March 31, 2014 I Got Mail!

Hello!

   So I got mail today! That was pretty great :) I can only get mail when the zone leaders go to the offices and pick it up so it might have gotten here a little while ago, but they hadn't been over there and then I didn't see them until today, but I was really glad to get it all :) I got the first Dearelder from mom and a letter and dearelder from Ashley and a letter from Ashley's parents so it was great :)

  So a Little bit about this week, we had divisions on friday and I went with Elder Lawson to his área which is in the same Ward as mine just the other half of the área, but I talked more about that in the recording. I also talked about the one investigator that came to church yesterday, his name is Jesús. It was awesome to have someone that is actually trying to change his life for the better :) All the other baptism dates have fallen through but we will try to reschedule and get them to have the desire for themselves. It has been hard when we teach all week and try to get people to attend church and when we send people to get them or go ourselves and they don't want to it is just sad. I talked a lot about your other questions on the recording (the recording didn't work unfortunately so he'll send it next week) and a bit about the week so there might be a little bit of repeating myself but I don't have much more because I feel like the recording covers the rest, well I'll tell you about Jorge. Jorge has cáncer and only 5 years to live according to the doctors. He has been Reading the Book of Mormon and has a lot of faith but when we asked him to get baptized he wanted to pray and get an answer first, which is a good thing but I just wanted him to say yes. He is in pain and had a surgery and struggles with walking but I hope he will make the sacrifice to come to chuch. 

Well that's about it for this week, I hope you enjoy the recording (it's like 14 minutes long) and I took some pictures this week so you get a little better idea what it's like here. Oh I almost forgot, we went running by the laguna the other day and saw some cocodrilos and tortugas! unfortunately I didn't have my camera but that was cool :)

   Mom, you asked about how I'm doing. I feel fine and I like being here. I don't really like being hot and sweaty all the time but I can deal with it. It is hard that everyone speaks spanish and I don't but I am learning more every day and try to improve as much as I can. I am having a hard time doing contacts and stuff because talking to strangers has always been hard for me and then throw in a language I don't know and you have the perfect combo! but honestly I am glad to be here, sometimes I feel like I am not a very effective missionary but that's what these first twelve weeks are for. I have a long way to go but I am willing to work hard so I can get better. There are a lot of hard things but I want to overcome them and just be a good missionary and the only way I can do that is trust in the Lord and ask for his help and try my best which is what I am doing so I will get there I just need to be patient.

well I love you all a ton!

Elder Sampson

March 24, 2014 Can't get them to come to church

Sorry it's hard to think of stuff to write and I am not good at typing so I can't always get a whole lot in. I'm trying so please be patient with me.  (This is in response to me asking him a bunch of questions and asking him to give us more details about his week and the people they are teaching)  

 

We teach a lot of people and I can't get them all in but we are supposed to invite them to be baptized on the first or second visit.  My companion had met Guadalupe before I got here but had only taught her once I think.  It's hard to tell you a whole lot of info about them because I don't know much Spanish so I don't know a whole lot myself. She does have some daughters but I don't know about a husband, I have neither seen nor heard of one. We are also teaching Jose Luis, he has a baptism date as well. Actually, Guadalupe wasn't at church so hers fell through. But anyways, Jose Luis has a wife (she's 15) and a little boy. I'm not sure if they are actually married or not. He didn't come to church yesterday either, in fact none of our investigators did even though we invited them and even went to some of their houses to get them... I don't know what the problem is but we are trying to help them understand the importance of going to church.  

I don't know why we aren't allowed to go but it is a rule so we don't do it (I asked him why they don't tract).  There are a bunch of members in the ward but not a ton and not that many live in our half of the boundaries. We work a lot with a brother named Guadalupe, but we call him Lupito. We also work with Hermano Antonio a lot and he is a principal of a school and was baptized like three months ago but is the ward mission leader.  The ward meets in a stake center which is pretty big. We have district meetings every week.  

 

Elder Macias is friendly, (I asked about his companion because he hadn't said very much about him) not quite like me but not like super talkative all the time. His mom and brothers are members but not his dad.  We get a long pretty well and he is pretty funny. He isn't a slacker but not like a super crazy hard worker. We have a pretty good time together.  I will answer the rest of your questions with the recorder because I have already taken up a lot of time with just this. 

 

I haven't received anything in the mail yet but maybe I will this week I don't know. Gotta go! I love you all! Bye!

March 17, 2014 Second week in the Field

Hey everybody!

 Dad about the weather, it was a little cold but not bad at all, I was totally fine and we had the AC on most of the time at night so don't worry about the cold. It has been really windy though, they call it el norte and it happens every year. The past couple days have been really hot but I will move on to actual missionary stuff now.

