boxes
Monday, November 22, 2010 12:17 PM
WOO HOO!
Hi to everybody...family, friends, enemies and corpses. We have successfully received 2 boxes...I repeat 2 boxes have been received successfully. Although I haven`t opened them yet because we just came from playing soccer at the stake center. I`ll assume that you included no bombs and thank you for everything in advance. :)
Well it feels like roughly an eternity since I last wrote even though it`s only been 6 days. For some unknown/hidden reason, the week of changes always feels like 7 lifetimes, but it`s over now...thank goodness. I think it is because I get out of my routine (you all know how much I love change). Regardless, it was a pretty good week. We had a baptism yesterday (pictures attached) of a young girl who was baptized by her father. It was really cool and we had it after church yesterday since the mom works late on Saturdays. Good stuff. We had 3 investigators in church yesterday. The other couple who came last week couldn`t come because they were taking care of grandkids or something. That other couple is still doing awesome though...they are really fighting to find the truth and gain a testimony. They want to know, so they`ll get an answer sooner or later.
Last Tuesday we were doing contacts and contacted a young lady who told us to visit her house (as she was working at this other house where we found her) on Friday. We went on Friday and she was working, but we met her husband who told us to come back the following day. So we went back Saturday and managed to sit down and have a lesson with them. They had studied with missionaries about 2 years ago and the first things they told us were ¨we want you to teach us because we want to get baptized and raise our daughters in the correct way.¨ Can you say wow? I`d definitely say that the Lord has been preparing them. Now my comp and I just have to do our part so the Lord can use us as His instruments. There are a few obstacles they have to clear...getting married and stopping smoking, but they said they know they have to and they are willing to do so. Cool stuff.
We also found a young lady who had also studied with the missionaries a while ago (had gone to church and everything) but she found what she claims to be discrepancies between the Book of Mormon and the Bible and so she is now studying with another church. Anyways, she is willing to meet with us so we`re going to try to help her. I`ll keep you guys posted on this one too.
Other than that, we`re still plugging along with the people we have. They are progressing, but slowly. There are a few who won`t accept a firm date for baptism, but have desires to get baptized, so we`ll see if we can`t help them to accept at least a goal in the future. At least a goal gives them something to progress towards.
Ok, so 2 pictures are of the baptism (one with us and one without obviously) and the other is kind of random. I found English gospel material in our house. It always surprises me to see stuff like that in English, but anyways, I took a picture for randomness sake. you can see the Spanish and the English one side by side. Enjoy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GRANDMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, so remember that I told you that I sent that box out last week, well last minute I shoved a letter I had written to Travis in there because they wouldn`t let me send it separately with the tape on the back...Could you send it out? Please and thank you. Also, just FYI, we almost had our pday switched to Tuesday this week for a conference. I just want to let you know that that is a possibility and you should not freak out if by chance you do not receive an email on some Monday. Do not freak out until Wednesday or Thursday. :D
So anyways, life is good. My comp and I are doing good. He`s really a good kid and a good worker. Thanks again for the packages. Oh I also got a postcard from Dad and letter 42 and a couple letters from Grandma. Good times. Sauce.
WHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOF.
Um...that`s pretty much all I have for now. Have a good Thanksgiving with all of the family. Holidays basically don`t exist here because every day just becomes another day in the mission field. Oh and yes we`ll be able to talk on Christmas. :)
Lurves you all tons and monkeys.
DJ
DJ with his new washer
Piedra Alta, Uruguay
Ramon's Baptism
DJ and new Companion Elder Craynor
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Week 44
monkey monkey monkey boy
Tuesday, November 16, 2010 5:35 AM
Family family family.
Goobers goobers goobers. Anyways, I`m currently here in Tres Cruces, not because we got changed but because we came to talk to the other missionaries for a bit. I`m staying with my comp, Elder Matamoros, another change in Prosperidad. I just want to work hard and share the gospel.
