Week 53 - :)

Hi,

I can´t believe its already Monday again.  The weeks just fly by.  This week was really good.  Not too long ago we baptized 2 girls and this week they went to seminary every day and wanted us to go to their house and teach them how to give away a Book of Mormon.  I´m thrilled by their sincere desire to follow Christ!  I love being a missionary. 

In other news, we had a ward conference this week, which was totally awesome.  The stake presidency came in and totally dominated our members. (In spanish the verb is planchar- to iron; I feel like there is a certain way to say that in English but I can´t think of it).  I really loved it.  Hopefully our members will rise up.

Dad - I´m glad to hear that the Braves are doing well.  ha.  It's hard to believe school has already started.  Who are the seniors this year in the ward?  Holy Cow, BYU is going big with their schedule.  They play Notre Dame and Florida State too, right?  I´m looking forward to not missing another football season after this one.  We have a transfers next week, you´re right on.  I´m predicting that I´m leaving, but who knows.  I´ve been in Tapachula for a little over 5 months.  I think that I´ll go to Oaxaca!  haha.  I´ll be sure to tell you what happens.  Thanks for the emails.  I love you dad.

Mom - I miss seminary.  I´d really like to take Old Testament again.  But this year is Book of Mormon, right?  Haha I love that you are on a first name basis with the service department at Tom Bush.  Its totally classic.  Which reminds me - how's the M3?  Sometimes I miss Otto - but he would never survive on the streets here.  They are so terrible.  I´m hoping Roy goes to school in the Northeast so I can go visit him and see the church sites when I go back.  I hope you guys get to go and see!  I love you Mom!

Steph - Its good to hear that Tyler and Ryan are still being awesome.  I miss those little guys.  I gotta say I´m pretty jealous of Tom´s trip.  I really want to visit Germany and Spain.  I laughed out loud when I thought of Tommy´s veintitres!  haha, so funny.  Your Neal A Maxwell quote reminded me of something I read in an Ensign not too long ago.  A woman talked about her Temple cleaning assignment, and was complaining that she was just there to clean things that aren´t dirty.  Then the janitor explained to the group that they weren´t there to clean things that don´t need cleaning, they were there to keep the Lord´s house from ever getting dirty.  She went on to explain that your life can be cleaned, but its so much better to keep it from ever getting dirty.  It was pretty cool.  Love you Steph!

Mikele - HEY KEL! It's so cool thaty we are both missionaries! and we speak Spanish! and we´re loving it!  I wrote you a letter last week and I´ll send it pretty soon.  I´m also going to send Mike a letter (I just got one that he sent to me in January! ha)  Hopefully it will get there before the second coming.  I´m totally down to go to Mexico with you someday, as long as that day is in December or January.  I don´t know how I have survived this heat so long. 

Well, I´ve got a few more minutes.  I hardly know what to do with out a list of questions from Dad.  But here are some fun facts for ya:

- My current area is 10 blocks by 10 blocks, one of the smallest in the mission. - - My previous area was probably one of the largest in the mission - we never actually found out where the boundaries were, but we were confident that we would never reach them.

- My trainer goes home next week. 

- When it rains really hard the water level in the streets goes up to my knees

- I only know of 2 other BYU students in the mission

- I estimate that I´ve spent about 7000 pesos in the combi so far on my mission

- I´m out of facts and time.

I Love you!  Till next week,

Elder Roth

Week 52 - Good Afternoon Family

I hope all is going well for you guys.  I´m going really well, my companion and I are having some great success, and it wasn´t terribly hot this week!!!  I have exciting news this week.  I was teaching a lesson in a little neighborhood, and heard a sound that I recognized.  I tried not to pay attention to it, and just went on with the lesson.  A couple minutes later I heard, ``I am, I am... do do doo do do´´ - the classic song from Nacho Libre. Some little kid (who looked exactly like Chancho) was watching Nacho Libre! 

Chancho

I could hardly contain my excitement ha. 

I`ve had some other unexpected experiences lately, for example when I was pooped on by a bird not once but twice during a lesson, or when I baptized a young man in green water because our font is a bit broken.  Good times, good times. (unfortunately the youth got sick after his baptism haha).  Life is always an adventure here in Mexico.

Thanks for the emails.  I gotta say that Thursday was a very ordinary day. 

I´m starting to realize how short the mission is though.  You gotta take advantage of every second!

