HOLA
Yeah it was good talking to you all on christmas i wish it would have been
longer though. Everyone else talked for about 2 hours. I had a lot I wanted
to tell you and ask you about and I wanted to hear more questions and
answer them for you. But I guess we will just have to wait until mothers
day. And then we can work out the kinks a little better.
No investigators came to church again this week. We are bringing a member
from the ward who was converted and had a hard time committing to church
and baptism also come with us and talk to them about blessings he has had.
They all talk about how they want blessings but they don’t do the things
they need to, to get those blessings. And if I get transferred next week I
wont get to see any of them get baptized.
I did not go fishing on Saturday it was a youth activity at the lake that
we had to help to supervise. It was in the andes mountains and is gorgeous
but was really hard because I wanted to jump in and play with them it was
so hot! But instead I played with a Frisbee and football on the shore. It
made me really miss boating and playing at the lake. With my friends and
all of you just hangin out on the lake…ah…those were the good times
nice and relaxing and so much fun…
I wrote the barnes family and sent it in the letter I sent you. I was not
exactly sure what to say but I think its alright. Tell them thanks again
and they do not have to write back if they do not have time or something.
The prayers are good enough. Not many of my friends that said they would
write have. But the prayers are really felt and I am so thankful for them.
So thank you all of you.
I love you all and miss you all. Thanks for the prayers and please keep it
up, we need it and it really does help. The church is true and I love all
of you very much!!
Love
Elder Bigelow
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Pictures from Elder Bigelow
the storm knocked down huge trees and killed people and totalled houses!! it was scary i was in it for a little bit running to the pensh and elder ayer and i almost had a tree fall on us!!
bathroom had molding problems and is getting fixed. huge hole in the wall. suprisingly looks better then what it did....
steaks here are bigger then your face!! its great.
bathroom had molding problems and is getting fixed. huge hole in the wall. suprisingly looks better then what it did....
steaks here are bigger then your face!! its great.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Feliz Navidad
Monday December 21,2009
HELLO... HELLO...
For all those none Spanish speakers out there including myself that means Merry Christmas! So merry Christmas. I know its not yet but by my next email it will just be old news…
Thanks for all your support and love it has been awesome I really can feel it. And I will write the barns family a setter but will send it to you and you take it to them. It is too much for me to send it separate. And no I have not got any packages except one from grandma Johnson. And the rest I have not got. The next opportunity for me to get any is on Wednesday at the Christmas party with the mission. But I don’t get any letters or packages as often as I did in the mtc, not every day or every week or every month. It’s about every six weeks. They just hold it all together over time and at zone conferences they hand it all out. So no I have not got anything yet from the family. I have from some of my guy friends and the Shurtz family and grandma Johnson. And that is it. So maybe on Wednesday I will get more from you and others. I hope so at least.
So we got the email today about numbers to call and stuff that will be at the end of the email. But yeah like 9 here so like 5 there. Ok? Great.
So this week was a pretty good week. I went on splits with the zone leaders and had my first experience with a companion that speaks no English… it was pretty good we talked a lot and he said he understood what I was saying so that was good and we found new investigators for him and his comp to teach. So it was pretty successful I would say.
We had our ward Christmas party this week also. It was so fun. I really liked it we had empanadas that me and Ayer helped to make 22 dozen of them. It was a lot and i was tired and sweaty after but we had to walk to the church still for the party. And we had most the entire ward there. About 55 people I think the final count came down to. So that was good and the youth put on Christ’s birth and that story for everyone and had been practicing for awhile. It was really good I didn’t understand much of it but it was still good I enjoyed it. They youth here have really accepted me now I feel. When I walk the streets they yell BIGELOW in there weird ways of how they pronounce it. And run and give me a hug or shake my hand. I have taught them cool little secret hand shakes with living bones in it. They love it. Its great they are all real cool. And the older youth like priests and teachers play a lot of rugby here and love looking at my football pictures and I have them look up Alta on you tube and they love it. So maybe some time if you could put my highlight video on there and they can see it. They all ask me about it a lot.
Speaking of pictures the ones I have of us in Yellowstone the people all here think they are the most amazing pictures ever and just love to look at them. It’s so funny. And they say you all are gorgeous so take pride in that. (if you have more then 3 teeth here you are considered gorgeous, so don’t get to big headed) but they are all just awesome.
So on Saturday the Austidillo family said they were ready to do there part and to come to church and be baptized. So we had a date for the 26th for them to be baptized and were ready for it. And they did not show up to church yesterday… what a shame so no baptism on the 26th. They want blessings but won’t do the things they need to, to relieve those blessings. We were going to go to there house and BAJAR LA CAINA but we are just not going to stop by them for this whole week and let them think about it a little bit and got by on Saturday and tell them they are invited to church and leave not talk or anything and maybe then they will get the point across that we are serious we cant stop by anymore if they wont keep commitments and progress. None of our investigators are progressing. My ward has not had a baptism since April. We can’t even get a less active family to come to church so their 8 year old son can be baptized. They want him to be really bad but they wont come to church. So he can’t till then. But we have had some good staff happen to its not all bad. Haha we have re activated a family in the ward after not coming to church once for two years and they have come every week and to every activity so that is really good.
We don’t have much planned for this week. We have a few lunches and the mission party and that’s it. But we are going to be making brownies and cakes and cookies and stuff and taking them to members on Christmas. So that will be fun. And me and Ayer have a lunch planned with the most poor family in the ward… that will be hard. Its on Christmas day to. They say they have soup every year. Just what I want in the 100 degree weather. And this year will be they same this time it is with rabbit in it. Rabbit stew. The hermano caught and killed a rabbit that came into his house they other night because they don’t have a door just a sheet for it so whatever wants can come in and out and dirt floor and just all around a sad situation. The whole house is smaller then our kitchen area. It is about the size of from the island to the stove that area and they have 6 kids. So that will be a hard time. But I love the family to death they are awesome. And always so happy and willing to help. There great.
They mission party will be awesome but it is so weird and doesn’t even feel like Christmas here. It’s so freaking hot!!!!! But oh well.
I love you all and will talk to you in a few days.
Love
Elder Bigelow
p.s
011 549 262 7509072
This is the number to call me at on Christmas. So call about 9 my time and 5 your time. And everyone is welcome to be there. Family, friends, people I don’t know, who ever wants to. And I get an hour or so. Its ok if we go over a little bit.
HELLO... HELLO...
For all those none Spanish speakers out there including myself that means Merry Christmas! So merry Christmas. I know its not yet but by my next email it will just be old news…
Thanks for all your support and love it has been awesome I really can feel it. And I will write the barns family a setter but will send it to you and you take it to them. It is too much for me to send it separate. And no I have not got any packages except one from grandma Johnson. And the rest I have not got. The next opportunity for me to get any is on Wednesday at the Christmas party with the mission. But I don’t get any letters or packages as often as I did in the mtc, not every day or every week or every month. It’s about every six weeks. They just hold it all together over time and at zone conferences they hand it all out. So no I have not got anything yet from the family. I have from some of my guy friends and the Shurtz family and grandma Johnson. And that is it. So maybe on Wednesday I will get more from you and others. I hope so at least.
So we got the email today about numbers to call and stuff that will be at the end of the email. But yeah like 9 here so like 5 there. Ok? Great.
So this week was a pretty good week. I went on splits with the zone leaders and had my first experience with a companion that speaks no English… it was pretty good we talked a lot and he said he understood what I was saying so that was good and we found new investigators for him and his comp to teach. So it was pretty successful I would say.
We had our ward Christmas party this week also. It was so fun. I really liked it we had empanadas that me and Ayer helped to make 22 dozen of them. It was a lot and i was tired and sweaty after but we had to walk to the church still for the party. And we had most the entire ward there. About 55 people I think the final count came down to. So that was good and the youth put on Christ’s birth and that story for everyone and had been practicing for awhile. It was really good I didn’t understand much of it but it was still good I enjoyed it. They youth here have really accepted me now I feel. When I walk the streets they yell BIGELOW in there weird ways of how they pronounce it. And run and give me a hug or shake my hand. I have taught them cool little secret hand shakes with living bones in it. They love it. Its great they are all real cool. And the older youth like priests and teachers play a lot of rugby here and love looking at my football pictures and I have them look up Alta on you tube and they love it. So maybe some time if you could put my highlight video on there and they can see it. They all ask me about it a lot.
Speaking of pictures the ones I have of us in Yellowstone the people all here think they are the most amazing pictures ever and just love to look at them. It’s so funny. And they say you all are gorgeous so take pride in that. (if you have more then 3 teeth here you are considered gorgeous, so don’t get to big headed) but they are all just awesome.
So on Saturday the Austidillo family said they were ready to do there part and to come to church and be baptized. So we had a date for the 26th for them to be baptized and were ready for it. And they did not show up to church yesterday… what a shame so no baptism on the 26th. They want blessings but won’t do the things they need to, to relieve those blessings. We were going to go to there house and BAJAR LA CAINA but we are just not going to stop by them for this whole week and let them think about it a little bit and got by on Saturday and tell them they are invited to church and leave not talk or anything and maybe then they will get the point across that we are serious we cant stop by anymore if they wont keep commitments and progress. None of our investigators are progressing. My ward has not had a baptism since April. We can’t even get a less active family to come to church so their 8 year old son can be baptized. They want him to be really bad but they wont come to church. So he can’t till then. But we have had some good staff happen to its not all bad. Haha we have re activated a family in the ward after not coming to church once for two years and they have come every week and to every activity so that is really good.
We don’t have much planned for this week. We have a few lunches and the mission party and that’s it. But we are going to be making brownies and cakes and cookies and stuff and taking them to members on Christmas. So that will be fun. And me and Ayer have a lunch planned with the most poor family in the ward… that will be hard. Its on Christmas day to. They say they have soup every year. Just what I want in the 100 degree weather. And this year will be they same this time it is with rabbit in it. Rabbit stew. The hermano caught and killed a rabbit that came into his house they other night because they don’t have a door just a sheet for it so whatever wants can come in and out and dirt floor and just all around a sad situation. The whole house is smaller then our kitchen area. It is about the size of from the island to the stove that area and they have 6 kids. So that will be a hard time. But I love the family to death they are awesome. And always so happy and willing to help. There great.
They mission party will be awesome but it is so weird and doesn’t even feel like Christmas here. It’s so freaking hot!!!!! But oh well.
I love you all and will talk to you in a few days.
Love
Elder Bigelow
p.s
011 549 262 7509072
This is the number to call me at on Christmas. So call about 9 my time and 5 your time. And everyone is welcome to be there. Family, friends, people I don’t know, who ever wants to. And I get an hour or so. Its ok if we go over a little bit.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Elder Bigelow writes again
Hello everyone!
Alright well the computers here suck! I just wrote an awesome email and it logged me out and did not send. I am really upset right now that I have to do it all over again.
Thank you for the email from Kyle. Keep forwarding me the emails and brads also when he gets out there so I can see how they are doing and what is going on with them.
So the week before I got here Elder Ayer wrote his girl off and she then wrote him off also so I guess she was confused that he had already done it. But last week she emailed him again and is engaged to be married. That is the exact reason I am glad I did not have a girlfriend before the mission like the odds just are that they will write you off or something. Like all the girls from home that I knew I am sure have already totally forgot about me. But I hope some didn’t and that they don’t so I have someone to hang out and go on dates with when I get back.
One of the AP’s went to Davis high school and knows uncle Bry and that whole family. I guess he is super tight with them. He would go backpacking and all sorts of stuff with them all the time. His name is Elder Squirres he comes home either this transfer or the next I am not exactly sure, But he is a good guy and stuff so ask about him. Another elder here, I think the Shurtz family might know his name is Elder Roundy and he is from Panguitch Utah. I have not met him but I have heard a lot about him so ask the Shurtz family about him and find out.
