So Much to Say!

Mommmy! How are you doing! Tell Melissa to check her email!!!! But All is good! Ricardo was baptized : ) we got ahold of him the day before and he was baptized and confirmed! Now he is talking about going to BYU I! He is an awesome kid! We are actually starting to teach one of his other friends tonight! And if that works out we will have 7 new investigators in the past week! Last week we got 3 new ones. Arlin (she is a middle aged mom. She seems way solid! I'm excited about her!) Emilia, we met her my second day out here and gave her mom a blessing. We ran by her on the street and said we should come by later that night so we did! she is probably in her 40s:)(Seems pretty solid,but I think she thought the Joseph Smith story was just supposed to be taken symbolically so we will need to talk more about that) and Carlos, I tracted him on the street. He speaks English, but understands spanish... We taught him the first lesson in English, but we are going to visit him one more time.. Probably Saturday when I am on a Split with Elder Lewis. If he does not want to go to the Spanish ward, we will have to hand him over to the English missionaries. He knows spanish because his mom is from Puerto Rico I think. He seems like a good investigator, he just asks a lot of random questions. And goes off topic a lot! We were talking about Jesus Christ and next thing you know we were talking about the End of the World lol! He is cool though. A little bit slower of a guy, but way nice! Then Yesterday we got 3 new investigators, all of whom I have not met yet! Because Elder Lewis and I were on a split! They put 2 greenies out in an area for a day! I was freaking out so hard! We were supposed to have 2 lessons, but both fell through the cracks. One was a member who was sick so we ended up knocking doors all day. But guess what? Someone let us into their house... MY eyes must have gone so wide! I was so scared! The lesson went really well though! God helped us speak and understand... somewhat. About 75% lol! But we taught the full first lesson by ourselves and got them 3 new investigators. Something they have been looking for, for a really long time! It was so scary! We said a prayer as soon as we got out! The Gift of tongues is real! Oh my gosh you have no idea! I normally have no idea what people are saying, but yesterday I did. We gave the lady and her sister each a book of mormon and taught one of their daughters! At first she was like "come another time" and then she said "uh... well now is good actually, pass in" We used the scriptures a ton, because I knew they could teach them better a thousand times better than we could.. I mean its the word of God so its says things way better than me. But we left our testimonies and they said they would read Nephi 11 so :) We celebrated with Taco Bell! :)

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But 6 new investigators! I know that is an answer to a prayer! We have been asking to find the people who are prepared to listen and I know that our prayers are being answered! I'm just so happy about everything thats going on :)

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Lysalo read and Knows the Church is True! She fasted and prayed yesterday about when a good time to be baptized would be. Right now we have a goal set for the 18th of this month :) She is ready! She loves church and after praying, she loves the Book of Mormon, before she wanted nothing to do with it. She loved Church, but just wanted the Bible. But we talked about how important it really is if the Church is true. It is Everything. For us and for everyone. Its the most important thng in the world, it's the purpose of life. God has a plan for us and we really really can return to him! Thats what I told her! I just hope she knows that she needs to be baptized on that date! I don't know what she is holding back! It will all be good though! She will probably be moving soon... So hopefully before she moves she decides to be baptized! Ugh lol! Its all good!

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But Jesus is not keeping commitments... He knows what it means if its true. And I'm pretty sure he knows it is. He is just afraid to admit it to himself. He is afraid to change. So really keep him in your prayers! He is a really cool kid! He was telling me about how the Hangover Two was Hilarious! He loves talking about movies and Music with us. Way cool kid. He works like 58 hours a week so I see how its hard for him to read and pray, but man... Thats all he has to do!

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Welll what else... Oh yeah so the 2 zones on Manhattan Island had a special meeting yesterday. So apparently they are sticking MORMON.ORG ads all over NEw York City! LIKE ALL OVER! They will have a big screen in Time Square, at bus stops, in 2 of the cars on each subway and they will take up the full car... Uhm they will run ads on the little tvs in Taxis and will be on top of 200 taxis in the city! All over the place! So the next couple months will hopefully be really busy with people asking questions! More so in the English missions, but who knows who will come up and talk to us. But it was basically a training meeting in case a reporter comes up to us and tries to talk to us. Pretty sweet! They look way legit. They showed us pictures!

