Changes

Hey mom! Sorry really not a lot of time today! I am still hear in Harlem! Its a crazy feeling! I feel like I have made a home out of this place! In reality it has become a new home for me! And I have learned to love so many people! I have also felt myself changing! I am now a lot closer to my Savior and understand his Atoning Sacrifice just a measure more than what I did when I came out here! Things are a lot different since I came out here. Elder Beswick is the only one left here that was in the Original Zone that I am now a part of.. Elder Lewis and Elder Huerta left today. Elder Huerta is with Elder Sorenson! Which is awesome! He is also living with Elder Kay! So I know he is in good hands! And Elder Lewis went upstate :( Makes me sad because both of us arrived here as greenies together! I miss him already! On top of that our apartment has changed again! Elder Willis left first of all to finish his last 2 cycles in Newberg. And Elder Stratton moved to the other missionary apartment right down the street. Things got all switched around as far as living arangements go because one of the Sisters areas here in Manhattan got white washed with Elders. So now I am living with Elder Matthews and yeah.. I forgot the other ones name! lol! But it stinks, because I was just getting way close with Elder Stratton and Elder Hellberg already has problems with the two that just moved in it sounds like! But all will be well and all things happen for a reason :) My testimony has been strengthened on that as well! :) 

Cards are rocking the playoffs! they better win tonight!!  :) And uhm... LSU plays Bama in two weeks! I am kind of bummed that Elder Willis will not be here for that! I was just waiting to rub it in his face when LSU kills them! And I did know peyton was injured! I did not know it was a neck injury though! THat StinkS! For real though they are a one man team now... I am starting to shift over to be more of a saints fan lol! I can't believe they beat them that bad! They are Terrible this year! What is crazy is how well I have heard the Detroit Lions are doing! That is insane! And Green Bay is still undefeated right?? 

And Mom I know you have a strong Testimony! I have heard it many times! You don't have to feel like you need to say something spiritual! You are already a spiritual Giant without saying anything! Your example says it all :) And yes I did get your package! THank you very much! I really appreciate it! :) And I got a letter and Ten Dollars from Granny! :) So tell her thanks as well! It really does mean a lot when you all do stuff like that! :) It makes my day! 

.And just so you know my complexion has been a lot better. And I have not used cream or pills in like 2 weeks. Only a couple of bumps on my face like once a week! Much better than before! I think that it may be starting to go away rather naturally. HAha sorry I am being so random in this letter I am kind of jumping around all over the place lol! :P But I am good and I love Harlem! Everybody please remember to keep them in your prayers! They are precious to God! We all are! We are his Children! He watches everything we do! He rejoices when we rejoice and he is saddened when we are! I have felt that in my life! He really does love us! And our Saviour Jesus Christ gives us a much better and clearer understanding of that love! He paid the price so that through him we will literally live agian! Its really just amazing! :) AHH!! I love him so much for it! Probably more than anyone else lol! J.k. But I am being dead serious at the same time lol! 

But I am happy I am here! We are still teaching Cindy with Straton and Elder Allen (his new comp) So I will be here for her baptism when she finishes school! :) She is amazing! My favorite investigator and she is not even mine! She is one of the better of my friends I ahve made on my mission! Amazing lady! You all will have to meet her for sure! :)

AHH! Okay I will talk more about the people we are teaching next week I have run out of time! I love you all! And you are all in my prayers! Take care and be safe! I am sorry to hear about uncle Fred. I wish I would have known him better :( That's sad a member of the family died though! :( Well I love you all more then you will ever know! I will have more time next week! LOVE YOU! 

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TAke care and God bless! Love Elder Mark Mattei! :) 

Short Update

Hey How is everyone doing this week?? :)

I have had a good week so far! Staying busy! Transfers are next week so that is pretty exciting! It is looking like 50/50 as to if I will be leaving or not! I really don't want to, but we will see what happens! I love it here in Harlem! But I really think that I might go! I pray I don't. I would really like the oppurtunity to take over this area after being here so long! Elder Huerta Luna will be leaving for sure.  But we have some pretty awesome investigators right now! I told you about most of them last week! We have one other older man that we started teaching since I last talked to you all! His name is Custodio. He is dominican. He has cancer throughout his whole body! We visited him in the Hospital because someone referred us to him. He is a great guy! There is just something so very different about him. The spirit is just with him! I can see it in his eyes! I felt like breaking down and crying both times we went to visit him! He is 56 years old! Please keep him in your prayers! We hope to get the opportunity to go back and visit him very soon! 

