Hey family
Sorry but this week the letter isn’t going to be all that long, I don’t have a lot of time to write because we have been out all day long First off how long has the family been there in the house, it sounded like you guys were having a really fun time all there together in the house, I don’t know how long really it has been since we were all there together and this time was no different because I have been here in the heat working my butt off ( literally) for the lord, but I know that there will be more Christmases and that I am going to receive a lot of blessings from the lord for serving him diligently for these short two years.
How did Christmas go for you guys? Pictures?, really thank you for all of the gifts that me and elder forero received, we are really grateful for the gifts we got, speaking of gifts, I have my tie bar, it was in the house of elder Dias like I thought and I got it this morning when we went to look at the año viejos, they are like super small, to 3 stories high, paper machet (sp?) sculptures and at midnight on new year’s they burn them and fill them up with firecrackers, a lot of which are homemade and are literally the same as half a stick of dynamite, so it will be really cool to get woken up at midnight Thursday. Elder Peterson described it like the world explodes. So next week in my letter I will have to tell you guys how it goes, Next week we have changes and we really don’t know if I will go or stay, right now with me and elder forero we are like 50/50 so we will have to see, if I get changed and don’t write you its because Im a little far away from Guayaquil and am travling, so don’t freak out if you don’t get a letter next week, we´ll just have to see what happens.
This week we were able to have another baptism for our efforts and I was able to baptize somebody for the first time in my life, it was a great experience and one I wont forget, Belen (her name) was an old investigator that we had that we couldn’t baptize because we didn’t have permission from her mother, so we just had to be patient and wait until we could get the permission, finally her mother said that she had seen a change in her daughter and that we could baptize her, it was pretty easy she was already a member non baptized, she had been assisting the church every week and participating in all the young women activites. So it was a cool baptism we had like 50-60 people there, so pics to come in the future.
Other than that this week went really slow and there were trunky feelings all around, so now we have a new week to get back into the swing of things and keep working in the work of the lord, I hope you are all doing well, Stay Safe, make good smart decisions , and keep the faith, I am praying for you every day and I hope that you have a good productive week, take advantage of the cold, I forgot how great it is to actually have seasons, I love you all very much Elder Jonathan Match Mision Guayaquil Sur
P.S. Happy new year 2010, make it a good on
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Panic over Christmas Box
First off let me say Im sorry but I didnt know that this was going to happen, today I got a notice from the mail service here in guayaquil, they have my package, and its intact, but it weighs too much and so they are charging me to get it from them, now I have never heard about this but its happening with all of the elders if your package weighs more than 2 kg this will happen, and mine weighs 4.7 kg. so now I have to go to this post office before christmas to pick up and pay for this package.
NOW the really bad news, it is going to cost me like 40 dollars! this is a problem because I dont have 40 dollars, so what I am pleading with you is that you can put 50 or 60 dollars on my card so that I can be safe that I can get my package, I understand if you are mad and I am as well. I didnt see this happening, I also know that it is christmas and you probably dont have 50 or 60 dollars to give me. But I really need it by tomorrow afternoon/ night. I know that this kinda sounds like Im trying to make an extortion or something, but Im serious, you can talk to president johns. Once again Im really sorry for this, and we can definatly prevent it in the future, I love you all very much and I hope you have a merry christmas, Im praying for you every day, and I hope that you like that picture of me in the blog, its pretty cool with all of my zone of latinos, LOVE ELDER MATCH
NOW the really bad news, it is going to cost me like 40 dollars! this is a problem because I dont have 40 dollars, so what I am pleading with you is that you can put 50 or 60 dollars on my card so that I can be safe that I can get my package, I understand if you are mad and I am as well. I didnt see this happening, I also know that it is christmas and you probably dont have 50 or 60 dollars to give me. But I really need it by tomorrow afternoon/ night. I know that this kinda sounds like Im trying to make an extortion or something, but Im serious, you can talk to president johns. Once again Im really sorry for this, and we can definatly prevent it in the future, I love you all very much and I hope you have a merry christmas, Im praying for you every day, and I hope that you like that picture of me in the blog, its pretty cool with all of my zone of latinos, LOVE ELDER MATCH
No Box Yet
Family
Well first off Merry Christmas, or as we say here Feliz Navidad, it’s been going really good for me here, and it sounds like you guys are making the most of all the time that you have off from work and school, take the time to rest and relax with all the family and friends, have a really good time at David’s wedding, and say hi to the whole Contreras family for me, and tell David congratulations from me.
