AUGUST 29, 2013

I loved getting letters from you this week they make me so happy! Also I love the packages, I got one on last friday and the candy and stuff in it was great this time! The letters are great so keep sending me them!

But could you maybe send a letter that is written and sent through the postage because dear elders come on wednesdays to us, like I go the ones from the 18th yesterday, and they all come at the same time. So can you send on handwritten one so I don't get it on a Wednesday? Send it to the address on the letter I sent you. I love you so much and think so much about you everyday! ALSO, Nate Scott is coming down this week so can you contact him and maybe give him some stuff to bring down for me??? I am almost out of deodorant because I could only find one stick of it and just like some treats and stuff I used to love? This is way random but can you send some blowpops with him? They sound amazing.

Dad, I will be wearing my matching tie on Fast Sunday! I honestly have been looking forward to wearing it! But thank you for the scriptures and the song, although the song is kind of girly.  But happy birthday today!! I sent you a letter the other day for it so it will probably be there sometime next week. I also took a picture that I will send to you later! 

The weather here is perfect, it is sunny for most of the day and then it rains for a little usually in the late afternoon, I love it.  Surprisingly though, I am excited for cold weather in Chicago.  I am so sick of the food here though, I would do absolutely anything for a cheeseburger right now.  If I didn´t have to eat to survive, I don´t think I would.  I eat so much cereal it is crazy.  But for gym we usually play volleyball or basketball with our district. Its lots of fun but its not as great as Golds Gym or playing basketball in Rob's gym. I also have played soccer here a few times and that is tons of fun to play! They just got tennis rackets too so we are trying to play but people always just get the rackets before us!   My testimony is strengthening and I am working so hard. Love and miss you

With love,

Elder EICHERS

Mexico City Temple

An official nametag

Elder Watchman (Olympus)

Elder Tilby (Alta)

Dad's Birthday

American McDonalds - Wish the bus would stop.

These are pictures that a girl from my district sent me! . Hermana Culotta is the one in the all pink dress . Hermana Harriss is the girl in the pink and teal.

MOM'S BIRTHDAY

Mom, I thought you would like this picture!  I am sorry I couldn't be home for your birthday but I sent you a letter! I love you so much! You're the best!

FIRST P-DAY

On my first p-day we got to go to the Mexico Temple. It made me feel at home other than it was all in spanish.

  

My companion is an elder from Mission Viejo, California which is right by Newport and his name is Elder Paul Larkin!  He is one of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met!  He likes almost everything that I like so we work together really well and have already developed a strong friendship!  I have seen a few people down here that I know like Braydon Hanks, Brandon Budge, a few other kids from Brighton, and Kalen Cantewell that I played baseball with on Legends.

Elder Moore and Elder Gore (Redlands), Elder Lott and Elder G (Santa Rosa CA),
Elders Tilby and Watchman (Bakersfield), Elder Larkin and me (Chicago),
 Hermana Hansen and Cur (Panama), and Hermanas Harris and Culotta and Harris (Florida and SLC)

I love my district! They are great friends and will all be such great missionaries! Its funny though, in my district there is a kid named Elder Khale Tilby who went to Alta! He was the pitcher that we played against junior year when HB had the solo shot to win the game 1 to 0 and it was like the only hit of the game.  He redshirted at UVU the year before he got here and so he knew a lot of kids that I played with.

Elder Watchman, Elder Tilby, me, Elder Lott

I got to exercise a few times this week and so I have been playing basketball and soccer a lot. I have no problems sleeping as by the end of the day I am so exhausted and tired.  The food the first days was so bad I honestly thought I was going to get an eating disorder here because I didn´t like it, but as the days go on I am getting more used to it and liking the food more.  I was so grateful for that package though because of the soda and the cookies, I miss American food and relaxing so much, that is all I want right now.  But all the missionaries, 12, in our district are going in the country except two.  All of us that are going in the country are so grateful to go back where we can eat whatever!  

But there were a few times last week where I honestly was so close to just walking out and asking the front desk and asking for a ticket home, but through faith and the power of prayer I have been able to withstand everything. Things are getting much better now and I am enjoying it for the most part but it is still so hard.  I had to get my haircut too on my first actual day here so that sucked but its kind of funny.  I think I have prayed about 100 times a day and it is helping me get through everything.   Oh yeah, I was made a zone leader this week.

I miss you all and eat a frozen banana for me in Newport.

Blog note from Elder Contla: My [Elder Contla] companion is Elder McCleery, from Bountiful, Utah... Then we have two roommates, Elder Larkin and Elder Eichers.  They're both really cool too.  The only thing is that Elder Eichers sleep talks.  Oh I'm sorry, did I say sleep talks?  This kid fully yells for some reason.  He's generally a pretty quite guy with a quiet voice, but when he sleeps he goes into random fits of yelling.  Nobody know what he's yelling at or why, and he never remembers it.  

OFF TO MEXICO -- THE AIRPORT

We left for the Salt Lake Airport  at about 6:00 in the morning.  We met Elder Adam Curletti there with his family.  I had never met Elder Curletti, but we both knew Karen Payne, my former next door neighbor who I used to practically live at her house.  Karen gave our moms each others' numbers.

We took a few pictures, said our last goodbyes, and then our mothers walked with us up to security. I saw Elder Cooper Ballsteadt, Sam Ellis' cousin in the line.  I also saw Wendy McGregor who was off to Los Angeles.  I made it to Mexico City MTC okay.  

First email home:  The flight was way long but everyone has been super nice to me today and I am starting to make new friends.  Mexico City is such a cool place and I love looking at all of the buildings because it has a bunch of buildings up on the mountain almost like favelas.  Today has been really hard but I am making it through fine.  I just have to go day by day.  I was lucky because I got to sit by Elder Curletti on the way here on both flights so I always had someone to talk to.  I am just starting so everything is still weird but things will be okay.  I haven't gone to my room yet so I don't know who is all in it but I am hoping for the best.  I miss you all and I can't wait to hear from you.  Love you so much.

The next morning at 7:30 a.m... I felt that yesterday was the hardest day of my life.  But now I have a companion and things are getting better. My p-days are on Thursdays so I don't know if I will be able to email again until a week from tomorrow.  Keep me in your prayers.  Love you and I will keep pushing forward.

SET APART AS A MISSIONARY

Before I got set apart as a missionary, I had friends over to say their final goodbyes.  It was emotional and hard.  I have such good friends and family to support me.

Dan Hopkins. Brooke Badger,  Chloe Bruderer, Kira Nielsen, J.Jones, Whitney Miner, Morgan Yates, Andrew Young, Tyler Wall, Emily Peterson, me, Zach Parker, Seth Fankhouser, 
McCall Christensen, Porter Criddle, Chase Omana, Brooke Johnson, Lauren Criddle, 
Reilly Caten,  Ruby Parkin, Abby Richards, Emily Alder, Olivia Crowley, Ben Perkins, 
Robb Moffitt, and Annie Warren

Friends' Sad Goodbyes for Two Years.

Tyler, Zach, me, Robb, and Porter

At 9:00 p.m. we went to the Stake Center.  Both sets of grandparents, my family, and the Stake Presidency were there.  Everyone got to bear their testimonies.  There were a lot of tears.  Then I received a blessing and was set apart as a missionary.  Afterwards, I bore my testimony --my first time as a missionary.  My family and I felt so much peace afterwards.  We came home and finished packing.  I was able to go right to sleep.