May 2, 2011 - Email to Family

Ahhahahaha what have I gotten myself into?????  This place is flippin' crazy. 

Huelva

Huelva

Well missions, out on your own in a different country - is crazy.  I had no idea what to think my first day here.  Huelva isn´t very pretty at all and it is super dirty.  Everyone here smokes, I would say at least 90 percent of the time people on the street here have a cigarette.  I will have lung cancer by the time I get home.  The air quality here is really bad, apparently there are big plants surrounding us and they just shoot smoke in the air all the time.  I cannot understand ANYONE.  The accent here is so hard.  They switch S´s and T´s around all the time and speak suuuuuper fast.  But it´s okay I know I will understand eventually, I learn and speak better every day.  But I am nowhere near fluent yet.  But I have faith.  Coming on a mission really makes you think, people aren´t happy in the world.  All of this music, drugs and being immature mean nothing.  The worldly things really are stupid.  It’s all about family and the Savior.  So Huelva is hot when it´s not raining.  It has been raining a lot here since I got here, but when it´s sunny, it ´s sunny.  The members here are soooo cool.  They are all sweet hearts and they feed us almost every meal.  We usually have a lunch appointment and a dinner appointment with them.  Dinner always happens with a member; at least every night I have been here they feed me.

The food here is awesome, it´s super good.  They eat meat and rice almost every meal.  I eat a lot of tomato's here, which is fine they don´t gross me out anymore.  I only have an hour to write, and an hour to Skype.  But yeah I love it so far even though it´s hard and difficult at times.  You know me; I am a tender heart deep down, Satan really tries to play with your emotions and thoughts here.  I have been sad for a couple hours of the day, thinking about home and whatever.  Satan also tries to put bad thoughts in your mind, I feel like he does more than ever in my life.  It’s probably because I am the most clean and spiritual I have ever been in my life that I realize bad thoughts.  But evil is everywhere here, the women don´t know what modesty is haha.  But the devil always tries to put doubtful thoughts in my mind, because he knows how to get me.  I am so hard on myself and only expect the best right away; that´s not how it works.  The Lord has to tear us down first and then build us up.  I have some investigators here!!!  We have like 5 people that are new investigators and one guy with a baptismal date.  However the one with the baptismal date (Minino) didn´t come to church this last Sunday.  He is African and a really nice guy.  I have been told by the members I have a really strong spirit when I bear my testimony; they can feel it.  They know I am upset that I can´t say a lot and hardly understand them.  But they can feel the spirit, which is good because the spirit is what tells them the truth. 

Elder Cody's Appartment in Huelva

So my trainer is Jarom Shaver from Sierra Vista Arizona.  He is a sweet kid and only been out 5 months.  He is super nice.  He corrects me and is a straight shooter with the rules.  That is good because obedience is key on a mission.  He is an awesome teacher and very out going to the members and the investigators.  I actually have two companions because the other Elder Becerra is waiting for his companion.  In two weeks either Becerra or we will leave Huelva . 

So packages, I will be able to get them on the 11th because we have Zone conference.  But send them straight to me from now on.  If you send anything through mail, do it this week and send it straight to me. But I may leave soon so I won’t give you the address.

Malaga

Pres Clegg and his wife are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Malaga

Málaga is soooo gorgeous, pictures don´t do it justice.

Malaga

Love,

Cody