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So what is up with the Book of Mormon Play? I hear its like up for 14 Tony awards? Que en el mundo. People talk to me about it all the time. But I Know nothing! Other than the fact that it does not portray the church, missionaries, or religion in a positve way at all. People talk to us all the time, and are like "oh wow you are nothing like the missionaries in the play" lol! One time someone wanted to take pictures with us because they just saw the play. I laughed about it lol! But Idk it is apparenly a pretty big deal. And is Mitt Romney really that high in the polls right now? like 49% or something right? That is kinda cool! But yeah all is good!

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I got irritated this morning with some missionaries, because some people just have no respect for other peoples beliefs. I seriously wanted to go off on them. People believe what they want you know? This missionary was just making fun of something he saw and it just made me mad, cuz they are doing this all the time. He said something like the "Spirit of the Devil" when they were talking about feeling the Holy Ghost. NO! not right at all. The Spirit testifies truth and EVERY CHRISTIAN RELIGION TESTIFIES JESUS IS THE CHRIST! And he was just being ignorant. And missionaies say really ignorant things about Mary and Baby Jesus and how Catholics worship them. And I almost went off on an elder the other day for just going on and on about the Catholic Church. I wanted to punch him for how ignorant he was being lol! But I cleared it all up, and told him not to talk about other peoples religions, just like he does not like it when people talk about ours. Every person can believe what they want to believe. There are not many things that make me mad, but when someone pokes fun at something that is spiritual and personal to someone.They have no right! Thirteenth Article of Faith. "We believe in all things virtuous or of Good report" Uh it just frustrates me! Just don't talk about other peoples religions in a negative way. You can still teach what you believe, and let them feel the spirit. Just don't talk behind their backs, talk about what they believe and how they share it. Sorry about that lol! It just bugs me that people talk like that,  and they are supposed to be an example lol! But just live and move on and forgive and forget it. It just bugs me lol! Sorry about that!

Well I'm glad all is good! And there are no more tornadoes! I miss my friends back home :( And family and All of you! Thank you for the package by the way mom! Thats so awesome that RJ is in France. I am way jealous! Oh mom did you save all those pictures from my memory card? Cuz I want to delete them so I can take more, but idk... But yeah all is good! Where is Todd going to EFY? 

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But what all is going on back home? How are the Cards doing? Did Mark and Mike get their letters from me? Also ask Nick B. if he got his letter from me!

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Well I love you all! Things are awesome! Its blistering hot here! Ugh! So humid, just like home! So many cool people! Mom and Dad I hope you fly out to come get me! but two years from now I may just be ready to come home.  idk well I love and miss you all!  I am still me! I Stuff is good in this hood! :) But it really is! I want some cheeseits so I'm thinking I will go buy some! Okay well see you all soon! Give Garret and Thomas and Todd a hug for me!  Okay well love you all!

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 Okay well got to go! Love you!

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Marky!

PS: Oh also Add this into my blog! Go to Mormon.org Click MormonTv and go to NEw Videos and go to the 4th page and find the video called prayers! This is about a lady in ward! Just so happens to be the one that canceled on Elder Lewis and my dinner appointment lol! But it shows the inside of our building and places in New York that are in my area! She is way awesome She is a ward missionary. check out the video! Way awesome! But... Uhm what else. oh I know! Add better music to my blog lol! 

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P.S. I played basketball today, and just to let you all know I suck still. But I look forward to coming home and beating Bryan again!

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P.S.S. Send me my Bear!

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Okay love you mucho! 

