December 7, 2010
HEY FAM!
So this week has been pretty great! It has absolutely flown by, like crazy fast! I cannot believe i am going to be entering the field in like a week! So crazy to think about not being in the CCM! I am sure this will be a really fast week as well. So this is what I am hoping
for: Spencer is going to be waiting at the airport to pick me up with the president and then on the way to the mission home he will say "oh by the way this is your new companion, Elder Keables" and then we will just wreck Guayaquil and baptize the whole town... Lets just put it this way, ya know the pictures in the back of the Book of Mormon? There will be another one for Me and Elder Keables. I am thoroughly convinced that this is what is going to happen, I mean it makes the most sense, why wouldn't they want us to baptize the whole city of Guayaquil? Anyway I would really like an update on Taylor's progress in the mission papers, has he sent them in? has he got his call and you guys just aren't telling me? WHAT IS THE DEAL??? Proselyting was awesome this week though. We went to a pretty impoverished area, ended up proselyting in somewhat of a business area. I was really worried because my companion was soo nervous about teaching, and he was having a rough time in the practices that we do here in the CCM. So I was really worried because I don't speak Spanish at all! well I do but not enough to handle myself in all situations. So we are on the street and I pointed to someone I thought we should contact. We walked up, introduced ourselves, and my companion did awesome! he really stepped up and it was such a relief! We made so many good contacts, and taught 5 lessons before lunch. We taught one guy who I thought was really receptive. His name was Napoleon, and he was an elderly man, probably late 60s and he owned a fruit stand on the street! So we walked up to him and he wasn't overly excited at first. he was just kinda talking to us to be polite I think. I could definitely read his body language. But we persevered and ended up teaching him the whole first lesson. He wasn't overly excited about it until we started talking about Joseph Smith. We told him the story, and I recited the first vision. When i recited the first vision he sparked right up! It was almost a night and day difference between the man that we started talking to. He started talking about how he was having a really hard time because he lives alone, his kids live in the United States and his wife died. He said that he felt like god had left him alone. I shared with him a scripture in D&C 122:7-9 about trials. He really loved this scripture. We committed him to pray, read the Book of Mormon, and we set up an appointment for the other missionaries to follow up with him. Right when we were leaving he was already starting to read the Book of Mormon. This experience was sooo motivating. So crazy how one street contact can change my whole perspective. I know without a doubt that he is going to pray and know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I cannot wait to get out in the field so when I make contacts like this one, I will be able to follow up with them. I also had a pretty rare, but awesome opportunity this Saturday
also. We started talking to this group of guys and all of them spoke perfect English! I was so shocked, I kept talking in Spanish but then realized that they were talking in English. So I taught them a short lesson in English, and when I got done, he told me he was a pastor, and that he was christian, but didn't like the Mormons. So maybe not as successful of a contact, but I just thought it was awesome that I got to speak English lol. After lunch we didn't have too much success though. It seemed like that whole area just kinda shut down. We did
talk to one 23 year old named felipé. He was washing his taxi when we walked up to him, and as soon as he saw us he started smiling. I didn't know whether he was just like "oh shoot here they come again" or if he was happy to see us! But it turns out he was happy to see us.
Apparently some other missionaries had taught him before, but he hadn't gotten baptized, but always really liked the missionaries. We talked to him shortly about the plan of salvation, And he said that he would like to take the missionary discussions again. So we filled out a reference card and he said that he was going to try to read his book of Mormon again. Overall he seemed pretty excited about this week. Overall this week has been awesome, I absolutely loved proselyting on Saturday, and it was just awesome all around! I love my companion, he is like a little brother to me. he is always Happy it seems like. such an inspiration to me because he is always positive. Even though I don't know Spanish that well I am always keeping him entertained somehow. And the good part is he is going to my mission! so I will get to see him more and more! which will be awesome! cannot wait, you have no idea how anxious I am to enter the field! ahhhh it seems so close but soooo far! Well I am going to go get ready for the temple. Love you guys and I miss you soooooooo much, you have no idea. The thought of you guys watching Christmas vacation together makes me sooo happy. alright peace out for now.
