Monday, April 1, 2013

MY FIRST COMPANION AND AREA

Hahaha!   I have so much to tell you.  First my companion is Elder L. (from a  city south of Mexico City called Colima) and he is really cool and really funny.  We work really hard, he only speaks Spanish and can sometime understand English.  He doesn't really speak it though, but was can communicate fine and we are in an area called San Pedro Martir.  The members are really cool.  We have like 4 appointments a day either investigators or less active members.  We have one meal with the members in the afternoon.
It's pretty dang poor but I have both (rich and poor) in my area.   Some houses are literally the size of my bedroom, kinda when we did Christmas in Mexico and visited houses.   The food here is gross and I  have had to gag down every meal. as in Mexico and visited houses.   The food here is gross and I  have had to gag down every meal.   I have a nice apartment just me and Elder L. in it and we have a hot shower.
I have a ton of food left from the MTC.  My apartment is an hour with traffic away from the mission home.  My president is really funny and stuff but his rules are a joke.  No sports with missionaries ever ... no coke, pink ties and some others.  We can go bowling but there is nothing in our area to do on p-days.  And Elder W. is an hour away too, I miss him.
 
So we were at this little shack buying something to eat and some guy stops me and asked me in English,  What are you doing here and I said I am on a mission and I told him that I want to serve the people and talk about god.  He was like tell me I want to know,  so we set up the next day an appointment and we talked about Joseph Smith, the apostasy and prayer and this was all in English.   So I was the only one teaching, for the first time ever.  I am always just sitting and watching my companion teach and never say anything.  Anyways, he was like I went to jail and I found god I don't have a car, family or anything and now I drink all the time.  And I told him there was a reason he stopped me I and almost started crying for real.  I was like you were suppose to stop me and talk and he was like ya I know.  We gave him a pamphlet and he is going to read and pray.  He said he is going to stop drinking too, we didn't even have to ask him.   Like for real,  I love this guy his name is Arnulfo and he lived in Colorado for a little.   He didnt come to church though yesterday but we teach him agian this week.   It was soooo cool.
We didn't have Easter dinner.   People don't celebrate Easter here.   I didn't even know it was Easter Hahaha!  The meal last night was all right gross nasty spaghetti and some good tacos except they were covered in sour cream, but whatever it was good.  I just want to learn Spanish right now soooo bad... Hahaha I don't understand anything really. 
 
Me and Elder L.
My bedroom
The kitchen
The top of our apartment building
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

MARCH 26, 2013 - MEXICO BOUND!

Hey mom, so I just got here and I am fine.  Let me tell you that Mexico City is nuts and there are tons of people.  I don't know who my comp is yet but supposedly he is a native so I don't know what's gonna happen.  Don't worry about me but for sure keep me in your prayers because its like I am starting a new mish all over again.  Hahaha!   But we got here at like 2:00 and we walked through the airport and ate some pizza.   Then we got greeted by some missionaries here.   They are pretty cool and I like them.  We are spending the night tonight with the AP's and stuff.   They are cool too.   Right now I am at the mission office and stuff.   We just go the low down on all the rules and that kinda sucked.   There are for sure tons of rules and ...........no coke........ ya, I'm chapped but I had a nice Monzanita Sol... beleeedat!!   Right now I am waiting for my interview with the president and he will tell me where I am serving and who my companion is.   Right now I'm pretty happy, I don't know how this week is gonna be for me though. 
It's pretty nuts here though,  classic Mexico.   We took a taxi and it was pretty funny it reminded me of Puerto Vallarta and stuff.  So I don't know who is gonna be in my district or anything but I will find out soon.   I don't know when I am gonna be able to write to you next.   My p-day is on Monday and I get an hour to email maybe longer cuz the new rule.  Anyways after this I am gonna go eat some tacos and stuff at somewhere nice supposedly that will be sick.
I want to let you know that I love you all so much and that I was super pumped to talk to you all today it was sooooo nice to hear from you all. I love you and I will try to write as soon as possible and let you know the low down.   Keep me in your prayers and tell the fam I love them!!

My Mom flew the Mexican Flag the day I arrived in Mexico!
Arriving in Mexico City with Elder M, Elder W., and Elder B.
 
 
Elder W. drinking a Mananita Sol and eating pizza at the airport.



 



Wednesday, March 6, 2013

MTC DISTRICT LEADERS

The first half of my MTC stay, Elder W. and I were district leaders. 
 
"But here is a little background on who's in my district and what not. One - you got W. and me (honestly the sickest kids in the whole zone aka the MTC).  Then you have a threesome because another elder left, but in it is Elder S., he is from Bountiful and knows Mitch (cousin) pretty well I guess. Then there is Elder E., and he is from Missouri, he way nice and way funny, then you have Elder W.,  he is from Scottsdale, Arizona aka "Yo that's a hardcore hood" (from R.V. Movie - Kyle will get it! Hahaha!) Then the sisters, S., R., M., M., B., and B.  All the sisters are super funny and crazy.  They make study time fun and not so boring all the time. 
If you are wondering, we study like 5 hours a day and we are in the classroom for like 7 or 8 hours. No joke.  A teacher comes in everyday to teach us Espanola but other than that it's personal time to study or learn Spanish."
 
