August 5,2013

"Como le va padre?  (how's it going)

So I was actually thinking the other day that Marah would probably be starting school, which is really weird because she wasn't even out when I left... those poor children in the governments school system it's like they only get two months off. I say it every year but I feel like summers are getting shorter and shorter every year. Poor Marah.

Also about the golf, the other day I met some kids on the street coming back from high school golf practice. I had the revelation, if I was as driven as I am now with missionary work with golf, I would be a pro! haha

I also thought about jake. I really miss dogs. (our dogs) I think I might break the rules and get a pet dog. I know in Argentina there are so many I can probably adopt one on the street, also about the visa.... I've just decided to plan on it being 8 months. I'm not kidding, I think this way I will be able to focus more on the work here and not when I'm leaving. The longest I think I've seen argentine visa waiters here is like 6 months but I'm setting on 8 just to be safe. All is good in the hood as they say, I'm not to worried about it.

We had another baptism this last week, and it was awesome. It was this little girl about 14 and she has had soooooo many hard times, that frankly I am surprised she even listened to us. The people when they are baptized get to pick who they want to baptize them, and she picked me! It was sooo nice it finally made me feel like I am here for a reason I love that girl, and It's weird how much you find you care for people until you help or serve them. I was thinking how it would be 3 months today and It's gone so fast. I really don't know if I want the mission to end. I think I will do a son of mosiah mission for like 14 years. haha but yeah, I have been here for a month and a half and I have 4 baptisms under the belt, also we have another guy we are teaching getting baptized this saturday. We are harvesting the field. My goal before the mission was to push my self to have 35 baptisms throughout the mission. I have changed my goal to 107. I really believe I can do it. 107 because my trainers goal is 106, and though I respect him. I want to finish the mission knowing I left the world even a little better than Elder Verges haha I don't just think of numbers but of what the numbers mean. The numbers just help me strive to work harder. I have learned that there are thinks that don't happen so that we can make others happen.  We fail 80% of the time but the 20% we don't is beyond worth it!

 This is Rosie! :) The baptism sounded like this.. "Rosilda sarah delgado Reyes habiendo sido comisionado por Jesucristo yo te bautizo en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espirtitu Santo, amen" and I didn't even mess it up! YEAH

I don't know if it's how people look at their dads but I have lots of time to think at night (well not a lot, but enough) and I can't think of a better worker and more capable guy! You will never hear me say this in person, but a lot of what I inspire to be is like you! You have trained me well! :) I also think of how when I return we are going to wrestle and how I will finally destroy you!!! I do 400 pushups a night with that goal in mind!! haha You better train!

I really miss Connie mack, it makes me sad not being home for summer.. But it sounds like Midland will win again... freaking midland. How's the Puerto Ricans doing? Elder Tapia wants to know! How was the Sunday fast? We fasted too, I thought I was going to die. I don't know how much I weigh, but I think it might be like 100. I'm not sure. haha

Love you dad! Your the best! I'll talk to you next week... or maybe if I have time I'll write a letter! Those are usually nice! :)

                              Elder Woods! (Elder Bosque= forest. or Elder Madera=wood) I have a lot of names now... sometimes it's just elder ooz haha"

Mother! :)

I got Keely's package... it was awesome. Lot's of candy. We all ate it like.. an hour later.    Marah sounds busy. I always told people she would be the most successful out of the children. I will just live off the success of Hailey and her haha I'm pretty sure I can destroy anyone in futbol! The ninos call me blanco fuego. or Delos del Sol (toes of the sun) haha

I think you live a good life, I am actually sitting in the library and I read some little kid books and I was super grateful, for the time you spent with me! So thanks for living a kinda less exciting life.!!! Thinks are busy here, just lessons and service. My muscles are huge, marriage will not be hard for me in the future. so don't worry about that, she might be brown though. I can't decide if I'm going to marry a latin woman. I think yes. Carlos will be my God father. haha Also I am going to come back and baptize every catholic. because quite honestly I am tired of hearing, "soy catolico" these people don't even know anything about the catholic religion, but if your born mexican you are born catholic I guess, sooo. With as much love as I have, catholisism is really killing me. ha How are you doing, tell me more about yourself and your feelings about... life :)

I'm pretty much doing the same thing everyday... oh yeah and transfers, I am still with Tapia and Verges!!! YEA!!! We are going to "kill" Verges this is his last transfer and then he's going to Argentina! maybe we will be on the same plane! Yo deseo (I wish)

Love you all! Your the best mom ever!