Speaking of sharing the gospel, with the investigators we have, we`re doing well. Our awesome couple came to church on Sunday. Woo! And as it worked out, the lesson in the Gospel Principles class was tithing. As such, we had to actually spend yesterday`s visit explaining tithing as well. It worked out well and I think they understood it...at least it didn`t scare them away. I have complete faith that they will be awesome and get baptized. HOORAY! As far as finding new people to teach, it`s become very hard. People don`t even want to talk to us, let alone listen to us. It makes it a bit difficult. We`re going to have to try some new techniques to find people. yeppers.
Ok, so apparently, Holly and Scott are going there for Thanksgiving...that`s what I got from your emails anyways. Cool stuff.
And no I haven`t gotten any mail...around change day, the mail gets all screwed up....hopefully next week or the week after. And why didn`t you like the phone call at 3:15? :P Silly Mom.
Ok, as far as food....I`m getting enough to eat yeah, for the most part, but I`m not going to lie, I`m really looking forward to having 3 solid meals a day again. That`s for sure, but yeah, I eat enough....that is to say, I`m not dead yet. :D
But yeah, our Branch here is awesome. The members are great and I realized the other day that even though they aren`t as experienced in the gospel, they are just the same as back home...hard working people trying to raise good families and fulfill their callings. They`re really awesome. I had to give a talk Sunday on missionary work but I centered it on charity. I think I had prepared about 30 minutes of material but only had 10, so needless to say I didn`t use it all. It was a good talk anyways.
Pics...1 is this change zone pic. Then a pic of the highway with my comp`s head...taken from a busstop. another is of the trash on the ground that is EVERYWHERE. You get used to it. Then a pic of me in front of the church sign. :D and a pic of the vandalism in the church. Some people broke in, deactivated the alarm and broke everything that had a lock . This is the secretary`s office. They didn`t steal much, just destroyed a lot of stuff.
Well that`s all for now. Thanks for everything. Hope this was a good report this week. Word sauce. LOVE YOU ALL. Iggledy jiggledy.
Love Always,
DJ
Tuesday, November 16, 2010 5:35 AM
Family family family.
Goobers goobers goobers. Anyways, I`m currently here in Tres Cruces, not because we got changed but because we came to talk to the other missionaries for a bit. I`m staying with my comp, Elder Matamoros, another change in Prosperidad. I just want to work hard and share the gospel.
Speaking of sharing the gospel, with the investigators we have, we`re doing well. Our awesome couple came to church on Sunday. Woo! And as it worked out, the lesson in the Gospel Principles class was tithing. As such, we had to actually spend yesterday`s visit explaining tithing as well. It worked out well and I think they understood it...at least it didn`t scare them away. I have complete faith that they will be awesome and get baptized. HOORAY! As far as finding new people to teach, it`s become very hard. People don`t even want to talk to us, let alone listen to us. It makes it a bit difficult. We`re going to have to try some new techniques to find people. yeppers.
Ok, so apparently, Holly and Scott are going there for Thanksgiving...that`s what I got from your emails anyways. Cool stuff.
And no I haven`t gotten any mail...around change day, the mail gets all screwed up....hopefully next week or the week after. And why didn`t you like the phone call at 3:15? :P Silly Mom.
Ok, as far as food....I`m getting enough to eat yeah, for the most part, but I`m not going to lie, I`m really looking forward to having 3 solid meals a day again. That`s for sure, but yeah, I eat enough....that is to say, I`m not dead yet. :D
But yeah, our Branch here is awesome. The members are great and I realized the other day that even though they aren`t as experienced in the gospel, they are just the same as back home...hard working people trying to raise good families and fulfill their callings. They`re really awesome. I had to give a talk Sunday on missionary work but I centered it on charity. I think I had prepared about 30 minutes of material but only had 10, so needless to say I didn`t use it all. It was a good talk anyways.
Pics...1 is this change zone pic. Then a pic of the highway with my comp`s head...taken from a busstop. another is of the trash on the ground that is EVERYWHERE. You get used to it. Then a pic of me in front of the church sign. :D and a pic of the vandalism in the church. Some people broke in, deactivated the alarm and broke everything that had a lock . This is the secretary`s office. They didn`t steal much, just destroyed a lot of stuff.
Well that`s all for now. Thanks for everything. Hope this was a good report this week. Word sauce. LOVE YOU ALL. Iggledy jiggledy.
