BEST WEEK OF MY MISSION

So this week has probably been the best week of my mission! I loved talking to you guys so much! I surprisingly wasn't homesick at all! It was so great to see and hear you guys again! But everything is going great here!

I have changed my whole mind set. The last few days have been the best of my mission.  I am thinking more of the people here rather than what is back at home. I am so grateful to be a missionary and find those people who are ready for the Gospel!  My testimony and the spirit has grown so much in the last few days it is crazy and I haven't had any homesickness! I love being able to share this gospel with people every single day! I have realized that through faith everything really will be okay, if we do our part and be bold and share, The Lord will bless us. With this blessing I received the strength to find people here and realize all of the blessings in my life!  I love being a missionary!

But Oscar received the priesthood yesterday so he will baptize Liz on Saturday! I also have been thinking about how grateful I am for Dad and Sam because we always have had Priesthood holders in our house. The blessings of the priesthood really are huge. Liz is doing absolutely amazing though and she is so prepared! It's amazing because our ward was one of the highest baptizing before they got split so they haven't had a baptism in like 7 months so this is the first one in a long time! It really is the Lord’s baptism! All that we have done is be the instruments of The Lord and the spirit did the conversion!

I love the people here so much and I know I am called to be here in Chicago for a reason! My testimony is stronger than ever and I know the Book of Mormon is true with all of my heart and the Book of Mormon contains all of the ideas of this Church so I know it is all true! I love you guys so much and families are forever! I love you guys more than anything and I am attaching a few pictures!

Love papi

 TRYING TO KEEP WARM

UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER

A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

CHRISTMAS DAY SKYPE

Elder Eichers called us at 3:00 and we Skyped our conversation.  He looked good and sounded like he had found his home in Chicago.  Here are a few of the things he told us:

The cold weather.   It is so cold!! The day before he wore thermal garments and ski long johns.  And he still froze.  He said they’re supposed to talk to people on the bus, but by the time they get on the bus all they can do is try to warm up they are soo cold.  The weather will be like 10 degrees, but then the wind brings it down another 15 degrees.

His District and Zone.  Their area goes into the city, so they are able to go right into Chicago without going out of their area.  Their spanish district is assigned to one ward, and include 6 elders and 2 hermanas.  Elder Dean is his district leader and he has been there 19 months – Elder Eichers loves him and says he is the funniest kid. Their zone is three districts, and includes about 24 people.  Every Wednesday they have a district or zone meeting. He said most of the people they talk to have the line they are catholic (maybe they are).  He also said it’s hard to talk to families, because the parents’ work schedules are so random with shift type work.  In our Salt Lake area most parents work during the day and are at home at night.

His Mission President.  Elder Eichers loves President Woodbury.  He says he is the nicest and most inspired man.  He said every time President Woodbury talks to them he feels like it was for him – just what he needed. 

Spanish.  His Spanish is improving.  Elder Dussan is from Colombia and is learning English.  So during lessons for an hour they both go into rooms and talk out loud.   His language is improving, lessons are good, but regular conversation is harder. 

The food.  His former companion Elder Gomez weighed 100 pounds when he got there, and when he left in the last transfer he had gained 30 pound [Elder Gomez was transferred up to the border of Wisconsin, in the farmlands and cornfields.]  Garrett said they really have to watch their weight.  Elder Eichers said his favorite food is ---- and then probably Giordorias.  He loves the ice cream and cake shakes at Portillos.  He said for breakfast he eats cereal and for lunch usually a quesidillas or some chicken and spinach…but for sure a lot of quesidillas.  There is a new Café Rio in a suburb, but it’s too far and out of Garrett’s area.  His least favorite food has been brown/chocolaty mole and marinated pork skins.

Sleep.  He sleeps great.  He said he hasn’t been sleep talking, though he did a lot in the MTC.

The Apartment.  Garrett did a tour of the apartment on his I-pad.  It was a nice apartment and he loves living there. The bishop of the other Spanish ward lives below them.  He can do his laundry there and he says that saves him at least $20 a month and they can stay in their apartment while they’re doing it.  There’s a food pantry, but Garrett says he doesn’t go in there because all the missionaries have left creepy stuff.  Haha.  There is a nice big closet that Garrett showed us that is filled with stuff from missionaries who left stuff behind before they transferred.  His bed was all made with the bottom sheet turned over his comforter at the head of the bed. – Wow, we were impressed.

The City.  Elder Eichers loves the City of Chicago.  His favorite place is Magnificent Mile, although they have no money they love to walk there.