Love you
Elder Storm
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I have a New Companion...
December 1, 2010
Don't fret about the emails, I will email every week no matter what, you are my mom for crying out loud! Ya thanksgiving woulda been a lot harder but they actually had somewhat of a thanksgiving dinner so that made it a lot better, I ate so much, went back for thirds, 6 slices of pie, and I still haven't gained a pound lol. Wow mom good job at work, I shouldn´t be surprised though, you are amazing at working with people. Did you give them hugs to seal the deal? just wondering. Gosh that really stinks that you have to work sooo much during Christmas time, I don't know how you do it, just a super mom or something. I don't
even care what is in the packages, it is awesome just getting anything from home, did you just cake on the Jesus stickers? lol. That is awesome though, I cannot wait to see the look on my companions face! Maybe it will be Spencer? haha I wont get my hopes up but that would
beeee sooooo swwwweeeeet!!!! ya that is definitely one thing I have noticed is that the Latins don't have many ties. but I gave my last companion a couple, and will
probably end up giving this one a couple as well. Speaking of which, my new companions name is Elder Garcia, he is from Guatemala, and he is about 4'10" I think, not quite sure but somewhere around there. He is awesome though, he is always happy, which makes me happy as well. Ya I miss Taylor a lot as well, man me and that kid spent like everyday together, its like being addicted to something,haha when you go cold turkey its a really hard adjustment. haha what is his progress on the mission papers? does he have his call? what is the news! I knew dad would move onto something sooner or later, but luckily he didn't have to go
far. Gosh I miss him so much, I miss you all soo much. I thought about the mental image of Christmas time the other day and got homesick. All the Christmas decorations up, lights on the tree and outside, a fire going with rain outside. I mean you cant get much better than that right? I am in mid 70s weather, where it is partly smoggy everyday lol, jk i love it in Peru, its awesome. Some good spiritual experiences i have had have been when I am teaching in The TRC or something like that. Bearing testimony of the truthfulness strengthens my testimony every time. I love bearing testimony because I feel so good after I do it. That is awesome that they are making dollhouses for the nieces. Ya I know I cannot wait to call you guys either, it is going to be awesome, to bad I didn't get to talk to you
guys that much. actually it was only you and halfway dad... I wonder if I will be able to call when I fly to Ecuador... questions questions. The mission pres and his wife are good, He seems a little on the stern side but his wife is just like the grandma everyone wants. They are both truly inspired individuals, and you can definitely tell. The new companion is good though, he has a hard time teaching, but I was the same way when I first started, he will be a good missionary though. The tour was amazing, I didn't get any good pictures with me in them really but just of the sites and they are awesome, look like Spain and Europe, like huge cathedrals and stuff. I bought a really cool beanie, backpack and sweatshirt, and it all cost about 25 bucks, not bad eh? that's the advantage of being able to barder. I haven't written Jake, but I don't know his address either. I would like to write him and Brian, and kyle. I miss the snot out of you also mother. I really really really really really miss your faces, and just ahh you guys are awesome I really wish I would have taken advantage of it more when
I was back home (stupid me) but I definitely know how lucky I have it in the old USA and I will never forget that, I miss you all so much. Just know as often as you think of my i think of you double that! you guys are awesome. Keep the emails coming, they are always putting a smile on my face. welllllll hasta luego fam and friends
LOVE
Elder Tormenta
Don't fret about the emails, I will email every week no matter what, you are my mom for crying out loud! Ya thanksgiving woulda been a lot harder but they actually had somewhat of a thanksgiving dinner so that made it a lot better, I ate so much, went back for thirds, 6 slices of pie, and I still haven't gained a pound lol. Wow mom good job at work, I shouldn´t be surprised though, you are amazing at working with people. Did you give them hugs to seal the deal? just wondering. Gosh that really stinks that you have to work sooo much during Christmas time, I don't know how you do it, just a super mom or something. I don't