First off, I am sitting here crying my baby looks so freaking good, Im not going to lie I had a pretty trunky moment sitting here looking at my car. I have put a lot of love into that car and at the same time I neglected her for a while so I feel all the worse. But when I get home the first thing Im going to do is get a job and get the new shocks and bushings for her.
It’s really cool that your getting in touch with your family dad, did you know that I really don’t know my extended family, especially on your side dad, so how is this grant guy, are they members, what does he do, where does he work, I would like to find out about all of this family that I have that I don’t know anything about, it’s cool that your finally catching up with the times and getting a facebook dad, just remember that everyone can see everything you post so don’t post anything embarrassing or something that coiuld get another person in trouble.
Im glad that you guys remembered to write me the week before Christmas it probably saved me from getting a little depressed J.
Sorry to hear that the suburban is still giving you guys trouble, just put a little bit of work into it and it will be fine, youi just need to find the time to work on it.
Steven Im just going to say, merry Christmas, and for the love of all things good in this world, do not run around in December in Texas in only a loin cloth
I think you´ll be glad to know that I am losing a gigantic amount of weight, a little bit had to do with my sicknesses but I only weigh 212 lbs so in the course of 2 ½ monthes I have lost close to 30 pounds, don’t you guys want to be on the Ecuador diet, when I get home Im going to be a twig. But really you guys can lose this weight as well just, eat rice everyday and walk more than 10 miles, its all good, the muscles in my legs are huge, Im pretty sure that im also faster, so well have to see when I start running again.
Im really glad to hear that you passed the semester of ap history, so all the work you did wasn’t in vain, you actually got credit for it.
On the book of mormon front, steven you can read it before the end of the year easily, you just need to buckle down and one of these days, dress comfortably get some water and just sit down on the couch and read, don’t get up for anything but to use the bathroom, lose yourself in the words, become the words and steven I promise you that your testimony will grow a lot, just lose yourself and the lord will help you fly through his holy scriptures.
Once again, DO NOT USE A LOIN CLOTH, or a ¨jungle thong¨ as you so eloquently put it.
MOM
Don’t stress out, I know that there are a lot of things to do at this time of the year, just remember to keep movies or music playing and have a good attitude about these things, like us missionaries we are working all day, even more now that Christmas is coming up, just keep the feelings light and work to serve ( yourself and others)
ME.
Not a lot has been going on here, this Sunday we baptized another person into the the true church of Christ and this Saturday we have another baptism, actually if all goes to plan I will baptize and it will be my first, so well see how it goes.
Now the phone number, I got it and here it is,
TO CALL OUR HOUSE: 011593087590259
If that doesn’t work use: 01159387590259
So those are the numbers, I will call you first at about 10:00 in the morning your time 11:00 my time to confirm the numbers that you have and we get to talk for a full 40 minutes, so that’s good I really look forward to talking with you guys.
It finally rained for the first time since I got here on Saturday; it was good there is a lot of dust here right now and now that the rains are starting it should start to get better.
On Friday when we are talking if I have my box I will tell you what was in it and you can tell me if I lost anything in transit.
During this time of the year all the people drink alot hot chocolate and Pan de Pascua (fruitcake) so in these next 4-5 days we are going to be eating a mountain of these things and I am probably going to regain those 30 pounds that I lost.
