Libia Week 1 (6/29/09)

Hey fam:

The area is great. It's struggling a little bit, but I'm ready to give it my best to pick it back up and get some killer baptisms! It isn't in the "heart" of downtown - it's kinda a Salt Lake/West Jordan relationship. But the people here are pretty cool... not too many successful contacts but the members are great and we're going to be using them as much as we can. The area is like the Estadio area, and Flor de Maroñas. It's a pretty big area. And a tiny little house. It's two rooms... a bathroom/kitchen and a bedroom/study area. yuck.

We've got a few investigators, but not a lot. We're definitely going to be doing some looking this week. We've got Sofia, who was supposed to get baptized with her two sisters Friday, but her mom wouldn't let her. So we're going to talk to the mom tomorrow. Pray for us. lol we also have Romina, the girlfriend of a member. She's progressing pretty good and we're praying about a baptism date for her. There's Lucia, Sofia's sister, who went to church for the first time on sunday and loved it. We just found Fernando and Jimena, who lived in Virginia for 7 years and are loving the gospel. We have just taught them once, but they read and understood the pamphlet and are going to read 3 Nephi 11. Their daughter has some Friend magazines in english. Vamos arriba.

We're going to meet President Ernesto Da Silva friday in a mission-wide conference. Don't know much about him. He looks more gringo than President Ashby, and speaks english really well. Two kids studying down at BYU. Looks like a cool guy.

Yeah, I'd love it in the Ensign (Conference Issue), but send it in the next package and just send this one! lol Lovin the new mattism. (Mom note: Mattism=Matt Long quote from church. This week's is "This is like a firefly in a bug zapper. It's both electifying and enlightening.") I'm not sure they'd understand it here, but I'll try using it. I gave my testimony in the sacrament meeting sunday. They loved it, and the Bishop is pretty good at saying my name. :P Hello to Devin and Dayton Thorpe, Florence and Jessica Behl (actually all the Behl’s), Micaela, Sam Stokes, Denise Smith and Nanny.

I've got some letters coming home, and another one coming next week, then I should be caught up on letters. SD card coming this week, keep an eye out. Don't forget to send some fresh ones... I had to buy one in the bus station this week so I could send you this one (hence $20 missing).

If you're doing fireworks on the 4th, shoot one up for Patricia, it is her birthday on the 4th. Also, we could use some prayers for the missionary's families in Honduras, looks like there was a pretty nasty military coup and the president was kicked out to Costa Rica. His buddy Hugo Chavez picked him up so he is in Venezuela right now. Elder Casco is Hondureño, so we're praying in our house. The other Hondureños that we know (aka from our group) are Elders Bueso, Henriquez, Bonilla, Bermudez, Sosa, and Fermàn.

Love you guys!

Another Companion Change 6/26/09

Hey, no particular order in my email today.

Sorry I didn't explain the mission office thing as well as I should have. A few weeks ago, Elder Cundick and I got authorization to do a little "concert", un noche de musica for the district. It went pretty well, and the Ashby family was there. Sister Ashby invited us to do a few songs at the zone conferences, and we did. It went really well. Apparently, I sing well, para que sepan. But the zone conferences went well, it was hard to say bye to President and his wife and Annie, but President Da Silva is pretty awesome too and I look forward to meeting him next week.

Changes are today. Looks like I'm leaving Florida (surprise!) and headed to Maroñas. My companion? Elder Casco! He was in the MTC with me and there should be some pictures of him that you have - he was in the Obelisco house with me! How awesome is that! We're "co-companions" since we have the same time in the mission (six months tomorrow!) I'll be serving in the Libia area of Maroñas. You could proably google map Danubio stadium, or the Maroñas Hipodrome, those are in my area. It's pretty big. I'll tell you more about it Monday. But they closed the cyber in the area so we have to walk half an hour to get to a cyber in another area. heh

CCM Buddies: Elder Casco (Steven's new companion), Steven, Elder Belleau, Elder Bennett

I'm so excited for Tina to do EFY up at USU! I wish I had took more advantage of that opportunity, it is so much fun and she is going to make a bunch of great friends. And I'm glad Corry is starting to take some baby steps towards recovery. We're still praying for him, and I'm sure it will turn out well. Question - can I actually send food into the US? I heard that you technically can't because of import regulations, but people have anyways. Mom, I'm glad you're in the Trib and everything! You're tearing it up, and I'm sure the district is going to be so much better! And I'm excited for Dad's new position in Harman International, let's just hope Harman sticks around for a couple more years! lol out loud

Mom, Monday I'll have some names for you to look up of talks to listen to. Elder Jacobson's mom is a fanatic of that kind of stuff and sent her son with some good ones. You could probably hook up with her on Missionary Moms. Son's name is Tanner Jacobson.

