P Day Fun at the ruins 11/17/14

We asked Aaron what he does all day:

We get up, we eat and study until 12 and then teach lessons till 2, lunch, then lessons for the rest of the day.  I say lessons but we usually end up teaching about 2 or 3 a day and spend the rest of the time looking for houses, it gets way confusing here.  I'm going to have to learn it quick though because my companion goes back to Columbia in 3 weeks.  I'm not sure if that means I'll get transferred out or a different companion will get transferred in but either way it'll be different.  My mission president seems cool, I haven't had a chance to talk with him and he didn't have time to interview most of us so I don't really know. Yeah today we went and visited a bunch of ruins for P day!  It's super hot here.  I got sunburned but it was way cool, there's underground walkways and sacrificial stuff, I think its called Tonina?   At least that's how they pronounce it.  We have a couple new investigators we're visiting this week, my Spanish is still less then functional and it makes it really hard to remember names but there's a middle-aged man and a woman and her kids we will be visiting.  Miguel hasn't been home and wasn't there when we tried to pick him up for church but we'll keep trying to get ahold of him. The Asuncions were kind of at a stagnate, the only reason we go back is for the kids now, one daughter in particular, who are pretty interested in our message. We'll keep trying though, if we can just get them to come to church I am positive they'll be able to recognize the blessings that come with the church.  Anyways keep letting me know how things are back home, I miss you guys!

Second Week 11/10/14

Yeah that kinda blows my mind too, she'll be 16 when I get back, that's even weirder, but happy birthday Madi!  Hope it was awesome!  I know it's two years from now but I'm already excited to bring back a bunch of cool presents for all of us, I'll be sure to find you something cool! For new and different, everything, the food we eat, the way we say things, the hygiene is um different. and the humor, everyone here is so kind hearted, especially in our branch, its awesome!  Yesterday we had dinner at the church and a member made over 200 wings (which is a lot in IF and incredible down here) and anyone who'd pass by everyone would shout at them until they'd join us.  There was about 60 people here last Sunday which I've been told is pretty good.  It's my companionship and one other that teach in Ocosingo and it's just us four in our district.  I love them to death, our district is so much fun.  About twice a week we go out to lunch together and we always go to the same place I'll send you guys a picture.

That's the nicest restaurant in Ocosingo,  Me and Elder Carpinter from Texas usually switch off paying for everybody though.  That's fine because it's about 3 US dollars a person. But eating there is a blessing.  Every other lunch we have is at a members house and the food is usually really good but it never sits well after haha.   Elder Carpinter has been here for 8 weeks and he's still adapting so wish me luck.  The language is coming I just need to keep with my study time and practice more talking to members. It's kind of strange here, we're not allowed to do any door to door it's only street contacting and the people are always really nice and I'd say about half the time we schedule a lesson, but the problem is finding their home.  In Mexico there is no rhyme or reason to the addresses, it goes 103 to 430, to 832, to 204 and it's like that the entire street, and a lot of houses don't have numbers so it makes it really difficult to find people. We spend 4 to 6 hours everyday just looking for houses usually with no success, but we do regularly teach a few people.  This one family, the I believe Ascuncions (at least that's how you pronounce it in English) are my favorite. They're the first family we taught. They have 3 kids but there's always at least a couple more over and they are the best.  The kids are insane and hyper and love giving prayers and reading the scriptures, it's perfect haha.  The parents believe everything we've taught and want to join but they're not married, it's hard trying to explain to them the importance of families in the gospel when I can't speak their language but we will keep trying and I believe we can help them. So yeah, life here is awesome, it's exhausting everyday but eventually I feel like I'll get used to it.  So I'm glad to hear life back home is good, keep me updated!

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

 



His names Miguel, I haven't met his dad yet but his parents are going to sit in with us on a leccion next Sunday so that's great! Pollo and torillas! But I also eat a lot of junk just because it's cheap and easy and doesn't make me sick. and yeah, I've been sick a lot.  The water is all dirty, you have to buy big water cooler jugs from your house and that's all you can drink from.  A lot of members mostly just drink soda.  Tell Mom not to worry, me and my companion are pretty careful.

