January 26, 2009 - First Week with Elder Heldt

Pretty Park in Guadalajara

Our Cool Gym!!!!

Elder Heldt....You are Awesome!!!!

You better shave that off!!!

Jake with Hma. Raquel and her daughter???

Maybe Jake with Hma. Raquel's Mother???

P-Day at a REAL soccer game...lots of Elders!!!

This is FUN.....

Check out this view!!!!

Having a good time at the game!!

Construction in Mexico...

We WALK and WALK and WALK!!!!!!

This weeks really not going to be too different from the norm, but maybe a little bit more spunky, I've given up on writing letters. Lol Sorry, its just not going to happen. lol. We go to the gym now in the mornings, and it really hurts, then we're not really diligent with time. Lol. We get home relatively late now too. Our area, is really large. I've mentioned large areas with these last too. But search for Lomas Bellenes or the Mesa Colorado near Constitucion. I actually can't describe it better than that, lol sorry. Somewhere on your Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico map its there. Start searching! Its up north though, I know that. Anyway. Today went by really fast too. We slept in mostly because I haven't hardly slept this week because of a little stuffyness or something. So today was finally, ahhh... no chance am I getting out of bed. 7:24 I got up. Lol. Went to the gym got home at like 10, chh.. Ugh. My chest is sore. These last three days... I haven't been able to walk! Jueves, (Thursday) was bad!!! Both of us were dead, Friday was worse!!!!!!! Saturday was sore and stairs laughed at our presence. Then yesterday was a little recoop. Today is fine(ally). But we got home cleaned up and left for the centro. Met up with a few elders, I bought a tie. I'm actually out of money, but I pulled a little out of my account. Actually a good chunk. You might want to check it out. Then we went to SIRLOIN STOCKADE!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I treated my companion ; ) Its his birthday Thursday: I'm going to buy a cake probably too. I've found a bunch of stuff to buy for friends in fact. This is a horrible tangent, even for me, but our gym, is awesome. All the walls are graffitied super heroes, totally ripped! Lol, huge biceps and calves and legs, everything. Spider man, iron man, the hulk some aztecs warriors and ¨Colosso¨, the gym mascot, lol. A caveman. With a loin cloth and ridiculously muscular. Lol, I took one picture, of the outside. But I'm going to take more. They sell shirts and I'm going to get one or two. NICK WOULD LOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVE IT! Lol. The coke factory next to my old area has a store that sells coke stuff, that I wouldn't mind picking up something for David because he loves Coke so much! Daniel gets a peso. Lol. He can buy the pirated DVDs here in Saint Jon of God. Lol. Hma. Raquel...I still think about that. She didn't come to our ward like she said she was. I hope she comes by some week. As long as she went to church over there, tis fine, but I was looking forward to seeing her. I probably said this already but her brother and sister in law live over here in our area. Oh yeah, our area is sooooo large. Its an hour bus ride from the half way mark to the other side. Yes the bus goes soe funky streets but still. If we had a car it would be a lot shorter. But... this is bad. The Mesa Colorado is cobble stone streets by the highway... but as you walk a little deeper its all dirt. I haven't been to the deep part, but I want to plan a day out there. The south of our area we don't even go to because its so rich and I guess they've attempted it already. I have a few ganas to pray for each section of our area and think of something we can do. We're a little slow workers, we dont do the best job with the rules, we're not bad missionaries by any mark, but we could definitely pick things up. Its hard though cause he goes home so soon, but he really wants to go out hard. I'm happy about my time with him. We've had rough moments, this week has been a ride for me still. But we popped right back in and its great. Nah, in all truth I love the guy. I just want to show it in a cool he's my friend way. I'm not very good at expressing myself, the things that have happened or the things I think. I don't know. Ok yeah. . Moving on... Lol. Everything sounds good at home, we have to go now to make it for District class. I'm wearing my new ghetto tie, lol. So I'll see you later! I loaded new pictures on walmart if you want to check em out! Next week...-Jake

