Pictures - June 13

June 13, 2011

So how is everyone doing? It's been a super, super interesting week in the life of Elder Abbott. My body has just been quitting on me lately, and it all started after I drank some Agua de Pepino, translated, Cucumber Juice. I knew the weird, green drink that the lady gave me wouldn't taste good, but I never could have forseen this. I was totally sick within 20 minutes, and later I got this weird infection on my legs (not related to the Cucumber Juice...I think) and was just in sorry shape. Visited a doctor, told me I had a leg infection going on, and had to not do anything for a long time and use this medicine. Down time is nice, but as a missionary, it's just stressful. There is definitely a reason why they tell us to keep working, not a good thing to have a lot of time on your hands to be thinking about everything. But on the bright side, my Sudoku puzzle skills have never been better, and I can sort of roll my tongue! It's true! Jason Kidd may have been playing 17 years to win a ring, but I have been waiting my entire life to figure out how to roll my tongue. Still not perfect, but just goes to show that miracles do happen in the mission. I started to feel better with everything within a couple of days, and we got a call from a girl who recently got baptized about a month ago that her Dad had died! I totally knew this Dad well, and talked to him literally two days before he died from a heart attack. The girl who is a members name is Tania, and she is the only member of her family, but we have a really good connection with them. We were there for all the funeral type of things, and was all pretty heavy. I have attened like three funerals in my life, and this was definitely the biggest bummer, Catholics aren't really the optimistic type. We definitely have a big opportunity with this family to teach them about the Gospel, and I hope we don't blow it. They want us to visit them as much as we can, so we'll be cooking dinner with them on Tuesday and painting their house on Thursday. It's been a crazy week, the mission is just a crazy thing in general.

As for me, I am doing not too bad these days. My leg and all that stuff is doing better, and so you don't need to worry about me. But I am coming to that point of my mission where I really need to find my own purpose for being here and doing the things I do everyday. To be honest, I have gone off of other peoples testimonies for pretty much all of my life, and have kinda just gone through the motions through these past 7 and a half months. I know my mission is important and many good things will come from it, but right now I am just looking for my own reason and testimony for everything. I'm going to try to focus on the simple stuff of the Gospel and build off from there, I am going to do the same stuff the investigatores do actually. Tons of missionaries (mainly from Utah) like to talk all about this weird, deep doctrinal stuff that I totally don't understand, and all that does is confuse me. Who, or what is a Kolob? Does it really matter? I think no. It's all about the fundamentals, gotta learn how to dribble a basketball before you can cross-over. So thats where I am at, if anyone has any suggestions I would love to take them, but I have to find my own testimony of these things, and I am excited to find it.

So how is everyone doing on the home front? Summer is pretty much in full swing and thus begins the time of terrible sports and not so great movies. I do believe Marvelous's birthday is just around the corner, happy birthday Marvelous! I hope you enjoy your fantastic dinner at the Japanese Steak House, there should be tons of those where you live. I totally rememeber when I was like 6 years old or something, and we went to Burger King for me and Greg's birthday. What a bummer for Greg! Eating at Burger King with a paper crown on, when we totally could have been eating at Japanese Steak House. Sorry Gerg. So live it up Marv.

Okay I better get going, I do believe we are eating some type of Steak with our Zone in 20 minutes, how great is that? But keep the letters coming everybody, and remember to enjoy the little things in life. And the big things too. Just enjoy everything, there's tons to appreciate. I miss all of you a ton, but they'll be tons of time to goof and gaff for many years to come after the mission. Oh! I got your letters family of Randy and Sandy! I loved them. Anna is totally enterting teenager mode, Luke has got some crazy good drawing skills, Caleb is super smart, and Joshy definitely isn't a baby anymore. How are all my neices and nephews growing up so fast? Time is the strangest thing. Thanks for the letters guy, I love all of you, and make sure to pull pranks on your Dad as much as possible. Okay family, have a good week, and always remember to golf it, and then you frolf it.

