Monday, May 27, 2013

E-mail 05/27/2013

Sorry my email was so short last week, had to cut things short for a meeting.
But Mexico is not that different, it seems a little run down, but that´s because no one wants to work out side, but the inside of houses aren´t that much different.   I´m not sure what you want to know, so email any questions you have, but keep in mind there are some questions I can´t answer as a missionary.  The people aren´t that different, of course I don´t understand most of them, but everyone here either knows or is learning English, which surprised me. But my coming to this area has spurred people to learn more, so they can communicate with me. 

I am currently in the Jesus Maria area of Aguascalientes City and the rumors are true.  The mission is splitting at the end of my first transfer, so unless something out of the ordinary happens then I will be in the Aguascalientes Mission.  In fact the new mission office is in my area.  So in four weeks the address for my mission is changing, but until then it´ll be the Leon Mission.  

My companion is Elder Osorio, he understands English, just doesn´t speak any of it, so most of the time I´m just nodding my head and saying okay, and just follow along.  Now that it´s been two weeks I´m starting to understand him, but I only get the basics.  Elder Christoffersen came last week and spoke to us, don´t ask me what he said (he speaks fluent Spanish) but we took a picture with him as a whole mission and then got to shake his hand, tell him our name, and tell him where we are from.  When I did it, he told me he´s from Sandy.  Me and three other elders came to Leon from my district, Elder Mickelsen will be in the other mission and the rest will be in the Aguascalientes Mission.  In fact Elder Rice is in the zone next to mine, there are two zones in the AC city and we got together today and played soccer.  

Well I guess what you are probably wondering is what the food is like down here, well first off it´s nothing like Taco Bell (but you already knew that).  At first it was a shock to the system, but I´m starting to like it.   I was shocked to find that they had sweet in their vocabulary, but I think it´s a foreign concept.   It´s actually really good, but the grossest thing I´ve tasted here, a member here has an Herbalife shop and  she gives us some all the time, have I ever told you how much I hate artificial health food!  But the only thing that comperes is, well I didn´t know what it was at the time, but it felt like I was eating rubber. (Mom should probably stop listening at this point).  It was pig skin, it doesn´t taste that bad, it just doesn´t feel right.  The hard part isn´t eating the food it´s smiling while eating it.   Oh I was so thankful, the members take turns feeding us for lunch and Friday the brother that feed us, took us to Carl´s Jr and bought us two each, one for now and one for later.  Oh it felt so good to eat something normal.  
 
And yes I got Montezuma's revenge it hit about Friday. it was horrible.  I think it´s past, for now. 
 
One of the things I´ve had a hard time adjusting to is hugging, yes you heard right, hugging. First they shake hands starting from the bird and then sliding into a hand shake and then they hug with the head bent to your right shoulder, pat the back twice and then shake hands again.  It took me three try´s to get it right.  On the second try, I smacked faces with another elder.   Well let´s just say I haven´t lived that one down yet.
 
Well last week while I was reading your letter, I was shocked to hear that Dad is in the YM. Even if it´s just the secretary, (they're just easing him into the president :p )
Love Elder Durrant

Que Dios le acompoñie

Monday, May 20, 2013

E-mail 05/20/2013

Wow has this been a week and I am still alive, so far.  You are probably wondering what happened to me after I got off the phone. Well I got on the plan like five minutes after and I slept though most of it.  We landed and had to fill out some paper work, and then we were picked up by the 2nd counselor of the stake presidency in that area.  I found out that I really don´t want to drive down here, everyone is super aggressive. Well unfortunately I don´t have enough time to finish explaining maybe next week.
                Love Elder Durrant

I´ll send a letter this week, but I don´t know how long it will take to get to you.

Monday, May 13, 2013

E-mail 05/13/2013

Sorry this email is going out so late. Today has been sooooo busy. Two Elders have already left this morning and the rest of us leave tomorrow at 5 in the morning, so I will either be calling at 7 or noon in Dallas Texas time.  Most likely the first and I get about 40 minutes.  I will be using a prepaid phone card, so I will call you with quarters first to make sure your there, then call back with the phone card.  A lot has happened and I can't remember most of it, but on my way over to email you, I saw Pres. and Sister Nally (Pres. of the MTC) and we chatted for a little while. Spanish is going well, and when you start to think your doing pretty good, then they ship yea out to the real thing.

WOW! I can't believe I'm going to Mexico tomorrow.  I'm so excitado! (excited)  And boy did I pick the wrong time to be in the MTC, three birthdays and Mother's Day, can't you guys give me a break!        Chiste! (joke)  plus one is in eight days and I will be out of the MTC by then. Oh, and Mom, happy Mother's Day.  I got to bless the sacrament yesterday, it was amazing. And for sacrament meeting they pick random Missionaries to talk, so every one had to prepare a talk in Spanish and claro they call me. I didn't think it was that good, but everyone else (that understood it) said it was good. It was suppose to be five minutes, but I think I only took about three. well I can't think of anymore to write, but if you have any questions I'll be talking to you tomorrow, so write them down.

Oh and yes I do have my visa, I'm fling out to Dallas, then to Leon. Oh and por supuesto (of course)  I was made the travel leader, the only one who hasn't been on an airplane.
                        Les amo  (I love you)
                                         Elder Durrant
                                                       p.s. Que Dios le acompañe  (God be with you)

Branch Presidency 
 
Elder Durrant, Brother and Sister MacDonald
First Counselor


Sister and President Wing, Elder Durrant
Sister and Brother Price, Elder Durrant
2nd Counselor

Monday, May 6, 2013

E-mail 05/06/2013

Hola Familia!
 
Hope you all are doing well, haven't had anyone tell me where that scriptures at yet.(I know where it's at, just testing your knowledge.......Samuel, Rebecca, Seth.)    (from 04/25/2013  Well on a spiritual note, I was looking at the Provo temple the other day and thought how it looked like a water fountain, then I thought about when Nephi saw the tree of life. Question for you all, what else did Nephi call it?)

Well now for what you all have been waiting so long to know.....................I've gained three pounds! Hopefully, it goes up then drops back down. So it may just have been the food in my stomach.

Oh and I'll probably be getting my visa soon, I went to the Consulate Thursday,  so I saw some familiar places, it was awesome!  I'll be getting my travel plans soon, so I should know then.  And I get to call you at the airport, if I get reassigned then I get to call you from here.

So expect a call some time next week.  Nothing else really happened here, we got a new district, their awesome. And we lost a district, so now me and my district are the oldest, it's so weird to think that we're next to go!

Love Elder Durrant 

P.S. Que Dios le acompañe
(God be with you)


You know I don't even remember how I got into this
(the weirdest things entertain missionaries.)
bottom to top, Mickelsen, Zobrist, and me.
Babbit, me, Zobrist, Charlton. Man, this one was hard,
 I was being smashed.
Babbit, me, Zobrist, Charlton and Richards. 
Well, we were done after this one.
Panorama of the Provo Temple