Carly - Wow!  2 emails in 2 weeks!  Life doesn`t get much better than that! I`m thrilled to hear that you`ve had a proper southern experience.  Its the best, right?  Perhaps now you can understand why I`m the way I am.  ha just kidding.  I sure do love my boiled peanuts, high school football, and pecan pies though.  Have a great week!

Dad - There are about 7000 questions in your email but I´ll try to hit them all. 

I told Michael Daniels that I would get some suggestion for him, from you.  So, what can I tell him?  He leaves for the MTC in 90 days.  Knowing what you know now, what should I tell him so he can be better prepared for a mission to Mexico?

- Advice for Daniels - watch Nacho Libre as often as possible, don`t worry too much about Spanish, and  who you are is far more important than anything you´ll ever say.  Think about what you want to be able to tell investigators (testimony, promised blessings, spiritual experiences, etc.) and live in such a way that you can declare with honesty that you know those things are true.

Ahh man! I wanna go see the new temple film!  I remember Roy telling us about the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey and how the missionaries that go there are forgotten by the mission.  Well in this mission Tapachula is Jersey. We live without any of the privileges that the rest of the missionaries enjoy. But its all good.  ha.

You inner dialogue...Spanish or English?  What percent?

Dreams...Spanish or English?

- I think mostly in Spanish - but it depends what I`m doing. I dream exclusively in Spanish.  This morning I was reading something  aloud in English and I feel like I have a weird accent.  I`m still a more capable speaker in English  but Spanish isn`t really a challenge anymore. 

I was talking to President Mauerman, of the San Jose Branch.  I was talking to him about the corn on the stick concept.  He says they put mayonnaise on it, and also some sort of cheese.  But that is one of the street vendor foods that you cannot eat, right?

- The corn on a stick from Nacho Libre is one of my biggest temptations ha. Every time I pass by a guy that sells them the natural man in me says, Attack!  ha.  But so far I´ve held up.

Do you miss swimming?  Obviously, you would not be doing it anyway, but do you ever think about swimming?

- I certainly do miss swimming.  But luckily with all of my sweat and the crazy rain, I generally walk around completely drenched, so its kinda similar.  I think the first thing I'll do when I get home will be jump in the pool. :)

Does it seem like two years ago that you first checked into May Hall?  Fond memories?

- I realized that its been 2 years since I started at BYU.  The time sure has flown by.  I cannot explain how much I enjoyed that year.  It was pretty similar to 4 Nefi v 1-13 for me ha.  I look forward to going back when I`m done here.  I can honestly say though, that even though this last year has been infinitely harder, it has been the best year of my life so far.  Happy is the man that can say that every year. 

Please tell me a little about your last Saturday and Sunday.  What was it like?  What did you do?

- My last Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday we worked a ton and taught a bunch of lessons.  Sunday we went to church, went to eat and then went with a member of the ward to find some new investigators.  We taught 2 new people and the lessons were super good.  Sunday nights we give our report of the work in our area.  Then I popped some popcorn and read the an old Liahona. Its always a satisfying feeling to finish a week.

Love you Dad!

Mom - You did not tell me that Jake is getting married!  But that's awesome! and it reminds me that I want to learn Portuguese ..but I digress.  Moses and Abraham are so awesome, though not often used in missionary work ha. wow - 2 Bentleys, a Porsche 911 turbo S, and 2 Maserati´s.  You won´t be surprised to hear that I have not seen any of those in the last year, let alone in a 2 mile stretch.  Teaching in Tapachula is great!  The people are a bit ignorant (not to be rude, that's just how it is) so we have to teach super clearly.  It took a bit of an adjustment for me to be able to tell them the unadulterated truth.  But now its pretty easy.  I love you Mom!

Steph and Roy - Sorry I`m out of time. Thanks for your emails.  I´ll be sure to write you next week.  Love you!

Pictures -

My companion and I at Izapa

 

 my pathetic bucket

Adios!

Week 51 - Hello Family

What a pleasure it is to read your emails every week.  Its always gives me a nice boost.  This week went quite well.  We had a couple of baptisms, which is always nice ha.  As you may notice, this email is coming a bit late this week. That's because we went to the ruins in Izapa with President Cardenas.  It was good fun, despite the fact that my lower neck changed from snow white to beet red in the twinkling of an eye. 

