December 27, 2010

Elder Malan and Elder Rodriguez and their trees!

Mason and all of his loot!

Their bathroom!

Mason bowling on P-day!

Hey sounds like everything is going good since Saturday! haha That's sweet that grandma and grandpa are going to to serve! I'm glad that they are able to do that. Hopefully they go to Pocatello and work with Israel! But ya, the boxes were fine. Didn't seem like anybody tried to get in them. Just when you write the description on what's inside of it just don't put the valuable things on it-haha. Just say candy or something. But I can't really think of anything that's expensive down here. It's all about the same except for the little things. Just send pictures and things like that. I thought of something yesterday that you could send me, but I can't remember what it was so it must not be that important. We don't really cook anything. We eat cereal for breakfast with yogurt and nothing really for dinner, a sandwich or something like that. Then for our supermercado, we have 3 close by and they are like Walmart so it's basically the same thing. Yes, I got that picture! (of the Jacobs girls) It was good. I haven't written Ethan, I haven't gotten to it. I don't know how much it is. I am sending another letter this week or next with a little thing President and the hermana gave us so I think you might like it. No, I don't need cinnamon milk, momma. We don't really have not water, haha, only for the shower. I think the other packages have the apple cider. I bet the cold is nice now. Too bad you didn't have a little snow for Christmas, haha. I don't really know what else to tell you. Today we played soccer at the church. I kicked the ball over the fence and the guy wouldn't give it back so I am going to buy Elder Rodriguez another ball or give him some money. But soccer was fun, we can only play once a cambio (exchange) because people got competitive, haha, like always. But ya. That's about it. If I need anything at anytime I will let you know, mom, ok? No te precupes. haha Well that's about it. Thanks for everything and keep up the work love you all!

December 20, 2010

Hey mom!
How are things going there at work and home? Here, things are good. I got one package from you, one from Emily and one from grandma and grandpa! So that was really nice. I'm not sure if you sent more than one but if you did I should be getting those next week, I think. Me and Elder Rodriguez are buying each other something. He said he wanted chess so I think I'm going to buy him that. He said muchisimo gracias for the things you sent him; the pillow case and the photo album. He likes the jerky, too, haha. His parents are going to send him a package. His parents know someone here in Queretaro so they send it to them then the person gives it straight to us. So it's cool. Our Christmas activity was cool, but I had to eat cow intestine, so that was really not very fun. haha They had a soup of it and gave it to me! I wasn't too happy, but I took a bite out of it-haha- so hopefully I don't have too many more things like that or I don't know if I'll make it. For the activity, we had a slide show of photos from the missionaries, which I couldn't send any in. Then we listened to the assistants and the hermana and president talk. It was cool to see everybody again. We ate, then we got a tie and some other stuff, a card from hermana which I am going to send home to you. It's cool. That's about it. We spent the whole day there because it's 2 hours to where we were and 2 hours back. So it was a long day, but fun, especially when I got the packages. Church yesterday was not good. We didn't have anyone there. I was frustrated and so was my comp. The week always goes good, but Sundays usually are bad. Javier still thinks all the ways lead to Heaven so we are still working with him. The problem with the people is they don't pray or read to really know if it's the truth. So that sucks cause if they just did that they would know. Then Elder Hille is from Salt Lake. I have already talked about him. He is cool. That's cool to hear that Ash is doing well. He writes me sometimes, so it's cool when he does. That's crazy it's almost time for State! Then it's all over for that kid and swimming. What is he going to do when he stops swimming? Hopefully you have something for him to do haha. Today we went bowling so that was fun. I did pretty well, got over 100 both games. It's good to hear that the sports are doing well also. That's crazy you saw Billy Jackson. I hope he is doing better than before. I didn't send the memory card. It's not worth it to lose the pictures so I'm waiting for the memory card or cable. You know what I was in the nativity at grandma's! The Wise Men! haha Well this week will be interesting. It's crazy. If I don't call you by 5:30 or 4:30 your time, call the number that I gave you, ok? Otherwise plan on me calling. So I will talk to you then! Let me know when you get my letters. It takes about a month I think. But it takes like 2-3 weeks for the packages. Well that's about it. If you want to know anything more, ask me Saturday!
Love you all!