PS. Have a great day!

PSS Don't feed the family the green bean casserole.

Love, ME

July 29, 2013

"Hey dad,

So what's up on your side? estoy esperando por mi visa... still. I am trying to not let it frustrate me, but the people here are so annoying with visa waiters, they treat me like I have no soul. It's so frustrating, I just want to go to Argentina, I'm trying not to let it interfere with my work ethic, but I feel depressed. We had three baptisms this last week, it was really cool. Then we have one for this next week, and like 10 progressing investigators for this next transfer... so that looks really promising. Spanish destroys my confidence everyday, and I've been praying more than ever. I just want to know the reason I got called to be Spanish speaking and in Utah to do it. The Lord makes no sense to me lately. haha I've heard of people taking as long as 6 months to go to Argentina, so I'm just trying to "endure to the end" with a smile! When I get back I can't wait to speak Spanish with you! :) hopefully I can get it down on my side though, I am slowly noticing more and more in what people are saying and I can say more and more, so it's cool seeing it grow. But some things don't click as fast as I want and I'm just praying for the day when without thinking I hear Spanish and it is as familiar as English! That will be such a glorious day!

  I got to see Elder Uchdorf at the parade thing on the 24th that was super cool. This week has been pretty good, but now things are just slowing down for the start of the second transfer here. (every 6 weeks) is when they change areas/companions/anything else really. Since I'm being trained, It usually takes 12 weeks or 2 transfers, but I don't know, the president here seems unpredictable. We find out tuesday so everyone is kind of nervous as to what is going to happen.  I really hope things are going good at home... my far away home haha. You and mom get along and send me pictures or something! I hope Marah is being good and that everything is running "relatively" smooth :)

Love and miss you all everyday!

Mitch"

I don't have like anytime, I spent it writing to dad, so I hope you like what I wrote him :) I love you mom, I hope that your doing good. because I might die here and I want you to be able to handle the loss of the most faith driven son on the earth! haha

PS: work on the blog, I check up every now and then and someone has been slacking! haha Tell Hailey and Blake, they suck at writing me! Also Tell grandma she is awesome, check on Beba and Bill to see if they are still living the life, and also call Honey Farley. She is the best! She sends me stuff every now and then, it's really sweet so make sure to tell her thank you from me! PSS: Call up Joy Fieldstead and see how she is doing. Just let me know what is happening in the world! PSSSSS Hopefully Dallon Harmon is going somewhere without visas... They are the DEVIL! haha love you!!!!

July 22, 2013

So mom, Como le va? (how's it going)

Well. any vacation is a good vacation, I wish I could take one, but yeah. They hate me here haha  Tell Grandma, I say hi, she hasn't sent me an email in awhile so I need to know how she is?

My spanish is mejorando (bettering) and as for your questions they both speak english. (note from mom: I asked if his companions spoke English) One is from Florida and is fine, the one from Argentina, haha he like is how I am with spanish. He spent 10 months serving in Buenos Aires North waiting for a visa for the USA, and so he has had like 10 months to learn English. He's pretty good. But some things, A LOT of things are just a little off, so he sounds funny in English. So he's always asking me how do you say this? and I am always like como se dice esta? which is the same thing.

Together we are an unstoppable english/spanish duo!

I got your package of food. The Jerky... GLORIOUS!!! It made me sooo happy I almost cried. 

 Also Tell marah I loved her letter!

