Life is good

25 July 2015

So this could be kind of a short letter, I'm in the offices and its not that cool of stuff and its just like I don't really have a lot of energy to write a really good letter about what I've done. We've played a lot of soccer today and its been way fun, but I'm way tired. One of our boys got strep throat (No sister Lawrence not your son! I know you are reading this) and thus we decided to go golfing next week! So life is good, I'm tired and just a bit homesick, but its cool!

Sunday I made rolls for lunch and I might have sluffed Gospel Principles to do it and I felt way bad, we made it in time for like the last 15 minutes, but they were a little doughy, I felt way apostate! We had roast mashed potatoes and my mammas rolls for lunch and it was absolutely boss! I loved it so much, and then that night we had a meeting to discuss all our plans for the week and thats about it! 

Monday we went to do Presidents visa work and couldn't due to the store being closed and so we are still waiting for another day! But all good the rest of the day!

Tuesday we had to send home a gal early, so we hit up the airport, dropped a ton of money for overweight luggage fees but its cool, and then right as we were sending her on her way to get on the plane and walking to the car, we see President Goats coming to see her off, so we sprint up to her and try to let security let her through so she can go talk to president. It was way close ,but we got her back out to talk to them! 

Wednesday we just did normal work, we went and paid some bills we had to pay, and we had to go get an emergency visa for ten days for a buddy who was going home early, I don't know if I'm not supposed to talk about this, but whatever—I do. I met an investigator of ours who stopped us on the street! It was nice because we still hadn't gone to our area, he got kicked out of his house and was just out working, but at least i met him! 

Thursday we took a new friend of ours who had been staying with us for a week home, that one hurt a little, we were getting to know him, he was way funny and we were just having good time, but he had one leg that was longer then the other so his hips got way bad here in the mission and he had to go home, hopefully he will make it back here or at least to the states! So that was hard! Then we went and did visa work with Elder Warner and his wife, they are in the offices with us, they don't do much, but she is the nurse for the mission so its cool and they are like parents. I call them mama and papa when I talk to them…not elder and hermana, and it was just waiting in line! 

Friday we finished the tramites for the Warners and then cooked lunch and then finally for the first time for me in the offices we made it out to go proselyting, its because my comp doesn't really like opening the mouth and I love it so I'm going to do my best to get out and get it done! 

Well and then today which I sort of wrote about at the beginning, so there is the week. The hardest part is not working and being a missionary and having to send the kids that have recently become my friends home, and then I love that I just feel important, I feel like people need me and I just like the feeling that I'm doing important things at least for someone! 

You could probably send me a package and I could go get it and it would be fairly easy! 

But don't send like a ton of ties or clothes in it, and definitely don't send any drugs, and that should do us fine. I really want a jump rope, but I want a really good one, and then I don't know….I guess stuff that will make me happy that I can put on my desk! 

I love you mom, you are the best! 

Love, Jayson

Most stressful things of my life and I love it!

So did dad forget to write me this week or is he just a little bit late? I know its kinda harder with my p-days on a weird day, but I think you guys can still squeeze it in! 

I can’t believe you guys sent my International Drivers Permit in that package that got here yesterday, and I couldn't believe you dropped that kind of money at all! I was thinking a lot less — but way cool that I got it so fast, I got to drive yesterday! 

What is Elder Lawrence's first name? How long will he be training you?

So his name is Blake Lawrence and he is from Hurricane, Utah and he is way sick I love him a ton! He has one transfer more then me so he goes home 6 weeks before me! Im actually kinda old to be starting my time in the offices! He will be training me until the end of this transfer or the 22 of next month which is also his birthday! 

What does your new job entail?

So my job is everything, my job name is literally secretary to the President. I literally do everything that makes missionaries legal in the country, and then I buy all the tickets for people to go home. I buy all the tickets for the buses that people use to travel to their area, and when people miss their buses I buy them new ones. I get people to the offices when they have a meeting, and when we have mission meetings, I do all the planning and I get people there and home. It’s one of the most stressful things of my life and I love it! If you have any questions I will be on and off email all day just shoot me the questions!  

Where do you live?

I live in Godoy Cruz, but the office where I work is where you sent the letter! I live like three blocks from there! 

Taylor said that he had 3 senior couples that did the job of the mission secretary.

So from Taylor’s mission they had six people doing what I do? I go way to hard! It’s me versus the world of 90 people illegal in this country, and the transfers, and the meetings! 

Monday, so what went wrong this day…I was in the car for five minutes, my comp gave me the phone and then I got a call from Buenos Aires and they told me I needed to get another ticket for an Elder who was going to be flying home to Peru, but wrong airport and I had to fix that in my first hour here! It sucked! But then Monday wasn't too bad I just learned more about how to do my job! 

