Elder Reece - WOW!!!

Dear Family,
I have so much that I want to tell you. I had an AMAZING week. This ward is amazing. I would love to stay here for the rest of my mission.
Amy- Thank you for the letter. I am very grateful for the thoughts and scriptures.
Mom- Thank you also for your letter and the package. I got it on Saturday. Just in time. Could you send me the addresses of all siblings and Grandparents? About the phone call, when would be best to call? I will try to accommodate to your schedule. Best for us would be between 10 and 2, your time. Colorado is two hours behind me, right?
I am sending some pictures. The first is us and Elder Jonathan Escobar. The second is of us making tostones. They are giant bananas smashed and fried twice. They are great. I will make some for you in a year. The third is of the crew this weekend at our Mission Christmas Conference.
Conference was split between two days. Saturday was a luncheon and a few musical numbers. It was really enjoyable. Sunday was a night time Devotional. It was fantastic!! President Hale's next door neighbor from his home in Utah came with his wife to speak to us. Some of you might know of him. His name is Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Sound familiar? Yes, it was President Uchtdorf. I got to shake his hand and then listen to him and his wife speak to us. It was absolutely amazing. The Sprirt was so strong there. I will remember it for the rest of my life. It was a special, sacred experience.
I learned so very much. I am still trying to record all I felt and learned last night. A lot of it was very applicable to me as a msisionary and I feel confident that I will be able to apply what I learned throughout my life. I am so blessed. It is amazing.
My appreciation for and testimony of the Gospel was strengthened last night. Like I have said before, this Gospel is so profound. I had the amazing privilege to shake the hand of a prophet of God. But what's neat is that it was simply a hand. He is a man just like the rest of us. He talked to us about that. He is an ordinary man with an extraordinary responsability. Our leaders are great men. They are truly called of God and are His representatives. But the power behind them is not theirs. It is God's. They are not called to be Prophets because they are powerful and extraordinary in and of themselves. They are still amazing men, don't get me wrong, but they are normal men powered by God. Because they are ordinary men, the knowledge that they are Prophets of God comes through the Spirit, not through impressing the natural man. It is an amazing thing that I learned last night. Even though I am an ordinary human with weaknesses, I can do great things because I have the power of God and He is with me.
This Church astounds me. God is so perfect. I am learning and growing every day. I am sad I am almost half way done, but I am excited to move forward and continue learning. I have a lot of learning to do over the next year. I love you all so much. As I was sitting there yesterday I was thinking about how much of a privilege it is to have President Uchtdorf visit me for Christmas. But a better present still would have been spending the Holidays with all of you. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I love you so much. I miss you all. How I wish I could be with you during this wonderful time to celebrate Christ's birth! But I am not because it is not God's will. And I am 100% okay with that. I am loving what I am doing. I know that this is where I am supposed to be.
Be happy and be strong. Remember that because of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have more reason than anyone to celebrate and glory the birth of the Author of our Salvation. He is our way to the Father and He has given us again on the earth the fulness of the Gospel. The living of which gives us access to all of God's blessing for us, now and in the eternities. I am so excited to be there with all of you.
Con muchisimo amor,
Elder Reece
P.S.- Talk to you soon ;-D