Hola,

If I was to think about the aspects of my life right now and analyze it for you, answering a few questions that would shed light on whom I’m becoming, things I’m figuring out about myself, and things I’m realizing I have some skill in, well, the answers would go like this.

In my life, I’m beginning to see the importance of making goals. This is how I survive; I make those short-term goals that reach me to those long more distant ones. Without this goal-making aspect of my life right now, I would constantly be at a standstill.  And how depressing your life can be if you are in that state for too long.

Without the desire to be better, to make better, and to constantly grow, my goals would flop. They are what drive us to become who we want to be. Be when I have a goal, I need to have it in my mind and in my heart. If it’s not in my heart, come on lets be honest, it’s not going to happen. I need to have that real desire to move forward. And I’m beginning to know that it’s tough, but who said it would be easy.

I know I need to complete my goals, but sometimes I fall short, so the next time I set up a goal, I’ll make sure it’s obtainable. For example, I have a goal to talk to at least two families I see in the street. Now it may not seem like a big goal, oh but it is. When you’re at the end of your day and you realize you haven’t found those two fams yet, there’s a sense of panic because you have that goal in your mind and you have let yourself down.

And I have seen the fruits of this goal. So check it. We were near the end of our day on Saturday, starting to head back to our apartmento. I had realized I hadn’t met my goal – dangit! But since I was trying, the Lord made up for me. Up ahead in the distance, just like a photo out of a church pamphlet, a dad was pushing a stroller and the mom at his side. Perfection!

Now you need to understand, there are some things that make mishes happy: cloudy/cold days, anything edible, and families walking towards them. Jackpot — was my first thought. Now this family was a good distance away, so we had a little time to plan our “assault.” J OK, so we decided that my companion would open and I would follow with the back-up question.

The plan was flawless — and well executed I might add. Two mishes walking towards this fam, they knew what was coming. So we started, talked a little about family and there’s is a feeling you get when you start that perfect contact — those mishes out there know what I’m talking about. We asked them if we could stop by their house to teach them more. They said, “Well, the thing is, we live in the ‘Villa’ right over there, and people don’t go in there, never, unless you want to die.” Oh, no way, well that sucks.

But wait, a “villa” is where tons of people live, in tiny little house all smashed together. Very dangerous because they are people who are less fortunate and they look at you and see what they can sell on you for money. And mishes aren’t allowed to go there anyway.

So we told them where the church was and started to walk away. Then I was like, wait just a second, and we went back and told them that we could teach them in the church and they liked that idea. We’ll see what happens with the “villa fam”, but that’s what I get to do when I complete my goals.

I have found out many things I would like change about myself. And it’s very hard to change habits that I’ve had for over ten years. But they can change; they have to if I’m to be successful in this little thing called life. They slowly begin to change, but it’s a constant battle to fight them to the ground and put them into submission. The full-frontal mount seems to be working (that’s for you Brian! I know that the habits I build now will stay with me for a lifetime, so I’d better build those good ones — like I need to stop spitting out our sixth floor window onto traffic — but these things will change with time…or if my next apartment is ground level! I love the person I’m becoming.

Today I carried my basketball to the district meeting to shoot some hoops and everyone else brought their junk too, so we played some 5-on-5 as a Zone. It’s fun to play with Latinos because they really don’t know what to do, it’s a good trade-off because they crush me at fútbol. We had a good time sweating and getting our sports in — one of those good Zone bonding moments.

I’ve been in this zone for six months and I love it. I feel like I’m starting to know the other Elders and starting to have friends all over. At Zone Conference I’m talking to all my friends and the peeps I know. It’s fun to be in the loop and have peeps that I have a past with. I believe one of the most important things about a missionary is to build those relationships with other mishes, who will be your life-long buddies.

I hope all is well up there in the North Land, Yankeelandia, as some would say here. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to be a member of Christ’s church, to be a missionary in finding those whom He has sent me to bring unto Him. Is there any other place for a 19 year old to be then serving a mish? I submit, no. And I believe a Prophet also said that… I know that work that I do is the work of Angels and we are sent out two by two to encontrar, ensenar, y bautizar.

I also have the most killer family who loves and supports me in every way, shape or form — even if they send letters and emails about home and how they are making “Glanmuffins” without me! But I know I only have this chance to be in this opportunity to serve with all my focus, might, mind and strength for two very short years.

This is not a calling to be a mish for two years, but for the rest of my life…just without my plaque. But maybe I’ll slip it on a few times, just to see if it still fits. Should we not go on for such great a cause?

Les amo

Elder Glanzer

Chao