The Commons at Izapa

As you might be aware, Thursday this week I complete a year in the field...sad.  ha.  So I thought it would be good to reflect upon some of the lessons I´ve learned out here.  First of all - just be obedient.  There is no other way to be happy.  I knew that before my mission but now I understand better.  Second, You can have whatever you want.  I love to teach this principle.  If you want to go to the celestial kingdom you can.  If you want to baptize as a missionary you can.  If you want to change your life you can.  You just have to be willing to make the sacrifice required.  Also, excuses are the nemesis of progress. 

In Matt 5:48 Jesus commanded us: Be ye therefore perfect.  I´ve learned to take that commandment very seriously.  I believe in a God who gives commandments that we are capable of keeping.  Obviously we aren´t perfect right now, but we would do well to make that our goal and work towards it tenaciously.  Expectations are everything. 

Roy - haha, I´m proud of you for finding a way to blame it on me...well done ha.  Man, I don´t ever want to graduate BYU, its the best!  But anyway, I liked your experience in Wimbledon.  Believe me that I feel the same all the time.  I´m starting to understand the words of Paul a bit more when he talked about glorying in his weaknesses because when he is weak then he is strong.  I´m just not good enough on my own, but have found that the Lord has always rewarded my true effort. 

Carly - I´m amazed... Yeah the police are super sketchy here.  This morning we were walking to the chapel and about 85 police officers passed us going the other way.  I just thought to myself, I am soo glad I´m not going to see what they are about to do haha.  Working like donkey´s eh? here we say trabajando como negros (working like blacks) but I wouldn´t recommend using it in Florida  ha.  Thanks for the email!  You´re the best!

Mom and Dad - sorry to combine you but I´m a bit short on time and you ought to be one flesh right?  Anyway, I´m so proud of Michael D. -  Chihuahua! Everyone here makes fun of them but that's ok! ha.  I´m glad to hear that Quest panned out well.  Your story reminded me of President Monson's story about the cultural event for the Kansas City temple.  You just do the best you can and its always enough.  As for the grass, I totally understand.  I have a goal to model my future home after the temple.  The temple is the most beautiful place on earth but it is exquisitely simple.  It doesn´t matter how rich or poor you are, you can have a clean house, filled with the spirit of the Lord, if you put in a bit of effort.  I´ve been in some poor homes that were far more heavenly than any house on PV Boulevard.  That reminds me - we had an awesome sacrament meeting.  A very sick member gave a talk somewhat similar to Bruce R McConkie's last talk.  He said, "I´m not sure if I will be here next Sunday, but I want you to know, that I know with certainty that Jesus Christ lives.  I trust in him.  I cannot wait to see him."  It was amazing.  I am convinced that some of the most powerful spirits are housed in the weakest bodies.

Sorry I don´t have time to answer all your questions, I´ll try to next week. 

A to the D - hahaha.  When you said that Roy would never get to anything dressed or fed on time an image of a Roy showing up to work in his underwear flashed across my mind.  haha, I too.  I´m quite convinced that if he didn´t have you, he´d be a shaggy man indeed.  Hahaha Roy with his "I am a man of constant sorrow" strikes again.  I forgot how funny that kid is.  When I go home we´ll have to do some shenanigans again.  Thanks for bringing back memories of PDBio 120, that class was the worst ha.  But we got through it. Have a rocking week. 

Well in 15 minutes I start proselyting again, and I still haven´t washed my clothes, cleaned the house, or bought food.  This week might be a bit rough ha. I love you guys and hope you have a fantastic week.  When I email you next week I will officially be an old man in the mission. 

Elder Roth

Week 50 - I'm Running Out Of Clever Titles

Heyo!

This week was pretty awesome.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera again, sorry about that.  My companion is totally awesome, I love him.  We are really getting things going here in Central.  We taught an awesome lesson yesterday to a young man named Arón.  He has all the lessons, understands everything well, and finally has the permission from his father to be baptized.  But he is a bit hesitant.  We´ve taught him a couple times about the need for exact obedience in the exact moment, but there is still something that bothers him. So this time we just went in there and bore our testimonies of the vital need to be baptized and promised blessings.  The spirit was so intense.  Then we said,´´Arón the spirit is here, ¿can you feel it? You could see a physical change in him, and he asked, ¿you guys feel it too?  Then we testified,´´everything we teach is true. You are ready.  Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized? ...yes.  WOHOO!  He´ll be taking a swim this weekend!

