Monday, July 30, 2012

Well, the Olympics have started so everyone here has the games on.  Uruguay didn't have that many athletes go, but they did have their soccer team, so everyone is really excited.  However, they lost yesterday to some no name team from Africa!  A lot of tears were shed because of the loss.  I'm not even kidding - people were crying in the streets.  Uruguay takes a lot of pride in their soccer, so when they lose it's like the end of the world.  How is the U.S. doing?  You'll have to let me know.

Anyway, Noblia has been great!  We have been teaching various families and have also been spending a lot of time trying to reactivate less active members.  We have quite a bit here, but they are all offended so they won't go to church.  It's really frustrating, but our efforts have been working. 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Zach's dad:  Along with the pictures I posted yesterday, here are a couple of videos that we got from Zach.

Middle of Nowhere

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Zach's dad:  We got a letter from Zach in the mail that included several pictures.  I thought I would post a couple of them.

Cleaning the baptismal font

Monday, July 23, 2012

This last week was another great week!  Elder Erwin and I were crazy busy!  This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to meet my new mission president, President Armstrong, and his family.  His 22 year old son and 16 year old daughter are living with them in the mission home.  The son just got back from a mission in Houston, Texas (Spanish speaking).  He's planning on going to BYU in a couple of weeks.  President Armstrong is a STUD!  I love him to death!  He's more relaxed than President Da Silva, but still very serious about being a mission president.  When I had my interview with President Armstrong the first thing he said to me was Craig Christiansen says hi.  It was funny.  I told him how you guys know Craig and he loved it.  We then talked about BYU football and basketball for the next five minutes in English!  It was weird doing an interview with the mission president in English and talking about BYU sports.  It was awesome and made my day.  Anyway, he's a stud and is going to be an awesome mission president!

Monday, July 16, 2012

This week was another great week!  I got to be a companion with Elder Griffin's companion (Elder Villar) for the day.  We exchanged for just 24 hours.  Elder Villar is a big stud and is from Chile.  He's super nice and outgoing.  He's really funny and we had an awesome day!  He doesn't know any English so I had to use my Spanish all day with him.  It was great practice for my Spanish and by the end of the day we were both exhausted and ready for bed!

Yesterday was Fathers Day here in Uruguay.  It was interesting because our branch president canceled all meetings besides sacrament meeting since it was Fathers Day - and then he didn't even show up to church!  Elder Erwin and I had to conduct sacrament meeting and basically do everything for the branch.  I've had a lot of interesting opportunities with this small branch here in Noblia and have learned a lot about how to run the church.  I also gave a blessing this last week to a lady in the ward.  It was a cool experience and everything went well.  It's funny to think that I'm doing all these things in Spanish because I don't know how to do any of it in English!  Anyway, it was a great week!

Monday, July 9, 2012

I'm doing awesome here in Noblia.  I'm glad you got my photos.  I wish I could have taken more of Noblia. We're not really supposed to take pictures when we're out in public because they don´t want us to look like tourists.

I haven't talked to our new mission president yet. He should be coming up here to Melo in about two weeks for interviews, so I´ll meet him then.  He sounds like a great guy. 

Well, this week has been awesome.  It has been kind of tough lately to find people to teach.  I can honestly say I´ve have talked to everyone in Noblia and have knocked every house like 3 times.  But it is all good.  There are people out there ready to hear the gospel.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Life has been good in Noblia!  I've gained some weight since I've been here, I believe.  I weigh 71 kilos, whatever that is!  I'm pretty sure it's all fat.  

This week was kinda interesting with the whole changes thing (missionary transfers) so I actually stayed here in the district Cerro Largo and worked with another elder, Elder Liddle (he is from England, kinda of crazy!) and we went to his area.  His area is called Fraile Muerto ("Dead Priest"). It's a town a little bit bigger than Noblia.  I spent all day there Tuesday with him and went tracting.  I don't know what is up with me and small areas but that's basically been my mission thus far.  It's been interesting and I've learned a lot!

Monday, June 25, 2012

This last week has been awesome!  We had our three baptisms with Michel, Patrick, and Douglas! Elder Erwin and I and the Noblia Branch were all super excited!  I baptized Michel and confirmed him at church yesterday.  It was a great experience and the whole time Michel had a huge smile on his face - it was awesome!  I was stressing about the baptism because I had to remember Michel's full name ... "Galdino Michel Antunez Tabarez."  Everyone here has like 4 to 5 names, it's crazy!

