Mi querido familia,

   You are all amazing. I can´t tell you how much you mean to me. Everything I have ever learned in life, from experiences and memories I will never forget, some bad and some good haha. I am so grateful to have been placed with such a loving, amzing family. I have news for you all. I will be seeing you on Thursday. I'm coming home.

   Hahahahaha no way. I'm totally kidding. Not about how awesome you all are, of course. But about coming home. You already know that's never happening. =P

   Anyways, on a more serious note, it has been a great week here in Carmen. Our branch is growing, and we're experiencing miracles left and right. We've been working with a few investigators this week, as well as many inactives and less-actives. I'm not sure if I've told you, but here in the island of Carmen, we're only a district and ramas. And since I've got here everyones always talked about becoming a stake, but it's never really been very serious or real. But President Castañeda is coming to sign some papers and fill stuff out next week to begin making Carmen into a stake! It's way rad, and everyone is super excited. But he has given us alot of goals to accomplish before anything happens. The district needs 8 more active, worthy high priests, and higher church assistance these next few months. Well, we've been visiting lots of people this week. And the normal 80 people in church turned into 110 yesterday! The chapel felt so full, and not to mention it was Fast and Testimony meeting. It was one of the most spiritual Testimony meetings I've seen here. There's a new elderly couple who just moved into our branch from the one right next to us, and they are legit. The husband only speaks english, but his wife translates for him. I talked to him for a while yesterday after church, and he told me about how much work he's been doing here in Mexico, even though he can't speak the language very well. But that the Spirit teaches to all in the same language. Anyways, he bore his testimony, and his wife translated. Everyone was talking to us about it later, about how they all felt the spirit even though he didn't speak their language. And, the family Chim Ko, has their baptismal date set for this coming saturday. Elena was a bit shaky about it at first, but we set the date with her and invited her to pray about it too. She did. The next day we went to see the family, and she told us about how she prayed, and afterwards, she just stayed on her knees and waited, and felt drops of water hitting her head. In the house, when it wasn't raining, with no possible explanation. She said that she felt so good and so sure, that she went into her daughters' room and told them all to make sure they wake up early because they were going to church no matter what! That she felt she needed to go, and nothing was going to stop them. And then her 7 year old daughter, Tania, just stood up and walked to the podium in the testimony meeting without telling Elena anything. And she went and said "Hello Brothers and sisters, I just want to share my feeling with you. I feel that this is the true church of Jesus. I know that He loves me and takes care of me and my family. Also, I feel that the Book of Mormon is true, and when I read it I feel happy. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Oh, it was so powerful, and everyone was stunned at how blessed this little girl is to have a testimony so strong already. She later told us how a girl on the bus said that God doesn't exist, and Tania just went off on her I guess haha.

  Also, there is so much more. But my hour is already up, and I don't want to lengthen out our P-Day. We might go to a mail center today. Elder Ibarra has to send off a package, and I'm going to try and resend some letters that got returned to me. I'm sorry if you think I haven't written some of you, I don't know what goes on with the mail down here. I just drop it in the box, and pray that it somehow gets to the States haha. I guess my faith isn't strong enough for some of your letters haha. Anyways, thats whats up today. Elder Ibarra and I are going to the doctor too, because he has a cough that wont go away. We get along well, and help eachother out. I am so grateful for him, and his desires to work with me. It has been a good change this week. And too many spiritual experiences to count. Too many miracles to tell about. Too much evidence of God's hand in this work to deny it. I know this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is word inspired of God. I know that there is no better cause in this world, than to work in the service of our fellow-men. When you are in the service of your fellow being, you are only in the service of your God. Keep up the service, keep up the examples, and never forget that you are loved. And you have the obligation to share this love with everyone you meet. Take care of yourselves everyone.

Love, Elder Knight

To: My family and friends...

Hello my wonderful family.

Have I told you lately that I love you? Hahaha Conference was AMAZING! Super awesome. I watched the first session in Spanish, and then one of the counselors told me that there is a room in english for two of the elders who just arrived this month, and that I was invited to join them if I wanted. I am so glad I did haha. The spanish was still the same, and I understood everything. But its a bit bothersome when your accostumed to the voices of the apostles and prophet, and you hear some other voice. And the translator just about butchered some of President Monson´s jokes. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the English language. The language of the Restauration, as President Castañeda says (and I think in Preach My Gospel too).

Well, transfers came, and Elder Alvarado went. It was pretty odd. He left on friday, 4 days before normal tranfers. So I have been with our Branch Mission Leader, who is a STUD. His name is Alexis and he´s 18 years old, preparing to go on a mission. He leaves December 1st for Argentina! So legit, so he has been my companion for the last few days, as well as another preparing to go to Chile, Edgar. They are both studs, super prepared, better missionaries than I am already. And are super fun. They are so excited to learn about everything, and totally prepared to give everything to the Lord. I couldn't be happier for them, and more grateful for the opportunity that I have to be with them.

In other news, we´re trying to find new investigators, as the ones that Elder Alvarado and I were working on aren´t progressing very well, and don't want to come to church. But we're finding miracles all over Carmen. Also, we got a new (used) fridge from one of the members. Its way bigger than our old one, smaller than yours at home, but so awesome haha. We cleaned out the apartment really well and got everything ready for my new companion to arrive tomorrow. Elder Ibarra. Apparently from what I have heard so far from other elders: He's Mexican, and he was a zone leader in his last area. So that's all I know, and I am super excited.

I want to learn everything all over again, and do things in the way the Lord has commanded. I love all of you. I can feel your prayers. Last night, we ate dinner with a Sister in the other branch, and I saw a picture frame with the story of the footsteps on the sand. Of how a man asked Jesus, "What happened in my difficult times and trials? There are only one set of footprints, why did you leave me when I needed you most?" And the Lord replied, "In those moments, there are only one set of footprints because I was carrying you.."

What a sweet way to look at our most trying and difficult times in our life. We should never forget that our Savior Jesus Christ will ALWAYS be there for us, especially in our times of trials. You are all loved, and never forgotten. You are never alone.

I love you, Elder Knight