E-mail #12: Baptisms are so great. It really pumps us up to work harder.

Baptism of Daniel

February 24, 2011

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Hey Mamma!!!

Yes I got your package. it was so nice! So much good goodies. Ortix and I are trying to lose wieght, but not this week! Haha! Thanks for ALL of it :) The socks are too thin so if you send more socks, send just a little thicker. We had the babtism on Thursday. It was great! Ortiz baptised Daniel. and I had my firt confirmation!!! Yea in Spanish and in front of the whole branch!!! I messed up just one word, but it went good. People told me I did great! Ehh they probably just feel bad for me. Haha! Baptisms are so great. It really pumps us up to work harder.

I didnt think my head was cut off in any of the pics. Woops. I'll make sure to do better and to write names. People here dont know how to use cameras hahah! I wish I could send vedeos cause I have some good ones of chasing Iguanas and my BDAY and stupid hammock times. O by the way my hammock. Im supposed to go get it today and I called to make sure its there and its not. they sold it on accident. Im sooooo pissed! The lady said that it might be done by Wednessday but we cant go to Playa until next Monday. Next Monday is transfers abd its possible that I am going to a new area. Not 100% sure but I think im staying here. So idk. Hopefully I stay here and then just go get it next week. Huh!!! People drive me crazy!!! So Ortiz is probably leaving on Monday :( He has 4 and half months here in Puerto and I only have 2 so he is probably gonna leave and then Ill get a new companion that is a hard core mormon and doesnt speak english. Im kinda excited :) Kinda nervous. :/

Wow. Trek for Kenna! Wow she is gonna love it. Honestly its a life changing experience that you cant prepare for. She'll do great!

So Ignacio y Olimpia are ok. They didnt come to church but last night we watched (Fireproof) I think you have seen it. I saw it with Shelbey when we dated. Its about this fireman and he has problems with his wife and he does this 40 day thing where he does stuff for her and at the end they are good and in love. It went well and we saw a real movie!!! :) They enjoyed it and learned alot. Idk we have helped them as much as we can now. They just have to put in their effort. This is why Im here though. Not much for church crap but to change peoples lives and to help them be happy :) Its cool :)

Ha Dad has to got to Grandmas now. I feel bad for him but she enjoys his company and its good for him to help here. In all her letters she keeps saying -- back in the old days the grandma moved in to her kids house. She really wants to move in. she is so lonely and last time when I wrote her and told her she should go to church and make friends. I dont think she liked that. Idk she needs to go to church. I think it will help alot. She could work in the temple. Ugh! Idk

My spanish is getting better. It just takes time. I need to work harder. Ortiz had a companion that at the end of his mission he still couldnt speak spanish well. That scares me, so I need to work harder. The Zone confernce was fun! Its fun to go and meet other missionaries and you make friends there.

40 days to read the BOM!!! Yea right I started it over the first day of the MTC and Now im in Heleman 5. I like to read it. You know it well though. Ortiz read it 3 times on his mission and now he has just a paper back blue one. He has been reading it for over a year and he is in like the end of alma. Cause he studies it in depth and looks up references and stuff. Its all colorful and stuff. When I finish it in english im gonna try it in spanish. Who knows. Haha

Its hard times here I know. But my hard times are nothing compared to whats coming. Our ward mission leader went on a mission and came home after 8 months because it was too hard. He didnt like all the crap about the church the zone leaders how they dont do that and this. Him and I are alot alike but me -- i dont care. Im here to serve the lord and for ME. I dont care what anyones says. He also was only babtised for a year and then left for his mission. So super hard. He is a good guy I love him!

Our branch went to the temple this week. Im so jealous! They literally save their money all month to go cause it costs like 800 pesos. Like 80 bucks. Pretty crazy. Truly amazing the people here. I meant what I said last week. GO TO THE TEMPLE :)

So we take buses when we go to cancun or playa or merida. Every Monday we take one to playa. Their like greyhounds but its called ADO. There sweet! Cause we get to sleep or watch movies!!! and sometimes their in english!!!!