Anyway, it went really well and the spirit was definitely there.  One more thing - the baptism totally reminded me of my baptism because the water heater was broken.  The water was FREEZING!  I was super impressed with the boys because they had smiles the whole time.  The branch president and I

Monday, June 18, 2012

Everything is going great in Noblia, like always!  I played soccer with the teenagers last Monday.  Once again, they made me look really stupid but I love playing soccer with them and they definitely love making fun of me so it all works out! 

We have a baptism planned for this Saturday with three kids, Patrick (13), Douglas (11), and Michelle (9) (all boys).  They will be my first baptisms and I'm pumped!  They are the coolest and smartest kids ever.  I'll make sure to send you a photo of them next week!  The area has been really, really tough.  The last change when I went to go pick up Elder Erwin, other missionaries were asking me where my area was.  I told them Noblia and they all just looked at me and apologized for being in

Monday, June 11, 2012

Dang! I´m super bummed about the photos.  Just this past week my other memory card got damaged and I lost all those photos and videos, too.  I'll have to buy some bubble wrap or something.  Anyway, I'll make sure to try and take more photos.

[Zach's dad:  Zach sent home a memory card full of pictures and videos, but the envelope arrived this past week, torn and without the memory card.  The letter came in a plastic bag with an apology from a sorting facility of the U.S. postal service.]

So this week has been another great week! We´ve been teaching the Rodriguez family and three other boys (Patrick, Douglas, Michell) and it's been going great!  They love us to death and they are

Monday, June 4, 2012

Well, it's been another great week in Uruguay!  I'm having a blast with Elder Erwin in Noblia.  We are finding a lot of people who are interested and having many lessons. I absolutely love the mission! It's been awesome!

Last week after I wrote you guys from Tres Cruces, me and Elder Erwin had the opportunity to go to McDonalds!  It was the best thing ever!  McDonalds here seems like a super nice restaurant so it is really weird; however, it tastes the same.  I also got the package from Alex Sisk this last week! You´ll have to tell him that I love the tie and that I think his tie idea is great - I want to do it!  I´m sending a picture of me wearing the tie.

Monday, May 28, 2012

It's been another awesome week in Uruguay!  I'm actually in Montevideo writing you today.  We took a bus at 12:30 in the morning and got here at 5:30 in the morning.  I feel like I've done this drive one too many times.  I had to come to Montevideo again for a medical thing.  I guess all new people in the country have to get a physical exam, so that's why I'm here.  I'll be heading back to Noblia by bus around 2:00 p.m., so we´ll have another nice trip back.  I'm starting to get used to the drive!  I'm writing you from Tres Cruces.  I'm in a huge bus station!  It's like an airport but for busses - it's crazy!

Well, this week we've had some great lessons.  We taught a ton of people and things are going great. I absolutely love the mission!  It's been so awesome!  This week Elder Erwin and I planned a soccer activity with the youth of Noblia at the church. We had a great turn out! We had about 25 kids there all

Monday, May 21, 2012

Well, my new companion is Elder Erwin.  He is the funniest guy I've ever met.  He is a complete opposite of Elder Jackson.  He is way into drama, acting, and singing, but he likes sports, too.  He is almost 6'5" and pretty skinny.  All the people here in Noblia really like him and get along with him great!

The bus trip back from Montevideo was a lot quicker this time.  It didn't seem that bad because I knew what I was doing and when we made quick stops for snacks I actually knew what was good to eat (and knew what I was eating).  When I went down to Montevideo with Elder Jackson we went to his favorite area and talked with some of his converts.  They love him so much and gave us a ton of food!  We also went to his favorite restaurant where this guy made these really, really good calzones.  It was awesome!  After that we went to the church by the mission home and that's where I met Elder Erwin.  I'll send a photo so you can see him.

Monday, May 14, 2012

[Zach's dad:  For Mother's Day we were able to talk to Zach by Skype for over thirty minutes.  Technology in this day and age is amazing.  Although half a world away, Zach sounded and felt like he was in the room next door.  His enthusiasm about life and missionary work is contagious.  Zach followed up yesterday's call with an email today.  Here are some excerpts.]

