January 31, 2011

"This is me and my boy Bob Marley haha"

Mas and other missionaries in Queretaro!

Hey Mom!

Sounds like things went well for you in your talk in church! I too gave my first talk in sacrament meeting yesterday and I spoke for about 10-ish minutes, I think. I spoke more than my comp! haha I just had a little mini talk of Elder Holland's and I just put my input on it and read it. It went really good, I think. I know the Lord helped me out a ton so I could deliver my message clearly-haha. But it went good. This last week here was good during the week, then on Sunday everything fell through. So it sucked on Sunday. But now we have to regroup and do well this week to get people to church.

That's sweet that Ashton got called for that (trek leader) and he is going to go! That's a good sign.

It's way different here than in Queretaro. Here people are more poor, and they have a wagon with a donkey pulling it picking up the garbage from your house then you pay the dude. So it's different. Our house is better. We had to shower with a bucket the first week because we didn't have money to pay for gas. So we used an iron to warm up the water. It was interesting one time, I forgot that the iron was in there and I put my hand in the water to see if it was warm and it shocked me! haha It didn't hurt but reminded me to not do it again. Then my comp is doing well. He works pretty good. Sometimes he is a little lazy but I help him out to be more excited and we do better during the day. If you sent a package I might get it Wednesday because my comp is going to the offices. Wednesday I am going to work in my area with a joven!! Which means a priest aged kid and I have to do everything that day. So I'm a little nervous and excited to see what I can do. Then what else happened, my zone leader was the star quarter back for Alta High School, so he is pretty cool I talk to him when I can about that. He is pretty cool. His name is Elder Olsen. Prados is a little bit outside of D.F. So it's like and hour or so. But it takes longer on a bus to get there because you have to take many buses to get there. As for heat, it's about the same. It doesn't get as cold during the night, so that's good. I only wear my suits on Sunday. It's good to only wear those once a week and we wear them for intervistas and zone conferences. As for being with the DL nothing really. Just he is in charge of the district. We have 4 compernerismos in our district and the ZL's are in our district. The area is pretty cool. We have a lot of people to find and it's a little easier to find people that want to listen to you.

I'm mad at Ben He hasn't sent me a letter yet!! haha But it's cool. They don't have much more time before they come home!! haha Crazy and Jeff is at a year now!! Crazy stuff, huh and I would like some pictures of some of you and all that cool stuff. And some babes. People want to see my girlfriends. haha

What else? The food isn't as good here. So that kind of sucks. I hope the hermanas can start cooking better haha. I don't really have any new pictures. Not really anything cool here to send a picture of. Today for p-day we played soccer and basketball. That was fun, but I'm going to be sore tonight and tomorrow. Sleeping, I don't even feel like I sleep at all. I feel like I take a nap. It sucks haha, but gotta keep doing what's right so we can have success and all that good stuff. Ya, I hope this week will go better so we can start having success and baptise!

I love you all and thanks for all yo do for me. Oh, and my shoes are really good. I really like them and they are holding up good right now. But I bet they will start getting worse with time haha.

Love you all and I'll talk to you next week! This internet is really slow so I'm only going to send this one picture. Cuidense!! And have fun at the Jazz game, mom! Tell Vicki what's up and I love her too!

January 24, 2011

(Top) This is Mas in a Catholic church, the Virgin Guadelupe is in the background.

(Middle) Prisoners were tied up here for many weeks, that's why he looks like he does!

Mason and Elder Rodriguez, they weren't expecting this picture!

Mason's 6 month tie burning, they had to use lighter fluid to get it going!

Hey Family!

Sounds like things are going well in the O. That's good to hear and Ashton tearing it up on some swim action. 6th place is really good man. Now just work hard these last couple of weeks and place in state, man! Here, I just got transferred to Prados, which is in the Estado de Mexico. So I'm excited to be here. I'm with Elder Sosa. He is from Tijuana, Mexico. He was my first district leader for three weeks at the start of the mish, now we are comps. He is pretty cool. Our house is a little bigger so that's nice and the shower and bathroom still need some work, haha. Here's a story for today. So today, I had to go to the central de buses to leave Queretaro because it's like 2 hours to the Estado de Mexico. So I had my bags and what not and we got in the taxi to go to the central. I had my two bags and my backpack. So it was good, we got out and I had my bags and paid the dude. Then my comp asks me where is my backpack? I was like Crap. I took off running after the taxi guy and I couldn't find him. Then when I went back, my comp had the back pack but come to find out the taxi driver saw my backpack and came back and gave it to him! So really I was really lucky because I had my camera and my scriptures in my backpack!! So the Lord blessed me a lot there. Then ya, now I'm here in Prados with all my stuff and happy as a clam! Last week in Queretaro, we taught some lessons, about 20, but nobody wanted to go to church, so that sucked. But I heard here it is easy to baptise, so I'm excited to get going and help some children return to their Heavenly Father. Other than that, I burned my tie the other day, it was really cool! I will send you some pictures of that and some other stuff! Well, that's about it for right now because you are emailing me right now so I want to talk to you right now on line! I'm doing good and excited to see what Prados has to offer me. The Spanish is getting better so I'm excited for that! Love you all and I hope you all are doing well.

Les amo!!