Baptism.  On January 4^th they are baptizing the mother of the family he has been teaching.  The father is getting the priesthood on December 29^th, so he can baptize her.  Elder Eichers is so excited about this!!

Best Friends. We got a chance to call his friend and have him face time Elder Eichers while he was skyping. 

Christmas.  They had a district meeting in the morning where they were going to bake cookies.  They were still opening gifts gradually.  Their 1:00 lunch appointment cancelled because she was sick. [They probably loved the time to just have a breather].  Elder Eichers and Elder Dussan each skyped on their own i-pad and then were going to dinner at the downstairs bishop’s house. 

CHICAGO TEMPLE AND MISSIONARY CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES

Yeah this week has been great! We have done a lot of stuff for Christmas! But I did get a package on Friday from Grandma that was sent to the mission office! I got it and I am waiting until Christmas to open it! I also got one from Ellis family and from Shirley and their family! But I love all the packages they are so nice! I have also gotten a few Christmas cards that I love! The letters are my favorite! Also I am sending a few cards home to you but I don't know the addresses to them so can you deliver them from home?  But on Christmas I can skype you guys! I just need you to send me your skype information so I can call you because I have my account I just need to call you guys! But it will probably be at like 4 o'clock because we have a district meeting/ making cookies in the morning and then we are eating dinner with the Gandera family at 1! The Gandera family is the one that Eric knew from his mission who was in this ward!   But the family downstairs just invited us for Christmas dinner so Christmas will be busy!

But the temple was amazing! It was so awkward in English though for my first time again. But it was amazing to go through and one of the workers there was brother hicken who I stayed with on my very first night here so that was nice to see him again! But it's crazy, the temple is like a home to me. I feel like you guys are right there beside me when I go through! I love that feeling and that peace that I feel there!

Also we have been wearing ugly sweaters to some parties and things like that so that has been way funny!  We got the ugly sweaters at Good Will so it was like 4 dollars! But I did make some holiday cards and will send those out too!  We had a Christmas party at the mission home with our zone on Friday and that was way fun too! But Liz is going to be baptized on the 4th of January! I am so excited for her! Her testimony is so strong and she loves the Gospel and is sharing with her parents! Oscar is going to receive the priesthood too on Sunday! We are so excited!  Their oldest girl is Jayleen (like jaylin) and the middle is Kayle and the little boy is Andrew! But Jayleen turns 8 jan 31 so she wants to get baptized soon too! Since the ward split in February it has gone through a little bit of a baptism drought because it's hard to get everything figured out again so it will be the first baptism in like 6 months in the ward! I love their family so much!

But the members here gave us tons of stuff here too! I got 2 ties, free meals to chipotle, and a big box of stuff! They really love us!

Everything is going great here! Keep me updated!  Love you though and I will talk to you on Wednesday about 4 or 5 your time! Love you!!!

WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY with the Ugly Christmas Sweaters:

 SELFIE with our "Big Box" from the ward members:

IT'S FREEZING!

That party sounds like so much fun! I can't click on the link to the invitation but if I go to the Library today I can maybe look at it! Our ward is doing a Christmas party this Saturday!  And also on this Friday we are going to the temple and we are also doing a white Elephant type of thing at the mission home with our zone and one other!

But we don't have any plans for Christmas Day yet because I don't really know what we are supposed to do! But I think we will have our same pday because we can't really go out and buy groceries on Christmas but I am not completely sure yet! We should be able to skype because I have it on my IPad so I think we will be allowed to just do it right from home! But I don't know yet what time we will call yet! I am sure they will tell us this week so I will let you know! I should be able to tell you next pday though for sure if our pday isn't on Christmas! But I am so excited to talk to you guys again! Today marks three months that I have been in Chicago so that's how long it has been since I have heard you guys! That's crazy! Haha but Kev is hilarious! I can just picture it perfectly in my head.

But it's freezing here! Sometimes when I am texting someone my hands start to hurt because it is so cold! But can you actually send me another pair of long gs and also a pair of wool socks? I got the calendar this week but I am saving it for Christmas to open it! I am looking to buy something and send it home for Christmas it's just so hard to find something because we have so little time! But I am going to invite Twall to go over for Christmas and talk if that is okay with you. [yes!] But things here are going pretty well! I got my new companion and he is from Colombia! He is helping me a ton with my Spanish because he speaks a lot slower than Elder Gomez did.

But Liz and her family are doing great! We are still trying to figure out the whole priesthood thing for Oscar so he can baptize her but they are doing great! This week Oscar’s step brother got home from his mission so they have been with them the last few days and went to his ward. We also went to their daughters Christmas performance for school and it was so cute! I feel like they are my little sisters! I just love their whole family so much! And that investigator who asked to be taught by the sisters last week is on date now so that's a miracle! I am so happy for her because I have taught her too!

