September 2nd.

"Hey everyone!

     Sorry about the shortness of this letter! Labor day created a lot of problems with internet... Ayways this week was full of lessons and exchanges! I taught lessons to Jesus, which he is very interested, and Mirium, Who I actually have a short story about. I gave 2 blessings this week which was super cool! I <3 priesthood! A crazy thing that happened, I had to get Botox for my jaw so that was fun. Hopefully it helps! I went on exchanges with Elder Pumphrey and Elder Rindlsbacher, both great missionaries! I had my first bible bashing experience! She kept saying how the Book of Mormon is adding scripture and we aren't supposed to because of what john the revelator said. CMON LADY! THATS JUST FOR THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS! Anyways, we were super polite so we just talked for a bit and left.

    Mirium is a crazy story. SO we were looking for her sister, Elizabeth but she wasn't home. Her sister was there though and she answered the door. After talking for a bit, she let us in to talk with her a bit more. after like 30to 45 minutes, she was crying and the spirit was so strong, it just about made me explode. I asked her if she would get baptized and she accepted. First lesson! We were meant to go to that house and meet her, even though that's not what we were planning. I'm so glad to be an instrument in Gods hands!

   We had zone conference which was cool but other than that, this week was pretty normal. Oh! I got cussed at! That was fun. But anyways, i love you all, And remember, Happiness is the object of Gods plan, so that should be our objective also. Hasta Luego

Love,
Elder Atwood"

Here is my only pic for this week. I promise I'll be better with taking pictures!! This is in front of the Metal Militia house here in T-Mec. Pretty huge house!

August 26th

 

"Hola!

This has been a long week! Not really, it was p day like yesterday... Time is flying so fast! No word on the visa so for now, I am still holding out in Cali! This last week we did 2 exchanges. I went with Elders Esplin and Durrant. They are both really good Elders. We got a long really well. For both of the exchanges, I had to actually walk... Living the missionary life! Finally! I've definitely been in the car for too long. We walked atleast 4 miles on each of the exchanges. On one of them, with Elder Esplin, we taught a girl named Kimberly about the first for commandments as well as the word of wisdom. First of all, that is definitely the brick wall for most people. Second of all, doing lessons in english is a lot easier. Thrird of all, she has a baptism date. HOLLER! Hopefully she holds to her commitments. This week i finished the Book of Mormon so that was a pachanga! Now im going to start reading the writings of Paul because he is a boss. A few more little stories, we went to a members house for food. The foos just looked like pork so I just dug in! Guess what? Its called Carnitas and its seriously anything that is from a pig that they can cook... I seriously almost yacked. My companion told me after and now im really disgusted that I ate that. There was all kinds of stuff like fat, meat, and probably intestines. Oh well. We went over to the Vidal's house yesterday for dinner. They are so funny! The grandpa vidal was awesome. He told a joke and he seriously was ROFLING about it. He came up to me as i was sitting on the couch and said. "Sofa so good?" And just started laughing. I was super confused. He said it as to mean "So far, so good." NOT that funny. Oh well. Dinner was really good though. It was spaghetti with like a slab of meat on the noodles with sauce on it. Delicious! Thats all for this week! Until the next!

Love all of you!

 

Love,

Elder Atwood

 

P.S. I havent gotten mail for the past 2 weeks and wont get it until this friday. The guy that sorts our mail quit so i havent gotten any. Dont think im ignoring your letters! Ill write back when i can!

Week 8

I'm here in Cali everyone! I am loving it here so much! I'm serving in a city called Temecula. it is super gorgeous! (even though most of my time is spent down in the ghettos) I'm super happy because there is a walmart in my area, which means I've been able to buy mountain dew. I missed caffiene! My companion doesnt like it though lol. The mission president is awesome! He and I get along very well. Once we got here, we ate Cali burritos, which are the most delicious things ever. Then we went to the church to meet our companions. My companion is named Elder Farnsworth. Sorry, I dont have a picture. Just imagine Leonardo Dicaprio from the great gatsby with bad teeth and thats him. He has been an amazing trainer. We both got put into Temecula for our first time, also known as white washing. We have gotten lost so many times. And since we dont know anyone, investigators or members, we have been driving evrywhere. We have taught a total of 2 lessons... lol We have a lot of appointments set up for this week though.