This week none of our investigators came to church but I hope that they will soon. We put a fecha with the Austodillo family for the 26th and so hopefully that will push them to come to church, and they told us that they feel they want to go now. So they had better come next week. haha
The past couple days it has rained a ton and hailed yesterday I have pictures I will send and you can see the size of this hail. I had my first asado last week also. Steaks the size of my face and an entire chicken and chur y pan. It was super good I really liked it.
I eat at the Ortiz families house every Thursday and they are so awesome! I love them a ton. They are sealed together which is rare I am sure a lot of you know. And they have a son on a mish right now. But I told them you say hi and are grateful to them for taking care of me. And they say hello and that they will take good care of me that you raised a good son and that you all are beautiful. I showed them the pictures. Which I need one about the 4x6 size of the whole family. I do not have one. And to my friends who receive this... if you have not sent me pictures yet please do send some so I can have them.
Oh and there are two new elders in our zone. There area got closed cause they witnessed a murder, and two others were killed in front of the chapel and they have been robbed twice. Crazy huh!! haha this place is awesome!! We heard gun shots the other night when we were walking back to our pension. Its freaking insane but so cool I could not imagine myself anywhere else at this time in my life.
Next week I am going fishing with a member!!!!! Jealous dad? I am super excited. It will be a lot of fun.
I love you all sorry this is short but the other one did not send. I willtalk to you next week.
Love
Elder Bigelow
ps I have not got the numbers for you to call me yet. I might have to call you first and give you the number and you call back I dunno but we hopefully will find out this week and I will let you know. And I don’t care who comes everyone, no one, who ever wants to talk, just no crying or being sad. I did well at the airport and I want it to be good again. But only one call this time. Talk soon I love you!! Love elder bigelow
Alright well the computers here suck! I just wrote an awesome email and it logged me out and did not send. I am really upset right now that I have to do it all over again.
Thank you for the email from Kyle. Keep forwarding me the emails and brads also when he gets out there so I can see how they are doing and what is going on with them.
So the week before I got here Elder Ayer wrote his girl off and she then wrote him off also so I guess she was confused that he had already done it. But last week she emailed him again and is engaged to be married. That is the exact reason I am glad I did not have a girlfriend before the mission like the odds just are that they will write you off or something. Like all the girls from home that I knew I am sure have already totally forgot about me. But I hope some didn’t and that they don’t so I have someone to hang out and go on dates with when I get back.
One of the AP’s went to Davis high school and knows uncle Bry and that whole family. I guess he is super tight with them. He would go backpacking and all sorts of stuff with them all the time. His name is Elder Squirres he comes home either this transfer or the next I am not exactly sure, But he is a good guy and stuff so ask about him. Another elder here, I think the Shurtz family might know his name is Elder Roundy and he is from Panguitch Utah. I have not met him but I have heard a lot about him so ask the Shurtz family about him and find out.
This week none of our investigators came to church but I hope that they will soon. We put a fecha with the Austodillo family for the 26th and so hopefully that will push them to come to church, and they told us that they feel they want to go now. So they had better come next week. haha
The past couple days it has rained a ton and hailed yesterday I have pictures I will send and you can see the size of this hail. I had my first asado last week also. Steaks the size of my face and an entire chicken and chur y pan. It was super good I really liked it.
I eat at the Ortiz families house every Thursday and they are so awesome! I love them a ton. They are sealed together which is rare I am sure a lot of you know. And they have a son on a mish right now. But I told them you say hi and are grateful to them for taking care of me. And they say hello and that they will take good care of me that you raised a good son and that you all are beautiful. I showed them the pictures. Which I need one about the 4x6 size of the whole family. I do not have one. And to my friends who receive this... if you have not sent me pictures yet please do send some so I can have them.
Oh and there are two new elders in our zone. There area got closed cause they witnessed a murder, and two others were killed in front of the chapel and they have been robbed twice. Crazy huh!! haha this place is awesome!! We heard gun shots the other night when we were walking back to our pension. Its freaking insane but so cool I could not imagine myself anywhere else at this time in my life.
Next week I am going fishing with a member!!!!! Jealous dad? I am super excited. It will be a lot of fun.
I love you all sorry this is short but the other one did not send. I willtalk to you next week.
Love
Elder Bigelow
ps I have not got the numbers for you to call me yet. I might have to call you first and give you the number and you call back I dunno but we hopefully will find out this week and I will let you know. And I don’t care who comes everyone, no one, who ever wants to talk, just no crying or being sad. I did well at the airport and I want it to be good again. But only one call this time. Talk soon I love you!! Love elder bigelow
Friday, December 11, 2009
Latest letter with Pictures
December 7,2009
¡HOLA!
So this week was pretty crazy but fun at the same time a lot of experiences and things I wont forget ever in my life.
Early in the week we went to a birthday party for a boy name Nacho. A ward member, and part of an awesome family! That was way coo. I’m just pissed I didn’t bring my camera. It was a cool experience people singing playing soccer and everything. I had a total blast. The little hijos (kids) dominated me in soccer but it was fun, and my comp kicked the ball and a little kid was in the way and took it right to the face! Ha-ha bloody nose and stuff but he was back playing in like two seconds. Then a fight broke out with a few the kids, punches thrown and all... they are crazy for their soccer. Like the boy got a new ball for his birthday and cherished it, and would not even let it touch the dirt. (Oh yeah all they have here is dirt or cement. no grass.) It was funny watching him with that thing and he got pens also and all the kids were in awe. They love pens, the kids do. I cant bring my camera anywhere in fear of it getting stolen so I didn’t have it on me. I wish though I could have got some awesome pictures.
Next we are teaching this family, the Bastida family. They are cool. The dad has some joint problem where his joints are super enflamed and looks weird, but such a nice and loving guy. They are just way into the whole restoration and plan of salvation stuff. But they wont come to church. That is the hardest thing for people here to do. Especially at 9 in the morning. Its amazing how lazy they are here and they admit it to. They wake up at 10, Then around 12 then they drink there matee, go to work for an hour or so (depending IF they need to, or how long it takes to drink there matee), then come home for lunch and siesta till about 5-6 then work till 8 or 9 and be done. hahahah I cant believe it. They have siesta’s every single day! So in that time we don’t knock or anything because it pisses people off or they wont answer so we go back to the pension and study. It’s crazy! But you have to love it!!!
Elder Spraggue my district leader, and third of 4 people in our pension, accidently came across making butter this week during siesta time. He was trying to make cream by hand with ingredients that they have here but made butter. It was very funny and thought I would share it with you.
Over the week and weekend we have been going by the Austidillo families house trying to get them to come to church. But again to early and apparently too much to do. So I bore testimony to them about sacrifices and ones I have made to be here to talk to them and bring them the gospel and to church,and they still did not show up to church yesterday. It was kinda frustrating. Even little kids turning 8 and investigators who were asked to come did not come. It could have been cause it has been raining hard core yesterday and especially today, Which has been nice cause it has been hotter then crap!!! I have sweet tan lines already and a burnt nose a bit, but the rest is good.
Now for the crazy and not so good day... SATURDAY!!! Wow that day just kinda sucked!! All the appointments fell through in the morning and we tried talking to people in the streets and they got pissed! And we walked so much and it was way hot. Then in the afternoon we were walking to go teach Santiago. An 8 year old boy in a member family, just to prep him for his baptism, and as we were walking to it my comp. stops to pet this dog(one of the few thousands that run the streets that is taken care of by someone and does not bark or bite at you.) of a less active member. And I stop and am waiting when BAM I feel something drill me in my left side. A rock. I look over and two 12 year old boys drop to the ground behind a car. I was like seriously! Come on. Then we walked down the street and rocks are flying past us, through our legs, and over our heads all of it. And I got hit several more times in my back and arm. I turned around and was about to go back but my comp reminded me what did and would Jesus do.... so we kept walking. They were shooting rocks at us with slingshots! And they were hitting or getting close to hitting us about 200 yards away from them. Needless to say, I have some AWESOME large welts on me from it.
After that, on the next block over this kid and girl were breaking the law of chastity to say the least sitting on the edge of a gutter!!! Not sex, but still was breaking the law. And transvestites tried hitting on me and my comp! And two kids came by us on bikes and yelled they had a bunch of 12 year old prostitutes waiting for our American money just down the street.... ahhhhhhh crazy Saturday!!!
But after all that we got to a house with this man named Oscar, who we street contacted and he was way into it all and we felt inspired to commit him to baptism. So we asked if it was right to be baptized with the correct authority from God. He said yes, and if he would be baptized by that authority. He said yes. We then said we have the authority to do so from God and he said good, and that he would be baptized, but he had to ask his wife first, but if she says no he is a rebel and still might. But he did not come to church yesterday so I am worried. We are going to talk to him after this.
And then after that Saturday back to craziness. Wewent to Austidillo and tried to teach a lesson but they were rapping, cause she thinks she will make it big as a rapper. And the other was on the roof making out. So we just left. Crazy stuff.
Yesterday and today was zone conferences and meetings with the president. it was awesome I loved it! We got letters and packages today. I got three. One from Michael Gagon, Taylor Thomas and the Shurtz family. Next time will be the 22 or 23 at the Christmas party. So I hope I get more then. :)
I can email immediate family only so if you want that way it will be fine. it is soooo nice getting letters though. But email, I have like an hour and 15 minutes. So yeah.
The food is awesome! And the fruit is AMAZING. I always just was like yeah, yeah I’m sure its good when others would say it, but it really is so awesome I love it. All the members love our family. I have shown the pictures and stuff and they think you are all beautiful. So keep it up!!
When I send letters as you will see when you get mine. I am sending a few in one and then I need you to mail them for me. They are in envelopes but it’s WAY to expensive to mail all separate, its a ton cheaper to do it this way. And don’t shy away from using those white envelopes at the post office everyone!! They are great and it’s free for me until it passes five pounds. :) But packages are like gold around here people worship them!!! The sweets here are great but I still miss that stuff.
Are you going to Brad’s farewell? Does Kyle leave this week for Naga? When You’re freezing there when you wake up at seven, just think I am walking in dirt roads frying in the heat!! At noon day. ha-ha
I love you all and miss you very much. I hope all is going well and you will keep in touch. Keep working hard and I think of you often.
¡con mucho amor!
Elder Bigelow
¡HOLA!
So this week was pretty crazy but fun at the same time a lot of experiences and things I wont forget ever in my life.
Early in the week we went to a birthday party for a boy name Nacho. A ward member, and part of an awesome family! That was way coo. I’m just pissed I didn’t bring my camera. It was a cool experience people singing playing soccer and everything. I had a total blast. The little hijos (kids) dominated me in soccer but it was fun, and my comp kicked the ball and a little kid was in the way and took it right to the face! Ha-ha bloody nose and stuff but he was back playing in like two seconds. Then a fight broke out with a few the kids, punches thrown and all... they are crazy for their soccer. Like the boy got a new ball for his birthday and cherished it, and would not even let it touch the dirt. (Oh yeah all they have here is dirt or cement. no grass.) It was funny watching him with that thing and he got pens also and all the kids were in awe. They love pens, the kids do. I cant bring my camera anywhere in fear of it getting stolen so I didn’t have it on me. I wish though I could have got some awesome pictures.
Next we are teaching this family, the Bastida family. They are cool. The dad has some joint problem where his joints are super enflamed and looks weird, but such a nice and loving guy. They are just way into the whole restoration and plan of salvation stuff. But they wont come to church. That is the hardest thing for people here to do. Especially at 9 in the morning. Its amazing how lazy they are here and they admit it to. They wake up at 10, Then around 12 then they drink there matee, go to work for an hour or so (depending IF they need to, or how long it takes to drink there matee), then come home for lunch and siesta till about 5-6 then work till 8 or 9 and be done. hahahah I cant believe it. They have siesta’s every single day! So in that time we don’t knock or anything because it pisses people off or they wont answer so we go back to the pension and study. It’s crazy! But you have to love it!!!
