Released by Stake President Tearlink

7 June 2010 - 6:00 PM
Family and Friends at home

7 June.

More photos from 7 June 2010

Salt Lake City International Airport

He's Home!!!

Here he comes!!!

We are waiting...

We had sombreros too!

J.J. and his Mexican sombrero.

Sitting on his Yamaha 450 all loaded up to ride on Tuesday morning.

Taking his Dad's ATK 605 for a quick spin.

Chez and J.J. in J.J.'s room all decked out by Chez.

7 June 2010

He's coming home he's done his time...

Hard to believe that in less than three hours we will be giving hugs and kisses to Elder Green!

Where did those two years go by???!!!

We are EXCITED to greet him at the Salt Lake City Airport at

4:20 PM today.

I'll post some welcome home photos tomorrow.

WELCOME HOME J.J.!!!!!!!!!!

31 May 2010

Hi Family!!

Thanks for the great emails and birthday wishes! It feels really weird to be writing my very last email to you as a missionary... Not really sure where to start..

My birthday was great yesterday. The members that we ate lunch with made me lasagna and another Mexican dish that was really good. They put balloons up all over, sang to me and even covered me in confetti. It was really kind of them to go all out for me. Then at the end of the food they pulled out a cake and we enjoyed that. Of course they had to do the "mordida" like they always do on birthdays which means "bite". That's where I go take a bite of the cake and they shove my face in it! Got it all up in my nose. Haha. And then the birthday person cuts the cake for everyone and serves them. It was a fun day. In the evening we went with a different family, the one we ate with when Shawkey and his parents came. They made us a late dinner and had a cake and everything. So of course I got my face shoved in that one as well... ;) Overall, it was a very enjoyable birthday. Mission President Fuentes with Elder Green.

Sounds like the remodeling of the bathroom will be quite a task but I'm sure it'll look completely different when it's done. That'll be really nice to have. Thanks Dad for getting everything ready on my bike. I also hope that you don't have to leave on 8 June on business, I'd really enjoy riding with you. But if you do then I understand and we'll go riding as soon as you get back. I can't wait to hop back up on that bad boy! :)

The plan for June 7th sounds great to me. We'll hang in the airport for a while, no hurry there. Then go to the Stake President's home to get released. I'm assuming that isn't a very long appointment. And then back to Green Gardens for crock pot chicken with the family. Sounds perfect! Can't wait. Feel free to extend the invite to some close ward members as well. Like Jamie Pruden and maybe some old leaders that I had. I'd enjoy seeing them as well.

To answer Mom's question, the DL's and ZL's in the mission are about half and half. Half American and half Natives, just depends really. Most of mine have been natives though. I'm not sure if I grew any taller or not.. maybe a little wider though.. haha. Elder Gardner, J.J.'s comp Elder Gonzalez , Elder Green and Elder Aylesworth.

My journey home will play out as follows: (As far as I know at least) On Sunday I will go to church in the morning. I don't think I have to be in the mission offices until around 4pm, but they haven't told me yet. So after church I will go eat, a new companion is coming that day I believe to stay with my comp. Then a member is going to take me to the mission offices and he'll drop me off there. I think that night I'll just be with the secretaries. I will NOT have a final interview with Pres. because this pres doesn't do that. So I won't be able to get my temple recommend extended. Plus, I heard he only extends it for a few weeks. I'll have to do that when I get home. I could've done it earlier but it's too late now. Then, Monday morning the secretaries will drop me off at the airport and I'm on my own from there. And Monday evening I'll be in SLC. :) Cutting his birthday cake.

As to the work here. We have several people we're working with that should be able to get baptized in a few weeks or so. There is a young couple that needs to get married but as soon as they do that then they can be baptized. Also, the lady that was baptized two weeks ago, we are working with her family and they seem very interested. So I'm sure there will be progress there. There are several others too who are progressing slowly, but overall it's been a really good baptism for me. I think I had 9 just in this ward alone. It's great to go to church Sunday and see the Gospel Principles class full of all my recent converts. It's been a successful area for me and I've really enjoyed it.

Thank you Dad for all the info on the airplane. I'm sure everything will be fine, no worries there. Thanks for answering my questions.

The members J.J. spent his birthday with.

We had our zone conference last Wednesday. It was President's last one along with mine. He said his goodbye and talked a lot about respecting the new mission president and following his council. Then he said his goodbye and we took a photo with the whole zone. I was also able to get one last picture with him since I think that was the last time I will ever see him.

I got a few letters last week from you all. One from Chez, one from Shantaye, and one that didn't have anyone's name on it... I think it was from Mom though. I'll check this week to see if any last ones arrive. Am said she sent a letter out to me but I'm pretty sure it won't get to me in time. I don't think she planned ahead enough. Maybe they can forward it to our home, not sure on that. But thank you very much for the letters! They were great to read.