January 19, 2009 - Third Area, Lomas, Belenes

Well, I have a lot to say, stories, happenings, learnings, philosophies, rumors, gossip, miracles, doctrine. To start I want to answer the doubts of my cuz´ns. First off to Cindy, thank you for the letter, actually its not that I MIGHT not have time, its just that I dont. Lol, Im not allowed. Also to start off the ´ button is a special button in a different place, entonces, or this means to say that I wont be using much. Lol. The package from Cindy and Melissa was great. I had been wanting an English Hymn book for a bit of time. That and the oreos and nutter butters made me melt inside. Ill tell you in a minute why I was forced to eat all of it last night. I was hoping, in all truth, that this would spark a little competition with Deb, lol. Even if she knows I wanted it to start the war shell still answer with a package of goodies and chocolates.... lol. Also en verdad, in all truth and honesty, I finished her peanut brittle toffe... TODAY! I usually dont like toffee, Ill take a piece or too every once in a while but for the most part I dont enjoy it, but hers... is a miracle! I refused to eat more than one piece each night, from the time I busted it open in Christmas and we passed it around and shared it, Ive taken one piece everynight. Then I started to eat a little more, then I finished it off this morning, lol. It was amazing! I used the container to store my christmas decorations in my suitcase, lol. It all worked out. Im not sure what were going to do with the lights though, something to have fun and make the house pretty, = D I was estatic to hear about Billy and his appeal. Oh, you didn{t send me that, Debbie sent me an email bout Billy and he might get out soon. I will pray for him, I will beseech the very powers of Heaven to surround him with the power protection and righteousness that is Christ Jesus. That the very desire and Devil will be purged from his soul. Also that you will have it said to Billy, that the next time I hear he has problems with drugs, after he gets out of prison: My support is gone nor will he have my sympothy. Maybe a little motivation will help him. I am praying for him, or Im going to start, and this it. Bills going to be an Elder thats awesome! That and the Super Bowl? Serious, its a joke right? Im sure Jon pissed his pants.... or the couch. I received your forward from Adam also. First quick note is that I did clarify it is no friends rule. I need you to clarify that with David. I had told him in my one time wonder that I was permitted to write him, but that was proven false. In terms of Adam, he defintely seems to be pushing along. I actually dont remember much of what he said, b ut that he cleaned the house and it was a very dnagerous task. I cleaned our house too last week. It took a whole hour for the shower 2 for the whole bathroom. Maybe a little more. IT was DISGUSTING and still is. Well see how it goes now. Ernie sounds awesome, Im kind of sad that Im missing all his kitten-hood. Maybe hell still be pretty cute when I get back. You didn{t tell me about his mom before, you know who his mom is? I have a pretty big desire to get good at tennis, I just want to do it the way I enjoy. The new courts sound awesome! They needed new courts, the new Head coach though is from 5th ward? What happened to Mike?!?!?! The Mesa Country Club is awesome, I always loved it, I REALLY hope it doesn{t go down either. Go to dinner a little more often, breakfast with the boys, theyd love that! Daniel and David, maybe Nick but the first two for sure! Waffles and Omlettes, lol. Yeah...those were the days.... and will be... Golf would be really interesting to learn, and Dad still has those lessons, and he should go in. Give him something to do if hes not working on the Armored Truck. The Ramada and Josh{s house really make me happy too. I just wish I could have helped build them a little. I laughed pretty good how you ended your letter. "Well dad wants to get ice cream..." Lol. Stick close to the spirit. Its the only thing youre going to take with you from this life. Take it or leave it. Or in the words of Burrito Express, "No Substitions. No Exceptions" Now moving on. Now starts the news and everything else. I was a little sad yesterday. Actually a lot of tears. Today I write you from the land of Lomas, Belenes. I have ganas, lol. I want to be here. But I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE. Leaving Francisca, Marylou, Kimberly, Norma, Fatima Nikol and Evalyn and Raquel Medley and Rebecca and Gabriel. Tears me in pieces. We passed for Francisca and we were called, rather early this time, and they told me Im going to Lomas. I started to tear, I recorded alot of the things I said and if I can find out how and where to mail stuff I will. One thing I did not record that I was told last night. We took the night to pass by for all these people i love. We went to Raquel{s house. Hma. Raquel, who started going to church in case you forgot. Wasnt home, came back 45 minutes later wasnt home. I was devastated. I was chillin in the house downing the cookies that I didnt have space to bring them and the phone rang, it was Raquel and fam.! I left a note that said I was going and they asked if they could come to the house. They came over and this is a long story in full, I WILL write a letter to send to you about this. Caus this is big. This is a story that I will probably have read in church for you all. But she came with a few gifts and things but told me, to the more or less extent. Elder Taylor, te quiero, which literally means I want you but expressed is like I like, enjoy you. Something like that. Anyway. You will never be forgotten. When you placed your hands upon my head and gave me that blessing. I felt something I have NEVER felt before in my life, that made me go to church. It spoke to me, that I had to go to church. When Sunday came I woke up as if somebody spoke to me and everything was already organized I picked out the dress and everything and we left. I used to drink and now I dont. I responded I didn{t know she drank. She replies. Yes, I drank alot, one time another elder came by and found me (wasted). I drank ALOT. And now I dont. Completely dont. I will never forget what you have done for me. Its been an hour now, and theres more to the story but like I said I have a lot recorded and Ill send it over. I do have one specific request. I want you... to go straight up to Daniel and Ben, and Jon if you find them. And kick them .. in . the ... !!!!!!!! And say, from your dearest FRIEND, Jake. Lol Let them know I love them. I love you guys so much, thank you for your support. I{m going to write that letter for the ward. I dont know if you all are going to like it though. Im probably goin to planch them. if you know what that means. ´,= ) Stay awesome, stay the best most well rounded parents in the world. Ive switched areas now with Elder Heldt. Dallas Texas, goes home after this change. Ill let you know how it works out.Your only adopted son, (My only begotten... Lol)Jacob Daniel Taylor, Elder
Package Requests...
10x cookies from Westwood (David knows)
3+ churros (Costco)
Muffins (Costco)
Nutter Butters
Home Made Chocolate Chip and/or peanut butter cookies
whatever else will make me smile!
Until Aug. 27th 2010

