Written October 27, 2014

FAmily,

Happy Monday! I had to go to Tijuana today for my companion's visa, so we are waiting in the bus station for our bus still. What a wasted P Day. I decided to pay double the internet rate to write to you guys here, so that I didn't miss the opportunity. But it doesn't help that we got lost in Tijauana trying to save money (but it was okay, because although we wasted a bunch of time, we accidentally found the Temple).

Lindsay, Happy Birthday tomorrow!

Josh, I also try not to reteach unless I think something important got left out (most things go over the investigators heads anyways). I told my companion that the advice i give him is just my opinion so to apply what is useful but now he just tells me stuff is just my opinion when I try to critique his teaching. At least I am going to try to be more positive, because I realized that I wasn't giving enough positive feedback, even though he teaches really well. 

I mean did you teach cutting each of the 8 principles in half or three parts? because that seems kind of hard. i will try to do those things. I usually do, but people don't always make good friends and after they get baptized they forget that they visited them once. Also, the member thing about baptisms I sometimes forget for being selfish.  

Life is really hard. I don't know how I am ever going to make it back to the celestial kingdom (someone said in church we have to work in all aspects of the church to get back, like temple work and missionary work and home teaching and our other calling and cleaning) and besides that there will be my family and school/work and so a lot of days, I just don't feel like I can do it, but I guess we just need to "do your best and forget the rest, like you said.

Ben, if you want send me pictures of your shirts in the email.

Don't worry about AP Bio because if you're the magikarp of the class, then you will be able to evolve into a Gyarados with a lot of annoying work and trading in and out and effort. (Maybe knowing about that evolution will help in your class). 

Ben, I command you to go and sing to Maxine, because soon she will be fallecida and you might regret it. But like Thomas Monson said, you will never regret a good deed done (or maybe that was someone else, but it happened in a conference).

Dad, maybe you should hint that they release you, haha. Thanks for keeping me informed about Aaron. I feel like sometimes I am a bad brother to him, but i don't know. I do want to hear about him. What do you think? I hope that my personality can help people, but everyone just always thinks that I am angry or depressed (it turns out that no one can distinguish, because sometimes I am and I am the same, I guess). and I think that reserved natures aren't really appreciated in modern culture. Love you!

Mom, they celebrate Halloween here (because of cultural leaking) but also Day of the Dead (but more in the South and Halloween more here). I wish I could be home for Thanksigiving, but next time. I already told Ben I want him to sing to Maxine (in fact, it is my birthday wish from him). 

 

This week:

I received a letter from Joseph (like i do about every other week or so). I will copy and paste it, (so that you guys can enjoy it, hopefully it is alright with him):

"Well if it makes you feel better our teaching pool has three people in it and only one is progressing.So there is a sister in our district whose twin sister I took out on a date before the mission. So that means I have dated her since twins are the same exact person. Lets hope she doesn't try anything fishy. You try and go on a mission to get away from that stuff and you keep running into people you have dated. Feeling pretty cool." - Joseph

When I get back, I am going to make you guys such good lentil soup. I have improved my recipe a ton. Also, I found out that they sell whole wheat flour in the market and I bought some and made such good whole wheat tortillas, they just turned out pretty small. 

I liked the granola bars you sent me, but I don't care about if stuff is organic, so you can send me Quaker or no name granola bars in the future if you want (or not, since they also exist here). 

Mom, The shoes seem identical to me, except that they are still clean. I received your other package today, but I haven't opened it. Thanks, Mom! love you! On the other hand, I sitll haven't received josh's letter and I am really afraid it got lost. It doesn't help that Hna Woodward receives letters every week from Japan from her friend there (you think a letter would be easy to get).

Mary got baptized this week and she was really excited. She told us that in her work, a lot of the time it was like a boyfriend, because she was thinking about church and when she could go again instead of her job. A lot of the sisters were talking to her, which is really good and our other investigator, Araceli, really liked it and it turns out that she knows Hna Alejandra, which is really good. 

