E-mail #3: Back in Puerto Morelos

Hey Mama!

It was really nice to talk to everyone! It was easier than I thought! I really only teared up talking to Binny! Haha It sure did go by fast!

So same old bolts! Grr! I just wanted to see them go to the playoffs! O well! I dont get to watch anyways! Everyone here loves american football but they dont have it here. So I show everyone my pics of me and they go crazy! They love it!

Jake! Wow! Argentina! Wow. I dont think he wanted to go outside of the country! Wow! We can speak spanish to each other when we get home! I told kenna to get me his email so that I can write him in the MTC! Its gonna be hard for him but he will do great!

Sending a box! Sweet! It really doesnt matter. I have access to just about everything now cause of the walmart but who knows where I will be in 2-3 months! Junk food haha. I want a monster! Ugh! Next week I will have a address that I want you to send a box to a the Xooc family. I want you to send some of my crappy looking quiksilver t's. Like 5-6 and 2 crappy trucker hats! There son loves it and thinks its so cool that i worked there! Next week I will have the address though!

I forgot to take a pic of me in my hammock. ¡Lo siento! and I didnt take any pics last week cause I was in (HELL)O! Good news though! I got to leave Sunday night instead of Monday! I was so happy! Its good to be 'home' haha. i missed Ortiz and Puerto Morelos. This morning we went to play basketball with the Xooc family and to but a load of laundry in there washer. But Sis. Xooc forgot to connect the water so there house got flooded! It was so funny! But its a small house and concrete. They are so awesome. They fed us to like always :) I love em sooo much!

So it was a hard week! But Im happy now that im here in Puerto Morelos! The baptism got moved to Saturday and were going to 'Magdelana' to plan it tonight! Wal-Mart today! Im pumped! Should be great! :) Well....its only been 2 days since I talked. dont have much more to say than I love you guys tons and miss you mucho!
I love you Dad! Miss you so much! I love you Binny! Be nice! and be happy! :) I love you Kenna! Take care of that car and dont be stupid! Moma! I love you muchooo!

Love Mo!

PS I met some people from Phoenix so they should be sending a pic or calling you mom :)

Christmas Phonecall .....

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A Note from Mom:

We got to talk to Chad tonight ..... for an hour. : o)

We are in heaven. But, now our hearts have this HUGE whole again, as we miss him so horribly. The number that he gave us last week was not correct. I knew it wasn't right. I was thinking that it was missing a number. So - earlier in the week I started trying to call the Mission Home. Finally Wednesday I got a hold of an Elder in the office and he promised that he would see what he could do to get the correct number for me. He said that he would e-mail me back. Well - as of about noon today, I had not received an e-mail - and I have to admit - I was getting pretty depressed. I had tried calling the Mission Home again, but never got an answer. I kept telling myself, "It's ok - It'll be okay to not talk to him." NOT !!! So - my phone rang - and it was that sweet elder. He gave me the exact phone number Chad did. I told him that I didn't think it was right - so he hung up and tried some more. About 10 minutes later I received another call - with another digit for the phone number. WHEW! I cannot imagine if we had not gotten to talk to him today. Here's some highlights from our conversation. And, some more pictures of Puerto Morales.

* He misses BREAD! He says that there is no bread there. Every meal they are given a huge stack of tortillas. (Good thing he likes those...) Yesterday they had (what he calls) guacamole pasta. He said it was just pasta with a bunch of sliced avocadoes in it. Hmhh! Sounds interesting.

* He is still in Playa. They went to a families house last night thinking that they were going to be fed, but they weren't. The family did send them away with a basket of bananas and fruit. So - that was their holiday meal. He went to bed early last night, and when he woke up someone had dropped off some food. He was VERY glad !!

* He loves Puerto Morales even after only being there a week. He says that it is such a small village that everyone already knows him. His companion, Elder Ortiz (who is awesome) helped him write his talk in Spanish for last week. The Americans that were on vacation couldn't believe that Chad had only been out for 6 days. He is struggling alot with the Spanish. (Of course right?????.....)

* The Xooc family that he spoke about -- the son in law, father of the 7 year old, has been investigating the church since the girl was born. But - he has not liked the way the missionaries push him. So - Chad told him that he just wanted to be his friend, didn't care if he set a baptism date, just wanted to help him and his family. The guy really likes Chad, and wants him to teach him. Chad told Elder Ortiz that they are going to have to try a different approach with him. This is perfect for him. I can't wait to see what happens.

