January 16, 2017 - 6 MONTHS!!!

Hello,

Well, this week was really boring. Not much happening in general. We are contacting like crazy right now. I had intercambios this week so I went to the area of Elder Roque which was fun. For lunch that day a member with a lot of money took us to a Peruvian Restaurant because Elder Roque is from Peru and it was waaaaaay expensive! I felt so uncomfortable there! It was the most expensive place I have visited in about 6 months and it was just so weird to be there! On Friday I hit 6 months! Already! Time flies so fast here! It is crazy! It is weird to think about all the stuff that has happened in the last 6 months! It is cool to see the changes in yourself like that because usually you don't see it! It is funny that the Sisters that are just now getting here will leave with me and my group! Other than that not a lot happening. Still just working hard. Love yall tons! Hope all is well!


Love Matthew

January 2, 2017 - So I Baptized Someone This Week... But They Weren't My Investigator...

Hey y'all,

This week went really slow. Everybody here was drunk almost all week so that was a little hard. My new comp is doing all right. It is weird having a gringo around again. Almost all of our Zone right now is Gringos which is weird. They are always speaking in English, but it is fine. Pretty much nothing happened this week. On the 31st the Sister Missionaries in the Branch had 2 baptisms. An old guy who had one of his sons baptize him, and a Sister they have been teaching who wanted me to baptize her which was pretty cool. We spent the whole day cleaning and filling the font and other logistical stuff.  Other than that not much happened this week. I'm hoping we can get back to normal life this week, but we'll see. Anyway, love y'all and I hope y'all have a great week!

Elder Gardner an I with Eliana (The Sister I baptized)

Elder Gardner an I with Eliana, her sister and her niece.

December 26, 2016 - PHOTOS!!!

Hey, so I talked to y'all less than 24 hours ago so I don't have a lot to tell you, but here are a butt ton of pics. I'll send another email later with a pic and some info about my new comp. Love yall!

Elder Hernandez teaching the Law of Chastity to a dog of a member family!

Elder Hernandez walking in my shadow because the sun here is crazy!

Christmas with the Gonzalez family!

We were excited about the box!

CHRISTMAS!!!

I love air conditioning!

December 25, 2016 - Merry Christmas to the Mom!!!

We had a wonderful Skype call with Matthew today! He is doing really well and it was comforting to see him and hear his voice!

Matthew on Skype at Internet Cafe

We also received some pics of his Christmas from the family that he had Christmas with and that feed him every day! 

December 19, 2016 - BOOOOOORING Week

I literally can't think of anything that happened this week so here are some pictures! I will be Skyping at 5pm on the 25th!


Matthew

When it's HOT in Villia!!!!

Elder Hernandez and I in front of the Temple.

 Blurry but still, AMERICA!

Merry Christmas from President and his wife!

We got SOAKED the other day!

We saw a freaking Iguana while were walking this week!

December 12, 2016 - I Forgot Lots of Things About Bogota Since I Left....

Hola Familia!


I hope all of y'all are doing awesome! This week we went to Bogota to go to the temple and have a training with the whole mission. 200 missionaries! So we left on Tuesday at about 4pm and got into Bogota at 830pm, but we were sleeping in Soacha which is 2.5 hours from the temple and an hour from the Stake Center where we had our meetings, so that was fun. The temple on Wednesday was good. My first time in 4 months so that was nice. Then Thursday was our meeting as a mission. That was kind of crazy, but pretty cool too. I got to see all of the people in my group and from my last zone. The trainings were okay. Nothing special but good. At the very end we sang Called to Serve in Spanish the whole mission together which was crazy powerful! 200 missionaries singing Called to Serve super loud. Then we went to the bus terminal at 5pm that night and went back to Villavicencio. Got home at 1030 pm. So yeah nice trip, but I had forgotten so much about Bogota! For one, how cold it is (it's not but I have adjusted to the climate here)! How ugly it is. And way more! Also mama I got my Xmas box while I was in Bogota so thank you for that! Elder Hernandez is trying 2 or 3 times a day to get me to open it... But I am waiting for Christmas for it. I just don't know right now if I will open it at 12am like they do here or early in the morning of the 25th like they do at home so idk... Anyway, other than that not much happening. We have transfers in 2 weeks so that will be fun. We had the District Conference of Villavicencio on Sunday. The missionaries were the choir... And we had a special musical number which I had to sing a solo for 2 parts which was just awesome! Other than that, I don't think anything is happening. I can't send pics this week because my computer doesn't have a slot for an SD card so maybe next week. Love yall tons! I hope yall have a great week!


Matthew