The Mexicali Blues!

Allright, so at the end of two weeks in Rosarito... lets just say life changes fast. (the story will be completed later on). Well This week went really well. As far as lessons, we had none. As far as success. Even less. We had like 20 lessons with members, trying to get refferals but no luck. The cool part about the week was when it started to rain. It started thursday night,, And well we went to the farthest corner of our area... and where we took most def. the road less traveled by. Absolutly filled with water. and the mud felt like you were walking in the duck swamps. As your shoes sank, they became heavier and heavier and as you pulled them out the mud became thick and stickier. haha. super fun. We made our ward mission leader come with us to. So that was pretty funny. He was not to happy about all the rain and mud. but after he got dirty he warmed up to it. anyways, the day turned out super fun. Rosarito, is super pretty. We walked by the beach one day going to an appointment and there was 15 swells coming up. it was super cool. the water... well I imagine is super cold. Because everyone uses wet suits. and we were in jackets and I was still cold. But the surfing id think is good.

 

the ward in rosarito is good, but pretty small. We have like50 people that go there. No biggie. Sister missionaries in my District bap. this week after the services and there was no hot water haha. So that was a lame part. The lady was 60 years old, but the interview was fun. She was way ready to be baptised. She had been fighting ciggarettes for along time but finally fasted and prayed and got over them. Super sweet old lady. Loves to talk, basically know her entire story haha. Just like Old Ladies are... Dont worry gramsy, your not old yet. I love you super tons gramsy, the best part of my weeks are when I get your post cards. haha. The week was good though.

 

Thursday in the morning we had interviews with the Pres. I was last out of my District and started talking to the Pres. we talked about my companion and his obedience problems and my intraine and well his problems haha. And the Pres then started talking about how I had had alot of struggles and hadn{t bap. alot in my mission and that I had had alot of bad companions. And then he said Well Elder from here on out in your mission your going to have alot of success, Youll be leaving on Monday and be moving up as Zone Leader.... Well Sweet.

 

So today I got on a bus after 2 short weeks and headed to Mexicali. In the middle of now where and in the summer it gets up to 115 degrees. So It should be pretty fun. I got to watch National Treasure onthe bus. and we ate at a Carls Jr. Im guessing that Zl shouldnt be all that diff. And I hope I do it right. Im just glad that the Lord Loves me and that my Pres. has trust in me. As long as we stay true to the conv. we have made and always try to follow Christ, the Lord will bless us. He is always there for us. I love you all so much, and so glad to be out on my mission. Thanks for everything. Momma don{t send me many garments, or really I don{t need any. Just buy me new ones when I get home. If you want to send me something make it socks. I need like 3 new pairs. I{m short one to complete the week haha.

 

Peace, love and Jesus Lives, the Church is True, I will see my Savior.

10 minute letter

Im going to try to write the most I can in the 10 mins. That I have to write you. Thanks for the letter pops. And for the letter from Bret. I read half then saw that it was super huge so I'll be printing it off I think.

Well my area is super pretty. We are here right next to the beach. The church is like a block from the beach. And our house has a view of a cool island out there. Its not way scenic, becasue everything us super trashed but its nice. There are some areas ,that are way cool, when you get up above everything its super cool to see it all. Its mostly dirt roads where Im at. There are nice areas of Rosarito and poor ones. Well Im in the poor one. But its also pretty cool there is a good amount of white people here in Rosrotio, nad they love me. So thats super cool. We live behind  members house. WEll a inactive member but its still a nice littler place. Suyper dirty, none of the missionaries have cleaned it in along time but whatever. Ive done some pretty good cleaning there. But it needs alot more. All the walls are super molded, which is kinda lame and not sure what I can do about that. Alittle vinager maybe. But there really is nothing I can do. So whatever I'll be leaving that be.

