Happy New Year!

Hey!

Happy 2012!! Doesn’t even feel like it though because all I did New Years Eve was sleep all night haha. Its super weird being a missionary and not doing the normal teenager thing. But its alright, I would rather sleep than stay up anyways. I’m so tired all the time. And especially this week...goodness gracious it’s been hot, then freezing and then I biked the most I think I ever have. So my body has been taking a fat hit this week. Elder Emmanuel and I went on exchanges and we biked 8 miles out to some less-active person’s house, then biked 15 miles south to visit a member and plan on how she wants us to teach her boyfriend. That 15 miler took an hour and 40 minutes of strait biking. It was crazy! Biked on highways and up huge hills. I was so tired it wasn’t even funny. Luckily, we got a ride back home after that haha.

That’s crazy that I’ve been out more than 200 days! Doesn’t feel a day over 190! And I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures, those peppers killed me and they earned some respect from me. Lil red ones are stronger than they look. What kind of dogs does Paige have? 2 bulldogs or what? And you’re telling me you can’t even get one? Lame. Yeah, I got letters from JT and Zac this week and it sounds like they’re both doing well. JT is saying "mate" and stuff and he sounds goober'y haha. But the mission changes people so I’ll just accept his use of words. And Zac finally goes in to the Missionary Training Center tomorrow!! About time! I’m pumped for him. Its gonna be great! He just has to remember to make it fun and it will be fun. And obviously Auburn beat Virginia ;) haha even though Auburn isn’t in our mission boundaries. I'll still rep it.

Dad got his hurr (southern for hair) cut? That’s awesome! Sounds like Jackie is getting better and better. Its crazy to think that she is about to be on her own, cutting hair and stuff. Big girl, shoot! I feel way behind everyone else in the world but its all good. We semi retired the marshmallow guns too. Those things get marshmallows all over the place and I’m tired of cleaning the house every 5 minutes haha. So I don’t even use mine anymore. I might bust it out sometime this week though and make Eder Ingersoll clean it up haha. No, I wouldn’t do that...maybe. And I have not brought Bro. Mulder the pictures yet. I haven’t been over to his house this week. One day I will! And I got 4 pairs of pants. So now I have 5 that fit and 2 that flood. I’m just curious to see how they will hold up in the summer. And no, you didn't tell me that all these people were dying!! Haha man gmas family is reaching that age I guess haha. Gma isn’t allowed to die while I’m gone, so I’m not worried about her. She still has 30 years plus to roll around and walk Abby. :)

Should be fun to go to lunch with Cathy today! I hope you have a good time and drive safe! You gave our old couch away! Man, I have a lot of memories on that bugger. Sad to see her go. Rachel is home until April?????? That’s like 4 months haha? That would be horrible to have to wait that long to go back to school. Shoot. get ‘er done! And I'll deff write Gma O and B and write Sister Reynolds. Tell them sorry for not writing them this last week but I’ve been way busy and our preparation day is an hour shorter because the library isn’t open for emails. That’s why I’m doing it now. Sorry!!!

But yeah, Elder Ingersoll and I are having a great time and teaching some awesome people! I wrote his parents yesterday to kind of let them know who their son is with and tell him how cute and awesome he is. And Elder Ingersoll wrote you too, so look for that. He’s a funny kid ... most of the time. We had an awesome training this week in Birmingham and I think I got a new favorite bible scripture: 1st Corinthians 15:9-10. Its way classy, look it up and tell me what you think :) Paul is the man. It relates to how I feel as a missionary and inspires me to work "more abundantly" aka, harder every day! I’m gonna try to do that every day so I can be the best missionary I can be for the people out here in Alabama. I love it and them. Its way fun haha.

Oh, pretty funny story! When I was on exchanges with Elder Emmanuel we went to see an investigator named Robert. He wasn’t home but his wife was home with 2 of her friends. Her friends were kind of drunk and just being dumb. Telling us how dumb we are and stuff, and telling how their church is right. We were just like ok....? Haha and we didn’t argue or anything, just saw what we could do to help Robert’s wife out and then we left. And yesterday Elder Ingersoll and I went over to Robert’s and he said "I need to apologize for my ignorant neighbors" and we were all oh no its fine don’t worry about it. But then he said "no, it was very rude of her to harrass my missionary friends in my house, when I found out I went down there and let her see the hood of me" haha he was just telling us how he backed us up and it felt good to know that we’ve helped him out and he respects us and what we're doing. It’s always cool to me that you make friends by just being yourself and caring about them. Now I got me a friend who will yell at bashers for me :) haha it was a good day! That’s about all the excitement I had for this week. If I think of anything else I’ll email you in like 5 minutes. I still have 20 minutes so respond quick if you can!!

Love you tons!

Elder Oppenlander