So Much Fun Stuff

Ok first things first! Someone tell Joel to shave that stuff off his face lol! Thanks for the pictures mom. Haha! okay so the picture of the tall kid is Elder Day from the MTC- he is going to Orlando. he is awesome! Miss that kid a ton! Also, I did send Mark a card? Did he get it? I also just sent one out today for Granny and Pop pop! :)

So yeah life is great :) haha so much fun stuff! Idk where to even begin! So our investigators are going way slow.... haha but progressing none the less! I just wish I was like Greg and had 12 baptisms coming up! My companion (Elder Martindale) is the highest baptizing in the Mission with 25. He is super humble about it and knows its not about numbers, the numbers only mean thats how many people he has helped make that first step. He is helping them come closer to God. Its not about numbers! Not at all! Its about people and what their relationship is with God. But yeah I'm just curious how many Baptisms does Greg have?

So I said our investigators are going slow. Elder Huerta Luna and Elder MartinDale have been teaching this kid Ricardo for a long time. He has a baptismal date for June 4th.... We have not talked to him in 2 weeks almost now. We cant get a hold of him. We have tried everything!! His friend who is supposed to baptize him cannot get a hold of him! No one has seen him... His friend is Felipe Munoz. Way awesome kid. Preparing to go on a mission, about to get his call hopefully by the 10th. But yes I have no idea what is going on with Ricardo, I just want to see him baptized because I know how important it really is. Uh lol! 

Lysalo is progressing slow. She won't commit to baptism but she loves going to church and she pretty much believes everything. She just has not prayed about the Book of Mormon. Same story with Jesus.... they don't realize how important it is. It is everything!!!! Absolutely everything!!!! If they can figure out that this really is important and it is true. They know their purpose. They know their potential!!! Ugh lol! Its so so so so so important! I just wish they could see that! 

The Spirit has been amazing! It guides me every time i teach! I know how important it is to have the spirit with us! I say some things that are totally not me. Its the spirit working through me! I love it! We were talking to Jesus about the WOW (word of wisdom) and we were talking about smoking and he was like "well its not going to kill me tomorrow" and out of nowhere I said "Well just imagine 15 years from now. You get lung cancer, your daughter is 17 years old. You're about to die... How is that going to make you feel then?" totally not me. The words just came out  immediately. Jesus is 19 and hard to work with! I know he knows its true! He just needs to admit it to himself! He is scared to change. And that is what repentance is! Is change! A fresh view of yourself, God, and of the World! A change in attitude, heart, mind, and action! He knows it! He just needs to act on it! 

But anyways sounds like fun at home! Thank you again for the pictures! Get all my friends hat sizes and Gregs. I got one for todd. They have way cheap hats out here. Ten dollar yanks hats. And I just got 2 pairs of Oakelys today for 10 dollars a peace... The guy said they were real so... haha! Idk I guess we will see lol! Tell Lindsay congrats for her Graduation that I am proud of her! The next year will go by faster than she can imagine. Believe me. 

So yes a little about NY. Uhm you're a joke in this city if you follow the crosswalk signs. People seriously laugh at you lol! If there is not one coming you just go. Everyone is always in a rush. If you want to talk to someone, talk to someone who is sitting down outside their door! People love to talk here.. Only if they are not in a hurry. I am getting a lot better at Spanish. Still needs work! But I understand what is going on! I love it! Gift of tongues! When I call at Christmas I can talk to Lindsay fluently for you all! Is she taking Spanish at BYU I? She should! 

The city constantly changes! Where I am at its all black people and run down. Worst people in the world and nicest people in the  world. Down south it is super nice! I love the whole city. I love my area. People are crazy!!! HAah I love it! It is really cool to learn about different people and just talk to them and really get to know them a little bit. Elder Martindale is a little judgemental sometimes about the people on the street, but I just have to constantly remind him that they don't know better. Which they don't. They just make me laugh and then I try to talk to them. STL is a Joke compared to this place! I will go back and walk through East STL and it will not bother me. Its nothing. People are nicer in bad areas than you would think! Okay not much time so mommy here are some quick requests! :)

Fist of all... I bleached my STL Blues shirt on accident :( Its my Oshie one... So would it be too much to ask you to get me a new one??? A Large? Pretty please! Also I want the Gumbo recipe!!!!  Tell me when Greg gets home if he is balding. This lady in our ward said she would give me her special mexican shampoo she makes that can stop hair loss... we will see - I have high hopes! She owns a barbershop so I think she knows what she is talking about! Okay well love you!