     Our first lesson was with a woman named Elizabeth. To start out, we ask if she has any questions. you will never guess what her question was... "So do you have multiple wives?" For real? Polygamy question in my first lesson! I looked at my companion and let him take the reigns haha. That lesson turned out to be a big question/answer session so it wasn't that good. Second lesson was with a 13 year old from Venezuela. We taught her the first lesson and she said that if she reads and gets an answer, she will get baptized! Yeah, thats right. I extended the invitation. Contacting has been great! We were contacting last night and we walked past a baptist church and the people INSISTED that we join them.... Yeah, we went in and sang a few songs. The spirit definitely wasn't there but guess what? We planted a Book of Mormon... In a baptist church. HOLLER! The best food that I've had has been carne asada tacos with beans and rice. Every meal has had beans and rice... definitely mexican style here. The time has been flying super fast. It seems like I've only been here for a few hours but its almost been a week! My companion says it gets a lot faster and I trust him! It's going to fly by!

     The language is going very well. We went to the Spanish branch yesterday and it was a party. I understood like 80% of what was said.  Not bad! The branch was very impressed by my spanish. They thought I knew like no spanish at all. I SHOWED THEM! anyways, I'll be back on next Monday to report on my second week! Les amo mucho! No espero ver ustedes!

Con Amor,

Elder Atwood.

With Herman Bush

 With Hermano Miller:

 With Hermano Porter:

 With Skylar Barton:

August 13,2013

I've made it safe to California! The weather here is beautiful. We drove past the San Diego temple and its absolutely gorgeous. We might be able to do a session! My president, President Kendrick, is super nice, along with his wife. My first p-day will be on Monday so I'll be able to type more then! I love all of you!

Con Amor,
Elder Atwood

P.S. California burritos are amazing"

August 9th, 2013

Friends and Family, the big news has come! I've officially received my reassignment in the states. I'm going to the Carlsbad, CA mission! I fly out on Tuesday morning at 8:42! I am super excited. I've heard that its a beautiful place. Its right by the beach and, as I've been told by the travel office lady, is the best stateside mission to go to. I'm not really sure if its Spanish speaking entirely but its pretty close to the Mexico border so I would imagine that its going to be highly Spanish influenced. It will definitely help me improve on my Spanish before I go to Argentina! Since I will be leaving so soon, I need everyone that might send a letter to not send it until I can get my new address for Cali. I don't know what happens with letters that come and the missionary has left and I don't want any of your letters lost. I live for those letters!

 

     Well, wish me luck! Next time you'll be able to hear from my will be the 19th of August unless they let me get on for a little bit before then. Hasta luego!

 

                                                    Con Amor,

                                                   Elder Atwood

August 7th, 2013

Hola! So big news! I didn't get my visa for sure... I got the letter in the mail that said so. I will know where i am going in 2 days! Its scary! I will let you all know where i am going when i find out! This week has been mostly about teaching the commandments. Word of wisdom is definitely hard to teach! We also had some great lessons with our teachers, Hermano Miller and Hermano Porter. The most frustrating thing is subjunctive in Spanish. It seriously is the most confusing thing and throws everything that I know down the drain... But over time i will learn how to do it hopefully! We had fast Sunday and that is always super spiritual. The feeling is so great during a fast! The coolest thing was the devotional. Jenny Oaks Baker (Daughter of Elder Oaks of the 12) Spoke and played music for us. She played amazing grace, a poor wayfaring man of grief, and i know that my redeemer lives. They were absolutely amazing! Also, all of her kids,4 of them, played i am a child of god. It seriously was the cutest thing ever. They played cello, piano, guitar and violin at ages 12, 10, 8 and 6. I also got to sit next to Elder Levi Stone which was nice.

     One funny thing that happened is a story that Hermano Miller told us about his first day in the field. He said that once he got off of his flight in Chile, a man offered to carry tgheir bags for them. Once they got to the right place, the man wanted to be paid. Every one gave him some money but he demanded more. The random guy got $400! Once they got out of the airport, He had to ride a bus to his area for 3 hours.... When he arrived, no one was there to pick him up so he had to walk. He walked for an hour and a half with all of his luggage. They had to go through a city where there were a lot of dogs following them and homeless people all around. They finally arrived at the apartment to find that it had dirt floors, yellowish green pillows, and a shower that was just a cement room with a hole poked in the ground that drained into the earth so it would get clogged everyone and a while and back up. The next day, they went to a members house for lunch and the lady asks if he wants "Panito". In Spanish, "Pan" means bread. So he figured that she was saying small bread. Wrong. "Pancito" means bread... "Panito" means Liver... Yeah, he got a full plate of liver and had to eat the entire thing. I really hope that this doesn't happen to me when i go down there to Argentina! (If i ever get my visa.)

     The devotional on Tuesday night was really good. It was about how to study scriptures effectively. I was super disappointed though because I really thought it was going to be a general authority! Oh well, maybe Sunday! The biggest thing I learned from the devotional is this; Questions invite Revelation. If you have a question and you ponder about it, read about it, and pray about it, you will receive an answer. That I promise you. Anyways, all is well! Expect an email in 2 or 3 days of where I'm going! Paz Fuera!

 

Love,

Elder Atwood