Yesterday though it was amazing though, we were walking and there was this lady with her two daughters who were about our age and they had a flat tire! They asked some people to help them but everyone said no and then we walked by and helped them! So we changed their tire and everything, luckily my companion knew how to do most of the stuff because I didn't really, but we got everything fixed up for them! After she was handing us some money and we were like no we do this all out of love and we are just here to serve and help people and said we were missionaries! She was so grateful for us and just had the biggest smile and she was like at least let me give you guys a hug and we couldn't deny her! I felt so happy just because we made this family’s day and holiday season just a little bit better! This is what the gospel and missionary work is about! Helping others to be happy!

But I am glad everything is going great! I am going to email Samara and tell her thank you for the shirt, if you are at home will you show her the picture of me wearing it to her! But what are your guys plans for Christmas? How are you guys doing in General? I love you and remember to stay healthy! I love love love you guys!

I have to get off but I love you more than anything! You are the best Mom I could ask for and I am so grateful for everything you do for me! Although we are far away I feel like you are here with me because of how much love you show! You are the best Mom I could ever ask for! You are so important to me and I'm so excited to talk to you next week!

Love you bebe!

My shirt from Samara

Elder Dominguez and me at Wendy's

Elder Gomez and me with Oscar and Liz's family

My District

It's Freezing….

1ST TRANSFER

Everything is going great here! I love the presents and I am a little

behind so I am going to catch up soon! But it always makes my day!

But so Saturday is when we got our transfer calls and we got a text that

said we wouldn't get a call so we were way happy because we thought we

were going to stay together and then that night we were going to a

family’s house and we were with 2 other missionaries because this

family just had their daughter and son in law get sealed. They were

already married but the husband just got his endowments and they were

sealed, the wife is a rm.  But we were walking in and we get a call

from the assistants and they kept joking around with us and we ended

up finding out that Elder Gomez is getting sent to the cornfields and

I am receiving a companion from Colombia! His name is Elder Duson or

however you spell it so we will change out tomorrow! He got here like 3 weeks after I did because he left the MtC early or something because he is fluent so technically I will be the senior companion. It's crazy to think that but I am going to

focus more on my Spanish this transfer because my companion can speak some

English but I heard but he's much better at Spanish! Hopefully I can help

him learn a few things too!

But it was amazing we had 3 different investigators come to church yesterday!!

That's the most we have ever had! But it was kind of sad, one of the

investigators that was there I was talking to her and I had to ask her

to repeat a few things and then she was like I think I want the

hermanas to teach me. I am bumbed because I feel like it is because of

my Spanish and it just made me feel terrible. But on the bright side,

Liz and Oscar are doing great! We had a family home evening with them

at Oscars parents house yesterday and she is so excited to be

baptized! She loves the gospel and she is so prepared for the gospel!

We only have to teach her a few more lessons and then she can be

baptized but we are figuring things out with Oscars priesthood so he

can baptize her! He was less active but now he is considered active

because he has come the last few weeks! So this was so great and I

love their family so much! Other than that nothing else big has really

happened!

I will try to send some pictures later if I have time for it!  I love you guys!

A CHICAGO THANKSGIVING

Yeah I have all of the decorations up! But this week has been great! So we went to the family Armendariz house for Thanksgiving and the food was like half American half Mexican. They had turkey and mashed potatoes and rolls that I loved and a green bean casserole type thing that you would make! The Mexican part was that they had this stuffing type stuff that was different but actually pretty good! It was different being away from home but they were so nice and tried to make us feel as comfortable as possible! Their family is so nice and loving!

Other than that it was just a normal week with missionary work! Liz and her family are progressing super well and she is a perfect investigator! We basically just had to find her and then Oscar’s parents have taught all of the lessons and she asks questions that complete our lessons perfectly! We aren't really doing anything it is mostly between her and the spirit! I feel like any missionary could teach her because the Lord had her so prepared for the gospel so I am just grateful I got to be a part of everything!

But I loved the package that you sent me! I was so happy and I loved that you all wrote me letters! That was my favorite part! Coco sent me a package with the 25 day things and it was so nice of her! She is so sweet!

But everything is great here! I just keep pushing forward! Love you guys!

Coco's 25 Days of Chrismas!  Happy Smile!

 Decorated for Christmas

 Selfie with my new I-Pad

4th Fast Sunday on my Mission,

and wearing my Fast Sunday tie matching my Dad's tie.

In heaven with a member's new puppy