Yes I get fed mom! Well thank you! :)! Oh and we went on a BBQ on Roosevelt Island for P-Day Way fun! I cooked steak for the first time! It was good lol! I also made pancakes for the 1st time last week! lol! I'm actually not bad at cooking! And I kind of like it lol! Well you can add this to my blog if you want so Okay I love you! :)

Pray For Them

Okay not a lot of time today! But first of all Love you all! Mom have Tre email my friends and ask for all of their hats and shirt sizes!!! You get way legit deals from the people on the streets with stuff! Especially fake yankees hats that look LEGIT and Sweet Fokelys lol! Well I gave Dad an update on all of the people that have not dropped us :( But Dora y Joe did not go well! apparenly Joe got freaked out and moved in with his dad... His mom said she would still like to listen to us, but is never home. Juan has not showed up for 3 appointments we have set... Dionis we are meeting with tonight so Pray that he shows up. We have figured out that Spanish Culture... People are really bad at keeping thier commitments. At least in this city! But City life is awesome! Yankees game was today! Had a lot of fun! Send me a memory card! I will send one home tomorrow! I am all out of room! I deleted some of the other stuff on there... I hope that was okay... But yeah things are fun! and the Spirit is way strong! Prayed with a homeless lady yesterday. It was a cool experience. She was mentally unstable! I have met a lot of cool people I wish I could tell you all about them. You can just read my journal when I get home! I have been doing a pretty good job at keeping up with it! Almost Everyday, not quite but most of the time! Dad would be proud :)

Last P-Day we went to the Metropolitan Museum and walked around Central Park! Place is sweet (just answered Dads question.) But I would love to go running in the park for exercise in the morning, but it is too far :( So maybe me and Elder Huerta will do it for a P-day next cycle after Elder Martindale leaves. He does not like running much lol! 

Nope still no mail from my friends :( Sad face! haha, but tell them to write me. Tell you know who to talk to them for me! They can all have like a write Mark hour lol! I would like to hear from them. I miss those Kids a ton! Love them all to Death! Hope they are all good! 

Melissa seems to be doing good :) You should talk to her!  I hear from her a ton! I wish I was as good at writing her as she is at writing me! I feel bad for that! I miss her! I miss everyone, but let her know I miss her! lol! :) 

And yes I know I need to write Granny! :( Sorry I haven't she writes me so much! but we hardly get any time to write! We are always going somewhere on P-day because Elder Martindale wants to do a lot of stuff before he leaves in 4 weeks! 

But just some random stuff... Uhm lets see Bought more ties yesterday lol! Ten dollars on the street from Ronald the Tie Guy! haha I have a Calvin Kline one that had a 50 price tag on it.... You don't ask where he gets them.. haha really nice guy though. Gave us free ties to give to the Bishops in our Church building. He said next time I come he will give me a free tie!  Uhm but all is well! love bearing my testimony and love talking to people! Talked to a guy who played in the Book of Mormon play! Have you all heard about that? We get questions about it all the time! Its crazy! We talk to people about it all the time. It is directed by the people who made "South Park" Apparntly it is negative towards the Church (But once again its from the makers of Southpark They have made fun of everything from Spongebob to Joseph Smith and the Pope) but it is a great way for people to talk to you! I have given a ton of referrals to other companionships because of it! Talked to a guy for 45 minutes at the Met about our religion and said he wanted to know more! 

Talked to this guy named Alfred yesterday who already like knew the Gospel. Had never taken lessons. I was like jumping out of my shoes while me and Elder Lewis were talking to him (we went on a split Elder Lewis came out with me) He knew EVERYTHING!!! It was crazy! Like wow! Hopefully the English Missionaries find him and find him again fast! I gave them the info! Speaking of which? do you know Sister Beswick from Idaho, mom from that missionary moms thing? He said his mom knew you and took Greg out to eat? He is a way cool kid. I went on a Blitz with him my first week here.

