December 17, 2012

Okay so this past week, , , no baptisms. It felt a little bit lazy in our part because my comapanion is the district leader for another area and we went and worked in that area for a day to help them with things. They were struggling with their goals for the week. And so we went and helped them out for a day, I and elder Casimiro received 3 baptismal dates this day. . . . i was very happy. and it was with this sweet family that is very poor!!!! we walked into the yard after a wooden barbed wire fence,, and it was nothing, they dont have a house, they had a couch in the very front where the husband was laying down sick, and they had a "house". . . . . . but it was like a tarp, and some wooden sticks, very sad, reminded me of africa. But the family is the husband and wife, and a daughter and two boys that looked almost the same age. They were very humilde, they had humility and were very humble, and the wife seems very strong in the church, she just doesnt go to church on sundays, she answered all our questions correctly, and her daughter is very smart. . . I was impressed with this family that has such many good qualities, but live in a ............. dump. Very sad, but they want their boys to be baptized and the husband wants to be baptized also!!!! so this is exciting. This was last week wednesday and now it is the 17th of december!!! Today was changes ( cambios) I received a new companion today, It turns out that it is elder Casimiro,!!! the one i was on changes with!, And we already know each other very well. He is a cool person, and he is 2 more months ahead of me. So we are pretty close!!! I amd excited for this change. My companion was elder Jiminez, and he went to choix, and we were both in Juan Jose Rios!! and Elder casimiro and Elder Arroyo were in ruiz cortinez, The mission closed ruiz cortinez, because of the members here, they are having issues, and it is also a little dangerous there. Everything is okay though. Now me and Elder casimiro have Juan Jose rios, and ruiz Cortinez, so no more Elders will be living in ruiz cortinez any longer. . . But this will be a fun change, I am happy i am still in the same area, because there is still a lot of work to be done. In our casa de horacion, Our (church) here we have about 15 people that regularly come. . . . . It is very small, I will try to send a picture. But also there is a lot of less actives here. . . . like a lot a lot!!! but we are working hard. . . . still working with beatriz. . . she gets sick a lot. . . : / ???? but all she needs to do is pay her tithing on sunday and then she can get baptized. . . . and now we have these new people in ruiz cortinez, with baptismal dates. So i have a feeling we will be travelling back and forth a little bit.!!!! It will be fun and there will be more of a difference! Pay attention this christmas the 25th i will be calling at 4:00pm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be calling from the phone in the church, in the presidents office. sooooooooo be waiting for my phone call at 4:00pm !!!!!! : ) I wish everyone a merry christmas if you dont receive my call. !!! Haha just kidding mom, Dont worry il call. !!!!!!!!!!! I love you all. Mom i hope everything is going well in india. I love you, I am healthy and doing well. We are still teaching the same people and we have found more people to teach. Some have baptismal dates, but we have to wait and see how the lessons with them turn out first. One is named fransisco and he is like 56? we tought him the restoration and he accepted to be baptized, If he receives an answer, So pray for him, And we are teaching a señora named rosario she accepted to be baptized also but we didnt give her a date. . . didnt feel right. We will challenge her the next time though. these are the new people!!!. Not very many stories to tell. I am happy i have a new companion. Elder casimirio, he can barely see ; ) jk joke for spanish speakers . I wish you luck on your speeches mom!!! and yes i remember when we slept all day that day haha!!!! We were wasted. I love you mom, your in my prayers, remember 4:00pm the 25th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks dad for your letters!!! I love you. I bet you are happy finals are over. hah, , , How did melanie do in your class: / she told me she was struggling a little bit and statistics is hard for her haha, dont tell her i told you, ! This last change was a little bit more tranquilo, ( relaxed for me, i dont know why but our area is really struggling. Even though we worked really hard it felt like it was just a really quick six weeks. . . . . I know it is an oposition to say it was relaxed and we worked really hard! but it was just a little different. Especially with this companion. . . He was a little different, and didnt really have a good schedule. So it was hard for me to have my schedule and be trying to get him on his schedule the whole time. He was really bad at timing. . . especially in the morning. I dont know what it was, but it was his priorities, his priorities werent really straight. . . he would do other things when we were supposed to be doing another thing. and it was really hard for me to see because this elder is almost done with his mission. . . And it is sad to see when someone isnt growing in the right ways even when they are in the mission. . . I pray for him, and hope. But he was a little different!!. anyways love you dad. also dad can you explain to melanie about the temple!!! when she gets her endownments taken out!!!!!! i know that temples are important to know about and its one of the many important thing we explain to couples that they can be with each other forever!!! but also aboyt endownments!!! thank you love you. <3 Jackie wish you luck with the baby!!!!!!!! Hope everyone travels safely, !!! For the holidays, Love everyone!!! exito y adelante.