* He is tired of eating chicken. That's what they always have. Some kind or another. There is no beef. Everyone has chickens in their yards.

* He says that everyone is very poor - and everything is so dirty. The streets, the yards, the homes. What a culture shock.

* He misses his beard !!!

* He's getting used to his hammock. He bought a pillow this week and it's much better. He asked to buy a custom made one (he says they are a bit bigger.)

* This is the hardest thing he's ever had to do. And, he is SO TIRED!! Now he understands President Merrill - you get more sleep then you have ever gotten, but you are so exhausted.

* He misses us WAY more than he thought he was going to. (Not sure what that means.... : o)

* He has struggled this week with being away from his companion and the people that he has already grown to love. His companion in Playa does not speak English, and speaks very fast. Today, he told him to slow down - and his companion said no. So - Chad told him, I guess there won't be many conversations then. And, he went and cleaned their apartment. He's so anxious to get back to his "home".

It's hard to imagine another 5 months before I get to talk to him again. I loved just hearing the sound of his voice. He sounded good - really good. __________________________________________________

Elder Ortiz

1st Sacrament Meeting in Puerto Morales

Branch President

Ward Christmas Party

Little girl whose parents are being taught.

E-Mail #2: Looks like a CANCUN Christmas ....

Wow! So it has been an up and down roller coster. We took a 4 hour bus ride to Cancun and then 45 min to Puerto Morelos. Thats were I am now. My first night we went to meet some investigators and then to a meeting with the President. (They dont call them bishops here only presidents) Then we went home and planned for the next day. Our house is a crappy building but very nice to some people. The kitchen is tiny!!!! No microwave, tiny fridge and the cabinets. The bathroom is gross haha! But we have two rooms for storage and closet. We sleep in the living room where our desks are.

My companion is Elder Ortiz. he is from Guadalajara, Mexico. He speaks almost fluent english so we speak a lot of english. It kinda sucks cause I need to learn espanol. He is great though! Awesome guy. I love him to death! He is great at teaching the gospel and I have learned alot from him.

So my mission president is ok. We made alot of stupid rules. He has only been the new guy for like 4 months. We cant go see any of the temples! We cant drink coco cola. On christmas eve we have to be back at the house by 8 and christmas day we cant leave the house until 4 in the after noon! It sucks!

So I woke up today and my comp got a call from the zone leader. Im going to transfer just for one week and be the zone leaders companion. The place is called (Playa) It freaken sucks! Here i am getting used to it here and now i have to go somewere new. Im pissed -- like really! I met so many new people I want to teach and people that need me here. I wanted to spend christmas with this family in the ward (The Xooc) but now i cant! And the fist three days we got to ride bikes but mish prez says no -- too dangerous. So we walk like 20 miles everyday!

On the bright side i have met lots of people! There are a couple of really nice people in the ward. The ward is actually a branch like 40 people. I had to speak in sacrament meeting on sunday! Yea... crazy. all in spanish! There was a family from salt lake that was on vacation. Nice to see some americans!

We have a baptism on Dec 28. A nice middle age women. Ortiz wants me to baptize her. Pretty crazy!!! Haha We baptize people in the church in a tarp like thing. its like 4x4x4 haha

The food is amazing! The big meal here is lunch. Everyday we eat at a members home. Breakfast and dinner are crappy! But the food is way good. a lil spicy but really good!Everyone I talk to wants to learn english from me. Its crazy how you grow to love the investigators. I truly love them. We have one guy that his wife (she is 20) and he is (29) and they have a (7 yrs old) Yea!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! Its legal in Mexico. But they are married and she is a member. Her parents are the (Xooc) He has heard from the missionaries for 7 yrs and otriz said that he wants an american to teach him. So here I am. Its going to be hard but somehow i will get through to him.

A real big problem here is girls get pregnant waaaaaay young 13, 14 15 crazy and marrige. nobody is married. We have 2 investigators that are married but live with other people. We have 1 guy that his wife wont divorce him but he lives with a different one and has kids and everything. Its so hard. I definately have been humbled. People live in shacks here. Its crazy but they are all such nice people.Everone says hi, buenos dias, buenos tardes or buenos noches! Its fun!

Christmas! I guess i will be in playa for christmas with the zone leader.( no english) haha should be fun! But you need to call (01) 984-032-710 at 7-7:15 mexico time. I think its an hour ahead of u guys. Its a church i guess. I didnt get your package yet. I guess it takes like 2 months. That kinda blows but o well. Well see.