Well saw Elder Sorensen at the Yankees game today! that was cool! Oh and Elder Veater and Kay are in my Zone... and live together. Uhm... Oh mom get me a new prescription on my pills and face cream!!!!! ok I am random... I went on a Blitz with Elder Veater last week... Lets just say that was uh... Well interesting lol! I love Elder Veater he is such a unique kid lol! 

Oh my companion is in the home ward of Elders Uchdorf, Bednar, and Hales! Crazy! He knows them. Sister Uchdorf and Bednar visit teach his mom! He sees them all the time!!!!  haha! Not fair! such a lucky kid! Oh dad remind me next week to ask you something if you read this!! I don't have time to right now! 

Oh and mix yours and Dads email if you want okay mom? 

Okay well I got to go. Get that info from my friends like I asked! Okay I love you! Pray for the people here! You have no idea how different it is. Meet homeless people and the most humble poor people everyday. Mom and Dad thank you for everything in my life. I love you both so much for all you have done. I am so grateful for what I have after seeing how some people live. Pray for them. we visit a man who has 1 room in his home. Pray for them. We hear shootings everynight. Everynight. Don't worry about me. I'm safe we are in on time and nothing goes down during the day. But I heard a man die 5 days ago. Pray for them. Don't worry about me. I'm in the Lords hands. Pray for them. The Lord will guide me and protect me I have full faith and confidence in that. I love you mom hope all is Going good :) I'm happy hope you are too! God Bless you all and Pray for them! Talk to and see you soon!!!! 

Love your silly goofy ugly, gklgjakoghakgjakogjasdklj gagj haha son Marky Stephen Mattei! SSS BB Scrapmeat LPB SP! Haha I think my friends probably miss calling me these things more than they do me lol! Okay Love you all bye! :)

  But NY is awesome! I love it Dad! The people are awesome! We are working with 3 main investigators right now preparing for Baptism. One is named Jesus. He is 22 and has a 2 year old daughter. He works at a barbershop a member in the ward owns. He actually just cut my hair today lol! Shaved my face too all old school like lol! But yeah, he is going to be hard to get to Baptism, but he knows the importance of it and how it really is the only way to Return to God. I love him. He is awesome! Really shy, but a cool kid! And his name is Jesus lol! That makes him awesome automatically. He has tatoos and piercings and smokes so I can see how thats going to be a problem , but I know the Lord can do anything he wants so I am not to worried about that! :) (oh and we teach him in English :)

We are also teaching Lysolo Cuas. She is like... 23 maybe. Dominican. She speaks fluent... Fast Spanish! she is really cool! She was asking a lot of questions about temples the other day and says she wants one of the cool VIP paper things to get in lol! But she is really cool! She wants to make sure the Gospel is true, but she is progressing well and will hopefully have a date soon! Plus she is in a part member home! Her 2 cousins are members! 

Then there is Ricardo! He has a baptismal date! June 4th! Only met him twice, but he is a cool kid! 19 years old... Wow just realized all our investigators are young... But yeah his friend Felipe is about to go on a mission in the Ward! They are the Munoz family. The Single Mom with 6 kids. In a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment.Really humbling. Plus they have a really weird family arrangemetn...

So yeah the Spanish is coming slowly but surely! I can understand a lot more than when I first got here. It is coming along! Everybody says 2 months before you really get the hang of it... So yeah. I am patient and I know the Lord will help me! Well I am going to reply to Moms email! I love you Dad and yes we should take a Father/Son trip when I get home! I would really like that! Well talk to you soon! Message me if you get on! Love you!!!!

1st Week in New York

Hola Mi Familia! 

Life is going good! this city is Freaking Crazy! I just realized yesterday that when we hit the streets we are the only white people in Harlem! The first few days I was to busy worrying about everything else! Its crazy! I'm a minority! So yeah life is awesome! And before I forget I know Elder Hill, not very well but I know him! His companion from the MTC is in the same apartment as me. Elder Stevens is his name. He serves with Elder Navarez who is pretty awesome and from Cali.