 




 
 





 


March

Hello aka Hola Familia!
Sorry I haven't got to write you all, I don't really ever have time to do stuff for myself out here.  But I have officially been her for like a month which seems like a year.  Hahaha!  But it also seems like a week.  So here is the low down with my life right now...
My favorite game is 4 square.  Me and W. own it.  It's not even funny.  We literally never get out and everyone hates on us cuz we are going up on people.  Hahaha!  We got mad haters in 4 square. 
So anyways the Hermanas got their travel plans because they are all going to Bama so they don't need visas.  As for the Elders, no one had got theirs yet, but hopefully we get to go to the Consolate (in Salt Lake) and once we do it means they are close to getting our visas.  So most likely hat I think is going to happen is we stay an extra week in the MTC or something, but I don't know really what's gong to happen. 
Everyday I get super confused with Espanol, like seriously it is so hard to understand sometimes.  But I am getting to the point were I can pick stuff out in the scriptures.  It's Saturday right no and I am going to try to put this in the mail so you can get this on Monday or something.  But I have learned how everything goes own here in the MTC now, except now I am kind getting sick of it.  I just want to peace out of here. 
Oh so I got a root canal.  It hurt pretty bad except it was one of the best days here because we got to leave the walls and be free.  The dentist I went to first was a branch President for the Brazil Missionaries.  He was way cool and then the other doctor got everything taken care of.  They gave me some Lora tab and that was awesome.  I was feelin real happy that day!!  But I got sick the second day from Ibuprofen they gave me so I don't take anything anymore.  
Tomorrow is Sunday and they are my 2nd favorite days here besides p-day.  We have church and study, the we get to watch Joseph Smith movie and other things plus a devotional.  We always chill with Elder Taylor and some of the hoodrats that Elder W. knows cuz of BYU, so its perfect.  We just sneak in some candy, coke and watch movies.  It's like a movie theatre.  
We just got a new district and for the first 2 days all the boys thought I was deaf.  Hahaha!  I was making up these sign language things and W. was my interpreter.  Hahaha!  They totally thought I was deaf and then I told I can talk and I from Utah, not Australia. 
Also, my missionary goggles get worse and worse everyday, but for real there are some chicks in my zone that want me.  I will have to get their digits when I get home and can hit them up! 
Tell Al and Suzy thanks for the package it was perfect.  I loved it!  Also, tell the Grahams sorry for not writing them.  They are next on my list to write.


Elder W. waiting in the dentist's office for me
Waiting for the dentist to call me back!
Right before my emergency root canal.


Friday, February 8, 2013

FRIENDS IN THE MTC

I lucked out and got the BEST companion...Elder W.

"He is from Santa Clarita California. (The same town that I lost my lunch on the log flume ride at Six Flags!! Hahaha!) My comp is pretty sick!  He loves the Packers and Coke.  But for real, he's a G-unit and we get a long great."
 
 

  
And I was very lucky to have some of my best friends there
in the MTC too.
 


Elder John Taylor (Tahiti), Sister Maddie Kramer (Philippines) and ME!
 
Elder Hunter Murray (Edmonton,Canada)

Elder Carsen Beyer (Lyon France)

Me and W. stole a HOST sticker and went to the curb
to see Carsen. He wrote me a letter saying he was
coming in at 12:30.  I didn't really know what
I was doing but we found his room and I helped
him get settled in.
Elder Jace Olsen (Paris, France)
The DAVIS HIGH crew!
Elder Taylor, his companion, Elder W. and me




Elder Blotter, John and I
John and I just messing around (like always)

John and I always snuck in Cokes and candy to all the devotionals.
It made us feel like we were at a movie!









 
 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Wednesday, Febuary 6, 2013 - MTC

Saying good-bye...


 
Leaving my casa

 

Provo Temple


Mi Mama

Mi Papa

Arriving at the MTC

and I am off!!


"So once I left you I checked in and got my name tag and went to class.  They just speak Spanish to you the first day so you don't understand anything.  It sucks.  But Hunter came and found me and I was so nic'n happy to see him.  I saw John in the big orientation thing and me John, Kyle Green and our comps ate together.  Also, Sister Kramer came and found me, I think it really helps to know a lot of people in here.  Seeing people you know helps you to get out of the dumps.  Also, Hunter stopped by before the end of the night and said "what up"  Hunter said I have to figure it out and I will be o.k.  I have to make it till Sunday."

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Tuesday, Febuary 5, 2013 - SETTING APART


 After being made an official Elder, I had family and friends
stop by to say "adios".

Uncle Alan, Aunt Suzanne and Mason
Ethan
Abby and I reading a card to find pesos in it!
Hayden


Me, John, Syd and Kyle