22 June 2009

Hi Family.

Another week went by, and it was a wet one. Sounds like you've been having about the same type of weather as me, POORING rain. But it was kinda fun also. We just carry our umbrellas around and we don't get too wet. Almost every day this week it rained in the afternoon. The mornings are hot but then at around 3 or 4 it gets cloudy and rains in the evening. Last night there was SO much rain that the streets were almost getting flooded. I wished I had my Explorer to go drive through the puddles and makes big waves, I always loved doing that.

I'm glad Dad had a good time out at Delle last week, sounds like the whole crew went. I think it would be cool if Chez got a 4 wheeler and went riding with us, as long as he's with us then I'm happy, the more people that come the more fun it is :) So if Chez is into that then that would be sweet. I have some friends who prefer quads over bikes. I'll tell ya one thing, he'd probably school us in the sand dunes on a quad if we all went. Haha. Also glad that Dad liked the 450, really glad. Hopefully he'll use it permanently and we can find me a new one ;)

I got Dad's letter this weekend, thank you very much! I liked it so much that I wrote back to it in a hand written letter, but it won't go out for a week or so. But just so you know. I'm excited to get letters from family members each week, that seems like a great idea to me. Good idea Dad!

Funny that Dad didn't like the city of Tuscan, but it sounds like the food is about the same. It's fairly dirty here as well, even where they cook the food on the streets, but I've never gotten sick from it. Crazy about the Angel Moroni getting hit by lightning, has that ever happened before?? Was it faced in the wrong direction to make someone upstairs mad or something? Just kidding :)

I'm excited for Am to go through the temple soon! She's going through the Draper temple right? If I remember correctly...

We asked for a fan for our house, so we'll see if it ever comes or not. We also asked for a stove so we can cook a little bit, they said it should come in Pouch this Wednesday, but we'll see if it ever arrives or not.

I'm excited for our vacation next year. It would be cool if the whole family went, but if it's only Mom, Dad and I then that would be fine also. Just whatever you decide works dandy for me.

I'm glad Mom survived her Sacrament talk. I can't believe Kory is leaving already, that year really flew by. I'm excited for him. Yes, I complete one year in a few days, crazy. I don't think I'll do anything special, just work. At six months I burnt a tie, and supposedly at one year you burn a shirt... But I'm not going to do that, don't worry Mom :)

We don't walk in all parts of the area because it is so big, we just choose a little colony that we are going to work in for the week and focus there. We didn't have any one in Church again this weekend, bummer. Friday night there was a big activity in the chapel for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Child's Day. It was all postponed because of the Flu Virus that hit. It was a fun activity, we got a few referrals from there. The members give us some referrals, but not much. One member said he has some for us this week so we are going to go visit him.

I'm glad you asked about if I needed anything, I was actually going to ask you today anyways. I need some journals, I can't find good ones here and we won't go to the temple for quite a while. In fact, I haven't been in months and my journal is just about filled up, got like 10 pages left is all. If you could send 2 of the missionary journals, the blue ones, they're about 8 inches by 5 inches, more or less, that is a guess. But around that size.

If Am remembers which one she got my for my birthday last year, that is the one I'd like. 2 of those will last me the rest of my mission, thank you. Also, some chap stick would be nice. I'm about out. Just 2 or so should be sufficient. I like the Natural Ice that Mom always buys. Also, I need more Advil, just a regular size bottle will be fine. I also need some envelopes please :) Just regular ones to send letters and pictures to people. I think that is all I need, hope it's not too much. Hehe. Thank you very much :) I appreciate it greatly!

Last weekend there was a SWEET car expo in my area. But I mean way sweet. We saw all these old classic cars driving by and were wondering what was up. We saw tons of classics that looked really nice, even some way classic Porsches. And then later in the day we saw some exotics drive by. We saw three Porsches go by together, one was a white GT3, it was so nice. And then we even saw this murdered out (all black) Lamborghini, and many others also. If it was a Monday we would've gone to it, but it cost 150 pesos also and we're way low on money. They won't give us more until next Monday. Plus our gas just about ran out so we might have cold showers until we get paid again.

On Saturday I was able to visit Adriana and her daughter, the lady who got baptized from my last area. We had to go down to that area because the ZL's needed an interview and my comp. had to do it. And the interview was real close to her house so I stopped by and visited them. They are doing great, still going to church which is awesome. I was excited to see them for a few minutes.

So there are all this news going around that North Korea is planning on attacking the US. Is that true? Not sure if you've heard anything about that. Like North Korea is planning on nuking Hawaii or something like that. ?? Not sure if it's true or not.

The people up here in Whisky have lots of traditions and don't like to change, I think that's why it's hard to have much success up here. They've all been raised in the Catholic church for generations and generations, very traditional up here.

I'll try to upload some photos to you real quick. Thanks for the emails. I love you all! Have a great week.

Love,
Elder Green

J.J. with his new fo-hawk hairdo.