Well I love you all very much I look forward to talking with you on Friday, make sure that you guys are ready with your calling card or whatever it is your going to use, pray, and really remember the reason that we celebrate, for the birth of our savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ, I love you all very much and I pray for you every day,
LOVE
ELDER MATCH
Well first off Merry Christmas, or as we say here Feliz Navidad, it’s been going really good for me here, and it sounds like you guys are making the most of all the time that you have off from work and school, take the time to rest and relax with all the family and friends, have a really good time at David’s wedding, and say hi to the whole Contreras family for me, and tell David congratulations from me.
First off, I am sitting here crying my baby looks so freaking good, Im not going to lie I had a pretty trunky moment sitting here looking at my car. I have put a lot of love into that car and at the same time I neglected her for a while so I feel all the worse. But when I get home the first thing Im going to do is get a job and get the new shocks and bushings for her.
It’s really cool that your getting in touch with your family dad, did you know that I really don’t know my extended family, especially on your side dad, so how is this grant guy, are they members, what does he do, where does he work, I would like to find out about all of this family that I have that I don’t know anything about, it’s cool that your finally catching up with the times and getting a facebook dad, just remember that everyone can see everything you post so don’t post anything embarrassing or something that coiuld get another person in trouble.
Im glad that you guys remembered to write me the week before Christmas it probably saved me from getting a little depressed J.
Sorry to hear that the suburban is still giving you guys trouble, just put a little bit of work into it and it will be fine, youi just need to find the time to work on it.
Steven Im just going to say, merry Christmas, and for the love of all things good in this world, do not run around in December in Texas in only a loin cloth
I think you´ll be glad to know that I am losing a gigantic amount of weight, a little bit had to do with my sicknesses but I only weigh 212 lbs so in the course of 2 ½ monthes I have lost close to 30 pounds, don’t you guys want to be on the Ecuador diet, when I get home Im going to be a twig. But really you guys can lose this weight as well just, eat rice everyday and walk more than 10 miles, its all good, the muscles in my legs are huge, Im pretty sure that im also faster, so well have to see when I start running again.
Im really glad to hear that you passed the semester of ap history, so all the work you did wasn’t in vain, you actually got credit for it.
On the book of mormon front, steven you can read it before the end of the year easily, you just need to buckle down and one of these days, dress comfortably get some water and just sit down on the couch and read, don’t get up for anything but to use the bathroom, lose yourself in the words, become the words and steven I promise you that your testimony will grow a lot, just lose yourself and the lord will help you fly through his holy scriptures.
Once again, DO NOT USE A LOIN CLOTH, or a ¨jungle thong¨ as you so eloquently put it.
MOM
Don’t stress out, I know that there are a lot of things to do at this time of the year, just remember to keep movies or music playing and have a good attitude about these things, like us missionaries we are working all day, even more now that Christmas is coming up, just keep the feelings light and work to serve ( yourself and others)
ME.
Not a lot has been going on here, this Sunday we baptized another person into the the true church of Christ and this Saturday we have another baptism, actually if all goes to plan I will baptize and it will be my first, so well see how it goes.
Now the phone number, I got it and here it is,
TO CALL OUR HOUSE: 011593087590259
If that doesn’t work use: 01159387590259
So those are the numbers, I will call you first at about 10:00 in the morning your time 11:00 my time to confirm the numbers that you have and we get to talk for a full 40 minutes, so that’s good I really look forward to talking with you guys.
It finally rained for the first time since I got here on Saturday; it was good there is a lot of dust here right now and now that the rains are starting it should start to get better.
On Friday when we are talking if I have my box I will tell you what was in it and you can tell me if I lost anything in transit.
During this time of the year all the people drink alot hot chocolate and Pan de Pascua (fruitcake) so in these next 4-5 days we are going to be eating a mountain of these things and I am probably going to regain those 30 pounds that I lost.
Well I love you all very much I look forward to talking with you on Friday, make sure that you guys are ready with your calling card or whatever it is your going to use, pray, and really remember the reason that we celebrate, for the birth of our savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ, I love you all very much and I pray for you every day,
LOVE
ELDER MATCH
Monday, December 14, 2009
Bus Ride to Cuenca
Hey Family; Mom , Dad, Steven, Sam,
How’s the week been going for you, I am really glad that you were able to move marcie and Mike into their new apartment, I’m sure that Benjamin was really happy to get finally moved into the new house and not just go their to work, also he likes trucks and I would have liked to see his reaction to the u haul.
