E-Mail #8:Ugh! Its been a hard week! We have no investigators!

Ugh! Its been a hard week! We have no investigators! The girl with the Salon doesnt really want us. Nobody wants to listen to us! :( Kennas letter was really nice! Freaken making me get all teary eyed! So this week we went back to Playa for a meeting. Its like a seminar with our Zone. We were in meetings for 2 days all day. But we learned alot!!! It was good! And fun to be with all the missionaries.

So we were tracking one day last week and we met a lady with a little handicap boy. His name was Benjamin and he was 8. Ugh I almost started crying right there. It made me miss aleena so much! He was a cool kid. But they didnt want to hear about this freaken wonderful gospel! Ugh! Its hard!

Two weeks! I have two weeks to be a stupid teenager! Wow im really getting old! My Bday is on a sunday! What a downer! Here in Mexico nobody watches TV or anything! I think the Xoocs are gonna make us food :)

My spanish! Ugh my spanish sucks! Everytime Elder Ortiz and I say okay only Espanol! we get into arguments or we just dont talk! Its so hard. its like were best friends when we speak english but when its spanish we dont! Sooo freaken hard! I dont know...

The Xooc's are good. There son in law just had there baby! Saúl Alexander ( I dont know there last name) He is a cutie! But Fabien the son in law...eh he doesnt want to hear our message. Were really good friends but its just not his time.

One of our biggest problems right now is our ward! and the missionary work. Last week we spoke in church about it. I got up and took off my tag and said "Everyone here has one of these. Its in your hearts! Yea missionary work is hard. I know! But dont think about it as religion or missionary work. Just think about it as sharing the good word. Your happy and people want to be happy so go and give it to them." It went well. I think it will get better. So Mom yes share the gospel with EVERYONE! Just be calm and cool about it. If they dont want to learn well they dont. That's okay. Its not there time. Your friends know that your happy and they want what you have. Just invite. Your lucky Mom cause you can share it to people calm and cool. The work Im doing is like im selling soemthing. Its so professional. It pisses me off. Some missionaries even Ortiz are too pushy I think. I dont know. its hard but I teach how I teach and I dont care if its not there way. I know what I know and I know it makes me happy. So I hope you feel better about it. Get involved with the missionaries. Feed them and help them cause they need you guys and you guys need them.

I know Dad loves me. I know its hard for him too. When you write me about him I always get teary eyed. When he is ready he can write me. Its better I dont get one everyweek or I would be a wreck! I miss him alot. I miss our man to man talks or our talks about how too churchy people are. I love him so much!

Jimmy or President! Huh! I miss that man! Tell him to email me cause I need some religion puffed into me or some story or idk haha He is a good man!

Im so glad that the bank didnt charge me out the butt for that! Im gonna buy my hammock next month. I cant wait! Probably in like 2 weeks!

O ya the crazy lady that hates Arizona! She doesnt like the laws that they passed. Idk i dont care! She is crazy! That was the craziest experience yet..more to come! Haha

So Im actually starting to like reading my BOM (Book of Mormon) Im in Alma 16 I think. I read it everyday like 2-3 chapters. I really enjoy it. Who would have thought!

SO we met some asians from california that were trying to save the world or some crap. They gave us books and told us to not eat meat and the earth will not melt. Locos! They were nice though. we gave them a pamplet of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is actually a few americans here but they are all way rude. There from cold parts of us and live here in the winter.

Well Idk what else to say o wait! Last week I got a christmas card from Byrce and Laura! and a card from Auntie Sherle! :))) but I didnt get yours! Haha So who knows. Tell them I said thanks for the letter! :D

Well I love you so much Mama! I love your emais and dont be afraid to share the gospel. Its simple. not a hard thing. Your happy and they WANT to BE happy, so help them.

Dad...I love you soooo much. Miss you. I miss getting off the phone and you saying (Alright Love you man) Ugh! Its hard here! I love you so much!

Kenna...Thanks for the letter. im going to print it so i have it all the time. I love you! Keep the car clean! Dont do anything stupid!

Aleena..,Hey Binny! How are you? I hope your doing good! Dont be flirting with any boys and be nice to everyone! I love you!!!!

Love you all!

Love MO!