Elder Spraggue my district leader, and third of 4 people in our pension, accidently came across making butter this week during siesta time. He was trying to make cream by hand with ingredients that they have here but made butter. It was very funny and thought I would share it with you.
Over the week and weekend we have been going by the Austidillo families house trying to get them to come to church. But again to early and apparently too much to do. So I bore testimony to them about sacrifices and ones I have made to be here to talk to them and bring them the gospel and to church,and they still did not show up to church yesterday. It was kinda frustrating. Even little kids turning 8 and investigators who were asked to come did not come. It could have been cause it has been raining hard core yesterday and especially today, Which has been nice cause it has been hotter then crap!!! I have sweet tan lines already and a burnt nose a bit, but the rest is good.
Now for the crazy and not so good day... SATURDAY!!! Wow that day just kinda sucked!! All the appointments fell through in the morning and we tried talking to people in the streets and they got pissed! And we walked so much and it was way hot. Then in the afternoon we were walking to go teach Santiago. An 8 year old boy in a member family, just to prep him for his baptism, and as we were walking to it my comp. stops to pet this dog(one of the few thousands that run the streets that is taken care of by someone and does not bark or bite at you.) of a less active member. And I stop and am waiting when BAM I feel something drill me in my left side. A rock. I look over and two 12 year old boys drop to the ground behind a car. I was like seriously! Come on. Then we walked down the street and rocks are flying past us, through our legs, and over our heads all of it. And I got hit several more times in my back and arm. I turned around and was about to go back but my comp reminded me what did and would Jesus do.... so we kept walking. They were shooting rocks at us with slingshots! And they were hitting or getting close to hitting us about 200 yards away from them. Needless to say, I have some AWESOME large welts on me from it.
After that, on the next block over this kid and girl were breaking the law of chastity to say the least sitting on the edge of a gutter!!! Not sex, but still was breaking the law. And transvestites tried hitting on me and my comp! And two kids came by us on bikes and yelled they had a bunch of 12 year old prostitutes waiting for our American money just down the street.... ahhhhhhh crazy Saturday!!!
But after all that we got to a house with this man named Oscar, who we street contacted and he was way into it all and we felt inspired to commit him to baptism. So we asked if it was right to be baptized with the correct authority from God. He said yes, and if he would be baptized by that authority. He said yes. We then said we have the authority to do so from God and he said good, and that he would be baptized, but he had to ask his wife first, but if she says no he is a rebel and still might. But he did not come to church yesterday so I am worried. We are going to talk to him after this.
And then after that Saturday back to craziness. Wewent to Austidillo and tried to teach a lesson but they were rapping, cause she thinks she will make it big as a rapper. And the other was on the roof making out. So we just left. Crazy stuff.
Yesterday and today was zone conferences and meetings with the president. it was awesome I loved it! We got letters and packages today. I got three. One from Michael Gagon, Taylor Thomas and the Shurtz family. Next time will be the 22 or 23 at the Christmas party. So I hope I get more then. :)
I can email immediate family only so if you want that way it will be fine. it is soooo nice getting letters though. But email, I have like an hour and 15 minutes. So yeah.
The food is awesome! And the fruit is AMAZING. I always just was like yeah, yeah I’m sure its good when others would say it, but it really is so awesome I love it. All the members love our family. I have shown the pictures and stuff and they think you are all beautiful. So keep it up!!
When I send letters as you will see when you get mine. I am sending a few in one and then I need you to mail them for me. They are in envelopes but it’s WAY to expensive to mail all separate, its a ton cheaper to do it this way. And don’t shy away from using those white envelopes at the post office everyone!! They are great and it’s free for me until it passes five pounds. :) But packages are like gold around here people worship them!!! The sweets here are great but I still miss that stuff.
Are you going to Brad’s farewell? Does Kyle leave this week for Naga? When You’re freezing there when you wake up at seven, just think I am walking in dirt roads frying in the heat!! At noon day. ha-ha
I love you all and miss you very much. I hope all is going well and you will keep in touch. Keep working hard and I think of you often.
¡con mucho amor!
Elder Bigelow
Monday, November 30, 2009
Elder Bigelow is in Argentina!
HOLA!!!
Well I am here in Argentina finally. I love it this place is so awesome!!
So i tried to call Becky and Ben at the airport but neither answered and when I was going to try again one of the elders came running down the hall saying we were boarding the flight and had to go! So I hung up and went right then to jump on the plane. Said my final goodbyes to US soil and took my sleeping pills and fell asleep and didn’t wake up until I had an hour left on my flight :) it was great. Haha we got to the Buenos Aires airport and had to go and find Alberto… we found him and he took us in a van to some other place who knows where but it was about 30-45 min. Away. And we found out it was another local airport. So we got to fly rather then take a bus. The flight was about an hour and forty-five minutes long. When we got to Mendoza we saw the prez. His wife and the ap´s waiting for us. They took us to the prez appartment and then the ap´s took us tracting. We talked to a family who was interested and are now going to get baptized. It made me so excited I could not wait to get to my area!!!
That night we slept in the ap´s pension(house/apartment) it was nice. But freaking hot!! Haha when we got up the next morning we went to a place Similar to the dmv in the states to fill out paper work so we would be legal in the country. While there waiting in line (which is worse then the dmv might i add) This lady just lifts up her shirt while I am asking how she is and she starts to breast feed her baby!!!! Not in the states anymore…. Hahah
Later that day we got our trainers and sent out to our new areas. My trainer is Elder Ayer. And my area is about 2 and a half minutes south of Mendoza . An area called San Rafael. It’s awesome. Ayer is about 6’5” and from New Hampshire. Super cool guy way nice and works super hard. Like we have families lined up everyday to teach and to talk to. I was really blessed with a good companion again I think.
So in our area we have lunch everyday with members. They love us here! And lunch is the big meal of the day ya know. And I think I will be gaining a lot of weight Elder Ayer gained 20 pounds at one point then started running and woking out to work it off and he has. But I want to gain weight for awhile then I will work it off eventually when I get sick of seeing my rolls. ha-ha just playing I already am working out every morning. But the food here is SOOOOO good!!! I love it so much I cant get enough. Yesterday I almost made myself sick eating ¨pastel de papas¨ its kinda like Sheppard’s pie but better it has sugar on top and stuff wow its good. And the treats are even better. Freak this place is awesome!!
Our sector in San Rafeal is really rural. Super poor people and living in some tough conditions as compared to the rest of san rafeal. Dirt roads and shacks for houses with sheets for doors and dirt for floors. One lady a member that we just stopped in to visit her and her family she breast fed in front of me again it has happened like ten times. It happened again walking to do the email in the street. Haha insane. But anyways 5 kids all 8 or younger 2 under 2 bad situation dirt floor and sheets for doors and one bed for them all to sleep in. Smaller then my room at home the whole house its sad but they are happy and I love them so much they are an awesome family.
We are teaching right now a lot of people. Familia austidillo. Three girls they have all accepted it all and been to church once but wont come again its a little frustrating. And they want to be baptized really bad. So we just got to get them to church. Nadir is another man we are teaching he is cool and pretty receptive just cant read to well, and is missing teeth so I already can’t understand people here but when they are old and missing teeth forget about it. hahah its great though. Its funny how many people here are missing teeth probably about fifty percent are its funny. The language gets better everyday and it’s been good I have been blessed to be able to talk to anyone and just laugh that they don’t understand me but I still give them a pamphlet and invite them to church. They take it and yeah so it feels good the people are cool and super loving. I love it here already so much everyone is so freaking awesome!!!!!
So in our pension it has the rumor of being the worst in the whole mission which I could believe seeing others and then ours. But its still good I like it. There are two other elders living with us Elder Spraggue from Sacramento, and Elder Crossa from Uraguay both awesome and so funny always cracking jokes!! And they know so much about other religions and the scriptures its fun just sitting and listening to them chit chat away and tell jokes.
So on Friday we went to a members house for lunch and when we got there the little kids came running up the street and were yelling ELDERS!!! So freaking cute. And we went with them to there house to eat and just all over me asking me so say things in English and teaching me words it was fun. Super cute kids. 2 boys and a little girl Luna. Who is 3 and just always wanting me to hold her and look at her drawings and stuff so cute! Then we ate and I thought it was the fried chicken stuff we had the day before called Milanese which is made from beef and chicken and other things. But I started to chew it and thought it was a bit more chewy then the stuff we had the day before and hoped it was cooked all the way but I ate it anyways it was not bad or anything it was pretty good and I’m not a picky eater I like food in general. But when we left I asked Elder Ayer and he said it was ¨mondongo¨!!! Fetch!! Hahah for those who do not know what that is…. Its cow stomach…. Ha-ha I ate it and had three servings. So yeah a little crazy huh?
So I can only get packages 3 times a year they recommend because it is so expensive for me. I have to pay to get them. And I only get mail every about 5 or 6 weeks they save it and give it to you at conference or transfers. So it kinda suck… also I learned not to write a description of what is in the package just put mission supplies. And they usually wont look in. But anything valuable hide it inside something. But a good bit of info. Is that you can send those white envelopes from the post office the big ones and fill it up to 5 POUNDS and I get it for free it does not charge me if its 5 or under. So send stuff that way and packages a few times a year but make it big and worth my money which i never doubt it will be.
Also I got the wrong address. So if I don’t get letters from people I will
know. But here it is:
Casilla de Correo
5500 Mendoza
MZA ARGENTINA 631
Or another is the mission office….
Mission Argentina Mendoza
Cabildo Abierto 161
5501 Mendoza
This one might be a little better. So maybe start sending it there or somethin if ya can and want to. Just whatever works i guess. But yeah I will also write letters and send them off today. It takes about two weeks to get there I think but I hope to hear from you all soon! I love you so much and miss ya tons! Pray for me to get the language and for the people to feel my spirit and want to change there lives for the better.
Con mucho amor
Elder Bigelow
Well I am here in Argentina finally. I love it this place is so awesome!!
So i tried to call Becky and Ben at the airport but neither answered and when I was going to try again one of the elders came running down the hall saying we were boarding the flight and had to go! So I hung up and went right then to jump on the plane. Said my final goodbyes to US soil and took my sleeping pills and fell asleep and didn’t wake up until I had an hour left on my flight :) it was great. Haha we got to the Buenos Aires airport and had to go and find Alberto… we found him and he took us in a van to some other place who knows where but it was about 30-45 min. Away. And we found out it was another local airport. So we got to fly rather then take a bus. The flight was about an hour and forty-five minutes long. When we got to Mendoza we saw the prez. His wife and the ap´s waiting for us. They took us to the prez appartment and then the ap´s took us tracting. We talked to a family who was interested and are now going to get baptized. It made me so excited I could not wait to get to my area!!!
That night we slept in the ap´s pension(house/apartment) it was nice. But freaking hot!! Haha when we got up the next morning we went to a place Similar to the dmv in the states to fill out paper work so we would be legal in the country. While there waiting in line (which is worse then the dmv might i add) This lady just lifts up her shirt while I am asking how she is and she starts to breast feed her baby!!!! Not in the states anymore…. Hahah
Later that day we got our trainers and sent out to our new areas. My trainer is Elder Ayer. And my area is about 2 and a half minutes south of Mendoza . An area called San Rafael. It’s awesome. Ayer is about 6’5” and from New Hampshire. Super cool guy way nice and works super hard. Like we have families lined up everyday to teach and to talk to. I was really blessed with a good companion again I think.
