July 16th, 2014.

Hey! 

Padre. 

First, can I say I don't really wanna talk about family history? I have no experience with that haha  can I just talk about missionary work? That's totally related to vicarious work.. That'll be funny if we bust out the headsets haha are you gonna translate for me? Or one of my friends who learned spanish on their mission?  

It sounds like the dog is enjoying you guys and is also being enjoyed.. I'm so excited to go play with it! 

Madre.

That's right, I'm doing good! Haha yeah that lady that was talking to you added me on Facebook and has been liking all of my stuff.. Tell her that her son is going to the best mission in the world! 

What's the plan with pelusa? Are we just gonna keep her until she dies or what? I don't care what car comes to pick me up, as long as I get home tu sabe! 

I actually haven't spoken with anyone about going to the wedding. I'm totally down to go to native New Yorker! I talked to Edgar and Rathen on Facebook and already invited them.. So yeah, let's still go (: I don't know if I'm gonna go to the wedding, I don't think I'll end up going.. Also, mom. I've worn out a lot of the clothes I came out with.. Do you care if I throw most of it away? My shirts are super old and my pants have holes in them and all that other good stuff. Is there anything you want me to bring home or are you okay with me just throwin stuff away? Please let me know before next Wednesday! 

Stuff.

This past week has been weird. We moved apartments! The last apartment I lived in was really bad.. Missionaries have lived there for the past 8 years. We finally moved out! The last 4 days we have spent cleaning, packing, moving, and more cleaning.. It's been hectic! The new apartment we live in is really really nice, at least for an apartment in the city. I love it, too bad I only will live there for a week haha 

Today we went through the temple! All of the missionaries that go home with me went today, with our mission president and his wife too! It was awesome! And full. There was 33 of us in there. As I'm writing this I'm sitting in a little diner called big nicks. President is buying us all lunch haha what up! This next week will be weird. I'll be spending a lot of time saying bye to people, and taking pictures.. And trying to figure out what else I need to do before I leave the big city. I'm excited to see all of you! I probably won't write next week, but I would still like for you guys to write at least to let me know of anything I need to plan for.. Or write me on Facebook if there's anything I need to know before I go.. I love you. I'll see you next week! PEACE!

July 9th, 2014.

Hello!

Dad. 

Thank you for being willing to find out all that stuff for me haha It would be good to know by next Wednesday what they want me to speak on or if they want me to choose.. Aww man haha poor Kaiser. Is he well behaved? I think it'd be cool to have him inside.. But is the plan to just keep him out more often than have him in? Does he shed hair? Haha the reason you didn't watch all of it before cracks me up.. 

As for school, I don't think you guys need to do anything.. I think I'm just gonna go and figure it all I when I get there! I think that will be easiest. 

Mom. 

So, the way that it works the day we come home is that the APs and the mission president and his wife will drive us all down to the airport in Brooklyn or Queens wherever it is and that's basically it haha they drop us off and then we leave! That's so cool that Karla starts her job next week! Is she nervous at all? And I'm happy that beto will be getting paid after all, even if it's just a little bit. It makes me happy that beto and Alexia are both involved in things that are helping them develop their talents and abilities.. I can't wait to see how much they've grown! 

 Wait what? Our dog has a microchip? How does that work? How many members go to the ward now? Is it a lot less than the amount that went when I was home? 

Sorry I'm so late getting this off. It's been a crazy day! Our week was good. Time has been flying by! I don't really have too much time right now, but I want you to know that things are going really well. And today we went to wicked. It was AMAZING! I would say that it's in the running for my favorite p day on my mission. It was SO DANG GOOD. I think I'm in love with the wicked witch. Actually I know I am. She was so great. 

Haha today I saw a kid from one of my wards back in the Bronx.. Last time I saw him, which was about a year ago, he didn't have plans to go on a mission. Today I saw him and he says "ZAZU!! Guess what man, I'm almost done with my mission papers!" It was so awesome! It's crazy to think that I'm almost done with this journey, and there are other people just starting it. He has no idea about all of the things he is going to experience and learn. It makes me excited when I find out people are going on missions. Maybe because I am one? I don't know. I guess as missionaries we feel a natural connection with anyone who has served, is serving, or will serve. I like it. I hope you all have a great week! Idk how much time I'll have next week, I'll be going through the temple with the mission president and all of the dying missionaries. If I don't write next week, don't freak, I'll be seeing you soon :) I love you all!

July 2, 2014

I'm good! Today we are at Yankee stadium for the Yankees game! There's a lot of missionaries here.. I got the package! You don't need to send me another package.. But if you do, there's nothing that I really want/need.. Rucker park is super dope! During most of the year it's just like any other park but for 8 weeks in the summer they have a league there so they lay down a hardwood floor so people can go play and then once or twice a week an NBA player will come and play with the guys that play there, it's super cool! Uhmm I think it would be cool if we could go to native New Yorker when I get back (: but if that will be an issue I'd be okay with just eating something at home, I really don't mind!  And I think if the family went I would be just fine. I know there's gonna be a wedding reception the day I get back so I don't want to take people away from that! Or make people have to choose. Maybe I'll invite a few people but I think for now it would be fine if just family goes. 