It always seems like the ward Christmas parties are pretty uneventful. On December 23 in our ward 2 of the 6 future missionaries are going to leave so Monday we are going to have a party for them. I think it will be a little more exciting here because they really like to party party. So the people will be dancing and there will probably be a lot of food, fun , and especially more than everything else, laughing.
I know everyone is getting married, its so weird, dax is especially weird, don’t worry when I come home Im not getting married ever so its ok with me.
First off, we get to talk on the phone for 30 minutes not 10. And we can do it on the 25 not the 24 so you guys can go to the wedding, but you have to be home on the 25th. I can tell you a time next week, when our schedule is more fixed, but right now I am an hour ahead of you there in texas so it will probably have to be at like 930 AM you time and we can talk until 10AM your time 11Am my time, also this week I will make sure to figure out the number that you need to call and I will call you guys from a pay phone, just to verify, It will only be like 2 bucks here for a minute and a half. So next week Ill make sure confirm all with you, I looked on the tracker for the box and it said that a week ago it left the states, so really there is a good chance that I will get it tomorrow, if not Ill get it 3 days before Christmas, but no worries.
Bummer about the Honda, its been a really tough little car, its gone through 3 teenage drivers and 2 of them have been pizza delivery drivers, so if you can fix it cool, good luck. Hey I would really like a picture of my baby in the sun with the new mags I think it would look really cool, just take the picture from the drivers side of the car.
Bummer about Dustin, he had the opportunity to be a really strong missionary, but he let the world drag him into it, and when he got rejected for his mission he completely allowed it to overcome him, he will see in time that the life of a professional musician usually isn’t the most edifying of jobs but eventually will remember the joy that comes of living a life of the commandments of god and will come back, it will just take a little time for him to just smarten up.
Sorry about the whole computer problems, hopefully it will be a good lesson for you and you can learn to keep backing things up. Yeah over time I will keep sending you guys pictures and I am not deleting anything from my memory cards. I still have a blank 2 gb memory card and the thing is I can buy them for a pretty decent price here in Ecuador. So we shouldn’t have any worries about running out of memory here in Ecuador.
ME well life has pretty calm here we are working rally hard here in el batallon and the progress is going really well, this Saturday we had two more baptisms and its looking like we will be able to have like 3 or maybe 4 more before the end of the change at the beginning of January. So we really are working pretty hard here, it will be really weird to see if I or elder forero leaves this change, right now we are at a 50/50 chance of either of us leaving so we´ll have to see.
When I was sick I missed my zone conference in Guayaquil so president johns invited us to Cuenca for their zone conference, normally its 4 hours in a bus to Cuenca, for us it took 7 their was a wreck and a bunch of un planned stops by our driver, so welcome to Ecuador, but the thing is Cuenca is cold because its in the top of the mountains, in the night it got to like low 50s high 40s, cold enough that we had to use 2 really thick blankets, also its really quiet, and its way rich, I have some pictures of Cuenca in my camera and Ill send them to you later, but its really cool, the thing about Cuenca is everyone in catholic I have a picture us us leaving on the bus and you can see 7 different cathedrals so sorry this week nothing really happened, exciting to me, it was a really calm really boring fast kind of week, Im going to try and write down all the funny weird or cool things that happen to me so my letters can be better.
I love you all very much and I pray for you everyday, stay safe, drive smart, act smart, use the spirit as you guide, keep the faith, Love Always, Elder Jonathan Match.
How’s the week been going for you, I am really glad that you were able to move marcie and Mike into their new apartment, I’m sure that Benjamin was really happy to get finally moved into the new house and not just go their to work, also he likes trucks and I would have liked to see his reaction to the u haul.
It always seems like the ward Christmas parties are pretty uneventful. On December 23 in our ward 2 of the 6 future missionaries are going to leave so Monday we are going to have a party for them. I think it will be a little more exciting here because they really like to party party. So the people will be dancing and there will probably be a lot of food, fun , and especially more than everything else, laughing.