No experiences with Elder O. (I was going to say Oxenhurt because that's how it sounds, but I won't because it's spelled wrong.) He was Elder Duggins companion, but I never had any contact with him personally. He just has a really profound laugh that everyone knows. hehe

I'm pretty excited to go to Libia with Elder Casco. I hated leaving Flordia, though. There was still so much to do. We were working really hard with four couples getting them married, and one finally has a date published in the newspaper, but I don't know what it is! And we've got some great baptisms coming up, and awesome families..... ugh. But Libia is going to be great, I've heard nothing but good things about it. Vamos arriba.

Elder Casco dice que tengo que escribir algo in castellano en cada email, para que el entienda algo. jaja entonces... encontramos una familia en florida, y es una familia increìble! Una pareja con 10 hijos y algunos bisnietos, y un hijo y 4 nietos y su esposa no son miembros. Ellos recien se mudaron para Asamblea, y tiene ganas a regresar a la capilla. Estamos muy animados por ellos, porque es una familia grandote y los no-miembros tienen mucho apoyo de los demàs. ¡Vamos arriba!

Bueno, les quiero mucho! Sigan con su fe en Dios, y el les va a proteger!

Spending Time at the Mission Office (6/19/09)

I hope you're enjoying Girl's camp! I'd read more about what is happening at home, but my father (who had four extra days to write me) didn't write me. Good to see at least my mother was faithful in her promise not to be the bad parent. ;)

Cool to hear tina has the pig flu. Elder Cundick is going to brag about it all the time. They say he has pig flu too, but that's 'cause he eats like one. heh (Mom Note: Tina (14) has Swine Flu.)

Packages... I guess I'll keep waiting. lol don't bother putting anything new into it, I'll start a new list for the birthday package. One thing that I'd like you to send separate - all the missionaries here have business cards, just really simple with a picture, the name, address, email, and phone number of the missionary, and maybe the month and year I'll start and finish (Dec 2008 - Dec 2010, fyi. It will actually be to Jan 2011, but my comp just told me to use December instead). I'd love to get some of those, they don't have to be anything fancy, and just done up on the business card paper you can buy at staples. But if mom wants, she can use her sick photoshop skills to do something up nicer. That can just get sent to me in one of those bubbly manila envelopes.

Way to go on the blue screens of death. I'm so proud of you. Last night, I helped the President burn a CD using Roxio. I forgot how much I dread troubleshooting. lol out loud but it was really easy and I was like the hero.

Say hi to Marquette, Maddy, Heather, Mr. Harper, Nanny, Aunt Rebecca, Chase, President Ruesch, Bishop Foster, Hawk family, Micaela, and the Barrios family.

Rough hearing about my Alma Mater. I'm sure Mr. Harper is still going strong, though. (Mom note: West High...Don't ask!)

Investigator update... Dennis is getting baptized this Saturday. Mercedes and Daniel (Daniel is the nephew of Tony) and hopefully someone else are getting baptized the Saturday after. We're hoping that Anita will get baptized the 11th. Still waiting on marriages for Tony and Patricia (they're getting health records to get the birth certificates for their kids to get married), Jhonathon and Zully (they're still trying to get excited enough to keep taking the charlas), Beatriz (who lacks faith), and Fabiana (who got a marraige date last friday but we don't know it yet because it is in the newspaper and we can't buy the newspaper to look and Fabiana was in the hospital with Bernardo this week because he had convulsions and they don't know why). That's the big news. We had a pretty rough charla with Anita two days ago, she has been taking the charlas for about a year and a half, and has never prayed about the church. So we put a pretty rough commitment and she promised she would pray about it. Tuesday we found out that she prayed, then couldn't sleep that night, then got so sick she couldn't go to work or church. Pretty interesting answer, yeah? haha so we talked with her about true intention and she's going to ask again once she's ready to keep moving forward in the Gospel (she doesn't like to commit at all).

President Ashby is leaving July 1st. We had our last zone conference with him today, it was pretty rough. Last night, Elder Cundick and I went to Annie's school's musical production. It was pretty awesome, it was at the Uruguay American School. It was way worldly though and kinda awkward listening to 7th graders sing about love while sitting next to your mission president! but it was cool though, and it was good quality time with the Ashby family.

Running out of time, I'll tell you more about the Ashby's next week. I'll be emailing you late again, because change day is Friday next week instead of Wednesday.

Week 3 (June 8, 2009)

Hey fam.

Good to hear Corry tried out for the baseball team. Greg is going to hawaii?!?! man... that's such a great place for him. Almost Tonga. And Burton is in Mexico, sweet.

*cough* addresses *cough*

Anyways, I ate rabbit! w00t it was pretty sweet. There actually wasn't a lot of meat on the bone, but it tasted like chicken (I can't believe I just said that).

