Elder Tellez 7-29-13 email

Hello everybody How are you all doing? I'm good. Sooooo, this past week there were some special transfers. Elder Gontes went to a different area and my new companion is Elder Montano. He is cool. He is from El Salvador. We baptized a couple this week, Armando and Miriam. I'm soooo happy. Can I sleep in the little room by the other bathroom? I'm still completely focussed on my mission, don't worry, haha. Obviously, I'm excited, who wouldn't be, haha. But for this month and a half, I will be working and giving it my all. We are going to baptize a lady this week. It is super hot right now. Everyone is getting married!!!! I'm next!!!! HAHA!!!! Time to go. I love you all.

Elder Waddell is home!!

Elder Tellez 7-22-13 email

How is everyone doing? I am doing good. Quick question, who is sleeping in that room all the way in the back? We didn't baptize this week. It has been a while since we have baptized. Thank you for the pictures. Tell Trinity and Sam that I said hi, and also Regan and the twins. Time is one of the things that we can't control and it is running out. I get sadder and sadder every day and yet anxious to start a completely new life style. Some of the many things that I have obtained in this life-changing experience are: knowledge, more common sense, a strong and firm testimony of the Gospel, helpful study habits that will help me school and work, useful house-keeping skills, and much more. I think that the only thing that I have lost is weight. I can honestly say that the mission has converted me is so many ways. I understand better the commandments of God. There is soooo much more that I have yet to learn in what is left of my mission and in the transcourse of my life. You are such a supporting mother, thank you. you have been with me every step of the way. One couldn't ask for a better mother. I think about every single one of you all of the time. I know that the many miracles the I have wittnessed and performed are not from my own strength but from God. I love this work, it is the Lord's work. I love you all. Time to go.

Elder Waddell's last email 7-15-13

hola mi mami, te extrano bastante! I figured we'd be speaking and no I'm alright haha I'm legitimately in a daze right now. I don't really know what or how to say anything.

Best. 2 Years. Ever. 

I really can't describe my emotions you'll have to read Alma 26

Thanks for all the prayers. I really felt them. The Lord has shown me many of his tender mercies. It's crazy when you're ability to feel his love expands. I really feel like I have come to know my master so much more. in Corinthians Paul says "For now we see through glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known" 

God loves us. 

I love you mom.

2 John 1:12

Elder Escobar 7-15-13

Hi!

I'm doing well. Today is going to be a hectic! It's transfer week. Both Elder Watson and I are staying in the area. However, there's a catch. We will be split off he and I will both have mini-missionaries this whole transfer, so there will technically be 6 missionaries in Avon Ward. We will be preparing the way for the ground breaking of the Hartford Temple. The date of the groundbreaking was announced and it will take place on August 17th! Go figure! It will start at 11am. So I kind of need to talk to President about that because I kind of want to be present at that event as I am sure that you do too. I'm still trying to work on finding a place to stay in Newport, Rhode Island. I need to get ahold of the missionaries who are serving down there and work through them. I think that we might have to get a hotel/motel in New York, I'll keep you updated. I am conversing back and forth with (Sister) Erika Rivera who lives there and wants to show us around. We do have a place to stay in Worcester though. This week was successful, our Meet the Missionaries event for Avon and Simsbury went very well. We will be showing this event again for Farmington and Plainville soon.

So this week is going to be crazy, okay I take that back. This whole month is going to be crazy! But this week in particular is going to be interesting. Today and tomorrow we will be meeting with members trying to promote the Meet the Missionaries event and have them invite their friends. Wednesday, we will be hitting Six Flags. I think that there is only one ride that might jeopardize my safety or would be considered tempting fate is 'Goliath'. So I won't ride it this go round, but when we as a family go to Six Flags, I'm going to ride it. Thursday is transfer meeting, where I will be giving my farewell testimony to the mission (there might be tears, we'll see) and I will be spending the rest of the day (temple, interview, dinner, and other discussions) with President Packard, his family, and all of the other departing missionaries. However, do to the lack of room and beds in the mission home, I will have to drive back to Connecticut around 10pm or 11pm. Yeah! Driving at night is fun! I'm going to be dead tired...ugh, but it's all good.

So Trinity and Samuel will be done on Thursday...wow. And I only have 4 weeks...wow. What happened? I don't even know where to start or know how to explain the way these past 2 years have come and gone. But anyways, it sounds like Aaron was pretty high on the sea base pedestal, being 1st mate and all. Those lucky ducklings who are currently in the scouting program, I never got to do anything like that (: Well it seems like everything is somewhat back to normal. Dad is back to work. Aaron is at camp being a leader/teacher. Wait what is Danny doing in all of this? Is he doing a camp or anything? Aw man, I'm going to miss out on the gong show ): The pain in my toe has gone down a little bit but it still hurts if placed in the wrong position.