Monday, January 12, 2009 - Life is Good!!!

Hi, Mom!Well this week I have plenty to say! First off I hate keyboards that have a broken ´backspace´ button, that always makes this harder. Second, I was and am pretty sure the other elders are lying to me and we can´t write friends and I´m going to get the companion stuff over. This week was bad...and good! Im´ going to go in order so I can include some stuff. Last Monday was a growing experience, the whole day sucked; but I prayed and prayed that I´d do what I was supposed to do. Then at District Class we learned alot and I found a new resolution to work. I´m glad I have a moment to recount all these things, bcause I´ve written in my journal once this change, and that was Wed. That, and I didn´t even finish the entry.... anyway, Monday finished off good for the work. Tuesday started off good, well the whole day was just another day, but overall no problems, worked hard. If I remember correctly. We ate lunch with a family whose daughter in law is getting baptized this Saturday... again I hope. She has a date scheduled for this Saturday, well last Saturday but we´re going to see about this week. We go back tonight for a family home evening and teach her! Wednesday was a day of miracles and a day of nightmares. I´m going to recount this story to you guys, because it would be very out of place for me to share it with those here. It started out great. I got an email too from Bishop Bodrero, very nice! Made me smile, but he... oh no... it was you, nevermind. Lol, to write a list of the miracles I´ve gotten, maye it was dad... in a letter he sent me. Lol, I forgot who... But Miercoles was a day of miracles. We´ve been bumping into alot of people lately that have already talked to the missionaries but were eventually dropped. Yesterday, last Saturday, and Wednesday. But we started talking w th one guy and he was taught most of the lessosn by the sister missionaries.... 4 years ago. We found him and we´re going back Tomorrow. Then we started off towards our lunch appointment with the familia Acosta. We had a little time before the appointment, give or take a half hour, so we decided to knock doors, Elder M. pointed at the one next to us. Pretty ghetto. We knocked, a few moments later a younger man of so-so 28 maybe 30 or so years answered the door. Typically we explained we were missionaries and we share a message of Christ and asked if we could share it. He kind of nonchalantly said sure come on in (In Spanish). We sat down and his Mom (or Mother in law) joined us. We started to get to know them and taught the first lesson. Afterwards we learned two things. They´re REALLY Catholic. Well, used to be... The man who let us in has been praying to God and Christ to help him find his faith. He´s always been Catholic but he wants to really find his faith somethings lacking from where he was. (In other words... we were his answer from God). Then his mother (in law) said something. She said any other day any other moment if you knocked we would have said no. But he´s been looking for this so we let you in. That was cool. We finished the day with pretty much nothing. Lol. Unfortunately, Elder M left the key in the house, so we had to ask the neighbors if we could pop onto their second floor and slip down into our ´backyard´ which is just a 3 by 7 slip to hang the laundry... with a washboard... Well, we walked over to the neighbors and while we were waiting, a car pulled up next to us. The man in the car said ¨elders, hey elders come over here¨. I walked over and he asked me if I remembered him, I couldn´t see a thing, there was no light. I told him I couldn´t see, sorry, and then Elder Martinez popped over. Same question. Elder M remembered, ¨You´re the guy with the white hair?