Dad - I call dibs on mowing the grass when I get home, I miss the smell of fresh cut grass.  We´ve been without a Bishop for about 4 months.  The first and second consejeros conduct, which makes no sense.  But who knows.

1. What have you learned by learning to speak another language?

- Learning to speak Spanish has been a great experience.  I´ve learned a ton. First you learn humility, and fast.  From there its just a matter of never giving up.  It really helps me personally in some of my deficiencies in communication skills haha.  I´ve learned to ask for help, to not be afraid of messing up, and just talk to people about anything.  Its been really cool.

2.  As you walk down the street and look at signs and businesses, can you read and understand everything?

- I don´t struggle at all with grammar or understanding, what I´m working on is building a bigger vocabulary and my accent.  My companion has given me some nice compliments and he´s really helping me to speak like a Mexican.  I love it! 

I am sitting on the sofa in my bedroom.  Do you have a sofa in your bedroom?

- I certainly do not have a sofa in my room, nor a chair.  I study sitting on a 5 gallon bucket.  (seriously!) ha.  Wow, I was wondering when Josh finished his mission.  I can honestly say I am not jealous of him at all.  I don´t ever want to finish my mission.  His advice is my advice for all the other missionaries that I know.  In missionary work there is no substitute for work.  Just keep working. 

3.  How did your Seminary experience prepare you for your mission and how does it serve you and others now?

- Seminary has certainly benefited me out here.  The scriptural knowledge is useful, and the memories are wonderful.  Most of all though, its the conversion that takes place as a high school student wakes up at 5 am everyday to study the scriptures.  Consistency is the key.  

4.  Do you still have your bucket, or do you leave it when you move and get a different one when you get to your new place?

- haha I love all the bucket based questions.  The buckets stay in the house when you go.  Only a selfish missionary would steal another mans bucket.

5.  When you prepare your own meal, what do you make?

- I hardly spend any time cooking.  When I make myself a little 10 o'clock snack its usually tuna salad, or an apple and peanut butter.  For breakfast I usually eat cereal with yogurt and a peanut butter sandwich. 

D&C 121 - 123 are so intense!  I´m glad you are enjoying them.  Thanks for the email and the prayers, and the million other things you give me.  You remain in my prayers as well.  I remember Roy asking for your conversion story during his mission.  You wouldn´t by chance have a copy, would you?  Love you Dad.  Thanks for everything.

Mom - There is no shortage of humidity, but we do indeed lack the air conditioning.  Instead of the windows being covered with condensation its my body that's covered in sweat when I wake up.  But that freezing cold shower is always a nice/horrific way to cool off.  I´m doing super great!  I´m way less tired this week than I was last week.  I am healthy and just doing great! 

In terms of interesting wildlife there isn´t a ton.  We have iguanas by our house and the other day I killed 5 cockroaches in the shower, but that's about it.  The mission is a strange cross of extremely demanding and difficult, and really easy.  Perhaps easy isn´t the right word, simple.  All I do is wake up and do as much good as I can until I go to bed.  I read a talk by Elder Perry the other week.  I´m not sure how the title would be translated.  Perhaps, Be It Done With Simplicity.  Its about just doing the basic things and letting the rest go.  Dieter Uchtdorf's Of Things That Matter Most is good too.  I live with almost no stress.  Its awesome!  I hope I can keep it that way.

Well thanks for the mail, its always a treat to come and read.  Oh, I almost forgot.

Carly - I would be truly amazed if you are still reading these.  haha.  But anyway.  We have a new sister in our district named Hermana Zúñiga that looks exactly like you!  The only difference is that she isn´t taller than me haha.  I´m convinced that you share ancestors.  Hope things are going well back in Florida.  Have a fantastic week!

ok.  um.  oh! 1 more interesting story.  Yesterday my companion and I were walking to a lesson and saw a dude running towards us.  We didn´t really think much of it until we saw a police officer hop out of a speeding taxi and chase him.  The guy slipped when he tried to turn a corner and pretty much gave up.  The police officer ran up and kicked him in the throat as hard as he could, and knocked the guy out.  It was soo crazy. I will never run from a Mexican policeman.

PS.  If you ever feel the need to let out a bit of anger, Amanda - consider becoming a Mexican police officer.  ha. 

