First Email from Vegas

Doctrine & Covenants 4:1-2 
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

District 6A El Mejor Distrito en todo el CMM

I think this is his branch president. There weren't captions sent with the photos.

Elder Clark and Max

Getting ready to watch a movie: CCM style

(Holla at ya, 16 Miracles!)

District 6C (Max making it hard to take a serious picture...as always) 

Although, he doesn't seem to be the only one...

He sure loved his whole district. He was bummed they weren't all going to Vegas, too. People are headed to SLC West, Oklahoma Tulsa, Washington Kennewick, etc.

Hermana P, his buddy Elder W and Hermana J

Hermana J and Elder Alley

If she's trying to rein in Elder Alley, I wish her luck. His mom never could.

The Mexican Ministry of Silly Walks

In the CCM cafeteria eating food he will not be missing when he's back in the states. That poor kid lost weight down there. Get him an In 'n Out Burger stat! 

Sharing a coke (kinda) with his familia 

I sent sparkling cider so they could toast their last week in the CCM.

August 26, 2014

Well I have officially made it to Vegas everyone!

It is sad because here I don't get as much time to write, so the emails home will be shorter. Anyways, let me start by saying what good has happened and what I'm thankful for.

Our plane arrived safely and I am back in the USA! I missed this country dearly. SO MUCH has happened since I got here. I met the other new missionaries, got to drive down the strip (for the one and only time haha), I met the President (whom I LOVE) and all my luggage got here with me. We got picked up from the airport (just the 3 Spanish ones because all the English missionaries arrived earlier) and got to ride in a nice truck to a stake center where we went right into intro meetings. Then we met our trainers in a cool way. 

On transfer days all the missionaries meet in this one stake center in the gym and all the greenies (newly arrived missionaries) wait in the hall. Then with everyone watching President Ahlander announces the trainers name and says your new companion is Elder ___ and then the greenie walks in through the door and everyone sees them for the first time and everyone cheers and claps and yells and its pretty cool. My trainer is Elder Maldonado. He is a native from Mexico, but he knows some English because he lived in Utah for 5 months leading into his mission. I asked him to only speak Spanish with me though, so I can learn faster. 

Next thing I know we grab my luggage and throw it in our car and he hands me the keys. Apparently, I am going to be driving everywhere because he doesn't have a license. So right after so much has happened and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, I get thrown into a car and I haven't driven anything in a while and I have to try and navigate the streets of Vegas. I literally was thinking "What have I gotten myself into?" 

We went to the apartment which would actually be a nice place if it was clean. but who ever had it before absolutely trashed the places. (Mom, I truly think you would vomit if you saw how dirty the kitchen is.) Then we went right to having dinner at a member's house. We actually ended up visiting 4 different families in the last two hours of our day. I was able to follow the conversations for the most part but I was just feeling overwhelmed that I didn't say much. 

Guys, I can't even truly explain everything that I have felt and gone through these past 48 hours. SO MUCH has happened. I am just in shock. I feel like it's day one again. I feel overwhelmed and inadequate and the weight of the fact that I have so far to go is on me constantly. I know things will get better the longer I'm here, but being in these first days and weeks is going to be hard. 

I love you all and I know this is the Lord's work, though. 

Elder Alley