Chinese Food

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, I have had a busy week, so I hopefully will be able to talk to you for a while! My life is going very out of control!!! But I will fill you in on my activities!! Since I am now a "Zone Leader", we have the privilege of going to two different District Meetings each week. Both Districts in the zone so from now on, every Monday and Tuesday that is what we get to do. We have two really great District Leaders. One is a lot more enthusiastic than the other, but they are both very good missionaries. So you asked why I didn't tell you that I was a zone leader now. And I guess that I didn't because I really didn't want to advertise it. I don't know, I figured you would find out eventually, but I don't like, or want to brag on myself. But I am excited about it. It makes us stinking busy, and we have a bunch of reports, and extra meetings that take up our days, but I am grateful for this calling, I hope to be able to magnify it. So enough about boring stuff, I will tell you about my week now.

So Monday, Tuesday and, Wednesday all were good days, and nothing special happened. But Wednesday night we ate dinner with a couple of nice sisters in the ward. They bought for us take out Chinese food, and it was a wonderful meal that evening. We had a lesson after dinner, and then we went to work on reports for a meeting on Friday. We were at our Ward Mission Leaders house and my stomach started hurting unbearably. So I asked Elder Grover if we could go home early. Around about 9:30 after sitting by a toilet for a while I decided I was not going to throw up, so I went out to the car to get my water bottle before be. As I leaned down into the car, there it sat, the take out Chinese leftovers... there odor was overpowering... and up it came... My dinner that is. So I had the worst night of my mission this week. I didn't sleep at all, and I threw up 4 times during the night. Had diarrhea, cold sweats, hot flashes, and felt like I was going to pass out every time I stood up. I was pretty miserable. Thursday was going to be a great day with lots of lessons, but we had to cancel everything because I was very sick. We spent the day at home. Anther set of Elder came over, and gave me a blessing, but my stomach was cramping.

On Friday we had my very first Zone Leader Council, which is a big meeting once a month. So I got up Friday morning and felt pretty good, and decided to go. It was a great meeting, and very spiritual, but I still have complaints about it. People always try to get President Weston's attention. I hate it. They take away from the meeting by trying to pull the spotlight there direction. Oh well I guess. I personally learned a lot, and have many goals to improve myself. It is tough, because every time I eliminate a weakness, I find like 6 more! I won't ever be the missionary I want to be. I just don't have the time. I hope to find joy in the journey, and endure to the end bettering myself daily.

Saturday was my first AP exchange. They go on one with each set of Zone Leaders per transfer. I was way nervous, because I was showing him my area, which I don't even know, but it was a lot of fun. Elder Rockwood is a great guy, and an amazing missionary. We worked hard and had a lot of fun.

Finally I will try to answer your questions about my Birthday. The answer is nothing. No, I never bought the blender I want, because I will just have to pay more to send it home, or leave it here when I go, so please don't get me one! Same with everything else. Anything you send will just have to be done something with in a few months... so whatever you do get me please make it small. Besides when I get home I will need some new clothes anyways! You can get my a birthday present then!

I love y'all, hope things are treating you well.

Elder Nicholas Ellsworth