17 November 2008 e-mail from J.J.

Posted 21 November from Bangkok, Thailand

This will be his last week with Elder Crispin. J.J. is staying put and getting a new companion. He wanted to move to a new area but it is not to be. He got a new companion this past Tuesday. We hope all is well with his new companion!

J.J.'s Mom and Dad are in Bangkok, Thailand right now. Our good friend Lhing is getting married this Sunday. J.J. said his favorite family vacation was to Thailand last December hanging out on the beaches of southern Thailand. He says the weather is varying a lot lately. Some days cold and some days hot. He says "you never know what you're going to get when it comes to weather". He says it doesn't seem like it is getting close to Christmas with the weather and all.

J.J. had sheep to eat twice this week. He said he didn't like it at all. Even when he "hides" it in a tortilla. He had it two days in a row and did not enjoy it. First time he has said anything negative about the food he has been eating the past three months.

Last Saturday six missions (four from Mexico City, Cauranavca and Puebla) in the Mexico City area went to the Azteca Stadium for a huge LDS gathering related to the re-dedication of the Temple. The Elders and Sisters sang with everyone. Then Elder Eyring spoke. Then "President Monson spoke and it was amazing. I loved it so much! I had the best feeling ever. You can't deny the truth of it when you feel like that, just simple amazing. Words can't describe how strong the Spirit was there."

President Monson's talk was funny too J.J. said. President Monson sang a solo in Spanish that he had learned in his high school Spanish class. President Monson said that was the first time he has ever sang a solo in a conference. After the talks there were culture events and lots of people did some dancing. Then all the missionaries went down and sang.

Last Sunday the Elders and Sisters were able to attend the re-dedication ceremony of the Mexico City Temple. He said it was "really cool to hear the Prophet again and see how it all works". Since Saturday was so busy they had to postpone their baptism for a week.

He says they haven't had water in their apartment for four days now. "It is a pain but we are getting by. It just isn't much fun." His new companion is Elder Gutierrez. We are wondering if he is related to our neighbor Brother Gutierrez who is from Mexico City, He said next week he'll tell us all about his new companion.

Sorry no photos this week. Guess J.J. was too busy to send us any. We sure LOVE the photos!

12 November e-mail from J.J.

Yesterday (Wednesday, 12 November) Elder Green let us know that all is fine in Mexico City. He addressed this week's e-mail as "Mamma and Papa Bear and family" and says "things are going well here". It is the last week before changes - a change of area and/or a change of companions. He says he is nervous for his next companion and if he will leave the area or not. He'll find out this Sunday. Then the changes occur on Tuesday. He'd like to move to a new area but he'll serve wherever.

He was excited about the Utah football success. He says "that is so sweet! Of course I'm not home this season they are doing good, but it's all good". He thinks it is weird we have put up our Christmas lights already (last Saturday because it was a nice sunny day!). He says it doesn't feel like Christmas because it is so warm. He said yesterday was "very hot". Rain season is now over. He said he can't believe it's November already. Christmas Day he will be exactly six months on his mission.

He explained the Halloween Joker faces. Elder Crispin and J.J. "bought the face paint off the street for like 40 cents and we did it ourselves". We think they did an excellent job on their faces as per the photos I posted last week. Always fun to enjoy the holidays while serving on a mission. J.J. says he is able to understand almost everything in Spanish when it comes to the Gospel. Its just the other stuff that's a little harder. The language is "coming along more and more each day".

He says he still enjoys the foods and it is "usually different every meal there is lots of variety". He doesn't know the names of the food very well. But with all the variety it doesn't get boring he says. He does get a chance to work out (exercise) some. He bought a jump rope and his companion has weights they lift.

The Temple trips were pretty fun but very long. They had to work two days to help with all the visitors. One day they had to assist at the Temple from 11 AM until 10 PM. Then they have a two hour travel back to their apartment. So much for the 10PM rule to be in their house that night! He was able to go through the Temple several more times with an investigator and helping people in wheelchairs. But they were "long, long days".

