Elder Escobar's First Letter from Boston
Monday, September 26, 2011

Hey Fam,

It's me, today is P-day.  So far I have done a lot of cleaning, washing, and studying.  It is very humid here, I always come back to the apartment drenched in sweat and wearing a backpack all day long doesn't help either, but it is all good.  My first day was great, I rode the subway, the bus, met some interesting but rather weird  people, did some contacting, and got cussed at multiple times, it's funny (but in a way I find people cussing at me quite entertaining, because it's as if they have nothing better to yell at my face).  I like it here so far, even though it may rain too much.  By the way, while going to an appointment in downtown Boston, in the financial district we ran through a movie set for Universal Studios upcoming hit movie 'R.I.P.D.' (Rest In Peace Department), Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges were there.  It was cool, they were filming a section of the movie when we walked by, it was pretty sweet.  We saw explosions, gun fire, stunt cars, helicopters and the celebs.  Unfortunately the appointment that was set up at that time was a no show, we later found out that his kid got sick and that is why he wasn't able to make it. We are currently teaching 4 investigators, 2 of them want to be baptized soon. Elder Yim and I have been meeting and following up with all of them throughout the week.  I like contacting because I get to see so many different reactions, it just makes me laugh.

So it was grandma and grandpa's 49th anniversary? Congratulations! Tell them that I love and miss them!  I hope things go well for Wally and Laurie, they need the gospel. Tell Brother Morales that I said congratulations about his new calling! Tell Brother Farrell thank you again for letting me work for him and enabling me to go on my mission.  Oh and mom, just to let you know there are no Walmarts in Massachusetts!!!! But they do have Target.  Tell everyone I love them!  Tell Bishop Thomas that I'm sorry that I haven't been able to email him at all, even though I've tried to. Is the Hair's house done? Are my little bros still doing fine in school?  How are you and dad? How are grandma and grandpa?...How is everyone in general?  Well gotta go, write me whenever you get my letter.

LOVE Y'ALL!!!
Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Escobar emailed quickly to let us know he is serving in the Cambridge area, by Harvard University.  His first companion is Elder Yim and in their area they travel by walking, taking the bus and using the subway. Elder Escobar's words are that "these people drive like maniacs".  : )

Just 4 more days in the MTC for Trinity

Hola!
I think it would probably be better if I just got one when I got there. It's not gonna be freezing or anything I don't think so i'll be able to handle it until I get to go get one. oh and man I didn't bring my letter here but the mission address changed.... so i'll send a letter with it in there. and we did get our travel plans last friday! my flight leaves to seattle at 8:30 monday morning so i'll be calling before 9:30 your time in the morning. I'm not sure exactly what time and if I don't call then then it'll be around 1 or 2 your time when i can call from seattle. It's crazy we only have 3 more class times. one today and 2 on saturday! tomorrow we have in field orientation allllll dayyy. yesterday was our last gym time which was sad. especially since I doubt i'll be playing soccer anytime soon in Alaska ha. thanks for the letters and such it's always nice hearing from home about what's going on. I'll try to write everyone today. i think i'll have more time than normal. Oh yeah so octobers ensign is dedicated to The Book of Mormon. It's awesome. and guess who came to our devotional to talk about it? Russell M. Nelson! we got lucky with 3 apostles! He just talked about the history of it and the importance of it. he talked about the purposes of it and what a great blessing that we're not taking advantage of it is. it was great. His grandaughter is here preparing for a mission right now and he interacted with people and she was one of them it was funny. I decided that i'm going to start getting cheap Books of Mormon and only mark one or two specific things in each. My first one is just going to have all the blessings and promises and everytime it calls people to repentance. hopefully by the time i'm old i'll have a whole bookshelf of them ha. and maybe i will have learned some things by then. We're all getting better at teaching and speaking spanish. we had to door contact and that was weird and didn't go so well ha but we'll do over 14000 of those if we just do the minimum daily. soooo i'm not toooo worried about that. I tried to teach something in english yesterday and it was kind of hard. I had to make a conscious effort not to say a lot of things in spanish and it just didn't feel organized and didn't flow ha. maybe it was just because i had a bad lesson but who knows. So our last sunday is a fast sunday so nobody will have to give a talk but i'm pretty sure we're all bearing our testimonies and we're singing a song for departure. elder smith and i have to be at the travel office at 5 in the morning monday.... i'm gonna be tired ha does adam pretty much speak spanish now? or has he been doing most things in english there? cause i'm still worried about not having anyone to bail me out when i have no idea what a door contact or investigator says. everyone else will have senior companions to help them with the language and such but i guess i'll just have to look like a fool most of the time until i figure stuff out. pero esta bien. estoy atezado. oh i got my hair cut today because it's mandatory before we leave. i think it looks better now. oh john is in the laundry room with me right now.... kinda weird but cool ha oh when i send my next card back i'm going to have pictures with john and i at the map and separate ones with everett and i at the map. we need to crop one of them so there's one with all three of us haha well i'm out of time i love you and all is well in zion
 
            Love,
                  Elder Waddell

As of 4:07 eastern standard time on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, Elder Everett Escobar has been in Boston Massachusetts, along with 7 other missionaries that traveled with him to serve the Lord in this mission.      

