Hola Familia!

Hola familia! esa fue muy pequenita! Pero.. Oh puess... si yo recibi Bana! MUCHISIMA GRACIAS!! JAJAJA! Yo estoy feliz, porque yo escuche que Padre esta aprendiendo espanol en una programa es su computadora! MUy bien! eso me hace feliz! 

Translation:  Hello family!  This will be very short!   But . . Oh well . . . Yes I received BANG! (a favorite card game he used to play with the missionaries here) Thank you so much!  I am happy because I heard that Dad is learning Spanish on a computer program.  That makes me happy!

Okay thats enough spanish lol! I type really slow like that. Plus I need to work on spelling. Well I am understanding a whole ton better! The language is coming more and more! THe thing I need to work on most now seems to be vocabulary. I am hoping to be senior companion with what ever happens in the next two cycles just because I want to learn more and force myself in to a better learning situation. It is really hard. I wish I was in a country where I could be completely immersed in the language. Half of the lessons we teach are in English. :/ But all is good! The baptisms went really well last week with Jazmine and Rogelio!!! I am happy! :) We were afraid they would not show up to church on sunday for the confirmation of the Holy Ghost but it went well!! :) Well not a lot of time today! Today is Elder Hellbergs birthday and he got us permission to go to South Manhattan! :) So we are going to China Town! I am kinda bummed because I have not time to email though!  So this will be my shortest email ever :(  

That is awesome about Nicole! Let her know she is in  my prayers! I hope somebody has told Mckean she is talking to them (the missionaries – Nicole is a good friend of Lindsay, Mark and McKeon’s who has started taking the missionary discussions in our home)  again!! Has his family moved yet??? :( But I am glad to hear about both of your work situations! That makes me happy! :)  Sounds like God is blessing you all just as much as he is me! :)

Oh really quick!! (Gash I want more time!) But please ask Greg to email me! I need to talk to him about 3 different things! So i would really like something from him next week! :) Next week I will say a lot more! But mom! Please send me updates about SPORTS!!! LSU is undefeated!!!!! Chea!! That seriously makes me happy! Elder Willis is a Bama fan so I am excited for them to play them! We have lunch bet on the game lol! Well! I love you all! Sorry for such a short email!!! If I did not answer anything write me next week! 

Love, MArk!!

Ps. Send me a picture slideshow thing like Granny has!! But for like a Christmas present with just like a ton of pictures of family and friends! That is what I would like for Christmas! :) Okay I love you all! :) 

Seeking Refuge from the Storm Called Irene

 Elder Huerta Luna, Elder Mattei, Elder Torres, Elder Lewis

A Good Birthday!

Family!!!!!

So Mom you already sound super trunky for me! LOL!! You still got a while! But at the same time not really! Crazy how fast time has already flown bye! Its a good thing! But at the same time it actually makes me kind of sad, because I enjoy what I am doing and I love doing it! And I love helping other people! But at the same time, home would be nice! But I don't need to worry about that right now do I because I am here and could not be happier anywhere else! And yeah I have been here for a long time! But I am happy about that! Its all thanks to our ward mission leader! President Smith does keep missionaries in places for a long time, but he also keeps some in places for a very little time. I am the only one from my MTC cycle that is in their birth place (or first area) And the only one who still has my daddy (My trainer) or even my mommy (follow up trainer) lol!  Haha I had 2 dads (trainers) and my daddy and I killed him (sent one home) and then we were alone for 2 cycles and he decided to go straight lol! And it looks like I am going to follow the bad example of my dad and kill off my mom (send home my follow up trainer)! HAHA no one probably followed all of that. But I think its pretty funny saying it like that :P But anyway on a more serious note! I am happy and the baptisms this weekend were great! They made my birthday awesome! I baptized Wilson and that was such a good feeling, and such an amazing thing to see a Child of God follow in our Saviors footsteps! Gash.. Just a happy day! And about 90% of the active ward showed up to support the five that were baptized so that was awesome as well! :) 

And mom thank you for the list of birthday things from facebook! THat made me really happy to see that people are still thinking of me! :) My birthday was really good though! We had a small party after the baptisms with our District and Elvis our Ward Mission leader and like 2 or 4 other members. Then on Monday night Sister Munoz made me tacos and a cake and shoved my face in it! :) HAHA Well actually that was Hellberg and Huerta but it was fun! I love the Munoz! :) They are awesome! So overall my birthday was good!  And yes I got all the cards! A lot of them actually! So thank you to all that sent me one!!! :) I appreciate it! And the money as well! I was even supprised Elder Hellbergs family sent me a card with a gift card in it!!! 