More of the fo-hawk and his new sunglasses.

J.J. with his new fo-hawk and new sunglasses he purchased.

J.J.'s District right before Elder Cook left. An excellent District!

More of the same house.

Creepy house with lots of dolls hanging up all over.

Elder Cook and Green eating some way good tacos off the street right next to the Chapel.

Elder Green SAD to see Elder Cook go home...

Elder Cook and Elder Green - just before Elder Cook headed to the mission office and home.

15 June 2009

Hi family! Sounds like you had a pretty exciting week. I can't believe it's summer already, I'm going to complete one year here in a week or two, pretty crazy how fast the time goes by. This is the weekend of changes, but my comp. and I are staying together here in Whisky for another 6 weeks which is cool. I was excited about that because we get along really well, and maybe now I'll be able to see some fruits of all the work I've done in these last six weeks. Six weeks of working extremely hard and the most success we had was one person in church, and that's it. The ZL's definitely left us a really tough area, but we're going to keep working hard and hopefully bring it up some.

So Am has a few months to get ready and doesn't have to rush, that's kinda nice. I'm way excited for her, especially since she's speaking Spanish! Kory will be leaving soon as well, that came up way fast. I hope Dad and him have fun riding this week, enjoy my old bike Pops! ;) This year has flown by! I still remember perfectly the Hodson Family Reunion from last year, feels like it was just last month.

Elder Cook went home today and so his comp. stayed with us for the weekend and tomorrow he'll go get his new companion. I took some pics of Cook and I but I didn't bring my cable to upload pics, sorry. We came to internet before we were planning so I don't have the right stuff, but I'll send them next week.

Last night the whole zone got together and a member had us over to eat dinner and cake and just relax, it was a fun night. I was able to buy some running shoes and also a Mexico soccer jersey.

This week it has been fairly hot, the hottest I've felt since I've been in Mexico. It won't start raining for another month or two they say, and it's supposed to get even hotter still. Not to excited for that but oh well.

Some good news though... I weighed myself again this week just out of curiosity, because my comp. and I go running or go to the gym each morning extra early, and all the walking in the heat makes me sweat, so I thought I'd check. I weigh as much as I weighed when I left for my mission! Haha. Everything I gained in 10 months, I lost all in this area in 6 weeks. So I was happy about that for sure :)

We don't have a fan in our apartment but at night it stays pretty cool. There's no mosquitoes here either, I think there is too much pollution for them to live, not sure, but I've never seen any.

We had interviews with the Prez two weeks ago, but it was really short. We have found lots of great people, but then when we go back the next time something seems to change and they fall away, so it's hard for them to progress.

I think it'd be fun to plan a trip here next year, I've already told my comp. about it a little so we can hopefully meet up with him in Cancun and he'll show us around. I'm excited for that. Bummer Am won't be with us, but I can't go this year and it sounds like lots of fun, so it evens out.

I got a few birthday cards from people which was cool. One from Grandma, Aunt Theo, the Steels... I got 10 letters this week in pouch, that's an all time record for me for sure :)

I love you all! Thanks for the emails! I love hearing from you. Have a great week!

Elder Green

9 June 2009

Elder Green said he was very busy this P-day. He was not able to e-mail us. We so depend on his e-mails each Monday. But on Tuesday after 8:00 PM he did send two short e-mails to his Mom and Dad. Then a few minutes later he sent us some photos that I have added into this e-mail.

So this blog entry will have few words and lots of photos.

But don’t we just love photos?!

To his Mom:

Hi mom. We didn’t have time to write yesterday, and today we only have like 20 minutes... so I could barely read the two emails from you and that's it. I'll see if we'll get more time to write back, but I love you. Tell Am congrats! That's awesome she got her call. Just let me know when she leaves. Sorry this is short, I don't have anything of time to write really.

Love you!J.J.

To his Dad:

Hello family! I have a little time so I will try to write you real quick. Sounds like you had a pretty good week. I can't believe that summer is already, time is going by fast. My birthday was lots of fun last week, I'll try to send you some pics real quick tonight of me with my cake. I got a flash drive so I will try to figure it out and start saving my photos onto that. That's funny that Am gave Mom a hard time for typing the wrong name, but she did it again. Haha. She said "Amberlee is off to Union" but it's Shantaye :) This week was pretty tough, and we didn't have any investigators in church again this weekend. This area is really really hard, but we're doing everything we can. The zone conference went really well, it wasn't just all talking this time, they seem to be improving a lot now. This past week it's actually been really hot with no rain, but it just barely started raining tonight which is nice. They say it's going to get even hotter still, so we'll see. Tell Am congrats!! That is way exciting for her, I'm really excited. Sorry it wasn't out of the country, that's what I guessed was going to happen, but at least it's Spanish speaking like you wanted. Let me know how the MTC curb drop-off goes, seems weird to me and a little confusing. And let me know when Am leaves, because no one told me. Thanks :) I think it'd be cool to come here next summer for our family vacation, and then off to Cancun. My comp. says that August is the best month for Cancun, it's empty, good weather, so that'd work nice. Well I don't have much time at all, sorry. I'll try to upload the pics real quick. I love you all!
Elder Green

Chocolate cake J.J. bought for his 20th birthday.

