FIRE ON THE RIDGE

Dear Mommy!

oki doki so it is transfers this week, and....drum roll pleas!....................................I am spending Christmas in MIAMI BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elder Bishop and I are staying together for another Transfer at least!!! I am so happy, when we got the conference call last night, we were with Eduardo and Giovanna, and they were nervous as can be, she was shaking and had to sit down, he was crying cause he didn't want us to go, and we heard that every single companionship in the Miami Beach Zone is transferring but us! we were jumping for joy, and we all started crying we were so happy, I love the people here! I LOVE this branch, I Love the members they are all sooooooo awesome. para que sepan! (so that you know) Elder Bishop and I added 30 investigators this past transfer, in six weeks 30 investigators, not bad!

 Anyway, that fire looks insane, any idea how the fire started? hope everything is fine over there.  we had a fire here in Miami beach that destroyed 7 apartment buildings, nuts! no body was hurt or killed luckily all the buildings were evacuated and foreclosed anyway, and the arsonist that started the fire died in it. what a crazy guy.  It isn't even on the news because the fire burned so fast that the news crews couldn't get here in time, and the fire trucks had it put out in no time. a thing about the buildings here, being built out of concrete makes it easy to put fires out haha. Ok so for Christmas, I could either Skype home, or call, I would rather Skype so i could see everybody, and you could see me! I could skype from Eduardo's house, he has the same computer as you guys. so it would be lightning fast. Plus i would rather not have elder bishop laughing at me while i talk on the phone cause i pace while talking. The salsa is delicious and the jam also! so my body is kinda crazy, so when i first got here, Elder stubbs told me "just watch, you'll blink and your abs become insulation, and you blink, you become a trainer, you blink and you are in leadership" haha now, i blinked and i weigh 160 pounds, i don't really want to blink anymore right now haha, jk i would love to train.  now that we have been committed to do 30 mins of extreme exercise in the mornings like running stairs, and then weight training, I feel healthier and i am getting buff haha.  i actually do have a six pack, but little by little the flab is disappearing and the pecs and abs are appearing haha, on to some more spiritual things haha, thanksgiving (el dia de accion de gracias) was great, we had three meal apts!!! oye that was a TON (literally) of food! turkey, sweet potato, potato, veggies, soda, salad, sweets, people, the whole sha-bang! it was there, got kinda trunky tho cause it was everything that we would have at home, but i got a pic with the family we ate with, haha and i dont have my mouth closed sorry mom, haha, its funny tho,,, so what happened with my request for the family picture? haha, i forgot a little what Teiler and Tiibo look like. So much to say so little time, tell Ryan to send me a letter, and i will send him one in Spanish. he needs to practice after all.  its hard to believe that he will enter the MTC when i am nearly at my year mark! WHERE IS TIME GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!! ill tell you where its going, it reminds me of Kipp, the "Blink-you-miss-it" town,  you blink it is the next day, week, month etc, it is nutso! btw para que sepas mami, si yo recibi los paquetes. (so that you know mami, yes i received the packages). this past week, i got really sick, we couldn't go out or anything, i was confined to my bed all day.  i got the flu really bad. oh well, the work of God continues .  I am so excited for this next transfer! we are going to exceed the number of total lessons that we got this last transfer (93) and get at least 100.  well. i need to go and do the picture thing, but i look forward for next weeks letter, les quiero muchisimo!