Week 49 - ZZZzzz

hey,

I´m tired.  Really really tired.  But that's ok.  This last week has been really good.  The work is going pretty well.  We´re trying to get some more participation from the members, which is a bit tough since we don´t have a Bishop or a ward mission leader.  But we´re trying to find the way and not make any excuses. 

As you may have picked up from my other emails, I´m pretty addicted to general conference talks.  This week I really enjoyed Elder Cook´s talk Personal Peace, the Reward of Righteousness and President Uchtdorf´s from 2011, Forget Me Not. Sometimes I feel pretty weighed down with all the work I have to do.  The mission goal is to baptize every week.  And I still haven´t figured out how to do it.  But I´m learning to just keep pressing forward.  The words of the prophets echo in my mind all day long, as well as the wise advice from Finding Nemo, ´´just keep swimming.´´ 

I am just as happy as ever, but never have I ever been so tired.  I´m not running on my own energy right now, it's coming from another source. 

Mom - Thanks for the update from Kel.  I´m glad to hear that some of my ridiculous traditions live on (the finger point in the car haha).  Your "Every Day I´m Shufflin'" comment made me chuckle.  That reminds me...in my planner I try to think of a new way to write in my study block.  Some of my favorites have been: get my nerd on, scratchin' the cerebro (brain in Spanish), and some others I can't remember.  My new compi is great.  His name is Elder Torres and is from Oaxaca.  He is super funny and teaches really well.  Sorry, I didn´t bring my camera this week, but I´ll send you a picture next week.  Love you!

Dad - Affirmative on the sweat rag, negative on the beef jerky. I´m sure it was enjoyed by the Mexican officials though.  Pobre Tim Hudson. that's a bummer. Woohoo! Michael D! Hopefully he gets called to the Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez mission.  I call dibs on training him! 

1.  Have you gone to a restaurant there?  I know you can't eat from street vendors. But what about a sit down and get served place?

- I have indeed gone to a restaurant, but haven´t been too impressed.  I make better food in my apartment (and I do not make good food in my apartment...). 

 

2.  How long since you gave a talk in Sacrament meeting? 

- I gave a sacrament talk 2 weeks ago, I found out that I would give it during the sacrament meeting haha.  It went pretty well though.  

3.  Are you asked to perform Priesthood Blessings very often?  Asked by a PH holder to go to see someone?  Go to a hospital to see someone?

- I give a lot of priesthood blessings, but mostly just in people´s houses.  I´ve got some pretty sweet Thomas S. Monson-esque experiences with showing up at the right time without knowing. 

4.  Tell us about your new companion. Are you the Senior?  Have you trained anyone yet?

- I am indeed the senior compi, but that doesn´t really mean anything haha.  We are working together well.  It's sad for me to say that I haven´t trained yet...I have wanted to for all of my mission, but that's ok. 

5.  Tell us about a zone conference. 

- Zone Conferences are kinda funny.  It's mostly just announcements that we´ve heard a 100 times before, then a bit of a lesson, and then we practice.  The conferences with the President are hilarious though.  He is pretty similar to you in his sense of humor.  Have an A number 1 super winner week!  Love you!

Steph - hahaha, typical Tom - employing misfits and criminals.  ha.  That's so great that you could do the temple work for Brenda.  I miss going to the temple to be honest.  But it won´t be too long till I´m there again.  Sounds like Tyler gave an epic talk.  You guys are awesome.  I can´t believe Cheyenne is still alive haha.  Que tengan una buena semana. (Tom can translate that for you if you need it haha.)

Andee - You win the most faithful sibling award haha.  Roy is such a bum.  ha jokes I know you guys are super busy.  Congratulations to Eayden!  and thanks for the spiritual thought.  It was a nice boost. 

Well I´m going to go home and take a nap.  Sorry for the shortish email.  I love you guys. 

Elder Clark Roth 

Week 48 - Do You Not Realize That I Have Had Diarrhea Since Easters? (A Quote from Nacho Libre)

Hey family,

Thanks for the emails!  I had a good week and all is well in Tapachula.  We got our transfer calls this morning and I´m going to stay here in Central, my companion is going to another area in Tapachula, and my new companion is named Elder Torres.  I don´t know who he is but I´m sure it will be a good 6 weeks. 