So in our area we have lunch everyday with members. They love us here! And lunch is the big meal of the day ya know. And I think I will be gaining a lot of weight Elder Ayer gained 20 pounds at one point then started running and woking out to work it off and he has. But I want to gain weight for awhile then I will work it off eventually when I get sick of seeing my rolls. ha-ha just playing I already am working out every morning. But the food here is SOOOOO good!!! I love it so much I cant get enough. Yesterday I almost made myself sick eating ¨pastel de papas¨ its kinda like Sheppard’s pie but better it has sugar on top and stuff wow its good. And the treats are even better. Freak this place is awesome!!
Our sector in San Rafeal is really rural. Super poor people and living in some tough conditions as compared to the rest of san rafeal. Dirt roads and shacks for houses with sheets for doors and dirt for floors. One lady a member that we just stopped in to visit her and her family she breast fed in front of me again it has happened like ten times. It happened again walking to do the email in the street. Haha insane. But anyways 5 kids all 8 or younger 2 under 2 bad situation dirt floor and sheets for doors and one bed for them all to sleep in. Smaller then my room at home the whole house its sad but they are happy and I love them so much they are an awesome family.
We are teaching right now a lot of people. Familia austidillo. Three girls they have all accepted it all and been to church once but wont come again its a little frustrating. And they want to be baptized really bad. So we just got to get them to church. Nadir is another man we are teaching he is cool and pretty receptive just cant read to well, and is missing teeth so I already can’t understand people here but when they are old and missing teeth forget about it. hahah its great though. Its funny how many people here are missing teeth probably about fifty percent are its funny. The language gets better everyday and it’s been good I have been blessed to be able to talk to anyone and just laugh that they don’t understand me but I still give them a pamphlet and invite them to church. They take it and yeah so it feels good the people are cool and super loving. I love it here already so much everyone is so freaking awesome!!!!!
So in our pension it has the rumor of being the worst in the whole mission which I could believe seeing others and then ours. But its still good I like it. There are two other elders living with us Elder Spraggue from Sacramento, and Elder Crossa from Uraguay both awesome and so funny always cracking jokes!! And they know so much about other religions and the scriptures its fun just sitting and listening to them chit chat away and tell jokes.
So on Friday we went to a members house for lunch and when we got there the little kids came running up the street and were yelling ELDERS!!! So freaking cute. And we went with them to there house to eat and just all over me asking me so say things in English and teaching me words it was fun. Super cute kids. 2 boys and a little girl Luna. Who is 3 and just always wanting me to hold her and look at her drawings and stuff so cute! Then we ate and I thought it was the fried chicken stuff we had the day before called Milanese which is made from beef and chicken and other things. But I started to chew it and thought it was a bit more chewy then the stuff we had the day before and hoped it was cooked all the way but I ate it anyways it was not bad or anything it was pretty good and I’m not a picky eater I like food in general. But when we left I asked Elder Ayer and he said it was ¨mondongo¨!!! Fetch!! Hahah for those who do not know what that is…. Its cow stomach…. Ha-ha I ate it and had three servings. So yeah a little crazy huh?
So I can only get packages 3 times a year they recommend because it is so expensive for me. I have to pay to get them. And I only get mail every about 5 or 6 weeks they save it and give it to you at conference or transfers. So it kinda suck… also I learned not to write a description of what is in the package just put mission supplies. And they usually wont look in. But anything valuable hide it inside something. But a good bit of info. Is that you can send those white envelopes from the post office the big ones and fill it up to 5 POUNDS and I get it for free it does not charge me if its 5 or under. So send stuff that way and packages a few times a year but make it big and worth my money which i never doubt it will be.
Also I got the wrong address. So if I don’t get letters from people I will
know. But here it is:
Casilla de Correo
5500 Mendoza
MZA ARGENTINA 631
Or another is the mission office….
Mission Argentina Mendoza
Cabildo Abierto 161
5501 Mendoza
This one might be a little better. So maybe start sending it there or somethin if ya can and want to. Just whatever works i guess. But yeah I will also write letters and send them off today. It takes about two weeks to get there I think but I hope to hear from you all soon! I love you so much and miss ya tons! Pray for me to get the language and for the people to feel my spirit and want to change there lives for the better.
Con mucho amor
Elder Bigelow
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sending packages to Zack
This is direct from his mission president in his information letter before he left on his mission.
"We ask that you only send packages to your missionary for 2 or 3 special occasions per year (Christmas, birthday, etc.) Argentine customs regulations stipulates that in all cases the addressee must be present to authorize the opening, checking, and customs clearance of packages. To expedite the examination of such packages, the addressee must be the name "Mision Argentina Mendoza" not "Elder Zack Bigelow" otherwise Zack would have to go to customs personally to get the package and he would have to pay whatever customs desires him to pay to get it out. Mission personel can only retreive packages sent to the "Mision" Put the full name of the missionary without the "Elder" in front of his name in the return address (as sender). SEE below:
Zackery Bigelow
City, State, Zip
U.S.A.
Mision Argentina Mendoza
Casilla de Correo 631
Mendoza 5500
Argentina
According to Argentine law, duties on packages are assessed at 50% of declared value or value as judged bu customs officials. When you declare the value on the green Customs Declaration slip CN22, it must be based upon what you paid. If you insure a package don't write on the slip what you insured the package for, only what was paid for the item that is inside.
ADVICE ON PACKAGES
Since missionaries pay the duties on all packages, you might want to make sure that Primary organizations, well meaning friends and family don't send large packages for which the missionary can't pay the duty.
WE ADVISE THAT YOU SEND PACKAGES BY US PRIORITY MAIL! WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PACKAGES THROUGH DHL AND FED Ex GETTING PERMANENTLY DELAYED IN BUENOS AIRES AND CUSTOMS CAN BE UP TO 300% OF THE PACKAGE VALUE. BY KEEPING YOUR PACKAGE WEIGHT UNDER 2 lbs AND DELIVERING IT IN The PRIORITY MAIL BUBBLE ENVELOPE SEEMS TO KEEP MOST SHIPMENTS OUT OF CUSTOMS.
Shipment time on packages is also unperdictable; packages can arrive in two weeks, but sometimes take up to eight weeks at Christmas time.
"We ask that you only send packages to your missionary for 2 or 3 special occasions per year (Christmas, birthday, etc.) Argentine customs regulations stipulates that in all cases the addressee must be present to authorize the opening, checking, and customs clearance of packages. To expedite the examination of such packages, the addressee must be the name "Mision Argentina Mendoza" not "Elder Zack Bigelow" otherwise Zack would have to go to customs personally to get the package and he would have to pay whatever customs desires him to pay to get it out. Mission personel can only retreive packages sent to the "Mision" Put the full name of the missionary without the "Elder" in front of his name in the return address (as sender). SEE below:
Zackery Bigelow
City, State, Zip
U.S.A.
Mision Argentina Mendoza
Casilla de Correo 631
Mendoza 5500
Argentina
According to Argentine law, duties on packages are assessed at 50% of declared value or value as judged bu customs officials. When you declare the value on the green Customs Declaration slip CN22, it must be based upon what you paid. If you insure a package don't write on the slip what you insured the package for, only what was paid for the item that is inside.
ADVICE ON PACKAGES
Since missionaries pay the duties on all packages, you might want to make sure that Primary organizations, well meaning friends and family don't send large packages for which the missionary can't pay the duty.
WE ADVISE THAT YOU SEND PACKAGES BY US PRIORITY MAIL! WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PACKAGES THROUGH DHL AND FED Ex GETTING PERMANENTLY DELAYED IN BUENOS AIRES AND CUSTOMS CAN BE UP TO 300% OF THE PACKAGE VALUE. BY KEEPING YOUR PACKAGE WEIGHT UNDER 2 lbs AND DELIVERING IT IN The PRIORITY MAIL BUBBLE ENVELOPE SEEMS TO KEEP MOST SHIPMENTS OUT OF CUSTOMS.
Shipment time on packages is also unperdictable; packages can arrive in two weeks, but sometimes take up to eight weeks at Christmas time.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Zacks last letter from the MTC
November 20,2009
FAMILIA y AMIGOS
Hello! So this is going to be my last email from the mtc...crazy I cant believe it is already here! As far as I know my e-mail will still be the same but it could change to a gmail I dunno... my mission president has a gmail account for the mission so we could have that be our new address when we get there but I don’t know for sure. I am super nervous, but SO excited also. It will just be crazy living in a totally different country for the next 22 months. I can’t wait to see the facial expressions of people down there when they hear me try to speak Spanish. I will just die laughing cause they won’t be able to understand me. But someday they will I am sure, and have faith in that. I cant wait to see the change in peoples lives and in my own...
So I gave myself the challenge to give out four books of Mormons in my travels. Two in English and two in Spanish. That will be very nerve racking! But once I step off this campus I am officially in the field, and have to start working like I am in the field by contacting and teaching people who are not members, and not just other missionaries who already have a testimony. That will be really cool.
We have one elder in our district who did end up getting reassigned temporarily till his visa comes in. He leaves on Wednesday to the Chicago North mission until his visa gets passed through. He is way excited and we are all a little jealous of him.. He gets to get broken in and gets thanksgiving and possibly one Christmas here, and one in Mendoza.
I have all the same meal times as Elizabeth Smart. That’s pretty cool. She Is very nice I said hi and talked to her for a second. Her brother is here in the MTC also. So they are here together, so that’s way cool. All the elders in my zone think that this place is Hogwarts from harry potter. And we decided yesterday that Sister Smart is equivalent to Harry. Everyone knows who she is and turns to look at her when she walks by. ha-ha
Also today we talked to an actual argentine. Straight from Buenos Aires. Yup I know anything and will be laughing a lot at what people are saying and that they cant understand me. But he is very nice and said that I will love it there and said again that Mendoza is absolutely gorgeous! So family you will be picking me up as of now. That is how I feel and is what I want you to do. We can go over into Chile to see Bens mission and see the sights down there. I hear there is a ton of way cool stuff to see and do. Mendoza is currently building like a main tourist place for the country. So you know the place is awesome. I can’t wait.
Today was the last day going to the temple for two years...that was sad and hard for me to leave the celestial room. I have so many great feelings and experiences in there it will be hard not to be able to go in there and count on it every week. So possibly, the Buenos Aires temple will be reopened by the end of my mission and we can go to the Santiago Chile temple, and go to Buenos Aires or one of them. That would be cool and an awesome experience for all of us I think. So lets plan on it and do it.
So I will be calling Lisa in Georgia about 3 or 3:30 Utah time. Talk for a bit then call you dad? Or if I have a lot of minutes call Becky so I can talk to you longer before I board the plane? I dunno I will do something like that depending on how many minutes I have because I want to talk to you dad.
I know this church is true. I love this gospel and I love this work. I cant wait to see my life change and have an opportunity to serve Gods children and see there lives change as well. I know that the book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and he saw God the father and the son Jesus Christ. I know he translated the book of Mormon a collection of stories and teaching of Christ and prophets from ancient America. I know we have a living prophet on the earth today in Thomas S Monson. He is the Lords mouth piece for us and we need to listen to his teachings. I love this gospel so much. I know that there is a plan for us and if we strive to live the commandments and obey them we can live with our families and with God again someday.
I love you all so much and will miss! Please stay in touch!
Mucho Amor
Elder Bigelow
P.s. Lisa, dad I am sending my carry on suitcase home I don’t need it everything is all packed up and I don’t need that. So I am sending it home and you will have to go someplace and pick it up. They will let you know. Somewhere around our house I am sure. And I got my final shot yesterday. It was 93 dollars. I do not have that money so in the suitcase inside the box is a blue paper with what needs to be done ASAP. And pick it up soon please I have important stuff for you in it.