And No I did not get the bang package! But I did get the one with the Hawaii stuff from Dad and I appreciate it a lot! :) And I am going to Email Burgoyne! How much longer do you think he has left in his mission?? I need to write Bladen!!!!  I am such a slacker at writing letters!!!! It is so hard to though lol! But its all good I will manage.

So Elder Hellberg is awesome! We are like best friends! We have very similar personalities. Haha it scares me a little sometimes. Actually he scares me a little sometimes. But yeah, he is a spiritual Giant and has already taught me a lot! He is a great Kid and a huge example of how the healing power of Christ really works! He is a great guy. He actually knew Elder Martindale before the mission! They are both from the same town and went to the same school.

So Elder Stratton replaced Baba! He is the other English missionary that will go home with me. Him and Baba both! He is a cool kid, but no Elder Baba. He is from Cedar Utah.  Nice guy though. Seems like him and Elder Willis are getting along! 

I just want to say thank you for everything that all of you are doing! It really means so much to have so much support! I love my mission and would not replace it for anything else in the world!!

I am all over the place lol! So yeah... HAHa I am glad Melissa liked her gift the idea just came to me one day! :P HAHA She is doing really good it seems like! hopefully she can come see you all again when she comes in town next month! 

So more Baptisms this Friday!!! :) Jazmine and Rogelio! Nothing better than that! The Lord is rewarding you and them for all the Hard Work and faith! It is seriously such and awesome thing! There really are not words to describe it! It is just beautiful! It just hard thinking that so many people have such a hard time making that commitment! I was thinking the other day, how easy would it have been if they were just standing there on the side of the River Jordan and watched as Christ went down into the water! Everyone would be running down in to be baptized would they not?? I don't know lol! I just wish people saw the importance of it!!!! It is Salvation for crying out loud lol! But its good! It really is so important! It is that gateway into heaven.. To follow Christ. To be like him and to live with him again and see him for who he really is! That is going to be an exciting day! I cant wait! 

So Elder Kay is in the Bronx, Veater is in The Bronx I think. Eliason and Scaife I am not sure. They both got transfered to another area upstate. But I am the only one still here!!

Okay mom before I forget did you get the 50 dollars I sent??? 

Well not much else! Went to the City museum today! Want to go back soon to see the rest I will send pics! Okay welll.. .I Love you all so much!!!! You will never know!! Tell greg to get off his lazy bum and write me!! :) Love you all!! :) 

Love, Elder MARKY MATTEI! 

Miracles are Going to Happen

Hey Family Whats happn'n??

So Big changes this cycle... I am staying with Elder Huerta for 1 more!! Yay! Plus..... I am going to be in a Trio with Elder Hellberg! SO I am in a Trio again lol! Elder Hellberg was an AP(Assistant to the Mission President). But is finishing his mission as a regular missionary. Looks like I am going to kill him!(Missionary term for sending a missionary home or being his last companion in the mission field.)   Obedience is much better! I am just doing what I need to do and not worrying about others! But I think with Elder Hellberg here it will be much better! He is awesome! I know I am going to love him! He and I are a lot alike actually! :) Me and Elder Kay were talking about how we were having the same problems in our apartments on obedience and how we just need to be an example. But I am excited! Elder HEllberg is intercepting our 2 baptisms this weekend too lol!  Then our 2 on the Friday after!!!  We have four within 6 days! Wilson and Maria on my Birthday! And Rogelio and Jazmine Martinez the next friday!!! I am so excited! We had all four of them at church on Friday! So they are going to for sure happen! :) I am happy! THis is going to be the best birthday present ever! Everything this weekend was just a miracle.! But at the same time very sad :( Wilson and Maria have a very difficult circumstance! I feel so bad for them! But I know that this is going to help! More than anything else could! They are going to grow themselves and they are going to have more spiritual support than ever before! I wish I could say more! But it is way personal to share over email! They are good though! Fasting really works and miracles really do come from it! Alma (a Book of Mormon prophet)  was dead on!  Its amazing to see how much Satan works on people right before or right after their baptism.. Its actually really sad! But I know God allows us to have these Challenges so we can grow! and we can become better people. So we can know just a little bit of what our Savior went through. So we can just take the tiniest sip out of the cup he drank!