My companion is super lazy and they werent doing the weekly planing or anything last transfer, so there is no records to work with and my comp. Doesnt' want to do anything. He just wants to go to mcdonalds. But whatever hes going to learn how to work, or if not, well he is going to waste alot of time watching me work. We had no success this week. We taught. 5 lessons all week long... That is super super super terrrible. We taught a good amount with members. actives and less actives but we dont have any referels yet. So our numbers will still be super down. But I'm pulling alot of names out of the directory and also this week I'll strat with the old investigator sheets. But It should be fun.

Anyways thats my area for the most part. Alittle stressed out. My comp woke up at 9 this morning and usually wakes up at 8. he is always alittle grumpy and he loves quoting stupid people that do blogs on Youtube. Anyways, I'll be killing him shortly,

More then that I'm not sure what to say. We did have one investigator in church this week. and I think we will be ahving here bap. soon. Well I hope so. She is super cool. Monica. She is like 20 years old. has a kid that is 2 and she was taking the lessons before and wanted to get bap. but couldn't cuz she was libing with her boyfreind. now she is single so Im guessing it all should  go pretty smooth.

Other then that, we picked up a couple new people this week that may be promising but I'm not sure. we will have to see next sunday. Anyways. I'm lovin life. at the end of this next week are transfers, so I'll see what changes in my district. Im guessing that my companionship will be the same. But all in all. Life is great and I'm lovin mexico. Oh but its gotten to be super hot here. and im not looking forward to summer. super jeoules of all the snow up there and the freezing cold weather.

Love you all tons.

Oh,,, I left my charger for my camera in the other home, I hope I get it back butIm not sure. But as for now there wont be more pic. for a couple weeks.

Love you all tons.

Peace, love, and I really like the ocean. I will be moving back (to cali) to learn to surf on day.

Oh and tell Deb thanks for the shampoo haha. I love it. and this morning I made a cholate syrup to go with my french toast. So thanks for the chocolate also deb. Love you tons.

Rosarito

 Well to start off the week, dad would be proud of me. I may not have worked very much in the house. But that doesn´t mean I didn´t learn anything while I was there. This week my comp and me went and did service together. We finished the insulation of a house using wire and nails. The mexicans wanted to use a ton a glue....wouln´t have worked. Then Me and my comp hung dry wall and finshed the upstairs of a members house. There was supposed to be other people that were going to help us but nobody did. So we were on our own but it turned out pretty well. It was alittle hard. its walls put up above a cement, not flat floor with two walls of concrete, that aren´t straight So it made for alot, alot of cutting drywall. Kinda lame. But it was good to practice and get some work done anyways.

   We gave a sweet lesson on the plan of Salvation and commited Vanessa the little girl to bap. after that. She said yes. She is 11. We hve been battling the bap. for like 3 months now. Well saturday we had the bap. Way super sweet. Loved it. It was was fun. And way spiritual. She was super ready. And proly my fav. bap yet. the family has changed aton in the hsort time I was there. And it was really good to see here make it to the water... even though it was freezing cold haha.

    Well the fun part of my week came Sat. night. At 10 oclock. I got a phone call saying that Monday at 830 I needed to be in the bus station and that I would be headed to Rosarito, constitucion. An Elder hurt his back and so there was some emergancy transfers. Anyways I pakced everything sat. and sunday night. Staying up till like 12 to do it. It was a huge project. I´ve got 2 suit cases a bag and 2 boxes of stuff haha. Thanks for the packages. they serve me well. Sunday I Spent a lil time passing by houses of the members and saying goodbye ot them and a couple investigators. Turns out acutally that they are going to shut down the area I was in. Not really sure why everything is happening but Its cool. Im here in Rosarito. and its pretty, right next to the beach and ocean. Ive got another group of sis. in my district. Not excited about that. and another group of Elder. So kinda small thats nice. I hope its a cool area. The old records look like my comp. is pretty dead. oh and that he has 20 months in the mission and is minor still. But I hope that everyting goes well.

 

Anyways I love you all tons and tons. Hope that all is going well there. And don´t use up all the snow I still want some for when I get home. Im going to go play soccer right now and I think watch a disney movie. but it should be fun. atleast Ill see the zone.