The zone Culturas.

We had our meeting in the morning today instead of in the afternoon like usual. I got my last pictures with everyone and said my goodbyes. I took my suit into the dry cleaner's afterwards so it will be all ready to go.

Thank you Mom and Dad for everything that you've done for me while I've been here. It's been a great experience overall. Had some tough times but that is normal. I learned a lot and my testimony grew a great amount and I'm very grateful for that. Thanks for all your love and support. I don't know any other missionary here who's BOTH parents wrote him an email EVERY single week for two years. Thank you so much for that! You've been a great support to me on my mission. I can't thank you enough for that. I love you all more than you know and I can't wait to see you all again! The time was long but it went by very fast. Crazy how that happened. But I feel very pleased with my mission and I'm happy to be coming back home to you all. I know I'll miss this place a lot along with all of the great people I met.

Thanks for everything Mom and Dad. You're the greatest! I can't wait to see you on Monday and give you a huge hug! I am very, very, very excited to see you all as well on 7 June. This week is going to fly by!

Well, I think that's about all. I will SEE you all next week. Hope you have a great week. I love you very much!

Love,

Elder Green

24 May 2010

Hi Family,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I can't believe I will be 21 years old... that's dang old... :) Should be a fun day. The family that we eat with on Sunday, one of their daughters has her birthday the 29th, so I think they're getting a cake for both of us or something and are making a good food. And then that evening I'm going with another family and they're making a cake and dinner for me. So it should be an enjoyable day. I will be sure to take photos and send them to you.

When are you planning on starting the remodeling of the downstairs bathroom? I'm sure that will look a lot better with a new bathroom. Bummer that the Lakers and Celtics are doing so well. I wanted the Magic and Suns to go to the finals, I don't like the Celtics or Lakers at all. I'm not sure who I can't stand more, Kobe or Paul Pierce... NOT a fan of either team. But oh well.

The night the Shawkey family visited J.J.'s area.

Thanks for taking my bike in for a "race tune-up", that will be nice to ride. If Dad has to go out of town then that's no problem, I understand. I'm sure I'll find someone to go with. Going with Ron would be fine with me. Doesn't Jay still ride some too? I'm just excited to get on a bike again more than anything. Might be tempted to go out the night I get home and tear up Flat Iron a little bit.. ;) haha. JK!

I'm glad you were able to talk with the Stake President. The plan for June 7th sound great to me. Go from the airport to President Tearlink's home for my release. Then back to our house. Sounds great. I'm not sure what I want for my first dinner home. I'd like crock pot chicken but I think that'd be better with just our family, so maybe the second or third day home. Just whenever you'd like.

The whole group with the Shawkey family.

Glad that our August trip is all planned out now. The Book of Mormon tour sounds really great. Elder Shawkey went to the pyramids with his family and he said it was awesome. That we definitely have to go there when we come back. And he told me about some other cool places, but we can plan that out once I'm home.

Spanish is a fun language. I'll be sure to do what I can to be able to keep it up. Maybe order the Spanish channel on TV? Haha. Oh, I forgot to tell you. I saw Set's brother at changes on Tuesday. He's doing really great. It was neat to talk to him again.

Elder Green, Elder Shawkey and Elder Johnson. AKA "The Tripod".

Elder Hoyt said he is coming to my homecoming. I think another elder, Elder Graff who was from my generation but went home after six months, I think he might come too. It'd be really cool to see him again. And I plan on going to some homecomings of the other elders from my MTC district. I am still in contact with them and told them that I'd like to come to their homecomings.

Thanks for the World Cup updates. Any idea what time the games will be at? Will we have to wake up at 3am to watch them? The reimbursements that I never got back was for the gas/hot water in our house. It was about 180 pesos that I never saw again. But I think it was the ZL who might've not sent it in. But oh well. The ZL's don't really seem to care about getting letters out or reimbursements in... We just got a new one and he's way cool, probably the best I've had. His name is Elder Cardenas. I'll be sure to get photos with everyone that I want before I go home. I did get a little bit of transportation money this week so that will help.

Elder Green and Elder Steed at transfers. J.J. said "I just love that guy. He's a stud."

Good luck Dad with your colonoscopy. I hope that went well and wasn't too painful. I will be sure to give away all the stuff that I won't be taking home. I've already found quite a few people who can use the stuff I'm leaving, so there's no problem there.

I'm excited to see everyone again the evening I get home. You can just invite the extended family and whoever wants to come. Thanks for inviting Phil. You can also tell Trevor Boulter, I've talked to him a little bit lately.

