October 26, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

    How's life in pc? i bet really busy.  Its busy here too.  Im back in taxisco now working again so its back to sweating alot.   The fruit it was conconuts haha.

   I had my first baptism this week.  Elder Ruiz baptized him and i confirmed him in sacrement meeting which was a little intimidating to do in spanish.  We also had our new decon pass the sacrament and a less active member bless so that was all done by the ward which was awesome.

   The baptism was really sweet it was a 14 year old kid whos aunt is the relief society president.  It was absolutey pouring during the baptism like rivers of water.  But i cant really explain the feeling from the baptism and confirmation all i can say is i was happy and couldnt stop smiling.   It was awesome.

  Im glad football is going well.  I really wish i could watch all them play and i really wish i could get to see jared play but its all good.  

   I dont have much time to write this week but let me know whats going on with you all and the world.

   For the package you could maybe send me refills for my marking pencil.  Just one of each color or something.

    I loved the pictures but you should send me ones of my friend and family and football.The one of my face blown up was funny haha!!!!

 I love you all so much and miss you a ton but not too much

      Love,

             Elder Searle McDede Vincent

Dear Family,
     Sorry I didn´t write monday.  Weve been in quilapa and Nuevo Santa Rosa this week translating for doctors of a catholic mission.  They're all really nice and this cause is really cool.  They come every 6 months and its free service for people who really wouldn't get any medical care otherwise.  Alot of the stories of people down here are unbelivable.  Ive learned alot of medical vocabulary which is really nice and my spanish has gotten alot better this week to.  Ive been helping out this one doctor alot and have been feeling a lot like a nurse haha they could use grandma.  Ive learned alot about medicine this week too.
    Last week we didn´t have our baptism because the dad wouldn´t give him permision but he now has so it will be this saturday. Which will be really cool.  Were in what is suppose to be one of the toughest areas in our mission but things are what we make them and i know i can change it here bc the people are so good they just need to go to church.
   Im going to write more in a second but send this one first.

      Love Elder Vincent

Oh by the way its really humid in my area and i  sweat all day but am getting a little used to it.  Its really hot to but not killer and i use my sunsreen.  Im in alot better shapethen when i left i've been working out hard.  Im really tired at night so i dont have trouble sleeping and our fan works really well so i dont sweat too much at night and i sleep on a matress.  Oh and the sink in our apartment broke so we were a little flooded when we woke up one morning but we plugged it with a stick.
   Hope to send pics for everyone next week!
   Love Elder McDede :) 

Oh and taxisco reminds me of a mix of fort benton and pirates of the carribean and im not just saying that to make you happy.

Dear Family,

     Things are great in guatemala.  Im in a small town called taxisco.  But our area is really big.  Like hour bus rides big but we mostly teach closer to taxisco b.c its closer for the people there to get to church but we still go out to teach some.   Ive taught in the jungle and the streets and in huts made of straw its pretty sweet.  Weve found some pretty sweet families to teach its just hard to get people to come to church.

    Oh before i forget im about 2.5 to 3 hours away from the city so i probably wont get mail for a while but tell people to keep sending it so i can write them whe i get it.

   The areas pretty sweet my favorite thing by far is the kids though.  Our church is about the same as the relief society room at the stake center except the baptisml font is in the basement.  Its just one big room seperated by 3 dividers and two small rooms for primary and the office and the bathrooms are on the outside of the building.

   The president doesnt live in our area and we are his councilers and the president wasn´t here this week so we were the only ones at church with the priesthood so elder ruiz blessed it and i passed.  We had 19 including us at church this week.  We have one baptism lined up for this week.

   After sacrement we are the teachers too so for the first hour i got to teach primary which was probably the best thing ever i taught them about prophets and temples for about 40 mins and then taught them english and i dont know if ive ever seen kids so excited it was awesome.  I taught them to say book of mormon and love and other stuff it was really fun.  Then 2nd hour i taught the young men and women and that went well too.  After church my companion is the seceratary so we had to do money stuff. I was bored so i tried to clean up the building.  But really the kids here are so awesome.  ESpecially the little girls.  I think some like me a little to much though.  We were teaching this 10 year old girl yesterday who asked if i was married haha.  and its just funny being here white and blue eyed haha

      To answer moms questions i have running water but only during the day.  I dont think i got the stuff from the mission home just letters from ryan alexa and erics folder. We walk to almost all our apointment even ones that are a couple of miles away up hill.  I sweat ridiculously that day bc it is so hot and humid here.   We have a comedor which is a food provider that we go to for lunch and dinner thats really good.  There are a bunch of people living in her house and i got it out of her on saturday that she was a member before so i decided im going to baptize her family b.c there awesome!  The food is really good too she does a good job.  I sleep on a regular bed with the sheets you sent me.  I was sick almost the whole time in was in the mtc but am fine now (ive been taking my vitamins)  I remember you love me yes.  We teach alot of lessons.  We dont do a ton of contacting because were always teaching lessons.  MY stuff is pretty good.  The nike socks were the best advice i got before my mission so thanks spencer!  Do you remember i love you?

    You should proably send me a bunch of stickers to give to little kids and some candy or what not for christmas stuff that will last in the mail a couple of weeks.

    I like my companion he's pretty cool ive been working a little with him on his english.

    I think ive lost close to 30 pounds now so hopefully i stop losing weight for a little.

    Its really green here:  Alot of dogs in the streets and chickens the people are really friendly though

    Tell the team congrats and to keep working hard and that you can always keep getting better.  Tell people i say hi and that i will try to write as soon as possible.

    I love you all and am always praying for you.

                LOVE,

                        Elder Searle McDede Vincent

October 7, 2009

Dear Family,

     Im adding this after i started for mom.  If you listend to President monsons last address he said that he invoked a blessing upon all those watching that they would arrive home in safety.  I am taking that upon myself so mom you have nothing to worry about! :)

      So have you been getting my letters to each of you? you really haven't said much about them so i just thought i'd ask.  Oh also you should send me some pictures sometime.

   Ok just had to get that stuff out of the way before i forgot.   This weeks been awesome.   Conference was great.  I especially like president uchtdorf's talk on love.  Also elder ballards ( i think i dont have my notes with me) on father son relationships. I need to save that one to refer to my whole life so you can print it out for me if you want and put it by my bed or some thing ;)

   I wish i could spend my whole time talking about all the stuff i learned from conference but maybe next week when i have more time.

   I met president alverado yesterday and he seems awesome.  I am so glad that he is my president.  We did an orientation for most of the day and then later i met my new companion.  His name is Elder Ruiz from EL Salvador.  He seems pretty sweet.   Hes been out just over a year.

   Our area is called Taxisco.  Its on the pacific coast and its really hot and humid.  It took us about 3 hours to get here from the city. but i could bearly see the ocean when i was on the bus today which was pretty sweet.  Im going to melt even faster which i dont know how thats possilbe seeing as im under 200 pounds now.

   My apartment is a missionary apartment but i like it alot.  Its right next to the church b.c we have the keys.  We just have a very small branch in my area but my compainion has been doing work so its been growing.   I know that we will do awesome things in this area if we trust the lord and work as hard as possible.

    Its really green as you would expect here and ive seen a couple of valcanoes and some huge parrots and stuff. Oh and a guy yesterday asked if i liked to eat turtle. I thought that was funny.

   Well i hope all is well.  I should be  able to send you some pictures next week :)

   I love you all and you should let me know heaths teams schedual and tell some people to write me if theyd like.

     I love you all.

      Love Elder Searle McDede Vincent