 

Peace, love, and here we go again

 

pic. explained

    Vanessa, and her family. Her dad did the bap. (mauricio)

    Tato and Erica, Christian, and the little one Brian. They get married feb 14. and bap. the same day. Or atleast Im hoping. Supèr cool investigators.

The Church is True

Haha. Well it sounds like the family back at home is doing way well. I just got a package from Deb and John... Thanks aton. And a new card from gramsy. Also thanks alot grams. I love it. I havent opened the package yet but Im sure its good. Today I had a trainingship meeting in the offices, so I slept at the zone leaders house, on a little and very dirty couch. Well I didnt sleep much but it was fun anyways. I think I will be doing it again tonight. because I have another training tomorrow and its like an hour to get home and right now its 830. We got a complete P day because the meetings in the morning. So after me and 3 elders went to an all you can eat american food buffet. with some good backed potatoes and salads and stuff. I really didnt eat much but It was fun to eat good food again. We have 2 people ready to get bap. but they don{t have money to get married this week they pawned their new flat screen that they won for christmas. They are super cool. My investigator from Terazas del valle. yahaira well is inactive. she has finished the BofM twice but she is inactive....what happened I have no idea. But its cool Im alittle down to be honest, cuz I havent really had any success in anything for awhile. no bap. and my companions are all bad. My last companion I have started to figure out was doing alot of stuff behind my back. or well just texting people and erasing the texts. and saying stuff he shouldnt have been. Well the pres said he will be keeping him as minor for awhile and my new comp. well he wants to go home. His girlfriend left him and so he is pretty bummed out. And he wasn{t and isnt here for the lord so I can see how it would be hard to stay out here. But Im doing good, Ive loved the year I have and Ive got another 3 weeks were I am at.

    Anyways,  I know that this church is true, its so amazing to see the different aspect of how the gospel can change your life. Although here in Mx the church has some apostasy and is less reverent the people completely differnt. Its the church of Jesus Christ. the one and the only. The book of Mormon is a testiment of that. written by prophets and then given to a prophet to translate it. By knowing that the book of Mormon is true when can begin to know that the church is the kingdom of God here on the earth. but that is only the begining. There is so much that we need to learn and acheive in this life to return with our heavenly father. One thing that the Church here really doesnt understand. That after bap. there is so much more, if we sit complasent of what we have done we squander away all that we have achieved and as we look behind us we have acomplished nothing, as we look infront we dont know were to go. If though we follow christ and his path we achieve the impossible and hope to achieve even greater things. There is nothing greater then the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is rightly apllied to the life of each and every person it changes them. As we learn about the atonment of Him we gain an understanding of the love he has shown for us. And only by that can we become perfect. We must learn and then apply the atonment to our lives. I know that everything Im saying is way basic gospel but alot of time we forget the basic. and the basic sounds way more epic in spanish. Everything sounds so powerful haha. Oh and all we teach is very very basic, But I love it. And I love you all

Peace, Love, and well your in my thoughts and prayers... my thoughts not that much, I keep pretty focused. but your always in my prayers.

Love your son

The missionary

Happy New Year, (better late than never)

Allright. sorry about the email that came in the middle of the week and not at the begging of it. It is not my fault. To start it all off, it came out to be a prettty good week, the two of them. We had a good christmas, the best part of course talking to you guys. My soy tacos that I made were pretty good. they aren't anything to marvel at but on a missionaries salary they turn out pretty well. I loved the package, so thanks aton. We started the week off with no lessons whatso ever until thursday. wednesday we did service for the bishop all day. I was way worried but the lord blessed us hugely and he helped us crank out some good lessons. WE picked up 8 new investigators which is sweet. and have 2 bap, dates for the 19th. But life is doing good. we worked well then on sunday 2 of the american boys that came down out of 180 people here to do work on house came with us to do splits. Well actually 3 but on went with my comp. It went well, we got good lessons and they didn't speak any spanish so our lessons were pretty funny. We went to one girl that I can't usually go to her house. She is a less active that has some references for us but last time I tried to get them my companion fell deeply inlove with her. So I passed by with the two americans and the lesson was pretty funny, as I sat there trying to get the references the two americans just kept laughing because the chick is super flirty. I talked to the mom the whole time and to be honest never look and the devilish snake but my companions loved it. They had there fun laughs. But we got super poured on. As in drenched from head to toe. We went back to the house, jumped through the 2nd storie window to get in (comp had the keys) and grabed a jacket. And once again into the rain to get drenched. But it was pretty fun.