I dont know what else to say but I love you Mom! Love you Dad. Love you alenna and love you kenna! I miss you all so much. Its hard being here-- no lie. Like i cant express myself. I cant teach and im not really learning cause my companion speaks english. Ugh i miss home and my friends. Ugh its still fun but im just in a pissed off mood cause i have to leave for a week. Im ok :)

I love you all!

¡Feliz Navida! Love , MO

Go Bolts!

O! We had a ward christmas party. Ill send pics in the email.

**Click on the picture to see it up close and personal.

OH MAN !!!

Where the heck is this?????

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A note from Mom:

I cannot believe that Chad is in Mexico -- let alone Cancun. Here is some information about where he is at.

Puerto Morelos is a town and sea port in Quintana Roo, Mexico's easternmost state, on the Yucatán Peninsula. The town is at the southern end of the municipality of Benito Juárez in the northeast of the state, about 36 km south of the resort city of Cancún. The marine terminal at Puerto Morelos is equipped to handle containers and is the largest and most important sea port in the state of Quintana Roo

Playa from what I can tell is actually in Cancun. (I think.....) He will be there for only this week.

Can't wait to hear from him on Christmas!!! --Mom

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Mexico E-mail #1: I'm here in Merida !

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A note from Mom:
I was sitting at school thinking to myself -- "I wonder if they'll just e-mail us to let us know that Chad got there ok." So - I thought I'd check the e-mail. What a surprise !!! There was this wonderful e-mail from my boy !!!!! YIPPEE!! What a wonderful gift. The Lord is good to me. --Mom
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Hey Mom! Im here in Merida! Sorry I couldnt call again. We landed in Mexico City and thought it was 2 hours ahead instead of 1. So we were literally runing through Mexico City Airport! Turns out our flight left an hour late. It was horrible. we couldnt find our gate! and for me to use that card I was supposed to call a 1-800 in the us before leaving! Ugh so anyway. Presidente Salinas picked us up at the airport with the 2 APs. He took us out to dinner. Ugh! So good! I had this pineapple smoked pork burrito! It was yummy. He got this appetizer that was just tortillas and cheese! The cheese was sooooo good! Then the APs took us to the Mission office where they and all the secetarys live. I slept in a Hammack!!! Wow!!!! They gave us our own hamack. Mine is blue. it's pretty cool. It was different thats for sure! Its gonna take some time to get use to it. There are 3 english speakers and 4 spanish here at the office. Pres speaks a lil english but mostly spanish.

On the plane ride from salt lake to mexico city. Not gonna lie. i was scared cause I had to leave my companions :( That really sucked! But when I got on the plan from Mexico City to Merida I sat by a business man that worked for coca cola. He was telling me how it was safe and beautiful and just amazing! That really comforted me! He gave me his business card and i gave him a pass along card. I hope to be able to teach him someday. When I got here I felt so goood!

We woke up this morning. I slept like crap! I have 8 bug bite and I took the coldest shower of my life! They heat buckets of water up here. Crazy! We didnt eat until like 11 cause Prez and his wife came over to interview us and taught us why we are here. Sis Salinas made ham sandwiches but with quacomlee! (spelled that wrong haha) anyway it sucked. Im gonna have to learn to like it! So now i am leaving. Dont know where but im getting my new companion who speaks a little english. My PDay is Monday. So i wont be able to talk until then. My new adress is

Calle 45 #527 x 70 y 72
Colonia Centro
Mérida, Yucatán CP 97000

Phone for Mission Office is: 01-800-712-0860

So this is really hard! No lie! I really miss home especially feeling like I have nobody right now. But i no that i have the lord. and My mission Prez is way cool. The spanish will come. its hard and im really tired but I know I need to be here and I cant come home. I miss you so much mama. I miss dad and kenna and lena! Ugh this is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my whole life! Ugh! Well I love you tons and Christmas is only like 2 weeks away!

Love you mucho!
Love , MO

Ps The key board is even in spanish! Crazy!

Let's pray for ..... MEXICO !!

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A note from Mom:
We got to talk to Chad today !!!! And, boy was it emotional. I really did well, held it together pretty good..... until I hung up. It was SO good to hear his voice. He sounded so good. A bit emotional himself, but happy. A little nervous, but excited. Now, his plane has landed in Merida, and I'm wondering, once again ..... Where will he sleep tonight??? Is he OK???? Will he make friends???? UGH!