Thanks for sending me the pictures Andee.  You and Roy the best!  I´m glad to hear that Tim Lincecum threw a no-no dad.  That's pretty awesome.  If things don´t work out with my studies at BYU I´ll probably follow in his footsteps and be a professional baseball player.  $22 million a year is workable.

You totally pegged my apartment with the Google streetview.  I live in the pink building there. 

There is a Pentecostal church in front of us that always plays the funniest songs.  (for example, one that talks about the Holy Ghost and says that it smells like the Spirit.  (maybe its a shoot-off of Smells Like Teen Spirit))

Roy - It might have been me that you saw playing volleyball.  My district loved it and we pretty much always went out to play.  I never saw your car but I didn´t look too hard usually.  I hope you and Andee are enjoying the full house.  There are not words to describe my disappointment that you are using Python instead of C++.  You should send me a letter written in LaTeX!!! haha. The Book of Mormon is what its all about!  I´ve been going through writing a paragraph summary for every chapter about what I learn.  It's amazing how much that book teaches.  Love you brah! ha :)

Andee - I am indeed doing well and sweating a lot.  I hope your fam likes BYU, its definitely heaven on earth for me.  (I can´t wait to be in the snow again!)  I like your spiritual thought.  Its true - God hasn´t changed at all.  And there´s no reason there can´t be the same type of miracles in these days. (My good bud Moroni can back me up on that).  Love you!

Dad - Its a joy to hear that my Tom and Steven are doing well.  I sure do love them!  I´ve heard that they lied about the number of deaths during Hurricane Stan here.  And its pretty believable, because there are a few areas here that used to be neighborhood that were completely destroyed.  The tortillas from El Milagro are the best! 

1.  Tell us about one of your current investigators.

      -  Umm, tough choice.  Arón Cotoc.  He is a 13 year old who we´ve been teaching for a little while.  His mom still hasn´t given him permission to be baptized but she´s gonna crack at any minute.  He is extremely intelligent.  He read first Nephi 1 - 4, and gave to best summary of what happens that I´ve ever heard.  The other day I was going to ask him a question and I started to say, ´´do you believe...´´, then he cut me off and said, ´´that the church is true? - no, I know it!´´  It was pretty impressive.

2.  How many investigators in your current pool?

    - a ton. We are always running from visit to visit.

3.  What percent of the time do you speak English with your Companion?

    - 0. OK, sometimes we quote Nacho Libre, but other than that it's all Spanish.

4.  Is there any sightseeing/cultural appreciation you do on P-day?

      - I imagine that there is, but we never have time haha. 

5.  Have you seen that big yellow highlighted building in downtown Tapachula?  It is on all the tourism pictures.

      - maybe.  I only serve in a quarter of the city so I don´t know.

6.  Do you see Central Americans passing through on their way to El Norte?

     - yes...and they are hilarious.  They always talk to us in English.   One of them told us that he sold cocaine,marijuana, and Benadryl.  ha.  Another had the dirtiest mouth I have ever heard.  My companion and I were speechless. 

7.  How are you doing money wise?  Enough to survive?

     - easy. I can get by on 50 pesos a week (50 pesos is 4 dollars) if I have to.  I´ve never had any problems.

Mom - I love the talk ´´These things I know.´´ Presidente Packer is so awesome!  Luckily I´ve been spending a lot more time teaching than walking. Thanks for your compliment about my writing.  The only problem is that I can´t spell.  haha.  And as my Spanish improves my spelling in English just gets worse and wors and wurz.  I love you Mom! 

I hope things are going well back in the US.  I´m loving life here. 

Until next week,

Elder Roth

Week 47 - No Toachin of Dis Stone

Muy buenas tardes familia,

I am pretty sure a solid 95% of my emails start the same way.  But just to keep the tradition going: life is good, Mexico is awesome, and I am sweating.  This morning I found a gem while we were cleaning out our house - a 2002 conference edition of the Ensign.  Back then Elder Eyring was the newest apostle, Elder Maxwell orchestrated mind-blowing discourses and the Seventy was graced by the service of a young man named Dieter.  Good times eh. 