December 10, 2012

Okay sooo this week we worked really hard. And the numbers that turned out from it were really good. and so were the people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have two new investigators with dates for baptism, and this week was good. We tought really well also, The new investigators are rosaria and brianda, One is 19 and one is 27?? also teaching new women se llama tomi, She has a baptismal date also but not for a long time because she drinks coffeeeeeee. . . . . so we have to wait 30 days for her to not drink coffee. but we are trying, Okay Mel i am sooo happy and excited for you! Barcelona!!!! Spain, That is amazing,!!! who would have ever known, that is like a vacation, ; ) congratulations love, : ) I hope it was such a happy day for you, and a happy moment. Thank you for going mom and dad and joy and whoever else went!! It means a lot. Joy i couldnt watch the video, And no i cant get on you tube. . Its alright, I get to watch when i get back!!! Its more exciting that way anyway. The things to study is preach my gospel, and especially tying to relate the lessons in your own personel way, Dont try to memorize pmg. . . . like word for word, it is a waste of time, Read it and allow the lessons to sink in, LA restauracion, Plan de salvacion, Evangelio de Jesu Cristo, y los mandamientos, y leyes y ordenanzas. Try to figure out what you know the best out of each section and then pull that aside and then work on the things you dont know. Read in your scriptures, read the scriptures in pmg and relate them personally to share them perasonally with your investigators. The more personal it is the more the spirit is felt. I love you, Good luck in MAy!!!!!!!!!! i am sooo excited for you. Y tambien mel, la tiempo is bien como eso, Estoy agredicido por este tiempo : ) Es perfecto.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especialmente cuando volvera.!!! estare esperando.: ) ily. My companion in his broken accent says why didnt i go to that mission, haha!!! His face was funny when i told him where you are going. he is happy for you, ily practice practice, also it might be weird, but give lessons to your family, and friends out of pmg, its called role playing, : ) and take it seriously, : ) It helps alot. Anyways!!!!!!!!!!! happy times and memories, Thanks dad for this christmas scripture,!!! Thank you for going and supporting melanie! Alex buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAke these times count when you are a priest!!!!!! It is the last of the fun stuff!!!! HAHA make it count, everything is still fun it just gets more mature, and a little boring at times. : ) but your growing into a man, and make the times fun right now while your still in scouts and everything, I am happy for you and your decisions, your a good example to me, and your little brothers, and cousins. I am proud of you. keep making good decisons and prepare yourself with melanie to be a missionary, you just got a year - Minused to your time to prepare :) so start now!!!! at 18 you can serve. Darrol Happy birthday man!!!!!!!!!!!! 40 year old man... : ) hah love you hope you had a good one, This morning we took a run, and i about died. . . . . . . I feel not fit anymore. . . . haha no I am just going to start working out now in the mornings because one thing i promised myself before i left was that i am not going to get fat on my mission, , ,, , and even though i am not fat because i weigh 176,.... I am just not that fit, and yeha i layed on the floor a long time after the run : ) : /// I feel fine and healthy though like in general, but i need to be better at watching my intake!!!!!!!! : ) last week i had polpo!!!!! Octopus: / for the very first time, very chewy and a weird texture, A first time for everything. And yesterday we had fried fish, not the fried fish thats in america, Its a little different and a little bit more real looking, : ) steve can explain i am sure, lets just say it still had its eyes! and my companion says its protein, but i still ate, but the hermana could tell i was not accustomed to it. : ) Thanks for the picture of your kids joy I love seeing them and everyone else!!! please post more, i want to see everyone and how they are doing! Mom i am excited for you as your trip is closer to India, Your in my prayers for traveling safely!!! and how things go with everyone you come in contact with, I love you, We are having a christmas party the 17 of this month depending if a get transfered or not we will still have a party. i am not sure with all the details but i am sure with this prty i will get your package or some of them, it depends. If i get put with another companion this next week then i need to work out with him when we will be making the christmas call!!! So i will tell you when i know!! We have transfers this next monday, and i am excited for these. Times are going by so quickly and It is so weird, in three days i will be done with my first 6 months in the mission. Then il only have a year and a half. . . . Wow Orale!