Last week Ken bore his testimony and said, "We want to ask you all to pray for Chad. He got his VISA and he will be heading to Mexico in a week or so." When Brother Nelson (Bro. Dude to Chad) closed the meeting he got up and said, "Yes, I think we need to pray for Chad. But, more importantly, ....... we need to pray for Mexico............." : o)

And, it's true. Mexico doesn't know what has just dropped across their border.

He ate Burger King this morning and said that "It was SO GOOD !!!" Yuck! What does that tell ya?? Maybe he's eating beans and rice tonight and really loving it!

Oh man -- I love that boy. It was so good to hear from him, but so hard at the same time. I've been teary all day. I MISS HIM !!!! Kenna got to talk to him too. Yes - she bawled. (I think Chad shed a few tears too. : o) He gave her a ton of his usual dating advice as she turns 16 in 2 days.

This is exciting. He's off and running. Or, in his words, "It's GO time." --Mom
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E-Mail #7: "With faith there is no fear, but with fear there is no faith"

Hey!!!!!!!

Okay so i think she means to just dont have both of the bags at exactly 50 pounds cause than you could be screwed for double.

I sent you a card for my old camera. That one was blank but for your Bday card I sent my card with pics on it. It must have goten broken on the way there :( the pics are gone :( it sucks but owell I guess. Ill have to pack it better next time.

I havent gotten the shoes yet but probably today. Thanks :) Im sure i will love them!

I got the package with the tweezers and money and the calling card. Thanks so much that helps alot!!!!!! The Calling card. I think I can use it outside of the country. there is a phone number on the back. Ill try to call that number but if not I will get one in Mexico.

Dont worry Mama! I will be a good boy! I didnt waste almost 2 years to get sent home. I break some rules here but in the field its go time! Im excited to meet my Mission Prez! That really helps me. Now Im not soooo scared! Haha OMG Im so excited to get out of here!

Dont worry about the carry on. My flight from Mexico City to Merida, I can only have 26 pounds so i will just jam my back pack full!

:(((((((((((((( I cant believe my chargers lost to the flippin Raiders!!! There is a new kid here in my zone and he is a raiders fan so we argue. its fun but gosh darn! Really bolts!? it will be ok. They will win the wild card :)))

Im sending a package today of all the junk that i dont wont to take to mexico. Ugh today is gonna be sooo busy! Lots today!!!

My flight plan: I fly DELTA to MEXICO CITY at 9:45am and arrive in Mexico at 2:51pm
Than I fly: AEROMEXICO to MERIDA at 4:50pm and arrive in Merida at 6:40pm

So i am going to call on Monday Morning at probably 8 or so. maybe 8:30 from salt lake and then i will call from mexico around 3:30 or 4.

Im flying to Mexico City with Elder Price, Udall, White and Johnston. Im so excited!!!! That should be way fun!!!! Than from mexico to merida I dont know who i fly with.

So calling Dad yesterday was way hard! Much harder than I thought. I wanterd to call you but it didnt work out. i left 2 voicemails one on my old phone and one on yours. Hope u got to listen.

Well Im so excited to talk to everyone. i hope i have lots of time to talk in the airports. I love you all so much!!!! Im kinda stressed about going but "With faith there is no fear, but with fear there in no faith" So I have lots of faith that I will do good. Im so excited to share the gospel and to let others know how it brings happiness! My testimony has grown so much!!

I love you all mucho!!!!!!!! Cant wait to talk to you guys :)))))))))))))

Con Amor, Mo

Ps

Elder Chad mayberry
Mexico Merida Mission
Calle 45 # 527 Q y Calle 70
Colonia Centro
97000 Merida, Yucatan Mexico