The Xooc family got the box! Dont know how??? But they did! They loved the pic and the card! and Ceasar loved the clothes. It made me miss home cause they were mine! So how did you write the card. Did kenna write it? It was really good and only 2 words were wrong. I could almost understand it all :)

I need you to do me a favor. I need you to buy the scripture stickers. Ya know the ones you put on each verse that has a pic for whats going on in it. Well yea can you buy them and send them to the xooc's. Its not for them but for a family here in the ward. The said they would give us money. So yea :) THanks :)

So Mama! Im doing good except about my hammock!!! GRRRRR! Other that that, just another week in paradise. Haha! I got a card from auntie sherle. Call her and tell her thanks and that she can email me too. :) Not much more. maybe next week i will be in a new area! Hopefully not :/

Dad: I love ya man! I miss ya. Thanks for praying at night! Dont get too churchy now.

Alenna: Hey Binny! I hope your beeing a good girl and I miss ya and love ya!!!

Moma! I love ya!!! I miss ya so much! Keep reading the BOM and praying! Personally I think the time of reading is crap. its about if you understand it or not. I know you do though! :)))))

Well gotta go be a missionary!!! Haha I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

LOVE, MO

PS Tell people to write me. Letters cause I cant email.

Homemade quesadillas -- YUM!

HUGE iguana

Chad's words: "I almost died....."

Just another day messing around in paradise !!!

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From Elder Ortiz:

Hi I`m elder ortiz, i`m really greatefully to the lord to know you, aund your family, your son is a great elder, you really taught him good.
thanks for all.

i`m gonna writte more the next week, ´cause we dont have more time, my email is e.ortiz.o@myldsmail.net

-- love "BROTHER ORTIZ" haha ELDER ORTIZ.

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E-Mail #11: We went Dr.Phil and sat down with them.

Hey mama!

You're welcome for the roses. I do it every year! Tell kenna I said thanks! So this week was good. We have a baptism on Thursday. it is the boyfriend of our bishops daughter. Pretty cool! They will probably get married in a year!

Ignacio and Olimia (The guy with the dreads!) O gosh! She hates her husband and wants to leave him. He seems like he just doesnt care too much. So last night we went Dr.Phil and sat down with them. They each said 3 good and bad things. But Olimpía had nothing good to say. Its really hard but i told them that when i wanted to go and serve a misión, this is what I wanted. Was to help people and give them happiness. They had a family pic on the wall and I took it down and showed them it. Their kids were playing. I showed them and said, "Look you have 2 healthy active babies. You guys are blessed." Taught them about love. Idk hopefully things will get better.

Haha mall security! I cant wait to get home and ride through! Ugh I miss my skateboard!!!!!!!!!!!

I only got grandmas package last week. But today I will get yours. Im excited! Tell grandma thanks for the cashews!!! Ortiz and I loved them!!! She also sent me little towels for when I sweat all day! Sweet! And she sent me Alfredo that i can make! But im excited for yours!!! Idk if the xooc got their package. dont think so. I think the address is wrong Ill send you the right one next week.

Okay thanks for telling Jake. Hope he writes me. I talk to bryan, jack, lacey, tony winston, but im not allowed to email anymore. So tell kenna to put on my facebook to only write me with the missión home address. I got a letter from Brittany thats was nice. I only have an hour once a week to write so I need that for you and kenna. Wow McCoy comes home in a month!!!!!! Wow!!!!! Time flies!!!

Figures you and dad never get any time! Haha! Get the i pone!!!!! The droids are pretty cool but i like iphone!!! Do it!!!!!!!! Then kenna can have the ipod. Tell the giesers i said hi.

I toatally forgot but like 2 weeks ago we went to Merida for my visa. I had to sign a paper. I havent heard anything about visa. All I know is im here. But i have to go back every 6 months to re sign it.

My hammock. Its not done yet. I specially ordered it. Its rasta colors. Its gonna be sweet!!! It might be ready today. And my scripture cases will be like 2 more weeks! I cant wait!