even care what is in the packages, it is awesome just getting anything from home, did you just cake on the Jesus stickers? lol. That is awesome though, I cannot wait to see the look on my companions face! Maybe it will be Spencer? haha I wont get my hopes up but that would
beeee sooooo swwwweeeeet!!!! ya that is definitely one thing I have noticed is that the Latins don't have many ties. but I gave my last companion a couple, and will
probably end up giving this one a couple as well. Speaking of which, my new companions name is Elder Garcia, he is from Guatemala, and he is about 4'10" I think, not quite sure but somewhere around there. He is awesome though, he is always happy, which makes me happy as well. Ya I miss Taylor a lot as well, man me and that kid spent like everyday together, its like being addicted to something,haha when you go cold turkey its a really hard adjustment. haha what is his progress on the mission papers? does he have his call? what is the news! I knew dad would move onto something sooner or later, but luckily he didn't have to go
far. Gosh I miss him so much, I miss you all soo much. I thought about the mental image of Christmas time the other day and got homesick. All the Christmas decorations up, lights on the tree and outside, a fire going with rain outside. I mean you cant get much better than that right? I am in mid 70s weather, where it is partly smoggy everyday lol, jk i love it in Peru, its awesome. Some good spiritual experiences i have had have been when I am teaching in The TRC or something like that. Bearing testimony of the truthfulness strengthens my testimony every time. I love bearing testimony because I feel so good after I do it. That is awesome that they are making dollhouses for the nieces. Ya I know I cannot wait to call you guys either, it is going to be awesome, to bad I didn't get to talk to you
guys that much. actually it was only you and halfway dad... I wonder if I will be able to call when I fly to Ecuador... questions questions. The mission pres and his wife are good, He seems a little on the stern side but his wife is just like the grandma everyone wants. They are both truly inspired individuals, and you can definitely tell. The new companion is good though, he has a hard time teaching, but I was the same way when I first started, he will be a good missionary though. The tour was amazing, I didn't get any good pictures with me in them really but just of the sites and they are awesome, look like Spain and Europe, like huge cathedrals and stuff. I bought a really cool beanie, backpack and sweatshirt, and it all cost about 25 bucks, not bad eh? that's the advantage of being able to barder. I haven't written Jake, but I don't know his address either. I would like to write him and Brian, and kyle. I miss the snot out of you also mother. I really really really really really miss your faces, and just ahh you guys are awesome I really wish I would have taken advantage of it more when
I was back home (stupid me) but I definitely know how lucky I have it in the old USA and I will never forget that, I miss you all so much. Just know as often as you think of my i think of you double that! you guys are awesome. Keep the emails coming, they are always putting a smile on my face. welllllll hasta luego fam and friends
LOVE
Elder Tormenta
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Proselyting was Great!
November 24, 2010
This week was really good! I learned a really good skill, we named it franksing. Because a guy in our district is really good at it. so I can pretty much just spin a book on my finger. I wish I could send a video of it, cuz it is pretty sweet. But ya other than that it has been pretty normal. Spanish is coming great. Learning more and more every week. We all get new latin companions today, our companions left yesterday morning. I am kinda nervous, getting a new companion is pretty nerveracking. I am sure it will be great though. Today we get to
go on our tour. Which is all of us avansados (advanced) students get to tour Lima and see the sites. Its gonna be pretty sweet, I am way excited!!! So I woke up at 6:30 today and rushed down to the laundry room, because the laundry room is always jam packed with people and their clothes. and I got the last two washers available. pretty sweet. Proselyting this week was awesome. We went to a place called Zarate, and when we got there it looked like the extreme ghetto, but me and my companion got assigned to proselite in the business district which was such a good experience, it was way busy and there was a lot of people.