Holding his chocolate cake.

Ready to cut the cake.

Blow out those candles.

(actually used matches as that's all they had).

Mexican tradition!!! They push your face in the cake.

J.J. said it went "way up my nose!!"

J.J. said "it took two days to get it all out".

The two Elders and two Sisters in his District.

Sister missionaries wanted to take lots of fun pics.

More fun pics...

Sky view.

Sky view with fingers.

Submitted by J.J.’s Dad – 10 June ’09

1 June 2009

Hello family!

I had a great birthday, thank you for all of the birthday wishes. I bought a big chocolate, three milk cake, but we haven't had time to eat it yet, so I think we will eat it this afternoon before the junta. I will take pictures of that and send them to you next week.

On my birthday we just hung out with the district, and then watched a movie in our house which was really fun. But I didn't take any pictures, sorry. :( I'll take some today of when we eat the cake. I did get the I-tunes gift card, thank you so much! That was very nice to get.

I can't believe the kids are almost done with school, I didn't even realize it was almost summer time already! May went by really quick, and now it's already June. I can't believe how fast they are all growing up!

That's way sweet that Chez got his block H already, and only as a freshman. Just make sure he gets the size big enough so it'll fit him when he gets older, or at least to last him through high school. Mom said that Amberlee tried out for a soccer team... but I'm guess she meant Shantaye?? That's worse than saying the wrong name, but actually typing it! Haha. Just kidding Mom :) Don't worry.

I haven't looked at the mission pictures you sent, but I will. Thank you for sending them, that should be good enough. I'll think about getting a flash drive to save some pictures too, I just don't know how to do any of that stuff.

Yesterday, we didn't have any investigators in the chapel again. We are planning on baptizing a family of 4 and they said that they were going to go, but then never showed up... Big let down. The church is a good 20 minutes away, but from some places you have to take two buses, so it's expensive.

Hopefully we can baptize this change, only two weeks left. If we don't then we might stay together another change which would be cool. I really like my comp, he might be my favorite one so far. I've learned so so much from him, lots of Gospel things, ways to teach better, contact better, and lots of Spanish. It helps a ton that he speaks English too. If we go to Cancun maybe we could meet up with him and he'll help us out, show us the good spots or something like that, who knows.

Yes, I'm in my fourth area now. I've averaged about 2 changes per area, so we'll see what happens in two weeks. We also have zone conference this Wednesday so we'll see how that goes and I'll let you know next week. Both of our Ward Mission Leaders are 18 I think, and preparing for a mission which is really exciting.

The 750 Pesos barely held up, but just barely. I want to buy some running shoes because my comp. and I are doing lots of exercising, plus they'll be nice to have for the rest of my mission because my other ones hurt my feet. So I might take some more money out this week or today if that's ok.

I'm going to try to find cheap ones, like around 50 bucks, we'll see what I can find. I thought I was doing fairly well on my funds. The last updated list you sent me, I calculated it out and with the 100 dollars Grandma gives me, and the 10 from Aunt Kathi per month, I was exactly on. But I've been trying to be more careful, I didn't think I was that much over.

It's thundering way hard right now, a big rain storm is on it's way. Bummer Am didn't get her call yet, but I figured it'd be slower because she sent it from a far away country and all that. It's not like Utah where you can pretty much plan the day it'll be there... and then be sure to sneak away to Cali for the week and drive your parents crazy ;) Haha. Just kidding :)

Sounds like you have a nice family vacation planned, I'm jealous. What vacation are you going to do next summer? 'Cause I'll be home then remember ;) Or you can just come to the Six Flags that is here in Mexico City... Not!

I totally agree with Dad on the marriage thing, don't worry pops. I've thought about it and I've always wanted to wait, I'm definitely NOT in a hurry to get married. I want to wait at least a year, if not more, so we're on the same page there. Besides the fact that that is probably the biggest decision of your life, you can only be single once so I want to have lots of fun and enjoy life first.

One of the Mission Assistants went home last change(4 weeks ago) and I just found out he got married last week! How crazy is that?! Only home for 3 weeks, that's gotta be some kind of a record. Heard he gave a pretty juicy kiss over the alter too and everyone was surprised. Haha. That alone is proof that it's too soon, in my opinion. Yikes.

We don't have much time to write, so I probably won't be able to write to the kids, but I'll try to read their emails real quick. It's been a really busy day, and the junta is with the zone so it's like an hour away, a big pain for us way out here in the mountain area. But oh well.

I love you family!
Thanks for the birthday messages and wishes!
Happy June!!
Elder Green