So I know all about the Cardinals! That just makes me so happy and that is awesome! I am so excited! I stopped calling the thing on the phone to check the scores because I figured it is a bad idea lol! So now I am just going to have to find out what is going on by word of mouth.,.. I guess I kind of have the same fear as Greg did if I even am showing an interest in figuring out the score to the game they will lose lol! But LSU plays Auburn this weekend! that will be a fun game for you all to watch! Let me know how it goes for sure! As well as the World Series! The LSU vs Alabama game is going to be really good as well!! I am excited for it! I hope LSU completely destroys them! I am guessing it will be a way close game though!

Well, Madre madre Madre you gave me a ton of questions to respond to so I guess I will start with that. But first that stinks Mckean is going to be living in AZ :( Uh... That kid is like one of my best friends and he and Tre don't even live close anymore!! AHHH!! 

Okay sorry we really don't have a lot of time :( I keep getting on and off its a pain! Well I am glad you like the pictures! You need to send me an envelope back with all the ones I have already sent! Or the thing I asked for for Christmas! :) But yeah my profile picture I actually have no idea which one you are even talking about! I had like no room left on my memory card when I sent it!

Okay well Mom I have to email Greg so I am going to keep this one a little short! Just know I love you all! And you are all in my prayers! I am having an experience of a life time! I am growing as a person so much! I am learning to love others more and more everyday! I already know I am going to be blessed and this is going to help me for the rest of my life! I have already seen blessings in my life and in all of yours! Thank you all for all you do! Have a great week! Love you MUCHO!

Love, Elder Mark Mattei! :) God bless you all! Each and every one of you are amazing! :) 

Answer my Questions, Please!

Mommy!! HI Hi!! 

so a lot of new stuff going on this week! Things are ridiculously awesome/hard I am going to try to summarize because I do not have too much time today!

Well number one the reason my emails have been shorter is because 1, Elder Hellberg always wants to go somewhere and do something, as do I, but we manage to get it all done. And 2, because I am running out of things to say! Haha I mean not exactly, but I can only tell you as much as what has happened and as much as I have on my mind!

Well this week was a bit of a rough week! Things in our Trio have been a little rocky at times. 3 different ideas being tossed around, each one of us wanting  to do or work in our own way. And instead of one person getting shut down its two. So yeah it has been a little difficult but we are doing a good job at getting past it and talking it out. We all have our differences, but this is by far my hardest cycle so far. Elder Hellberg and I are great friends but we definitely have our differences. But a great kid with a great heart, if you want something done it will get done if you ask Hellberg and he is going to love you no matter what! And Elder Huerta is just my favorite little Mexican ever lol! Way funny kid!

But anyways so we have 2 great new investigators! One is named Belkis! she just had her baby last night and we are going to visit her tonight at 7! I am way excited! We gave her a blessing last week sometime! I still don't know her very well, because I missed the first lesson we had with her! She seems really nice though! And Elder Huerta and Hellberg have said just some of the most amazing things about her!

Then there is Edgar... Edgar is a Catholic priest... Or should I say was a Catholic priest. He is a very strong Catholic and a very smart man! He is not a priest anymore. He was working with a Bishop in Brooklyn whose sister just got baptized in our Ward. So he brought Edgar to General Conference here and we started talking to him! He thought the idea of a prophet was very interesting. He is still a very strong Catholic. He has a lot of questions. Most of them we have been able to answer! I am just glad I know a lot about Catholic History and did my studying before my mission... I now know there was a reason for all that! He loves the idea of the Book of Mormon! We shared with him some Scriptures from the Bible and he just was like "Wow" I have never heard those before! He is a very logical person... Not as much Spiritual, but that is something that he told us he is hoping to find! Because he was always discouraged to do so before. The only problem he is having right now is accepting the apostasy. We have taught him a lot about it! And plan on talking with him more! There is a member in our ward who was in the Catholic Seminary about to become a priest when he found the missionaries. So he told us he was going to help us explain. So far we have done a pretty good job... I mean really though after this is all said and done, the only way he will be able to know for himself is to read and to pray which he told us he will do! And I know if he does, and does so with a sincere desire and open heart God will answer his long desired prayer! :) He is such a nice guy! Catholic priests really are such great people! Because they have that desire to follow Christ! And that is why I love all people who have a desire to do good! Because they want to be a better person! And I know that this man will find what he is looking for! That he is going to find that missing piece! And I am grateful for this chance we have to teach him because it is going to be a great experience where I will have the opportunity to become stronger spiritually! :)