So it gave us lots of opportunity to contact people because when we are knocking doors people are more inclined to not talk to us because they could just not answer their doors. But on the street people can't just not talk to you a lot of time so we got to share our message with a lot of people. We had a couple of really good contacts, like it was my first time talking to someone who was really receptive, it was such a cool experience. We probably talked to her for about 40 minutes and gave her the entire first lesson, and she wanted to know more, we gave her a book of mormon and set up an appointment with her when other missionaries could go visit her. I was feeling really good after Saturday, I cannot wait to go out there and do that everyday. Idk why but Dad came into my mind a lot this last week. Is everything okay? I hope so! So I dont know if I already told you this but every monday they have this guy come during our actividad Fisica. We call him the chuck norris of south america. He seriously works us out sooo hard! I threw up last time like its insane! And when we were all proselyting on Saturday an Elder got chased down by a dog, and ended up breaking his ankle, so now he is rolling around in a wheelchair. he is loving the attention though! Oh and I heard that some missionary in the Lima oeste mission got stabbed or something, that is pretty crazy, I hope he is okay! Well what is new back in Chico, did Soudans pass final, Whats the progress on Loeros? I wanna know it all! thanks allie for the Dear elder, Give me your email, so I can email you back! For my christmas package i could really use some stamps! And maybe a giants championship shirt would be sweet! and like I said before just like soundtracks to movies that are instrumental, and maybe some disney stuff! haha but whatever you send I will be really grateful for I am sure! So did Emily pass her Exit exam? is braxton an Eagle Yet? Fill me in on all the news! Alright well I dont really know what else to say, but I love you guys, and I pray for ya everyday, miss you soo
much, cant wait to hear from you!
Love,
Elder Storm
This week was really good! I learned a really good skill, we named it franksing. Because a guy in our district is really good at it. so I can pretty much just spin a book on my finger. I wish I could send a video of it, cuz it is pretty sweet. But ya other than that it has been pretty normal. Spanish is coming great. Learning more and more every week. We all get new latin companions today, our companions left yesterday morning. I am kinda nervous, getting a new companion is pretty nerveracking. I am sure it will be great though. Today we get to
go on our tour. Which is all of us avansados (advanced) students get to tour Lima and see the sites. Its gonna be pretty sweet, I am way excited!!! So I woke up at 6:30 today and rushed down to the laundry room, because the laundry room is always jam packed with people and their clothes. and I got the last two washers available. pretty sweet. Proselyting this week was awesome. We went to a place called Zarate, and when we got there it looked like the extreme ghetto, but me and my companion got assigned to proselite in the business district which was such a good experience, it was way busy and there was a lot of people.
So it gave us lots of opportunity to contact people because when we are knocking doors people are more inclined to not talk to us because they could just not answer their doors. But on the street people can't just not talk to you a lot of time so we got to share our message with a lot of people. We had a couple of really good contacts, like it was my first time talking to someone who was really receptive, it was such a cool experience. We probably talked to her for about 40 minutes and gave her the entire first lesson, and she wanted to know more, we gave her a book of mormon and set up an appointment with her when other missionaries could go visit her. I was feeling really good after Saturday, I cannot wait to go out there and do that everyday. Idk why but Dad came into my mind a lot this last week. Is everything okay? I hope so! So I dont know if I already told you this but every monday they have this guy come during our actividad Fisica. We call him the chuck norris of south america. He seriously works us out sooo hard! I threw up last time like its insane! And when we were all proselyting on Saturday an Elder got chased down by a dog, and ended up breaking his ankle, so now he is rolling around in a wheelchair. he is loving the attention though! Oh and I heard that some missionary in the Lima oeste mission got stabbed or something, that is pretty crazy, I hope he is okay! Well what is new back in Chico, did Soudans pass final, Whats the progress on Loeros? I wanna know it all! thanks allie for the Dear elder, Give me your email, so I can email you back! For my christmas package i could really use some stamps! And maybe a giants championship shirt would be sweet! and like I said before just like soundtracks to movies that are instrumental, and maybe some disney stuff! haha but whatever you send I will be really grateful for I am sure! So did Emily pass her Exit exam? is braxton an Eagle Yet? Fill me in on all the news! Alright well I dont really know what else to say, but I love you guys, and I pray for ya everyday, miss you soo
much, cant wait to hear from you!
