Hey Mom,

We don't have a lot of time this week, but I'm okay to chat. For about the next hour.

This week has been pretty slow, Elder Baker was still sick for the first half of the week, so we didn't go out.  He's better now, so we've started back into the work, but after a week and a half of sitting in the flat, we're a little off our game.  We'll get it going this week though.  We did end up seeing the investigator kid, but he kind of blew us off, and we don't know how solid he really is.  It's going to take some time with him.  So we're going to be finding a lot this week.  It'll be good for us though.  We need to dive back into the work.

My cold is just as resilient as ever though.  It has moved back into my head.  So I can't hear or smell very well the past few days.  Elder Baker told me he has some decongestants that I can try, so I will.

Uhh.. the pictures.. yeah.. about that.  I forgot my old broken camera again, and that's what I use as a card reader.  I need to take the "after" shots of my flat before I send them all to you anyways, and I'll try and get the rest of the pictures for you.  I'm doing a little better at taking more pictures, but I have some room for improvement.  I'll take some this week.

I got your mail this week.  That's all though.  None from Brooke or Granddad.  I was sad about that. I thought it would be at the mission home, and it wasn't.  Oh well.  Hopefully it'll come sometime.  I'm not sure though.  Definitely definitely have people send it to the mission home.  My flat isn't reliable enough anymore.

It does rain everyday.  Sometimes it drops below freezing and freezes the puddles, and in the morning, we smash through some of them with our bikes.  But that's about it.  It's snowed once, but it wasn't enough or cold enough to stick.  So that's been fine.  It's not awful, but actually... yes it is.  I hate rain. So much.

I'm sorry about your snooty rich kids.  I don't really know what to tell you.  I'm not even allowed to touch children, so the tiny children skills I had before are now completely and totally gone.  Missions help with some things, but definitely not with children.  I'll come back a lot more mature, but I won't know how to be around girls or play with kids anymore.  Both will be countered when I get back.  Hopefully by two of my favorite girls in the world.  Ange and Rem.  Haha

I don't get to see the Olympics, and that bums me out really bad.  I didn't realize how much I love watching them til now.  Especially with it being the winter olympics.  They have sports that I actually understand and know.  I heard that there's Snowboarding Slopestyle now, and that's super cool.  If I had followed my dreams to become a professional snowboarder, than that would be the event that I would want to be good at.  I think it's super cool.  But then there's two other cool snowboarding events.  Superpipe and snowboard cross.  I like all of the events though.  Maybe not the biatholon. But I think I'd still probably watch it.

Well.. not much to report on this week, not even shopping. I'd love to talk though, if you have some time!

I love you Momma!

Love,

Your little baby boohoo.

Helllllooooo Mom.

Sorry I'm emailing so late.  This is going to be normal now.  I'm going to reserve a computer for 3:00 or 3:30, so that if any of you want, we can talk. In fact, I'm going to send you all a quick email saying just that.

Alright.  Hopefully you got that and will send me an email back in a few seconds.

So.  This week. Was pretty lame.  Elder Baker caught a cold.  I don't think it was mine, because his was a lot worse.  It might've been mine though.  He can't stop coughing.  Like at all.  He has to sleep sitting up at night.  Which means he doesn't get a ton of sleep, which means he doesn't get better very quickly, which means we stayed in the flat for most of the week.  It was nice for a few reasons though.  I slept in a bit with him, and I think I'm starting to get over my cold.  But just saying that probably added another month to its longevity. Also, whilst sitting in the flat, we decided to do a bunch of things to it.  We completely redid it.  We made a massive desk that we study at, and made our beds not be bunk beds anymore, cause that was awful, and we're almost finished completely organizing our area book, which, if you don't know what an area book is, doesn't sound that hard, but trust me, it is. Ask Ben.

That being said, we still did a bit of work.  We got a new investigator this week.  His name is Ryan, and he's a pretty good kid.  He's the future son-in-law of this less-active guy we go see, and he showed some interest the other week when we were saying a prayer.  He's had a pretty tough life, and I think he might be disowned by his real family, or they might be in prison or something.  Either way, he lives at the LA guy (Mark)'s house.  He's definitely a chav, but he seems pretty sincere about learning and finding out for himself what God wants him to do.  He said he's had a pretty rough past in gangs, and dealing drugs and stuff, but wants to change, and wants to get rid of the weight that he feels like he's holding on to because of that life.  So I think it's going to go super well with him.

That's about all we did this week.  I know.  Super boring.  Today, though, we went to the cooooooolest place.  I don't have my card-reader, but I'm going to send you pictures next week of it.  It's the Royal Air Force Museum.  Also known as heaven.  It was the coolest museum I've ever been to, and I took thousands of pictures to prove it.  We didn't have enough time there, and I think Elder Baker and I will go back and see it again sometime, and finish it off.  It was suuuuuper cool.  Plus, it's right next to an RAF base up here, and they were like running the engines or something on some of their fighter jets, and so we got to take a few pictures of those as well.

Elder Baker and I get along really really well.  It's good and bad.  Good, because we're always happy, but bad because sometimes we start talking and don't realise that like an hour just passes by with out us noticing.  He's way cool though.  You're right about me junior companion because of what I said to President I think, but I really don't care.  Missions aren't about mission leadership, they're about bringing our brothers and sisters to Christ.  I'm super excited to get started with Baker though, cause we think the same way, and will be able to talk to absolutely anyone.  It'll be so awesome.  As long as Elder Baker gets over his freakin cold.  Sorry if Elder Baker and I get translated and take all of Wolverhampton with us.

It could happen.

So, letters.  I have no idea about them.  I go to the mission office on Wednesday and if they're there than I'll get them.  The ones sent to my flat.. I'm not sure.  My theory is that, because I live above some shops, my post goes somewhere else, and every once in a while, the landlord comes and delivers it to us, but I'm not sure how long that takes.  When I was with Shepherd, we even sent ourselves some mail, and it came within like three days, but it came with mail that should've arrived like a week earlier.  My landlord is also Indian, so it's super hard to understand him on the phone, so we don't like calling him.  But I'll get it eventually.  Probably best to just send post to the mission office.  I'm pretty close by, and we go probably every couple weeks, so even though I'd love it delivered to my door, I don't think that's going to happen.  Brooke said she sent me post ages ago, and I still haven't gotten that.  I want it.  Desperately.  Also, I have a bunch of stuff I still need to send home, but also some stuff to send to Adrienne.  What's her address? I asked her, but she didn't tell me.

Life's really good right now.  And I'm glad.  I honestly have needed this for a while.  I'm enjoying my mission again, and I'm excited to do the good work.  Thanks for telling me about faith.  You're right.  You're always right.  Except for when I'm right.  I think I'm good at most of the other aspects of the Gospel, but I've always felt that I could have more faith.  I'm going to really take your challenge, and I'll tell you how it goes.  Dad is with me. You're right.

Well.. I don't really know what else to say.  I'm sorry I don't have pictures.  I know I promised them.  I dropped the ball, but I think the RAF Museum pics will make up for them, and I'll do before and after shots of my flat.

Everything is good. I'll have a cold forever, but I'm over that. I'm a happy boy.

I love you and miss you Mom.  I had a dream about coming home the other night, and you were the first one I hugged when I got off the plane.

Take care of my siblings!

Love,

Colton

PS, and my dog.