I got the debit card and I do have the pin yes. thank you very much!
give Becky some copies of the pictures on the cd in my package. She was wanting some and the machine broke the other day so I wont have time to send her some.
FAMILIA y AMIGOS
Hello! So this is going to be my last email from the mtc...crazy I cant believe it is already here! As far as I know my e-mail will still be the same but it could change to a gmail I dunno... my mission president has a gmail account for the mission so we could have that be our new address when we get there but I don’t know for sure. I am super nervous, but SO excited also. It will just be crazy living in a totally different country for the next 22 months. I can’t wait to see the facial expressions of people down there when they hear me try to speak Spanish. I will just die laughing cause they won’t be able to understand me. But someday they will I am sure, and have faith in that. I cant wait to see the change in peoples lives and in my own...
So I gave myself the challenge to give out four books of Mormons in my travels. Two in English and two in Spanish. That will be very nerve racking! But once I step off this campus I am officially in the field, and have to start working like I am in the field by contacting and teaching people who are not members, and not just other missionaries who already have a testimony. That will be really cool.
We have one elder in our district who did end up getting reassigned temporarily till his visa comes in. He leaves on Wednesday to the Chicago North mission until his visa gets passed through. He is way excited and we are all a little jealous of him.. He gets to get broken in and gets thanksgiving and possibly one Christmas here, and one in Mendoza.
I have all the same meal times as Elizabeth Smart. That’s pretty cool. She Is very nice I said hi and talked to her for a second. Her brother is here in the MTC also. So they are here together, so that’s way cool. All the elders in my zone think that this place is Hogwarts from harry potter. And we decided yesterday that Sister Smart is equivalent to Harry. Everyone knows who she is and turns to look at her when she walks by. ha-ha
Also today we talked to an actual argentine. Straight from Buenos Aires. Yup I know anything and will be laughing a lot at what people are saying and that they cant understand me. But he is very nice and said that I will love it there and said again that Mendoza is absolutely gorgeous! So family you will be picking me up as of now. That is how I feel and is what I want you to do. We can go over into Chile to see Bens mission and see the sights down there. I hear there is a ton of way cool stuff to see and do. Mendoza is currently building like a main tourist place for the country. So you know the place is awesome. I can’t wait.
Today was the last day going to the temple for two years...that was sad and hard for me to leave the celestial room. I have so many great feelings and experiences in there it will be hard not to be able to go in there and count on it every week. So possibly, the Buenos Aires temple will be reopened by the end of my mission and we can go to the Santiago Chile temple, and go to Buenos Aires or one of them. That would be cool and an awesome experience for all of us I think. So lets plan on it and do it.
So I will be calling Lisa in Georgia about 3 or 3:30 Utah time. Talk for a bit then call you dad? Or if I have a lot of minutes call Becky so I can talk to you longer before I board the plane? I dunno I will do something like that depending on how many minutes I have because I want to talk to you dad.
I know this church is true. I love this gospel and I love this work. I cant wait to see my life change and have an opportunity to serve Gods children and see there lives change as well. I know that the book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and he saw God the father and the son Jesus Christ. I know he translated the book of Mormon a collection of stories and teaching of Christ and prophets from ancient America. I know we have a living prophet on the earth today in Thomas S Monson. He is the Lords mouth piece for us and we need to listen to his teachings. I love this gospel so much. I know that there is a plan for us and if we strive to live the commandments and obey them we can live with our families and with God again someday.
I love you all so much and will miss! Please stay in touch!
Mucho Amor
Elder Bigelow
P.s. Lisa, dad I am sending my carry on suitcase home I don’t need it everything is all packed up and I don’t need that. So I am sending it home and you will have to go someplace and pick it up. They will let you know. Somewhere around our house I am sure. And I got my final shot yesterday. It was 93 dollars. I do not have that money so in the suitcase inside the box is a blue paper with what needs to be done ASAP. And pick it up soon please I have important stuff for you in it.
I got the debit card and I do have the pin yes. thank you very much!
give Becky some copies of the pictures on the cd in my package. She was wanting some and the machine broke the other day so I wont have time to send her some.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Travel Plans
November 15,2009
Family!!
Well this week on Tuesday we had a meeting with the travel people for Argentina to talk about visas and issues there. They eventually called my name to come up and talk to them.... and I GOT MY VISA!!!!! I am going to Argentina!!! I got my flight plans today also...it goes as follows
Leave the mtc at 6 am
Flight leaves from slc at 10:55 and fly to Atlanta, GA
I arrive in GA at 4:37 pm
I then leave GA to Buenos Aires at 7:40 pm all on nov. 23.
I arrive in Buenos Aires at 7:50 am on nov. 24.
I then have a 12 hour bus ride to Mendoza!!!
Flight number is 1512 to Georgia then 101 to Argentina
So I have a 4 hour lay over in GA. when would you want me to call? During the layover? Since you will be home from work and such things like that. Or what? I would prefer, personally when I am in GA... Its all on Delta Airlines. So yeah. I also remembered last week that I forgot to tell you in my email that I was made zone leader in my zone. Its a little stressful taking care of everyone and stuff but I have learned a lot and it has been good. As zone leader you have to go check on everyone every night get scores on Spanish speaking from every district, read all the district leader letters, and respond and show and take care of all the new districts. This Wednesday we have two districts of 12 come in the same day. That will be a little hard to show them all around, but it will be fun. Also I now have a crap load more meetings to go to on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. But oh well. Its fun I like it.
So yeah this week if letters are not sent by Wednesday then don’t send them to the mtc just send them to Argentina because I won’t get them. It’s going good here. I see Kyle on occasion here and he is doing good I have not noticed any problems with him he seems totally fine and has not said anything to me about any problems. Its so funny at lunch and meal times on occasion its like a mini Alta reunion with all of us seeing each other and talking. its great. I am so excited to get down to Argentina I can barely retain myself. Ha-ha I don’t know any Spanish but it will be awesome to be surrounded by only Spanish and have no clue what anyone is saying. haha I cant wait!!
So kyles family sent me deer jerky this week from kaysons deer. It was SO amazing!!! I loved it. Best stuff I have ever had. Thank you shurtz family!! Have you been sending my emails to the kunz family because they have said they have not been getting them? I will put their email in my letter I will be sending so if your not make sure you send them to them. And send everyone my mission address please. I don’t know what it is right now but I want to get letters when I get there. not just sit around for weeks waiting for one to come in and be heart broken from it. Haha. All is well I look forward to hearing soon from you about when to call and stuff. I love you so much and all you do for me. Keep giving me mission stories in my letters I love hearing them.
Amor
Elder Bigelow!!!
Family!!
Well this week on Tuesday we had a meeting with the travel people for Argentina to talk about visas and issues there. They eventually called my name to come up and talk to them.... and I GOT MY VISA!!!!! I am going to Argentina!!! I got my flight plans today also...it goes as follows
Leave the mtc at 6 am
Flight leaves from slc at 10:55 and fly to Atlanta, GA
I arrive in GA at 4:37 pm
I then leave GA to Buenos Aires at 7:40 pm all on nov. 23.
I arrive in Buenos Aires at 7:50 am on nov. 24.
I then have a 12 hour bus ride to Mendoza!!!
Flight number is 1512 to Georgia then 101 to Argentina
So I have a 4 hour lay over in GA. when would you want me to call? During the layover? Since you will be home from work and such things like that. Or what? I would prefer, personally when I am in GA... Its all on Delta Airlines. So yeah. I also remembered last week that I forgot to tell you in my email that I was made zone leader in my zone. Its a little stressful taking care of everyone and stuff but I have learned a lot and it has been good. As zone leader you have to go check on everyone every night get scores on Spanish speaking from every district, read all the district leader letters, and respond and show and take care of all the new districts. This Wednesday we have two districts of 12 come in the same day. That will be a little hard to show them all around, but it will be fun. Also I now have a crap load more meetings to go to on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. But oh well. Its fun I like it.
So yeah this week if letters are not sent by Wednesday then don’t send them to the mtc just send them to Argentina because I won’t get them. It’s going good here. I see Kyle on occasion here and he is doing good I have not noticed any problems with him he seems totally fine and has not said anything to me about any problems. Its so funny at lunch and meal times on occasion its like a mini Alta reunion with all of us seeing each other and talking. its great. I am so excited to get down to Argentina I can barely retain myself. Ha-ha I don’t know any Spanish but it will be awesome to be surrounded by only Spanish and have no clue what anyone is saying. haha I cant wait!!
So kyles family sent me deer jerky this week from kaysons deer. It was SO amazing!!! I loved it. Best stuff I have ever had. Thank you shurtz family!! Have you been sending my emails to the kunz family because they have said they have not been getting them? I will put their email in my letter I will be sending so if your not make sure you send them to them. And send everyone my mission address please. I don’t know what it is right now but I want to get letters when I get there. not just sit around for weeks waiting for one to come in and be heart broken from it. Haha. All is well I look forward to hearing soon from you about when to call and stuff. I love you so much and all you do for me. Keep giving me mission stories in my letters I love hearing them.
Amor
Elder Bigelow!!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Letter plus some pictures
(Dallin and Me)
(Missionary Goggles)
November 6, 2009
Family-
Hello there!! Thanks for the email dad! Really made me feel good. And I did get the package from Becky. I sent her a letter right before we got the mail and the package was in it waiting for me. So I have now heard from you Becky. Thanks! the dictionary is great so far. A lot better then the crappy dictionary they give us here.
This week was a pretty boring week nothing really happened just class, study, eat, and sleep. Even though a few more Alta kids came in this week and at dinner Wednesday it was like a huge Alta reunion. we all saw and talked to each other. I am glad to hear I will be getting a letter from you dad sometime today or tomorrow. I have been a little bummed not hearing from you this week. Yesterday in the mail all the Argentina missionaries got this paper to go to a meeting on Tuesday to talk about visas, so who knows how that will go. That’s all it said on it. It could be good or it could be bad. But hopefully either by Tuesday or the latest Friday I will know, because I am supposed to get my travel plans by that time. I guess I will see if I hear anything from Lindsey since she never wrote and told me, and you forwarded her my email.
So this week I have been thinking and talking about the mission with a lot of people. I have met a lot of RM's from Argentina and stuff and just in general with my district. If we get down there on time and everything, we will have 22 months there. . . that does not even seem like enough time at all! It seems so short! Like how am I to do all the work that needs to be done in 22 months? I will have to freaking bust my butt every single day to try and make the absolute most of my time! I feel like the people there deserve so much more time then that and that I need to give them more time. Ah!! I can’t believe it. And I have talked with some former missionaries down there none from Mendoza but around it. They have all
said that I am SO lucky, and it is like the prettiest and coolest mission down there. They were always so jealous of the missionaries who got to serve in that area. That it truly is incredible! That just sent me over the edge. I am so PUMPED!! Why can’t I go today, besides the fact my Spanish sucks and the visas are backed up? Ha ha. I want to go now and if I go state side to start that will be sweet two missions in one. God needed me in two places at once. Sweet. And I will get thanksgiving maybe, and get my Spanish a little more down then what it is now.
We taught the first lesson for the second time in Spanish this week. That went good, and now we are getting ready for the second lesson in Spanish this week. There is a ton of vocab that goes in it. It will be interesting, but I am super excited.
So Ben, I hear that Chileans and argentines are huge rivals! I also have heard that the argentines are a very prideful! So I guess I will get along pretty nicely with them. Something we have in common even though my pride, I think, has really gone down quiet a bit. I feel I am pretty humble, and my district is probably the most humble district ever- pretty much because we already know we are better then everyone.... ha-ha just playin.