Pictures - June 6, 2011

June 6, 2011

Family! I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I am slowly becomming a Mehicano. I had a conversation today with somebody about Americans, and kinda forgot that I am one. And the other day I was working with an Amerian Elder only for divisiones, and English was really, really hard. Is that normal? I may not come back with a Michael Jackson voice like Mark, but I think I am still going to sound weird. Did I sound weird when I talked to you guys a few weeks back? Who knows, but it is pretty cool to be speak a different language. I was thinking about it, 7 months ago there was no chance I could communicate with any of the people I know here. And now I've gotten to know a lot of different people that I would in no way have a chance to know before. I don't know, sometimes it's good to take a step back and appreciate things. Oh yeah, we had two baptisms last Sunday! Remember that lady I was telling you guys about, Hna Paloma, well her and her son got baptized last Sunday! Hopefully you guys get the pictures I am trying to send, but who knows with these computer that randomly turn off all the time. But anyways, it was pretty cool. We actually had Hector do it, he's a way cool kid from the ward here, and he's getting ready to go on his mission next year. Think about it, it's actually way smarter to have a member baptize them, because me and Elder Rivera are going to leave, but members can keep an eye on them after that. There are way too many less-active people here, and I don't want to baptize future less-actives, so it's good to get more members involved with everything. We have an awesome Ward, and our bishop totally loves basketball! We had a long conversation about the career of Dirk Novitzski, and he invited us to play some ball and eat Carne Asada this Saturday, how great is that? Sure it's a million degrees outside, but still a lot of good times to be had. So I finally figured out how celcius works, which is what they use out here. They would tell me it's like 42 degrees outside and I would think, ok I guess it's not that hot, but that converts to like 105 degrees! But to tell you guys the truth, I am totally use to it. The heat doesn't really effect me too much anymore, it's just normal around here. Plus I am looking pretty dark these days, I definitely can pull of as an Argentinian missionary.

So what else has been going on this week? We've been doing tons and tons of divisions lately, a companionship in our district isn't really getting along and they refuse to work together, so they stuck one of them with us all week. I actually like trios though, so I wasn't complaining. But they got all of that figured out and they had some special transfers, so peace is restored in District Torreon Jardin. So I guess the life of a missionary might not seem too exciting to other people, but this is my life, so I expect all of you to pretend to be interested in who had special transfers. Also, I spoke again last Sunday too. I have officially spoken more times in Mexico than I ever have back at home. I feel more comfortable with Spanish at the pulpit (is that what you call it?) than English to tell you the truth. Have any of you guys ever heard of a soccer player named Chicharito? He plays for Manchester United and is from Mexico, and everybody here loves him. My soccer knowledge has gotten so much bigger here, it's fun to talk about who is better, Lionel Messi or Christiano Ronaldo. Don't worry, I talk about the Church all the time too. Also I showed a member some photos of the family and they said that Mike was not the only the most handsome, but he also looks like Wayne Rooney. Sounds a little contradictory to me, but whatever. Good work, Mike.

So whats been going on with all of you? Summer is just around the corner, and the greatest time of the year begins. How pumped is Miles right now. He's got his Uncle's X-Box, Abby's house around the corner with a pool, and a new house too! Live it up Miles Jo. Except sounds like this will be the Summer of babies, so many sick sister-in-laws, getting their grumpster on. I will happily arrive when all the pregnancys are over, and all the babies will each be about one years old. Works out perfectly, beacuse I try my best to not hold any baby less than one year old, way too much stress going on. When is the Beach House trip going on? Maybe it's better I don't know actually, I don't want to be thinking about all the fun you fools will be having when I am knocking doors in a Mexican desert. But everyone have tons of fun for me, and get Devon to play stump for wood. Also here's a great idea for a family activity, everyone go to the store and buy your favorite candy (no Almond Joy or anything) and put it in a box, and send it to your Uncle Tyler! Great family activity that benefits everybody, especially me.

Ok, I actually am going to have to cut this one a little short. But not before I talk a little bit more about the NBA Finals. I heard the Heat one last night, which puts them up 2-1. The Heat are totally going to win, which bums me out, Dirk deserves a ring. He's too handsome to not have a ring. I dare every sister-in-law to Google Dirk Novitzski and tell me he is not a handsome man. I dare you!

Okay better rap things up everybody, but I love all of you and hope everyones proud of me. I remember my first day out here, our Mission President told us to "be the Missionary your Mother thinks you are." So thats what I am trying to do, I want to be as cool as Mom thinks I am, which is hopefully pretty cool. So anyways, take it easy, have a good week, and think of me when your chilling out in the pool. I love all of you guys, the church is true, and keep the letters coming!