Last week he had another baptism. The mother of Yessenia - one of the young girls they baptized a few weeks ago. If we are counting right this is baptism # 9.

Baptism of Edith Usdriano Apolinar the week of

3 November 2008

They have been working with one lady for a long time. This lady dreamed about the Elders and that she should go to Church. She has a little girl who hadn't been sleeping well during the nights. J.J. and his companion gave here a Priesthood blessing. Ever since then the little girl sleeps great. J.J. said "two great signs but then she didn't go to Church". Finally a few weeks ago she started attending Church which made the Elders feel awesome. Last Friday they took her on a tour of the Temple. Then they went to the Visitors Center and watched the movie Testaments (which J.J. says he "LOVES"). Right after the movie their investigator said she wanted to be baptized! They have two scheduled baptisms for this Saturday.

This Saturday the Prophet will be in a huge stadium speaking to all the members in the Mexico City area. The Elders and Sisters from the four Mexico City missions will attend. They are going to sing Called To Serve during the Prophet's talk. Then Sunday they get to attend the re-dedication of the Mexico City Temple. It should be "really cool" J.J. says. He'll tell us more about it next week.

This past Sunday J.J. arrived to Church and they were told it was the week for the Elders to speak in Sacrament Meeting. So J.J. planned his talk at the beginning of Sacrament Meeting. He said "boy was I nervous because it was in Spanish". His companion told him that the Mission President had told them if they don't know what to say to talk about the first lesson they teach investigators. So that's what he did. He spoke about the first two principles of the Gospel with some scripture references. "It went really well. Not too long but it was OK". His first talk on his mission!

This past week he saw a funny billboard and totally thought of Thailand. The billboard said "Es lo mismo pero no es egual". Translated it means it's the same but it's not equal. It reminded him of the "Same same but different" saying from Thailand. He thought that was funny.

He ends with "Well that is about it from this past week and a half. I am doing great. I love you all. Cuidense mucho!"

J.J's 4 November 2008 e-mail and photos
J.J. is excited for our new Ward Bishopric. He says it "sounds way awesome". He said he didn't even know that the new 2nd counselor "even owned a suit!" He was J.J.'s Young Men's President. We have always seen him at Church in only a shirt and tie with NO jacket.

A day at the Mexico City Temple with members and new converts.

J.J. and his companion have been able to go to the Temple twice now with members and investigators. He said it was "very enjoyable". The Elders from his Zone also have to go the Temple and help out with the visitors going to the open house. They direct traffic and help out any way they can. He is really hoping he can go to the re-dedication. He says "the Temple is very pretty and I enjoyed getting a tour of the inside".

Jokers from the movie Batman.

For Halloween he and his companion painted up their faces like the Joker on Batman. They went to a member's home that night and cooked food all together. In Mexico the kids go out on November 1st to Trick or Treat. But other than that is was like Halloween in the USA he said.

Eating tortillas at a member's home on Halloween.
Dana - one of the cutest girls in his Ward.

J.J. thinks he will get transferred in two weeks. He will have been in this area for three months now. His companion will stay in the area - at least that is what his companion has heard. But it's nothing official J.J. said. Elder Crispin goes home from his mission the beginning of February.

He said he was eager to know when the Utah vs. BYU game is. He knows it is this month, just not sure when (22 November). But just as important is tomorrow's game that Utah has against TCU. Utah is ranked # 9 in the nation and TCU is ranked # 10 in the nation. Let's hope the home field advantage will help Utah out tomorrow night. It is going to be a TOUGH game that's for sure!

News and photos from J.J.'s e-mail dated

28 October 2008

J.J. had his Zone Conference this week (27 October). It was over 5 hours long! His Mission President really likes to talk a lot. But they were able to do some role playing and other things too.

Last Tuesday (21 October) they set up a table on the street to contact people and gave out free photos and pamphlets. He said it was "pretty successful". J.J. is also eager to hear who our new Bishopric is in our Ward as their is going to be a change in Bishops (2 November).

Elder Crispin and Elder Green on the street handing out Church photos and pamphlets.