Life is good here, this saturday we have 4 people on date! So yaay! That will be a busy Saturday! but I am excited. I finally feel a little more accepted into the ward, but it's pretty hard when I stand out soooo much! I've been also teaching so much more in spanish. So that is always good. Some people fell off date, and that is the worst feeling, having people that just don't follow through or don't work how you expect it! haha

I have to tell you a quick story. So we have a joke about our companionship that says, many are called, but 3 where chosen. So we want to make a shirt that has a "special Picture" with that quote and the verse Jacob 4:6 which talks about having enough faith to command the trees, mountains, and rivers. Which I truly believe we have! One day we where out walking ALL DAY, we walked like 20 miles that day, no joke.  We where soooo hot, like about to die. We were by a Maverick gas station, but none of us had any money! none! All I had was my Book of Mormon, a few papers, and like some post its. (how great is my faith!!!) and so Elder Verges is like maybe we should go to the maverick and we will recieve a (hook-up) or someone will buy us a drink. Elder Tapia was like I was thinking the same thing, they asked me, what sayest thou Elder Woods. I was like I don't know If I recieved the same thought but I have faith in you, that you have recieved a prompting. So I said let us say a prayer, I prayed for us to excercise our faith and also to find someone to teach. 10 seconds after my prayer, a woman comes running out screaming, Elders i'm not mormon, but I really need some help with my life.. or in other words, BAPTIZE ME! haha unfortunately I wasn't specific in my prayer because she wasn't spanish speaking so we had to give her to some other missionaries. Also we kept walking and we went into the Maverick, no money, super awkward and we just stood there. There was a guy with a ton of tattoos and he was finishing buying something, and that was all that was in there. Verges was like I'm going to go to the bathroom, and so he went in. Then when he was in the bathroom, this one guy comes back and starts to fill up some ice. he walks off. stops. and then turns to me, grabs me by the shoulder, and is like hey Elder, is it okay if I buy you guys some drinks. I looked at Elder Tapia, it was like we could hear ANGELS, and when Verges came out, I looked him in the eye and was like get yourself a drink, he smiled so big. So this guy bought us giant drinks, we leave the store talking to him and he's like you know what here, take this too, 20$ that we used to help with an investigator. I truly believe we commanded the trees that day! haha

  

This is the one we will use for the shirt!!! "Many are called, but 3 were chosen" Jacob 4:6 haha

But yeah all is good here, just don't forget me!

Love you!!! Mitch

P.S I attached what I wrote to dad so you can fully see what is happening!

  

Hey dad,

Thanks for the email! I did get the charger and I was soooo happy! One guy we lived with was like who do you know from Indiana, and I was like ummm... Maybe Jared Rogers, but then I opened it and I was overwhelmed with love! I knew it was you since your the online guru haha

Our P-day is actually wednesday this week, because of Pioneer Day. We are going to down town SLC to do street contacting during the Pioneer Day parade. So that will be like a few hours and then we will have a few hours to prep for the week and then we have to start teaching again at 6 that night. Like what the devil, give a man a freaking day off! the LORD HIMSELF had a day of rest! I just hate how many times they have changed our P-days, I like a little consistency in my life!

We have new presidents, and soo, I'm not to sure how I feel about them. They are a little too old fashioned for me. The wife, or Sister Hansen is her name, is like so much different then me it's ridiculous... Now I am a suave man, and I am respectful and I feel like I can be fairly classy. My etiquette is also not bad. But this women, holy cow (santa vaca) she is like so intense, we had a zone conference were she talked to us and made us like "role play" etiquitte, EVERY TIME a women stood up, the men had to stand up and wait for her to leave or to stand up. Also everytime a women entered the room. Also we always pulled chairs out and got them food. Now I'm all for treating people right, but if women want the same equality then they better lose the mentality that men are here for slavery! She is sooo intense too, she was talking to me and asked me a question, so I answered "ya" she was like do you mean yes? and I was like um.. ya? and she asked again and I was like I said yes, so she answered with. "NO YOU DID NOT, you responded with a lazy response of ya, not yes" It was that moment that I thought me and her might not see eye to eye haha hopefully she doesn't destroy me. There are a million more stories like that but, you get the point.

  

Also I wish I could go on vacation, I was doing laundry and I was in normal clothes, it felt soooo nice. I was like How weird will it be when I can wear normal clothes everyday.

Also Lately with all the latin culture I have grown a new love and respect for how important families are, I miss you guys a ton and am thankful for everything you have taught me.

Also let's just pretend that the Visa is never coming, because... haaha I have no clue what those Argentines are doing with it!

Love you, Mitch!

July 15, 2013

Mom!!!

