Week 47: Tuesday April 29, 2014

Family,

   I'm writing you a few hours later than usual. Today we had a workshop given to us by President Schmutz. We stayed the night here in San Carlos last night & we are going to stay here again tonight. Tomorrow are our interviews with President & as always I am very excited! However, it's a little bitter-sweet because this will be the last zone interview before him & Sister Schmutz return home. I feel like my mission has flown by, I can't even imagine how they must feel!

   These last few weeks have been great. Me & Elder Mozar continue to see progression in our area as we continue to work hard. It's such an awesome feeling looking back at where we started compared to now. It really makes me feel like I have made a difference & have helped the people here in our area. I have found this to be true in a much larger scale as well. Looking back at where I was in high school compared to where I am now is an incredible, almost surreal feeling. I am excited to continue to see the progression that I make throughout my life as I continue to work hard, improve, & grow.

   I can't even believe it, but transfer calls are already next week! These next few transfers are going to be interesting. More than half of the zone leaders that we have in the mission right now are going home either this transfer or next. It will be a very strange feeling not having them in the mission. They have left a great legacy for the rest of us to continue.

   Seeing that we are together with the whole zone today, we are going to play basketball! I haven't played a hard game of basketball other than once or twice on my mission, so I am excited to get out there & see if I can still shoot a basketball. I have also made that a goal for this last year of my mission (that's weird to say). I have been so bad at working out this first year but I have made a goal to workout everyday from now on. I have already started back up. I have been doing 50 push-ups every night for the last week & I couldn't believe how hard it was. I was embarrassed. My chest was really sore for the first few days, but now I am getting used to it & it is getting easier. I would like to eventually get up to 100 or 200 a night by the time I go home. You guys will have to help motivate me because sometimes I get lazy!

   Well, that's about it. Nothing too exciting this week. We should know what day we will be skyping within the next week or two. I will let you all know so that we can all be on the same page. I'm super excited to talk to you all again!

   I love you.

Elder Staheli