My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I seriously cannot believe how wonderful this place is. Thanks for your letters and prayers. So this week I have a favor to ask. Due to a weird 4 week transfer we had a long time ago I can either finish my mission the first week of August or the 3rd week of September. Obviously, if I stay I won´t be able to start at BYU in the fall - I´ll have to wait until winter. But then again the mission is cooler than BYU. ha. I´ve been thinking about it a little bit and have decided that I should stay as long as I can - until the mission president drags me to the airport. Can you make sure that I can defer my entrance in BYU another semester? pretty please. :) I´ll write you a letter about how I made the decision because it was a great learning experience for me.
well I´ll get on to your emails.
Dad - Both you and Andee mentioned Top Gear. This morning I told my companion to "prepare to bask in the turbulence of my excellence". haha. I´m sure you´ll do great on the project you are picking up. I can see that you made the decision with faith and I know that everything will work out fine. We also had our lesson from the JFS lesson manual, but I was quite disappointed. We drifted from the theme and it became essentially a dodgy doctrinal lesson. Darn. Anyway. Its actually quite cool here - Friday I wore my sweater for the first time in my mission. :)
1. Now that you have an American companion, do you speak English when you are together?
Sometimes, but not a ton. We speak a lot of spanglish. We do all the planning, comp studies, and stuff like that in Spanish. But sometimes at night we talk in English - we both need the practice haha.
2. Have you heard about the big parade they do in o co zo co? I think it is done on Ash Wednesday, so you might still be there when it happens.
Yeah its called carnival Zoque. Apparently it gets pretty intense, I´ll be sure to tell you about it when it comes around.
3. How has your understanding of different cultures changed in the last year?
Well, I would say that Talmage Spackman hit the nail on the head perfectly when he returned from his mission in Mongolia. The cultures change, but the people don´t. I can appreciate Mexican culture, and Guatemalan, but the truth is that it is a mistake to classify a person by their culture. There are smart people everywhere, as there are lazy ones, faithful and incredulous, humble and arrogant. I really love these people for who they are individually - independent of cultural differences.
4. How many missionaries are there in your Branch? Just your companionship. The Jax Beach Ward is up to two companionships. One Elders and one Sisters.
just a pair of gringos.
5. Please tell us about an investigator..
We have so many awesome investigators. This week I´ll tell you about Darwin. He used to have drug and alcohol problems but he overcame those. He works two jobs - welding and helping out in Alcoholics Anonymous. Our last 3 lessons with him we have been explaining the plan of salvation, which he loves. He yearns for the peace that only repentance can bring. He´s gone to church twice now and will be baptized the 15th of Feb.
6 Describe what you see as you look around from where you are sitting right now. What does it smell like? What do you hear?
I´m in a dark corner haha. It doesn´t really smell like anything. The computers here are in little cells with seafoam green walls. I hear the people selling stuff on the streets. (I´ll have to imitate them for you next time we talk) and that's about it.
Love you dad!
Mom - haha your Sunday School lesson sounds excellent :) Just kidding that's a bummer. But anyway. Keep working out - it makes you happy. I miss going to the gym, and swimming a bit, but it's worth the sacrifice to be here. Last Monday I played basketball and my legs were sore until Friday haha. I feel old. I always love to hear about your meditations and reflections over the scriptures. You are a great example to me. I saw a video from Elder Holland this week that I think you would enjoy a lot. He answers questions from a small group and has some really profound comments on the scriptures. Perhaps you can find it on YouTube. It's called "For Times of Trouble". (I was able to find a shortened version) I love you mom!
Andee - never complain about something being too Americanized haha. I wish Mexico was a bit more Americanized sometimes haha. :) It made me smile when you said that you will always support Roy in his callings. That's what it's all about. Thanks for that. I hope your final semester keeps on rocking! Love you AD
Roy - you are ambitious but rubbish :) I hope you're enjoying your volleyball class. I can´t help but remember the good times from our class 2 and a half years ago. haha I almost always woke up late. Good times. Your schedule sounds much easier than it has in semesters past. Which major did you enjoy more? I realized that I have no idea what I am going to do when I get back. I guess I´ll think about that when I finish. Love you bro.
Well thanks for your support. I treasure your weekly letters.
Have a wonderful week,
Elder Roth
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