So yeah other than all that not too much is going on here! Just preparing for winter! And don't worry I will buy all the winter stuff I need! Just send me the boots and my Colts beenie to sleep in and I will be good! Actually and socks too, because I would not know a good place where we can go to find them!

So Transfers are not next Wednesday, but in 2 weeks from today! Crazy how fast time is flying! This time Elder Huerta is going to be leaving for sure! He only has 3 cycles left! He was here for a year! How ridiculously awesome is that?? I will be sad to see him go! We have become such great friends!

But really I am so excited for Tre! He is going to do such great things! He is a great kid with a great heart!! :)

And mom start answering my questions lol! You never really do! Haha so go back to last weeks email and answer what you did not answer lol! Do like I do, if there is something I want to say I write it in a notebook so I don't forget to email it on Wednesday! Just write down the questions I ask :P Haha! I know I am bad at it too!

Oh and no I did not get school pictures so if you would like to send those to me that would be awesome!

And Yes Mom the Text was very funny! HAha Don't worry I did what it asked! I was really happy! I was like in the middle of Church when I got it! The phone went off during Priesthood lol! I was like huh??? Then I looked at the number and everything clicked lol! But really tell Nichole I am so happy for her and she is in my prayers! Seriously that made me happy to hear that! Just let her know all will be fine and no matter what happens the Lord is with her and he knows exactly what she will be going through. :) She is an awesome person! Make sure you let her know I said that!

So yes I know all about the Cardinals and LSU! Elder Willis is a huge Bama fan! We are counting down until the game! haha! But yeah I call this thing called “Tell me” and see how the games were whenever I call in to see what the weather is going to be like for the next day! So I stay updated with who won and lost! Nothing more! So if you could do me the honor of informing me on the NCAA Football, NHL, MLB, and NFL I would much appreciate it! :) I have become an even bigger sports fan now that I am not able to watch it! :/ But its all good! It will keep me busy when I get back! I am praying the Cards take the World Series! and LSU keeps an undefeated season! I want the same miracles that Greg got on his mission with the Saints! The place I want to see it the most though is with the Blues! haha!

Oh and I don't know if I told you all! But I want one of those picture slideshow things like Grandma and Grandpa have! I would like one for Christmas! :)

Oh..And GET MY NET!!! I don't care what you have to do! it was 150$ Message Ethan Schnitzler on my facebook or contact his mom or something! Just get it! I am not joking! It better be there when I get home! lol! But seriously! If you can do something about it this week! It would make me really happy to hear that it is safely back in the Garage next week when I get my email! :)

Okay yall! :P Well not much else to say! Pray that Edgar accepts Baptism when he finds out these things are true! I am praying that will be by next Tuesday when we see him again! :) He is the closest we have right now! And its going to take a lot of Faith! :) But hopefully we have a nice meeting with Belkis tonight! that would be real nice! she also has 2 daughters and her Mom is interested! So a total of 4 in that family! So far I have only met her! :) Things are good! We are working hard! :)

Well let me know how you all are doing! Take care of Thomas! I love that little guy! He needs all the help he can get from the family to get through these hard times he is having at school! Mom I am glad to hear about your job! I told you all things would work out for the better!

Okay well keep me updated! I am going to try to write Elder Burgoyne back and Greg really quick!! :) Burgoyne finishes in 7 days!! Okay Love you all! :) Love, Elder Marky Mattei! :)

Mother Dearest, You Make Me Laugh!

Mother dearest! You make me laugh lol! 

