12 - Another week in Paradise!

This storm was so huge we called it Storm Armageddon

In case you didn't believe that we had crocodiles in our back yard. Yes. He's dead.

The one is over three feet long!

Sugar cane! It's hard to get to but it tastes awesome!

This is the difference between my tan arm and my white leg

First off I wanted to say I'm sorry for the short letter last week, it was a little hectic.  This week was good but tough. This week is transfers and I have my comp for another 6 weeks so we will see how things go.

I'm glad the reunion went well though. That's too bad about not having enough beds. But the part of being together as a family isn't just about sleep. But maybe that's because the bed I have sucks. I got a new mattress but it is pretty much nothing. I just threw it on top of my other one but it's still giving me back pain. So I'll see if I can figure something out. But I miss Austin! I'm glad you got to see the pictures of us fishing. I really hope we still hang out after our missions. That's crazy that he leaves so soon! It's really cool that he is going to England! You best believe I'm going to pick him up!

Something really sad happened. We had to give up on a family because they weren't progressing. It was a really sad experience. It was that family we had been working with, and their son said he wanted to be baptized. It was super, super sad. It hurt to see them just say they don't have time for this. They don't think it's important for them. It kinda sucked. But then I felt the spirit really strong, and I know that they will have a lot of trials but they will join the church sometime soon. I can feel it. Eventually missionaries will show up again and they will be baptized so I felt okay with it in the end.

This week was okay though. It was rough to give up on a family but it needed to happen. But I have been feeling a little better, not as sick. Today was the last p day with everyone in our zone so all the elders came to our little house. We made food and chilled. Then Elder Murray gave me a hair cut. He was a barber before the mission so it was pretty cool. He is actually really good. He is a pretty cool guy. 

We took a bunch of pictures as a zone last week. I also bought a tie of the American Flag. Being outside of America has made me really nostalgic and patriotic. I love America now! I wanna buy an electric blue mustang and wear an America headband!! If you see one before I get home please buy it for me! (the car or headband will work) haha but preferably the car!! haha but we will just have to see how things pan out I guess. 

I learned a really important thing that's super useful. I just take a chair and go sit in our back yard. I can kind of just be alone and think. It's actually really nice. And I put some classical music on a USB so it's nice to just relax and listen to that. I'm really glad I have it now and it helps calm me down. I kind of love it! I can be sitting there and I can just block out noises and be there all by myself! It's like I can completely close myself off, which is actually super cool and helpful when I'm stressed! And it works best if I picture myself in a car, which just goes to show what my true love is! Haha. 

The Spanish is getting better. It's still hard to speak, but I just gotta keep at it. I read the Liahona on the conference talks and I understood almost all of it! There were a few things where I wasn't quite sure but for the most part I got it down! I just need to work on my speaking of the actual Spanish. So that's my goal this week. And just so you know. I have been cleaning the shower and I clean all my dishes right after I use them. I have taken things into my own hands and I have had a lot of good habits so far! But I have been learning a lot of little things and those little things are adding up now.

Brooke didn't email me this week so you might wanna cuss her out a little bit! I miss my Booga! She better send a good one next week! 

 

I realized how much I love church. Like church is a time to take a break and to recharge. I really enjoy it. I just wish it was in English so I could do more talking. But eh, what are ya gonna do about it. 

But I'm always in pain which kind of stinks. But I guess I'll just have to put up with it. Other than that my week was kind of normal, nothing amazing happened.  But I love you. I'll send some pictures this time. Tell everyone I  say hi!

11 - Do your Home Teaching!

Jake's first love.... Kool Aid.

 

I'm glad things are going well! This week was pretty good. One of our investigators opened up to me and my comp why she doesn't want to get married. She told us everything, at first it was kind of weird. But she told us she wants to come to church and she wants to do all these things we have been asking but he never wants to go with her. So we are going to try and talk to him alone about it. We will see if it helps any or not.  But it was nice to know that she trusts us that much. We are trying our best to help them. I hope I can do something. But I want you to know how happy I am that you guys are married in the temple. I can see a huge difference in the people here who are without that. I want nothing less than being the happiest guy in the world when I get the perfect girl for me. 

And I've also learned how big of a deal home teaching is. There are 3.6 million people in Panama. 70,000 are active members, 40,000 are inactive. Almost half the members here are inactive, and it's because no one does home teaching. Through home teaching it can help people come to church and want to be involved. It's sad to see how much the church is struggling because the members don't want to take 30 minutes out of their lives to try and help someone else. But all I can do is try and tell that it's important, and be a good home teacher later in life. 

I learned another important lesson. I was talking to another elder and he told me he realized he can't change the other elders, just tell them he respects them, but he is just going to be a good example and do what is right because he wants to do it. So I think that's what I'm going to have to do. 

Maybe you should sit in that section more at the Real games! Just do what I do at the games and stand the entire time! 

  

I do have a picture for you. And I know you will love it! It's so stinkin' funny. 