Elder Perez - my new zone leader

My crazy zone

E-Mail #7: "O and what does Jesus think about Arizona?"

Wow! 100 days! Only 620 more! Haha! Playa was good I learned alot from the greengos and we had lots of fun! E.Hearne is from Alabama. He taught me what I need to buy and everything. E. Wynn is from Idaho. I dont have any pics but Ill see them today. He was E.Haws companion in the MTC. Small world!

The fish! I loved it! Yes I (ate) it. Haha!

So yea the weather is hot, unless it is cloudy! But I guess the hottest months are April, May, and June! Ughh! We'll see haha! So the gum that you sent me is in my box and its so humid here that its like melted and you can squeeze juice out of it. Im losing weight. all the members say I am getting skinnier. :) and Its not even hot yet! Yea im gettin tan...well I mean im getting really bad tan lines haha! I guees in the summer time you get tan lines from your garments through your white shirts! Crazy!!!

I miss Tom and Kathy! I didnt get a email this week from Bryan or Haji this week but Im sure they were just busy. I have to realize people have real lives not like mine.

So Ortiz... He has a 21 sister and 17 brother. His Dad was a mission president for some place in mexico. They're VERY mormon! Like no TV on sundays and dont chew gum when you fast! Haha So not like me!!! But he is cool. He learned his English from American music. He loves music! He has 7 more months! He is excited! He turns 20 July. In Mexico they can be missionaries when they're 18 so he left like 2 weeks after his B Day! Crazy!

When Ortiz went to Cancun he gave the guy my money and I will hopefully get my scripture cases in 1-2 weeks! There gonna be sweet! So we went to the mall last Monday and I bought hair clippers from a store with my card. Can you check to make sure it didnt cost more than $75. It was like $70 but I just want to make sure there wasnt a fee. I didnt have cash and I really needed them. But then we got back to the house that night and the little trimmer that i would use to trim my arms with didnt work. So next week im taking it back for a new one! Ughhh! I was so pissed! Im gonna buy my hammock probably next month. So this mall was cool. it had a couple of stores and a food court with subway!!! Sweeeeett! And I bought a tie for 9 pesos which is like 90 cents :))))

Poor Grandma! I miss her! You need to go see her like 1 a month.

The freaken state of arizona! You need to tell Dad to be a pain in the a%$ to them and get angry! You should look for a new program for her cause those people are... well im on a mission and should keep my words clean. haha Its so frustrating! I miss Aleena alot! Kenna is growing up so fast! It seems like it was just yesturday that I was driving to school and thought I was so cool.

So this week we met a lady on the street and she lives outside of Puerto Morelos like a 10 min walk from our house. But its in the Jungle like forealz! So we went to go and it was like 6 -- so almost dark. We tried to find her house but we found someone else to teach. There was a lady that was from Canada. She spoke English and Spanish really good. She lived in a good size shack! Haha So we walk inside her house and sit down and start talking. I told her I was from Az and she was like "O and what does Jesus think about Arizona?" So right off the bat she hated me. So we ask if we could say a prayer she said yes. She told me I could so i folded my arms and bowed my head and she was like no! She told us that you have to put your hands together. She said it was disrespectful or some crap. So I prayed like she said. She was crazy! She said she had a dream that Jesus came and told her to move to Mexico. She was Metaphysic which is like universal crap. We tried to teach her but she just wanted to argue and she told us that she had never sinned before and I think she belived in Reincarnation. At the end it was cool cause the whole time she wouldnt stop talking and I bore my testimony about Christ and the room was silent. I know she felt the spirit! It was cool! But she is crazy!!!!

This week was hard! My spanish is horrible }. This week I talked to a guy in spanish and he replied, "Ugh no ingles." I was like, "I said everything in spanish." Sometimes people just zone me out cause im white. He pisses me off! This week really was hard. So I fasted saturday to sunday and hopefully Jesus can help me with this freaken language! I wish Ortiz didnt know english. I dont know I just need to work harder. I really miss home. Like alot! Im already on my 2 transfer now :) Pretty cool!

So did you guys ever get my 2 boxes from the MTC??? I sent all the crap that I couldn't take. When you send another box can you put gel in it. I get it from Zev so Dad will have to go when he gets his haircut. Bring pic for zevvy! How is Jake??? I need his emails. When does he leave? Tell him to write me!