¨ The man removed his hat, there was the white hair, if I had seen that, I would have remembered. Our first week here, we were walking to an appointment and we contacted this guy, we were talking and he told us he drinks but really wants to stop and we told him we could help. We set an appointment for the next day, Sunday, that we´d pop by and talk. Well, the next day, I don´t remember extreme details, but it was before or after the time for the appointment with him, and I mentioned lets go. Something along those lines. Elder M. responds, no he's just a drunk we´re not going. Probably not so blunt, but he´s a drunk, etc. We didn´t go. Wednesday while talking he told us he had prepared a nice dinner and set everything up for us with shrimp and other stuff I didn´t understand and he waited all day for us to pass, but we never showed, he had to throw everything in the garbage. He thanked us for the way we treated him. Elder M again responds. Hey we´re not machines we can´t go to every appointment................... ´,= / ................Guy responded, no thanks for all you do thanks that I´ve lost all confidence in you have a great night. Then he drove off. When he first told us what happened when we didn´t show I looked at Elder and almost, almost almost said, ¨I TOLD YOU IDIOT!¨ I remained silent. That depressed us for the night. We got on the roof and I slid down into our ´backyard´ shattered the window to our door and reached in to unlock it. I opened up the front door and Elder M slipped in. Again 30 minuts later, or sooner Ivan showed up. I had no desire to contest his appearance then. We talked and Elder M went in to the room, Ivan and I continued. About 11:00 I told him we´re going to bed. We walked outside and I told him ¨I have to tell you why we´re in such a bad mood¨ I recounted the same story to you. That was the mistake. I didn´t have a chance to write it in the journal and while I was sitting I had the distinct, unmistakable impression that I should go into my room and say my full prayer, not just to bless the chocolate milk and choco krispies I had. I waved it off... and continued ot talk. That was the mistake. After Ivan left I walked in to the rrom and the light flipped on and Elder M sat up and said we need to talk. We had ANOTHER emergency companionship inventory. The guys sitting next to me are listenening to metal music with the screaming and AGHHH, DUH DUH DUH!!!! it´s pretty annoying... The conversion eventually ended with we don´t like the way each other works. We have a week and a half. Work hard think about the work. WEll, that was MY resolution, I don´t know what he ended at, but I decided to just think about the people I´m teaching. That and we decided to just talk bout Christ, like you had recommended me. That died REAL fast! The next day we tried it. He started off, remember this picture? It was the picture of Christ at the well asking the Samaritan woman for water. I said I don´t remember all the details but this is what happened. He responds, well actually, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. It was so demeaning. Again later, he asked me if I knew who Sahm-soon was. In English it´s Samsun. The man of the old testament that was really strong as long as he didn´t cut his hair. Again, well this is what I remember. Well actually, blah blah lbah lah blah blah blah. Oh, man. We stopped that. That day as I have written here too, he HONESTLY does not WANT to ask for references. He does not want to. When we talk with people, members or investigators, it´s like ¨Oh you´re interested in our message?¨ Ok, see you later.¨ Then when we knock doors or contact, we find someone. No, thanks, I´m really not interested, I´m busy, bye. And THEN he´ll ask, well do you know anyone who might be interested in our message? What do you think? Friday was good. We started the day by going to the stake center to meet with the assistents to the President. It was basically an opportunity to practice teaching the lessons with asking basic questions to check for understanding and such. It was also known as a BBQ because we got roasted! The first 2 were good, but the second two got fried! They didn´t talk again the rest of the time we were there. Absolutely slaughtered their confidence, the assistents did. Elder M and I were next. All they said was really good, and they only gave one thing to do better and they didn´t even say it to me! They said it to our ´investigator´. Elder M got a few things. But wow. We ended that session by passing out letters and packges and such. Which was AMAZING! First off, I