You can email Elder Thorderson now...

There is now a special email address urumontemission@gmail.com that works much like dearelder.com in that anyone can write to their missionary to this address, using the missionary's name in the subject line, and elders in the mission office will print the emails off and will send it off to your missionary.

Friends and family are all welcome to use this email address. Please be sure to put Elder Steven Thorderson in the subject line so they know who to send it to. Although it makes it easier for you to contact Steven, he will still have to rely on the postal service to get mail back to you. But, you should get letters sooner/more often since there won't be such a lag time both ways!

I hope you'll take advantage of this EASY way to write to Steven. These kids sacrifice so much to serve the people in Uruguay and it takes so little to make them happy! (and email here and there from friends and a package filled with candy and mashed potato flakes from mom is really all he needs!)

Libia Week 1, change 2 (8/17/09)

(MOM NOTE: Just got notice today that his birthday package emerged from the black hole and is being delivered to the mission home today! A bit late, but he'll get his peanut butter, mashed potato flakes and gracy, University of Utah paraphernalia, birthday cake (uncooked--duh!), and long johns for Elder Casco, along with other misc goodies!)

Elders Casco and Thorderson

ouch.jpg - Elder Smeltzer (such a stud) and I playing some incredibly difficult chords. You have no idea.

Hey fam!

Wow... 20 years old. This decade, I'll have a college degree, a house, a wife, and maybe a kid or too. Whoa, that just blew your mind.

Haven't heard anything about this email thing, I'll give the secretaries a call and find out for sure. But I would say go for it, it looks like a legit address. That would be SO much quicker than DearElder or pouch.

Saludos a Caitlin, Lt Mugridge, Q, Julie Ikeda, Chesty, Aaron A., Jody, Peter Jin, Cousin Kristen, Samantha Behl, Uncle Henry, Cousin Kaliela (thank heaven for copy/paste), Aunt Jill, Jennifer Theissen, Sirui (prounounced SEE-roo), and MarySue. Thanks for the birthday wishes! Oh, and thank dad for the birthday wishes too. Oh no, wait... he didn't wish me a happy birthday....(Mom note: In Dad's defense, it was a pretty crazy week for us!)

This week was pretty exciting. Friday for my birthday, we started out with Lunch with Oliva Verdes. She's from Spain and made some awesome chicken milanesas. Then we went to Elida's house and had a little fiesta with Elida, Celeste, Elida's brother Angel and his wife Julia, Elida's son Marcelo, and later Washington and Marcos Tejera. I got a box of chocolates. They were really good. Then we taught a couple of lessons, had some chocolate cake with the Echevarrìa family, then we went to Valenti's house. We were supposed to have asado, but apparently it was too late in the day so we just ate a ton of alfajorcitos. Then I finished out the day with an exciting Welfare Committee meeting. I almost fell asleep. :P Then Saturday we did service with Miguel Benitez and his fam, they just moved in. We helped clean out their backyard. Then a couple of lessons, then a party in the church for Mariana Tejera because she graduated from high school. It was really a combined party, because they sang me happy birthday. Someone brought Karaoke, and a 73-year-old lady totally rocked out some Kumbia. It was pretty sweet. A couple more lessons, and then we played soccer with some investigators. Now I'm insanely sore and can barely walk. lol out loud. It was a pretty exciting week. Friday, we got a call from the Pres and his wife wishing me a happy birthday. It was pretty awesome. The Tejera fam also called me (at 11:30 PM!!!) to wish me a happy birthday too. All in all, a birthday well spent away from home.

Sister Echevarrìa and her cake. Yum!

trunky.jpg - IHOP... who would have known?

Ummm... not much else to report. Brother Benitez was just called to be our Ward Mission Leader. We're stoked to start working with him, we have a correlation meeting with him tomorrow. We didn't have any investigators in church sunday... we went to three people to get them and bring them to church, two slept in (because it was raining) and the other didn't have clothes to go to church in the rain. But we're excited to work this week and keep helping our investigators to progress and get to church!

Well two Sundays and my camera hasn't showed up... and since it's my birthday... :D

Libia Week 6 and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER THORDERSON!

Just a quick mom note! Today is Steven's 20th birthday! We sure miss him but are sure he's having a most fabulous birthday in Uruguay! I know he'd love to hear from you! Let me know if you need an address to send him a letter!

Hey fam!

They lost my package? LOL out loud! First time the package doesn't get here within three weeks! But we're still waiting with bated breath (bated?)! But apparently it is still going to be cold for a while... we get mixed opinions. It's hot today, I'm just in my long sleeve shirt. Casco is in short sleeves. (MOM NOTE: The post office in SLC lost Steven's birthday package. We had them do a search and they finally found it and sent it off a few days ago! All the worry about the Uruguayan Postal Service and it's the US one that loses the package!)

