Dallin, Nick, and Kyler

8 months today.

I'm freakin' out just a little bit as I look back at the last 8 months, the first third of my mission. Last night I was lying awake in bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about how I spent that first third and if I was happy with it. After close review, I'm really happy with how it's been spent. I can't believe that it's been that long already, and it's even harder to believe that when I'm done training Elder Biggs I'll be out for ten months. It's scaring me how fast time is flying by; every second-hand tick from my watch is another second of my mission down the drain. Lately I've been focusing on making every second count. It's either that or buy a new watch.

So I'm sure those of you on Facebook saw, but Dallin, Nick, and Kyler from the U surprised me at dinner! Turns out Dallins grandparents live in Shadow Ridge ward and when we pulled up to dinner, the three of them passed by in Nicks car. My stomach flipped; it was so surreal seeing the three of them walk up to the car, smiling and laughing. It was like two worlds colliding, but it was so incredibly awesome being able to see them. We reminisced on good times and crazy times and made some plans for summer of 2014. I'm so grateful for friends like them; I love you guys, and I'm grateful I was able to share a little bit of my testimony with you. You'll never know how much your friendships and our memories together mean to me.

Teaching and finding has been going pretty well this week; it's strange how our boundaries have been cut down but the teaching pool has grown. I guess it makes total sense; with a smaller region to proselyte in, we're able to pay more attention and devote more time to teaching those within our area. Hopefully some of these potential investigators will feel the Holy Ghost bear witness to them the truth of the message we share and we'll be able to lead them farther down the path to eternal salvation. I love what I'm doing, and I hope you guys are having as much fun as I am.

Love,
Jesse

Kyler, Jesse, Nick, and Dallin in Las Vegas