Love,
Elder Storm
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Pictures from Peru!
Elder Storm & Elder Torres
Group picture of some of the Missionaries in the Peru MTC
Elder Storm & Elder Applegate
Elder Storm & Elder Torres outside the Temple
Elder Cody Storm with the temple in the background
Im becoming more confident with the language
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
It has been a good week. I swear every week seems to go by faster and faster. So crazy that I have been on a mission for five weeks already, sometimes it feels way shorter, and other times it feels like I have been here way longer, esta bien. So the language is coming, I get more and more confident teaching every time I do it. I am loving everything about my mission other than the fact that I am not with my family and friends. So this week during actividad fisica, we played the natives in futbol, and all of us norte amercanos beat them! It was sooo sick, the celebration was as if we had just won the world cup, I even scored a goal! Today I got to buy some junk food which was really nice, they don't have any flashcards in tottus so that's kinda a bummer, and I still don't have a watch but its all good because my companion has one! So last Saturday we got to go proselyting in a place called Chancay. This experience was a real eye opener. It was my first time actually out in the field, preaching the gospel. A lot of times I had no idea what they were talking about or any clue what they
were saying. My companion would be talking to them and just turn to me out of nowhere and expect me to add in on what he was talking about. So I would just bear my testimony and hope for the best. It worked out most of the time lol. Okay so for dearelders.com; it takes about a week or so. So like if you sent them by this Friday it would get to me the
following Friday, just FYI. Um for Christmas, I would absolutely positively love some instrumental soundtracks, like titanic, or gladiator or something like that. mo-tab gets a little annoying sometimes. maybe I could just send my mp3 player home or something, idk, just let me know. Elder Torres is great, he is always joking around, always making me laugh and I am always making him laugh, he leaves next week sometime, I am gonna miss him, he will be a great missionary though. the Food is really not bad, I am loving it more and more everyday, sometimes they have this stir fry sorta stuff, that I absolutely love, I go back for seconds every time. While proselyting the biggest thing that hit me was how different it is here from the USA. Apparently we were in a really good area, but it really didn't seem
like it, some houses are just overrun by dogs, and some houses just have curtains for doors, it SO crazy. You can just tell it is really humble area. The people are so happy though! Everyone that we talked to was pretty receptive to our message which is way different than the U.S. I am sure. We visited one less-actives home, and there entire house was
about the size of our kitchen, I was definitely shocked because you see poverty on TV sometimes, but even our poorest have more than there middle class. I don't think I will ever take the USA for granted ever again. So an Elder got hurt here playing soccer, and he tore his ACL and meniscus and stuff, he will probably have to go home for like atleast 8 months to recover. I am really glad i haven't got hurt (knock on wood) that would really stink to have to go back home now! So did my watch make it home safe and sound lol, just wondering. Oh gosh and like every sacrament meeting is nerve racking. We are all supposed to prepare talks to speak, and nobody knows who is gonna speak besides the president. Every week is a surprise. same with Sunday school, except with teaching. Lately I have been craving any kind of American food, like hot dogs, hamburgers anything. So today after the temple we went and bought a pizza! It was sooooooo so sos ossosososo good! I loved it!!! Me and Elder Applegate have our "how are day went" talks every night, which is nice because me and him think exactly alike so its nice being able to talk to someone. I have been emailing Spencer, I cant believe I get to Ecuador in 4 weeks! I am soooo excited to be there and to get in the field! its gonna be soooo sweet. Love you all, praying for you all the time.
