Hey family!
Just a heads up we don’t have a lot of time but I will type as fast as I can so if there are spelling errors, I’m sorry.
This last week was a crazy one but went really well. Elder Corrales is from Mexico and so far is really awesome! He does not really speak any English but that is ok because I have no choice but to speak Spanish. We are serving in the Las Margaritas area. It is out of the city but we can see the city once we walk up one of the many huge hills. It consists of several towns, Margaritas, Linda Vista, and some other little ones but I don´t remember what they are. Not a super wealthy area, as I had expected. When we arrived at our little house I thought that most of the houses would be like ours, kinda small and made just from regular house material and paint with a functioning bathroom with running water and a shower that has hot water. But the houses are just made from cinder blacks and roofing metal, but the people are all really nice. It is a really big area so there is lots of walking, but that is what I was expecting so it's all good.
There were some other missionaries serving in the south mission that left the MTC the same day, about 12, but I was the only white Elder.
I’m glad that President sent that picture to you guys. When we got to the mission office President did short interviews with everyone just to get to know us a little more. At the end of the interview I told him that I’m here to work and wherever he sends me I will serve with all my Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength. Later after I found out who my companion would be and where the area was. President told my companion and I that this is a really good area but that they need some really good missionaries because the last set or two have been kinda lazy.
We're in a ward, and the members are really nice and committed from what I can tell. We usually eat lunch at a members house but other than that we take care of our own food. Most of the food is good but we have been served a couple of things that's different from what I’m use to. Really the only weird thing was cow stomach. I tried it, but lets just say I got out of eating that one. :)
Overall the experience has been really good, the language part is difficult but good. It is really weird not really being able to understand what people are saying, I do a lot of listening and trying to understand but most of the time I can't tell what they are saying.
The sisters that were in this area last had somebody on date for baptism last Saturday, so I have officially done my first baptism! Her name is Solorzana Garcia Gabriela Fernanda. It was tough doing it in Spanish but it went fairly smooth. Not one of the stories where on the 90th time we finally got it! :) Only the second, the first time she just wasn’t quite far enough under water. It was a really neat experience and hopefully there will be many more in the next two years.
I can't believe the amount of snow that you guys are getting! And how cold it has been there.
As far as the mail system here and being able to receive stuff, I really do not know. I am not sure what our house address is. The addresses here are really weird. I will try out find our more and let you know next week.
I think about the goals that you guys have there at home and hope your doing awesome, Thinking of home motivates me to want to give my all here. I hope to be able to help other families have what we have. Which is truly a special and strong family unit.
Good job with all of the wedding plans that are going on. Dad it sounds like you have been busy getting that video ready for those guys. You are truly a natural born expert!
I was not able to figure out how to send pictures on this computer, maybe next week when I don’t have as much to write I will be able to figure it out and send home some pictures. I’m sure I have left some things out or forgotten to answer some questions. I will try to do better next week.
I love you all so much! Keep doing good!
Love
Elder Marks
Just a heads up we don’t have a lot of time but I will type as fast as I can so if there are spelling errors, I’m sorry.
This last week was a crazy one but went really well. Elder Corrales is from Mexico and so far is really awesome! He does not really speak any English but that is ok because I have no choice but to speak Spanish. We are serving in the Las Margaritas area. It is out of the city but we can see the city once we walk up one of the many huge hills. It consists of several towns, Margaritas, Linda Vista, and some other little ones but I don´t remember what they are. Not a super wealthy area, as I had expected. When we arrived at our little house I thought that most of the houses would be like ours, kinda small and made just from regular house material and paint with a functioning bathroom with running water and a shower that has hot water. But the houses are just made from cinder blacks and roofing metal, but the people are all really nice. It is a really big area so there is lots of walking, but that is what I was expecting so it's all good.
There were some other missionaries serving in the south mission that left the MTC the same day, about 12, but I was the only white Elder.
I’m glad that President sent that picture to you guys. When we got to the mission office President did short interviews with everyone just to get to know us a little more. At the end of the interview I told him that I’m here to work and wherever he sends me I will serve with all my Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength. Later after I found out who my companion would be and where the area was. President told my companion and I that this is a really good area but that they need some really good missionaries because the last set or two have been kinda lazy.
We're in a ward, and the members are really nice and committed from what I can tell. We usually eat lunch at a members house but other than that we take care of our own food. Most of the food is good but we have been served a couple of things that's different from what I’m use to. Really the only weird thing was cow stomach. I tried it, but lets just say I got out of eating that one. :)
Overall the experience has been really good, the language part is difficult but good. It is really weird not really being able to understand what people are saying, I do a lot of listening and trying to understand but most of the time I can't tell what they are saying.
The sisters that were in this area last had somebody on date for baptism last Saturday, so I have officially done my first baptism! Her name is Solorzana Garcia Gabriela Fernanda. It was tough doing it in Spanish but it went fairly smooth. Not one of the stories where on the 90th time we finally got it! :) Only the second, the first time she just wasn’t quite far enough under water. It was a really neat experience and hopefully there will be many more in the next two years.
I can't believe the amount of snow that you guys are getting! And how cold it has been there.
As far as the mail system here and being able to receive stuff, I really do not know. I am not sure what our house address is. The addresses here are really weird. I will try out find our more and let you know next week.
I think about the goals that you guys have there at home and hope your doing awesome, Thinking of home motivates me to want to give my all here. I hope to be able to help other families have what we have. Which is truly a special and strong family unit.
Good job with all of the wedding plans that are going on. Dad it sounds like you have been busy getting that video ready for those guys. You are truly a natural born expert!
I was not able to figure out how to send pictures on this computer, maybe next week when I don’t have as much to write I will be able to figure it out and send home some pictures. I’m sure I have left some things out or forgotten to answer some questions. I will try to do better next week.
I love you all so much! Keep doing good!
Love
Elder Marks
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