I know everyone is getting married, its so weird, dax is especially weird, don’t worry when I come home Im not getting married ever so its ok with me.
First off, we get to talk on the phone for 30 minutes not 10. And we can do it on the 25 not the 24 so you guys can go to the wedding, but you have to be home on the 25th. I can tell you a time next week, when our schedule is more fixed, but right now I am an hour ahead of you there in texas so it will probably have to be at like 930 AM you time and we can talk until 10AM your time 11Am my time, also this week I will make sure to figure out the number that you need to call and I will call you guys from a pay phone, just to verify, It will only be like 2 bucks here for a minute and a half. So next week Ill make sure confirm all with you, I looked on the tracker for the box and it said that a week ago it left the states, so really there is a good chance that I will get it tomorrow, if not Ill get it 3 days before Christmas, but no worries.
Bummer about the Honda, its been a really tough little car, its gone through 3 teenage drivers and 2 of them have been pizza delivery drivers, so if you can fix it cool, good luck. Hey I would really like a picture of my baby in the sun with the new mags I think it would look really cool, just take the picture from the drivers side of the car.
Bummer about Dustin, he had the opportunity to be a really strong missionary, but he let the world drag him into it, and when he got rejected for his mission he completely allowed it to overcome him, he will see in time that the life of a professional musician usually isn’t the most edifying of jobs but eventually will remember the joy that comes of living a life of the commandments of god and will come back, it will just take a little time for him to just smarten up.
Sorry about the whole computer problems, hopefully it will be a good lesson for you and you can learn to keep backing things up. Yeah over time I will keep sending you guys pictures and I am not deleting anything from my memory cards. I still have a blank 2 gb memory card and the thing is I can buy them for a pretty decent price here in Ecuador. So we shouldn’t have any worries about running out of memory here in Ecuador.
ME well life has pretty calm here we are working rally hard here in el batallon and the progress is going really well, this Saturday we had two more baptisms and its looking like we will be able to have like 3 or maybe 4 more before the end of the change at the beginning of January. So we really are working pretty hard here, it will be really weird to see if I or elder forero leaves this change, right now we are at a 50/50 chance of either of us leaving so we´ll have to see.
When I was sick I missed my zone conference in Guayaquil so president johns invited us to Cuenca for their zone conference, normally its 4 hours in a bus to Cuenca, for us it took 7 their was a wreck and a bunch of un planned stops by our driver, so welcome to Ecuador, but the thing is Cuenca is cold because its in the top of the mountains, in the night it got to like low 50s high 40s, cold enough that we had to use 2 really thick blankets, also its really quiet, and its way rich, I have some pictures of Cuenca in my camera and Ill send them to you later, but its really cool, the thing about Cuenca is everyone in catholic I have a picture us us leaving on the bus and you can see 7 different cathedrals so sorry this week nothing really happened, exciting to me, it was a really calm really boring fast kind of week, Im going to try and write down all the funny weird or cool things that happen to me so my letters can be better.
I love you all very much and I pray for you everyday, stay safe, drive smart, act smart, use the spirit as you guide, keep the faith, Love Always, Elder Jonathan Match.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Bronchitis Attack
Hey Family in Texas
So first off the gov here is really screwing up our schedule. I was writing you a letter at 130 this afternoon, when lo and behold the power went out. because the govt is rationing power, becuase they have to buy it from colombia and peru. so we thought it was going to be ok, bc I was typing on word and it always auto saves. so we left anddid all of our pday stuff, we went to the malacon, which is like a big riverwalk, I took some cool photos, and next week Ill send them to you. when we came back to the cyber 15 minutes ago, my document had not saved and now i am re typing my email out to you, Im really sorry but its not going to be very long because we have lessons to teach.
this week was pretty good until about friday, that day i woke up at with a fever of 102 and it didnt go down until 1 in the afternoon. so we went to the doctor and he examined me, and guess what. I have bronchitis. so right now I am on a bunch of medicines but Im getting better and the meds are working, but my body is still betrayying me.
on tuesday we went and ate lunch, and in the lunch the sister had fried shrimps for us, but the shrimps were pretty much whole, they were really really good. the heads were actually the best part,it tasted just like fish, and not bad fish, good fish.
