J.J.'s Mission

15 December 2008

J.J. is doing well as he always says he is. His Dad told him about the snow we received this past weekend. J.J. said "that's cool to hear about the snow... I forgot what snow is." He wants his family to take lots of pictures of the Sugar Bowl (Utah vs. Alabama) so he can see what it was like.

He and his companion are now making plans to be at someones home on Christmas Eve around 7:00 or 8:00PM. He'll give us the telephone number then we can call and talk to him. He said "we can talk as long as we'd like to pay". So I am guessing it will be a half hour call for sure. I am going to have his sister call him from Taiwan too as she'll want to say hello.

He is excited to receive the Christmas package we have sent him. A bunch of goodies, a Christmas stocking, and more goodies. We told him he could open it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Either one is fine by us. His Dad remembers the care package from home that were sent to him in Thailand. John's Mom and sister sent a few care packages. Man was it GREAT getting care packages from home in Thailand! Of course J.J.'s Dad didn't have a WalMart (still don't) in Thailand back then. J.J. has a WalMart in his Zone.

J.J. says "I'm excited for my package and to talk to you all, but then I want Christmas to pass. This month is hard because nobody wants to listen and lots of people go out of town and things like that." Seems the Lord's work has slowed down this month for them. Let's hope it picks up in January. J.J. will have been out on his mission six months on Christmas Day. 1/4 of the way completed. Where did the time go by???!!! Keep up the GREAT work Elder Green!!!

He still has no appliances whatsoever in the house. Well that's not really true. He has an iron that they plug into the wall to heat their water to take a bath. But other than that - two beds, a foldout table and two foldout chairs. Pretty sparse living conditions. But welcome to the missionary life! He doesn't think they'll ever get anymore appliances at this place. He says "that's ok I can survive no problem". He says he is glad his Mom doesn't worry about him. She told him so again in her e-mail again today. Because he says he worries that his Mom is worrying about him. But all is well. We know he is doing the work of the Lord and if he is faithful and true he will continue to be protected by the Lord.

He says he'd love to go back to Mexico one day after his mission. He said he would give his parents "a little tour of my mish". And then of course we would head to one of the beach cities such as Cancun or the like. What a fun trip that would be. Hopefully his Mom and Dad can arrange this soon after his mission.

He was able to get one of his investigators and her two year old daughter to Church this past Sunday. His comp and he were late (comp is always late J.J. says) for Church. As they walked into Sacrament meeting the two year old investigator's daughter called out really loud "Papa, Papa" to J.J. That's what she calls J.J So the whole Ward heard her. It was funny that it happened right at the start of Sacrament Meeting. The whole Ward laughed at "Papa J.J.".

He spoke in Sacrament this past Sunday too. It was on missionary work. He said it went really well. He was told Saturday night that he was to speak and they gave him a topic. He talked about how every member is a missionary and had some really good "scripts" from the Doctrine and Covenants that he used.

Last Thursday they did divisions with the Zone Leaders (ZL's). One Elder goes with one ZL and the other Elder goes with the other ZL. He was able to go teaching with Elder Acosta again. J.J. learns a lot from Elder Acosta and how he teaches. He says "I really love how he (Elder Acosta) teaches and I'll take any chance I get to do splits with anyone else, since my comp is... so-so". J.J really liked his first companion Elder Crispin. Seems he is not so pleased with his second comp Elder Gutierrez. But that is part of being a missionary...

And this past Friday morning they had a District activity where all the Elders from the District go to one companionship's area and tracts and teaches. He said it was pretty fun because they get to mix up the companionships. And Friday for the "comida" or meal at 2:00 PM they have each day, they ate with the ZL's since they share the area and speak English. He was asked to pray on the meal and they told him to pray in English. J.J. said "It was really, really hard. I was stuttering and couldn't remember how to do it really". He didn't think it would be so hard. But that is a good sign as he is getting fully engulfed in the Spanish language. Way to go Elder Green!

This past Friday was a big holiday in Mexico. It is called Fiesta of the Virgin Guadalupe. They believe that the Virgin Guadalupe came to visit a man in Mexico and that she is the Virgin Mary who came to the Americas to visit the people here. They had an excellent article in the Deseret News last Friday explaining all about this Mexican holiday.

J.J. says Thursday night the were "shooting of like huge cannons or something every five minutes. Not sure what they were but they were loud!" They did it until 2:00 AM so it was sure tough to sleep. A major holiday in Mexico for sure. Seems they worship the Virgin Guadalupe more than they worship God. He says "only in Mexico...".

He was pleased to receive a postcard from his Dad. He said "if you ever find postcards of the beach you should send those, I like hanging pictures of the beach up sometimes Hehe". Last Saturday they had a Ward activity that the Zone Leaders planned. The did a visual of the Plan of Salvation. Funny as J.J.'s father did this SAME thing on his mission. Things haven't changed much in 26 years have they?!

Anyway J.J. said it was really cool. Each room represented a different part and the members helped us and brought someone they knew who wasn't a member. So it was successful and he enjoyed it. They decorated the rooms and gave a short explanation in each one. He and his comp had the Spirit World.

He said "it was a good week, went by fast". Next week will be Christmas and then it will be "changes already". The ZL Elder Acosta thinks J.J. will be leaving. But you never know until the Sunday night phone call. But I can read in his e-mails that he is eager for a new area and a new companion. And maybe a house with some appliances in it!

J.J. was just going to look at the pictures his Dad sent him of our Christmas home decorations and all the Christmas lights on the house including the 10 foot tall block U (University of Utah!!!) on the garage roof made from red Christmas lights that has been a tradition for many years.