I weighed myself one last time and surprisingly I only weighed 175 lbs. I think when I entered the MTC I was at 174 and left at 176. If I remember right. So overall in my mission I ended gaining only one extra pound. Even though it went up and down a lot in those two years.

I have a question. Am I allowed to bring toothpaste on the airplane? I know that I can't bring liquids or aerosol cans and things like that, but I wasn't sure on the toothpaste. Any last questions for me because next week will be the last time that I can write back to you. My last Monday I won't be able to go to Internet (obviously). I might be able to check my email in the offices Sunday night, but I'm not sure on that. But if you have any questions just let me know! :)

I love you all very much! Thanks again for the birthday wishes. Should be a great day. I'll talk to you all next week for the last time. Can't wait to see you all in two weeks! I love you!

Love,

Elder Green

17 May 2010

Hello Again Family,

It sure was great to talk to you last Sunday. I hope Mom had a nice Mother's Day. I also hope that Shantaye had a great birthday this weekend. Tell her happy birthday for me. :)

Thank you Dad for getting the bike in the shop. You asked on the phone when I wanted to go riding. Well, I get home on Monday afternoon... I was thinking maybe Wednesday morning we're out in the desert riding. But just a thought. :) I'd like to go as soon as possible with you.

Glad to hear that the Cancun trip is all planned out. The tour of the ruins sounds like a really good idea. I'm glad we'll do that. I'm getting excited for that trip, it should be lots of fun.

I also hope to be able to keep my language as long as possible. I will work on that when I get home so that I never forget it. I like Spanish a lot, it's fun to speak.

From what I know, the investigators have to go to Church at least one time before they can get baptized. But I don't think there is a set number or rule or anything. We were able to have two baptisms on Saturday morning. We received a reference of a lady who lives in our boundaries. She had gone to two different chapels but couldn't find the right one that corresponded to her. So we started teaching her on Tuesday, along with her 9 year old son. She was a golden investigator and was so happy to have us in her home teaching her. She is currently going through a divorce so it's been a hard time for her.

We continued teaching her all last week and on Saturday she was ready to be baptized. The fastest baptism I've had in my mission. 4 days after we started teaching she was baptized. Her son has a little bit of ADD but is a really cute kid. He was also baptized with his Mom and he really enjoyed it.

I baptized the Mom and my companion baptized the son. I will send you some pictures. Their full names are Mara Selene Ronquillo Torees. And the son is Julio Cesar Gutierrez Ronquillo. Being able to find and teach them made this week really great.

I also have the full names of Brenda and Hugo. Their names are Hugo Chaga Santana and Brenda Jussethe Aguilrea Sanchez. So now you have all the names of my baptisms I believe. Sorry it took so long to get those to you.

Transfers were yesterday and we found out that my companion and I are staying together. He'll be the one I finish with which is really cool because we get along great. We were both really happy about changes. They came early this time, about 5 PM because one of the assistants is from Peru and he went home last night, so they had to do them early.

Lots of people went home today. Elder Hoyt is in the airplane as we speak. I talked to him on the phone a lot this weekend and it was sad to say goodbye. But he said he'll come to my homecoming talk. Also, Elder Shawkey finished his mission but his parents flew in Saturday evening and are here with him right now. They are coming to my area tonight and we are all eating with some members, should be a fun night. He goes home Friday I believe.

I put those letters in the Pouch for Aunt Theo and G & G Barlow, but I found out the ZL's didn't send them out last week. So they should go out this week. I hope they get there quickly, if not then I may beat the letters home. But just a heads up there.

It's been cold and rainy here this week, but sounds like you are getting the same weather there. The World Cup is coming soon. Everyone here is getting excited about that. Is there anyway to check what times the games are? Mostly the Mexico game and the USA game, those are the two I will want to watch for sure.

Hard to believe that Shantaye is now a teenager! Time sure flies by. It's even harder to believe that I will only write two more emails to you as a missionary! :/ Because the last Monday I will be in the airplane all day and won't be able to write (obviously). Time sure goes by fast.

Sorry about taking more money out of my account. The mission never gave me the reimbursements (sp?) that I sent in. I also don't know if I will get any more money from the mission or not. Since I won't be here for all of the month of June they won't give me my monthly money. Transportation money is supposed to arrive this week but we'll see if they give me any or not. Seems that when missionaries go home they usually don't get any money from the mission. But just a heads up there as well.

Thank you Mom for looking up the info on Dixie College. Seems to be fairly cheap. I will have to decide all that when I get home in a few weeks. I'm definitely feeling a lot less pressure about coming home like you said Mom. I'm excited to see you all again after such a long time. Can't believe that I come home in three weeks though. I will for sure miss this place.

That's about all from this week. I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you next Monday. I love you very much. Thanks again for the emails, love and support. You're the best!

Love,

Elder Green