September 9, 2013

Well this will be really short.

My companion died (finished his mission) so we didn't do anything this week.

We are having transfers this week, and my other companion is leaving, I'm staying and getting a kid to train. Which is unheard of in this mission. First off, Visa waiters are never senior companion USUALLY and also, they are not trainers. The kid I'm getting, doesn't know spanish. I don't know spanish... I am more then frustrated and stressed. I threw up a little. and now I don't feel good at all. This is one of the worst weeks I have had in years that I can remember. I want to cry. Please pray for me....

But yeah, I pray for you. I hope everything is good. I'm sorry for not writing more.

 I just feel sick and sad.

Love you.

Mitch

September 2, 2013

So hey I'm writing this on an iPad and it's annoying me. So this might be short. No computers since it's Labor Day so we are using a members.

So things for me are good, I'm trying to be exactly obedient, in Alma 57: 27 or somewhere like that it talks about how the sons of Helaman where successful because of their obedience. I think that is the scripture but I'm not sure, it's around there haha.

But yeah this week has been good, it was pretty dramatic due to the fact we work with sister missionaries. But yeah, my trainer E. Verges has 10 days left. He's pretty done but we are trying to still work hard. I'm really stressed to the point I want to cry all the time this is soo hard to do everyday. I am really really homesick lately and I'm having a hard time giving up who my past self was. Ugh, Also I heard some news on transfers and can't say anything till it happens or not but It makes me sick every second of everyday. My Spanish is frustrating a lot and I don't want Verges to leave. I don't know I just feel so much pressure.

Also about my toe I think it may be a bit infected... Pray for it. Seriously haha no joke.

I hope you like the pictures, I borrowed them from my companion

I have no time though and no stories, just us trying to find new people to teach. Things are slow and we are just saying good bye to some of the members before Verges is done.

I love you guys so much and miss you more then you know.

Love, Mitch!!!

  

President Uchtdorf at the July 24th parade

haha the slow kids playing, just looked a little off haha

Hiking / Canyon Pictures

August 26, 2013

hahahaha first off! Put it all on the blog, mother! DANG! My life is uncensored! Because I tell it how it is! But yeah, the president and bishop are still making things really difficult, but, what can you do! In the book Preach my gospel, it has a chapter on "Christ like attributes" and I am trying to be a master of them all! One is patience and hope... so Hope is just having faith everything will work out for good, and patience is enduring while that time passes. SO I will try and be like Christ I guess. That's funny about anyone who things I was an example. They probably tell you that to make you feel good, I don't feel like I do much. It's actually a goal of mine to be a better example, even in the mission. I think I'm a little more hood/ghetto than some of these other missionaries. Dad told me about his calling... SUPER Funny I think the bishopric want him to experience all that I do, so that he can tell me what I am doing right and wrong! haha But that mission tag I left him... that might be useful ha! Now he just needs to learn spanish and we can talk about our stories! :)

Note from mom: Dad was called to be a ward missionary

So not too much happened this week, it's been a lot slower and we are having a hard time finding. Last week we found some new people to re visit this week, but only time will tell how that plays out! My spanish.. Well I had an hour long conversation with a woman from our ward at her house... that was cool, and pretty hard. I want the spanish to come NOW but it is, just not as fast as I want. Austin I believe gets home soon... So keep an eye out for him!!! Give him a hug from me! And as for my toes... yeah, they only actually did one, it hurt a lot and was really grows, they put like a cast thing on it and I worked one day in sandals and then thought it looked really dumb and took it off. I have some pictures of the cast but not the toe... you could not handle it. haha It's still nasty but I can work so that's what matters.

My trainer is almost done and well, he's kind of "dying" which means he just doesn't care anymore. But hopefully it doesn't get any worse. The end of Transfers are on Sep. 11. We went on that hike It was glorious!!! I have some pictures from that! I can't think of much more to say! We don't have a lot of time! We have an appointment and were dumb enough to schedule it on our P-Day ugh... Girls still don't write me. Go figure. I am becoming a master of the scriptures. Let's see what else. Soccer, I'm getting better. oh yeah! And the food here... I think I have been sick like every other day... This guy we baptized took us to a chinese restaurant and ordered this shrimp thing for us... I wish I had my camera. GIANT shrimp fully intact with it's face, eyes, legs everything just looking at me. You bite into it and the shell is still on. Like they just took a shrimp and threw it in a deep fryer. I was sooo sick that night. haha Elder Verges tells me that Argentina food is SO much better. I hope. But yeah. Life is good, work is work haha and I am getting huge from all these push ups I started doing last night. Mi barba (beard) is such a temptation because I want to grow it out   I'M A MAN!!! yeah!

ha Love you guys Muchisimo!

Mitch!

August 19, 2013

SANTA VACA!!!!

My mind is blown, I warned that girl, I warned her!!! LONGBOARDS ARE A NO!!! Mom sent me a picture of the fracture and the screws, I hope it heals good, or she's going to have a leg longer than the other. ha Tell her I love her, and I'm sorry, but it's impressive she was just walking on it like that, she's a trooper! 

