March 25, 2013

Hey! Happy Birthday Dad and I’m glad all went well with birthday stuff! 

So this week was zone conference... so I basically did nothing! 

We were in our area Wednesday Saturday and Sunday. So yeah that’s basically all we did this week which was kinda lame but whatever. 

So lets see, Wednesday, we got to the area and just went out and had some regular visits and then the branch invited us to play soccer with them so we went and played soccer for a few hours, so that was fun. Thursday we went down to Serit Kiche and I went to one lesson with Morris and Munn (Morris is one of the Elders in Serit Kiche and Munn is in Chijolom) In that lesson I put a baptismal date for the 6th of April (to bad its not in my area haha) but yeah so that was cool. 

After that we headed down to Senahu and then we slept there and went to zone conference in the valley. It was cool to see everybody there. Then we made our way back and I got to my area Saturday, had a half day and then Sunday... church was good I’m still teaching the young mens and womens class so that’s fun. 

Now I’m here in Senahu for p-day which was fun because a homie from California came here (they are district Chulak and came to say bye to me) but it was fun to have them here and also play soccer with the kid from California. He played for Pegasus the San Diego team. His name is Elder Morberly. Also Elder Salazar from Chile was here. So yeah that’s basically all. Oh yeah and to answer your questions

Sis Watts put a photo up on facebook from your Senahu district. You must have had a meeting recently with them. Zone conference combined with zone Polochic

So how are things going with training your comp and teaching him Kekchi? eh its ok, I’m scared for what happens when I leave

I thought your story of the hot chilies was funny. We ate more chili this week like always and it was just as fun haha

Too bad you didn't get him the change before last so you could have had more time preparing him for the area. Yes that would have been very nice.

We all got a really good chuckle out of you in the kekchi dress... this week I bought the hair pieces to so now you are full on set up for the kekchi style

Maybe my pictures will make my letter more bulky haha.

pictures:

Chili

chili!...this is the chili i eat all the time, it is more spicy then the green chilies they give us, this stuff makes my hands go numb, yes I ate all that is in that picture. 

Funny thing about that chili is we went to the branch pres´ house and he said hey we don’t have any food but we can offer chili but you don’t have to eat it cause it makes me cry and I said gimmie I’m gunna eat it all!

Elder Asdel and Elder Hansen

all the pictures with names are just us at zone conference

*About 6 picture titles were posted with out pictures. Hopefully he can resend them next week.

note: the internet was too crappy to send pics so I'll get them to you later.

love you all and have a great week!

March 18, 2013

Hey how are you guys doing? haha first off I can’t believe Brenton is putting in his papers, he still seems like 10 years old to me. Alright now to update you on your questions...

So tell me how hard you made your companion work this week. Well I took him to the end of the area to get the juice and he survived, I was able to get 4 bottles of concentrate!

Have you found any new people to teach? Not really just kinda working with what we have but its going slow

How are those cute little kids you always have great photos of? They are good, always running around and doing whatever

Are you getting enough to eat and have you been back to get more naranjilla juice? Yes and yes

I looked that fruit up online and saw one cut crossed section. Its a pretty fruit and looks yummy

Are mangoes coming into season? Mangoes are in season but nobody sells them pre cut and it’s not fun to cut them yourself

Will your little branches have a way to listen or watch general conference?

Yes the church gets cattle trucks and takes all the people down to Senahu where we get it through satellite

 Do they translate that into Kekchi? Yes they do

So yeah this was my second week with my comp out in Yalijux, it went pretty good. My comp is trying to learn Kekchi but its hard obviously. Your first change out here you normally don’t get anything, not until your second change. So yeah it’s weird being the one doing all the talking. 

Lets see... Tuesday a member moved his house to a different place and we tried to help but by the time we got there they were almost done. But the next day we went out to get the juice and also when we made it back there was a party at the members new house so we went and ate and left. 

Also when we were out getting the juice there was a returned missionary at the hotel with his wife and he told me he was here at the same time as Logan Henderson. I forgot his name but his Kekchi name was laj hix (lock hish) the tiger. 

This week I did alot of showing the area to my comp so he knows all the members houses and different paths that I know so when I leave he isn’t completely screwed. The members LOVE visits from the missionaries so they all liked that. Haha speaking of visiting members there is one family that we always get along well with and my comp really wanted to try caldo from Yalijux... but people had only been giving us tortilla and chili. So I told him how to say I’m hungry is there caldo and when we got to the house that’s all he said cause he couldn’t say anything else and there was caldo so we ate caldo. Caldo is basically meat (cow, pig, duck, or chicken) boiled in water and the broth is like a soup with meat, normally very spicy. Haha now that we are talking about food, also at another house the members asked me if I eat chili and I said yes and they were like are you sure its a very spicy kind and I still said yes. Then I asked my comp and he said no so only I had some, about a cereal bowl half full. And it was super spicy even for me and then I convinced my comp to take a bite and he was dieing and the members though it was funny and so did I haha.