Love,
Elder Storm
It has been a good week. I swear every week seems to go by faster and faster. So crazy that I have been on a mission for five weeks already, sometimes it feels way shorter, and other times it feels like I have been here way longer, esta bien. So the language is coming, I get more and more confident teaching every time I do it. I am loving everything about my mission other than the fact that I am not with my family and friends. So this week during actividad fisica, we played the natives in futbol, and all of us norte amercanos beat them! It was sooo sick, the celebration was as if we had just won the world cup, I even scored a goal! Today I got to buy some junk food which was really nice, they don't have any flashcards in tottus so that's kinda a bummer, and I still don't have a watch but its all good because my companion has one! So last Saturday we got to go proselyting in a place called Chancay. This experience was a real eye opener. It was my first time actually out in the field, preaching the gospel. A lot of times I had no idea what they were talking about or any clue what they
were saying. My companion would be talking to them and just turn to me out of nowhere and expect me to add in on what he was talking about. So I would just bear my testimony and hope for the best. It worked out most of the time lol. Okay so for dearelders.com; it takes about a week or so. So like if you sent them by this Friday it would get to me the
following Friday, just FYI. Um for Christmas, I would absolutely positively love some instrumental soundtracks, like titanic, or gladiator or something like that. mo-tab gets a little annoying sometimes. maybe I could just send my mp3 player home or something, idk, just let me know. Elder Torres is great, he is always joking around, always making me laugh and I am always making him laugh, he leaves next week sometime, I am gonna miss him, he will be a great missionary though. the Food is really not bad, I am loving it more and more everyday, sometimes they have this stir fry sorta stuff, that I absolutely love, I go back for seconds every time. While proselyting the biggest thing that hit me was how different it is here from the USA. Apparently we were in a really good area, but it really didn't seem
like it, some houses are just overrun by dogs, and some houses just have curtains for doors, it SO crazy. You can just tell it is really humble area. The people are so happy though! Everyone that we talked to was pretty receptive to our message which is way different than the U.S. I am sure. We visited one less-actives home, and there entire house was
about the size of our kitchen, I was definitely shocked because you see poverty on TV sometimes, but even our poorest have more than there middle class. I don't think I will ever take the USA for granted ever again. So an Elder got hurt here playing soccer, and he tore his ACL and meniscus and stuff, he will probably have to go home for like atleast 8 months to recover. I am really glad i haven't got hurt (knock on wood) that would really stink to have to go back home now! So did my watch make it home safe and sound lol, just wondering. Oh gosh and like every sacrament meeting is nerve racking. We are all supposed to prepare talks to speak, and nobody knows who is gonna speak besides the president. Every week is a surprise. same with Sunday school, except with teaching. Lately I have been craving any kind of American food, like hot dogs, hamburgers anything. So today after the temple we went and bought a pizza! It was sooooooo so sos ossosososo good! I loved it!!! Me and Elder Applegate have our "how are day went" talks every night, which is nice because me and him think exactly alike so its nice being able to talk to someone. I have been emailing Spencer, I cant believe I get to Ecuador in 4 weeks! I am soooo excited to be there and to get in the field! its gonna be soooo sweet. Love you all, praying for you all the time.
Love,
Elder Storm
Friday, November 12, 2010
Pictures!
David Smailes, our good family friend was able to pick Cody up at the airport in Salt Lake and take him to the MTC in Provo!
Cody was able to be with one of his best friends Brian for a week in the MTC
Being goofy, this was his companion in the Provo MTC, Elder Applegate
Photo op, with other missionaries he got to know while in the MTC, Cody with his silly face.
Elder Applegate and Elder Storm in the Airport getting ready to fly, I mean board their plane to Peru!
On the LONG plane ride to Peru!
Equador Shirts!
His closet, haha
We aren't sure if this is the Provo or Peru MTC, but its nice
Matrix
Pointing to the spots where they will be in no time at all!
Cody and his companion
Silly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)