December 13, 2010

Hey Mom! How are things going? Here, it's going well. This last Sunday was probably the best Sunday I have had here with numbers. We had 3 for the first time and 4 total. So it was good. Me and my comp are still here. But I got letters this week. It seems like they take 3 to 5 weeks to get here. So it's kinda crappy! haha. But I haven't gotten your package. Hopefully it gets here before the 16th otherwise I might not get it for awhile. We found a family because of Javier. He is taking us to people's houses that he goes to. So it is pretty cool. He is a lot better at giving references than the members! haha My day goes consists of study from 8 to 11. First hour is personal, second is comp study then the last hour I read the Book of Mormon in Spanish and Preach My Gospel. This helps with the Spanish. Then after that we go work until 2 then we have the comida, which is lunch, then we work till 9. So that's the basic schedule of the day. When I talked with Pres. Nancollas we just talked about life and how bad the mission was when he got here, so ya. He said the mission was really bad. Missionaries were bad, everything. This last week we found a family of 3, like I said. They are doing alright. We visit them almost everyday. Then today another elder from my generation is coming to the zone, Elder Hille. So that will be cool. sounds like Shadow Valley is poppin'! It's cause everyone saw me working there and wanted to follow my footsteps because they saw how much fun I had! haha jk. Sounds like Ash is doing well in swimming. I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully he can do well in region then in state. When is that? His senior year is almost half way over already! haha Crazy, and Jeff and Spencer have almost been out a year too! So time is going fast. We has a stake choir thing last night, all the Mexicans sang in a choir and had a little Navidad thing with it. It was cool. then Saturday we are having a ward activity, I think. We will see how that goes. I haven't had to speak yet, but I did bear my testimony in November. The members here are ok. They don't give references ever though, so that sucks. The ward is about like 80 people, I think about that number. Then I see Elder Birtcher like 3 to 4 times a week. It's cool he is in my district. I heard Elder Nowack is here but I don't know where in the mission. We have a mission Christmas thing on the 16th so I will find out then. I got your letters. Like I said it takes a little bit to get here though and it takes longer for them to get delivered to me because we only eget them when we have zone conference interviews or a capacitation or when someone goes to the offices. So about once a month we get letters. But ya here everything is starting to get better with the investigators so hopefully it will just keep rolling and we can keep having success. It's crazy I have 5 months already and I still don't know much at all. haha But it'll come. We had a capacitation last week and it was really good. We needed to hear all what was said. Pres. Nancollas is way cool. For the capacitationes we just take notes on what we can do better. Then we do practices of teaching. So it went foo. All the letters were cool. I didn't know dad went on a huge motorcycle ride! When I get back we are doing it again! haha I have a telephone number I'm going to call from and it's free cause the member has an American line some how. I will be calling on Christmas day around 4:00 your time, 5:00 here in Mexico. I think I can just call the house or whatever and it should be good. In about 2 weeks we will be talking again! Here it's getting colder, so nights are pretty chilly. But it's good. I sent a letter off like a week or 2 ago so hopefully you get them before Christmas! That's about it from here. Thanks for all the love and support you give me, and the letters. Everyone is jealous because I got a lot of letters! So thanks for the letters and the most important part, the love you have for me and the love I have for each one of you! Well, if you want to call the number or I can call you. I think it's the same but let me know what you want to do then we will do it.
Love you all and thanks for everything!
Elder Malan