Love Always,
DJ
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Week 43
I`m running out of witty subject lines
Mon, November 8, 2010
Greetings and salutations to those family members of mine...and if you ain`t family by blood, you are family by puppies.
Hey hey hey hey HEY! How`s life going in the cold and getting colder northern hemisphere? Here in the hot and (sadly) getting hotter hemisphere we are all dying. Or maybe just me. I`ve decided that I`m certain that we`ll all see each other again. I just don`t know if it`ll be when I get home...or by you guys coming here to see my melted guts on some street in Uruguay. Yep yep yep.
This past week was good. Like you already know, we went to the temple and had zone conference on Thursday. Both were good experiences, it was cool in Spanish and it was definitely a neat experience. It`s all good. The zone conference was good, but shorter than usual which is sad because I was looking forward to more learning. Oh well, can`t have everything your way.
FYI, well 2 FYI’s, we have changes next week so the email will be on Tuesday and I`m not sending pics today because quite frankly, interesting pictures are hard to come by here. I`ll try to get some to you next week.
So remember Nana`s chicken cutlets...yep they pretty much have those here, but they`re called milanesas and are of chicken, cow meat, or fish. Oh man, they are awesome. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! That`s my story. The end.
Um, yes mail is slower now because I don`t get mail for the week until the following week on Tuesday at district meeting, which means I have to wait 6 more days to open it until pday again. So ps, I got no mail this week. I`ll get it tomorrow. Consequently, I can`t update you on what letters or packages I received. As far as needs/wants, I really have none. I`m seriously doing awesome out here. No worries...except the heat. Maybe you could talk to somebody about turning down the heat. :P
So the really awesome couple that Elder Sosa and I found in Minas got baptized this past weekend. Elder Sosa said it was amazing and they are so strong. Poo. I wanted to be there. I have yet to find and baptize the same person. :/ Hopefully it`ll happen here. Regrettably, our investigators had a bowlful of fail yesterday for breakfast and none of them came to church. I was sad because we were expecting 4 or 5 solid ones. It was a really nice day too.
We do have one new investigator we found who was taught everything about a year ago. Since then she has lost pretty much everything, but she says it`s the trial that God put her through to prove her. Now all she wants to do is get baptized and she already has a good testimony. The only obstacle is that she has no job. So she has no money to take the bus to get to church. So we`re working on finding her a job. Yeppers.
Yes this area is rather poor in general. We eat with members about half the time which is alright. Italian food does not really exist here. It`s all Uruguayan food, but it`s all good. I love it.
So yeah. I`ll include some more possible package items next week, just in case. But I`m doing well in general. Not having any problems and time is flying. I`m really looking forward to April...when it starts cooling down again. Heck ya!
Yep, that`s all. Everyday I`m out here I realize more and more just how perfect the Plan of Salvation is. That`s something I`ve really been thinking a lot about lately. It`s so perfect and I`m so glad we have it. There really was no other way to do it, no other way at all. That`s my discovery for the week.
Well take care everybody. Next Tuesday I`ll write and give you updates on changes...if I change at all. Have fun. SAUCE SAUCE SAUCE
Love always,
DJ
Mon, November 8, 2010
Greetings and salutations to those family members of mine...and if you ain`t family by blood, you are family by puppies.
Hey hey hey hey HEY! How`s life going in the cold and getting colder northern hemisphere? Here in the hot and (sadly) getting hotter hemisphere we are all dying. Or maybe just me. I`ve decided that I`m certain that we`ll all see each other again. I just don`t know if it`ll be when I get home...or by you guys coming here to see my melted guts on some street in Uruguay. Yep yep yep.
This past week was good. Like you already know, we went to the temple and had zone conference on Thursday. Both were good experiences, it was cool in Spanish and it was definitely a neat experience. It`s all good. The zone conference was good, but shorter than usual which is sad because I was looking forward to more learning. Oh well, can`t have everything your way.
FYI, well 2 FYI’s, we have changes next week so the email will be on Tuesday and I`m not sending pics today because quite frankly, interesting pictures are hard to come by here. I`ll try to get some to you next week.
