Monday September 26th, 2016

Hey guys!

     Well... I have an hour!!! Last week when we walked out of the Ciber, my Zone Leaders came with my package and a letter from Grandma Tucker, sent August 4. Later that week I got another letter from Grandma Tucker sent August 12. The package was awesome! I loved every bit of it. I don't know who's idea it was to send the Mountain Dew, but you can't buy it here, and I've been in the mood for it for a couple weeks, so thanks! (Editor's note:  Forest's birthday was on Sunday September 25th.)

     In the Zone Meeting, I had to say the prayer, and how I said it in Spanish was pretty much a direct translation. I said (In Spanish) We ask Thee to please protect us from Satan's influence. But how it's translated is Please give us Satan's influence haha ooops Good thing Heavenly Father knows what I meant to say!

     Elder Vargas has me teach a few principles every lesson, and I even started the lesson the other day. We do teach lessons on the street. The lesson I started was on the street. People accept me pretty well. They always have me role my "Rs" because they think I can't, so it's really funny when they see that I can!

     Last week I bought a "SIN" hat. It stands for Sinaloa, but it's funny in English since we're missionaries.

     During Language Study in the morning, every so often, Elder Vargas will have me translate a sentence into English so he can practice a little bit.  I actually had a hard time talking in English. It took me a couple tries to say a few words.

     So, Sam's antelope tag, what unit is it for? And how's school and work going?

     We were teaching a new investigator, and she flat out told us that she can feel a difference when we talk to her, so that was awesome!

     My birthday was pretty good! Elder Vargas woke me up early and sang me Happy Birthday in Spanish, and he had decorated the area around my desk the night before. We had pizza and cake at the Ricci's house. One of the traditions here is that after you blow out the candles, they shove your face in the cake, and I was no exception. My face was covered in cake and frosting! The Ward also gave me a birthday present. At 10:00 Saturday night they called us and asked to talk that Sunday. So my morning study time was spent going through Preach my Gospel putting together my talk.

      I don't know where we can print  off emails, and I don't know how to make cow brain tacos, but I've had one, and it's actually pretty good! And I have 13 investigators! I love you guys!

-Elder Radmall

(Back and forth between Mom and Forest)

Mom:  What color of cast should Sam get? (Sam has a broken thumb)  Blue or camo ish?  Jeni and Bob sent you a package too.  :)

Forest:  Awesome! Tell them thanks for me. Definetly camoish haha

Mom:  Sam says cool!  You only sent the photo of your haircut...is that right?  Did you buy another card for your camera yet?

Forest:  No, I'll keep my eye out for one. The internet is super slow, I'm trying to send pictures of the botanical garden right now. Elder MInarik asked for you phone numbers and I gave him mom's and dad's. He says they're definetly coming to Twin!

Mom:  Awesome!   We are excited to meet him.  Are they coming through before or after conference?

Forest:  I'm not sure. I just sent the Ward's an email.  (Editor's note:  The Ward's are a couple in our ward that are basically a bonus set of grandparents to Forest)

Mom:  Good!  They will LOVE that!  Sam's tag is for unit 50.  

Forest:  Awesome! I really hope he gets one! I want one sooooo frickin bad haha

Mom:  You and dad both!  Did anyone get a picture of you with cake on your face?

Forest:  Yeah, I'll have Mariana Ricci send them to you if I remember. 

Mom:  Does she have a facebook?

Forest:  Yeah, she and Yolanda both do

Mom:  Have them friend us on there!!  

Forest:  Ok, I'll try to remember. I think we're going over there tomorrow

Mom:  Have you gotten to see any of the sights?  Taken very many photos?

Forest: Not really, there aren't very many cool things to see in our area. I'll try to take more photos when I get my new card.  

I gtg I'll talk to you guys next week! I love you guys!

Monday September 19, 2016

Hey guys! 

     I have not received the package yet. Our Zone Leaders have to pick it up at the offices. I'll ask them about it tonight. 

     I'm getting along really well with my companion. We have different personalities, but it's working out. On our first day doing language study this past week, we started with the basics, which was good because nobody ever taught me them. Since then I can understand almost everything in the lessons, say just about whatever I want, but I have a hard time writing Spanish and understanding it when people are talking to us in the streets. 

     We met a guy on the street who lived in New York City for 5 years, so he spoke decent English. He was super drunk! haha He told me (In English) that "God was going to kill him because he drank too much beer!) Sadly, we didn't have a Word of Wisdom pamphlet with us haha

     I think I learned the reason why I couldn't send pictures home. I guess I had a virus on my card. It let me see and take pictures, but as soon as I plugged it into the computer, it erased them. So I took the card to a guy, and he cleanded it up. So we'll see if it works now. ( Editors Note: get a new card kid, the pictures are still messed up!)

( A Sister in their area gives the Missionaries free haircuts)

     The other day we ate at Hermana Fina's house. She's in her 70s and is a widow. She's awesome! She was telling us that she loves to dance to music, and she started dancing in her chair! haha

     Elder Vargas brought some music from home, even some pop songs from the States. I was able to tell him that on our missions we leave that stuff behind. And I explained how exact obedience brings miracles, and that our investigators need miracles. (All in Spanish)  It took more explaining than that, but that was the jist of it.