Transfers... looks like we're staying together! We're way surprised, but we know that it is what the Lord wants and we're ready to keep working hard(er)! Elder Smeltzer is leaving the zone (sad face) but he's headed to Asamblea, my old area (happy face)! Elder Andersen is coming to the zone (we got to UY together). Montgomery is staying here in Pando, and his companion is going to be Elder Coyago (who has been in every zone of mine since the beginning of time). Pretty interesting, but no big surprises.

Luke has GAINED 20 pounds? He's a little chubster now... lol that's really funny. Can't wait to hear updates on Greg once he hits Hawaii. Has Matt started working on his papers yet? Or is he waiting for his heart to be better?

Elder Faber would love to see you at his homecoming! He's such a stud.

Papi... acà se dice campamentos... campo significa field y estoy seguro que ella va a jugar softball en un campo, pero como parte de un campamento. Quizàs es diferente en Guatemalteco. Y tambien no se dirìa que un programa se chupa. Esto es malo. Mama me dijo que es màs dificil trabajar con Corporate que Elpitha... pobresito! jeje precios para pagar - pero por lo menos tienes un trabajo!

Just so you don't think I forgot... Happy Anniversary Sunday!

Hmmmm... there's a brother in our ward that wants a recipe for cooking Turkey. I told him to put it in the oven and cook it, but he thinks it is more complicated. Next package... if you can find a three ring binder that has the rings 3.25" apart, that would be awesome, but don't look to hard because it really isn't too important.

Well I was going to pull out money, but I decided to look for a camera first... with import taxes and IVA, the same camera I have is like $300. If you really wanted to transfer me $300 for a birthday present, I wouldn't complain.

Quick one today, I'll send a better one Monday with more updates. Love you all!

Libia, Final Week

Hey fam!

Sorry for the late email! We went to the temple today so our P-Day got bumped from Monday. Also, next week's email will come on Wednesday, because changes are next week! We're pretty sure that Elder Casco is going to head... it would be way unexpected if President Da Silva kept us together another change. The area is doing pretty well... we have had some struggles but we just keep going! Lucìa Borges is a struggle... she says that she doesn't feel ready, but we know she is. But her sisters, instead of helping her, are like resisting us and telling us not to pressure her into getting baptized... we had a great lesson yesterday with her, but then her sisters showed up and we didn't end up committing her. Romina is starting to work Sundays, so she can't come to church. We're praying for a miracle. But Manuel is really progressing. He fasted for the first time in his life with us this Sunday, for all 24 hours! He made hamburgers and french fries for his kids, and ordered a pizza for his wife, and didn't eat or drink! He feels really good and says he could get his answer in "a few days or weeks." At least he's starting to talk about time. He's still having problems with wine, we're going to have a good talk about it today. We are still looking... we have 5 people that are ready to be found, we just can't find them! Iris and Mabel are former investigators that moved and lost contact with the elders. They say they want to start the lessons again, but Mabel (who is Iris' mom) was recently admitted to the hospital for complications of diabetes... so we're still working on them. Diego and two of his non-member friends play soccer with Belloni, and we're going to start teaching them. He's really excited to learn, but every time we go to his house after setting up an appointment, his mom tells us that he left to go play soccer! lol and there's also "Gordo"'s girlfriend "Toti" who wants to listen to us, but wants to clear up a few doubts with Gordo's sister.

Questions... I was looking at my genealogical record (wow it is a miracle if i spelled that right), and are we missing some of dad's side's information? Because it looks like I have 3 great-grandparents still living. Also, was dad a preemie, or was he a honeymoon baby? And who introduced the gospel into each family (mom's fam, dad's fam)? When did Dad's side of the family come to the US?

Do you guys think you could toss up the pictures from my farewell luncheon to the FTP site? The ones you took in the living room. That would be awesome. Thank's for the pics of the fam... but I would love a picture of my skinny parents!

Well, here's just an update on your almost 20-year-old son!

What I've lost:

- 20 pounds, 5 inches from the waist (so skinny!)

- The desire to stay up late

- 2 ties

- Camera (got taken out of my backpack during church! argh... I'm pulling out a bit of money to buy a new camera... Just like $80, and I've got my emergency fund)

What I've gained:

- The ability to make sacred temple covenants in Spanish

- The desire to go to bed early

- Legs of steel

- 7 ties

- A stronger testimony of the restored Gospel.

Also, for the next packet, could you guys send a couple of white shirts my way? There's a brother in our ward who doesn't go because he doesn't have a white shirt, and he's big and says they don't make shirts his size. (he's honestly pretty big. I wish I could be more specific), and has a neck of 23 inches. You guys are the bomb! Also, if they sell a little book of the scripture study helps (index, topical guide) separate from the scriptures, I'd love a copy of that! There isn't a spanish equivalent (just a type of dictionary that doesn't list every word nor every occurrence) and I don't really want to tear apart my quad.

I love you all and am so excited to hear about your progress! Saludos a todos!