Elder Escobar's Second Letter in the MTC
Sept. 14, 2011

I'm sorry that I haven't sent much mail home, supposedly we're not supposed to send of write letters throughout the week.  By the way, Tuesday is p-day for me.  I went to the temple the other day, it was a great experience.  Afterwards we saw a peaceful protester outside of the temple grounds. So for fun we took pictures with him and talked with him for a short while (I will send pics later).
 
The days seem so long here, it drives me crazy, in a good way. I'm going to be a Host Missionary this Wednesday, so I may be able to John (or soon to be Elder Tellez) as he arrives at the MTC.  The food isn't that great here, but yet I still stuff myself with each meal, I usually eat 3 plates and 2 bowls of food.  I know I that I have gained a little bit of weight, especially since I have been working out 5 days a week with some of the other missionaries in my district.


As of right now I am washing my clothes and writing this letter, and I am going to the temple later today.  I miss all of you and I miss Liberty Ward, so please tell everyone that I love them.  My companion and I have been successful in teaching all of our investigators, so I hope that we can keep it up.  I have had a lot of great experiences here at the MTC. Today Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke at the MTC Devotional, he gave a lot of awesome insights on missionary work.  And on top of that the choir had their musical number (btw I'm in the choir), but anyways while we were singing the camera zoomed in on me and so everybody after the meeting was like, "Hey you're that Elder who was singing tonight!" So yeah that was cool.

I like p-day, it is the "only day out of the week that I get to write mi familia" or at least that's what our Branch Presidency has told us, therefore I must be obedient and also be that example to the members in my district.  

             Love you all and miss you,
             Elder Escobar

Elder Escobar's First Letter in the MTC

Sept. 2, 2011

I just wanted to let you know that I made it to the MTC and thankfully I have all of my luggage.  My first day was great.  I already caught up with Trinity and my companion is Elder Michael Lawrence Morrill.  So far my comp seems like a pretty good guy and guess what?!  He's from Utah...go figure haha.  The MTC is a busy, happy place, I've enjoyed it so far.  Hope everything is okay at home, because everything is 'A-okay' here at the MTC.

Sadly, President Bank's challenge didn't work out.  When I boarded the plane, the young lady that was next to me was asleep and she slept all of the way to Salt Lake City, but there was another Elder on the plane right across from me. But, anyways I wanted to tell you that I am now District Leader!!! And I am so busy, but I  enjoy it, the Lord is so good.  And Aaron it's  not cold right now, but it is cool with a high of 85 degrees, I'm enjoying it.  Well I gotta get back to studying.

              Love y'all so much,

              Elder Escobar

PS   I think that I'm going to get fat ( :

 

John's First Written Letter Home

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 Day 2

This letter is for all who wish to read. I am mainly, however, going to talk about you. I am seriously just kidding! It is ok to laugh. All is well here at the MTC. Tell Matt Jamison that he was right, the food is delicious. But that isn’t the reason I’m here, right? I have seen Elder Escobar, but he didn’t see me. I know, it is crazy, but there are so many people here, elders and Sisters. I am excited to be learning Spanish, it is truly a magnificant language, and I look forward to fluently speak it. I also ran into Elder Waddell on numerous (I spelled that wrong) occasions and he actually saw me. We talked for a bit. I haven’t seen Elder Stotts yet, however, but I will try to find him somewhere here. In just the few days that I have been here, my testimony has grown so much. My two companions, Elder Coleman and Elder Herron, are so amazing. I couldn’t ask for better companions. Elder Herron is actually going to Veracruz as well and Elder Coleman is going further south in Mexico. You know how I didn’t cry when we were saying goodbyes? Well, I did have a mini emotional breakdown last night, but all is well. This is a letter open for everyone to write back. Mom, Grandma, Josh, Nyah, Aunt B, Uncle B, lil cousins of mine, everyone needs to write. Megan Waddell you better write, that was random, but do, haha. Bianca needs to write to. By the way, I had a good time with her, Lizzi, and her family. My pen just broke so I’ll just end with love you all and WRITE!