So remember Nana`s chicken cutlets...yep they pretty much have those here, but they`re called milanesas and are of chicken, cow meat, or fish. Oh man, they are awesome. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! That`s my story. The end.
Um, yes mail is slower now because I don`t get mail for the week until the following week on Tuesday at district meeting, which means I have to wait 6 more days to open it until pday again. So ps, I got no mail this week. I`ll get it tomorrow. Consequently, I can`t update you on what letters or packages I received. As far as needs/wants, I really have none. I`m seriously doing awesome out here. No worries...except the heat. Maybe you could talk to somebody about turning down the heat. :P
So the really awesome couple that Elder Sosa and I found in Minas got baptized this past weekend. Elder Sosa said it was amazing and they are so strong. Poo. I wanted to be there. I have yet to find and baptize the same person. :/ Hopefully it`ll happen here. Regrettably, our investigators had a bowlful of fail yesterday for breakfast and none of them came to church. I was sad because we were expecting 4 or 5 solid ones. It was a really nice day too.
We do have one new investigator we found who was taught everything about a year ago. Since then she has lost pretty much everything, but she says it`s the trial that God put her through to prove her. Now all she wants to do is get baptized and she already has a good testimony. The only obstacle is that she has no job. So she has no money to take the bus to get to church. So we`re working on finding her a job. Yeppers.
Yes this area is rather poor in general. We eat with members about half the time which is alright. Italian food does not really exist here. It`s all Uruguayan food, but it`s all good. I love it.
So yeah. I`ll include some more possible package items next week, just in case. But I`m doing well in general. Not having any problems and time is flying. I`m really looking forward to April...when it starts cooling down again. Heck ya!
Yep, that`s all. Everyday I`m out here I realize more and more just how perfect the Plan of Salvation is. That`s something I`ve really been thinking a lot about lately. It`s so perfect and I`m so glad we have it. There really was no other way to do it, no other way at all. That`s my discovery for the week.
Well take care everybody. Next Tuesday I`ll write and give you updates on changes...if I change at all. Have fun. SAUCE SAUCE SAUCE
Love always,
DJ
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Week 43
chinese fireballs are giggly
Monday, November 1, 2010
Oh fiddle sticks. This keyboard leaves something (ok a lot of things) to be desired. I apologize in advance for random things you may encounter while reading.
Hi family of mine,
This past week was pretty good and went by seemingly very fast. And now it`s November. Woo hoo! So let`s see. Regrettably we had no investigators in church yesterday, which is kind of weird because we have this one family who comes every week (they are waiting to get divorced in order to get married and baptized). They must have gotten sick or something. But yeah, church was good. There was a really good lesson on missionary work which hopefully will help our ward to get more pumped. The rest of the week was good as well with relatively little problems. Um...I`m not sure what all to relate. Oh, I did pee in a bucket in the side room of an investigator`s house in front of some pet birds. That was weird. I had to pee because her bathroom was under construction or something like that...so she gave me a bucket and a room. BIZARRE. Didn`t think that would ever be on my list of things done in the flesh.
Let me answer your questions while I think of what else to write. Um. First of all, sometimes you people give me updates on other family member`s conditions without giving me the problem in the first place. E.g. I had no idea Grandpa had cancer on his head...let alone that it was removed (and now I find out it was incomplete). Also, I knew nothing about Vince. So yeah, I appreciate the updates, but sometimes I get a tiny bit lost. That aside, I enjoy having the family updates even though sometimes I can`t make sense of them. :D Um, we already changed clocks...a couple weeks ago, so we`re actually 4 hours different right now, but when you guys change it`ll be 5, yes that is correct.
You also want to know a little bit more about my comp. He`s from Honduras...the southern part. He has 19 months in the mission (he`s the 3rd comp I`ve had that has completed 19 months with me) and is the oldest of I forgot how many siblings. He`s a funny kid, and we`re having a good time together. Amazingly enough, He`s not even the hardest comp I`ve had. :P
Quick pic update. the Uruguayan barbecue thing is called an Asado. The meat is like that and when it`s finished it looks like that. I think you can distinguish between those 2 pics. The last pic is a random one of me. Regrettably, seeing as I`m back in this zone, there ain`t a whole lot to take pictures of. WHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOF. I`ll try to give you as many good pictures as possible. :)
Yep so the work is plugging along. We hope to put baptismal dates with 3 more people this week. We`ll see what happens. Oh yeah, we`re going to the temple this Thursday and then we have zone conference after that. Should be a really good time. At this rate I`ll go one more time before coming home (if they continue the streak of every 10 months), but I`m excited. It`s good stuff. I`ll let you know how it went next week.