Well I look forward to hearing from all of you soon, and I will let you know where I am going if its not Argentina right away. Life is good the church is true! I love this work and I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I am on the Lord’s errand. Even if I only convert one person, that is still a whole generation of kids and missionaries and more converts. And like it says in Alma, call on one to repentance and bring thousands back to God. I love you all so much!!!
Love
Elder Bigelow
Ps. stickers to be sent. Anything that a little argentine child would like. Ask Ben or something. His idea and I have heard that they LOVE them!!! And I already love them and want to give them what I can.
(Me and Kyle)
(Me and my companions all to Mendoza)
(Pointing to my future home...long way from home)
Monday, November 2, 2009
This weeks letter
October 30,2009
Hey family!
I got your letter don’t worry. Did you get mine? With all the pictures and stuff? Sorry you have been sick all week dad. That is never fun. Yeah I was the first to see Noah in his costume don’t worry about! I’m a big deal and loved the most. It is what it is. I hope you got my letter this last week because it had a bunch of pictures it was six pages and had good stuff in it. And I have heard from friends that have not been getting my letters so I am a little upset right now with that cause I have no idea who has and has not got my letters. And what letters I have not received from people. And the package sending... I heard I have to pay for it no matter what.
Did you hear from my mission president for an address or anything because I don’t even know where to tell you to send it. Also you will be hearing more in the letter, but I most likely will not be getting to Argentina on time... they are having a huge swine flu out break down there and visas are Super backed up!! I have talked to some elders going there. 20 of them, were Supposed to leave Tuesday, and only four got their visas down there. The rest are going to Texas, Cali, Georgia, and Arizona till the visas come in. And that has been a huge problem for all the missionaries going there lately. So I am thinking I will be in the states for a little bit before going to Argentina. So who knows if I will even be there for Christmas. It’s a little difficult to make a call for it. I have got two post cards from Becky by the way and that was last week. Nothing since so maybe they got lost in the mail too.
I am doing well though. We had our fast in Spanish a couple times this week it went well. And taught the first lesson in Spanish on Wednesday. That went great too. A lot better then I had thought it would go. For me at least. I can’t believe I am the older district in my zone now I cant wait to get going and start teaching real investigators in person and see the changes in peoples lives! I feel if I go to the states I am lucky! I get to have two missions in one, and it will give me a chance to get my feet a little more wet in Spanish before just jumping right in, so I can learn more and speak better. The Lord works in mysterious ways and always has a plan. Nothing just happens for no reason. If I get sent to a state for a while someone needs to hear my message, if not then that means that I need more time to find the people in Argentina that need to hear my message. I really cant wait it is crazy!
Glad I had to get a letter from Ben today to tell me about Lindsey!!!!! So no one was going to tell me she is having a boy???? Was everyone just going to wait till I got back? WOW thanks for keeping me updated with family matters going on. :( Ha ha ha just playin! Congrats Lindz. I’m sure he will be spoiled and a great athlete. Can’t wait to meet him. Due date? Name? Have you thought of any of my ideas? They are good! Ha ha.
So any of my friends/family getting this and I have not written back to you, I promise I have. I always write everyone back every time. It is possible it got lost in the mail so write back if you have a desire and interest in hearing from me. esta bien! Yeah I heard about Alta. I’m sure they will do well, but I think Bingham will win state. And I could hear the BYU game from right outside the door to my building. I listened to part of the first quarter. Stuff I want in a package.... mt. dew? Dr pepper, Candy, jerky, toys to play with, stickers for the kids. I don’t know whatever. I am happy with every single package I get no matter what’s in it! I will love it no matter what. But I do need a good Spanish to English dictionary asap. the one they give you here SUCKS and they tell you to get a new one as soon as you can! But how can I with no outside world access. Like a yellow one is good. One I can study with and maybe one that I can put in my pocket if ya could... but yeah i need that soon as possible.
Language is coming and the spirit is great. L. Tom Perry spoke to us in a fireside on Tuesday. There is more in the letter. If anyone else wants to know more just ask and I will give the details, it was good. Hope to hear back from you soon. Hope all is good. Keep studying the scriptures and pray as much as you can. Its so powerful! God loves us! I love all of you!
Love
Elder Bigelow!
mucho gusto!
ps i cant get face book stuff lisa....
Hey family!
I got your letter don’t worry. Did you get mine? With all the pictures and stuff? Sorry you have been sick all week dad. That is never fun. Yeah I was the first to see Noah in his costume don’t worry about! I’m a big deal and loved the most. It is what it is. I hope you got my letter this last week because it had a bunch of pictures it was six pages and had good stuff in it. And I have heard from friends that have not been getting my letters so I am a little upset right now with that cause I have no idea who has and has not got my letters. And what letters I have not received from people. And the package sending... I heard I have to pay for it no matter what.
Did you hear from my mission president for an address or anything because I don’t even know where to tell you to send it. Also you will be hearing more in the letter, but I most likely will not be getting to Argentina on time... they are having a huge swine flu out break down there and visas are Super backed up!! I have talked to some elders going there. 20 of them, were Supposed to leave Tuesday, and only four got their visas down there. The rest are going to Texas, Cali, Georgia, and Arizona till the visas come in. And that has been a huge problem for all the missionaries going there lately. So I am thinking I will be in the states for a little bit before going to Argentina. So who knows if I will even be there for Christmas. It’s a little difficult to make a call for it. I have got two post cards from Becky by the way and that was last week. Nothing since so maybe they got lost in the mail too.
I am doing well though. We had our fast in Spanish a couple times this week it went well. And taught the first lesson in Spanish on Wednesday. That went great too. A lot better then I had thought it would go. For me at least. I can’t believe I am the older district in my zone now I cant wait to get going and start teaching real investigators in person and see the changes in peoples lives! I feel if I go to the states I am lucky! I get to have two missions in one, and it will give me a chance to get my feet a little more wet in Spanish before just jumping right in, so I can learn more and speak better. The Lord works in mysterious ways and always has a plan. Nothing just happens for no reason. If I get sent to a state for a while someone needs to hear my message, if not then that means that I need more time to find the people in Argentina that need to hear my message. I really cant wait it is crazy!
Glad I had to get a letter from Ben today to tell me about Lindsey!!!!! So no one was going to tell me she is having a boy???? Was everyone just going to wait till I got back? WOW thanks for keeping me updated with family matters going on. :( Ha ha ha just playin! Congrats Lindz. I’m sure he will be spoiled and a great athlete. Can’t wait to meet him. Due date? Name? Have you thought of any of my ideas? They are good! Ha ha.
So any of my friends/family getting this and I have not written back to you, I promise I have. I always write everyone back every time. It is possible it got lost in the mail so write back if you have a desire and interest in hearing from me. esta bien! Yeah I heard about Alta. I’m sure they will do well, but I think Bingham will win state. And I could hear the BYU game from right outside the door to my building. I listened to part of the first quarter. Stuff I want in a package.... mt. dew? Dr pepper, Candy, jerky, toys to play with, stickers for the kids. I don’t know whatever. I am happy with every single package I get no matter what’s in it! I will love it no matter what. But I do need a good Spanish to English dictionary asap. the one they give you here SUCKS and they tell you to get a new one as soon as you can! But how can I with no outside world access. Like a yellow one is good. One I can study with and maybe one that I can put in my pocket if ya could... but yeah i need that soon as possible.
Language is coming and the spirit is great. L. Tom Perry spoke to us in a fireside on Tuesday. There is more in the letter. If anyone else wants to know more just ask and I will give the details, it was good. Hope to hear back from you soon. Hope all is good. Keep studying the scriptures and pray as much as you can. Its so powerful! God loves us! I love all of you!
Love
Elder Bigelow!
mucho gusto!
ps i cant get face book stuff lisa....
New Updates from Elder Bigelow
October 24, 2009
Hello everybody!
ONE MONTH DOWN!! One more month and I will finally be in ARGENTINA!! I can’t even wait! The MTC is great just want to get down there and serve the people I promised I would find. I am so excited we talk about it everyday. I know that I know ZERO Spanish and will realize I know even less then that when I get there and hear every talk to me.
Dallin emailed me. I guess he can gmail so maybe I will too when I get there. we will have to see. I did get the coat! It fits great thank you very much. Did you get the email from my mission prez. that Christmas packages need to be sent by Nov. 1st to get there on time or something, I guess. Elder Davis was telling me that his parents told him that, because they got the email. Just something to think about, If you love me... and will send me one... and anyone else out there feel free to if your heart desires. Grandma Johnson sent me a package And a Halloween card this week. It was nice and thank you very much! Everything that I get I love very much! Its so nice to know your thinking of me and stuff. I really do appreciate it very much! Letters are the bomb! I love to get them from anyone. It’s great. I hope you got the pictures and letter I sent. Some pretty cool stuff happened this week and I explained it in the letter.
Wow so tomorrow sounds like it will be a big game! I’m excited to hear how it goes. I get a feeling it might not be to pretty for the people here in Provo though. But my district is going all blue ties tomorrow to show our support.
This next week and from here on out we are "fasting from English" on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays, in hopes that we will pick up the language more. We also have to teach in Spanish only from here on out. Wednesday is our last day to teach in English, so that will be exciting. The days may get to be more "fasting" as we get going but for now its just those three. So it looks like I wont be speaking at all on any of those days. Ha ha.
I do see Kyle almost every single day. I guess Brad Kunz and Skylar Taylor drove up here and found him on the MTC grounds. Little mad they did not find me and Brad is the only person of all my friends has written me back. But whatever... ha ha. I love any letters I get and totally forget who has and has not. I just read through all my letters last night I have got, that was fun. This email is short cause all the stuff I put in the letter. And as far as the goggles goes for Kyle...pretty sure he has them too a little bit. But I’m not totally sure.
The elder that was in quarantine got out on Sunday. He said it was the Worst experience of his life. He could not leave his room for five days! They slid food through the door and that was the most outside world he got. But lets be honest this is nothing like the outside world. How is Lindsey and the baby? Any names for it? Gender? What’s up? If she names it Zack don’t get offended, I’m just the favorite! Ha ha. I’m humble because I already know I’m the best... ha ha just playing. I hope all is well there. I look forward to hearing from you soon and getting letters from you. I love it! From all of you it makes the day so much better you don’t even know! Mail is great!
I love all of you and keep you all in my prayers.
Love
Elder Bigelow
Hello everybody!
ONE MONTH DOWN!! One more month and I will finally be in ARGENTINA!! I can’t even wait! The MTC is great just want to get down there and serve the people I promised I would find. I am so excited we talk about it everyday. I know that I know ZERO Spanish and will realize I know even less then that when I get there and hear every talk to me.
Dallin emailed me. I guess he can gmail so maybe I will too when I get there. we will have to see. I did get the coat! It fits great thank you very much. Did you get the email from my mission prez. that Christmas packages need to be sent by Nov. 1st to get there on time or something, I guess. Elder Davis was telling me that his parents told him that, because they got the email. Just something to think about, If you love me... and will send me one... and anyone else out there feel free to if your heart desires. Grandma Johnson sent me a package And a Halloween card this week. It was nice and thank you very much! Everything that I get I love very much! Its so nice to know your thinking of me and stuff. I really do appreciate it very much! Letters are the bomb! I love to get them from anyone. It’s great. I hope you got the pictures and letter I sent. Some pretty cool stuff happened this week and I explained it in the letter.
Wow so tomorrow sounds like it will be a big game! I’m excited to hear how it goes. I get a feeling it might not be to pretty for the people here in Provo though. But my district is going all blue ties tomorrow to show our support.
This next week and from here on out we are "fasting from English" on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays, in hopes that we will pick up the language more. We also have to teach in Spanish only from here on out. Wednesday is our last day to teach in English, so that will be exciting. The days may get to be more "fasting" as we get going but for now its just those three. So it looks like I wont be speaking at all on any of those days. Ha ha.
