Elder Tadje in Guatemala

BIENVENIDOS A TODOS for this week's segment of "Tall Blonde Elder In Central America!" Speaking of which, I had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting our second week here (everyone prepares a talk and then they call 6 people up from the pulpit) and during my talk, all of the Latino's started calling me Fósforo, or match. I asked Elder Corerra of it was because the Spirit of God like a fire was burning within me while I spoke, but he just started laughing and walked away. Come to think of it, I actually have no idea for sure why they were calling me that, I just assumed it was cuz I was tall and blonde..... We said goodbye to all of the Latinos and the first group of North Americans last night. It was sad to see Hermana Peterson go- it's been awesome to have a familiar face here, and to be able to talk about stuff from the Deerfield Ward back home. But if anyone is ready to go out and change some lives, she is!! I'm really gonna miss the Latinos to...

HOLLLAAAAAAA como esta Utah????  K I don't know what the best way to start this, so I'm just gonna jump right in! Appreciate music while you've got it. You'll be sitting there studying through preach my gospel, then all the sudden you'll realize that you've had a song playing through your head for the last two hours- weird songs that you haven't heard in years but somehow you know every word. Elder Beardall and I found two computers that have two songs downloaded on them, and we make sure to get to the lab early every day to make sure we can get those two and listen to the songs on repeat the entire time. I have never been so ecstatic to hear the EFY Embark or Glorious by David Archuletta in my life!! The food has continued to be amazing. But I don't think that the people here are used to Tadje eating- we had one day where we had these burrito bowls, where you had to eat down the beans and meat on the top and then fold it into a burrito which end...

Hey all!!!!!! Time in the CCM is weird. It goes by more slowly, but more quickly than anything else I have ever experienced. One of the other elders explained it like this- the days are like weeks, but the weeks are like days. You'll look at your watch and think "Ah man I'm exhausted, when's it time for bed???" Haha that's usually at about 11:30ish.(am) But waiting for Pday to be able to write has been like waiting for Christmas!! We got here in Guatemala at about 6, and jumped right in. (I can see what they were saying about the mail system being corrupt- one of the elders picked up his bag from the baggage claim, and all of his zippers with locks on them had been broken off, and they used about three and a half cases of Saran Wrap to close his bag again)  We got all our paperwork out of the way, had our interviews, then started having spanish classes. My interview was a little interesting... There is one latino president, and he came out in the hallw...

Hola mis padres!!!!! Just wanted to let ya know that we made it!!!! We had an awesome two hour layover with a group of about 40 of us in LA, then our flight here!! It was great, I was able to sit next to Elder Beardall and we both conked out for the entire way. We got right here and got straight to work! I am in a room with four other elders, (But there are only four beds... Haha we're still trying to work that out) It is the only room with it's own bathroom and shower! We've been getting signed in and all of our paperwork in order, figured out what shots we need, and I think I'm about to go get a hairscut... But it's been really good! The Elders are all awesome, and super easy to get along with (so far) Elder Beardall told them I spoke spanish so I had to do my entire interview in spanish, which was fun cuz I only understood about every tenth word!!! But I can already feel that it is a special place. We have the Lord with us.  Love all of you guys, can't wait...