Note from mom: Mitch's sister, Marah, broke her ankle and leg

So I went in to the doctor for my toe, and found out that both my big toes are ingrown and have to have surgery on them too. hahaha so this Wednesday I'll lose those, he said it was from all the walking and soccer... but freak it could be worse and I could have a broken ankle. Sean Farley fell and knocked out his two front teeth... sooo this week has been rough.

Today we are going to go on a hike in this canyon so next week I should have some pictures. I have some stories so I will try and type fast. First story, I'm thankful everyday for my Latin ward. We have a family that was being taught and asked if they could learn in Spanish so they gave us the family to teach. They are so great and they love us, two are on date to be baptized and the other three are attending church. BUT we have their other ward always texting/calling us to report to them. We were confused seeing as they weren't interested in an English ward at all, and we already report to our own bishop and everything, so it was super ineffective to talk to them. So one day we didn't text them back, and that night we got a call from a high councilman. Chastising us. Then the bishop was demanding that we report everything going on with this family.  He was like let's have a meeting. We told him we don't have time for a meeting especially since we have lessons and are busy. He responded "MAKE TIME!"  He involved the zone leaders and the sisters who taught them the first lesson (7 missionaries in all) We simply said the family told us that their ward is overwhelming. This family has a neighbor who I guess invited them to take the lessons, but they actually took the lessons because they have friends in our ward. The bishop told us that English programs have more power.... I was getting SO mad so I explained how we are there because they want us, that they should respect the family and not force them into an English ward. It was super contentious and the bishop and stake president called me unto repentance. At the end we asked the President to say a prayer, because trying to talk was going no where. I was sooo mad that whole day, I just kept reading scriptures on patience. haha

Also we went on splits thursday. I went with the only black missionary in the whole mission. Elder Mbawa from Africa. We rode bikes for the whole day, soo fun. It reminded me of when I rode my bike everywhere when we lived in Utah, Now I'm back tearing up the streets again haha There are a lot of Tongans and Samoans in Utah, and we visited a Tongan Ward Barbeque. It was Glorious! I love Tongans! Then we had a lesson that was translated into Tongan for a guy. That was cool. I had a baptism with Elder Mbawa. The family didn't even know me, but insisted I got in the picture for her baptism... SO I guess it counts haha Easiest baptism I have ever had.

Things are going good here, the work is slowing, but we are trying to find and I am determined we will. In Alma 29:4-5 it talks about how God will provide us with our desires whether it be wicked or righteous. That we can achieve anything according to the desires we have. I desire to be a great missionary and baptize!

I'm trying to think if there is anything else.... oh yeah I got really sick last night and destroyed this investigators bathroom, at her surprise birthday party... Mexicans are so funny, I was embarrassed for well, just stinkin up this bathroom. But somehow it like helped me gain her and her families trust. They said since I could do that I was comfortable with them to be able to use their restroom, they felt comfortable with us haha :) SO WEIRD but cool.

But anyway we are gonna go hike this Canyon/mountain yeeeaaahhhh.

I love you guys sooo much, marah your a dummy but I love you too, hope your leg is okay! Mom, way to be a good mom like always, and dad thanks for all you do and how good of a worker you are.

Les amo

Mitch

August 12. 2013

So I have no time to write this week :( because we had a temple trip today, we went to Salt Lake City, It was awesome. but it took forever because we take the train back and forth, and yeah... we missed it by like 3 minutes and had to wait another hour, and then it took forever to get here since we had no car from the train station. So... I have very little time. I just want you to know I'm alive.

Everything is good, we had another baptism last saturday, with a guy named Luis Alverez he is sooo cool. I don't know if I described him, but next week when I can get a camera I will send you his picture and explain. He has a funny story! But yeah, we have 4 more people on date! YEAH!!! You are right though dad, I think allot of how you where and I never give up on people, or at least try not to. Numbers aren't everything, but for some reason, we are being super successful, so I just get excited. I think a lot of it is Elders Verges and Tapia though. I am there for support haha! We have quite a few lessons in English though so I do plenty of work, plus my spanish is super good, or getting there. Just gotta keep working on it. Someone asked me today at the Temple what my favorite thing about the mission is.. and all I could think of is just the people. Seeing people change and loving the people. It's unlike anything else.

Also I think I have an ingrown toenail, it's really gross. I tried combating it and soaked my toe one night and then we took a knife and cut out the toe nail... It was like 75% success because it fixed it for awhile but now it's back and even worse, so I'm going to call our super intense wife of the president.. maybe she will cut it off herself I'm not sure. but that's like my biggest complaint right now.

We had to move a family that didn't know any English and then we had a lesson, so somehow I got left with the family (Dad) and they went to a lesson, and me and this guy lifted like the most furniture/television sets/workout crap. All by ourselves for like hours, I don't know what kind of lesson they had but it was a good one I guess.. haha it was really frustrating and awkward because I didn't know all he was saying and he was confused by what I was saying. It was crazy. but yeah, baptism by fire I suppose.

Tell marah Longboards are dangerous I have seen many die on them, also Know I love you guys sooooo much!

LOVE YOU!!!!

Mitch

Ps: I like knowing there is a middle Childs Day haha

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