Tuesday I took all my old friends to the airport so they could go home, like the kid Elder Downs that you need to see so he can give you the stuff from me, just look him up on Facebook! ;) and it was weird. I also took a girl who was going home early to the airport. Then we went to go get all the new Elders because thats my job too! Then they didn't show up at 4:30 and we were freaking out…we found out the flight was late and then they didn't even get off the late flight that they were supposed to be on, and then we called my people in Buenos Aires and they said they watched our kids get on the plane that they weren't getting off of so we were freaking out!! Then I had to leave the airport to go pick up Hermanas from the bus terminal, so that the newbe would have a companion and it was stressful so president took her back to the airport and then the newbes finally showed up at 7:00 what happened was they couldn't all fit on the plane so they all waited for the next one! 

Wednesday we had to get everyone from where they were to where they were going — of the 23 people I bought tickets for we had to buy 7 new ones because kids missed their busses. I also had to buy like 25 more for other kids who didn't know how to buy the tickets for their new areas. It was just a long day and it finally was done around 4 and then I had to get all my one transfer old people here to the offices for a meeting the next morning.... So I got done around 12:30am. Rough day and then I didn't even get all the new trainers home, so I had to buy 6 new tickets to get them home the next day and had to wake up at 5 the next day to do it. That and my comp is way sick so I've been doing a lot of this solo…

Thursday we had to get all the kids from the capacitation back to their areas and it was just one trip after another to the terminal and we bought a couple tickets to the wrong places and I had to buy new ones for them while I was there...so that sucked and I spent all that morning on my own while my comp slept... so that was scary and then we just did a bunch of work so that we can get these new kids who just got here can be legal and then we called it a day.

Friday we did the legal stuff for my mission President today so he doesn't get deported from the country for being illegal and that was fun, but someone had the gate opener, like a garage opener but for gates and we left way late because we had to wait for them to get there and we couldn't do presidents stuff for him, we only got half of what we needed to done, but its cool we will do more on Monday! Then I got my permit and I explained what happened that night! 

So today is p-day and it should be fun! 

I love you parents!! Have a way awesome day, hit me back if you want to chat and know I love you a ton and more! 

You guys are way awesome! 

Love, Jayson

Called to be the next mission secretary

Hey calm down I'm not even bad! I’m way happy! I was even happy last week, it was just hard with all that was going on—with it being Lexy´s birthday and everything…I was just having a tough week! It was a lot of stuff that I missed all at once and I was with a dying missionary for all this transfer who lives in Syracuse. Which reminds me you need to go to his home coming this Sunday his name is Elder Kelsten Downs, he is way sick and has some stuff for you guys from me, so you need to go see him right! 

• When are the Hamideh’s picking up their missionary in Argentina? I would love to be able to send something with them for you for Christmas!!!

They pick up Hammy in October! I’m going to send him home and meet his parents! 

• I would love to see a picture of you flexing — it is always a little weird to see you soooo skinny and your large shirts make you look even skinnier!!!

I'm really hot now so you might need some sunglasses! 

• Your hair is looking soooooooo long!!! Is it time for a haircut? I do like it, but it does not seem to follow missionary haircut standards.

My hair is not too long, but I'm getting there so I will cut it soon! 

Monday we had interviews! Good stuff…President might want me to drop the girlfriend, but I'm not thinking so quite yet! ;) and then we went to Cipoleti and we taught my kids! 

Tuesday I’m not really sure what we did, I taught district meeting about burying our weapons of war! It was fun! Then in the night time I went and talked to the assistants while Elder Downs went to his final interview, it was really weird! But I met Elder Child and he is awesome! 

Wednesday p-day shopping and fun stuff like that! Then I don't remember the work…I think Cipoleti! 

Thursday-Friday I honestly don't remember…it was a long week and its all just been a blur since I've gotten here! 

Saturday we went and taught the Pasten family in Cipoleti and then went home to cook some food for Elder Downs’s last night and then as we were getting changed for the night to cook, at like 9pm I get this call from Elder Laurence that I would be the next secretary and that I would be going to the offices Monday morning to start my work! 

Sunday I just said good-bye to all my friends in my area and thats about it! 

Sorry it’s a rough letter, but I want to go out and get to know my area so I'm going a little faster! 

I love you though, be happy for me! 

Write me before this next Saturday because that is when I will be on for p-day! 

I love you and don't forget about my new change! 

Love, Jayson

Pray for me please! 

Holidays are hard, but I got God

Mom,

Way to go, making me cry like a child in the ciber. These holidays kill me you know, its hard to think of you to all alone on the fourth I would have been there just like last year — you don't know how much I want to be with you guys....Is my 24 months up yet? I’m not okay, but its cool, I got God...what more do I need right? 

So your questions—

• How many lessons did you teach?

We only taught 6 lessons this week, but I will explain! 

• Have you found a new apartment?