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

Oh and stories, literally one minute ago I talked to Elder Reyes, one of the general authorities, he just walked in here and started talking to us. I didn't understand much but you can definitely feel his spirit.  That was awesome haha, anyways, adios!

 

Here's just another picture of Ocosingo

Finally in Mexico! 11/3/14

Hey, I don't have a lot of time for emails but I'm happy you guys are doing good.  I'm sure Madi and Justin had a blast at Halloween.  Spanish is coming faster than I thought it would which is really good.  Mexico is way different then I ever would have imagined, I'll send you lots of pictures. My companero es Elder Acosta, el donde de Columbia.  Es el final transfer.  He's way nice but he knows absolutely no English.  Sometimes it's hard but he's really patient.  He's a great guy.  My first lession was taught in the middle of a rain storm outside on a patio, it was insane and I only understood like a quarter of it but it went well. Last night we taught a nine year old and he wants to get baptised next Sunday so that was cool.  It gets dark at like 6 here and we just sat with him on the curb and taught him the restoration, it was different but really cool.  My first area is in Ocosingo which is the city of the drunks haha, everyone who's out past 7 is hammered here, they're all really nice but they're really loud and love talking to the missionaries. The food here is fine, I really haven't had any problems yet, there's just a lot of pollo.  The driving is absolutely nuts, I really can't explain it.  No laws, no lines, 4 lane roads and people just do what they want.  We take the taxi a lot though so I better get used to it.  It's only been a week and I already have a TON of stories but I can't write them all in one hour.  En tonces, the people here are awesome, really nice, every house and every floor is disgusting but you get used to it and it doesn't bother you, our apartment is decent size but the power is always out and no hot water but that's fine.  The computers here don't send pictures but when I can I'll send lots, its so pretty here!  The cities surrounded by mountains and trees it's awesome! Anyways make sure to let me know how you guys are doing and if you want to know anything just ask, the more specific the better. I miss you all!

Con Amor,

Elder Wixom

Dad,

That's awesome! Yeah Derek is the funniest out of all of us, I'll admit it.  I love him to death.  I'm glad you guys are doing good,  I don't have a lot of time but I'll tell you some of the cooler things about my mission.  Maybe not cooler but different.  Well every cop carries a huge assault rifle and you are not supposed to look at them.  I was stuck in San Cristobal for 2 days because the riots wouldn't let anybody through the streets to Ocosinga (my mission).  Ocosingo is known for the drunks and let me tell you, there are a lot. Me and my companion share a little apartment that has a little room outside for people in the complex to just chill, my first night there there was a group of guys drinking and one of them realllly liked my tie.  We kinda just played it off and I snuck into our room real quick, (luckily every window in Mexico has iron bars and every door as well) and we heard shouting.  The next morning we woke up to a huge pile of blood on the cement outside our door, it was insane!  I'm not scared though, we've seen them since and they been kind when they're not drunk. The people are so loving.  There's some amazing individuals here, especially in our church, its a big sacrifice to be a member here so they're all pretty committed.  En tonces life here is good, I don't mean so scare you that's just what life is like here. Also our money goes a long way here, just 10 dollars can get you a pretty nice wardrobe here, its cool.  Anyways I don't have a lot of time I've got to run errands! 

Con Amor,

Elder Wixom

 

outside nuestro casa 

mi amigo (Provo, MTC)

Last Week in the MTC 10/24/14

So our travel plans are US airways 595 to Arizona, then 503 to Mexico City. from there it's Aeromexico 557 to my mission! I haven't heard from our mission president yet but my whole district is taking the same plane the whole way there so that'll be fun! My favorite part of the MTC is probably the volleyball haha, I usually play with the Tongans against the Samoans and it gets really heated real fast but its a blast. They are just constantly screaming and yelling and they make it really fun. Thanks for the package.  The church picture book is amazing and I like the Lamanite action figures. Me and some members in my district made el bano moy festive with some of the supplies too haha we put the christmas tree on the mirror and everyone started singing pacific islander Christmas songs haha.  Every night this week our floor (it's the international one) has a massive pillow fight. literally 30+ guys circling the floor hitting each other with pillows. Our small zone are always the Nephites and all the other um darker skinned elders are the Lamanites XD its alot of fun and I feel like the water guns are definitely going to put the battle in our favor.  So thanks for everything, Todays been fun. I'll call you when can, thanks again!  Oh Alex's older brother, and me and Elder S have been talking alot which is nice.