So Elder Martindale, i figured out is on his last transfer. He will be going home in 6 weeks. So I will kill him off. But most likely I will stay with Elder Heurta after this cycle. Uhm so yeah. A lot to write! The city is awesome! Crazy things happen here! A lot of people in Harlem are convinced that the world will be ending on Saturday. Only God knows why they think this, but a lot of people are crazy! haha! Subway or the "Train" is always fun! People will do anything on there lol! So like yesterday there was this Crazy Lady screaming about Jesus for a Good 45 minutes! Like Crazy telling everybody on the Train Christ would smite them if they did not repent right now lol! Then some tourist was taking pictures right up in her face and she was like "In the Name of Christ I command you to step back" Of course he didn't he kept taking pictures. I thought it was funny lol! She does not have the authority to say that either so.... But yeah like she was doing a good thing, but the way in which she was doing it was way messed up lol! I feel bad for her! 

So we have a lot of new investigators right now! We are teaching this Domincan Girl named Lisalo. She seems way solid. She came to church for the first time this past Sunday. She is 21, I think and her cousins are members and that is who she is living  with. First night i was here we taught her and I did not understand anything! By and By I am learning the language and understanding what people are saying. I can communicate. Not well but I can do it. And the Spirit helps me with all the things I need to do and say. 

We are also teaching this guy named Jesus (Yes that is his name.) ahah but I actually get to teach him in English which is nice. Most Hispanic people here speak both, and it just so happens that he prefers English. He is 22. 

Then there is Nelson. Who I love! He is 67 and learning English. Recent convert! We just go over there and force him to speak to us in English! I said a prayer the other day and that really humbles you when you have a full grown man repeating the words that you are saying. He is awesome and he has a Dog named John F. Kennedy. lol! 

We are also teaching Juan, or will be. I contacted into him in the Projects. (He was drunk at the time) He said he wanted to stop drinking and we said we could help him. Well Elder Huerta did. I just walked up to him and said "Hola Somos Missineros de la Iglesia de Jesus Cristo de los santos de los utimos dias" haha then he sat down and listened to us. We are teaching him tomorrow. I have a great feeling about him! Like really good! 

So then we just found this woman Dora and her son Joe yesterday. An inspired contact once again, this time by Elder Huerta. Talked about families and just so happened that she was looking for help in her family. Her son speaks English so I will get to teach him more with Elder Martindale. Elder Huerta speaks English, but is learning. He has been out for a lil over a year. I love both of my trainers they are helping us out a lot! I love contacting to lol! Most missionaries hate it, but I think it is so much fun! you get to meet a lot of cool people and as long as you are nice and outgoing they normally listen and success comes out of it! The Spirit can really do cool things! We have helped find a lot of new investigators for a couple other areas as well.

So as you can imagine life is way different here. I am being humbled way fast. The Munoz family. She is a single mom. With six kids. Lives in a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment. Life is way different. I can't even begin to explain. They are so humble though and so happy with life,because they know that they have everything that they need. These are the best people to be around. Because they know people and they know what is truly important in life. Most of the areas we knock doors are in government housing (the projects) and these people really are not what society makes them out to be. yes some are, but the majority of these people are good people and want to do the right thing. Bad stuff happens down here not gonna lie, but a ton of really great things do as well. I have already seen miracles. Last night a man named Dionis walked into the church. Just so happened that he was Hispanic (spoke English as well) and 3 Hispanic missionaries were there. He said something about the church called his name and he needed to go inside. The lord provides a way.Okay Well  i don't got a lot of time. Mom whatever questions i did not answer let me know and ask me again next week! I love you all and hope all is well! Life is Great :) The Gospel Changes lives. It is Changing mine. I'm still stupid old me! haha no but really life is awesome! I hope everything at home is well! I will pray specifically for everyone of you! 

 

Greg will be home soon! Crazy! Oh Yankees game will be fun :) haha I will get him something! haha! its next Wednesday I think. But yeah. We are going to the natural History Museum today and the Metropolitan! Oh and I saw the Hotel from Home Alone lol! We get to go to the nice part of the city sometimes too lol! 