It continues to get hotter although right now it`s pretty nice. Lots of wind...it`s like a small hurricane (a very tiny one).
Since you guys are talking to Aunt Margaret so much, tell her thanks for her package. I got it today and it`s awesome. she sent me really useful things that I was actually needing/wanting...including mac and cheese. :D:D:D:D:D
Ok. I`m out of things to write about. Sorry for the dull and boring letter. I don`t know what happened, but I just can`t think of anything (interesting) to write about. Next week I should have more, hopefully. Thanks for everything. You guys are da bomb BOOM.
Love always,
DJ
Monday, November 1, 2010
Oh fiddle sticks. This keyboard leaves something (ok a lot of things) to be desired. I apologize in advance for random things you may encounter while reading.
Hi family of mine,
This past week was pretty good and went by seemingly very fast. And now it`s November. Woo hoo! So let`s see. Regrettably we had no investigators in church yesterday, which is kind of weird because we have this one family who comes every week (they are waiting to get divorced in order to get married and baptized). They must have gotten sick or something. But yeah, church was good. There was a really good lesson on missionary work which hopefully will help our ward to get more pumped. The rest of the week was good as well with relatively little problems. Um...I`m not sure what all to relate. Oh, I did pee in a bucket in the side room of an investigator`s house in front of some pet birds. That was weird. I had to pee because her bathroom was under construction or something like that...so she gave me a bucket and a room. BIZARRE. Didn`t think that would ever be on my list of things done in the flesh.
Let me answer your questions while I think of what else to write. Um. First of all, sometimes you people give me updates on other family member`s conditions without giving me the problem in the first place. E.g. I had no idea Grandpa had cancer on his head...let alone that it was removed (and now I find out it was incomplete). Also, I knew nothing about Vince. So yeah, I appreciate the updates, but sometimes I get a tiny bit lost. That aside, I enjoy having the family updates even though sometimes I can`t make sense of them. :D Um, we already changed clocks...a couple weeks ago, so we`re actually 4 hours different right now, but when you guys change it`ll be 5, yes that is correct.
You also want to know a little bit more about my comp. He`s from Honduras...the southern part. He has 19 months in the mission (he`s the 3rd comp I`ve had that has completed 19 months with me) and is the oldest of I forgot how many siblings. He`s a funny kid, and we`re having a good time together. Amazingly enough, He`s not even the hardest comp I`ve had. :P
Quick pic update. the Uruguayan barbecue thing is called an Asado. The meat is like that and when it`s finished it looks like that. I think you can distinguish between those 2 pics. The last pic is a random one of me. Regrettably, seeing as I`m back in this zone, there ain`t a whole lot to take pictures of. WHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOFWHOF. I`ll try to give you as many good pictures as possible. :)
Yep so the work is plugging along. We hope to put baptismal dates with 3 more people this week. We`ll see what happens. Oh yeah, we`re going to the temple this Thursday and then we have zone conference after that. Should be a really good time. At this rate I`ll go one more time before coming home (if they continue the streak of every 10 months), but I`m excited. It`s good stuff. I`ll let you know how it went next week.
It continues to get hotter although right now it`s pretty nice. Lots of wind...it`s like a small hurricane (a very tiny one).
Since you guys are talking to Aunt Margaret so much, tell her thanks for her package. I got it today and it`s awesome. she sent me really useful things that I was actually needing/wanting...including mac and cheese. :D:D:D:D:D
Ok. I`m out of things to write about. Sorry for the dull and boring letter. I don`t know what happened, but I just can`t think of anything (interesting) to write about. Next week I should have more, hopefully. Thanks for everything. You guys are da bomb BOOM.
Love always,
DJ
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