Monday, sorry... our leaders told us that we weren't going to have p day. That we needed to work on monday, they didn't want us getting into trouble. Super lame. So monday we headed to the stake center because it was a big party there for the americans that are doing houses. We made salsa for 300 people. and it turned out to be a good salsa. We just burnt tomatos (fried on a skillet) and peppers to, then we cut that up, with some cilantro and onion, lime salt and pepper. It was a pretty good salsa. I do love the salsa here. But we don't really ever eat pico de gallo like we do in the house. Anyways, alot of the members won different stuff in the party, a crockpot and stuff like that. But well we left early ( it went till 12) and we needed to get home by 9. IT went well though. We got 4 investigators there. so that part was sweet. Then we got home just intime to use our new hot dog cooker. you know the hot dog cookers that they have in the gas stations that cook the bed below and above they spin the hotdogs. Well we passed by in the sobres (like street vendors) and some guy had all his stuff there thrown on the ground. One being this wonderful machine, and a shirt that said I love NY Well aking him how much it was he said some ridicualous price 60 pesos and for the shirt even worse 15 pesos. Well I got the shirt, the cooker and a hand bag to carry groceries for 60 pesos. Like 5 bucks. So it seemed alright to me. My comp gets the shirt and well I get good hotdogs (I don't even like hotdogs just it was to temting to not buy it) Anyways we got the hotdogs grilling the martinellis chillin and started thefire out front. I turned out super well (oh and in the pic, don't ask about the kid, he just up and walked in our house asking for a hot dog, treats and money) and for my cousins that were on missions don't ask about page 36 in the white handbook either, yeah I know what it says haha, but what was I supposed to do... answer me that... deny the new years wish of an inocent child, of the which heaven is made out of....hmmmm....thats what I thought) Well yeah we made a big fire and burnt one of my pants. I used them everyday for 1 year so they were ready to die. The back had been sewn up a bazzilion times and finally i just let it be and the holes got bigger and bigger. But well of the the grave with them now. They have now born testimony of the year they served and shed there blood sealing that testimony.

Anyways they night turned out well, at 12 I wished my comp a happy new year and shut my eyes to let my good freind the sand man do his work. And trust me he works well in the mission.... but sometimes in the cold he forgets to come out, and I stay up all night freezing. but whateves. many a days boiling hot water to put in my bed to sleep warm.

 Tuesday we tried to email but everyone was still drunk from the night before and the internet didn't open so we went to the mall. and it wasn't open either,  we ended up in carls Jr. and walmart watching the avangers on the demo TV's but it turned out to be a good p day.

Anyways, I love you all a ton...  your vid from skiing turned out way well and the big mountain shark looks as good as ever. your little cliffs looked fun there in the last line. Z your backie looked sweet, I love the heli back and well I love you all tons to be honest. I've really enjoyed my year in the mission and I hope the next one is even better. I'm loving life and doing good. I put a bowl of water with soap under my bed, not sure what it does but its cool there, as for the salt tonight I will do the salt dance and throw it oer my shoulder onto my bed making sure to put a ring around my bed and a star under it to keep the vampires out and the salt of the earth still with its savor... or what I'm tring to say is yes I with throw salt on my bed to dry up the little buggers but you guys sound more and more like aunt deb everyday :) You know I love you deb

Peace, love, and I hope you enjoyed the abnormaly long email, but today I din't have to write the pres :)

Love you all