Well I got all the corte dresses and shirts bought and everything, do you want them shipped home or should I bring them in my bags?

So yeah everything is good. I can’t believe I only have 4 weeks left. It’s awesome but sucks at the same time.

So here are my pictures

my driving socks for when I get home ha

just sitting at my desk, cold night

my comp washing his face in the river

at the lil party eating tortilla with bean in it

me making a tortilla

a lil snack at a members

crossing over the barbwire

Well that’s all I got for the week and I love you all, have a great week!

March 11, 2013

Hey! okokokok here we go in my last change! (hoping it goes slow).

Here’s the update, I’m still in Yalijux and here I will die, 6 changes. My new comp is from Peru and I’m his Kekchi trainer, which I’m very happy about. Its been awesome so far. I am happy with my comp that will be killing me. His name is Elder Mendiz and he has like 16 months in the mission.

Good night sleep

So Monday till Thursday I was here in Senahu. I was sick of sitting around so I went and working with Elder Salguero and his comp in Seamay which was fun. Then I slept at Elder Reyes and Sparacinos house (good night sleep pic). Then the next day my comp got here and we headed up to Yalijux.

Elder Mendiz is happy to be here and learning Kekchi. He has had his whole mission in the Cap and was happy to leave. I was scared I was gunna get someone that didn’t want to learn.(yes there are lots)

So yeah this week I was just taking my comp around Yalijux and having him meet everybody. So we did alot of visiting members. This next week I’m hoping to get some references from members to kick start Yalijux back up.

Also I hope all is well with Grandpa Hay!

Did you get a chance to email Zach? Yes and he emailed me back and invited me to Hawaii before he leaves!

What's your new companions name and where is he from? Mendiz from Peru

Have you ruined his feet this last week? nahhhhh

Is that family coming to church now? Yes they are!

How is your district? Good!

 Do you like the guys in it? Yeah it’s a good one

What about the zone leaders? the new one here is Stone and he’s a cool kid (he was in Seamay when I came to Yalijux)

So yeah all is good and I’m out of internet time and I gotta get off of here I love you all and have a great week!

Sorry I have no time to explain the pics!!

haha

good people

San Jose river pass

Lix Vampira

Dinner

this morning

this morning

this morning

March 4, 2013

Hey! How are you guys doing? This week was good. We basically took pictures and said bye to people. 

Oh yeah... ps I don’t have a change. So I will be starting my 6th change in Yalijux. But yeah this week was good. 

We had our baptism of -lfr-d- Y-t Ch-c and I baptized him so that was fun.  

Naranjilla

Smith and I went out to the German hotel to look for quetzal birds before he left, but they haven’t migrated back yet so we didn’t see any, they come back in April.... hmmm. 

But while we were out there I found out the guy that runs it, grows and jars naranjilla juice. Its super good for you and tastes so good. Its a long trek from my house to there but I will probably go weekly to pick more up.

Last night Smith left on a bus to Coban at 3am and I stayed here in Senahu with the other elders. And I will be waiting for my comp here until Wednesday and then back in my area by Thursday or Friday. Smith was very excited to get out of here.

The mission is getting really weird, lots of people in trouble. I don’t know what happened, but my last comp and his new comp both are gone. His comp went home and I think my comp is in the office. Maybe a fight? A ton of changes and crap its just getting weird. The mission has more drama than high school girls.

So here is some good news!!! I’m going to be a great grandpa!!!! So yes, Somers´ kid is training this change!! Also Somers has a change but he knows he isn’t going to the Cap, so I’m pretty sure he will be staying in Coban mission (at least we hope so)

How are you feeling about this change that is coming up? I’m feeling good, I don’t really want it to go fast. I really am hoping I get a new elder to the zone so I can teach him Kekchi

What has the weather been like lately? Super cold, crazy wind, no sun so now electricity at my house (solar)

Have you been able to acquire some more food then just eggs and noodles? (I guess that a pretty decent diet... your dad eats a ton of eggs in PR) I have acquired the best juice ever as mentioned

Any plans for your p-day? Just waiting for changes and playing soccer

Have you been over to the Spradlin's lately? She posted that they will be in the Coban mission when the boundaries change. How long have they been serving? No I have not. They have like 14 months

Did you get the batteries in your package? I realized after I sent it that I didn't put what you asked for. I think I sent 4 and you asked for 6. I did and the first set is starting to die. I’ll be fine I don’t think you need to send more

Elder Smith and Elder Asdel

So the pictures I sent are my comp and I during the Guate national anthem when the Alcaldeza (women governor) I don’t know what that’s called in English. But its when she came to dedicate the new school. I also sent a picture of her standing by her banner haha. And the meat they gave away as a present from her to the city.