Freaken Steelers and the Packers! Yuck! I wanted to the Jets and Bears! Jets to win! Tell Jeneen that I want the Packers to win only cause I hate the Steelers! We might go to the mission leaders house to watch a little bit but I dont know if Ortiz wants to haha! Our mission leader is like 23 he is really cool!

Well I dont know just another week. Please check the bank and see if i got a big extra charge. E.Hearne told me he is using his card here. So I love you guys!!!!!!

I Love you! Aleena be nice to people and be happy!
I love you kenna! Dont do anything stupid!
I love you Mama! Miss you mucho!
I love you Dad! and miss you everyday!

Love MO! :)

Chad loves his ties.

Look Mom -- only 9 pesos !!!

Mission President Letter

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A note from Mom:

We received this letter and picture from the Mission Home yesterday. Wow!! Chad looks like a giant. It was very nice to hear from them -- since we're trusting our son to them for two years. But, I guess it is true .... we are really trusting the Lord with him for two years.
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Dear Mayberry Family,

We are pleased to inform you that Elder Mayberry has arrived safely in Merida. We express to you our gratitude for preparing such a wonderful missionary and feel very honored to have your son in our mission. We will be attentively taking care of his physical health, as well as spiritual. Trust in the Lord that He will protect him in this great work. When writing, remember to encourage and to express the feelings that the Spirit puts in your heart. Explain to him the spiritual progress that you are making while he is serving the Lord, and ask him to share with you some of his spiritual experiences. Be positive and help him focus on the mission.

These two years are very important for him as a missionary, future father, and leader in the church. He will have great experiences, and confront many challenges, temptations, and afflictions; however, just as the Lord comforted the Prophet, Joseph Smith, by saying these words, "All things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good," he also will learn from his own experiences.

Encourage him to press onward and support him in difficult times. The life of a missionary is not easy, and one should not think it to be, but by trusting in the tender mercies of the Savior, He will make our burdens light.

We love you very much. Please be assured that your son is in the best hands: the hands of the Lord. Our Heavenly Father has assigned us to this mission at this specific time so that we can care for him. He will be our son, and as such, we will love him and will be mindful of all his needs. Our Redeemer promises great blessings for His missionaries if they are faithful, endure to the end, and keep their eye single to His glory: "And any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither thirst" (D&C 84:80).

We send you our sincere greetings with a big hug.

With much Love,
President and Sister Salinas
Merida Mexico Mission

E-Mail #6: Christmas....... a month late !!

I MISS FOOTBALL!!!!!!! Ortiz says thanks for the pen :)

So I got my package on last monday! :))))) It was so great! The candy and the football! and the gum! The pens were sick too! OMG!So ortiz has been asking every one of his american campanions for their parents to send him the missionaries action figures. He literally died when he opened it! He loves it!!! He is a dork! Haha! So the package was wonderful! Thanks-- Merry Christmas! Haha. Ortiz and I should be together for like 2-3 more months! Hopefully! I love him alot. He has taught me alot! So the President lives in the mission home which is in Merida. The packages get sent to the mission office, I was there my first night. I havent gotten my card, maybe today. Who knows? haha.

We have zone confrence every three months. But every week we got to Playa for district meeting. and thats when we go to wal mart :) We didnt go to cancun. We had too much stuff to do. Ortiz has a meeting in cancun this week so he will be there wed and thurs and i will be in Playa with 2 other elders. One is from alabama and the other is idaho. It should be fun i like them alot!

Kenna loves her car! Its such a granny car! Haha but she will grow to love it! I miss her a lot. I loved her note that she put in the box. How is binny? i miss her too-- soo much!

So this week was my 1 month in the field and 4 months so far. 20 more!!! haha the beginning of the week sucked! We pretty much lost all of our investigators! :( So the beginning we tracked all day but the end of the week was better. We had a investigator come to church!!!!! YEA! She's 20 and owns her own hair salon. So we got free hair cuts today :) Im doing good. wayyyyyyyy tired and still miss home and think about home all day everyday! The spanish is still hard but its coming slowly!