But I am excited for this next week though! I am excited for the change! Elder Baba is leaving though which makes me really really sad :( I am going to miss him! BUt I will see him soon! He is going home with me! So there are a total of five baptisms this weekend in our ward! :) and I am pumped it is going to be awesome! I had a really good cycle last cycle! And last night I got a letter from Bryan and Melissa just to end it perfectly lol! But yeah I am good! We did not do anything special for 911. THat day just had a really special spirit about it. It was sad, but other things made the day really good. A lot of people were freaking out thinking there was going to be another attack. But yeah, and no mom the site for the towers is in our mission. In the South Zone. I got to go down South last week for the first time and I loved it! South Mann is awesome! Such a difference I will have to show you all some time when everybody comes back and visits after the mish. SO I am good! YAya!! I am excited for this cycle! Miracles are going to happen!!! I am pumped! SO much fun stuff! I don't know what else to say so I am going to cut it a little short today! I love you all! Be safe and have a good week! Pray for Harlem! ITs the flippin best! :)

Love You ALL MOST! Love ELDER MARK MATTEI!! :)

Another Sweet Testimony

Hey Mommy! Glad to hear all is going good! I am sorry I will try to write as much as possible but I really dont have a lot of time today so I will say as much as I can! Mind the spelling errors cuz I am not going to fix them so I can type more! First of all how is everyone! Tell my friends they need to write me lol! J.k. But seriously! Oh and Mom I wrote you a letter hopefully it will get there soon! Thats so cool you all got to see trevor! And that you are touring Gregs mission! I am happy for you! That must be fun for Greg! Keep me informed on whats going on with him because we all know he will never write a letter! lol! Sorry Greg but you know its true! I can't wait for you all to come here with me! I am going to love to introduce you to certain people! :) Haha! A lot of translating will be taking place! But most of them speak some english so you all will be fine! :) I hope to build even better relationships after Huerta leaves, because right now he does most of the talking lol! I tell everyone I meet I really am not that shy, that if they heard me in English they would want me to shut up! lol! How is he doing?? Thats so cool he built such a relationship with these families! I want to do that! But right now I am struggling with the Language so its kind of hard! But its 10X better than it was when I got here! Transfers are a week from today! I kind of hope Huerta goes so I can speak more and learn faster, but at the same time I don't want him to because I love that little Mexican! :) So you will be updated next week on what will happen! :) So Wilson and Maria will be baptized on my birthday!!! :) I am so happy! Also our District/ Ward will see 5 baptisms on that day!! So cool! I am so happy! I cannot wait! Life is good right now! Its raining a lot! Oh speaking of which are Grandma and Grandpa okay from that tropical storm that hit LA?? I am sure or else you all would have told me! But yeah! Its good other than the rain! My umbrella broke lol! So I am just using the Northface coat Melissa got me to shield me from the rain lol! It actually works pretty well too! Last night we helped some non members move in. We had help from some members in one of the English Wards! It was a good work out! With our run up our 19 flights of stairs it was ridiculous! So this week just been missing small things about home and stuff, and my friends! Sounds like Mckean, Rj and Jackson are doing welll! I sent a letter to RJ just the other day! Crazy to think the both of us with be 20. I dont remember the last time I missed his birthday :( Don't think ever! But I am good! don't worry about me being home sick because I really am happy! :) Really happy! The Lord blesses me each day! I have found the true healing power of the Savior! The "Healers art" Truly is incredible! I have found it in prayer! I love to pray! It is my favorite thing to do! I have felt so much help and peace in it! It is what keeps me going! Knowing that I am talking to my Heavenly Father and he is really listening to me and really answering me! He comforts me and guides me! The spirit has worked wonders in my life the past couple months! Every time I am down, just having a bad day or missing home. I remember my Savior has felt the same feelings. He suffered the same things and he is always there to comfort me! Even when I am not looking. Christ lives! And he truly did die for our sins! And we have a loving and caring Heavenly Father who sent him here so our burdens could be made lighter and so that we could return to live with them again! I know it! I love it! and I cannot deny it! The Plan of Salvation is amazing, and I cannot wait to see my Saviors face and just give him the biggest hug ever for what he did for me! Well I love you all! Wish I could say more! Just know I love you! And Keep all these people in your prayers! I love my life and I am excited for the future! I will talk to you all soon! Write me please it is amazing to get a letter in the mail! :) Okay take care and have a great week! Love, Elder Mark Mattei! :) Oh Mom send the winter boots please! I will need them soon! You have the ones brother furniss gave me right?? :) Love you! Have a great trip! Tell me more next week! Todd and Thomas will be getting a letter soon! :) Oh and What is Jacksons Mission address?? Okay love you bye! :)

Can't Believe how Fast Time is Going

Hello Mom and Dad! 