Other.

Life is pretty good. Just to answer your questions about the tv show thing.. It's for a show called black ink, and it won't air until the fall, so i will be home when it comes out ha I will have to keep an eye out for it. I know it won't be anything close to significant, or if I'll even be in the video clip(s) that they choose, but it was still a cool experience! To be honest I'm not really sure what scene the arch way shows up in I am legend, but I know it's in there. I'll send a picture.  I had my exit interview with my mission president yesterday, he is awesome! He just counseled me in terms of how I should go about looking for a job, and how I should go about looking for my eternal companion. Nothing really too specific, but definitely things I should apply as they come. It was weird though, knowing that was my last interview with him! 

The work here is picking up a little bit, we mostly work with less actives right now. It's been really good. I'm having a lot of fun still, and I'm still working haha don't worry. Last week we did a super cool activity where we shined people's shoes for free and gave them lemonade haha it was dope! It was an awesome way to be able to serve people without them feeling intimidated. I love this mission! 

I love you all, let me know if there's anything I can do for you! Have a good week, love each other (:

June 25th, 2014.

Hola!

Pa.

I know.. It's crazy! I am definitely trying to do things in such a way that I won't regret too much once I go home.. I know that regardless of what I do, there will probably always be something that I feel like I could've done better, but don't worry. We are working hard! I got the pictures of the dog! I'm so excited! at first when you told me we were getting a German shepherd I was pretty indifferent.. But now that I see the pictures and know that it's ours I'm pretty excited to have it! 

I've actually seen those dogs you are talking about. They are massive! Hopefully we can have better control of this dog than we did with Kiara.. She was crazy! Haha so you finish summer school tomorrow? Or you already finished last Thursday? Either way, that's exciting, I'm sure you're happy you get to relax! Como te va en el trabajo de AT&T? 

Ma..

I'm doing good! How are you ? Statue of Liberty was awesome haha it was a good opportunity! I haven't gone to wicked yet! I go to the broadway play on July 9th.. So it's in two weeks! Next week we are going to the Yankee game! That's cool that Joey brought me up in his talk! I love that kid. The jump drive you sent me is perfect, it's definitely useful! Thank you (: that's a good idea tho, it'd be good to have actually photos to put into an album as well as digital copies! Yeah, I'm not too worried about getting a baptism. We are definitely working for it, but if it doesn't happen then I won't be too disappointed. I know our efforts will be worth it in the long run! Aww man haha I'm so excited for a new bed! I'm gonna be sleeping a lot more than I had originally planned haha

Yeah I think I'll still be down when I get home! I figure it won't be too hard to make time to walk the dog. It'll be enjoyable! YESSS I'm always down for some Mexican candy! I don't need anything else.. Don't worry about sending me things, I'm covered pretty good (: 

Today we've been at Rucker park all day. I've been here since ten in the morning and right now it's 1:30.. I'm writing this email on the train headed downtown.. I think we're gonna go check out a spot that was in the movie I am legend! If we can find it.. 

The work has been pretty good. We aren't having too much luck with finding new investigators, but we are having more success finding less active members and getting io their homes. Things are still a little slow since both elder Durham and I are still trying to get to know all of the members.. But it's good. We are confident the area will be ready for some harvesting once I go home! I've been having a lot of fun. I don't feel like I'm that close to going home, nothing has really changed . Idk if that makes sense? Anyway, just know that I'm doing good, and we are working hard. I hope you all have the best week (: 

June 18th, 2014.

Guys! I'm really sorry! I don't have too much more time, it's been a long day. We left our apartment at 8:45 and we are still in lower manhattan.. At the temple/chapel right now. We went to the statue! It was pretty fun! We had a big group of missionaries with us, it was a party! 

Things have been crazy in our area. We had another emergency transfer in our apartment. A companionship in the Bronx wasn't getting along so one of the guys there switched with one of our guys here. 

I love my companion! He is legit. I couldn't have asked for a better person. I didn't get elder Kerr, but he's still in my same zone so we kick it all the time. It's been really good. Me and Durham have been trying to find like crazy.. We haven't taught anyone new, but we have some people who said that we could come back this week. We are hoping it can turn into something good! It would be cool to have a baptism my last cycle, but right now I'm thinking I will only be planting seeds here haha but I'm okay with that. We are trying to do work!

You guys talk about my bed.. Did I get a new bed? Or is it the same one I had before? I'm fine with either one! Haha it's weird to think about that. That's sweet that the dog is official! I'm pumped to have a German shepherd (: that will be sweet! I hope I won't regret saying this, but I volunteer to take it on daily walks. People walk their dogs ALL the time here. I see at least 20-30 dogs a day. 