Yours Always, biceps and all hhaha

Elder Maki

p.s: Teiler, Que paso? no has escrito una carta para mi esta semana, pero bueno, te espero proxima semana. chow pescado!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Hi Mommy!!! ok so with the "fecha" thing, ya i realized what i said when i got home and changed into some workout cloths, haha but oh well, unfortunately I have to email President Anderson first thing when i get on the computer so sorry I am no longer able to tell him about Elder Estupinan. You can even ask my companion what i just did when i read that Ryan is going to Barcilona Espana, i literally jumped for joy, i didnt care what anyone else in the library thought, he is speaking spanish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! someone now to help me keep up the language when i get home and to help me make fun of people without them knowing what we are saying hahaha lol.  Now just waiting on James right? just so you know,  when you send packages and they say it will be here in three days, they really mean three weeks haha, the package goes throught like 60 post depots and then goes through a bunch of scanners down here, but oh well, hopefully i get it before transfers, which is next week already!!! oh with the 6 month mark, the memory card is corrupt, so it didnt save the picture, but oh well,  in a couple months i will hit my year mark and that will be cooler.  It is awesome that dad got a blessing in spanish, I am still learning but getting better and better, not to brag or anything, Ya dad when you say it is -17 and -25 i think to myself, Holy cow that is cold,, I am on the verge of freezing here and it is still above 70, yikes haha.. oh well,,, oh for Christmas, i want some pictures of the whole family, WITH TIIBO!!!! i miss that mutt!!! some letters from the family (aunts and uncles) and cousins, and.........some other stuff i cant think of what i would like for christmas, I have everything I could ever want right now I guess, A testimony, a family who loves me, knowledge of the Gospel, Friends.  haha i guess you can realize that Christmas isnt all about toys and fun and games, it is a time when we celebrate all that God has given us, and we give a little back. haha dad your son has been humbled eh? (oh still canadian) BTW there is a senior couple serving here from Cardston, so it always great when i see them and they always say "well hello our Fellow Albertan" and it is just like another piece of home.  the other day they did our apt, inspections, and i got a phone call from a member, and i was speaking spanish, and sister sommerfelt turnned to me and said once i hung up, "that is soooo cool that our fellow Albertan can speak spanish like a spanish person!" It was funny, they will get home a few months before I do, and there is no doubt that I will be visiting them often.  So how is the house doing, so it is funny that with all the pics you have sent me, there is none with the family or TIIBO!!!!! haha, what about those pics that Shanna Bikman took?  That is what i want for christmas.  Wow i am exhausted right now haha, Every morning at 6:30 we go across the street to the church and run the stairs for five minutes, than laps around the gym for 5 minutes then stretching excersizes for 10 minutes and then strengthening excersizes for the rest, i am geting pretty buff haha. I am sitting happily around 167 pounds right now, alot different than the 130 that i weighed when i entered the mtc.   but anyway. oh Teiler, whats up bro? I dont know if you got it yet but i sent off a b-day card, sorry i forgot about it haha, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUDE!!!!! the card is cool too, btw it is in spanish, the thing with the hispanic people is their humour doesn't make sense to us. haha that card was under the section "chistoso" which basically means hilarious. its not very hilarious if you ask me but is is funnier that all the other ones. Dang you got 17 years now, sheesh, getting old.  when we come back down here, there is a girl i think you would like haha ;) and i think she would like you. haha. dont blush now, dont do it! Shut up I am better than you!!! haha remember that? haha long time. ok ok pixie stick is kicking in haha SUGAR! haha jk.  ok everybody, i look forward for next weeks letter and PICS!! and more of where James is going and all the other people!

yours always, sugar high and all!

Elder Maki

I'M FREEZING!

Hello Mommy!!!

So I am currently sitting in the Library writing this email while looking off into the ocean haha, jealous yet? anyway, This week was great! we got 18 total lessons in this week, Eduardo and Giovanna WANT TO SERVE A MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was so happy when they started asking us what things you have to do on a mission how much it costs how early you have to wake up and everything! it was sooooo awesome! and last night was Pedro's farewell, I cried like a baby, not because i was gonna miss him which i am but because it brought back so many memories of my farewell and all that. Not trunky by any means but still made me think of all the faces at home.. does no one at home (other family) not love me anymore or something because the people i have gotten letters from are a few of my friends and grandma and grandpa, no one else, uncles and aunts i mean.  haha I want more letters!!! that will be the best christmas present ever. oh with the paquete! (Package) I would like some more jam, salsa, that blanket, (because it is getting colder, it is sitting right now at about 78, im freezing!!!) Hemp hand cream (my hands hurt and are dry from my handle bars, btw the other day we road a distance of 16 miles, we are sitting at 128 miles in two weeks) Stamps if you can, ALOT of stamps, cause they are so expensive down here, They have to be american tho. and some face wash stuff. and of course canadian snacks haha.  oh and what is happening with Ryan's call, has he gotten it yet, James, Nathan, anybody else? well I have not much else to say, but I love you all, and The other night, Elder Bishop and I were taking pictures of ourselves with a slow shutter speed in the dark with our bike lights making the baptismal symbol, i did one with the white and red one symbolizing baptism by water and fire. it was cool, and now a letter to my dear brother!

