August 29. 2016

Hey guys!

     A lot of this week was spent in the hospital. Elder Minarik hasn't been feeling good for two months, and lost 22 pounds over the course of that time. So, I finally convinced him to call Hermana Galbadón (Mission Presidents Wife), and she wanted him to go get a blood draw. So we went in, and they said the only opening they had was for the next morning. So when we went back, Elder Minarik realized that he had eaten that morning, so they couldn't take his blood. 

     Hermana Mendez was still there, so we went and talked to her for a while. President and his wife came while we were there, and I was able to talk with them for a while. They're awesome! Her Dad hunts, rides horses, and is basically a part of our family, so it was fun to swap different stories. 

     But anyway, the next day we went back for Elder Minarik's blood test, and the doctors aren't sure what's wrong. Hermana Galbadón took the results to a couple different doctors, and none of them know what's wrong, so hopefully an American doctor can figure it out. (Editors Note: His companion goes home in a few weeks) 

     The hospital that missionaries go to is pretty nice for Mexico, but still isn't very comparable to an American hospital. The nurses don't come out and get you, a security guard does, so that was interesting! Hermana Mendez is feeling better, and is out doing missionary work, but she has to go home tomorrow because I guess before she came out she had a surgery on her knee, and one of the screws is coming out! She'll only be home for a month, then she'll be back out here.

     We used to have 6 Elders, and 2 Hermanas, but the Hermanas got transferred to a different area because the area they had got closed, so Elder Minarik and picked it up. Our area more than doubled in size! (Editors Note: we asked how many missionaries were in his district)

     We still don't have water in the house, it's getting a bit ridiculous! The bill has been paid, but they haven't sent anyone out to turn in back on.

     We had exchanges again, but this time I went with Elder Finkner. It was super hot that day!

Yesterday, it rained a bunch! So we went over the Ricci family's house and talked with them for a while. We were there for a couple of hours waiting for the storm to pass. We ended up playing Jenga with them, and she fed us dinner.

     This morning 8 of the Elders got together and we played soccer at the church, which was fun! 

If you could send letters to the Mission Offices, that would probably be best! Because I'm not sure if we will be moving houses or not, and that way I don't have to worry about that during transfers.

     On Friday, our lunch appointment Lady wasn't going to be able to feed us, so she gave us money to buy food with. So, we bought ground beef and made hamburgers. They were awesome!

    

     This first month in the mission went by fast! I can understand most of what's being said, but can't say a whole lot. (Editors Note: we asked how his Spanish was coming along)

     I hope you guys are having a good time! I wish I had more time! 30 minutes is not enough! Also, can you guys send me pictures of whatever you're doing. I like pictures too ;)  Oh, and when I get the birthday package, should I open it when I get it, or wait till my birthday? (Editors Note: Does really matter what I tell him, I see the package getting opened on arrival!)

-Elder Radmall

Tuesday August 23rd, 2016

     Hey guys! Sorry I couldn't write yesterday! It's been a crazy week! So, let's start at the beginning.  Monday night was companionship exchanges which were a little weird. I was with Elder Bales. He's from Blackfoot.  He's been out for about 6 months, so he wasn't used to being the Senior companion, so I think he was pretty stressed. But we taught a few lessons, plus his house has an air conditioner. So I slept amazingly! Elder Minarik and I are trying to get one.

     Even up to today, we don't have water at the house. I guess there was an unpaid bill from before we got there, so they cut the water. The people at the offices are figuring that out today.

     Earlier in the week Elder Bales and Elder Haug had a baptism, so we took the Ricci family to it, and they had a great experience!

     As of last week we had 7 progressing investigators, and we made a goal to double that number, and as of today, we have 13! It is so awesome! We got some from street contacting and some from references. We don't knock on doors, because we've been advised not to because of the Narcos, which is the druglord gang. President says that we don't know who's on the other side of the door, and he doesn't want it to be them. Anyways, we committed 4 of our investigadors to baptism on Friday, so that was cool!

     The Ricci family made me promise them that when I come back to my mission, to come visit them. And when I get picked up.

     At home I've been eating a lot of eggs, hot dogs, and cereal. We've been getting a lot more variety in our food, which has been nice.

     The other day Elder Minarik and I were walking down the street, and he found a spatula with a broken handle.  He picked it up and was looking at it, and I knew that we didn't have a spatula for our pan, but there was no way in heck I was going to use one off the street!  So, I just looked at him and said, "No, we are not using that!" So he put it down and said "I'm turning Mexican!" It was pretty funny!

     Then on Sunday, it got really crazy. We went to church like normal. We have two sister missionaries in our area, Hermana Mercedes, and Hermana Mendez. And Hermana Mendez all of a sudden was not feeling good at all! She was sitting in a chair crying, and she didn't want to go to the hospital. We finally convinced her to go, and when we got there, she was so weak, that she couldn't move or talk. We put her in a wheelchair, and when she got to the hospital room, she started convulsing. When that stopped, she couldn't breathe. President and his wife showed up, and talked with the doctors. She started breathing again, which was good. They ran a bunch of tests on her, and yesterday they had to pull some fluid out of her spine to run another test. We spent a lot of the day in the hospital yesterday, which was why we didn't have time to email.

     This week was pretty crazy! I love you guys! I hope you have an awesome week! School sounds like school! ;)

Elder Radmall

     ​Sorry, when I was trying to put on the pictures, something happened, and erased all my pictures. The only new ones that I can't retake, are of me and Elder Minarik going to Carl's Jr. for lunch. Sorry, I'm not sure what happened.