December 6, 2010

Hola Mama!
Como estas? Estoy mucho mejor ahora. Esta semama pasada ha sida mucho mejor para mosotros aqui en Mexico. Tuvimos 2 investigaodres a la capilla ayer entonces fue mucho mejor que las dos ultimas domingos. Transfers are next week so if I don't write until late I got transferred or my comp did. So just to let you know. Here it's not too bad. We are in the richer part of Mexico, so ya. But there are still some little houses. Our house is pretty small. When I can send you pictures of it you will see. But it's not too bad. It's a lot different from Cabo, that's for sure. Here, it's not pretty. All cement everywhere. I haven't gotten your letter yet, but I will get them this week because the ZL's have them. So I will let you know how they all are next week! So ya, here we found a guy named Javier. He is cool. He came to church yesterday and said he felt really peaceful so we were stoked on that. He likes that we have visiting teacher and home teachers because he likes to visit los infermos. haha He is cool so hopefully we can get him to be baptized. It sounds like you guys are all pretty busy! That's good, better to be working than not working at all. I'm glad that Ash is doing well on his swimming because it's his last year. He is finally driving a man's truck! That's what I'm talking about! He better not wreck that thing or I'll be enojo! That broadcast, we only get to watch conference, I think, I'm not sure yet. Is that Trevor in one of those pictures? It looks like him! haha I don't know the other lady that's in the picture. Does Ash go a lot to your school or what? Does he have many classes? I liked not having any responsibility my senior year. haha But ya, it's been almost 2 years since I graduated! Crazy, huh? I'm getting old haha. And you know what that means mom? Same for you. haha But ya, I have to write pres every week! He is really cool. I don't know if I told you this but a couple of weeks ago I got to talk to him for like 40 minutes because he came to my church and it was really cool. He is an awesome guy. He banned coke! We can't drink coke anymore so that's a bummer, but we gotta live it. So ya, it's all good. But that's about all for this week. Hopefully I answered your questions and all that. I'll let you know what up next week!
Les amo mucho
Elder Malan

November 29, 2010

Hey Mom!
How are things going for you? I didn't have to call the mission mom (when he was sick). I was alright, but it was bad. I stuck it out with some pepto and gatorade.
So this last week was pretty tough. Our whole mission is in a down slump. This month has been the worst since Pres. Nancollas has been here. Only 145 confirmations in the month, so really bad. Here it's not much better. Our investigators aren't going to church even though we call and go to their houses to pick them up. It's tough and Spanish is still tough for me.
That's sweet that the Jazz beat the Lakers. How are they doing? I heard they are like 9-2 or something like that. So that's cool.
This week nothing really good happened. It's tough right now because we are having a tough time finding people to teach and our family that we are teaching se cayeron. They didn't keep the commitments so we have to let them go.
I write Israel and Spencer. I haven't heard from Hunter. That's sweet that you got one of the packages on the way. I'm excited for that . We only have two more weeks in the cambio then I could be transferred. We will see what happens.
How was your Thanksgiving and black Friday? Here we didn't do anything because they don't celebrate it. So ya. For Christmas, I don't know what the plan is since we have cambios 2 weeks before it. If I am here still I can go to a members house and they have an American line so it can be free if we do that. Then I don't know what all there is to write because we haven't been doing too well here. I should be having a letter on the way within the next week or so. My DL has a spot in his place where he can send letters so I will send them as soon as possible. How is the family and everyone doing?
I hope you feel better from your sickness. Sounds like Ash is doing well with his last year of school. That's crazy all your kids are gunna be out of high school. You and dad are getting old!! Haha just kidding! You are all good. But ya, here I'm trying to send pictures but I can't because all the comps here are for the SD's not the XD's cards. I don't have a cord so I can't send pictures so sorry for that one.
Keep praying for my Spanish because I need help with it. haha But it'll come sooner or later I pray. That's about it for this letter. Keep praying for my success, too. Because like I said before we are struggling as a mission with our numbers. Keep doing the things that you should and God will bless you!
Love, Elder Malan
les amo mucho