I did an intercambio with Elder Calderòn on Thursday. Elder Calderòn came to my area and Elder Cundick went with Elder Brogan in Piedra Alta. We did pretty good. But we got to our last lesson, with Fabiana. We swung by the Suarez Fau family to get Carolina to come with us to the lesson, and Laura (the mom) told us that Fabiana's son had just gotten kicked in the head by a horse like five minutes ago. That's pretty bad. So we ran down to the hospital (walked quickly, rather) and he had already been released by the time we got there. So we ran back to Fabiana's house and gave Bernardo a blessing. Guillermo too, because he got kicked in the side. Then we talked to the family about fasting. They fasted, and it looks like Bernardo is going to be fine. Fabiana's husband is still on track to leave next Monday, but he agreed to come back in August to get married. They're going today to get the date picked at the courthouse. It's a mess. Long story short, they're getting married, just not yet. Pretty much same situation with Beatriz, her husband is leaving to a peace mission in Haiti (he's in the military) in the beginning of August, so they're talking to the judge to see if they can get married before August. We're hoping for a miracle with her. We had a kid named Dennis come to church yesterday. He's 10 and his dad is inactive. But we're planning on baptizing him the 27th. We also found a lady named Silvana Borgarelli. She took the lessons with her brother, but ended up contracting spinal cancer and couldn't go to church, so she didn't get baptized (we think the missionaries dropped her because she couldn't come to church). So we are hoping to baptize her the 25th. She didn't come to church this week, we don't know why. Tony came to church again. Patricia (his partner) didn't, she's working like 18 hours a day, saturday she worked for like 28. We're working on finding her a better job so she can work tranquilo and go to church.

The musical program is all set to go on Friday, we're still picking out songs though because it looks like it is going to be really short. Wish us luck!

Well that's all for now, Elder Cundick's turn. Sorry it's so short, I had problems with one of the computers and had to switch.

Week 1: June 1, 2009

Hey fam.

First things first, Elder Cundick forgot to ask his mom for her orange roll recipe that is just sick. Would you mind zipping her an email at bcundick@hotmail.com and ask her to send it in her next email? We are just craving orange rolls. And chess cake, if you wouldn’t mind zipping me that recipe too.

Speaking of food, here’s a funny story. Elder Jacobson who lives in my house was looking through pictures from his girlfriend. Apparently, their favorite restaurant was Wingers, so he’s got pictures of asphalt pie and sticky finger platters. It made us much more trunky than the pictures of the girl! (Mom note: I wonder if I should send him our photo of Winger's Sticky Fingers and Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke? Nah, that's just mean!)

We’re praying for Corry (me, my comp, and the President) and hope he changes in the program. Is it a full-time facility or what? Can you send me his address? I found some sweet alfajores that taste just like big grasshopper girl scout cookies, so I want to send him a box. Speaking of addresses, no I haven’t written Nanny or Aunt Dalene or Mary, because I don’t have their addresses! (Mom note: I'm leaving this in because we can use all the prayers we can get! We are holding a special fast next Sunday for Corry. Feel free to add him to your prayers!)

Here’s a cool experience from a member. Hermana Ramos was riding her moto and fell really bad. The first car to pass by was a chicken seller from Montevideo. So he loaded her into his truck and took her to the hospital. When she fully came to, she was all taken care of, her (quite expensive) co-pay was paid, and the guy was gone. The family is way grateful for that modern day samaritan.

Elder Cundick made a discovery the other day. We have been meaning to start more meaningful workouts, so we went out last P-day to buy a jumprope. But they’re really expensive, so we didn’t buy it. Here’s the quote from Elder Cundick after his realization Wednesday. “Big discovery I just made – I don’t need the rope! Who knew?” So he started jumproping without a rope... it’s really funny! He even crosses his arm and does double and triple turns. Hehe that’s my comp.

We’re working on baptisms. We’ve got a goal of 13 as a zone, and 170 as a mission. Usually we get like 80 as a mission every month. We’ll see what happens. Anything is possible with faith! Speaking of which, Elder Peterson and Elder Garcia were supposed to get on a bus at 6:00 this morning. But Elder Peterson woke up, turned the alarm off, and went back to bed. They woke up at 6:30 and almost didn’t go. But they went ahead and left, hoping they would catch a bus to go to Montevideo. After a quick prayer, they were walking up the street and saw a bus. Justo, it was a bus going to Montevideo! A miracle indeed.

I need a miracle... five weeks without my debit card, and I was told it would only be two! I’m getting into debt with Elder Cundick now because there’s nothing anyone can really do but wait for church HQ to send a card. And today is a huge feria (stands from local vendors) for San Cono day (the patron saint of Florida). So more debt with Elder Cundick, and we’re doing some shopping today.