Thank you for sending me a box, I cant wait to get it in 2 weeks. it will be really cool and Im glad you took the time and the money to buy it put it togheter and send it, we are teaching this family that lives in a cane house, that is on stilts above the river. so its really cool, to get to the house, you have to walk on a pretty sketchy bridge that sways. the other day the river was really low and it was just mud and rocks below us, there were some cats on the bridge and when we came they allran away and jumped to other pillars, and actually one of the cats jumped and missed, and fell like 15 feet down onto rocks, at first we thought the cat was dead, then it got up and ran away. so it was pretty freaky.
steven remember that it dosent matter what things you do in school just make sure that you will do them really well, and get good grades, you changed your schedule to keep a good gpa, so keep a good gpa, dont let it slip, because if you do there was no point in changing your schedule, you basically did it in vain.
mom dont worry Ill open the box, dad said not to but like I said in the other letter, I dont think I would be able to last the bus ride home without opening something, I would have gone crazy, Do you guys have any questions, what doo you want to know, let me know, Sorry I know this letter is short, but time is short, I need to do these lessons so that I can get home and rest, I love you all very much, Im always praying for you, and always remember that as we keep the comandments of god, we literally receve the blessings we need, the lord is obligated to help us, so literally I challenge you to obligate the lord, Stay safe, and always keep the faith.
Love always,
Elder Match
So first off the gov here is really screwing up our schedule. I was writing you a letter at 130 this afternoon, when lo and behold the power went out. because the govt is rationing power, becuase they have to buy it from colombia and peru. so we thought it was going to be ok, bc I was typing on word and it always auto saves. so we left anddid all of our pday stuff, we went to the malacon, which is like a big riverwalk, I took some cool photos, and next week Ill send them to you. when we came back to the cyber 15 minutes ago, my document had not saved and now i am re typing my email out to you, Im really sorry but its not going to be very long because we have lessons to teach.
this week was pretty good until about friday, that day i woke up at with a fever of 102 and it didnt go down until 1 in the afternoon. so we went to the doctor and he examined me, and guess what. I have bronchitis. so right now I am on a bunch of medicines but Im getting better and the meds are working, but my body is still betrayying me.
on tuesday we went and ate lunch, and in the lunch the sister had fried shrimps for us, but the shrimps were pretty much whole, they were really really good. the heads were actually the best part,it tasted just like fish, and not bad fish, good fish.
Thank you for sending me a box, I cant wait to get it in 2 weeks. it will be really cool and Im glad you took the time and the money to buy it put it togheter and send it, we are teaching this family that lives in a cane house, that is on stilts above the river. so its really cool, to get to the house, you have to walk on a pretty sketchy bridge that sways. the other day the river was really low and it was just mud and rocks below us, there were some cats on the bridge and when we came they allran away and jumped to other pillars, and actually one of the cats jumped and missed, and fell like 15 feet down onto rocks, at first we thought the cat was dead, then it got up and ran away. so it was pretty freaky.
steven remember that it dosent matter what things you do in school just make sure that you will do them really well, and get good grades, you changed your schedule to keep a good gpa, so keep a good gpa, dont let it slip, because if you do there was no point in changing your schedule, you basically did it in vain.
mom dont worry Ill open the box, dad said not to but like I said in the other letter, I dont think I would be able to last the bus ride home without opening something, I would have gone crazy, Do you guys have any questions, what doo you want to know, let me know, Sorry I know this letter is short, but time is short, I need to do these lessons so that I can get home and rest, I love you all very much, Im always praying for you, and always remember that as we keep the comandments of god, we literally receve the blessings we need, the lord is obligated to help us, so literally I challenge you to obligate the lord, Stay safe, and always keep the faith.
Love always,
Elder Match
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