Week 21: The Key is Working Hard and Having Fun

Jackson's letter was mostly coordinating our Skype call and responses to my letter and questions, so it's a bit jumbled.  

So does this mean that Lydia will be getting home before me? What the freak? Sister missions, haha! I'm super excited for Matt! I'm sure he's got plenty of resources from all the RMs in the family, but if he needs anything or has any questions, I would love to help him.

I don't think many here celebrate 5 de mayo.

I really miss the Kamas weather...like really bad...I'm always hot, and right now most of the time wet, at the same time! I've always preferred the cold over the heat, and never liked being wet...haha! ahi vamos though.

About the packing list, everything I brought is pretty good. Especially shoes that will last. Besides shoes and a raincoat, you can pretty much get everything you might need down here pretty easily. The pants are great. Maybe bring lots of pictures. I don't know what else, really. BTW...the suitcoats are super cheap here. I paid the equivalent of like $20 for mine, though that is expensive here, it's a lot cheaper that getting it in the US. Then I got it tailored for 15Q...like $2. So I'm still glad I didn't bring one from home.

Nothing too crazy has happened this week. My new comp is awesome. I learn a lot from him, and I fell like he's a brother to me. I feel very lucky to have had the comps I've had so far. We are starting to see a lot of success, and the time is going by super fast. I've realized that the key to that is working hard and having fun., which is what we've been doing all week. We have been marinating beef jerky all weekend and we put it in the oven at the church at 5:30 this morning. But yeah, nothing crazy, nothing to complain about. All is well here.

Love you mom! Can't wait to talk to you! It'll all work out with skype, don't worry!

Week 20: He Kills It In Lessons

So I got my new companion on Tuesday. His name is Elder Ward. Brandon Paul Ward is his full name. He's from Centerville, and played Lacrosse in high school. He's 20, and just completed 21 months in the mission...freaking viejo! His family has a cabin up Weber Canyon, and chances are I've waited on him at the drugstore multiple times. His dad was the CEO for Mrs. Fields, and is now a lawyer for the Color Run. But yeah, since Elder Ward is so old in he the mission he knows a TON! He kills it in lessons, and also knows all sorts of tricks outside of lessons having to do with living the mission life. He taught me how to make corndogs, and he spent 6 months in an aldea called Colotenango where he learned how to make corte! I learn a ton from him every day.

Elder Ward making corte

He is one of the harder workers I know so far in the mission, but is also really firm about how you have to enjoy yourself here, so he is super fun, and really funny. I definitely have lucked out having two gringo companions in a row as my first two companions. Not that latinos are bad, but it's a lot easier to relate to and develop a friendship in your native language with someone who had a similar life to your own. I say I'm lucky because Elder Ward has also had two gringo companions his whole mission, out of 14 companions so far... Anyway he is a super cool guy, and being his companion has been really great so far, and it's making time go by really fast as well.

This week I've basically spent the time showing Elder Ward around the area, which has been really fun, introducing him to the members here that help us out a lot, and our investigators. Elder Ward's first area in the mission was Las Rosas, which is in the zone, right next to the district Chiantla, so we keep running into people who knew him two years ago, during his training, when he couldn't speak Spanish very well which has been crazy.

Sorry about the shirt, but I couldn't resist helping a member out with his car! (stupid idea)

 Also, we got a little rain this week. Haha!