary contact tactic, because everybody loves videos. Then after the video we have been giving people pictures of Christ and asking them to put a goal, or to make a resolve to start or start again doing something that shows their gratitude for all that He did for them. Whether it be making your prayers more meaningful, studying the scriptures like the personal revelation that they are, or learning more about Him and His life.

I would invite you to do the same. Watch it. Write something down. Be happier and better.

This Easter has been different for me because I was much more focused on the real reason for Easter. They have eggs here too, but not the same as ours. We dye eggs and hunt candy eggs, but they have chocolate eggs. I think I´ll buy one in a few days when the price goes down.

Things with my companion have gotten better. It´s been hard for a while because he is a very direct, and quiet person, who sometimes forgets to ask instead of tell. Such quietness, I am not used to, and sometimes has led me to believe that he has been mad at me, when he was just focusing on something. Then there are other times he really is mad at me and has said somethings that really hurt my feelings. I thought a lot about what he said to me and instead of staying hurt, I forgave him and tried to get better. I get to practice being humble.

By divine inspiration, God put something magical and wonderful in preach my gospel, the which you have all been invited by an apostle of God to get a copy of, called Companionship Inventory. Thanks to that, my companion and I are able to each week have a few moments to be honest with each other and patiently resolve problems. It´s the best.

Well, I don´t have much time, but in other news, I got bitten by a dog this week, the first time ever in my life, I´ll have you know, and it left me with only a ´´flesh wound´´, and luckily didn´t tear my pants, but boy it sure did hurt for a while. Also, my birthday is coming up this next Sunday. I´m turning 20, and that makes me old. How´d this happen? Also, happy birthday to all of you April-birthday folk!

Anyways...

I love you all. 

Elder Bradley Turek

P.S. Direct family, I hope you enjoyed your individual letters last week and that you enjoy as well this weeks email which I´ve tried to put more oomph into.

P.P.S. Did a package ever come for Kyla? If so, Kyla did you like what I got you even if it is late. There is also a gift that keeps on giving. The Friend, a magazine especially for excellent-easter-choir-singing-primary-kids like you should start coming with your name on it every month. Love you.