Sounds like you all had a good week! Things have been exciting here! Can't believe how fast the time is going! But yeah everyone is in my prayers! Todd and Thomas will be getting letters soon! As well as you Mom! :)Sorry that work and everything has  been so tough!!! Just a thought.. Have you ever considered going back and being a teacher??? Its a possibility! But all I hope is you can find something you enjoy and I will be definitely keeping you all in my prayers and fasting! Dad glad to hear you are working so hard! Thanks for all you do! I am sorry to hear about Grandma! I will be keeping her in my prayers for sure! I miss you all so much! I was thinking about home a little bit today! Haha! I thought I saw Vesper and I about freaked! lol! Haha I got all excited and then I looked again and the smart part of me realized it was not him! so yeah today is P-Day and we just got done playing football! it was fun, but at times I felt I was running a cross country meet. I thought I was done with that stuff 2 years ago lol! It just took them forever to throw the ball! haha!

But anyway all is good! Yesterday Elder Lewis and I set a baptisimal date with 2 of his investigators! It was totally all by the spirit! And the Gift of tongues! And because Elder Lewis is so stinking smart! :) Their names are Elisa and vicinte! one is the mommy and one is the hijo! Look it up! And they have another son who is coming to church, but was working yesterday! Its pretty awesome! I am super excited for all of them! Its such a blessing! Their date is for the same day as Maria and Wilson! My Birthday! :) Talk about the best present ever! It is going to be so nice to see their lives change! I know the Gospel will bless their life! I owe everything I have to my Savior! And I want them to feel the same way I feel! There is seriously nothing better, and nothing that can make someone happier! :)

Okay so if you have not found out already I am replying to both of your emails on 1 just for sake of time. so Yes mom I have a carbon monoxide thingy! :) Don't worry! and don't worry so much about the short sleeve shirts. The Summer is almost over and I will be wearing my long sleeves dont worry unless I tell you otherwise. I think they are a 16 and a half but its up to you whether or not you want to get them.

So this week has been kind of exciting! Dad all of these spanish people have got me to do something you could never do. I have eaten avacodos, Guacamole, and now squid! Squid is good! not so much the other two. And I can even stand  tomatoes. Not my favorite and i would rather not, but its all good. So last wednesday we went out with the Simbros family! they are pretty awesome! They are a younger couple with two kids. They took Elder Huerta, Lewis, Torres, and I to a Thai restaurant. Had the best steak of my life! It was so good! And then we had a hurricane! Fun huh??? No not really it kind of sucked actually! I was expecting a lot more! But we had a nice 2 1/2 day vacation! We were over at a member in Scarsdale New Yorks house! It was fun! His name is Travis Strattford. He was way cool. He took us to a bar to get hamburgers and we even got our own rooms at night. We had to break a rule either way. It was either sleeping in the same bed as another missionary or having our own rooms!   Lets just say I am glad we had our own rooms! It was so nice though to have my own big bed for myself! He had a nice house too! He owns his own advertisement company and they did a lot for the Mormon.Org ads/Videos as well as designed the Logo and things for clean and Clear face wash and stuff! The stuff I clean my face with everyday!! COol huh?? But it was cool! We also took the Sacrament in his house! It was an interesting experience and way spiritual! :) He sent me a friend request on facebook and sent you a little message mom if you want to check it out! 

Okay just a couple things I want lol! I know I am greedy! But mom if you could send me a goofy movie and The RM soundtrack I would love you forever! I mean I already do, but you know what I mean :) Oh and Maybe my senior year book lol! I realized this morning I have forgotten a ton of peoples names, well last names lol! But yeah, oh that and last week you asked if I wanted any gift cards for my b-day. Mcdonalds, taco bell, and Wendys would all probably be awesome :) 

Well not much else is going on! I had a good week! I love you all! and miss you even more! Stay safe and just know I am good! I will write more next week! I love you all! :) :) 

Love, Mark!