Love,
Elder Tellez

Elder Tellez' first email home

Hi, how are things going. I'm doing fine. I have learned so much in just these couple of days. You will probably get my written letter soon. I have talked with Elder Waddel y Elder Escobar, they are doing fine. I have two wonderful companions, Elder Herron y Elder Coleman. Mi maestro, Hermano Leishman es muy interesante. I don't know if I did any of that correct, but I'm learning. Don't worry about me, I'm having the time of my life, it is truly a wonderful spiritual experience. My P-day is on Thursday, so I will send you pictures then. I really do miss everyone. Please, please write me. I'm not one to write, but I will make an exception. My schedule is really crammed, but that is the only way to learn. I feel like I've been here for more than a week, yet this is only day 4. Elder Waddell, Elder Escobar, y yo will be posing in a picture pointing to the map of where we are each going. I miss you all, but I love Utah weather. It is so nice, and the was rain!! Have you had rain yet? I hope you have. How is everything going? I would love to know. Well my time is short. I love you all.


Elder Téllez

Letter from Elder Waddell

Hola!

 Yes i've been getting dearelders. And thanks for the e-mail. Tell them to ask specific questions or something i guess lolI just don't really reply to dearelders. I was wondering if dad ever sent that letter you said he wrote. I saw john a couple of times but hopefully soon i'll be able to sit down and talk with him some. there's not always a whole lot of time ha. Vince is also here until he gets his visa i guess. We're supposed to get our travel plans today so that's exciting! They're not in yet so maybe after dinner or something they will be and i'll write a letter about it. I'm pretty sure i get to call when i leave here for a couple of minutes so you're going to have to make sure that time is cleared up ha. I'll try to respond to the girls dearelders today. mail seems so slow to here so it's gonna be crazy slow in Alaska i think! Oh guess who came Tuesday? if you already have Everett's e-mail he probably said..... but it was M. Russell Ballard ha it was pretty sweet. I forgot my studyjournal in the room today so i'll send some of that with my letter. oh did you get my planner???? you have to let me know when you get it cause if it gets lost or something i'll be upset ha.It's weird because we're slowly becoming the old people here. the district a week ahead of us is leaving next monday.... I only have 11 days left. I'm ready to get out of here no matter how awesome it is I want to move on ha. We're having more and more days of spanish and it's helpful but it takes such a conscious effort to not say random things in english because it's so natural. but give me half a year and i'll be okay at it ha.we're done with the grammar in spanish so now it's just reviewing and teaching our teachers and eachother. I have a feeling i'm going to freeze in Alaska when i first get there since i don't have any jackets. it's already getting chilly in the mornings here so i can only imagine what it's going to feel like in Alaska. I was starting to gain weight with all the food here but i put it in my personal goals to eat less.... ha i never thought that would be necessary but here i am. It's working well and the hour of soccer almost everyday helps. cause otherwise we're just sitting there learning. but it's crazy i'm pretty sure next wednesday is our last gym time. one of our "investigators" is about to be "baptized" so that's exciting ha i've got a new way of marking my scriptures with pictures and specific colors. i'm going to have to take some pictures and show you it makes it much more entertaining. some of the pics you put on the card i printed out on some thing here so i'll be able to see some. Oh yeah keep me updated on dayton and BYU football i wanna see how they both turn out. I'm pretty sure people in our district will have to give talks on sunday because it's our last non fast sunday we have so i'm going to have to write out a good one in spanish so people won't think i've wasted the past 8 weeks here ha. Oh and if you could find the e-mail or mailing address or something of (elder) Jerry Wilson he was my religion teacher in hawaii. that would be nice ha. hhmmm basically i'm just really excited for Alaska and getting a little tired of the schedule here. ha don't get me wrong i'm still trying just as hard to take advantage of it as much as i can butttt i'm ready for a change in scenery. And it would be so sweet if Adam was my trainer ha and that's really cool that Harrison and I will be able to speak spanish together ha estoy atezado. i'm not sure that that translates correctly but it's supposed to mean i'm stoked ha well i'm out of time. i love you all and all is well in Zion.

 

                      Love,

                            Elder Waddell

Trinity's email 9-8-11

Hey!

 

