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
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
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
Thursday, November 11, 2010
USA! USA! USA!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Hello Family!
I am doing really really well for being in a foreign country lol. We are pretty sheltered from the outside world since there is like a 15ft wall all the way around the MTC, and huge gates keeping people out, or maybe us in? haha But we do get to go to the temple and a "tottus" which is south americas answer for a wal-mart. I bought some coke, fanta, two lima ties, and some chips and cookies. I was dyyyyyying for some american food. Down here they have a McDonalds and Pizza Hut and KFC but we can't eat there because we are always in the MTC. I like it better than provo in some ways, but in other ways I don't. Its a really small MTC, and everything is less than a minute away, whereas in the MTC in provo it would take us like five minutes to walk anywhere. You get to know a lot more elders because there is waayyyy fewer of them here. The food is good for the most part. sometimes I can't eat, but most the time it tastes good, rice for every meal, EVERY meal lol. with some meat, and usually a dessert. Wednesdays and Sundays we get Ice cream so thats always something to look forward to lol. I am not going to be able to send any handwritten letters because I dont have any stamps, and you cant buy them down here. which really stinks.
I am glad you actually had a day of rest mom, you do way to much as it is. My companion is nice, he is from Colombia, and he is always singing Michael Jackson songs and dancing to them lol, its pretty funny. He is a prankster also. Always joking and making the natives laugh. Sometimes it is hard to have patience with him, because he takes a really long time to get ready or do anything, which is unfortunate. But I know heavenly father is just trying my patience. so yesterday we played Futbol with the natives and it was the americans verse the natives and we tied them 5-5! haha it was sooo funny because none of us americans knew what we were doing so everytime we would score a goal, we would celebrate and scream USA! USA! USA! and then one of the teachers came out and told us the police had been called because we were being too loud. Which got us even more pumped. Oh and I can still recieve dear elders just so you know, I only get them like once a week but I still get them so let everyone know! letters are what keep me going! And today we had to catch a bus to go to the temple. We were all crammed in this tiny bus, and the people here drive soooo dangerously, thought we were gonna die a couple times, then I had the opportunity to be my companions escort for the temple. It was really cool, because I remember just a couple months ago when I was getting my endowments out, Dad did the same thing for me! Kinda a weird temple experience since it was all in spanish though. Definitely didn't know what they were saying, but luckily I had a general idea because I had heard it in english before. So afterwards, we went to the distribution center because my companion didnt have scriptures yet either. They are really slow with the service there, it took like 20 minutes to
checkout. afterwards we went to this other church store where they have scripture cases and ties and that kind of stuff made out of leather with cool things on them. I bought two ties, but I am gonna wait till I get to ecuador to buy one of the scripture cases because ecuador is known for having really cool scripture cases. Afterwards we went to "Tottus"(wal-mart), but we only had like 20 minutes so we had to speed shop, they have quite a bit of american food, which I was really happy about. But my companion took a long time so we only had like 3 minutes to get back to the CCM and so we grabbed a taxi really quick and got there in just in time as everyone else. But seriously the taxi was such a crazy driver, it was insane. like I thought we were gonna crash at least once every five seconds. They call Lima the gray city because of all the smog lol. We made up a new basketball game called tip magna, it was pretty fun for making it up. Well family I am praying for you guys, and I will pray for sister Brown as well, I hope all is well, the spanish is coming slowly but surely. Alright well talk to
you guys later! Love you.
Love
Elder Storm
Hello Family!
I am doing really really well for being in a foreign country lol. We are pretty sheltered from the outside world since there is like a 15ft wall all the way around the MTC, and huge gates keeping people out, or maybe us in? haha But we do get to go to the temple and a "tottus" which is south americas answer for a wal-mart. I bought some coke, fanta, two lima ties, and some chips and cookies. I was dyyyyyying for some american food. Down here they have a McDonalds and Pizza Hut and KFC but we can't eat there because we are always in the MTC. I like it better than provo in some ways, but in other ways I don't. Its a really small MTC, and everything is less than a minute away, whereas in the MTC in provo it would take us like five minutes to walk anywhere. You get to know a lot more elders because there is waayyyy fewer of them here. The food is good for the most part. sometimes I can't eat, but most the time it tastes good, rice for every meal, EVERY meal lol. with some meat, and usually a dessert. Wednesdays and Sundays we get Ice cream so thats always something to look forward to lol. I am not going to be able to send any handwritten letters because I dont have any stamps, and you cant buy them down here. which really stinks.