Tell everyone Hi and I love them! the ward and my friends! Life is great I miss you all! Hope all is well! hope I let you know everything you wanted to know! Tell lindsay Congrats on Graduation! Thats awesome! Weird to think I did it just a year ago! Very sad :( But happy. time Flies! I love you all! hope all is good back home! Mom send me a yankees calender and next year a NY Rangers Calender and the recipe for Gumbo! Oh and Not too interesting food yet either! Tried avacadoes for the first time though. Not as bad as they looked lol! Dad was always trying to get me to eat guacamole. Send Bear! Oh and buy 2 copies of Joseph Smith  The prophet of the Restoration for me! 1 in English and 1 in Spanish! Those movies are aweome! Ok well gots to go! Love you all! Send me Gma's Shrimp gumbo recipe too! Elder Huerta wants to try it! haha ok love you! I will send a list home with other stuff either next week or in the mail! I love you all! 

Love your Crazy Son Mark

Give Everyone a hug for me! Lub oow awe! :) 

P.s I want my room back to the way I had it when I get home :P

I Love NY

Hey Mommy! lol! I am in a Trio!~ My companions are Elder Huerta Luna from Puebla Mexico and Elder Martindale from Salt Lake! I am serving in Harlem!!! Freaking sweet! I love it so far!  Everything is fine!  We are on the 19th floor! Its crazy! I saw yankee stadium today! And we will get to go to a yankees game in a couple weeks! I'm pumped! I love it so far! Its nice having a native with me to learn to speak the language with me a lot better.Uhm Mission president is awesome! president Brown, didn't get to talk to him too much because there were 20 missionaries he had to interview. Had a good nights sleep and a really nice dinner too! It was awesome! He and his wife are really nice. Its their first mission as well as mine. And we are the largest transfer to come in!   


I want to get out and start teaching already. Which we will at six o' clock! But there are five of us in our room! 2 english speaking missionaries, one of them came in with me but I cannot remember either one of their names!  So yeah, but I'm so happy! Life is good! I really don't have much to say! the life is crazy here! Some old guy was singing and playing a violin on the subway today lol! Way funny! Just soaking it all in! We are emailing from the church! Oh which once again, the churches are even different! They are built up so its really weird! (meaning more than one story) The one we had transfers today had a parking garage. I just realized I have been in 3 different churches today! We are going to teach a mexican member tonight! I don't know her name, but yeah... Apparently we have 10 different investigators right now, but yeah I am really really excited! there is not a whole lot to say yet, other than the city is awesome :) 


oh my address is... 1990 lexington ave. #19F NY,NY 10035. So yeah there it is! Ok so write me soon! So yeah anything else you want to know? Elder Scaife is serving in Stamford, Connecticut, Kay is in Manhattan, uhm... Sorenson idk :( and elder Eliason is in upstate NY!  So everything is good I love you all mucho! It was really nice to have the chance to talk to all of you! Hope all is going good! Post my address, and Tell Mark, Mike and Jake to write me and Bryan - I am about to send him a letter. And tell Joel to write me! And whoever else? I'm not forgetting any of them am I? Ok I hope all is well! I love you all! Stay safe because I will be! You all are in my prayers, hope all is going good! Love you! Bye Bye now! (Apparently not  ;)  )   This place is amazing and you are all amazing and I miss everyone back home! Tell everyone who signed that one card for me thank you by the way!  (Thank you to the church members who signed the Easter card!)  Ok love you all once again! NY is awesome! I can't wait to really start! Oh and one last bad news :( I left my English Scriptures at the Mission home :( But I will get them soon hopefully! Ok I love you all! Hope all is going good! Love you! Give Garret a hug for me and forward my emails to greg, Jackson, and RJ , and Mckeon! Ok Love you all! Bye! :) 


PS: Oh! Really quick! Haha we almost missed our flight to NY from Detroit! Haha our district was at the wrong gate and barely made it! Hahaah it was pretty funny! Detroit airport is HUGE!!!  IT was like a scene from a movie with 6 missionaries running through the airport! One of Elder Kays wheels broke! lol! Oh and NY is beautiful! The countryside is so green! Its awesome! Plus the mission home was way nice! and I got the first good nights sleep in two months! Fun stuff! Okay well I miss you all! Bye! Life is awesome! Having a Whole Grip of fun! and I constantly am feeling the Spirit! Talk to you all next week! love you all! 