How's Texas? school? i don't know just anything ha. I didn't know if you got my email from last week but i'll assume you did. I'm starting to get a little restless here. I only have 18 more days here! next week I'll have my travel plans! it hasn't gotten harder to work though yet ha hopefully that day doesn't come. We're almost done with our spanish book thing so that's cool. I still have to go over things all the time it's hard to remember all the tenses and irregular conjugations and such but it's getting better. the past three days my "native language" has been spanish and i've said hardly any english so that was pretty cool and i'm doing it again tomorrow. I'm still worried about there being no spanish speaking missionaries in alaska when i get there so there won't be someone to help all the time. Oh do you think you can find out where Adam Christiansan is for me and tell me. oh and on my facebook find Bradley Fuller and try to find out his address for me ha sorry. Oh I finished my first planner and i'm sending that home today make sure you don't lose it. If you could put it in my file or something that would be sweet. Oh and tell the girls if they want mail they need to send me something in the real mail so i have something to respond to ha. i'm tired of writing letters without being able to look at something i can respond to. I don't have all that much time on my pdays and it's much easier to respond. So i've been thinking lately about member missionaries and i think that since liberty ward has so many missionaries out there should be some pressure for some extra member missionary work ha. We've had multiple talks about how missionaries can only do so much and the members have to do the rest. Sooooo there better be some new member baptisms in liberty ward before we get back! I'm not sure what all to say oh hermana madden has been gone for a couple of weeks and there was nothing to differentiate the two boxes that got here on different days so i opened them both ha sorry. but thanks for the food! oh and the pictures from the d200 won't load on anybodies camera here..... sooo i can see a couple pictures but not those ha. I just realized it'll probably be pretty cold in alaska when i get there. hopefully i can get a hold of some jacket pretty fast. oh and tell brother and sister escobar thank you for the dearelder and brother escobar threw me off because he was using informal conjugations ha. I see Everett every once and a while and i'm excited for John to get here next week! We already got a new district in our zone so he won't be there but he might be in one that has gym and stuff with us so that would be cool! ummm no se... read(no study...hard) 3rd nefi 27 it's sweet verse 13 is my favorite in the scriptures right now it's just so straightforward. or i think Isaiah 61:1-3 are the verses the saviour read when he started his ministery just look at the imagery in verse three my favorite is beauty for ashes. doesn't that just pull on a heartstring? ha sorry i don't know what to say so i'm just rambling. But all is well again some snail mail from random people would be nice i wanna know what's going on in peoples lives not a list of happenings or answers ha i'm down for questions though. thanks! Love you all. All is well in Zion.

 

                          Love,

                                Elder Waddell

Trinity's most recent letter 9-1-11

Hola! gracias por the emails y cartas. I'm not sure what to write this week. It's just the same ole same ole ha except for a few things. oh well first hermana madden is in the CCM (MTC) in theDominican Republic ha and has been for a few weeks. oh did d'nel get my letter that was with the memory card? So i'm back in El Libro de Mormon and it's exciting! I understand so much more of it now! and i have a specific marking set up. By the time i'm done there are gonna be tons of sweet pictures drawn in it ha. I got the dearelder from Regan (thanks) and I talked to Elder/Brother Farley about her/you some yesterday ha. I ate lunch with Everett yesterday lol it was exciting and I saw Trevor McCord and Kenton. I'm so excited for John to get here! Elder Romrell in my district has a little tape recorder and the other day he recorded a few minutes of our conversation in the residence hall and it's ridiculous how many dumb scripture references we use now and the way we talk after a 16 hour day ha. Oh i'm almost done with my first planner! when i'm done i'm going to send it to you guys and you have to keep it safe because i am going to want it when i get back! I'm glad to hear everyone is so excited about the school year and you're still as busy as ever! oh and i'm glad to hear dad is finally texting! Estoy animado por Alaska!! Tengo 25 mas dias!!! Entonces..... this devotional tuvemos Elder Holland!!!! a cielos mio! Ese hombre puede hablar! I'll rewrite a few things he talked about. well he had a clever joke in the beginning about his age. "I have one foot in a grave and  the other on a banana peel" ha i thought that was good. Anyways un discorso fue sobre nuestro proposito se missioneros. he talked about the standard members hold us to and how we don't have the right to let them down and he got really loud and emotional and said that a few times. he talked about how we're some of the most prayed for people in the world. la obra de nuestro dispensacion es obra missionero y que las profetas antiguas sobias what we're doing and that gave them heart. He said the most important thing Christ would want us to know is that. he told the truth. every word. we've done a lot of study about the gospel/doctrine of Christ and it's amazing how much is missed with it being so simple. He says missionaries and him are the same in the sense that our job all day every day is to find ways to save the children of God. He said the most we could ever give back to Jesus Christ is our whole heart. To give him everything we can our talents, desire, time, knowledge. everything. one of my favorites was that "by words men work when working by Faith." our tool is words. and the faith necessary on both ends is just amazing. The fact that you can have enough faith to do anything through the power of God with just a word is infinitely humbling. he also talked about the love our heavenly father has for us. if un hombre sin pecado puede tener un amor perfecto por sus hijos. what about a perfect father? a perfect being who knows real joy. What kind of love can he feel? well i'm out of time but i'll leave a short testimony. Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro salvador y redentor. yo se que al traves la expiacion de Jesucristo podemos volver a vivir con Dios. yo se que El Libro de Mormon es un Libro verdadero. Y al traves estudiendo el Libro de Mormon podemos recibir un testimonio que Jesucristo es nuestro salvador y Jose Smith fue una Profeta de Dios Y La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias es el reino de Dios sobre la tierra. En el nombre de Jesucristo amen. All is well in Zion.

 

                               ama

                                        Elder Waddell

 

 

P.S. Alma in spanish is soul or might which is awesome ha go mom