This week it rained all day everyday! Not super hard! But it was sooo nice cause it wasnt hot!!! I loved it. Everyone here was soooooooooooooooooo cold! It was funny!

So there is an american in my ward who married a mexican lady. They lived in san diego but moved here cause her mom and dad are dying. But he used to work in carlsbad at the power plant! Small world! His spanish is bad like mine. But he is working on it. Haha but i have jesus on my side. He doesnt Hahaha :)

Fish! WE HAD FISH! With one of our investigators! It was soooo good! I ate the head part! It wasnt bad! The fish was good though with black beans and tomatos! Yea tomatos. They werent to bad. Served with no forks. haha it was dirty! But soo good! so we were tracking and we knocked on a ladies door. She invited us in down at her table and she asked if we wanted soemthing to eat. Ortiz was hungry so we did. Turns out she is an inactive member. The food was cold and it was that pie looking thing but eggs and vegetables. UGGGGHHHH i literally was gaggging! Ortiz was making fun of me but i ate it! Worst experince so far in mexico.

Well not much more to say than i love you mama! Love you Dad! Love you Aleena and love yo Kenna! I miss you all so much! Thanks for the package :)

Ortiz and their missionary action figures

1st Fish Dinner -- the WHOLE fish .....

The Luis family

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A note from Mom:

I sent a Christmas package while Chad was still in the MTC, as soon as I heard that he received his VISA and would actually BE in Mexico for Christmas. Of course -- the Post Office assured me that if I spent the bucks it would get to him in time for Christmas. Well ....... just when I thought all was lost - and that his package was literally LOST .... surprise. I'm glad he got it. We haven't figured out how long things take to get to him. So far it's been 2 weeks for a simple card through the Postal Service.

I think Chad's counting is a little off -- he has been in the field for one month. But - that means he's been out 3 months (not 4 months) and he has 21 to go. Oh well --- maybe he's thinking, "Time flies when you're having fun"..... right?????

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E-Mail #5: So this morning we went to the jungle! Took our Mashetees and went!

Hola!

Another week down! Wow it went by super fast!!! So this week started out amazing! We found two new familias. One family that the father had some drug problems. Haha we actually took his weed from him so he wouldnt smoke anymore! Pretty fun. He has a wife and an 8 year old son. So were like -- sick! Three people! Then we had another family that they were catholic but had some spouse problems in the past and have 2 boys. One is 10 the other is 5. Sick! Another 3! So we taught them alll week. There doing good. Keeping the commitments. So come Sunday....noone shows up for church! We were so pissed! The first family, the wife said she doesnt need us and doesnt want to learn more and the husband slept all day! Ugh!!!!!!!! Truly sucks! The other family both had to work. Then... two other of our best invesgators Erika and Areli. Erkia owns a haircutting place and Areli is the daughter of the woman that I baptized. Erika said in the middle of the week that she doesnt want to learn but we stopped by on Friday and she changed her mind but then come sunday...what does she do instead of go to church.....she went to the beach!!!!!!!!!! UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Areli has a little girl. (I knew that part) The part I didnt know was she lives in Mexico city with the babies daddy and isnt married!!! I guess she is going back next week! Ugh so frusterating! So knowbody came to church and we had to drop 2 investigators cause they dont want to learn more :(

But other than that -- ya! I love the people. the baptism was so fun! The people are nice. They kinda understand me but we have fun with it. There is a guy in the ward that makes business cards. He is making me some cards that say my name and my emails and the address for back home. It will be cool.

So there is a sports bar here and when we walk by we walk by realllllly slow cause the play offs were on :) Last night we went to the mission leaders house and watched a church movie and just hung out! It was nice to chill. We watched the mexican sports center for like 5 mins. I hope its the Ravens and Jets for the super bowl and the Ravens win! Words cant describe how much I miss football and my beard! I show everyone my scrap books and everyone loves my beard! :(

So this morning we went to the jungle! Took our Mashetees and went! It was fun but sooooooooo hot! We saw a 5 foot snake! and lots of frogs! It was lots of fun!

This saturday were going to Cancun to the Stake Center for a priestood thing. The guy that makes scripture cases should be there. So today im taking out $70 bucks. Next monday were going to the Puerto (The beach) I guess there is a hammock store. Ill probably take $100. I cant wait :) It will be so sweet! So the beach, we're not technically allowed to go, but we just CANT touch the sand! So we dont go often! :( But yesss its so hard! I dont like to go often cause it makes me miss home and I get pissed off cause I cant get in.