I'm sorry I don't have any cool stories, or too much to say. I also don't have too much time. But here are some pictures we took today (: 

June 10th, 2014

Dad. So the dog is official! That's crazy! Cuanto costo? Are you planning on taking it to a school? Or just training it at home? Hopefully you guys can go pick it up soon so it doesn't get to used to your parents.. What class are you teaching for summer school? Fathers and sons! Wow I don't remember the last time I went to one of those.. It sounds like it's gonna be a lot of fun! Don't drown haha i think what we do on the last day is we go to the mission home and we just hang out and watch a movie and talk and idk what else.. I have my itinerary.. It's super weird that I'm flying to salt lake and then to Arizona. Idk why it ended up that way? 
Mom.Time is definitely passing by really fast! I haven't been able to see the mission blog, our iPads don't allow it and we hardly ever get on the computers.. 
I can't believe Tim comes home! Tell him I say hello please! Elder Cruz is awesome. I love that kid. We had a lot of fun together. I was on Facebook and saw that elder benson got married here. Like 90 blocks away from where I'm at!  It's super weird hearing you guys are getting my room ready. It's weird to think I'll have my own room.. Without a bunk bed. Elder Critchfield will probly have to spend more time at home than originally expected but I've been in contact with him and I think he's still planning on coming back out! 
Other things!So, I'm getting a new companion! Sorry that this email is so scatter brained.. It's been a crazy week for me! Elder Cruz got transferred up to Danbury Connecticut. I'm getting Elder Durham. I know him, he's served in two of my zones before and he is actually really cool. I'm excited! We are basically white washing here. The work is basically absent because nothing was done when Critchfield was sick..so we have nothing. Starting from scratch! It will be hard, but it will be good. Today was weird, a lot of my friends are going home. It's definitely a weird feeling! Right now I'm just waiting for my companion to get her from upstate. It'll probly be another couple hours. That stinks that the car already has problems! I hope it doesn't give you guys any more trouble, at least not for a while! Also, I sent two boxes home! One should be getting there today, and the other one on Monday! Pleaseeee don't open them. I'd like to open them and organize everything once I get home. I would really appreciate that (: Also, what time is our church back home? Do we know if I'll be able to speak the first Sunday I get back?

Here is a picture of me.. I just got hit in the eye.

June 4th, 2014

Hey guys!

Dad.

Being Zone is Leader is Good. Not too much has changed. Our zone is tiny tho. We have a total of 14 missionaries, including the AP's- they're not around very much so we basically have 12 missionaries in the zone. It's kinda weird Haha but it's good. We don't drive tho! All city missionaries just ride the trains and buses, zone leader or not! I am planning on sending a bunch of stuff home pretty soon! Our apartment is small and I have nowhere to put my stuff.. 

Mom.

I'm doing good, as usual!  I got the package yesterday! Thank you so much (: it came at a good time..  

When are you going in for the X ray for your knee? If it's the same thing as before, shouldn't they be doing an MRI instead ? That's a bummer that dad couldn't get contacts.. Has he considered laser...? 

Did you get Kevin's face in the cake ? 

Karla is going to chile!!! What!! That's crazy.. I assume they're going to visit Aaron's mission? That's so cool. When are they going? I hope to be able to come back to my mission soon.. And frequently. New York is amazing. 

Life.

Life is good. This week was actually a little bit stressful for me trying to adjust to everything. I'm trying to learn everything about the area as fast as I can because there's a chance elder Cruz could leave even though I'll only be here for two weeks! Transfers are next week.. My next email could be from somewhere else haha my first Sunday here was good. Lots and lots of Dominicans in the ward. I love it! I hope to be talking like them by the time I go home so I can give my homecoming talk in Dominican. This past Thursday we had a mission conference with Elder Snow from the first quorum of the 70. 

The apartment I live in here is really small. And really old, and missionaries haven't been very nice to it in the past. So it's in bad shape. We have a few cockroaches here and there and my roommates say every once in a while we have a mouse that runs from one side of our tiny kitchen to the other.  I live with elder Hurst and Elder Hofheins. I already know both of them because I was their zone leader back when I was in New Rochelle. They're good guys! Our apartment is really small though. The smallest one I've lived in so far.. I think our address is 

599 w 176th st

New York, NY.. I don't know the zip code haha 

Just in case you guys wanna look it up. It's right on the corner of 176 and St. Nicholas

Random but that's cool that you guys bought a car! So mom and dad just drive the van or what? What year is the car we just got? And color? I hope you guys don't judge the way I drive when I get home.. I drive like a New Yorker. 

Today a lot of my friends in the mission are going through the temple for the last time because they will be going home next week.. Crazy! I got my travel plans yesterday in the mail telling me about my flight and all that. It's super weird that I have a lay over in salt lake. Do you remember elder Berryman? The elder that we saw in the airport the day I left that also came to New York? Well he goes home the same day as me, but his flight goes straight from NY to AZ and he gets there a little bit before 1 pm.. And I have to fly on two different planes and won't get back to AZ until a little before 4.. I called the mission office and they said there's no way to change it. It's just a little weird. But whatever haha as long as I get there, right? Today we are gonna just hang out at the chapel and hang out with the zone.  It should be good (: thanks for the emails this week! And the package. I love you guys, have a good week!!