Con Amor

Elder Wixom

 

Spencer Tolson (works at the MTC) and Aaron.  Thanks Michelle (Spencer's Mom) for this picture.

 

 

4th Week in the MTC

 I got my travel plans today.   I leave at 3:30 am on the 27, It'll cost me about $150 if it goes well, and there's a layover in LA and then I think Mexico City then my mission. I'm so excited, I just want to go out there and start speaking with people, the MTC is fun but I'm ready to go. E Schneider got here yesterday so I know the MTC is going to get that much more awesome! Also I  ran into Alex's brother who I guess works here, that was pretty cool.  It's going to be crazy! Life here is good, the usual, we teach a bunch of lessons and then a bunch of language study then sleep. It's the same everyday.  I got a copy of the Spanish Childrens Story Book about the BoM and I've been studying that and its really helpful haha.  Anyways glad you guys are doing good!

Hasta Luego!

Elder Wixom


On the Left is Elder Maya who is a solo missionary and is from our mission and he's way cool and has been teaching us a lot of spanish and a lot about the area. The right is Elder Correa who is from  Ecuador and he's super funny. Correa leaves this monday but Maya leaves a week after us.
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MTC 10/10/2014

So I gotta type fast but these last couple weeks were really awesome and really hard. My whole district is coming down with strep so we haven't had a full classroom in a while now.  I've had a sore throat but I think I'm coming out of it so I guess I got lucky.  They have us teaching twice a day in Spanish and sometimes we're randomly assigned to teach people spiritual thoughts in Espangal.  Esta moy difficil. It's hard to teach in spanish when you don't know what you would say in English but I'm learning.  When it gets hard they tell us to always keep it as simple as we possibly can and make it as easy for a little child to understand our message as an adult. I've seen a few people that I know here and that's pretty fun, I've got a buddy from school I've been talking to a lot lately so that's awesome. The hardest part about the MTC is the rules, mostly they're all easy but not listening to my own music is killing me and also I don't think my room has gone to bed before midnight since we've moved to this main campus. Spanish is coming slow but steady, it will take a while but I'm ready to just get down there because I know that's the best way for me to learn. Conference was really cool but I was sick so I slept through quite a bit of it, President Uchtdorf's talk, "Lord it is I" really hit me, that was a good one.  There's also videos we can watch here on Sunday that are only accessible in the MTC and I watched one titled "Charcter of Christ" by Bednar and that was probably the coolest lecture I've ever listened too, it just talks about giving it your all and being selfless in all things you do. Anyways, I'm glad you guys are doing good!

Love

Elder Wixom

 

That's one of our teachers Hermana Estrada, her and Hermano Martinez are awesome, they're both awesome teachers but I dont have a pic of him.

 

 

This is the fort we made a couple nights ago when we couldnt sleep, we found a bunch of pillows and mattresses and really went all out haha

 

Second Week in the MTC 10/1/14

I got your package and let me tell you, my companions loved it haha.  It was really needed because we changed dorms and had to give up all of our old candy so it was nice to have something to snack on, thanks so much! Missionary life is different but I think I'm starting to adjust.  There are a lot of rules haha, but its still a lot of fun. These last two weeks have just flown by but at the same time they feel like an eternity haha anyways glad to hear you guys are doing ok! (to his Grandparents)

Alex told me about his talk and he said he cried the whole way through it haha.  I wish I could have seen it haha.  They teach plenty in Guatamala, he'll have lots of opportunities.  I got the package you guys sent me, it was awesome! We ate just about everything already haha and the binder was cool, I don't know if I'll have much time here but when I get out I'll be able to really look through that, thanks. There was alot that happened this week but I have less time to email today then most so I'll have to tell you next week, but it was a lot of fun!         Aaron is in the back left.