Yes, I won't play sports or any other related activities /: And I will make sure to 'sttay strong, eat good, read some books, love the people, stay close to the Lord, work with all my might, mind and strength. And forget yourself these last weeks of my mission and work hard.' I will especially make sure to 'read some books' because it is from this act that I gain further knowledge and it was probably the best advice that Ignacio gave to the orphans in Nacho Libre. Anyways, work hard, play hard. Have fun and be safe. I'll see all of you soon.

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

PS I have plenty of pics to send you but the computer's not cooperating, sorry.

Elder Tellez 7-15-13 email

I can't believe that Trinity is coming home this week!! The time is going by sooooo fast. Things have been going good over here. We didn't baptize this week either. We still have the goal of baptizing 15 this month when we only have 2 weeks left, haha. I have faith that it will all happen. I just need to work super hard. I am super excited to return home, just saying, haha. I took some pictures this week but I forgot my camera, haha. Anything else new in the world up there? The weather is nice over here, not too hot but not too cold. My converts from Martinez de la Torre are going to come visit me before I end. Are you going to prepare that back bedroom for me???? I am super healthy and cool. Time for me to go. I love you all.

Elder Escobar 7-8-13

Hello! Good afternoon!

This has been a very eventful week! 4th of July was crazy. Our whole district went to New Britain to watch a crazy firework show. Afterwards, we went to Denny's. It was about 12:45am when we finally got our food and we got home at 1:50am. It was super fun.

Throughout the week Elder Watson and I have been getting techy and have been constructing Google Drives, Calendars, and Spreadsheets for our ward (so that we can relay info better). Thank you yet again for the pics, I will be creating my power-point presentation shortly.

I have some sad news though. On Sunday, Gloria and Ian dropped us. It had to happen, neither of them disagree with anything that we've taught them and they told us that they are eternally grateful for us and all of the members in Avon Ward. The reason why they dropped us is because Gloria is about to engage her ex-husband in court for full custody of Ian. And apparently, her ex doesn't like the fact that Ian has been investigating the church. So she doesn't want that to hurt her case and cause her to lose custody. So we were dropped. We still have a good relationship with her and Ian, but we just need to give them a little space till this whole ordeal is over. I hope that court doesn't take too long, I don't want them to lose their fire and testimonies. Gloria and Ian are in good hands though, there are several members that live right across from them in the apartment complex.

We've noticed that in the location where the Hartford Temple will be built that there have moving trucks and demolition crews on the site. So hopefully, everything is still on schedule for the groundbreaking in August (:

Church on Sunday was good. We taught the Gospel Principles class. The topic was Scriptures, but we went into detail in talking about studying the scriptures by showing the class how we study everyday. It went well.

Yesterday just as you know, we were at Six Flags. Jeff Collins Jr., a Young Single Adult in the ward took us. He's really cool. My MSF card wasn't working in Six Flags so I had to resort to my Debit, sorry. We had a blast though. We rode Goliath (it's not a ride for the faint of heart) 6 times. Right after we got off the last time we rode it, 2 other missionaries that were waiting in line got on. And as the ride commenced it stalled in the middle of the ride. So they were stuck on the ride for 30 minutes until a maintenance crew escorted them off. Other than that we had no problems. I got a pretty good tan.

This morning was Zone Meeting and another missionary and I were asked to bear our testimonies since we will be leaving this coming transfer. It was the beginning of who knows how many farewell testimonies I will give in the coming weeks. It felt so weird! I don't like it. Anyways, everyone thanked me and said that I will be missed. I think this was one of the first times that I actually realized that I will really be gone soon. Crazy!!! August is pretty much here, ahhhhhhhhhh!

Mom you are kicking it in high gear, cleaning the pantry and garage pretty much by yourself. And by all means get Danny away from the TV and computer. It's good that Dad and Aaron are having a good time at Sea Base. It's good that 'The Other Side of Heaven' is one of Danny's favorite movies. I would have never imagined that. Anyways, transfer texts are this Saturday. Next P-Day we will be going to Six Flags, Jeff wanted to go again. We are getting some other missionaries to go. Hope you all have a great week. I love each and every single one of you. See you soon.

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Tellez 7-9-13 email

How are you? I'm good. We didn't baptize this week. We are definitely going to baptize this week. I was sick this week with a cold. Now I'm better. The weather has been really strange lately hot at time and cold sometimes. Missionary work is growing really fast. Time to go. I love you all. Until next week.

Elder Waddell 7-8-13

hello hello! 

I'm doing just fantastic. It's been a good week. Lots of good stuff happened. 