It was the best thing ever to talk to and see you guys yesterday! I love Skype and I thought it worked great!  I could hear and see you guys perfect!  I'm sorry it was so short.  Another missionary had just got to the house we were at.  He was supposed to talk to his family an hour before, but I guess Skype wasn't working at the house where he was.  So he came to the house we were at to jump on and quickly talk to his family.  It was super hard to say goodbye, but I was glad we were able to talk.  I

Monday, May 7, 2012

All is well here in Uruguay!  It's been a crazy week but I'm starting to get used to it.  I'm pretty sure every week is gonna be crazy for the next two years.  

For Mother's Day, I have awesome news!  We are going to go to Melo on Sunday night and do Skype from a member's home!  I'm super excited to do it!  I will get on the computer and talk to you at 6:30 p.m. Uruguay time (3:30 p.m. Utah time).

I haven't received any of the other packages besides the one you sent me for Easter.  I have gotten some letters and I'm trying to write back.  It's just super hard as we are constantly busy!  It's crazy!

Monday, April 30, 2012

It was another great and exciting week!  Uruguay is awesome!  It was nice to hear from all of you.  I love hearing what's going on and what everyone is up to.  I got mail this past week from Shelly, Cole, Jordan, and Grandma Gardanier.  I also received the Easter package.  Thank you so much!  It hit the spot! 

Mom, in answer to your questions, when we buy food here in Noblia we typically buy from this little store on the main road.  A member of the church works there so she usually hooks us up!  That is where we buy pretty much everything.  They have told us a little bit about Mother's Day and they even said we could Skype.  However, we are out in the freakin' boonies so we won't be able to do that.  But I will be able to call!  They'll tell us more this week and then I'll let you know what the plan is.

Monday, April 23, 2012

So it's been another amazing week!  I love the mission!  I'm meeting a ton of cool and amazing people everyday!

So today for P-day me and Elder Jackson (who is from Ogden, Utah) helped some missionaries move out of their house to an apartment.  After that we went and looked for some supplies for our house.

Just this last week we got an oven, washing machine, and a whiteboard for our house.  Our house is brand-new so it didn't have anything in it.  We've been slowly buying things for the last couple of weeks.  It's been a pain, but it's all good!  One of the pictures I'm sending is how we got the washer, oven and whiteboard to the house.  It's pretty funny, I thought.  Good ol' Jorge and his bike!  He's a

Monday, April 16, 2012

I had another amazing week!  I'm learning a ton from Elder Jackson.  In answer to your question, I haven't received any packages or mail yet.  Our mission president says it typically takes about a month to receive packages and about a week or two for mail.  It's interesting how they do mail here. We give our mail to our district leader who then sends it to the Mission President who then sends it through the mail to the U.S.  I don´t quite understand how it works, but anyway, I think you guys will receive my letters faster than I will receive yours.  I hear the mail here more reliable than other places in South America, but I'm still kinda hesitant.

We eat a lot of meat down here! A lot of noodles and meat, or sandwiches. Yesterday I ate a dog (I'm pretty sure I'm not joking).  I was trying not to think about it while I was eating!  It tasted alright. 

Monday, April 9, 2012

I´m doing great!  This week has been absolutely crazy and I don´t even know where to begin.  Monday was the longest day of my life. When I got to Uruguay (on Tuesday) we went to the mission home for two hours and then I found out I had to drive another 7 hours to get to Melo, spend the night, and then drive another hour the next day to get to Noblia.  It was the longest day ever - but it's all good.  Noblia is absolutely tiny and the people are super poor.  It's been a really humbling experience and I am super blessed to have the things I have in my life.  We live in a tiny, tiny house and have hot water for our showers but everything else is cold.  Elder Jackson is an absolute stud and has been showing me the ropes.  He works hard but he's been impressed with my attitude because I always want to work.  He's also impressed with my boldness.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

I´ve made it to Uruguay safely!  This is a short email but I´ll be able to write more on Monday.  Monday is our P-day.  My new companion is Elder Jackson.  He's a cool guy and has been showing me around.  It's a lot different here, but it's awesome.  I´m living in Noblía and me and Elder Jackson are the only ones living in the house.  Noblía is close to the border of Brazil.  My zone leader is Elder Griffin and he is actually in my district.  He's a really awesome kid and it was nice seeing a familiar face.  [Zach's Dad: Elder Griffin is from Mapleton, Utah and we've known their family for many years].  I'm healthy and doing great!  It's a crazy world here!  Oh, and my Spanish is horrible; but it's all good.  I love you guys! I´ll talk to you on Monday!

Zach's dad:  Click here for a link to Zach's new city (or town, rather)