November 7, 2011

Hey mom! It's good to hear from you once again.  That's a bummer about the internet haha. Comcast is crappy you should have stuck with Directtv. And your friend hasn't been working, man, that's a bummer mom. All the electronics are failing on you.

 Now about Ben and Israel, that's sweet that they got home! It's crazy that it has already been two years since those homies left on their missions. It was a little tough last week cause I was thinking bout them getting home!! haha Now I know how they felt when we were still in the house and they were in the MTC and their missions. There is too much stuff going on to think about them and home. But that's sweet that they were able to come over and visit you and also Hunter. It's about time he visited you guys. haha  But that's sweet, I'm glad that they helped you out mom. And I heard dad is already getting them to talk in wards with him haha. He is gonna have me go like every week with him i bet. But its ok. I have only spoken one time here on the mission so it will make up for it. And that is really good to hear that they have both grown a lot I'm guessing in the sense of the Gospel. The mission makes a man out of a boy that is for sure. There are a lot of tough roads and a some beautiful ones, but the beautiful ones I remember a lot more than the other ones. And mom about the accent, I can't really tell if I have an accent or not, you will have to tell me on the phone when we talk on Christmas haha. Then you can judge if I  have one or not. I'm probably talking like a Chilango. but it's fine. haha

Now for this last week we survived Dia de Muerto. On the first it's the kid day and they go out and ask for candy. It was amazing how many kids were out there asking for candy. Lots of people dont open their doors cause once the kids see that one house has candy they all go there haha. It's pretty crazy, but it went ok, nobody wanted to open doors for us. The members and everybody else cause they thought we were trick or treaters haha. But yes we had the baptism. It went well. The cousin of Roberto came and baptized them so it was good. But the church still didn't buy gas!! So it was pretty cold water again. And we didn't want it to be cold water so we stuck an iron and some resistencias in the water to try to heat it up a little bit but it didn't work. It was too much water, but it was ok. They did it like champions. And yes we are out until 9 every night. And gicama is a root or something. I'm not completely sure what it is. But its not too bad, but she just gave me way too much haha. And gabby emailed me it was cool. I got a letter from Juana cause she gave a letter to the elder that is in my area and we had a zone conference last week and he gave me her letter. They are both strong in the church so it was really cool that.  I heard that one of the families that I left there in Prados got baptized and then their niece and the niece wants to go on a mission! She has like 20 years I think so it was cool. But as for here in this area, now we don't really have anyone is teaching. So now we have to find people which has been like the hardest part for me the whole mission haha. But I think we can do it. And president said in the zone conference that we will now be staying in our areas for 6 months. So me and my comp might be together for another change! 3 and a half changes together if they leave us both here. Now as for Gabby's son, he has like 18 or 19 years I think. So he can leave when he has like 1 year of a member. But Olsen and Clark are coming home that day cause if they were to wait for the change to be over they would miss 3 Christmas in a row! So they are letting them go home a week early.

Now for the Christmas card you can put whatever picture you want on there mom. Whatever one you like you can put on there. Here mom there is nothing cool to see. Really there is nothing that cool in our misson. Only in hildago there are some stuff but here nothing. So you choose.

For this last week it was a little tough but we had the baptisms so it was nice for that reason. Now we just gotta find people this week. We are going to the temple of Friday!! So we are excited for that too. we will see how it goes. I finished the BOM again. It's sweet stuff,  I love reading it cause I learn so much things. And I'm gonna finish the New Testament soon too. There is sooo much stuff in the bible its pretty sweet too. But I'm glad that we have the scriptures in our lives to guide us. I know that reading them will help us always and we will learn things and discover things we had never seen before every time we read them. The church is true. There is no doubt about it. Thanks for the support and keep strong! Love you all.

Elder Malan

first a pic with the Mexican red cross helmet and then the baptism pic!

October 31, 2011

                                          Baptism of Rosa!

Hey mom! and yes Feliz Halloween works haha. We are doing well here. We did have the baptism! It was struggle to get it all ready. To warm up the water we need gas. The gas ran out on Friday night cause the ward had their activity and used the stove, so we didn't have any gas to heat the water.  We had to do it in cold water! haha it sucked. I felt bad for Rosa, but she is a champ and did it anyways. And our ward doesn't have baptism clothes for smaller people. So we had to go to the market to buy some white clothes that would fit her! It was a crazy morning to say the least. haha But Ricardo helped us with the driver so we got everything good but the water. But oh well, it was good. Now for the investigators it's Roberto and Blanca, mommy. Dulce is their daughter, but Roberto and Blanca are gonna get baptized this Sunday so we are excited for that. It's going to be cool. And yes they went to the temple to the visitor center. So they are sweet.  Some day you can go to the temple here.

 Ya it's crazy that tomorrow is November huh! Ben gets home tomorrow then Israel on Thursday. that's sweet stuff. Here on Saturday night we went back one hour so it was nice to get a little bit of sleep haha. And no mom we don't have to stay inside for those nights. We work the normal. It gets way dark here around like 630 now that we went back one hour. So it sucks, I don't like it like that cause if we don't really have appointments we cant visit too many people cause its dark. But oh well. And yes the kids dress up and some do trick or treating in the nicer areas they do at least. And the ward activity was Friday. It was crazy they start sooo late. It was suppose to start at 7, but it started at like 830 or 9! haha They are worse than we are. And in Queretaro I just got food poisoning I think. But it sucked, I was throwing up and all that for one day. Oh and as for speaking of throwing up, I threw up again on Tuesday! haha I was eating all good then the lady gave us gicama. It's like a root thing here and it doesn't taste bad so I was like ok, but she gave us a bunch!! And I almost ate it all and I was like man, I'm gonna throw up. So my comp ate the other little bit in the bowl and I was like ok hermana we gotta go. So we went out then I turned the corner found a nice little spot to do my business and let it go haha. It was funny. Now I know why Ethan throws up a lot. You feel a lot better than before haha.

 And now as for the world being wicked, yes its really bad. For example today we were waiting for our pizzas and two old people came in. And the lady was like sitting on the old dude and making out!! It was disgusting. I was like that's why all the little kids do that cause the old people do it too! they just learn from their example and follow them. its pretty bad here. Everywhere you look somebody is kissing or something like that and they are like 12 years old.

Now for being examples yes, it's something really important. People are always watching the members of the church to judge them once they make a mistake they attack it. So we just need to be the good examples of the church and help others realize the blessing they can receive by living the commandments and the principals of the church. and one of my converts wrote me today!! It was really cool. I don't know if you remember Gaby? In prados her son wants to go on a mission! It was really cool. I am really happy for her. She is going to institute (seminary) I don't know how to spell it like 3 times a week! It was way cool to hear from her and that she is doing good in the church.

Now Clark and Olsen come home the 19th of December I think. So I will talk to them and see what's up to see when their homecomings are. I'll let you now.

Well that's about it for this letter. I'm glad that you are all well and doing what you should. Here we are doing good. There are changes in 2 weeks. so we will see what happens. I hope all is well and say hi to Israel and Ben for me. Love you all!!