Monday, July 22, 2013

It was great to hear from you guys! Its sounds like the beach was awesome and a lot of fun. I´m super excited to go to the beach with you guys next year. It's going to be a lot of fun! It feels like I haven´t been there for a long, long time.  I´m also excited to start hearing about football!  I love this time of year and can't wait to hear how everyone is playing.  Keep me posted!

Well Mom, in answer to some of your questions, we have two couple missionaries in our mission. They are both in their 70´s, I believe. One of the spouses speaks Spanish but the other three don´t speak any Spanish!.  It's super interesting because even though they don´t speak any Spanish they get around just fine and it's obvious that the Lord is blessing them and taking good care of them. They usually help missionaries that may have health problems and they also fix things that have broken in the missionary houses.  They are awesome and we get along great! Their names are the Family Pugmire and the Family Hill and they are both from Salt Lake City, Utah.  And yes, Mom, Elder Briones and I do quite a bit of work with the other elders in our zone.  During the week we do changes where either I or Elder Briones go work with another elder in their area.  It's a lot of fun and I love it!  And I´ve been eating all the fruits that we eat back in Utah.  There isn´t anything new that we don´t have in Utah.  I always eat tangerines though - I think I'm addicted!
Well, Camino Carrasco has been great! By the way, I live on the 4th floor in the apartments that are called "Malvin Alto."  [Zach's Dad:  General location of Zach's apartment.  General location of church building.]  You guys will have to look for them!  This last week we had a ward activity that was awesome!  We had a giant lunch and ate soup that you would find interesting.  We ate "mondongo" which is cow stomach.  It was absolutely disgusting!  I felt like I was eating rubber.  The thing that was awesome with this activity was that the family that we are teaching went and loved the activity and the "mondongo!"  So the activity was a success!  During the activity we had a ping pong tournament which was a ton of fun!  All the men got really into it and wanted to beat me and Elder Briones. It was a lot of fun and all the members were laughing super hard as they watched us play. It was fun and Elder Briones and I did work! ¡Vamo arriba!

This last week we also painted the garage of the family that we are teaching.  It was a lot of fun and we got really dirty.  They also fed us lunch which was super good, too! It was a super good week! We´ve been keeping really busy!

Dad, I loved your advice.  In the mission there are always hard moments and trials but from every hard moment and trial that I've had I've learned a TON from that experience and have applied it to myself.  I love the scripture in D&C 122 where it talks about how all of these trials and experiences will be for our good.  It always keeps me going.  I also always carry in my pocket my small rock that says "I can do hard things!"  I always have it with me and I love that saying.  I remember that you and Mom would always say it in the house to me, Tyler, and Cade.  It's super true that we can do hard things and especially when we trust in the Lord and do our part because he will ALWAYS make up the rest.

Well, I love you guys  immensely and can´t wait to hear back from you!  Keep me posted on all the latest news and activities that are going on in the family!  Keep saying your prayers, reading the scriptures, and going to church!  ¡Vamo Arriba!  I love you guys!

Photos from activity in Camino Carrasco (including Zach getting "photo bombed!")