I don't really see the point in writing a big letter describing what I did this week because, well, I talked to you all yesterday and you already know all the big news. So I'm just going to send some pictures if this computer lets me.
Other item of business: Next week I will be emailing on Tuesday instead of Monday. I can't say why yet, but next Tuesday you'll find out. He (or she) who guesses correctly will receive nothing, but it'll be a fun game to play anyways.
The computer is not reading my memory card, so I'll send some older pictures from my USB drive. Sorry.
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| Me with R (his friend Breton's cousin) and his companion and the Christmas Posa |
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| El Centro during Christmas |
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| Makeshift raincoats |
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| The active volcano in Guzman |
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| Elder V and Elder J with Elder R and I at District Conference. |
So I [mom] will share some things we talked about on Mother's Day so you know some fun things going on there! First I'll share some thoughts Taran had about what has helped him as a missionary, as far as preparations are concerned:
Go to
seminary, learn scripture chase scriptures—I use them everyday
Study
the Book of Mormon, know the Book of Mormon, have read it all the way
through (some elders have not)
Going
to the temple often before the mission
Teaching
lessons in the family, in quorum meetings and mission prep
Learn
Preach My Gospel
Family
prayer, scripture study, devotionals and family home evening
Know
how to cook and be independent in every way possible
Have
a job, know how to work
These are things some of the moms in our neighborhood wanted to know.
He told us that they had a Zone Conference last week and they had a test on scriptures and Preach My Gospel. Taran and his companion won so they get to go to the Guadalajara Temple as the reward! Pretty Cool! I asked him if the members there go to the temple often since they over 2 hours away and he said that they plan a branch temple trip every month so they will go with the branch next time they go! Pretty cool!
He also found out that they will be sending 2 more missionaries to their area! I was happy to hear that since I felt like it was a lot to divide their time between branch needs and being a missionary! He also said that they are getting 31 new missionaries in 2 weeks most likely he and his comp will train, is what he is thinking anyway. I know they got 9 visa waiters last Monday! Busy times! He said that they will open 13 new areas! I amazing!
He said that he had not felt well the past week due to not sleeping well when he went on splits with another elder in another area. The elder didn't have a pillow so he felt like his nose got super clogged laying flat. I am sure you are all glad to know that! I actually told him to take allergy meds because it might be that. He agreed--the allergy doctor he saw before he left on his mission said that he may have similar allergies there as here because parts of his mission have similar climate. He said that it's usually pretty temperate as far as weather goes like it's hotter here but it's dry here and there. He said they get sweaty because the lack of AC. He wears sunscreen and uses Aloe Vera if he gets burned.
He said that being a district leader isn't that much more for him than his normal stuff. He loves his mission President and his wife. They are amazing, which we thought.
He loves the food misses ice cream a little bit, their ice cream is watered down. He wonders if he will be able to eat without a tortilla when he gets home (in over a year) since he loves them and eats at every meal.
He got all our packages. I have been sending them in small packages and so not as expensive as the flat rate but I do put pictures of the virgin Mary all over them! He was wearing a tie when we skyped that had been my dad's that I sent him for Easter.
It was so fun talking to him! He has a Mexican accent! We were teasing him about it. The kids all had stuff to say to him which was fun. He ended the skype with his testimony in Spanish. That boy can speak his Spanish!!! (He said that it took him a few months until he could say anything he wanted and understand everything...pretty awesome.)