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another thing for mel is to make every moment count when your in the mission, even when times are hard, push yourself, you never get the time in the past ever again, so make it a good time. : ) and usually the hard times are when God gives you the best oppurtunities, to show yourself who you trully are, Bueno suerte en todo, ily. I cant beleive It has already been 6 month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhh I will try to start printing pictures to( mel and family) and sending them in letters, those are easier and it might take longer to receive but atleast you will get them , that way my photos wont get erased. Anyways this letter might be a little shorter than others but other than this past week being good, i dont know what else to say. About the baptism with beatriz that we were supposed to have we have to shift up two more weeks, because she didnt pay her fast offering this past week,,,, so her baptism is now in two weeks, ahhh. . . . . I dislike shifting baptisms, It will be my first if i am still here. .We will see what happens, sure david can help you out with this word! (OJALA) Dad if you could help me out with some knowlegdge about testigos jehovas witnesses, and haha a guy asked me last night, well asked us last night if we are made in the image of god, then god has a belly button, and if god has a belly button then he was birthed. . . . haha it was kind of an interesting conversation. but love you dad thanks for your help!! Love you my family, always in my prayers!!!

November 26, 2012

Okay This past week was pretty normal again. But we did have two investigators come to church!!!! and one of them is going to be baptized this next coming week, We Pray and Hope!!!!!! Her name is beatriz! and she has two sons, She came to church this past sunday, and it was her last one she needed to be able to be baptized! I was sooo happy when i saw her walk in. Investigators need to come to church atleast three times before they can be baptized. Thats the rule. But she wants to be baptized and she has a desire to be baptized. So i am hoping for next week, Me and My companion. Time has flew!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are already starting on our fourth week, and then at the end of the 6th week we have changes again!!! Also because Juan Jose Rios is big we might receive new bikes next month, Happy Late christmas present. Ha Only if i am still here in Juan Jose Rios, I might get moved, but I really dont know about this time. I might stay here. I have a more likely chance of staying because now i have longer time in the mission. Quien Sabe, !! : ) But we are really hoping for this baptism to fall through and stick forever. She is a very nice friendly single mom with two children and she lives with her mom and takes care of her because she is getting old. Really awesome though and i know after she is baptized the gospel will just bless her life even more. !!! We are still teaching the same people that i mentioned last week. YESSS HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL. . . . I should have mentioned that early last week. . . But Literally I do not even keep track of days here, Only when we are planning for people i look at the schedule. My companion and another member that we eat with were the ones who asked me, isnt this the day of the turkey???? in your place,,, HAHA yeah, You know i dont pay attention when the mexicans have to remind me my holidays. Anyways i hope everyone had a blast, soccer games, st george, and denver and everything how funnn!!!!!!! For thanksgiving i had (Lunch) tuna with corn and vegetables. . and in the night for dinner a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk : ))))) haha It was a great thanksgiving, ! but i am glad everyone traveled very safely, and everyone had a good one. I am greatful for all of my family that support me, and i am greatful to have food on thanksgiving, and i am greatful for everything else that God has given me while i am on my mission. He has kept me very safe, and we are very blessed. Mom I really dont know when or what is going to be happening christmas day. . . just be expecting to reaceive a phone call, Dont worry about phone? Calling cards or whatever they are, Just know that the mission is a little different, and I will be calling. and if you dont answer i will call until you do. : ) Dont STRESS about it. you will get to talk to me, and i will be able to talk to you. and everyone else. I am sorry about the big box. . . . . . That is such a bummer. . : / well now we know. . . I am sorry mom, I hope you get refunded for that. . . I love you. Missy thank your very very much for supporting me. I love you and your family. ! thank you for the herbs also. I hope i get them soon. and okay. . . So the reason why i dont send pictures. . . . . . . . . . . Very much or very often. . . . Is because last week while i was sending you those pictures, which i am greatfull actually sent. I plugged my camera into the computer here, and after i unplugged it, It erased all of my pictures. All