So this week was better then last week which was good. We are working hard but sometimes the people have to do a little bit for them self you know, we have done all we can think of and they have to do the rest, we can´t forcé them to do it you know. So we find people from references or contacts on the Street, we arent allowed to go tracting so we have to depend on the members and the Street contacts. I have been taking part in the teaching and I had to give a little talk in sacrament meeting yesterday, that was fun... :) well it wasn't that bad and one of the sisters in the Ward told me I have good spanish it was just slow... but I can live with that :) 

We invited Guadalupe to get baptized and she accepted! but they have to attend sacrament at least 5 times before they are baptized and she didn't come yesterday... but we will see what happens, we scheduled it 6 weeks in advance so if she comes for the next five weeks then we don't have to change the date.

Well that's about what has been going on, we are trying to get the members more involved and stuff so we can have more success because with the members it is way more effective. But I am here doing what I can and hope that the people we teach will feel the spirit and do something about it.

About the things I need... I havent needed anything that you could send that I couldn't get here so I am all good with that, don't worry about sending anything in specific. haha funny story... I sat on the edge of my bed the other night to write in my journal and... it broke! I must be gainning weight! well I dont know if I am or not but my bed is kinda broken... but it still works just fine and I fixed it up a little with some paracord so it's all good! :)

That's all I've got for now, I love you all! Oh and it is awesome that Claire and Josh got prom King and Queen :) Oh and I am understanding more spanish so that is a good thing as well, and I definately have to trust in the spirit still because a lot of the time I still dont know what people are saying...

-Elder Sampson

March 10, 2014 First week in Mexico

¡Hola!

   So about being sick, it wasn't that bad so don't worry :) Just a minor stomach infection and I am feeling great again. The only reason Sister Jordan had to call was because I have that allergy to penicillin and that made it seem worse but I have found out it happens to everybody so it's all good and I am feeling much better. It was just me adjusting to the food and stuff. What's life without a little diarrhea? ;) Much better right? but I will be fine :)

   So my comp is Elder Masías and he is from Tijuana Mexico and he is great. He speaks a little English but he almost always talks to me in Spanish so I can learn it and stuff. He is really great and we get along pretty great and he is patient with me when I don't know what he is saying and other things like that.

   We are in the Area Tampico in ward unión and there are actually 2 companionships for this ward so we are in Unión B. So yes there are other missionaries nearby.The people are great and all that but I have no idea what they are saying so I need to work on that. I will send you some pictures of our apartment and stuff so you can see it. We didn't have that great of a week but we are going to work a lot harder so we can improve. I have a lot of spanish to learn and need to work on interpreting what they are saying. I like most of the food we have had so far and the other stuff I ate anyways without complaining :) we eat lunch and dinner with members... Ahh... I'm running out of time so...ya I will try to get more in next week but I'm great :) well I feel great at least ;) I love you all!

-Elder Sampson

Home sweet Home:)!

View of the neighborhood

March 3, 2014 I'm in Mexico!!!

Hey! I just wanted you to know I got here safely and I'm super happy!:) I love you all and you are the best! I'm in Mexico!!!

 

-Elder Sampson

March 1, 2014 Goodbye MTC....Hello Mexico!

well... I had this great email all typed up and I think you might have liked it but it got deleted so I am going to type it again but condensed so I have time to email some other people too...

I'm super excited to go to Mexico in like 2 days!! This week has flown by like crazy fast! it's insane! I am going to be packing and stuff when my laundry is all done so ya... All that was different this week was In-field orientation which was like all day yesterday and it was just an all day class pretty much, but we moved around and did activities so it wasn't too bad.

I would like to thank the Truscotts for the package I got from them, the oreos were super amazing and fastbreaks are just the best candy bar there is :) it was great to hear from you and I loved the part about Flora praying about me, it was super cute.

   Mom, Thanks for the cinnamon rolls, they are amazing! like usual :) But maybe just a little better this time because of the help you got with them or something... ;) Thanks for all the dear elders and the story about you Bry and Gma was so funny I loved it :) You are the best and I love you, thanks for everything.

   Claire, it was great to hear from you and I like to hear about your life, and the story about Josh asking you... super cute ;)

  Dad, Thanks for those dear elders and your concern. Even though I didn't always seem super excited to work with you, I miss those opportunities to talk and spend time with you. I am so grateful to have you as my dad, you are great :)

   Charles, You are great and hope things are going well, you are going to have to pick up your game if you are going to win this race ;) I'm just kidding, you have plenty of time to find a woman worthy of you, although that is quite a daunting task...

    Lauren, It was great seeing you at the temple and just being able to talk to you, are you the best ;)  just keep me posted on whats happening in your life.

Sorry that this is so short but it really was just an accident and I was really upset... but there is nothing I could do so ya... next time you here from me I'll be in Mexico.