I do see Kyle almost every single day. I guess Brad Kunz and Skylar Taylor drove up here and found him on the MTC grounds. Little mad they did not find me and Brad is the only person of all my friends has written me back. But whatever... ha ha. I love any letters I get and totally forget who has and has not. I just read through all my letters last night I have got, that was fun. This email is short cause all the stuff I put in the letter. And as far as the goggles goes for Kyle...pretty sure he has them too a little bit. But I’m not totally sure.
The elder that was in quarantine got out on Sunday. He said it was the Worst experience of his life. He could not leave his room for five days! They slid food through the door and that was the most outside world he got. But lets be honest this is nothing like the outside world. How is Lindsey and the baby? Any names for it? Gender? What’s up? If she names it Zack don’t get offended, I’m just the favorite! Ha ha. I’m humble because I already know I’m the best... ha ha just playing. I hope all is well there. I look forward to hearing from you soon and getting letters from you. I love it! From all of you it makes the day so much better you don’t even know! Mail is great!
I love all of you and keep you all in my prayers.
Love
Elder Bigelow
Friday, October 16, 2009
Two posts in one night! Read them both.
HOLA FAMILIA! Y AMIGOS!
Hey so this week was a pretty crazy week. We had four guys leave to the DR yesterday so our district became the smallest in our zone. Wednesday Another elder in our district was feeling sick so we took him to the doctor and they looked over him and came to the diagnosis that he has SWINE FLU!! He has had it for a week. We all got prescribed pills to take for the next ten days every single day. It was a little sketchy.
On Wednesday I looked all over for Kyle and I even sat on the hill walking up and down it hoping to see the family or him. But I never even saw him at all on Wednesday. I saw him last night though and he was feeling nauseous and homesick. He told me that right after he saw me he Started to feel better. I guess you broke the rules and sent a package in with him. That’s straight thug appeal. I will be going to his residence hall today to pick it up from him. I hope my contacts and winter coat are in there its cold walking to class at 6:50 everyday and 9:30 every night and 6 am to the Temple on Fridays. Ha ha
Everything is going well, but it’s no surprise that my study habits are lacking. I think that’s why my Spanish is not quite where I would want it to be. I need that to improve first off. Sometime next week I will have a day where I can only speak Spanish no English.... oh boy! And in two weeks I will start to only be able to teach in Spanish no more English. I hope I will be able to do it. I cannot print off emails here as far as I know. I am glad the correct paper has been used in my letters from you though, so I could put them in my book without tearing holes in them. And I bet none of you can tell me who spoke in sacrament. Ha ha, just playing.
I write letters as much as I can outside of the classroom. But yes, keep forwarding my emails to my friends. I think your taking the wrong approach to what I have said. I would love for them to write me, and send me pictures especially if they said they would. But if they don't, it’s not the end of the world. It would be if I didn’t hear from my family though! That’s what I care about most. (But if your my friend and your getting this, you still have yet to write or send a picture... you still can make it good). I always write back the same or following day of getting it. I do still want to hear from all of you, if you want to write me.) And that goes for everyone!!
For packages, my favorite candy is anything really, such as Fastbreaks, Reeses, Snickers, Three Musketeers, Starburst, Skittles, anything! Home baked goodies are a definite plus!!! Little toys maybe to play with, stamps, pictures, anything is good. A package no matter what’s in it is the best. The Shurtz have sent me a few amazing things I love it! And they need not worry; Kyle is doing so well now. He says hi. He looks like a missionary and already just giving him a hug, I can feel the spirit with him. Its super cool! I have felt the spirit a lot this week and have loved it doing commitments and stuff. So dad Lisa, I commit you to go to the Manti temple! Go with the Shurtz or something its AWESOME! And everyone else go to the temple! Pray sincerly. I love you all a lot! Pray and read.
Love Elder Bigelow!
P.S. dad how was hunting? Is it the deer hunt this weekend? Sean listen to
Mom and dad. And good luck with the girl.
Hey so this week was a pretty crazy week. We had four guys leave to the DR yesterday so our district became the smallest in our zone. Wednesday Another elder in our district was feeling sick so we took him to the doctor and they looked over him and came to the diagnosis that he has SWINE FLU!! He has had it for a week. We all got prescribed pills to take for the next ten days every single day. It was a little sketchy.
On Wednesday I looked all over for Kyle and I even sat on the hill walking up and down it hoping to see the family or him. But I never even saw him at all on Wednesday. I saw him last night though and he was feeling nauseous and homesick. He told me that right after he saw me he Started to feel better. I guess you broke the rules and sent a package in with him. That’s straight thug appeal. I will be going to his residence hall today to pick it up from him. I hope my contacts and winter coat are in there its cold walking to class at 6:50 everyday and 9:30 every night and 6 am to the Temple on Fridays. Ha ha
Everything is going well, but it’s no surprise that my study habits are lacking. I think that’s why my Spanish is not quite where I would want it to be. I need that to improve first off. Sometime next week I will have a day where I can only speak Spanish no English.... oh boy! And in two weeks I will start to only be able to teach in Spanish no more English. I hope I will be able to do it. I cannot print off emails here as far as I know. I am glad the correct paper has been used in my letters from you though, so I could put them in my book without tearing holes in them. And I bet none of you can tell me who spoke in sacrament. Ha ha, just playing.
I write letters as much as I can outside of the classroom. But yes, keep forwarding my emails to my friends. I think your taking the wrong approach to what I have said. I would love for them to write me, and send me pictures especially if they said they would. But if they don't, it’s not the end of the world. It would be if I didn’t hear from my family though! That’s what I care about most. (But if your my friend and your getting this, you still have yet to write or send a picture... you still can make it good). I always write back the same or following day of getting it. I do still want to hear from all of you, if you want to write me.) And that goes for everyone!!
For packages, my favorite candy is anything really, such as Fastbreaks, Reeses, Snickers, Three Musketeers, Starburst, Skittles, anything! Home baked goodies are a definite plus!!! Little toys maybe to play with, stamps, pictures, anything is good. A package no matter what’s in it is the best. The Shurtz have sent me a few amazing things I love it! And they need not worry; Kyle is doing so well now. He says hi. He looks like a missionary and already just giving him a hug, I can feel the spirit with him. Its super cool! I have felt the spirit a lot this week and have loved it doing commitments and stuff. So dad Lisa, I commit you to go to the Manti temple! Go with the Shurtz or something its AWESOME! And everyone else go to the temple! Pray sincerly. I love you all a lot! Pray and read.
Love Elder Bigelow!
P.S. dad how was hunting? Is it the deer hunt this weekend? Sean listen to
Mom and dad. And good luck with the girl.
Zacks latest letter
October 9th, 2009
Hello hello!
Well this week was a good week! Went by pretty fast. Dallin left this week that was weird. And our zone leaders left so we now have new ones. They are pretty cool but really picky and stuff. It’s kind of annoying but I know they are just doing their job. Conference was great! I loved all the talks. A pretty central message of love, and that was good to hear. They did talk to the missionaries really well.
We have four elders leaving to the Dominican MTC next week so that will be kind of weird having them leave. The spirit is so strong in here I love it. Sometimes you become so immune to it you don't know your feeling it until its gone, and you need to ask for it to come back. I met another Elder Bigelow the other day. He is going to Brazil but had to come here cuz his Visa was not yet in and was waiting for it to show up. That was weird. And in the RC I met another kid who is from Arizona who knows a ton of Bigelows. Nobody that I new but small world I guess. I thought our last name was more rare then that.
Thanks for sending my recommend and temple pants. I got them last night. We went to the temple today and that was a great time! The Spirit was really strong and I could tell that it was with me watching over me and comforting me. The mornings this past week have been cold, and we walk everywhere. Our residence hall is on opposite sides from where our class is, so that sucks walking in the cold, but I will live a little bit longer without it I guess.
I am so excited to get out and teach in Argentina. I just need to get the language a lot better. Ha ha. This week was our last week to teach the first lesson (restoration) in English. The next couple of weeks are the second lesson in English then its straight Spanish from there on out. Pray that my study habits increase and I break my old ones, and that I retain the stuff that I am learning.
So next week Kyle comes in to the MTC. That will be super cool, and I can’t wait to see him. A kid in my zone went home yesterday he has been here for 15 weeks cuz he had surgery on his hip and he got sent home because he needed to have another one. He will be home for three months at least. That would be horrible, but if he keeps up on his Spanish then he can go straight to his mission. Did you hear a new temple is getting built in Fortaleza, Austin’s mish? That’s way cool. I wish Mendoza were getting one so I could go. I felt so sad in the temple when I thought that I have six maybe seven more times to go to the temple for two years. That will be hard, but so worth it. I just talked to a sister from right outside Mendoza and she was telling all of us how beautiful it is and how the people are so great. I am way excited to get down there. The days go by slow but the weeks go by fast if that makes sense. So it will be here soon, I think hopefully.
How are things at the house, and with the friends you send emails to? None of them write except Kyle and that will be stopping now. Thanks for cleaning my room and all you have done for me. I pray for all of you each and every night. I know I am being so blessed from this mission and I learn more everyday. I know all of you will be blessed. I will keep you in my prayers. How is Lindsey’s baby? Anyone else pregnant? Write me send me goodies. Love you!
Hello hello!
Well this week was a good week! Went by pretty fast. Dallin left this week that was weird. And our zone leaders left so we now have new ones. They are pretty cool but really picky and stuff. It’s kind of annoying but I know they are just doing their job. Conference was great! I loved all the talks. A pretty central message of love, and that was good to hear. They did talk to the missionaries really well.
We have four elders leaving to the Dominican MTC next week so that will be kind of weird having them leave. The spirit is so strong in here I love it. Sometimes you become so immune to it you don't know your feeling it until its gone, and you need to ask for it to come back. I met another Elder Bigelow the other day. He is going to Brazil but had to come here cuz his Visa was not yet in and was waiting for it to show up. That was weird. And in the RC I met another kid who is from Arizona who knows a ton of Bigelows. Nobody that I new but small world I guess. I thought our last name was more rare then that.
Thanks for sending my recommend and temple pants. I got them last night. We went to the temple today and that was a great time! The Spirit was really strong and I could tell that it was with me watching over me and comforting me. The mornings this past week have been cold, and we walk everywhere. Our residence hall is on opposite sides from where our class is, so that sucks walking in the cold, but I will live a little bit longer without it I guess.
I am so excited to get out and teach in Argentina. I just need to get the language a lot better. Ha ha. This week was our last week to teach the first lesson (restoration) in English. The next couple of weeks are the second lesson in English then its straight Spanish from there on out. Pray that my study habits increase and I break my old ones, and that I retain the stuff that I am learning.
So next week Kyle comes in to the MTC. That will be super cool, and I can’t wait to see him. A kid in my zone went home yesterday he has been here for 15 weeks cuz he had surgery on his hip and he got sent home because he needed to have another one. He will be home for three months at least. That would be horrible, but if he keeps up on his Spanish then he can go straight to his mission. Did you hear a new temple is getting built in Fortaleza, Austin’s mish? That’s way cool. I wish Mendoza were getting one so I could go. I felt so sad in the temple when I thought that I have six maybe seven more times to go to the temple for two years. That will be hard, but so worth it. I just talked to a sister from right outside Mendoza and she was telling all of us how beautiful it is and how the people are so great. I am way excited to get down there. The days go by slow but the weeks go by fast if that makes sense. So it will be here soon, I think hopefully.