J.J. and his companion were able to have two more baptisms. J.J. was able to baptize the two young girls. They are the great granddaughters of the lady they baptized two weeks ago. He said "it was really cool". He said he would send us more details and stories about them later.

J.J., Nataly Hernandez Cuchillo, Yessenia Cuchillo Apolinar and Elder Crispin.

J.J. has been experiencing with new hairstyles on his mission. I guess it breaks up the day to day routine. And he is getting a lot of sun each day if it isn't raining. He says it has been raining about every day.

The Mexico City Temple is now open after a major renovation. He is planning to go visit the Temple with members and/or investigators soon. The Temple re-dedication is next month. The missionaries are hoping they will be able to attend.

J.J. was able to have his first Dr. Pepper since being on his mission (his Dad's favorite drink!). He said they offer it at 7-Elevens. They didn't offer it in the MTC and hadn't found it until this week. He says it was really good!

He said they eat "lots of tortillas here, not so much beans and rice so when you think of Mexico think of tortillas. Every meal they have them". He doesn't mind the tortillas and says they aren't too bad. If he doesn't like the food much he just "shoves it in a tortilla and you can't taste it much".

News and photos from J.J.'s e-mail dated

20 October 2008

Well as you can see, I have failed to keep J.J.'s blog up to date. But I had a good reason. I was in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan the past two weeks. I tried to update the blog on 23 October while in Thailand. But everything came up in the Thai language on his blog site! Didn't want to mess everything up. Hence, you have to wait. Sorry!

Elder Green and Elder Sorensen

J.J. confirmed he has received all four packages we sent. They took a while to arrive to him but all have made it so far - knock on wood. So we are pleased with that. He received a necktie from his sister (living in Taiwan) that had Chinese writing on it. He said he got lots of compliments wearing it to church. He was also able to watch the video of his cousin Clarke coming home to the SLC Airport from his mission to Brazil. J.J. said "I was almost crying through it, I can't believe he is home already".

Elder Crispen and Elder Green

They have some new investigators coming to Church. He is excited for that. He says there are 7 zones in his mission with currently 190 missionaries of which 15 are Sister missionaries. There are no Sister missionaries in his area. He has one Elder from Argentina and one elder from Bulgaria serving in his Zone.

Elder Crispen, Elder Sorensen, Elder Leija and Elder Green ready to watch General Conference.

J.J. was excited to hear some worldly news from us that the Utes (University of Utah football team) are still doing great. He said "that's awesome" and was pleased to hear that the Real Salt Lake soccer team had made the playoffs. He was even more excited to get e-mails from his siblings - all three of them!

Ward Members with Elder Green.

J.J. gave us a brief look at what his mission life is like. He says they get up and have personal and companion study time for three hours each morning. Then he goes to "citas" or appointments if they have some. In between those "citas" they contact people and knock on doors. They are back to the house around 9 or 10 PM.

J.J.'s bed (go Utes!) and his "closet" he rigged up.

He does like reading this blog when he has time. He had a Zone party recently that was a lot of fun. He mentioned again what a big help Elder Sorensen was for him before Elder Sorensen went home. In fact Elder Sorensen even gave J.J. his cell phone before he left for home. Seems that all the missionaries have cell phones. I guess the mission President bought 90 cell phones this past year and gave them to the native missionaries. The gringos had to go out and purchase their own. Nice of Elder Sorensen to pass his on his cell phone to J.J. - thanks Elder Sorensen!

Teaching area.

J.J. did send us (hand delivered from Elder Sorensen - thanks!) a parent letter that he wrote to his Mom and Dad. We can say that that letter is PRICELESS. As Connie Jo said - parental payback! What a wonderful letter to receive from a child. It made us both bring instant tears to our eyes as we read it. Thank you very much J.J. for being such a WONDERFUL son!!!

Eating a quesadilla he bought off the street.

J.J. loves the e-mails he receives and is very happy to hear from family and friends. He is doing a good job of sending us photos, some of which I do post on this blog. We are very grateful for the photos so we can see how he looks and what his mission life is like.