     I have pictures of a ball that the Ricci family gave me. I wrote different aspects of the Gospel on each piece, with prayer (oraciòn) being the last piece that holds everything together. I think Hermana Ricci's name is Amalia, she has two daughters: Maryanna (16) and Yolanda (12?)

     We have a meeting tonight and I have to bear my testimony, and give the closing prayer so hopefully I don't mess up! haha

     We also moved houses. Our new address is Col. Los Arcos 3455 Arco Maya     I also counted the letters I received in the CCM 23! That's crazy! (Editors Note: if sending letters please send them to the mission home as it takes awhile for Forest to recieve them)

(Editors Note: Answers from questions the siblings had)

     The hardest part of the day is probably waking up early. The dress here is pretty americanized. To email, we go to a Ciber, which is just a hole in the wall place that has computers. Most of them don't have a printer. The Riccis have 4 dogs. The dad walks in the street and sells cheese for work. I love you guys!

Elder Radmall

I have a ton of pictures to send you now. The internet is being extremely slow, so I'll have to send most of them a different time. Sorry

(Editors Note: That's a big butterfly!)

 

Monday September 12th, 2016

Hey guys!

     It's been a really hard week! Lots of our appointments have fallen through, and most of the people we try to contact don't want us to come back. It's been raining a lot, and every time it does, the streets flood, which sucks! 

     I got a letter from Grandma Tucker this week. It was sent on the 20th of August. How'd Grandpa break his fingers? 

     Yesterday, we had to go to Ward Council, and I got asked to give the spiritual thought. It wasn't very long, but I was able to do it. 

     I have a hard time with remembering the first names of people, sorry. (editor's note:  We keep asking him for the first names of the people he is teaching.) But, Hermana Ricci's husband asked her if she had researched the LDS church online, and she hadn't, but she decided to. At first she got on Mormon.org, which is good. But then she found a site of LDS people who have left the church and said why, and was just bagging on the church. When she was telling us about it she was bawling. She's afraid of losing her faith and testimony, but she's still going strong!

     Elder Minarik is hoping to come to Twin at the beginning of October, right after General Conference. I've been telling him a lot about Twin, and he's seriously thinking about moving there and becoming a cop, which would be awesome! He and I have become good friends!

     This morning I got a new companion. His name is Elder Vargas, from Hidalgo. He doesn't know any English, which is going to be really hard. I'm pretty stressed out about that. He made us lunch too today which was really good, and he washed some of my clothes. He's the Senior Companion, but it's almost like I am because I have to lead the way because he doesn't know where to go. 

     We'll be watching General Conference I think in the church. The ward we cover is called Jardines. For the sacrament, they use filtered water, and no, there aren't really any hot Mexican ladies haha!  I love you guys! (editor's note:  We all asked him questions in our email, and yes, one of his brother's who will remain nameless, asked about the hot ladies.  :) )

-Elder Radmall

     Oh my gosh! I don't know what the problem is! I've tried using a different computer and the pictures still get erased! Maybe I'll try buying a different memory card. Sorry.

Monday September 5th, 2016

Hey guys!

Thanks for the photos! This week has been really hard. It seems like all of our lessons fall through, and nobody will answer their door. It's been pretty hard, but it's part of the job. I got a hair cut last Monday, which I have pictures of. There's a lady that does it for free for missionaries, which is nice. 

I know you want to know about the Ricci family, who are awesome! I've been meaning to get a picture with them, I just haven't yet. But anyway, the mom says that they are ready to be baptized, but her husband doesn't support them at all, and she wants his support so it doesn't make their marriage hard. It kinda sucks, but I understand. 

Another one of our investigators, Hugo Lopez Gomez, is awesome! We've only been able to teach him the Restoration because of his work schedule, but he has quit drinking alcohol, without us even talking about it, and he's been telling his friends that he's mormon!

We now finally have water! It's been awesome! Luckily the water isn't so bad that we can't wash our dishes with it. We can even brush our teeth with it! As long as we don't swallow it.

Transfers will be next Monday. 

One of my most spiritual experiences thus far.... Probably this week actually. I feel like it's been taking me a long time to learn Spanish, but this week during one of our lessons, I read part of the introduction and some paragraphs in a folleto (pamphlet), and I was able to understand, then explain what I had read. It was awesome!

My favorite food has been this little taco things, I'm not sure what they're called. I want to learn how to make them, so I can make them for you guys in two years haha!  Hermana Ricci said that when I get picked, she wants me to come to her house, and she's gonna make those taco things for us.

We may be having a baptism next Saturday, hopefully.

Elder Minarik just told me that when he goes home, his dad wants to drive to Salt Lake for General Conference, then on the way home, stop in Twin for a while. Elder Minarik's grandma is from there, but they want to meet you guys, so that'd be cool!

Earlier today, we went to a botanical garden, which was pretty cool! And there's a picture of a huge moth in our house too. I love you guys! How's school going?

Elder Radmall

Okay, I don't know what it is about this computer, but it erased all of my pictures again, so I'll have to get the pictures from the garden from someone else. Sorry

P.S.

Hey, I forgot to tell you. The other day on the street Benjamin Gill, which is a couple blocks West of our house. This guy got really mad at his wife and stabbed her to death! I'm kinda glad I didn't see that!  (Editor's note:  Kinda?)