  

So yeah this last week was basically waiting for Smith to leave and this week will be wait for me to have a comp. This email is really scattered and I’m gunna end it now. I hope I got all the good stuff out! Love you all and have a great week!

Dedication of new school

Gift to the city

February 25, 2013

Hey family and who ever else is reading this. If you haven’t found it yet I sent you a powerpoint this week cause I thought it would be something random to do haha. But I’m also going to send my weekly letter. 

So this week as you know I was with Elder Salinas until Thursday, everything was good. I kinda was disappointed, I thought we were going to do more but we really didn’t have time so we kinda just visited some families that he knows here from when he was here and they are all people I know so that didn’t really help me find anybody new. But it was fun with him. He is from Peru and he says Trujillo mission is cool cause it's not in the big city so it's not all crazy, and its one of the cooler missions from Peru. He also said his brother just got called to that mission. Also make sure you tell Zach I’m super excited for him and he’s going to have an amazing time in his mission.  Try to get me his email if you can too, that would be nice. 

So we ended our splits a lil early cause we had interviews with Pres Watts and his wife on Thursday. So Thursday morning Salinas and I took the cattle truck from Yalijux to Senahu and then got ready for interviews. Haha... while waiting for Pres Watts, I met a kid from San Deigo that played soccer for Pegasus and we talked about Surf Cup and State Cup haha. He’s 19 though so I probably never played him. 

I had my interview with Pres Watts and it was good. They are only like 10 mins if that, so it’s kinda lame but I know he’s super busy. He started off saying ´´so Elder Asdel you only have one change left´´. I told him ´´yeah I’d also stay longer but I don’t think my mom dad or sister would let me so it looks like I gotta go.´´ And he said ´´yeah I’m pretty sure I could convince the Prophet to let me keep missionaries longer but I don’t think that would fly with their moms´´ haha. 

But yeah, my interview with him was good and also my quick interview with Hermana Watts was good. 

After that we hurried out and hopped on the cattle truck back up to Yalijux. Let me tell you that going down and up in the same day is nuts! I got back to Yalijux so tired and dead.   

So this week I was also able to put a new baptism date with a little kid who was never baptized. I think his family was less active when he turned 8 so now that he is almost 10 he needs to get baptized.  His name is -lfr-d-  and I put the date for this coming Saturday.   

This last Saturday we made a giant fire for Smith’s two year mark and it was fun. 

Fire we made for Smith

Me standing by the fire

Sparks and the moon

This Sunday was great, we had 109 people in church and a ton of less actives that had never come since I have been here. I was talking with the Branch President after church and he was extremely happy so it was good to see him happy like that. Also we take the tithing down to Senahu and it is always just 1 envelope of money and this week was 2 envelopes so that was awesome.  Looks like the branch is getting better with tithing!  

Lets see ah... also I got your bag you asked for mom and if you want one Morgan just tell me what kind and color you want cause it takes a few weeks and I have to ask this coming week.  I also got all the Kekchi skirts for you guys made and I just need to get the shirts and ship them and that’s done.  Oh so the news about the mission split is true. From what I understand Mission North and South will divide their areas of the capital and make East and South Missions, and every part of north Mission outside of the cap will be Coban Mission. So Coban Mission will be the sickest mission ever. The Watts are really sad about it because they will be East Mission and they obviously don’t want to lose half the missionaries. I’m very glad I wont be here for the split. So yeah it’s going to get a lil crazy with all the switches. I remember how crazy it got when Pres Torres left and Watts came. Well gunna wrap this up and send it off and I’ll explain my pictures. Love you all and have a great week! haha oh mom don’t worry Smith already wants to get a pedicure!

Just a little horse I tried to get on but I got scared and scared it so it didn't work

Girls bringing corn home that we found on our way to visit their family

The cattle truck I rode down in from Yalijux... and its cold at 4:00am

Just a little waterfall in Yalijux

reshaping some bull balls and making them into a bag

Smith had a giant flag... so we flew it for a day