So our P-Day is a little different now. We dont have to be in Playa for district meeting till 6 but we have to study for 2 hours in thye morning. So its kinda better. Gives us some more time.

So Ortiz wants a scripture pen. He said he will pay for it. and if there are any cheap charger jerseys at like walmart one of those to. He is a cowboy fan. and that crap doesnt fly in my house! Haha!

So the President came to our house on Saturday! We were up all night cleaning and doing paper work. But it went well. He and his wife came and they loved our house cause it was spotless (of course). it was good. He said my spanish was getting alot better! That was encouraging.

Well not much more to say but I love you Mama! I love you Dad! Miss you so much! Kenna dont crash the car! Love you! Aleena! I miss you tons and love ya lots!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Love, MO :)

Presidente and his wife

E-Mail #4: Baptism!!!! Wow! To be apart of something like that was sweet!

Picture drawn by Elder Ortiz

HEYYYYYY! What? that week went by so fast!!! HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! Im doing good. The spanish is killing me!!!! But everything else is so sweet! My new years was fun! Its pretty crazy here. We had to be home by 8 on new years eve and we couldnt leave till 4 the next day. New years eve we went to the top of the roof with chairs and some munchies and just had a good time. It was so much fun! Lots of fire works and EVERYONE was drunk! Im sending some pics but there's like this scare crow but its like a person and they stuff him with fireworks and at 12 they light it on fire. There was a couple just on our street! So cool! Very loud!

They put cream on everything! Like white cream instead of sour cream! Its not bad. New years lots of people brought us food! We went to walmart last week! So sweet to actually have food!!!

Ive been showing my pics to everyone and everyone says Mom is pretty but not me or Dad! Haha figures!

I want a pic of kennas new car! and of the family! :)

Teaching is getting better but teaching the word of wisdom is hard! i think its stupid. and we have to ask people to stop drinking cofee or they cant be baptized. Its a tough subject but o well

So yes "Cesaar Xooc" He is the son! Kenna add him so he can talk and then i can see your facebook. hehe. He thinks your cute but i beat him up for saying that.

My feet hurt! Soooooooo much walking!!!! But the shoes are great!!!!

Baptism!!!! Wow! Yes i got to babtize her. It was truly amazing! I didnt mess up :) It was sooo cool! To be apart of something like that was sweet! We are trying now to baptize her daughter. She is 22 and has a little girl. I think we will in like 2 weeks :)

The mail system is idk. You just send it and i get it when i get it haha. I think i get stuff every monday if it comes but i havent gotten anything. I havent got your package but who knows when.

I email bryan and jack. nobody told me i cant so... :) I need haji and lacey email and brittany if you can get them for me :)

ATM There are atm here and its like 20 pesos (2 bucks) to take money out. Not bad. Its like $150 for a hamck. I dont know when im going to go to the store but ill see if i have the money.

BEACH!!!! We went this morning! We couldnt touch the sand but wow! So pretty! It made me miss my 2nd home (carlsbad) :( We are like a 5 min bus ride so awesome and we might have an investigator that lives on the beach :)

well i love you guys so much! Happy new year! I miss you alllll! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!! LOVE MO

Baptism of Sis. Diaz December 29, 2010

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A note from Mom:

I can't tell you how great it was to get this e-mail today. I know it's only been just over a week since we talked to Chad -- but I am dying here ......... I received the e-mail, and thought, "Well, that was good." Then later in the day I went to post the e-mail and there were all these pictures attached. Holy Cow !!! Or should I say, Holy Chad !!! FUNNY! Not sure what to think of Chad in white -- (I, as his mother -- think this is just as it should be -- however, you, his friends, might think, "Who the heck is that ?????") It looks good on him, but then there's the more "traditional pictures" of Chad on the beach. Love that too!! These are some great pictures -- please click on them to see them larger.

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Chad's Hammock - This is where he SLEEPS !!

Mucho Dinero !! (About $150)

Is that a tan?????

You've got to click on this one --

Teaching the "drunk" .....