got your singing card, lol. It´s really cool, and thank you so much. I listened to it probably 5-6 times. It was good to hear your voices. I love you a bushel and a peck, bet your pretty neck I do! Merry Chistmas Jake! Then the awesome music. Lol. I got 34 letters, Lol. And a package from Cindy CLemmer. Tell her as of now she´s my favorite cousin. What she sent me was as if I had called her and asked her to send it. An English Hymn book which I was regretting having not bought before I got here. Oreos chocolates, nutter butters and pistachios. It was incredible! I like Debbie alot too still, but wow, Cindy, lol... Good job! The rest of the week was blah, Sunday was missionary Sunday, we both spoke, well I did, he didn´t have time, lol. And two others Missionary leader and a man who´s leaving on his mission the 21. The first word I said, I started cying. I didn´t prepare anything, I just prayed and the words came I spoke on the last dispensation and that means that never again will the children of men have the opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and it s our duty and responsibility as members of the Church to share it. If they understood me, it went over well. If not, well ok... Anyway. Miracle. We´ve been visiting one Inactive Member for almost 2-3 times a week since we´ve been here. This is whose phone I used to talk to you at Christmas! One day we were passing for Ivan, and the inactive member (Hma. Raquel), well her brother had come to stay with them for a while. While we were knocking the door of Ivan her brother came by, different street, not to far but a little ways off just out of the way. He was just passing by to do something, but told us that Hma. Raquel was in pain, had a few teeth (wisdom i think) yanked, something with her mouth, lol. But she wasn´t feeling too good. We decided to pass by after Ivan who we stayed with for almost 2 hours, like 1;45 or something, and still asked why do you always want to leave so fast! Uhh... we´re missionaries... We stopped by and I asked her if she wanted a blessing. She nodded Mhmm, Mhmm. Lol. She chose Elder M to annoint and me to bless. I gave her the blessing I don´t remember what I said, but afterwards she sat still for a minute and then she said how beautiful. We stopped by again Saturday night and she wasn´t home but we told her daughter to invite her to church. Her daughter's active, goes with another family. Next day I was on the piano and I saw a guy come in with a tshirt and jeans. I was thinking off a bit and then asked myself, is that Pepe? (her brother) Then I saw her saddle. It´s been YEARS since she came to church. Members that passed by and she had rejected them. There she was, she told us, later, that when we gave her the blessing, she had the impression, something told her, you need to go to church, and she made the decision right then and there to go. Every week from now on. Pepe came too and he reminds me of Billy, he looks like Billy and has the same problems. But he wants to change his life, we gave them both another blessing on Sunday and now Pepe´s one of our investigators. Anyway, I have to roll. But that´s the jist. Some pretty cool stuff. The days each go by as if they don´t exist, but this last week took forever. Completely flip flopped. Lol. Well I have some pictures of me I´m going to maybe send next week. We hopefully have 2 baptisms Saturday and 4 more next week. Next Monday is changes. Either he or I will leave. I´ll let you know! Yes I got the Jordan sandals, I thought they were the coolest thing ever too, lol. We cleaned ALL of the house today, and the landlord is going to come paint it. Finally... holy crap... I want to get a letter from the guys before I hire a bum here to head over and kill em.... I love you both so much, I started reading a few letters again and remembering the gifts and love that you have sent and show me and everything. More tears, I´m in the Lord´s work and I´ve grown alot, have alot more too and I´m a little blah, right now. Kind of just talking but all is well. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-Jake D. Taylor! P.S: And I have to go to the bathroom really bad!---