We do have a new apartment, but this butt in the office won’t call the guy for the last week so we can’t move. We’ve called him like 20 times and it just isn't happening, it’s awful!  

• We have  not heard from the Hamadiah’s—do you have contact information? I will call them if you can get me a number. When are they going to picking up their missionary?

So I’m going to call Hammy this Sunday and I will see what I can do. I will see if he has still got the number memorized, but the Facebook of his parents should be Mike Hamideh, or Beth Hamideh and if that doesn't work I can ask for emails or do what I can! I love Elder Hammy so much — such a great guy! It was an awesome transfer with him! 

• The weather in Mendoza looks like it has been in the 60’s, but looks like it is going to start getting wetter and colder. Are you COLD?

Its not that cold, I'm still going out in a shirt normal, but I do use my sweater sometimes! 

• How tall are you now? Have you measured to see if you have grown in the last year??

So ya, I don't know how tall I am. I think I'm six two now, but I don't know I'm just me still, I look skinny now—I might take a little flexing picture for you guys shirtless soon, I'm looking pretty dang good! It feels nice to feel not fat! I’m loving it! 

Monday we went running with Favio, way awesome and then we had a noche de hogar and it was fun! We taught and then played some karaoke that was just fun and nice! 

Tuesday we went and taught in Cipoleti the Quinteros and then the Pasten family, its always fun with them — sometimes hard, but fun!! I really love them! Then my comp wanted to go watch the big game so we did and thats when I got the hermana to send you that message, did you tell Lex to go look at her Facebook? Or have you not even gotten that message?

Wednesday we taught Favio and it was good but nothing special! Then we went and taught the Cipoleti family again and it was good, it was only Pasten this time we didn't have a lot of time! Way good family really! But they struggle! 

Thursday way cool day, I'm a district leader, meaning I do baptism interviews for those who need them in my district. I got to do three of them this day for the zone leaders, it was way cool just getting to talk to these young children and getting to see what they know, see them talk to God, and talk to me about it — I loved it! Hard in another language but it was alright they seemed to understand me! Way cool experience! 

Friday I stayed in the pens with a sick elder so the other parts of my district could go to the meeting we had! Then that night back to Cipoleti to teach the family Pasten and then Quintero. It was good again and the Pasten family told us something awesome, their son Luis who is almost 18 had some like really big cist on his butt and he asked us for a blessing and then we did and then left. He seemed to be really struggling when we left, like a lot of pain, they told us that it was all fixed half an hour after the blessing that he was just fine and there wasn't the cist — it was way cool because through the blessing that this 19 year old boy gave, and the faith of the family God choose to heal him and make him all better to help show the family that it is their time, and that they need to come back to the fold of God! 

Saturday we had a way fun party at the pens and it was a blast because we couldn't leave due to the big game so we just cooked and ate!

Sunday we brought the Pasten family to church and the the family Quinteros came and it was awesome — we had 10 investigators and menos activos in total there, it was way cool! It made me way happy! Then we had a hard night, but we will be okay! I’m happy! 

So I made real rolls and they almost tasted right, but not quite they were just a little off in flavor, but it was close, we shall see what I can do! 

I love you guys a ton and I hope you know I'm praying for you guys a ton! 

Love, Jayson

Dude???? Who is Joni? You guys use the name and I don't understand!!! Is

this what Taylor felt like when I wouldn't write him about Lex? This sucks I

just want some detail!!! 

I honestly did like the running we did it was more in the mountains more then anything else!  We didn't run a ton in continuation, but we did run and it was fun! I really loved it dad, I can’t even tell you how excited I am to get home and to go train with you! I have a good game plan as of right now how it will go — I plan to work in the morning till 9 and then swim for an hour on the days I don't have class till 11 and those that I have class at 10 I will just go to school and then when I get done with school, we will go riding or something maybe in Salt Lake if you take the bikes after my classes and work and then we can go home and it will just be a blast and we will run all the other days we don't bike together everyday we will be working out something!!! I'm so excited you dont even know!!! I just kinda want to finish already but its cool, I can wait I guess! 

It sounds like your chest is still bad, could it be all the elevation changes you are doing traveling, could that be at least effecting it? 

I love you dad and want you to know that I miss you like crazy, it was a really hard week for me but thats okay I'm a strong boy and will keep going 13 more months we are almost there sometimes its hard to think that it will never end, but I just need to put more trust in my Savior and just be happy with what I have. I know that all I have at home will be there when I get back, actually not true—I think Taylor will be married, and I think that Lex might find some man but its cool, I don't worry too much, well maybe I do but you know how we Benedict’s are we are little worriers sometimes! Even if it kills us! 

I love you dad! Hey quick question do you and mom have any pictures in front of the temple together on your wedding day? Just wondering! 

I love you dad have a really good week and be safe!

Love Jayson