And more - Yeah Greg is right way too much packed! Try hauling it all around on the subway and having to walk with it 6 blocks! A pain in the butt! I am not doing that every transfer meeting! I will definitely be sending some stuff home lol! Probably in the next two or three weeks! that was so hard carrying all of that stuff! NY is awesome I love it! 

One More Week

Ah ha not a problem, the pictures are awesome! The one of Elder Veater singing is a song he made up that we think is hilarious! And yes Elder Law was packing cuz it was the last time he was going to get to hear the song!

The Video of Elder Kay was him making his funny voice and saying "I'm a puppy" then barking like a dog lol!

 And don't even worry about the one of me and Elder Crisp ;) haha its an inside joke lol! I miss Elder Crisp and Law; they are great Missionaries!

And yes, a week from now I will be in the Air :) I am so excited :) I can't wait to get to NY! RJ Is doing great! I really don't want to leave him and Jackson! I'm going to miss those two so much! Along with all the other friends I have made here! I know God has put people in my life for a reason and when they need to be there!

I was so happy to hear about Tre's mission call!!! Puebla Mexico! thats awesome! 3 Missionaries in my zone are going to the some Mission! Elder Neilson, Elder Lavoto (Knows Blaine Sherwood by the way) and Elder Pratt! All three Great Guys; I am sure Tre will get to meet them! Elder Neilson is a boss! He is one of the better friends I have made here!

That is aweome that Aunt Cindy and Uncle Donnie are coming! I hope my mish president will let me see them! and my companion will not be a complete Zooby about it! But that would be awesome! I am so excited!!!! Tell the fam I love them! I am going to write Todd and Thomas today! Mom Happy Mothers day! I will be sending a card today.  Haha I think you will enjoy it! :)

Thats aweosme that Tre, Mckeon and I will be able to speak spanish! So on that subject we got a new teacher last week HERMano Hernandez! HE is Mexican and pretty much only speaks spanish! Its hard to listen but I am learning a lot! Gilli left and went to take a job in Colorado!
Oh and yes I have got the packages! thank you I love them and I love you!

Glad to hear everyone is good! LEt them know I love them! OH and about me calling my flight leaves at 7 in the morning UT time. We leave the MTC at 4 and hopefully I will get to call somewhere between then! Then a lay over in Detroit from 12 45 to 2 15 so I might get to call then too! ZL is hard but they will change them up on sunday cuz I am leaving so thats good :) I kind of like it though! THings have been getting better! Okay well I love you all I have like no time, but I love you all and can't wait to talk to you on tues!!!!! But yeah we also heard from Elder Oaks. The Gospel is true I love you all :) :) time to go I love you fjsdsdjfjf sdklfjsdfkl HAhah Love you all! ! God bless! :)

Mark!!!! MArky!


A Funny Story from one of Mark's Letters ~


Oh and a quick funny story, you can put this on my blog if you want to. lol   


Last week I was laying in my bed and I told Elder Sorensen that my Blanket was better than his. (my brown one)  He has a similar one, but of course mine is better.  He then said, "Yeah right".  So I put my blanket over my body, covering my face, and said, "Cover Fight!"  So Elder Sorensen cheated and didn't put his blanket over his head and picked me up and spun me around.  when he was done, he said, " Here's your bed."  And I was like, "Haha real funny", because I thought he was trying to trick me.  So I spun around to where I thought my bed was (blanket still over my head of course), and dove to what I thought was my bed.  Long story short, it was not my bed.  I hit my head on a chair that was on the other side of the room.  lol  Elder Sorensen laughed for a good ten minutes.  lol  Just imagine me flying through the air with my blanket covering my head then landing on top of a chair.  lol  OK,  end of story.  Haha!  Love you, Bye!

MTC Part Two

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