Monday, January 5, 2008

(Note from Mom: I received this email from Jake while we were on a cruise ship. I accidentally deleted it and the computer expert on the ship helped me retrieve it and print it out, but when I returned home the email was GONE.....so I'm typing it again.) Subject: PAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH (whatever). I'm going to fix this mission. I don't know if any one other elder is going to do what they need to do, but my next companion, we are GOING to plan together, WE WILL talk, we will WORK AS A UNIT. I will flip the light on at 6:30, and we WILL!!!!!! be in the house by 9:30. We WILL show God we are here to work and be obedient, we WILL show him that we love him and respect the rules that he has inspired to us. We will sacrifice our lives to be here that is why we're here. I have so much to learn and so far to grow before I am who I want to be. I don't even know how to word this, I know that I have problems, but at the same time I am going to do what we need to do to build this mission. I know everything that happens is the wisdom of God and that I am being tried, I am being proved through testing. My single greatest fear is that I'm taking this tribulation and these afflictions and not learning. I want to respond well and do and learn what I'm supposed to, I just fear that I'm not. I don't know how to describe that either. My brain is fried. I did just hear that we CAN email friends, so I'm going to send one out. I'm not sure and am going to verify with the president or assistants. This keyboard is almost dead. I pray that I will be and do what I need to be and do. God knows I just don't want to fail. I want to work, I want to find people, teach them; I want to help them develop a testimony and know the things that I know. This opens them up to so many blessings, such as baptism, the holy ghost and the temple. I wrack myself that I'm not doing it. Today leaves me a little disappointed. I've been waiting for rain a long time. I've prayed every night and morning for at least this week and I think last week too. I'm told that it starts raining in January too! It seems wherever we go the rain stops. I feel it will come. I receive a peace in that time...its not just THE time. Today I wanted to sew my buttons on, fix my pants and a few of my t-shirts, sweep the house, do my laundry, clean the kitchen fridge and bathroom, organize the front room, find a map of the area, list the investigators, fix the area book, organize it, and fill out a record for all the investigators, mark the map with locations, read the Book of Mormon, study Spanish, write a few letters, email you guys, eat and rest for a bit. Unfortunately here we are. We got home last night and that kid in the black clothes is Ivan. He is a depressed goth whose on drugs, smokes, Dad's an alcoholic, doesn't have any friends and wears only black, a t-shirt of a naked lady and chains, rings, spikes and metal all the way down his body. He's come over five times now from 10 to 11:30 and bugs me cause he says the elders are my friends. They make me feel good and I want to be baptised but I can't stop smoking and drugs and I don't feel I need to repent cause I don't think the things I do are bad. But I want to be baptised! While carrying a pack of cigarettes in his pockets and I believe he has a thing of cocaine in his room (I'm not sure though). Well, I went to bed at 11:30 or 12 again last night as such I woke up an hour late. I swear I hit the snooze button but I guess I turned it off. Then the Zone leaders called and asked where we were and apparently we were supposed to be over there. So we got up and just left. We got here and they wanted to play soccer. I don't like soccer and I can't play soccer, but I said hey, ok, I'll give it a shot. I have stuff to do and they say I shouldn't want to do it. I hope you get this email on the cruise. Talk to Joycelyn about when Sam was gone. See how she did things. I still have 20 months. Well, I forgot to say this on Christmas, then forgot to tell you this last Monday. But I absolutely adore every single little thing you sent me for Christmas. Lol. The Christmas decorations I happily put up around the tree and on the doors and such. The little knit pony thing you sent me I put on the top of the tree! Strung the lights around and all. The Suns pajamas pants, I got a kick out of those! I saw one the label off the box pajamas (used) and I thought, hah she must of sent me my Simpson pajamas! Lol, but I didn't expect those. You know I never wear pajamas