Girls camp seems to be a super powerful testimony builder. boy scout camp was never like that...... haha

Dad in charge of fireworks? how did that work out? 

oooh yeah I'll probably want to move back. But I'll just keep the island breeze in my mind to convince myself to stick around.

I've kind of been thinking about coming up here next summer to work. from Hawaii it would be a pretty cheap flight. We could even all meet up there before I work
and I could show you around haha.

The trip to Kodiak was awesome. It is beautiful there. It reminded me a lot of Lanai... well the pretty parts of Lanai. We went to surfers beach and stuff like that

If it wasn't so expensive and secluded it seems like a pretty nice place to live. Beautiful. We taught a lof of Filipinos and I was able to teach a few Spanish people
and ate some pupusas. It was awesome. 

I haven't had to fly as much as some people but I've boarded a plane, counting return flights and from the mtc, about.... 10 times. so that's been pretty cool.

part of the plane caught fire this trip to kodiak haha it was just like a heater malfunction. Good thing we were on board... ha. 

Oh and I actually had a full missionary day on a bike. so that was a new experience. 

the mission has been more than I ever imagined. It means more to me than anything so far.

Everyone should do it! 

love you tons!

Elder Waddell

Elder Escobar 7-1-13

Hello!

First of all, I have to say that I laughed at the experience that Danny had with the car window. Now don't misunderstand, I wasn't laughing at it because Danny was in pain. I laughed because I could just see it happening in my mind and it seems like something that would happen to Danny. That's why I thought it was pretty funny! However, I don't think that it's funny that he got hurt. I am doing fairly well this morning. I actually don't have very much to say for this past week. This past week was filled with service as we along with other missionaries and members of the ward helped a charitable organization 'Gifts of Love' move from there previous location. We had 4 day dedicated to the move. The organization has had a great connection with our ward for years and the organization has made a great impact in Avon and in the surrounding areas, including Hartford. We knew that it would be great publicity for the church and especially for the temple which will be coming up. Our ward mission leader made sure that he took plenty of pics of the missionaries to put in the newspaper (:Also on July 13, we the Avon & Farmington Elders are having a 'Meet the Missionaries' Night for both members and non-members. And I was wondering if you could send me some pics of our family at different locations doing different things, so that I could put together a small slideshow presentation. It ought to be a good event, we just want people to see that we're normal people too haha. Sorry for putting that on your never-ending list of things to do. My foot has been healing up very well. The swelling is gone, but my big toe on my right foot is still just a little tender when I move it. Things are going well, stuff is actually happening in our Ward Council and PEC meetings now. We didn't get fed very well this past week and at PEC the ward mission leader acknowledged that and the Bishopric made an announcement in sacrament meeting to remember to feed the missionaries. Apparently, people listened because the majority of our calendar for July is filled now. The Bishopric told us that the members probably were getting too involved within their own lives especially since this past month with all of the events that have been happening and that they probably supposed that we were being fed by someone. We are still teaching Gloria and Ian, still haven't pinpointed an actual date though, it will probably be at the 11th hour of my mission. This week we had interviews with President Packard this week, he made sure that I was squared away for school and for you guys coming to pick me up.  He read 2nd Timothy 4:6-7 and said 'this is you'. He then encouraged me to keep going, to finish strong. A lot was said during the interview, I also made mention to him that I was about to keep and fulfill a promise that I made to him in my first interview with him. Overall, this week was good; full of meetings and service.
I found out that Sophia Gawu is home as well, she finished her mission and is back in Beaumont, Texas. She was telling me that she feels so out of place being back home, especially since her family moved while she was out on her mission.

So Aaron is done with Drum Major Camp, I will have to see his skills at the football games. Yes, Dad is finally on the day time shift. Now we can have FHE consistently. So President Rascon is going to Florida for Sea Base. So does all of Sea Base take place in Florida or just part of it?

Next Youth Conference is at the Sacred Grove? Are they going during the Hill Cumorah Pagaent? Sign me up! 

So Bishop was reading letters from the Mission Presidents? Like from all of our Mission Presidents? What did these letters consist of? I do imagine the members of Liberty Ward are restless upon our return. Trinity and Samuel will be home in 21 days, wow...I don't have anything else to say, I don't know what to say. Anyways, I hope each and every single one of you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Everett Alan Escobar

Elder Tellez 7-1-13 email

We had an awesome baptismal service yesterday. We baptized the wife of Antonio the man we baptized two weeks ago. Everything is fine here. The finish line is drawing nearer. We are going to baptize a married couple this week. I love the mission but it is soooo exhausting. Congradulations on your calling!! Does Bianca have a calling?? Time for me to fly. I love you all.