Saturday, August 25, 2012

8-25-12

Dear Family,

This week has been really fun.  I told you about Elder Hansen, right?  Well, he is the one from Arizona and we have gotten to be really good friends.  His companion left last week and has been companion-less ever since.  So I took him in for the week.  We have been together all week long now and it has been way fun.  Transfers are next week... and as it turns out he is leaving to go to another zone in Medellin.  

Speaking of transfers... I get a new companion this week.  He is Elder Smith.  I don´t know him yet, I just hope he is cool. But it will be cool to have an american companion, finally!  My current companion is going to the mission office to work.  It is his first transfer and is pretty sad.

What else....

Well this week we have the conference with Elder Christofferson, which will be really cool.  We just found out that we have to prepare a 10 minute talk and they are going to choose 2 people to give them in front of Elder Christofferson...  I hope it aint me.

The whole mission is coming to Medellin for the conference too.  So we get to see everyone.  I am pretty excited for that.  We usually get into our little gringo group and speak in english.  Then on Tuesday, we are all going to play soccer and have a giant tournament.  It should be pretty fun.

Well, I don´t know of anything else to say.  

Love you lots and hope you have a great week!!!

Love,
    Corey

Monday, August 20, 2012

8-20-12

Dear Family,

This week has been good.  The truth is that nowadays, there is not a whole lot to share.  I am having a good time and all, but not too many crazy stories to share.  But things are going really well.  Just teaching a bunch of people and trying to get them to be baptized.  Its not an easy task, but I like doing it.  

On monday, last week, after I wrote to you we went to go play soccer.  We played in my old area in Belen.  It was weird to be back but cool to see it.  I didn´t really get to see anyone, but just where I used to live...  Also, the coolest part is that as it turns out, my first mission president, President Bolívar, works in Belen.  He moved from Bogota to work for the church in Medellin.  So we got to go see him.  I went with Elder Hansen and Elder Wilde.  I guess we are some of the last living missionaries from the era of Pres. Bolívar.  I was really good to see him.  Wierd but cool.  

Elder Hansen and Elder Wilde are the gringos I have been hanging out with lately.  Elder Hansen is from Arizona and Elder Wilde is from Kansas.  They both plan on studying at BYU so we will get to hang out after the mission, which will be cool.  Elder Wilde goes home tomorrow... and it is kind of weird since I met him when I started the mission.  

I guess it is official now... I will be home on the 19th of October!  It seems really weird to be so close.  I feel like I have been here forever just working and at the same time like I just started... It is a weird feeling to be the old one now.  I remember looking up to the ones that were so close to finishing and seeing them as really old and grown up.  I guess thats me now.  I don´t feel like it, but thats me I guess.  

Well I hope you have a great week!!!  I love you all!!!
Love,
    Corey

Monday, August 13, 2012

8-13-12

Dear Family,

This week was really good.  I really like my area and I think it will be a good place to finish...

As it turns out, I will be home in about 2 months.  That is quite soon, by the way.  I cant beleive how fast time is and has gone by.  It seems like yesterday that I started the mission.  This week, for some reason, has haunted me with dreams about going home though.  The other night, I had one that it was my last day in the mission.  I was really sad to be leaving and excited to be home.  It was kind of that feeling where your stomache is all tied up and you feel sick almost.  I guess it will be something like that... we will see.  

Things with the companion are fine.  I am about fed up with the weird things latinos do... but all is well.  I am hoping I will get one more companion and that he will be american.  It is just so much easier to live with someone you can relate to.  I am told the president that it is my last request.  

In my zone there are 4 other americans.  We seem to get along really well and we hang out a lot.  We are doing lots of activities and it is cool to finally have a good sized group of cool americans close by.  Finally I am not the only one around!  

Our zone is practicing a song for when Elder Christofferson comes.  I think we are trying to earn brownie points... but it should be good.  He comes on the 26th for the stakes in Medellin and on the 27th will be with us.   I am pretty sure he is coming especially for my birthday haha.

Well I hope all is going well up there.  I love you lots and hope you have a great week!!!

Love,
 Corey


P.S.  mom, I need the full names and phone numbers of bishop mendenhall and president strong.  I got my release papers and need the info asap.  Thanks!

Oh and by the way...   I WILL BE HOME ON THE 19TH OF OCTOBER!!! 

Monday, August 6, 2012

8-6-12

Dear Family,

This week was good.  This letter might be kinda short... but it was a good week.  

First of all, we had a baptism!!!!   A guy named Omar got baptized.  He is a good guy.  He is kinda shy and quiet and stuff,  but he overcame a lot so he could be baptized.  I shouldn´t share too much, but one of the things was that he was a smoker.  We helped him get over it and he was struggling a lot this week, but he did it and got baptized.  Now he is really happy and made a ton of friends in church yesterday.  
Also, I did divisions with a fellow american buddy this week.  Elder Hansen.  He is super funny and its always nice to get away and speak english all day long.  I also like how the people look at us in the streets and busses and stuff.  They just think we are stupid gringos and they start to talk about us.  Also, the little kids look at their moms and say stuff like, mom look 2 gringos...   

I really like my new area.  We have some really good members and investigators and things are going really well.  I figure it´ll be a good area to finish the mission in.  

Well sorry for the short letter but I am out of time and information.

Love you lots and hope you have a great week!!!
Love,
      Corey