either, but I've been wearing them since, except the last two nights. Its been warm so I went back to gym shorts. The wheat thins and easy cheese made me ecstatic! I had a craving for easy cheese early in the week before Christmas and then I saw that....oh dreams come true! Lol. I ate the Reese's thing last week. Lol, very enjoyable, it was actually really good. Lol. The M&M's were fantastic and the little fan thing of M&M's I thought was hilarious, every once in a while I cool off! Lol. The new skin and blister stuff is great, every once in a while a blister comes back and they'll come in handy, thank you for sending it! The only problem is that our house is HUMID or moist something. The wheat thins are all soggy and the gum that is in stick form. Not the little pieces with a shell but just gum gum, gets all wet and nasty. I don't know what's up but it is unfortunate. I keep it in the packages and everything now and in my suitcase. Since the ATMs or something is screwing me out of my money now I take it all out at once. Shove it somewhere safe. I'm not going to lie, I don't trust it lying around. What else. The watch is great, I nicked it against a wall yesterday and freaked out. RRrrrrr....When I opened the Mario Shirt I .... freaked.....out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was going to ask if you could send me a shit from Hot Topic. I bought that cheesy Halo shirt and since its just paper printed on, as soon as it went through the wash, it died and I wanted another shirt. Lol. Its so cool, and its not black! Lol, we're both happy! The blanket is great, it smells actually really bad, like that weird industrial smell that I don't like but I savor and get a whiff of it every once in a while because its from home. Lol. I'm weird. I don't remember what else you sent me, oh the tie from Men's Wearhouse was really good. Its beautiful, lol. Real sharp! Well I do have a little bad news. Lol. Don't ask me how cause I still don't know. But I lost my baptismal clothes, the pictures of Fatima and I is another Elder's clothes. Lol. I don't know where they went. They're gone! Pants, tie and socks. Gone! That and a few more spandex garments would come in handy. Or just garments in general. Oh, and I don't need them now, but I'm going to want short sleeve shirts in the summer, I guess its sufficiently humid here in the summer. Remember what I said about the weather in Guadalajara? I don't know I guess it was just that one day when I got here, by the airport. It was nice and I thought it was just Santa Fe that sucked. But its sucked ever since. So yea, San Diego is better. uh....the green card on the Christmas no is not the singing card I haven't gotten that still. Just a card Dad sent I believe. Finally that picture of the married couple, that's Hma. Ruiz. One of the sisters in the church when they got married. She looks alot different now of course, but ... that picture , the groom looks EXACTLY!!! Mark my words, E..X..A..C..T..L..Y....like the guy at Games + I need you to just give that picture to David. Have him carry it over! I'll tell him what to say! Lol. Oh wow, yesterday was fast Sunday and after church one of the members commented to my companions that he was hungry...well duh why do you think maybe he's hungry? Elder Martinez asked why are you hungry?? He didn't fast yesterday. I kind of...did. We started it, but we had plans to buy a cake and take it to the Mom of the kids we baptised. Her birthday was the day we baptised them! We passed by two or three days in a row and she wasn't there so we finally got over there and when they cut the cake I remembered...its fast Sunday...whoops....CAKE!!! Lol. I don't know how the letters are going to come, I've been writing some handwritten ones but we'll see...I don't have much else to comment on, think I'm going to write the guys!! I'm really excited, lol. I hope everything goes up. I just want to do what's right and the Lord's work, I'm just not getting along really well. I plead for your support and words of comfort and truth. I love you so much and truly, I say thanks, but I want to express solidly that I am grateful for the packages you sent and for your great taste in picking things out. lol! Keep it all up, keep me posted on the family and the houses, stocks and such, I want to hear that you got all your retirement money back! Keep me up to date on the schools, Dad's working on and everything! The guys and all! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE
YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Jake