Thanks for the emails and news.  The titles of our emails always make me chuckle - especially Roy`s - Real smooth swag.  (did you know that smooth is an onomonopia? haha) 

We tried to find a street view of your pink building and maybe Mom found it.  Is there a tacquerita or something like that on the corner and V. E. S. or something like that as the name?  Then some weird building with a Quaker State logo on the opposite corner?  If so, that will be an amazing find by Mom.  The street names seem to get reused, so a simple search will yield multiple places with that name

.Unfortunately the pink edifice you encountered is not my apartment, you`ll have to look the other way. You might not be able to see if from the intersection there. (BTW that is the worst intersection ever - when it rains there is about an 18 inch deep puddle that engulfs the street).

Mom - I`m glad to hear Roy and Andee had a good time in Florida.  I remember quite well the night I couldn`t find the M5 in the parking garage (of the Orlando Airport!!) haha.  I got home at like 4:30 in the morning haha.  I had to sing at the top of my lungs just to stay awake on the drive home.  It's a miracle I made it haha.  I`m so pleased that you commented on my de-worming story haha.  It was awesome!  ha.  I haven`t lost any weight, in fact physically I`m pretty much exactly the same. (the phrase from Jeremy Clarkson`s comment in the Hammerhead i Eagle Thrust (an episode of Top Gear) comes to mind...you can`t improve on perfection!) haha.  Good idea about the patriarchal blessing.  I got your package!  And the Mexican immigration officials were kind enough to save me the trouble of having to unwrap everything.  How thoughtful.  ha.  I`m loving the peanut butter!  I love you!  Hope you have a great week!

Dad - I`m glad to hear the Braves are doing well.  I wish there was 5 Guys here!  I need a burger!  The de-worming is a mission tradition.  And all the experienced missionaries tell the new ones horror stories about what happens.  It's a good time.  Kevin Newton!  I`m so proud!  That's awesome.  I`m 100% in favor of sending the gravity boards to Provo, although it will surely not be long before Roy has a broken face. 

1. How friendly are people, in general?  If you walk down the street, do they look at you and say Hi?

- The people are quite friendly, there are almost no rude people here.  Most people will say buenas tardes if I say it first, if not they just stare at me and I pretend not to notice.  

2. Do you know that the Church now publishes an official mini version of Preach My Gospel?  I don't know if they have it in Spanish yet, though.

-I do indeed have an official mini sized Predicad mi Evangelio - it is my most prized possession :).  

3. Have you been to the Lavenderia, or Washateria or whatever it is called?  Do you have your suit dry-cleaned? (that one was a joke)

I took my clothes to the lavanderia today because I just didn`t feel like spending my entire day washing.  I really need to dry clean my suit but as you guessed there is no dry cleaner here. It`s smelling a bit rank. I love you dad!

RAD - wow!  Congratulations on your calling Roy. 2nd counselor in the bishopric is pretty sweet.  What apartments does your ward draw from?  I`m grateful for your example.  Serve well - find the lambs, feed the sheep. :) Andee you rock!  I wish someone made me lunch...oh wait the members do that.  But its not the same!  haha.  Have a great week!  I love you both...but Andee to a lesser extent haha.  (If that sounds terrible hopefully Roy can explain what I`m referring to).

Mikele - I did indeed have a rocking 4th of July   I`m proud of you for serving and hope that all is going well.  I got your letters!  and they totally rocked!  I love you.  I`ll try to write to you soon, but I hardly ever have time.  P-days are not at all days of rest.  So this week I thought I should send you a few little tips for your Spanish.  There are a couple of things that I wish people would have told me while I was still a new missionary.  First of all, the r is obviously very different.  Check and see if you're saying it right in front of d`s, n`s, and l`s.  Those are the hardest ones.  Also check and make sure that you have the a e i o u right in every word - preocupado, ultimo, copiar, for example.  The s/z is a bit softer and they shouldn`t resonate throughout your sentences.  Try to keep your tongue flat (don`t make a U shape).  Also, I`m not sure how they pronounce y/ll there, but try to put enough emphasis on it for it to be heard.  For example,  ahì and allì should should different.  Wear your companions out asking for help and be patient.  It's tough.  But the gift of tongues is real and teaching by the Spirit will always beat teaching in perfect Spanish.  Have a great week!

I hope you like the title of my email dad.  I thought of that this week and i`m really proud of myself for remembering to include it in my email.  Thank you all for your prayers and your support.  I am truly a happy missionary. 

PS. How are my fellow missionaries from the Jax beach ward?  Tom`s about to hit his year mark, and Steven is an old old man.  haha, well kinda.