Monday August 15, 2016




             (Elder Hunt from Twin Falls)                                   (MTC instructors)
​
Hey guys!

     Well... It has been really hot and humid! It rained a ton the other day! 

      The other day Elder Minarik, who has been out 23 months, and I ate some tacos on the street. They were really good! He told me afterward that the meat inside was cow brain!

     We still don't have any air-conditioning yet, but we're hoping to get that all situated this week. Tonight I have to go on splits. I guess splits are for 24 hours, so I had to pack up some stuff, which sucked! We may be getting an hour for e-mailing soon, Hopefully! 30 Minutes is no where near enough! 

     (Elder Radmall with his trainer Elder Minarik who is                                                                                                                                from Washington State)

     Two of the pictures are of me washing my clothes. We have to wash them by hand, which sucks, but oh well! Today I bought a backpack, which has been extremely nice! In the store we shop at, there's a little McDonalds that just sells icecream, but it's awesome! I've bought a sundae a couple of times. I've been eating super cheap so I can buy some things to snack on too. We get 400 pesos every week, and I still have 200 of the pesos from last week!

(Editors Note: 400 pesos is 22 US dollars, sooooo 200 pesos is 11 US dollars)

(Editors Note: Chores, they never end)

     

     I'm starting to be able to understand more Spanish, which has been awesome! My testimony that I bore at church was very simple, but I was able to do it. I wasn't too nervous for it. I've been taking a part in every lesson, which has been good. We have seven progessing investigators! I'm super excited for Ian too! That's awesome!  (Editors Note: Ian is Forest's Cousin and was just called to Peru Lima South)

     There's a missionary here who has seen my video of me opening my call! So, that was kinda cool! 

(Editors Note: Elder Radmall's Casa)

     My address is:    Constituyente Gral. Luis G.

                                   Monzon 2135

                                   80180 Culiacan Rosales, Sinaloa

                                   Mexico

                                   

(Editors Note: The building Forest attends                                                                                                                                                   church)

(Editors Note: Streets of Culiacan)

     (Editors Note: we had a few questions for Forest, such as when does district meeting start and where do you want our letters sent, Mission home or your personal address, and what part of Culiacan are you in, which he was able to send right back)

     P-Day goes to 6, which is when the district meeting starts.

     Send my letters in the mail. We almost never go to the mission home. 

     I'm not exactly sure what part. I think we're pretty far to the west.

 I miss you guys! I love you all!

-Elder Radmall

Monday August 8th, 2016

     Yes! I really wish I could have some of mom´s cooking!  (Editor's note:  We told Forest about Dylan's birthday dinner and cake in our last email.) Here we don´t have dinner appointments, we have lunch appointments. We mainly have tacos, which are pretty good, but I wish we could get more variety. They don´t eat lunch here at the normal time. They eat lunch at 2, which has been kind of hard to get used to. 

     This week has been pretty crazy! Our house didn´t have electricity or water. As of today, we have both of those things. 

     Elder Minarik, my companion, said that this has been the hardest area he´s had his whole mission. Which makes it hard to get into the swing of things for me, but it´s nice to know that it´ll probably only get easier. 

     I haven´t taken any pictures yet, because we´ve running all over the place trying to figure stuff out, so I´ll try to take some this week.

      Our ward is really small, but I bore my testimony, in Spanish! It was very simple, but I did it!  

      I´m loving the area! It´s a lot different than anything I´ve ever experienced! The buses here are insane! The roads here are dirt and gravel, so the feel of the bus ride reminds me of the dirt roads back home. It´s been super hot and humid, which has been weird to get used to. I love you guys!

     So, I forgot to tell you guys about the Ricci family. They own the house we´re staying in, and they live just around the corner from us. They are our best investigators. It´s a mom and her two daughters. The husband isn´t interested in the church, but is super nice to us. They give us buckets of water to shower with, which sucks to have to do, but I´m glad they´re willing to do that for us. They fed us dinner two nights in a row, and then again last night. They´re awesome. The guy that lives across the street from them, got shot twice in the face! That was crazy! 

Elder Radmall

Monday August 1, 2016

     I don't have very much time, but I just have to tell you that I made it to Culiacan. I will be serving here in the city. Tomorrow my companion and I will be opening up a new area. I'm not sure how to spell his name, so I'll just have to tell you the next time I get to email. I love you guys!

-Elder Radmall

(About an hour later).....

     Hey! So, my companion needed to email, so I get to email too. His name is Elder Minarik. He´s from Washington State. So I guess the old mission president gave the missionaries two hours to email, but the new one only gives us 30 minutes, including the email to him, that has to be in Spanish. So, my emails will probably be getting shorter.

       It´s really humid here, which sucks. It just feels hot all the time. I feel pretty overwhelmed, but I´m sure I´ll get into the swing of things. I hope you guys are having a good time. I miss the Idaho weather. It really sucked leaving my district. I had a really good time at the CCM, but I don´t really miss it. I like being able to walk around, but I miss the people that were in my district. Well, I gotta go. Next time I´ll make an outline so I can write more things. I love you guys!

(Editors Note: Forest was in District Seven thus their sign)

     Also, there are a ton of stray dogs here! I guess my companion got bit by one last month! It´s so crazy being able to walk around the streets!

Love, Elder Radmall