So this week we had Zone Confrence in Cancun! My 2nd one! It was fun! President shared the David and Goliath story. He had Ortiz dress up like Goliath and him and this tiny mexican kid did a skit. They were gonna have me be Goliath but I dont speak spanish!!! Hahaha It was fun. He said that we have goliaths in our lives everyday. So he made a chart thing that we choose three goliaths like our thoughts, spanish things we struggle with. For 30 days if we work hard with them, then we can go to the temple. So im working really!!!! hard to go! You and Dad need to go to the Temple more. Now that I cant go, it sucks. I want to go so bad. But you guys should go 1 a month at least. Lots of blessing!

So Im doing good. Me and Ortiz made an oath to never speak english again and were doing pretty good. The spanish is getting better. Still super hard. I just have to be patient and believe I can learn it. Our investigators are pretty good. Im reading alot in the BOM! Its good. Anyways tell the old man I say I LOVE HIM! Everyone says he is soo skinny -- almost sick! Haha. its funny. Tell binny i love her and miss her tons. I DIDNT GET TO WRITE KENNA BUT TELL HER NOT TO DATE! Haha AND I LOVE HER!

I love ya mama! Miss ya tons!!! Talk to ya next week!
Love Mo

Ortiz playing Goliath

Chad (finally) looking small

Trip to the jungle on his Birthday

Birthday party

Chad, Ortiz, and the family
that did his party

Valentine's SURPRISE !!

A note from Mom:

Today I walked into my classroom and saw these roses on my desk. They weren't sitting there yesterday when I left for the day. The note reads, "To Mom:
Love (heart) Mo" Of course -- I started to cry. Chad always gives me roses on Valentine's Day. He had e-mailed Kenna privately yesterday and asked her to get me roses. Without me knowing it, she went and bought them, and took them to my classroom after I had left. She kept it such a secret -- and I had NO idea. What a bunch of fabulous kids I have........... and I love them all so much !!!

E-Mail #10: This week was good! We have 2 new familias and 2 other investigators!

Mom

The pics were great! Elder Ortiz didnt like it to much cause he is hard core mormon but Ugh! I want one so bad! Mexican food ha it doesnt sound too good. Haha! I want alfredo but nobody here knows what that is! YOUR having football withdrawals! IM having withdrawals! UGH! But its over now.

I forgot to tell you last week but i got your card 2 weeks ago. I have two packages waiting for me and I will get them today :) I dont know who they are from but I have 2! Ortiz got a package saturday night cause his dad works for the church and so does our president of the branch. So they sent it Thursday and he got it Saturday! Ugh freaken sucks! 2 or 3 months for us green gos!

So my BDay was good! Just some background info. Ortiz plays this game when we walk the streets where you kick a rock in between the other guys legs. If you make it its a goal. I hate it and dont play cause its stupid. So anyway. One day i tried to kick a rock at him and almost tripped. He laughed so hard! But for my present he gave me that little rock. Very sentimental but stupid. haha Its was nice. We went to church. Everybody gave me hugs and asked if they could feed us. It was nice to be loved:) We had lunch with some people in the ward and had tacos but in america their taquitos. Really yummy! In the night we did a family home evening and the family had a cake and candles. They shoved my face in it. its like tradition here in Mexico. The cake was really good! Its was fun! But I was still a missionary and went to work!

My spanish is getting better. I just get frustrated and then pissed. But I know its getting better! Ortiz and I spoke more spanish this week which was good!

Our house is super nice cause there is an abandoned house next door and the people stopped by and said we could have whatever we want. We have a nice miror and a cabinet in the bathroom and i have a shelf thing for my desk! Its sweet!!!

Yea! Im getting skinny!!! Im three notches down on my belt! I only have one more notch. ill probably have to buy a new one in 2 months. Im getting way!!!!! Tan! I have the missionary tan lines and it drives me crazy! O well haha!

Im buying my hammock today :) Probably take out 200 bucks. Its gonna be sweet!

So saturday it rained allllll day! We were so dirty and wet. My shoes are not water proof! Haha but its all good. We were so dirty cause we had to go to villas 2 which is an area that is 3 miles from our house. Dirt road is so very muddy! But we had fun playing in the rain! :)

We had food at the americans! The guy that worked in carlsbad! They live literally on the beach! It was so gorgeous! The food was good. We had salad. which I havent had in a while! Haha. Their good people. Their going back to san diego in march for like 3 or 4 months.