Hmmm.... good news from Fabiana. Her spouse is headed to Chile to work for a year, and apparently it is cheaper for fabiana and her kids to travel to chile if they are married. So now he wants to get married. But he’s supposed to leave on Monday. So we’re praying for a miracle, and we’ll get it!

We gave talks in sacrament meeting yesterday. Apparently they went really well. I got good comments from a couple of members. Elder Cundick talked about how members can help us find, and I talked about how they can help us teach and reactivate. I used dad’s story about the horse spider and likened it to missionary work. It went really well, they loved it. Ahhh... Elder Manso.... but try explaining what a linebacker is in Spanish! Especially when you don’t know in english! Lol out loud.

Well I’M looking forward to news about master gerg, I’m so excited for him! Don’t forget corry’s address and the recipies! And Elder Cundick wants you to meet his parents, try and hook that up! But she isn’t on missionarymoms... sorry.

Speaking of which, Elder Cundick says it is time to go.

Ciao!

Crimson Pride Comes to Uruguay! 5/25/09

Hey fam!

Thanks for the mission stories! I enjoyed reading them and look forward to sharing them, even though Elder Godoy is gone. And even though I didn’t get a bunch of news from the fam, I have some to share! But first, a picture! Elder Cundick and I (both “hinchas” of the U) were walking past a cooking store. Elder Cundick whispered “Elder” and turned around to enter the store. Look at what they have! It’s like $10, I’m totally going to buy it when I get money. I’m going to go ahead and take care of all the other business before I get all spiritual.

Represent!

Sister Ashby tried sending an email to mom to thank her for the cinnamon bears. She isn’t sure where she sent it, but she knows it was to the @thorderson.com domain, and it didn’t get rejected. Did it get to mom, or is there a mailbox where it might have gone to if she sent it to like julie@thorderson.com?

Next package (this one if it hasn’t been sent): A three-hole punch (sound’s wierd, I know, but there aren’t any in Uruguay. CDs of dad, as many as you can. Dad, if you want to just toss what hymns you have onto a CD, finished or not, I’d love it. And the Kenneth Cope CD that you sing on, nobody has it here! Also, my iPod if you found it. The offices have a bunch of music, and it won’t all fit on my tiny one here!

This last weekend, we had a wicked district conference (district meaning like a stake, but not enough priesthood holders to justify forming a stake) with Elder Marcos Aidukaitis from the 70, second counselor in the Area Presidency (also the first picture of a seventy in the ensign, because his name starts with A. haha but it was just amazing, we got to go to all three sessions (because I had to play piano for priesthood leadership and backup piano for the adult and general sessions.) Here are some awesome quotes / advice / notes I scribbled, all from Elder Aidukaitis (unless noted).

If you ever get a bishop, stake president, or priesthood leader that you don’t like, remember that you get blessings for being obedient to their counsel, not for being obedient to the person.

As priesthood leaders, we are in a field of grain. The youth are too short to see over the grain, and don’t know what is ahead (this is a Uruguayan parable – adapt to the needs of the people!) so we need to tell them what is coming and how to prepare for it. “If we aren’t valiant enough to make the challenge [to serve a mission] the youth will suffer.”

There is a price to pay to enter into the kingdom of God. There’s a higher price to pay if you don’t serve a mission, and it’s payable, but it’s expensive.

“The truest words a pastor [of another church] speaks is ‘til death do you part’.”

“We pay tithing because we have faith, not money.”

“The Book of Mormon is either from God, or the Devil. It isn’t a ‘good book.’ It’s one or the other.” Joseph Smith was not smart enough to write a book of that magnitude in such a short amount of time. The question is – who inspired him? We can only find out by reading it.

(To the investigators there:) “When you’re baptized, the only thing you’ll regret is having not known the church earlier in your life.”

(Explaining D&C 42:22) “If you don’t love your wife, you won’t gain salvation in the Kingdom of God.”

(Advice from his 5-year-old son to a recently married brother to help his marraige) Always bring your wife flowers, always be obedient, always go to church.

“The younger the child, the more important Family Home Evening is.”

And my personal favorite: “It is better to die single than to get married outside of the temple.”

Wow.

It was really just incredible. I was so blessed to be here in Florida when Elder Aidukaitis came. We had an investigator come with us. His name is Tony, he’s Patricia’s wife. You might already know about her. He had such a great experience listening to Elder Aidukaitis, and wants to get baptized so bad, but needs to get married first! I’m sure that through his excitement, he’s going to bring his cousin and partner to church, and I’m sure they’ll get baptized too.

Well, that’s all for now. I love you all, and hope you enjoy the picture, and the pictures from last week! hehe