So the library is super busy and our time is almost over, 

I got on and then this kid like told me he had reserved that computer so I was like fine. So after he made me get off I realized he hadn't and he went somewhere else to play video games on another computer. I'm trying to have love in my heart but I want to straight destroy this kid from taking my email time! haha

Anyway for P-day we are going to Temple Square with a member. The same one that called you, they are really awesome! She begged to call you so I gave her the number but I told her I wan't going to say anything. Trying to still be a little obedient haaha But yeah she is moving to Mexico and has never been so we said we would go with her.

 Hopefully we will have some time to play soccer after... I love soccer soo much, Marah was right with the choice. Things are good here, it's kind of hard finding new people since all we can do is teach the spanish speakers. which there is a lot but not a lot want to have the lessons, are field is still white and ready to harvest it's just really mexican and smaller than the other fields haha. Tell dad he's dropping the ball and I didn't see an email. What the heck!

So this next two weeks we should at least have 2 baptisms, we have 4 on date to be baptized these two weeks. Only time will tell. I'm excited! I have been really, really homesick lately. Last night was the first time I think I have really cried because of spanish. I have been feeling really frustrated with the language. With my personality I want to talk to everyone, tell stories and listen to them. I really can't do any of that how I want and it is destroying me slowly from the inside out. I know I got called to speak spanish because I can, but I feel so far down the road from that goal that it's somewhat depressing me. Things are pretty good here, stressful all the time and hard. BUT very good. I love you guys so much, It was good to at least hear your voice. Don't forget me! :)

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!

~Elder Woods~

Salt Lake District Pictures

The Girl with black hair is sister Adorable pronounced (aw-doh-rah-bleh) haha then the Elder next to her is Elder Verges. My Dad in the mission, and then the other is Elder Tapia my twin! haha

This is our district, we took these when we had some extra time waiting for a dinner appointment. The girl in blue is Sister Lisonbee WE ARE DA BEST

July 8, 2013

So I am going to write both you and dad,

Tell dad to keep writing me though because I love both your emails! :) Sometimes boring things like just sitting and watching fireworks are perfect. I feel like I never have time to myself, I take like 6 hour showers so that I can be alone. I feel like we never stop working, which for me is super intense. Especially for me since I love to just, you know, be lazy. That doesn't really exist here, It's tough. I am getting a little better with spanish, but.. It's really hard for me and frustrating since I am not patient. I like it here a lot but It's weird. The other day I thought how weird it was that this isn't really where I will be for the whole mission. It is weird to think I am going to be in Argentina at some point, because this seriously feels like my mission.. It's all I have ever known. Dad told me you went and watched World War Z, haha he didn't explain it, how was it? Also you need to watch Superman, I have heard it is better then Batman and if that is true, it is maybe the best movie ever made. Other then Warrior haha

So that dog.. We let her out again, the day I sent the email on Friday and it started to rain like 7 at night so we went to check on her and let her in.. only problem no freaking dog was in the yard. She destroyed this plant and dug out AGAIN!!!!! We did the same thing, we went in the kitchen knelt down and prayed. Only thing was.. none of us cared if the dog ever came back. That dog is EL DIABLO! We all hate her haha so we went out and for like 2 hours searched. It got to the point where just telling the Garcias their dog was gone forever seemed better then looking for her. We finally found her and exercised all the Christ like charity we had to not beat that dog. haha But they came back from Mexico and bought us wristbands and shirts. So that was super nice of them. I think they felt bad. Their daughter texted us and was freaking out because she got like 4 messages about her dog missing. Oh and the second time she didn't have tags, because the first time she ran away the family that found her ripped the tags off trying to catch her. She is like Scout but 10x worse. no joke!

(note from Mom: Scout is our really naughty dog!)

 

And Dad:  I hope you and mom get along while Marah is away, let me know if it's weird being by yourself for so long. It's going to be really weird when she leaves the house, luckily you have Jake.. I miss that dog. Maybe you can adopt a little argentine baby.

But since everyone is gone and mom is super relaxed and not messy I don't think you ever have to worry about messes again.

I don't have much more to say, this week has been pretty slow, but we had 4 investigators come to church. One bore his testimony, and one told us he wants to be a missionary.. but we had to tell him he's too old. (he's 32) haha he's so solid! I love the work!

Also buy the Vocal Point CD I don't know it's name but it is just church songs the last song, is nearer my God to thee. BUY IT. It's magical. I kid you not.

Love you Muchisimo!

Mitch