Week 18 (12/23/2013)

FELIZ NAVIDAD!! First off im about 6 months into my mission! The time is flying by so fast!! If you can send me a copy of that movie. All is well here, it was really hot again this week. It is all good now because another cold front has moved in so it is raining again. This has been an amazing week!! First off I got a new companion and he is awesome!! We are like best friends! His name is Elder R and he is from Columbia we have been doing alot of good work here.

Yes I hung all of the christmas decorations in our house we are ready for christmas.

Im sorry about your presents, I am having a hard time sending them so they will be late. Ohh my gosh we had one of those days we are never going to forget. Friday we had to travel to Minatitlan for a mission christmas party, so we had all the zones that are in the state of Veracruz show up. We got there all right it was the coming home that got a little weird. It ended up being a really good devotional. First we sang then we had testimonies by a stake president then Hna Morales spoke to us, she is always so powerful in her talks. Then their 3 kids sung a song and Pres. Morales told us that we need to work harder and be better haha. Ya we didnt really expect that from him haha. Then we had dinner and left. We took a taxi to the bus station, our taxi driver was talking to me about the United States and how he loves the food their haha. When we got to the bus station there were no buses so we had to wait for about an hour. But we were with a missionary that once served in this area, so he called a member who came to pick us up in little like food truck haha we cramed about 12 Élderes in the back of this thing haha So we started traveling ohhh my word it was the worst trip of my life, BUT SO FUN. We were just dying of the heat back there but just having the time of our lives.

Now we are about halfway inbetween Minatitlan and Coatzacoalcos when one of the truck tires blow haha so now there are about 14 Elders stuck on the side of the highway haha we tried to hitchike but it didnt work. We eventually caught an cheap bus to Coatza. After all this we still beat the Zone leaders to Coatza haha Then we took a normal bus back home. It was a great day. 

As far as calling goes I am going to try to call on christmas later in the afternoon. I will email you before so keep an eye out for that. 

I am very excited to talk to you all this week!!!! until then 

Nos Vemos

Les quiero mucho!

Elder Parduhn

Week 17 (12/15/13)

Familia,

Another wonderful week!! We had our district activity this week. We ended up cooking some wonderful steaks and watching the best 2 years haha. It was acctually a pretty normal week. Me and Elder R caught the cold this week, well Elder R did, im all good. So we had some slow starts this week. It is still pretty cold! Two new cold fronts came in and the rain has been pretty cold.

Some fireworks that where given to him.  They do alot of fireworks around the holidays!!

 Hna J gave us more fireworks this week!!! In total she has given us about 100$ in fireworks free!!!! They are so much fun. Ya they are like homemade haha. We were supposed to travel to Minatitlan this week for some kind of Conference but it ended up getting canceled 2! ugh I was so mad because I was going to see Elder C there! 

We had a baptism this Saturday!! The 2 C boys!! They are awesome!! It was a great baptism! We were planning to have it after the ward party but at the last minute our bishop changed it so we had it before haha. So we ended up having the service in the sacrament hall then we all piled into the primary room for the ordinance then finished in the sacrament room again. 

Then we started the party! Christmas here is so cool they do some many different things! The party went great, for some reason they decided to have hamburgers haha so we made those for the ward. Then we broke some piñatas!! I was holding them and about got killed 2 times by the crazy children haha. 

Transfers came today. Elder R is headed to Villahermosa and I stay here for another transfer. I will now spend 1/4 of my mission in my first area. haha its alright though, alot of missionaries do. I really want to be somewhere new though. Its all good at least my best friend Elder A is still in my district haha. I will be getting another missionary that leaves home after this transfer haha.

Thanks for all! Love you all so much!!

-Elder Parduhn

Zone Conference!

I think his umbrella broke!!

The Primary Program!

Week 16

Weekly Letter (December 9, 2013)

This has been quite the week!!!! First off we had Zone Conference in Coatzacoalcos, but it wasnt just our zone, it was all the zones in Coatza!! So there were about 60 Élderes and 10 Sisters. Its funny because our zone is the only one in the mission that doesnt have any sisters. It went really well. Then our miracle investigator fell through this week! He cant be baptized, the family is scared to have him baptized without the dads permission, I don't blame them. Everything is ready, we are just waiting for the baptism. We do have a baptism for 2 boys this weekend! :) The Custodio Boys! They are great! Ohh my gosh remind me when I get home to tell you about there friend ''Amoroso'' he is probably the best investigator I have seen!! The zone leaders came this week haha. SURPRISE. Ya I was just sitting there trying to fix my hole puncher when we heard a knock on our window, and we were like ''Who on earth is knocking on our window at 8 in the morning??'' Ya it was them haha. We had Divisions that day. I was with and Elder named Elder A. He is awesome, he's just a mexican version of me haha we are so similar. 

 

 

ohh ya. One of the sisters in our ward sells fireworks (they use them for christmas) and she gave us this huge bag of them for free!! So we spent a good hour wednesday night playing with fireworks hahah soooo fun!!! Im really excited for Christmas! They do some crazy things down here and I cant wait to see it. I will try to take pictures of it all. 

This has been a very spiritual week! I wish I could write the experiences i'm having, but I cant. This really is the best 2 years. I cant wait to share them with you when I get home!! But until then, I love you all!!! Cant wait to talk to you in 2 weeks!!! Keep up the good work at home!!

Love Élder Parduhn

 

 

He bought himself a new sweater because it has been getting a little cold!

His Thanksgiving dinner!!!

 

Week 15 (12-2-13)

Familia,

That is so good to hear about Karli and her call!! Drew is a trooper and I know the Lord will bless him and his family because of the decision he is making. 

Well this week was just full of surprises! First of we had another cold front, which means alot of rain, but this time it was actually pretty cold! Monday-Thurday were really cold and wet. It really reminded me of home. It is like the fall weather here. Its all good though because I bought a really cool sweater! Everyone loves it! Including me haha Everyone here tells me that I dress so american hahah I love it. So to answer your question yes the weather does change, and yes I might need the sweaters. The newspapers have been saying that there are like 42 more cold fronts! It is a record in México haha. Its kinda fun being the only white person in this city. haha People just stare at me, and everyone knows who I am, and everyone loves my blue eyes haha, but it is also really hard because I am the outcast and many people treat me like that. Im glad I dont know the swear words down here yet, because my companion tells me that they yell a lot at me. hahah It is quite funny :). 

No they do not have anything close to Thanksgiving here, so it was just a normal day.

We did have a miracle happen this week though. We were sitting and studying when a member of our ward called and asked if we could give a blessing to her nephews, because the bishop wasnt able to come. So of course we said yes haha. That is where we found Jorge Angel, he is a little boy that recieved all the lessons from some other Élderes but couldnt be baptized because his parents said no, but after the blessing the mom wanted so bad for him to be baptized. So now we have a baptism next week. Also their family wants to hear the gospel as well. The Lord definately has his hand in the work in Agua Dulce México! 

Thanks for the update im really glad all is well at home! You all are also in my prayes. Les quiero muchisimo!! Ustedes siempre estan en mis oraciones. Siguen para hacer las cosas buenas y escuchan a la voz del Espirítu! Les quiero mucho. les voy a placticar en la proxima semana.

Élder Parduhn

I hope to be sending another package in the mail in the next few weeks. And im going to try to include presents for all so look for it. Tengan una buena semana!