of my photos and pictures from Escuinapa are gone, except for the ones i have sent to you guys through email. So yeah.. . . . . . . I would much rather have you wait to be able to see all the pictures when i get home than lose them from using the computer otra vez. . . . The lame computers here probably all have viruses on them.. . . . and yeah my pictures are gone from Escuinapa and Teacapan. . . . I had about 40, and i sent about 25 to you through email. . . . so it wasnt that many, but their were still pictures i really liked and Its sad i know, but we learn from the mistakes and dont ever do it again,, AM i right???. . . . . Right. . . okay. Moving on : ))) I am doing well, Healthy working out in the mornings, we wake up at 5 now, I started waking up at five last week, , , , and it is a little harder. . . but its a better routine. and yeah. We go to bed right when we get home usually. We get a little something to eat before though, then go straight to bed. and then we get the same amount of sleep or a little more, I dont know hah. but it feels better that way. elise i am happy you guys had a good thanksgiving, and your kids are happy. Hope danny and amanda are travelling safely. Dad happy your healthy and playing Golf still. HAHa hope school is going well. The scriptures really help me alot. It really helps alot when you give me a scripture and give a title to it, like these last ones, about the holy ghost , It Really helps me organize my scriptures better, I have a way of organizing my scriptures and i will show you how i did it when i get back home, It helps me find scriptures faster, or if their is a specific phrase in the scripture that stands out to me i can find that phrase faster and share it with my investigators easier. So if you give a little title to what the scripture is about it saves me alot of time. Thank you I love you. Everyone that can please go to the opening of Melanies calling!!!It means alot, and she is like family, will be after the mission, ok : ) please video it also!!!! I am guessing she will go to Colombia!!!! where she was born!!!! : ) Or she will go to france, porque ella sabe la idioma casi!!! : ) Pretty much. Anyways How is Heidi?????????? How is Grandma!!!! Hay personas que no puedo leer o ver in mis cartas, y me gusto a ver que paso con esos personas, entonces por favor adrego : ) te amo mi familia. I love everyone very much!!!!!!!! and i hope all is well, I hope everyone is healthy and relaxing in these holidays. From now on i will try to pay more attention to the holidays. . . . hah I love everyone!!!!!!!!!

December 3, 2012 Dear, Family!!! : ) Okay sooo this past week Was pretty normal. . . Nothing new, no new investigators, Which is very sad. I felt really bummed this past week and a little frustrated. I dont feel like i am doing my part sometimes . But i know that when we work hard the progress is shown and the hard work pays off.. . so this next week i really want to push my self. I feel like i say this a lot also. I say okay this time do this , and this time do that, but something gets in the way and then the moment is lost and yeah. the devil . . . But me and my companion are trying to work harder, I have been a little bit more strict on things with my companion because well. . . . He isnt very good at having priorities. He doesnt have a routine, and he is everywhere in the morning. and It doesnt help us with our timing. And it is frustrating. So we had a little chat and we talked about priorities. this companion is very interesting this time. sometimes i just dont know what to do. and yeah. I feel like i am complaining a lot right now, but i just need to share. This past week we let go of some of the main people we were teaching because they are not progressing, and that is always sad to do . . . we did it in a very nice way though, and i think we are fine. One was a family that can never come to church by themselves, and the other is a women that has gone through everything, every lesson and her husband doesnt want her to get baptized, and wont let her. We are still trying to figure out why,.. but she is on the list of people we dont teach very much anymore. I am doing well, I am healthy, Last week we had divisions with the ranchito al lado de nosotros y fue bien. Enseñabamos un doctor, y i weighed myself and i weigh 176!!!!!!!!! : ///// surprising.... I am not sure how i feel about that because the last time i weighed myself was in the mtc and i weighed 189 / 190. But i am still alive, so no worries. Mom please forgive me for my spelling. This computer is horrible, and all the keys stick when i tpe, and yes. . . there is a lot of dirt inside these keyboards. anyways,, Beatriz is still on for her baptism, we had to shift it up another week because she couldnt come to church this last week, she was in the hospital because she felt sick. The last thing she needs to do is pay her tithes and fast offerings and then we can baptize her. I know she is going to be baptized!! It is just a matter of time. We have two more weeks until the changes and i hope we