Two emails and a picture
To his Dad

This week we had some time to go on FamilySearch and look up our family History. I found out that the Hess line originally comes from Prussia, and then moved to Switzerland in the 1500s. Also, they've been here in America for a LONG time. Cool :) Also, I worked, and I was able to trace it back to ODIN!!! Yea, as in the King of Asgard! that's super funny I think :) but through Odin I traced it all the way back to Adam and Eve. That was super cool. Family history work is really fun, and cool. I love it, I wish I had done more at home. That's a really good Sunday activity to do as a family. Try and trace it back to Adam and Eve. I bet you can :) I love you dad, I can't wait to serve the people in Germany. Thank you for all of you letters. I cherish every single one. I read recently the blessing you gave me before I came out here, and it totally made me start crying. Thank you so much for raising me in the home you did. I know I wasn't the perfect son, and I made mistakes, but thank you for always loving me and being there for me. I love you so much. Thank you for being the example you are to me. 

 To his Mom

Hey mom, they are letting us do our laundry before we leave, so we have more time to email. I can't wait to talk to you. Are you planning to have the boys be home? What about dad? Will I need to make an extra phone call? What's happening? Also, I have until about 10 to talk to you. After that I probably won't be able to. 

I'm sending you a package today with my watch, an extra cord and some other stuff in it. My watch isn't keeping time anymore. Maybe it's just out of battery, i don't know :P if you want to try and fix it and send it that's cool, or I'll just get a new watch in Deutschland. Either works :) 

I'm super excited for tomorrow. It'll be so fun! I'll try to sleep tonight, but no promises. There's an elder here who lived in China going to Salt Lake, and he told me I should try to sleep on the plane when it's night in Germany. That way it won't be as much of a change. I finally got used to my current sleep schedule, and now it's changing again... Oh well. That's how life goes. Are you planning on sending one more package? you don't have to. I'm just wondering. I have way too much food though. There's no way i can eat what I have, so I'm probably going to end up giving it away. Oh well :P It'll make someone happy :)

Can't wait to talk tomorrow! Love you!

Elder Oliphant