But thank you for finding my sunglasses! I was worried about them! But no. Just put them in the safe and we will be fine. haha just kidding! But they are kind of off limits. That's the only thing I have that's off limits. If anyone touches them, they'll be in trouble. ha just kidding. 

But I  still don't feel any better. I have some serious problems. But later I'll go to the store and try and find some medicine. It sucks! 

But other than that, my week was pretty good. I'm so proud of my mommy for doing a 5K! Taking 1st! That's my girl! 

I printed off some pics. One of Booga. But other than that there isn't much this week. We only have 10 minutes because the place is about to close so I will make it fast. But I love you. I miss you. And I want you all to read Ether chapter 12. It's a really good one about faith and other things.  

I gotta go. I love you. 

10 - The worth of One Soul

Well this week, since I talked to you two days ago, has been great! It was so good to see all you guys on Skype! And just so you know, I do miss you guys a ton, I just don't want you to worry about me! I miss you more than I let on! But I decided I do need to take charge a little more. I'm going to try and do more to be an example and follow the rules even more closely. Tell dad and Marcus I said thank you for telling me how important it is to do that. And for me to push to be even better. I have been okay with just average, and I shouldn't be. And tell dad I love him. He was so quiet during our Skype, I thought he was kinda ticked for some reason. So tell him I love him and I hope I didn't do anything to make him mad. I swear I'm turning into Grandma because even thinking about dad possibly being mad at me makes me almost cry! Haha

So technically google maps doesn't have our house. It was taken before our house was built. But if you can look at the mall, it goes through a little neighborhood thing, then there is a space and it hits another neighborhood. We are right in the middle of those. But thanks for looking!

I have realized how much I really want to help people. I want them to feel even a little bit of how I feel. I was reading in Helaman today, and it was Nephi the son of Helaman the son of Helaman I think. And he was on his tower crying to the Lord because of the iniquity and sin that was among his people. I started getting really sad because so many people in the world aren't doing very good, and I'm a missionary. I need to be trying to help in any way I can. But remember the scripture that says how great is the worth of one soul in the eyes of God and how much greater are more than one. Okay, I got my whole spiritual montage out of the way. Haha

But I decided I'm just going to have to shower morning and night, and do exercises in the morning. Regardless of how badly I want to stay in bed. It's been raining a lot lately here. Actually right now our clothes are getting another wash. We thought it would be okay because the wind was moving the clouds away and it was super hot! But that's Panama for ya I guess. Yesterday me and my comp had an hour between our lessons and dinner, so we went home. Then he said one of our investigators needs our help so we went there. They were trying to figure out their son's math homework and were getting really mad. So while my comp helped the mom understand one of the harder ones, I helped the son (Miguel) with one of the easier ones. It was a little different in Spanish but it was still pretty easy to explain to him. 

But I actually saw a crocodile come up this morning. I remembered from the show Swamp Wars what to look for! haha! I saw the bubbles and then I saw its eyes pop out of the water. It was kind cool that it actually worked!  Other than that, things have been pretty good here! I got 3 National jerseys today- Argentina, Brazil, and Real Madrid- for like 10 bucks. It was pretty awesome.

I wanted to say thank you to dad, for all you have done for me. There was a kid at church on Sunday, he was with his dad in Elders Quorum. Everything his dad did, he did, if his dad would fix his tie, his son would pretend to fix his tie. He did every little thing and it made me really grateful for everything you have done for me, dad, and the example you have been for me. I hope that I am making you proud. If I can be half as good of a father as you I will be pretty happy with that. I love you dad.  

But I love you all. I hope you are having a good week. Tell everyone I love them and hi to anyone who is reading the blog! Are people reading it? I love you mom.

Video Hello from Jake!!!

We got our Mother's Day call with Jake a day early! He looks awesome and is doing great. He is getting to know Panama and is having the time of his life!

9 - Splits and Elections!

Eating Fruit

A temple

Panama City

Panama City

The Panama Canal

A random horse.

I don't know why but we'll be Skyping with you on Saturday this week. That's what we are doing if that's okay with you. 2 o clock my time. But this week was weird. First I went on splits into the jungle. That was really cool but really tough. Then I got back to my area, where we have a breeze and no hills.

But after that we didn't really do much this week. Yesterday was elections so we didn't go out after church because no one was home and we were told not to. Then we taught some lessons. One of which we talked to a family about getting married. They had a lot of doubts but I told them to just pray. It's crazy that I'm like 10 years younger than them and I am telling them to pray to receive an answer about marriage. It was pretty cool.

And that was pretty much my week. Not much really happened. I know it's boring and I'm sorry. But I do have pictures to send so maybe that will make up for the short message! And just so you know, where I was eating that thing, I got to give their two little girls a blessing. One is named K., she is the cutest little girl ever! Almost as cute as little R.L. which is hard to do!

I love you and I'll see you Saturday.