can get her baptized before then. I really think i will be staying her though when changes come. I am not sure, but i have a feeling that i will be here still. and my companion will be the one to leave. I am excited for the changes, I always am because its something new out of the 6 weeks we have with a person.Ha But these are the things that are going on with me right now. I am excited for christmas, We have one christmas decoration in our house and it is a litte reeth? i think thats how you spell it. but it has litte pictures of baby jesus and the sheperds seeing the star and the wise men, so thats nice. It is fun to see mexicans wearing scarfs and gloves and beanies in the middle of the dessert!!!! Wow, I am just happy it is a little bit cooler in the nights!! But the people seem to tell the difference, and its funny. It makes me crack up inside. Mom, I am so excited for you to be traveling to india, thats so cool, I wish i could go with you, !! And to speak to that many people i would probably faint if i was talking to that many people... I hope you have a really good trip and fly safe!!! I love you, no we dont have bikes yet, but we think we will get some for the next change if i am still here. I hope i get your package soon, Please dont call the mission Office and be mad with them. They dont have control over the mail : / but please dont worry. I know i will get your package soon enough. And also the other packages, Il probably get them the next zone conference more towards christmas!!! More information about the call on christmas I can call on christmas day !!!! at whatever time is best, please give me the time. . . Well. . . Im thinking hmmmm.... they said to figure out with your families when everyoine will be together, and then they said to call during that time so we as missionaries can talk to everyone. So All i need to know is the time when all the family is together and then i will call at that time!!!!! Mexico and Utah are the same time zone, so no worries with that, but I will call whenever you tell me to, So in the next email just give me a time, and before work it out with the whole family and mel, so everyone knows what time i will be calling! I have a two hour phone call, for the phone call i will be using a members phone, Or the president of our church. that doesnt matter but depending on the person i need to pay that person for the phone call, because it will cost money. and usually the members are very nice and say we dont have to pay. . But if the member does then that is fine, and then i will just pay them with the money through the credit card. Is that okay dad?? Dad thanks for the scriptures and the explanations, They really help. I am happy your golf is improving thats amazing 36 for nine. When i get back i want to play golf with you more dad. I am sorry i didnt have a strong desire to play with you before but i do now. : ) The same with mom, I have all these things stacked up in my head that i wish i would have taken more advantage of when i was home and i didnt.. . . I miss everyone. But i know what i am doing is the most important thing i should be doing. It is something that everyone in the world should be doing, only if they knew.! : ) My testimony grows each day. My attitude changes a little bit each day, and so does the language. Right now with the language i can teach a lesson and have the people understand me. I have learned to use my companion a lot. Especially when i dont know a word. He is there to help. We walk a lot during the day and have a lot of time to joke around and make funny noises to try to entertain ourselves. but also i have a lot of time to memorize words, and i really have taken advantage of that this change. Everyday while we are walking i always am trying to learn spanish. I have grown a lot in the language since i have been here. and i still feel like i am not learning enough . . . ha. But i know that by small and simple things great things are come to past. Name that scripture!!!!! Oh yeh good job, whoever answered it, . . . . . . .. . . . . . (dad) hah. My next letter i will type in pure spanish so everyone can see how well i am doing. . . : ) I am sooo excited to hear about Melanie s calling and i thought i would get the answer today when i got on the computer, but i guess now. This wednesday!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY I had a really strong feeling For Peru???????????? I dont know why, but when i had this feeling i wrote it in my journal. I got your two letters Melanie, : ) thank you, Ily. I cant beleive your mom is getting married to this guy. Please send me a picture of her and him, please give your family my love, Jackie i hope that everything comes out well ; ) hah!!! I wish you all the luck i have with me, your in my prayers, Is david in Austin texas??? if so that why your naming him austin. : ) right .. if not his name should be houston. just know that i am thinking of you and your family. love you guys. Mom please give everyone else my love, I am greatful for everyone and all that you do for me. I love you!!