I NEED JAKE ARMSRTONGS EMAIL. I WANT TO TALK TO HIM! Haha please and thanks :)

So its been 4 months! Wow! Sometimes it is fast and other it is slow! This week was good! We have 2 new familias and 2 other investigators! They all came to church. Were having a batism next week! Gonna be sweet!!! Well I dont have anything to complain about this week! Haha cause it was a good week. But im excited for my package :) I love you so much! Miss ya like crazy!

Love Mo

ps in the package you can send 2 gels and some of my quiksilver clothes. Boardshorts and t shirts and letters and pics and goodies :) and ties :)

Love ya momma! :D

Chad's 20 !!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAD !!!!!

In honor of Chad's 20th Birthday, we had a Mexican feast. (No - not fish heads..... or avacoda pasta...... yum!!) But, chili rellenos and pork green chile. And, Mom -- to really tick Chad off - sent him this picture of her enjoying a Monster. And, Kenna ... pretending to enjoy a Monster. MMHH! It was good! It was my first one since Chad's left .... honest !! We miss him so much!!!

E-Mail #9:Ugh! This is like foreal the hardest thing I have ever done.

Hey Mamma

Ugh! This is like foreal the hardest thing I have ever done. I had another hard week. Idk whats wrong with me, maybe its just all apart of it. But we went to a different area of Puerto this week and we found a new family and a new lady. They both didnt come to church but I think they really want to learn. The family is this one guy, he has long dreads! Pretty cool and his wife really wants to learn. they have 2 kids. but there not married! :( Im excited to see where it goes. Ortiz and I spoke more Spanish this week. That was good but he has his moments where he goes bipolar. Last night he pissed me off! Idk maybe it just he is the senior companion and im the junior. Idk i know I will have much worse companions in the future.

So Superbowl Sunday! Wow worst day of my life! The members here are so hard core...they dont watch T.V on Sundays. So its not like I could get a little peak! Ortiz didnt want to stop by the mission leaders house to watch for like 5 min. But im a missionary now! Thats good I wanteded GreenBay to win!

So I NEED YOU TO tell Jake Armstrong to email me. Also when you mail the next package can you send me my black quiksilver shirt. it has red yellow and green on it. Its rasta colors and says quiksilver on the front. and gel from Zevs! :) Muy importante!!!

Yea I miss the old man! and freaken kenna! Sounds like she is just livin up the teenage years! Sucks im not there to se it. No i havent gotten sick. Well I was sick the 3 week just for a day. But no-- im good.

So yea this week was blah!!! But we were knocking doors on friday or thursday night and met a lady and her son (43) was really sick. His bladder is messed up. We told her that we have the priesthood and we could give him a blessing . She said it would be great. So we gave him a blessing. Hopefully he gets better and wants to come to church. I have given like 8 blessings since ive been here and all in spanish! Crazy! Its pretty cool.

I went to Playa again! Just for a day and a half. I went to Elder Hearnes area. Two green gos! Hearne only has like 6 months. It was fun! and Elder Wynn left. He is in Merida!

Mom I miss you alot! I miss home alot idk maybe I just need to stop thinking negative. I try to do it but then soemthing bad happens. Well i gotta go. Ill send some pics. I love ya. tell Dad I miss him and love him. and tell alenna i miss her tons. I love ya mama! Miss you all!

Love Mo

O PS The lady that has the handicap kid has another handicap boy. he is 13 and cant walk and do anything by himself. We taught a lesson to her just about God and how he is always here for us and he loves us. She was crying and teeling us how hard it is. So I showed her our family pic and told her about aleena and i bawled my freaken eyes out! I told her my sis has no problems compared to her kids. It was hard! But i told her that evrything will be okay and hopefully we can teach her more!


LOVE YA GUYS!

Brother Paco and his snake

Bus ride from a new area

A nice and cloudy day......