Wednesday, October 24, 2012

24 October 12

Hello everyone, 
How is everyone doing? I am doing pretty well. I am now losing my English pretty bad because I never speak it anymore. I am the only American in my whole zone and no one really knows English and so I am stuck with the Spanish. The funny thing that is happening is that I don’t know some words in Spanish still, but I forget the words in English, and so technically I don’t know how to speak perfectly in the two languages! It kind of blows but it’s a process I need to work out. 
This past week was very good! We had a lot of work to do! Oh and sorry I didn’t write yesterday, I was in a zone conference and so our pday is today now. Well yesterday in the zone conference we learned a ton. 3 guests accompanied President Walker and Hermana Walker. 2 from the department of security of the church and 1 from the church mission department. We learned many methods in being safer and smarter about where we go and what we do. The training pretty much led to one thing, being very obedient and nothing bad will happen. Pretty interesting training and very helpful. He gave us statistics of missionaries in the world, when something bad happens to a missionary, they investigate and all of the cases have something in common, they broke the rules severely to getting hurt. So it really surprised me and I am going to keep being as obedient as I can because God really does protect the missionaries that obey. And then for the past 5 months we have been a Guinea pig mission with trying a new system of work that the apostle Elder Bednar created: no contacting in the street like knocking on doors and all that stuff, just references from members, and we looked at the statistics of our work and we were the best mission with results in all of Latin America! So now all of Mexico and several other missions are using this new system. It was very cool. 

Baptism of Ernesto in Valle Hermoso


On Sunday we had the baptism of Ernesto, he is the husband of a recent convert and he was so excited to be baptized and we have been really animating Ernesto and his wife Maria to go to the temple this coming December. They are super excited and it was a thrill to see Ernesto be baptized. Now this week are two teens in this part member family that will be baptized this Sunday and a couple as well that we`ve been teaching for a while. The teens are named Alicia and Angel, and the old couple are named Juan and Maria. They are all pretty excited, they all love church and it will be a neat experience. Well I love you all and I hope that everything is going well for all of you! Take care and God bless.

Elder Justin Powell

Hola Familia,
¿Como están? Estoy muy bien aquí en Valle Hermoso. No se preocupen por el paquete, va a llegar como quiera. Jaja La temperatura ha subido mucho en esos días, no voy a necesitar los suéteres todavía. Pero, la conferencia fue muy buena, me siento viejito ahora porque hay muchos misioneros ahora con menos tiempo que yo. Espero que la escuela esté yendo bien por todos ustedes. Les amo y quiero mucho y les extraño bastante. Están creciendo demasiado rápido y ¡necesitan parar! jaja. Cuidasen mucho y que dios les bendiga.

Elder Justin Powell

Pdt- No hay nada mexicana aquí en Valle Hermoso y van a necesitar esperar hasta cuando me cambian para enviar cosas chéveres de México. Mil disculpes pero espero que si pueden entender. Yo creo que va a ser un regalo después de Navidad... ¡Que tengan mucho exito!

Leia Mais…

15 October 12

Hellos to all! This week was a great week!!! A lot of success and there is a lot of progress here in Valle Hermoso. I am sorry that this letter will be a bit short, but I am in the process of doing something with my pictures and stuff because I am about out of space on my camera. I have been taking a lot of photos and videos on the mission because those are the best memories when they are captured in a picture or video. So we had a baptism this weekend, her name is America. She is a 9 year old, and she is soooo smart! I got to baptize her and I was honored. And we also sang a primary song, 3 youth and Elder Manzanarez and I. It was pretty fun and it was a good baptismal service. 

America's baptism with the Valle Hermosos ward

America's baptism with her mom, Elder Manzaneres and JD

This week we will have much to do, a lot of work still because Juan and Ernesto are preparing to be baptized this week. They have a grand desire and it will be a good week to work with them to achieve their desire. Wow I will be completing 11 months this week.... Big surprise for me because I feel like I am pretty new in the mission still, but now I am growing old... haha. Well I love you all, here are a bunch of pictures for my lack of writing, enjoy. 

May God bless you all and much love. 
Elder Justin Powell


JD riding his bike with a garrafon de agua (giant container of water)


The Valle Hermoso Zone Elders


Leia Mais…

1 October 12

La Familia Gutierrez de Rio Bravo


La Familia Rocha Solis de Rio Bravo

Dear Fam and Friends,
HAAAAAPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYY BIRTHDAY KATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I hope you had a great day!!!!! How are you all doing? I am doing pretty good, just living life in Valle Hermoso. It was a fast week, a lot to do, a lot to get to know and just a lot of getting used to. Valle Hermoso is a bit different, not much but the life here is a bit. It’s more like Grantsville I would say, except in Mexico. jaja. But everything is very calm here, nothing really happens, it’s more just ranch style of living. There is nothing of fast food :(; no ordering pizza anymore, but that is alright. I have a Mexican companion now, Elder Manzanarez (or English translation, Elder ¨Apple-Beef¨ hahaha) He is a funny hard worker who has a huge love for the people, he reminds me of myself when I got here. I was kind of impatient and I have come a long way, and he is learning still because he has less time than me. But we get along. It’s all good between us. Just sometimes I need patience because we have our differences like we are sort of the same type of red personality, so it’s another patience builder. And I have a great district that wants to work and improve, it’s a huge relief on my part because it’s easier to give advice and teach them. Elder Robledo, Elder Diaz, Elder Manzanarez, Elder Vera, and Elder Ramirez are in my district, and yes I am the only American here in Valle Hermoso. Everyone thinks that I am Mexican now for my skin now very dark, until they see my eyes and here my accent. And then the questions about the states come. But it’s fun to answer and chat about where I come from. And also, I am the first American in a long time to come to Valle Hermoso; I didn’t ever think I would come to this Zone, but yep. But the people here are awesome. I loved Condesa, I miss them dearly. Rocha and Gutierrez family and all the rest will always be in my heart. I will visit again in the future. Well I love you all and I miss you all! The time has definitely flown and I can’t believe that I only have a little over a year left. Who´s pumped for conference?? I AM!!! Haha Love you all! Go UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEAT USC!!!!
Elder Justin Powell
OH and don’t send letters and packages to that address in TEXAS!!! I will put the new address in next week, it’s a safer address. I love you all!
Dear Family, HOW ARE YOU DOING!???!! I am good, well I will be sending a package very soon, for Christmas and birthday gifts combined. And Dad I was thinking, we should come to Rio Bravo when I am done with the mission, I would really love to visit again and all like before Christmas, take a bus. We´ll talk about it as the time gets nearer, but it would be a thrill to visit with you.
Well Kate I love you and I hope your birthday was awesome!!!! Princess, you are growing so big and you are so beautiful! Do well in ballet and I am so proud of you and all that you do. You have grown so fast before my eyes, moving to Utah and you in my arms and crawling and barely walking, and now about to enter Elementary School!!!! Wow!!! I love you so much Kate and I miss you, we will talk soon on CHRISTMAS!!
I miss you all and I hope you are all doing well, living life and have fun! Valle Hermoso is calm and it’s a good ward, a lot of work to do. Keep up the prayers and hopefully my prayers are getting answered for you. Take care and send me a package with the card please by next week when I send the address. I love you all
Love,
Elder Justin Powell

Leia Mais…