January 14, 2011

Hey Mom!
How are things going for you? Here things are going ok. We just got back from a tour of Queretaro. It's pretty cool here. They have a TON of Catholic churches. We went in the famous one of Queretaro today and it's scary and dark. I took some pictures of it but I don't know if you want to see some of them! haha They always have Jesus suffering. Something that's really sad. But for your talk...umm, just say it's really fun. It's tough but it's worth seeing the lives of the people change because you are teaching them the truth. Lots of people don't know it and that's why misssionary work is so important. We are really saving people's eternal souls doing this work. So you can challenge yourself, the fam, and the ward to do more to share what we have. A lot of people take it for granted, and it's sad because if the members would talk to more people the church would go huge. It's so much easier for people to accept if their friend is testifying of the truth. So don't be shy about it. We have what almost 6 billion people don't have and that's the restored gospel of Jesucristo. So buck up and tell people that you are a member of the church! haha That's what I gotta say. Then you can say for the jovenes, that all young men should go on missions. It's a commandment from the prophet. Not only are they going to bless the people's lives that they teach but also their own in so many ways they won't even know it! And every good missionary can testify of that.
The top three things in Mexico, first off the tacos. They are fabulous when they don't get you sick. Second, most all of the people are so nice and will give you what you want even if they don't have anything. Third, they have tiendas on like every block so we can get a refresco or something for cheap. I love it. The people, like I said are really cool, even if they don't want to listen to you, except for a few people-haha.
Then for the other questions-we picked back up a family, a husband and wife, Eliazer and Alejandra. So they went to the capilla yesterday. We are still working with them. Then we are still working on finding new people. Lot's of people think we are Catholic missionaries so they are like pasale! Then they find out who we are in the lesson, haha. It's funny sometimes, but discouraging too.
Then for the water, that's for like to shower and all that stuff. But we ran out of water in ours so that was our neighbors tank of water. They are members and let us take some. We can't wear watches because it's a rule of presidente. I don't care much for it. The watch is sweet. Exactly what I needed. I'm really not sure if I will go next week or what. Our zone is struggling so I might stay or go, not sure. We have interviews this Wednesday so I might know then. Today for p-day we went on a tour of Queretaro. It was sweet. I don't have time to send the pics today but next week I will send them and show you some. I'm going to send a postcard, too. Tell Ash good luck for me and to kick some butt.
Love you, mom and all yo do for me. You are thousands of miles away but still love me and take care of me!
Love you all and thanks!
Les amo mucho,
Elder Malan

January 7, 2011

Mason in his Mexico Jersey!

Elder Rodriguez, Javier, and Elder Malan!

Elder Malan in Queretaro! (typical Mas!)

Hey Mom!

My Sunday was good! I had my first baptism with Javier! So it was an exciting time for me and for Javier. He is a really cool guy. He was having doubts if he should be baptized but we just told him he needed to do it! and he stuck it through. After, he was really glad and happy he did it. After we had changed he went into the room and started saying he was really glad and he knows the church is true and all that without being asked to say anything! haha So he is really cool. Then our other investigators, we are still working with them. We just had a meeting today on how we could improve our teaching and I think it will help a lot! So I'm excited to put it into work. Other things this last week, we only have two more weeks in the change so not this week but the next we will have transfers. I still haven't gotten the package from them (Nancollas'). But I think I will this week or the next. We have an area 70 coming this Friday to speak to us so I'm excited for that, too. As for burning my tie, it's just one that's ugly. So don't worry, I like the tie you gave me, haha! Then for the picture when I'm on the street, it's in the area of Elder Birtcher, we are on splits and ya, I'm going to send another for you guys. This computer isn't the best to write and send so we will see though how it works out. My house isn't that bad, just the bathroom, haha. It's good to hear you are reading the Book of Mormon as a family. That's what's going to make the difference, that and family prayer. It really works.

The main thing this week is the baptism. It was cool. Oh ya, the day before Saturday we had to help the hermana missionaries drain the font because something was wrong with it. So we had to get buckets and drain it. That was cool, haha. I see you wrote me and I can't write another one until I send this one so I'm sending it! haha

Love you, mom

January 3, 2011

Mason on the streets of Queretaro!

Elder Malan and Elder Birtcher in front of the Mexico City Temple!

Mason on top of his roof.

Merry Christmas!

Hey family!

How are you all doing? Here it's going better. We should have at least one baptism this week. Javier is the one, then we might have three other baptisms, also! We are going to their house tonight to check it out! So that was a relief. I was really happy for that. Now I just hope we can find more people to teach soon! So that's the good stuff. For New Year's we didn't do anything. We had to be in the house at 8 so we just slept-haha. But it was hard because everyone was screaming and doing fireworks. Then for the first, we saw a lot of drunk people and not a whole bunch of people on the streets like normal. So those two days were tough. But Sunday we had those 4 people at the capilla so I'm really hoping for four baptisms on Sunday! I got your packages last week! I was really happy for my new watch. We can't wear them on our wrists so I put it on my belt. The wheat thins are great. I was excited for the tie, too. Elder Rodriguez says muchismo gracias for his. As for Ashton, he should go on the trek. I didn't want to then you end up having a good time. Yes, our shower is in the middle of the bathroom. Sometimes it comes in handy. I liked the pictures from the box. Pictures are sweet. I really like them. So if people ask what I want, it's pictures and candy. Then I thought of something you could send me for my birthday; toothbrush, floss, lotion-the vasoline kind- and deodorant. That stuff is a little more expensive here. So I thought I could use some of that . Then ya, keep doing the things that you should and you will be blessed. Even when we have trials, it's for our benefit in the end. It may not seem like that sometimes, but really it is. I have seen it with my Spanish and my area. I need to learn to grow more from my trials to be how the Lord wants me to be. Same with all of you! Ash didn't write me so tell him to stop whining that I don't write him! haha. We only have 3 more weeks of this cambio so it's crazy where the time goes! I reach the 6th month mark this month, too! Crazy, huh? I'm going to burn a tie with the zippo Elder Rodriguez gave me-haha. So that will be cool. Well that's about it for this email. I hope all is well with you guys. Mom, tell the kids thanks for the letters! They are really sweet and I enjoy reading them! Tell them to be good, too! haha

Les amo mucho!!