Teiler, whats up bro? wheres the pics man? its hard to believe that i have been on my mission for 7 months already and each week goes faster and faster, especially every transfer. this transfer is almost over already, I have been 3 transfers in this area and it is amazing.. Dude i miss you like crazy, and you are just starting to miss me?lol jk jk,,, anyway,,, i know it must be wierd not having me there all the time, no one to talk to you besides your friends, no one to annihilate on COD lol, no one to fight with to scream at or whatever, but know that I love you man, alot.  Call me a nerd or whatever you want, but this gospel means everything to me, especially my mission, Living the mission life is very difficult sometimes, but es vale la pena (it is worth the shame, or worth the effort) Sometimes you get rocks thrown at you, or mud thrown into your face or even jumped in the streets, beaten, or even threatened, but it is all worth it,  knowing that the savior suffered all for all, so i press on. know that visions and revelations, are real, trust me, i am a witness of it.  I have written it in my journal, and i will share it with you after i get home.  It is amazing the things that can come to you mind when your mind is opened and clear.  And also know that satan is also real, if you have it read Jeffery R. Hollands talk that he gave this past conference to the priesthood body,.. I promise you Teiler that as you continue to have faith, and work according to that faith, your eyes will be opened to new paths you never thought were real.  you will see things that you never thought you could see in this life time, you will feel things you never thought you could feel, you will hear things you never thought you could hear. and as a servant of the Lord i promise you this, and i wasn't planning on telling you my testimony haha but i leave it for you to ponder, In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Yours Always, every step of the Way

Elder Maki

GARGANTUAN IGUANA

Just a note from US first.  If you read back all of Elder Maki's letters you will see how his English is getting worse and worse.  Hopefully in a year we can still make sense of his letters.

Dear Mommy!

      Hey everyone!!! So all in all everything is well. hey that rhymed haha, anyway, oh the Three baptism thing ok, so , Eduardo, he has 45 years, was baptized on top of his amazing conversion story, quit drugs, smoking, drinking, coffee, tea. Then he got his daughter who has 11 years into it, Niki, she got baptized by the testimony of her dad, and then Felipe who has 17 years, who is a different kid with a lot of stories wanted to change his life, so he got baptized.  Now Eduardo is engaged, to his ex girlfriend from Peru who has 38-ish anos and her name is Giovanna, they will be married and then after that, she will be baptized by Eduardo.  They are very excited to go through the temple together. 

I cant even explain, how much my mission has significance in my life.  it has changed who I am, as you have witnessed.  but i am still a little crazy haha. i am still a teenager for a couple more months. haha.  anyway, Elder Bishop and I have been getting along great. we understand each others humour, and we make up stories in Spanish, by saying a sentence each and sometimes the stories end up talking about a horse that ate a man and died but was resurrected and had a perfect body and turned into a man, and became someone who said everything perfectly so he could say it was straight from the horses mouth. ya it gets funny sometimes.  but i have some pics to send..

The pic of the iguana is cool, i took the picture from about 10 feet away WITHOUT zoom, the thing was about 6-ish feet long and its big green eyes were the size of a quarter. there is your lizard Teiler. haha... well.  the wind has picked up down here and it reminds me of home haha, except my wind comes from the ocean. I bought myself a bike computer and in a week we have travelled a total of 65 miles, and a top speed of 34.5 miles/hour, with the wind of course.  Hermana Cecilia is crazy eh? (AHAA still Canadian!!) she loves us lol.. she takes pics of us when we are just standing there. its hilarious.  Dad I am glad the encouragement of your slightly inexperienced and overly excited, and slightly better looking son helped you realize your potential.  haha, just remember what president Uchdorf said, DONT LIVE BELOW YOUR POTENTIAL.  You have provided you family with probably the best life we could ask for.  You have given us what we need.  Mom too, your contribution to our family welfare is a sacrifice that I will never be fully grateful for because you continue to impress me with your faith.  The other day i was studying about Eternal Marriage to teach to Eduardo and Giovanna, and a thought came into my mind, I wonder what kind of person I will marry, and who would marry me? so i pondered on that for a while, while reading, when I received personal revelation which came to my mind and said "take no thought of it now, but your eternal companion will be one of your dearest friends who has and will stand by you in all that you do." so now I know what kind of girl to look for when I get home but not a moment sooner right? haha  It was really nice to know that. but oh I received the letter from Caileigh so i no longer need your help in trying to get her address.  oh in your next package down here, make sure you send it by the United States Postal Service, but you know that brown fuzzy blanket we have at home, I would like that, and whatever you would like to send me, oh more jam please lol,,, my companion likes it.  lol.. the temperature is dropping here and it gets really cold now that the time has been changed, so the sun is down at 6:30 pm so at least we don't sweat as much at night lol.. but I need to leave myself, but until next week, I love you all, Teiler send me a letter next week lol,,

keep me updated

p.s. the picture of me on the bike, the guy in the car was screaming at me haha

yours always,, yup yup yup

Elder Maki