How are things at the house, and with the friends you send emails to? None of them write except Kyle and that will be stopping now. Thanks for cleaning my room and all you have done for me. I pray for all of you each and every night. I know I am being so blessed from this mission and I learn more everyday. I know all of you will be blessed. I will keep you in my prayers. How is Lindsey’s baby? Anyone else pregnant? Write me send me goodies. Love you!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Another letter form Elder Bigelow
Dear family
Wow this week has gone by fast. Everyone says if you make it to Sunday you are good to go and it starts getting faster and surprisingly they were right. thanks for the letter and supplies dad I still need a few more things I will have in my letter home that I need sent. But this week has had so many great experiences! I know its just the MTC but we have TRC appts. where you go and teach pretend investigators the lessons.
There is this place called the RC where you go and answer phones and do online chats with people who have questions about the church or what a Book of Mormon, Bible, church DVD, etc... so in TRC me and my comps decided we needed to make every
teaching time like it was the person that we needed to change and it was the one we had to talk to. Like you told me to do dad. So we prayed for guidance and help in it, and we went in talked to the girl and gave a lesson. We bore our testimony and just really did amazing!!! The spirit was so strong in our testimonies and talking about the restoration and families and at the end she told us that she has been a member her whole life but has had some difficult times and really needed to hear some of the stuff we talked to her about. She was very thankful for that, as was I.
Yesterday in the RC I talked to a lady from Alabama and she ordered a Lamb of God video. I talked to her about it and asked if she would like a Book of Mormon. I bore my testimony about it and she said yes. I then asked if she wanted missionaries in the area to come visit her and she DID! I also asked if i could call back next week to give her a new challenge in the book of Mormon and she thanked me because she was looking for a church to go to and had been doing research on a lot of them. She felt something different in this one so I bore testimony again of the Holy Ghost and the comfort it brings. It was great! Later last night I had another girl in a chat and she asked why God does not love her. He took her parents and she is pregnant at 14 years old. She was from Cali. I bore testimony of my mom and of the atonement and asked to have missionaries come visit but she was not ready, but tole me I could talk to her again. She gave me her number and I will be calling next week.
There was another guy who is Muslim and wanted to leave his religion, but was scared God would send him to hell if he was Muslim his whole life. He was from Kansas. I explained God loves all his children he then asked about our beliefs and was really interested. He asked to have someone come talk to him. That was cool. I also had a ton of bad ones and so did my district people trying to Bible bash and tell us we were going to Hell. But the few good ones out of the hundreds of contacts made it all a lot better.
In ten days the guys going to Dominican Republic are leaving to go down there for the rest of the MTC stay. That will be sad. I have really grown to be close to all those guys and I will miss them. We all plan on staying in touch and have district reunions when we get back. On Tuesday we had a fireside and someone from the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and after we had a district meeting to talk about what we liked and disliked. A member of the branch presidency was there and a couple missionaries bore really personal testimonies about family and difficult times they were having while being here. and he would stop them mid sentence and totally tear them apart and question them and it was so bad and we felt horrible. After he left I was the acting District Leader and took over the meeting since my comp had a leadership meeting with him. We then talked, bore testimony and all were sobbing the Spirit was AMAZING in the room. We all hugged after and just really care so much about how each one of us is doing. I love the feelings I have been having. I hope to hear back I love you guys. I will be listening for the cheers from the stadium. Keep praying for all of us. I love you!
Elder Bigelow
Wow this week has gone by fast. Everyone says if you make it to Sunday you are good to go and it starts getting faster and surprisingly they were right. thanks for the letter and supplies dad I still need a few more things I will have in my letter home that I need sent. But this week has had so many great experiences! I know its just the MTC but we have TRC appts. where you go and teach pretend investigators the lessons.
There is this place called the RC where you go and answer phones and do online chats with people who have questions about the church or what a Book of Mormon, Bible, church DVD, etc... so in TRC me and my comps decided we needed to make every
teaching time like it was the person that we needed to change and it was the one we had to talk to. Like you told me to do dad. So we prayed for guidance and help in it, and we went in talked to the girl and gave a lesson. We bore our testimony and just really did amazing!!! The spirit was so strong in our testimonies and talking about the restoration and families and at the end she told us that she has been a member her whole life but has had some difficult times and really needed to hear some of the stuff we talked to her about. She was very thankful for that, as was I.
Yesterday in the RC I talked to a lady from Alabama and she ordered a Lamb of God video. I talked to her about it and asked if she would like a Book of Mormon. I bore my testimony about it and she said yes. I then asked if she wanted missionaries in the area to come visit her and she DID! I also asked if i could call back next week to give her a new challenge in the book of Mormon and she thanked me because she was looking for a church to go to and had been doing research on a lot of them. She felt something different in this one so I bore testimony again of the Holy Ghost and the comfort it brings. It was great! Later last night I had another girl in a chat and she asked why God does not love her. He took her parents and she is pregnant at 14 years old. She was from Cali. I bore testimony of my mom and of the atonement and asked to have missionaries come visit but she was not ready, but tole me I could talk to her again. She gave me her number and I will be calling next week.
There was another guy who is Muslim and wanted to leave his religion, but was scared God would send him to hell if he was Muslim his whole life. He was from Kansas. I explained God loves all his children he then asked about our beliefs and was really interested. He asked to have someone come talk to him. That was cool. I also had a ton of bad ones and so did my district people trying to Bible bash and tell us we were going to Hell. But the few good ones out of the hundreds of contacts made it all a lot better.
In ten days the guys going to Dominican Republic are leaving to go down there for the rest of the MTC stay. That will be sad. I have really grown to be close to all those guys and I will miss them. We all plan on staying in touch and have district reunions when we get back. On Tuesday we had a fireside and someone from the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and after we had a district meeting to talk about what we liked and disliked. A member of the branch presidency was there and a couple missionaries bore really personal testimonies about family and difficult times they were having while being here. and he would stop them mid sentence and totally tear them apart and question them and it was so bad and we felt horrible. After he left I was the acting District Leader and took over the meeting since my comp had a leadership meeting with him. We then talked, bore testimony and all were sobbing the Spirit was AMAZING in the room. We all hugged after and just really care so much about how each one of us is doing. I love the feelings I have been having. I hope to hear back I love you guys. I will be listening for the cheers from the stadium. Keep praying for all of us. I love you!
Elder Bigelow
Sunday, September 27, 2009
News from Elder Bigelow
Zack went into the MTC last Wednesday. He just sent us an update of how he has been doing. We will be posting more as we receive letters from him, so keep checking back. He has also enclosed his address, and he would love to hear from his friends and family. Below is his first letter home.
Hey Familia!!!
Well i am here in the MTC. It has been great so far. I really love it here they are working me hard and teaching me a lot. I can pray and bare testimony in Spanish already its crazy. but a lot of other missionaries around are speaking to me saying so much and I don’t know what they are saying. I started off with one companion Elder Davis. He is a cool guy he also is our district leader but I’m the senior companion crazy I know, but then one of the elders in my district got moved to the advanced class cause he knew so much Spanish so i got his companion too. So its now a three some for me. His name is Elder Harvey.Both of them played football,Elder Harvy at Clearfield High and Elder Davis at Murray High. Both are bigger than me too its funny.
My district has 11 guys in it now and 7 to Argentina 5 to Mendoza area. The other 4 are going to Santo Domingo East Mission in the DR. Gym time is fun here. All of our district really loves each other and we dominate in four square. That’s where all the action takes place,in gym time. I forgot my Temple pants and tie so i will need that to be sent to me please. I really love it here. It’s so much fun and the Spirit is so strong I have so much fun and it has made me love the gospel so much more! I am often found just humming or singing Hymns and I don’t know why. It’s great! The showers do suck though. Because of them I may pursue a dancing career from hopping in and out of the cold to scalding hot water. It’s never consistant. My P day is usually Friday, but we have it today because it’s such a crazy off weird week.
address is:
Elder Zackery Don Bigelow
MTC mailbox #260
ARG-MEN 1124
2005 n. 900 e.
Provo, UT, 84604-1793
I have seen so many people I know here. The kid my age from Alta is in my zone but not district. Another kid that graduated a year before me though is in my district and is going to Mendoza so that’s cool he is way funny. The first day with Dallin helping me was huge and really explained how things go here and helped. It seems way big at first but now it’s small to me and I know where everything is. You’re probably at the BYU game right now I know. How are they? How is Alta? What is the family up to? Don’t forget to forward this to everyone and make sure they write me I only get thirty min. on the computer and if the timer goes out you lose your email.
I love it here and keep praying that I pick up this Spanish I’m not the slowest in my district but close. It’s hard for me to memorize so many sayings right now, but I’m getting to it and I’m having a lot of fun. The Spirit is so strong and can be found pretty much anywhere in this entire place! I can’t wait to see Kyle here and speak Spanish to him and others on their first day and blow their minds. Wish him luck in his farewell talk. Give Noah a kiss and squeezes for me! I love this gospel so much! I love all of you so much!
se que dios es nuesto padre celestial y jesucristo es nuestro rendentor y salvador. se que jose smith fue que profeta. se que el libro de mormon es verdadero. en el nombre de jesucristo amen.
I can’t say it all my time is about out. LOVE YOU!!!
Hey Familia!!!
Well i am here in the MTC. It has been great so far. I really love it here they are working me hard and teaching me a lot. I can pray and bare testimony in Spanish already its crazy. but a lot of other missionaries around are speaking to me saying so much and I don’t know what they are saying. I started off with one companion Elder Davis. He is a cool guy he also is our district leader but I’m the senior companion crazy I know, but then one of the elders in my district got moved to the advanced class cause he knew so much Spanish so i got his companion too. So its now a three some for me. His name is Elder Harvey.Both of them played football,Elder Harvy at Clearfield High and Elder Davis at Murray High. Both are bigger than me too its funny.
My district has 11 guys in it now and 7 to Argentina 5 to Mendoza area. The other 4 are going to Santo Domingo East Mission in the DR. Gym time is fun here. All of our district really loves each other and we dominate in four square. That’s where all the action takes place,in gym time. I forgot my Temple pants and tie so i will need that to be sent to me please. I really love it here. It’s so much fun and the Spirit is so strong I have so much fun and it has made me love the gospel so much more! I am often found just humming or singing Hymns and I don’t know why. It’s great! The showers do suck though. Because of them I may pursue a dancing career from hopping in and out of the cold to scalding hot water. It’s never consistant. My P day is usually Friday, but we have it today because it’s such a crazy off weird week.
address is:
Elder Zackery Don Bigelow
MTC mailbox #260
ARG-MEN 1124
2005 n. 900 e.
Provo, UT, 84604-1793
I have seen so many people I know here. The kid my age from Alta is in my zone but not district. Another kid that graduated a year before me though is in my district and is going to Mendoza so that’s cool he is way funny. The first day with Dallin helping me was huge and really explained how things go here and helped. It seems way big at first but now it’s small to me and I know where everything is. You’re probably at the BYU game right now I know. How are they? How is Alta? What is the family up to? Don’t forget to forward this to everyone and make sure they write me I only get thirty min. on the computer and if the timer goes out you lose your email.
I love it here and keep praying that I pick up this Spanish I’m not the slowest in my district but close. It’s hard for me to memorize so many sayings right now, but I’m getting to it and I’m having a lot of fun. The Spirit is so strong and can be found pretty much anywhere in this entire place! I can’t wait to see Kyle here and speak Spanish to him and others on their first day and blow their minds. Wish him luck in his farewell talk. Give Noah a kiss and squeezes for me! I love this gospel so much! I love all of you so much!
se que dios es nuesto padre celestial y jesucristo es nuestro rendentor y salvador. se que jose smith fue que profeta. se que el libro de mormon es verdadero. en el nombre de jesucristo amen.
I can’t say it all my time is about out. LOVE YOU!!!
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