I am glad you actually had a day of rest mom, you do way to much as it is. My companion is nice, he is from Colombia, and he is always singing Michael Jackson songs and dancing to them lol, its pretty funny. He is a prankster also. Always joking and making the natives laugh. Sometimes it is hard to have patience with him, because he takes a really long time to get ready or do anything, which is unfortunate. But I know heavenly father is just trying my patience. so yesterday we played Futbol with the natives and it was the americans verse the natives and we tied them 5-5! haha it was sooo funny because none of us americans knew what we were doing so everytime we would score a goal, we would celebrate and scream USA! USA! USA! and then one of the teachers came out and told us the police had been called because we were being too loud. Which got us even more pumped. Oh and I can still recieve dear elders just so you know, I only get them like once a week but I still get them so let everyone know! letters are what keep me going! And today we had to catch a bus to go to the temple. We were all crammed in this tiny bus, and the people here drive soooo dangerously, thought we were gonna die a couple times, then I had the opportunity to be my companions escort for the temple. It was really cool, because I remember just a couple months ago when I was getting my endowments out, Dad did the same thing for me! Kinda a weird temple experience since it was all in spanish though. Definitely didn't know what they were saying, but luckily I had a general idea because I had heard it in english before. So afterwards, we went to the distribution center because my companion didnt have scriptures yet either. They are really slow with the service there, it took like 20 minutes to
checkout. afterwards we went to this other church store where they have scripture cases and ties and that kind of stuff made out of leather with cool things on them. I bought two ties, but I am gonna wait till I get to ecuador to buy one of the scripture cases because ecuador is known for having really cool scripture cases. Afterwards we went to "Tottus"(wal-mart), but we only had like 20 minutes so we had to speed shop, they have quite a bit of american food, which I was really happy about. But my companion took a long time so we only had like 3 minutes to get back to the CCM and so we grabbed a taxi really quick and got there in just in time as everyone else. But seriously the taxi was such a crazy driver, it was insane. like I thought we were gonna crash at least once every five seconds. They call Lima the gray city because of all the smog lol. We made up a new basketball game called tip magna, it was pretty fun for making it up. Well family I am praying for you guys, and I will pray for sister Brown as well, I hope all is well, the spanish is coming slowly but surely. Alright well talk to
you guys later! Love you.
Love
Elder Storm
First Day at the Peru MTC
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Hello!
So I made it here to the Peru MTC! All is good, we made it safe. I can't believe I am actually on a different continent, sooo weird to think about. Peru is pretty sweet from what I have seen so far, I was suprised to find a KFC and Dominoes. My new companions name is Elder Torres. He tries to talk to me, but I just say "no entiendo"or "no se" or something like that, because I have no idea what he is talking about. Its really hard but I will be able to pick it up faster this way. Its pretty chill here, like waaaay more low key than provo, I like it already. Apparently we are going to be focusing on learning spanish only, and our first three weeks were for learning the gospel. There is some pretty cool elders that came here with us. One of them has a mom who is from Ecuador, he speaks spanish really well. Sorry about the call yesterday, I only got to talk to mom, I tried to call dad but he didnt answer, and we were called for final boarding right then. Just gonna have to wait till christmas I guess! So they told us that if you want to send a letter you gotta send it three weeks before I will get it, so the last part of my time in the MTC just send it to ecuador, I should be getting that address pretty soon. They have a really legit soccer field here of course, and a couple basketball courts. We actually have nap time today. Its gonna be pretty sweet, I can't wait.
So apparently its really rude to leave food on your plate, so you gotta eat everything, I didn't know that when we ate breakfast today, and I gotta a wide variety of stuff, and it was sooo hard to finish, I almost threw up a couple times, Elder Applegate was laughing at me. Its kinda weird, you dont have to be with your companion at all if you dont wanna be, but i like it, that way we dont get sick of each other. My p-day will be on Wednesday usually. And maybe you guys could send some stamps, cuz they dont sell any here, I dont think I can get them. We get to go to the temple every p-day and after we can go shopping. so that will be something new and exciting. we are two hours ahead of you down here just so you know. Oh and I heard that we get to go street proseliting like on saturdays and stuff, gosh that will be sooo cool, but so so so nerveracking. The plane ride from ATL to Peru was sooo long, it seemed like it took forever. I couldnt fall asleep either, so I just sat there and wrote some people and also read my scriptures, I couldnt wait to get off that plane. Thats soooo sweet that Spencer is a trainer in Guayaquil, I can't wait to see that kid, its gonna be a glorious
reunion!!
