Christmas 2010

Hey fam it was awesome to hear from you all, miss you all like crazy but just taking it one day at a time... The phone call was sweet.  After the call we just went to the Rojas house, yes they are members, and holy cow sister rojas knows how to cook, they have a little bit of money and she is sweet, so we ate with all of them, they gave us some chocolates, then we left and made ginger bread houses as a zone, I couldnt focus on the house, I was thinking about my family to much.  Then had dinner again, man I have eaten so much this weekend it was crazy, but thats ok.  Then after that we came back and had to start working, so that was a little tuff to have to work after christmas, but I can do it for 2 years.  Thats awesome that you have snow now.  I forgot to tell you mom that I got to see your jibjab, that is awesome , I was laughing so hard.  it was awesome, made my day.  And yes I will do that for you, I will get all that stuff to the family hernandez.  And ya that will be awesome for tanner, there are people there waiting for him, so he will go there and just keep plugging along.  How did the call go for tanner and cheryl?  I forgot to tell you Kod that you could so be a combi driver here, haha they act just like you when they are driving.  If you want you could come here to peru and work all day driving and make 40 soles.  which is like 13 bucks... just a thought.  Mom one thing that I could use would be spiker, that hair gel.  you can just send a little one in the weekly package.  Howd the call go for blake?  blake told me that alot of people are getting married, who is all getting married?  I called you from our cell phone, remember the church put credit on the cell phones for us.  And that is crazy about sunday night football, but i miss football a ton, who is going into the playoffs?  This saturday is going to be p day so today we have to work normal.  so we are just going to pass the new year in our room haha the mission... all of the sweet things we get to do here.  I just cut my hair, and man she cut my hair so bad, but ya o well.  What are you all going to do for the new year?  the changes for us will be the 25 of January.  Yesterday we had a pretty crazy guy that we were teaching.  He gave us a blessing or something and drew a cross on our forehead with his finger, haha that was the first time, hahaha mom you never told me if Jacob Martin left on his mission yet?  and if you can find out mom, if my friend Jake Aimes left on his mission or if he is still there in Utah.  You can ask cody harris.  THanks mom love you for all of your support and your packages.  Keep telling me everything that is going on and Ill just be here in the heat working.  Love you all very much keep up the good work.  One day at a time.  love you elder stauffer

TEN REASONS WHY A MISSIONARY CHRISTMAS IS DIFFERENT

-Written by Sally Tielemans, Henderson, Nevada -Missionary mom to

Elder Tielemans-Japan Sendai (Now an RM)

1. Last Christmas we were counting our money; this Christmas we are

counting our blessings.

2. Last Christmas we were giving thanks for gifts from stores; this

Christmas we are giving thanks for gifts from God.

3. Last Christmas we valued things that were costly; this Christmas

we value things that are holy.

4. Last Christmas we were wrapping gifts; this Christmas we are

wrapped up in the work.

5. Last Christmas we looked into people's eyes when we spoke; this

Christmas we look into their hearts.

6. Last Christmas we prayed to obtain a testimony; this Christmas we

pray to share our testimony with others.

7. Last Christmas we were impatient with the weaknesses of others;

this Christmas we are working on our own.

8. Last Christmas we read the scriptures as a duty; this Christmas

we read them as a joy.

9. Last Christmas we thought it was enough to celebrate the

holidays; this Christmas we are finding ways to consecrate them.

10. Last Christmas, Peru was just a place on a map; this Christmas,

it is a place in our hearts.

Hey family, just another week down here in paradise.  But no I dont have a change, neither does Elder Zapata so I am pretty excited that I dont have to leave all of these families and that I will have a cool companion for christmas, man time is flying by. Christmas is coming up on us, but ya the whole christmas feel in a mission is a little different, all we are going to do is visit families and all that but not even sure if we are going to work that day or what is going to happen, but we have a baptism on christmas, so that will be sweet.  Their christmas here is the 24th, they open all of their gifts and all of that on the 24th.  But we will be going to the hernandes´ house and the Huamans house on the 24th I think we will see.  How is everything at home, I would open up the christmas card mother dear but I cant visit other web sites so I cant open it,  SORRY....  But thank you so much for the Liahona of the conferences, I have been reading it all week, and man it is awesome, thank you so much, pretty crazy how I can read a whole talk and understand everything now, but man I takes alot of hard work.  It is still a little frustrating when everyone makes fun of your accent but that is ok. Because they have an accent too haha 

Tor and Tamm I just got your emails thank you so much, I love the pictures, and Congratulations that is awesome, just pray and fast, and then the Lord will put in his part and will bless you with a new baby girl.... ahahahahahaha sorry tam, I am thinking it is a girl and if it is a girl, you have to name her, LUZ.  hahah

 

Thanks sister for your email that is awesome that you feel like you are doing some good, some days I feel that way and then there are days when everyone tells you to go away and that they dont want to listen to us, that they slam the door in your face,that all the drugies call you gringo in the street, and tell you that Joseph Smith is in hell..... And then there are days when you push through all of that and find a sweet person that is in a wheel chair that is just sitting there waiting for us.  There are some sweet experiences and I am learning alot being down here.  So just be happy, and share your testimony with everyone, it is like you have to be hey Im mormon and we believe this this this, it isnt like that you can just get to know them first and then if they are having problems you can say, well our Father in Heaven loves us, just short little testimonies like that.  MIss you tons sister, love you Talk to you soon, whoo hoo

Mom thank you for all of the emails, and thank you so much for getting that picture all worked out for me, you can send me a picture of Jordann to so that I can explain the story, that is so awesome that Jordann is out there staying strong.  Thanks for all of the packages mom I feel like I am right at home with that smell that the boxes have, that is awesome our room smells so good.  Our new room is so so so nice.  So i am pretty excited to stay, and I get to keep helping Martin, I hope that he can progress more.  LOVE YOU MOM That is pretty wierd about the weather and that is wierd that Kaleb is leaving man he is new new new, tell him that I love him and that he is going to love it, and that he needs to study the language hard, that it seems imposible at first and then at 6 months you will get the hang of it.  Love you pops, miss ya, love you tons mom, miss you tons, love you fam, kody, steph, tam, tory, arin, dev, branik pay, love you all, thank you for all of your support, pray for me.