Phone is 52-999-923-5860

That is the new adress please post it on facebook :D

Missed Phonecall

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A note from Mom:
Let me start by explaining that my cellphone quit working about a week or so ago, and my children have taken all of our upgrades for, oh let's say, the last 3 or 4 times. So - with anticipating a call from Chad on "Airport Day", I thought I'd better start using Chad's cellphone. Yesterday, during class, Chad's cellphone went off. Blink 182. Some pretty wild song. Fourth graders ..... Blink 182 ....... get the picture??? Anyway -- it was Ken saying, "Did you talk to your boy???" WHAT?? He had gotten his travel plans and tried to call. I had been at recess duty. I didn't even know how to check his messages. So - Kenneth told me that they had talked for about 15 minutes. I am NOT jealous. I am NOT jealous !!! Ken did finally tell me the code for his messages and so I heard a sweet, "Hi Mama." OOHHHHHH!!!! Tears start a comin'. But - I did not get to talk to him. Ken said that he was emotional, but SOOOOO excited to get to Mexico. He will be calling from Salt Lake City Monday morning, and then hopefully again from Mexico City in the afternoon before he heads off to Merida. His buddies also got their VISAS so they will be traveling to Mexico City with him. That was great news. I am so anxious to hear his voice and talk to him. It will be really great. Then we will get to talk to him again on Christmas. I didn't realize that the elders in the MTC do not get to talk to their families. HOW HARD!! Ok - I guess it IS good that he is leaving before the Holidays.

Another chapter is beginning. Chad has changed so much already. He told his Dad, "My testimony has changed, Dad. It really has." I'm so proud to be his Mom. : o)
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Chad sent this picture today. No explanation, but one can only WONDER !!!

E-Mail #6: Visa IS HERE !!!!!

Hey mama!

I GOT MY VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay so on tuesday we're in class and the intercom comes on and their like "Is Elder Mayberry there?" I was like yeaaaaa! They said come to the travel office! They told me I was going to Salt Lake at 1pm to go to the consolate! So I go on the bus with like 20 others. It was nice to get outside of the MTC! So we pull up to the Mexican Consolate and the driver says "Im sorry but only half of you got your visas!" I knew i wasnt gonna get mine cause im still 2 weeks out! There were elders who had been here 3 weeks over! So i was pissed! However, the lady said im soooo sorry but you will have to come back tommorrow! So i got to go to Salt Lake twice in 2 days! I have my visa officially! I havent gotten my travel plans yet but i should leave on Dec 13! I am so excited!!!! Im actually excited to teach the gospel and let people know the happiness I get out of the gospel! I love it! im soooo stoked!

So i wont be able to see David. But thats cool! And OMG! Jake put his papers in!!!!! Can you send me his adress so i can write him! Im so excited for him! Yeaaaa! Also I need Tylers address! I miss him alot and should write him! :)

Thanksgiving was way different! The food was pretty crappy! Haha and i didnt get to eat allloooottt! Haha but It showed me how others are so thankful for even a crappy peice of turkey. We did a service project like all day. We made back packs for kids in pooor countries so that was cool. As a MTC we made like 33,000! Pretty cool! However the next friday I missed Black Friday! O the good times!!! :( haha

OMG! The chargers are kickin butt!!!! Awwww i wish i could just watch like the high lights!!! :( I hope they go far! Everyone sees me wearing my shirt and they get excited! I love it, but a new kid in our zone is a Broncos fan soooo..... haha its fun!

So im gonna need $100 cash for my travel sometime soon. I dont really get to check my balance on my card so idk haha but im gonna need it by Dec 13 or before like the 10.

Today im gonna get my pics printed out for you guys. i have alot of good ones of snow and our thanksgiving :)

So im gonna write grandma virgina and have a heart to heart talk and talk to her about the church. It finally clicked that she NEEDS the gospel! She needs to do something or she is gonna go crazy!!!! I think she will be perfect for it! :) Im in missionary mode and she needs it haha. im turing into a dork! haha!

So i need some things....

~ The other carry on bag. Im gonna need it with all my books and crap they have given me here. So if you could send me that gray carry on that would be wonderful! :)

~I need a set of tweezers my uni is getting crazy!! Haha

~ I also need a foot scrubber4 my feet! There getting gross to!

~ and i need a lighter...to fix my ties when they get messed up. its a trick i learned here.

Well momma! I miss ya! Im really getting scared about mexico cause its official! Im going now in like 11 days! HUHHHHHHH!!!!!! Crazy i cant even speak spanish yet! I feel so behind! People in my district can read the BOM en espanol! I can not!!!! Ugh its so hard pero i know i can do it and i know the lord will bless me! :) Tell kenna im writting her a letter today. Tell alenna i miss her horrible and love her mucho!!!!!!!!! Tell Dad i miss him soooooooooo much! I love him soooo much!!!!! Mama! I love uuuuuuu! hehe! I miss u tons and hope you and the rest of the fam are doing good! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!

Con Amor, Mo :D

ps i hope you got the pic of the shoes. I really need them :/ my other shoes suck! you cant send shoes to Mexico except one by one. I hope maybe grandma hammond can buy them! :) I love you mom :)