Oh ya and my companion is from Colombia, and he is going to be serving in Lima South. I wasnt sure if I was gonna like it here till we ate lunch, and it was really good. like wayyy better than Provo. I hope that all meals are like that, cuz if so I will be set! I will be sending some pictures soon okay? I will try to see if I can upload some on the computer to send to you guys, I took some pretty good "video logs" also so when my card is full I will send those also. Just let me know if you have any questions. Oh I slept like a baby last night, the beds here are sooooo much better than the ones in provo. all around I like this MTC a lot more, the mission president said that I will know all the missionaries by the time I leave here.
which will be awesome. I asked him about the Wagners and told that story about kyle also, he seemed to like it. He said that the teachers don't know a lot of english words so it looks like spanish from here on out, talk about overwhelming. But I know the Lord will provide, and I know I have the gift of tongues, so I am good! Haha so after I got off the phone yesterday like they started calling all our names, but my companion was the travel leader, so we couldnt get on the plane until everyone got on the plane. We finally found the Hermanas and had to run to the terminal and barely made it, that woulda been bad if we
woulda missed the flight, cuz I still wouldn't be here, which would really stink. Well I dont know what else to say, I will definitely have more to tell ya next week! love you guys
Love
Elder Storm
P.S.We woke up and had to shave our heads today, its super short. and they missed parts. so chemo boy is back again!!!!!
Hello!
So I made it here to the Peru MTC! All is good, we made it safe. I can't believe I am actually on a different continent, sooo weird to think about. Peru is pretty sweet from what I have seen so far, I was suprised to find a KFC and Dominoes. My new companions name is Elder Torres. He tries to talk to me, but I just say "no entiendo"or "no se" or something like that, because I have no idea what he is talking about. Its really hard but I will be able to pick it up faster this way. Its pretty chill here, like waaaay more low key than provo, I like it already. Apparently we are going to be focusing on learning spanish only, and our first three weeks were for learning the gospel. There is some pretty cool elders that came here with us. One of them has a mom who is from Ecuador, he speaks spanish really well. Sorry about the call yesterday, I only got to talk to mom, I tried to call dad but he didnt answer, and we were called for final boarding right then. Just gonna have to wait till christmas I guess! So they told us that if you want to send a letter you gotta send it three weeks before I will get it, so the last part of my time in the MTC just send it to ecuador, I should be getting that address pretty soon. They have a really legit soccer field here of course, and a couple basketball courts. We actually have nap time today. Its gonna be pretty sweet, I can't wait.
So apparently its really rude to leave food on your plate, so you gotta eat everything, I didn't know that when we ate breakfast today, and I gotta a wide variety of stuff, and it was sooo hard to finish, I almost threw up a couple times, Elder Applegate was laughing at me. Its kinda weird, you dont have to be with your companion at all if you dont wanna be, but i like it, that way we dont get sick of each other. My p-day will be on Wednesday usually. And maybe you guys could send some stamps, cuz they dont sell any here, I dont think I can get them. We get to go to the temple every p-day and after we can go shopping. so that will be something new and exciting. we are two hours ahead of you down here just so you know. Oh and I heard that we get to go street proseliting like on saturdays and stuff, gosh that will be sooo cool, but so so so nerveracking. The plane ride from ATL to Peru was sooo long, it seemed like it took forever. I couldnt fall asleep either, so I just sat there and wrote some people and also read my scriptures, I couldnt wait to get off that plane. Thats soooo sweet that Spencer is a trainer in Guayaquil, I can't wait to see that kid, its gonna be a glorious
reunion!!
Oh ya and my companion is from Colombia, and he is going to be serving in Lima South. I wasnt sure if I was gonna like it here till we ate lunch, and it was really good. like wayyy better than Provo. I hope that all meals are like that, cuz if so I will be set! I will be sending some pictures soon okay? I will try to see if I can upload some on the computer to send to you guys, I took some pretty good "video logs" also so when my card is full I will send those also. Just let me know if you have any questions. Oh I slept like a baby last night, the beds here are sooooo much better than the ones in provo. all around I like this MTC a lot more, the mission president said that I will know all the missionaries by the time I leave here.
which will be awesome. I asked him about the Wagners and told that story about kyle also, he seemed to like it. He said that the teachers don't know a lot of english words so it looks like spanish from here on out, talk about overwhelming. But I know the Lord will provide, and I know I have the gift of tongues, so I am good! Haha so after I got off the phone yesterday like they started calling all our names, but my companion was the travel leader, so we couldnt get on the plane until everyone got on the plane. We finally found the Hermanas and had to run to the terminal and barely made it, that woulda been bad if we
woulda missed the flight, cuz I still wouldn't be here, which would really stink. Well I dont know what else to say, I will definitely have more to tell ya next week! love you guys
Love
Elder Storm
P.S.We woke up and had to shave our heads today, its super short. and they missed parts. so chemo boy is back again!!!!!
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