Haha you have nothing to worry about I don't plan on dying anytime soon! There are still a lot of things I want to do!  (This is his response to me pleading with him to be careful!  I told him that while I appreciate his desire to meet the Savior, as he so often writes, I would prefer that he stay here for awhile.)   Haha So McKeon cracks me up lol! That kid is so funny! I read his blog! such an interesting case! Probably one of the most unique and pure hearted people in the world! I love him so much! Him and his goofy smile! lol! But anywaysss....

Yeah the charge was for a winter coat. And no it is not some ugly Trench coat lol! ( Sorry if I offend anyone who likes trench coats... Just not for me.. ) Its just a regular winter coat. And no nobody has trench coats lol! Other than Elder Huerta.. And his looks goofy as heck! lol! But its a nice coat. It fits snugly under my Northface one so if it gets really cold between the 2 of them I will be good! :) And it looks pretty good like that as well so I am not complaining. Also I bought a sweater because I only have 1.  Thank you all so much! Seriously! thank you! :) I love you! :) 

Haha Elder Huerta has 5 witner Coats!!!!! HAHA He bought them all here! Isn't that ridiculous?? He is from Mexico?? he is never going to use them!!! Haha he makes me laugh! Such A cool kid! But anyways. I do need a beenie! I can buy one here with the Amex if thats okay with yall?? But I also want someone to send me my colts knit cap one?? I like to sleep in it :) 

And The weather is absolutely perfect right now! I love it! But no mom no fall colors.. There are hardly any trees lol! But no for the most part everything is still green! Nothing has really started falling yet! I am excited to go into central park when everything does though! That will be fun! 

And General Conference was amazing!! (Twice a year, instead of attending regular services, we view General Conference via satellite.  The president of our Church, as well as other church leaders address the congregation.)   So fun! It was exactly what I needed!  I don't think I have ever enjoyed it so much!!! I love President Monson! Definitely a man of God! He is a prophet and there is nothing else to it! He just has the best spirit in the world! and I just loved all the messages as a whole! I really like  Elder Holland's talk during the Priesthood session! Gash Tore the Aaronic priesthood apart! lol! seriously those preparing for missions he was just on fire! I loved it! And I was so happy when he addressed those on missions and who had already served he was just like "Thank you for all you do!" And I was like okay good! Not going to yell at us! Lol! seriously though he is awesome! he is an awesome person! And you can just tell he loves you by the things he says and the way he says them! I could sit here and type about conference for 2347238957459034785890348590568 hours if I wanted to lol! 

Well Glad to hear lindsay is enjoying school and Greg is being.. Well the same Greg I have always known lol! But yeah china town was awesome! very different! I was mad I forgot to bring my camera. But all good! Everything is so Cheap there! Haha They have the nicest stuff for the best prices.. I mean its all fake, but you could never tell the difference! Its fun to bargain with the people working there too! Haha, I just showed them my money and said this is all I have and they would generally lower the price to that lol! Funny stuff man! :P 

Oh mom before I forget I need the acne pills! :) Porfavor y Gracias! :) Tu eres la mejor! :) JAJA! :P 

I am so happy that Tre is leaving so soon! I am so excited for him! He is going to do great things! He has such a good heart, and is just one of the best people ever! 

so this past week has been really difficult! Its started off really really hard at first ! But it has gotten a lot better! we only had one investigator at the beginning of last week! And I went on a split with Elders Willis and Stratton yesterday and Elder Huerta and Hellberg found us 4 news! :) Its a family! So now I am really happy are really excited to meet them! Plus I was happy because we are still going over to Cindy's with Willis and Stratton and teaching her! She will be able to be baptized in January when she is done with School! I wish that would just come! she is awesome! Probably one of my favorite investigators and she in technically not even ours! She is just so easy for us to talk to lol! she calls us "her Mormons" lol! You all will have to meet her after this is all said in done! Just a great lady! She is just an outstanding mom to her daughter too! I wish she had someone to help her out! Wonderful Spirt! 

Well I really don't know what else to say! Other than that I love life and things are going well! Keep me in your prayers though! I do need them! and even more important, as always pray for the people here! :) Oh and the picking us up thing I don't know what's up with that! But if that's what President Smith wants that is what is best!! But when I leave it will be a different mission President so we can see what he says. But I really do think I want to fly home right away! It just feels like the only right way to do it ya know?? 

Okay well I love you all so very much! Take care and God Bless! 

Love, Marky!