Hola Todos!
I'm doing well here in my new area. I'm getting to know everyone well so that we can work better with the members here. It's kindof sad, I'll just get to know the members and then I'll come home. But I guess that's just how the mission goes. I've been kind of lucky to have spent so much time in all of my areas. I'm getting along well with Elder Zufelt. He's really easy to get along with and it's really fun to be ending my mission with someone who will be going home at the same time as me. He knows a suspicious amout about the new Transformers movie (Hmm... how did that happen? maybe that's why he got put with me...) but he's really been working hard ever since we started the transfer together.
It felt great to be in the Temple today. To be honest, it's always just felt like home to me. It really is ture that the home can and should be another Temple for those that live there. I can't thank Mom and Dad enough for all that they've taught me at home. Throughout all my childhood our home really has been a Temple and a place of rest and protection from the outside world. I really can't wait to see everyone again. Being in the Temple today I felt like I really got a sample taste of what's to come, both in the short-term, one-month sense, and in the eternal sense.
I asked about the details to extending my mission and found out that it's usually only permitted in rare cases now. It used to be a common procedure, but now a lot of emphasis is placed on going home at the conclusion of your mission and getting married and having children as soon as humanly possible. Rumors have been going around that the church is actually going to start the new Perpetual Get a Wife Program. It consists of the church providing a Temple-worthy wife for all participating returning missionaries. They find the daughter of God that's right for you and have her waiting there to meet you as you get off of the plane and are immediately released by your Stake President. In return, you then start a big, LDS family as soon as possible and start looking for candidates for missionaries that have not yet returned from their missions. If the new program turns out to be a success, they will soon be anouncing the new, sister program, Perpetual Get a Husband Program for all returning sister missionaries.
Anyhow, don't worry, I won't be extending my mission. I'll be coming home in the next month, but I don't have any flight information yet. Thanks for all of your support and prayers. They really do mean a lot and they lift me up and carry me every day.
Cuidense!
Elder Adam Russell Rich,
Republilca Dominicana