This week turned out a lot better than last week, but I still feel depressed sometimes. life is pretty hard (and the hard stuff in mine hasn't even begun).

i started thinking of more things I can do, so when I can't think of anything to do here and we still have time, I start picking up trash in the street. Our street is a lot cleaner now. I feel good when I do it and it is good because i think that sometimes i only did good deeds to contact people and that is messed up. I like it (but maybe it bugs my companion, who knows?). 

Somteims I can't distinguish between paranoia (OCD) and the Spirit either. (Example: Is the gas valve in the stove open?...Did I close all of the faucets?)

Sometimes it is really hard to get along with someone who is a lot like you. Why is that? Is it to make you hate yourself or realize that you stink a lot sometimes? Or realize how difficult it is to be like the people you admire? (Speaking of which, why is it so hard to take criticism and why doesn't anyone ever take my advice (aka criticism). 

I love you guys a lot and am thinking of you (but I am not getting trunky I am just thinking that I already have a year almost and along those lines). I can't wait to make you all of the foods that I have learned here, before I enter what is essentially commercial slavery with a high quality of life for the rest of my life and don't have time to do things that I enjoy (school/work). (I will just have to choose to be happy).

Love you and t hugs and love and stay in the boat/hold onto the rod, it gets better and better, just keep swimming, eternal family, the atonement and love you guys (my eternal family)

Love you,

Kaden

Written October 20, 2014

Family,

Josh, being actually Jr comp is funny, because that also happened to me. That is true about giving them good experiences. I am not sure our investigator will want him to baptize her, becuase my other companion and i did almost all the teaching, but we will see. Those practice ideas sound good, but did you teach like that? or only develop that ability for if they had something to say? I am also frequently too proud to ask my spanish companions for help. But my companion speaks Spanish, since he is from Bolivia, so I am just trying to make sure he dedicates himself to English, because that will help a lot. He is a lot more of a natural missionary than me, even though he also is reasonably shy, so sometimes I feel jealous (which is pretty crappy of me as a trainer), but oh well. 

But he is pretty patient, so it is okay.

Dad, we went on Pday and we had exchanges where I could see it from the mountain. I want to try tuna sashimi some day. Thanks for your encouragement. Sometimes it is so hard to hold on.

Mom, I have such a desire to be a good home teacher when I get back, like you said, but I am afraid that everything else will get in the way (like maybe including my companion for example), but it is really hard to juggle all the stuff you have to do in life. I am glad you like Japanese stuff now,  so that we can watch cartoons and drama when we get home. I found a sister that liked korean drama, but more like soap operas and more modern, and not the interesting historical kind we like. 

I wanted to open the box, but I forgot. All that stuff about worry and selfcontrol and all of that is true. Now I just have to apply it. 

Aunt Trudy, I also discovered that at BYU I liked Isaiah a lot, sometiems I just don´t understand all of the historical references.. Love you!

Jess, thanks for bearing me your testimony. Sometimes it is easy to forget those things, even on a mission. Love you too!

This week:

I think sometimes they associate righteousness with baptisms, like the president said that he thinks so many companerismos didn´t baptize becuase of disobedience, but sometimes I don´t baptize and I (not perfect) try pretty hard to be obedient. I am not sure that I will baptize a ton for that, but i have faith that God will give me some kind of blessing at some point for my effforts.

I am probably more guilty of disobedience of omission, like not contacting enough or every single person that I can or breaking the rule of ¨Follow the Spirit and you will know exactly what to do¨ because everyone acts like it is like that, but it isn´t really. I also recognize that I am not going to be the perfect missionary, like the Savior, so sometimes it is hard.

I am never going to write you physical letters because they told us they open them and read them (but it turns out they were talking about letters to converts) but I am still not trusting of them now. Also, they told us we left our agency when we were set apart, which isn´t true. Sigh. I still try to apply my agency well though.

Pres. Fowler told me the mission was a pattern of excellence: that if I was diligent and had success in my life, the mission would be the same. After several bad weeks, I have to start to admit that I´m a bad missionary, but maybe i have a lot to improve then, and lots of ways to be better (maybe in Brazil that is a quote from Satan, but in Tijuana our president said if we aren´t baptizing every week or at least every month, then there is a problem with obedience).

In other news, I have a leader that has a really good perspective as our zone leader. He says that God doesn´t have the baptisms in His hands like christmas presents that he gives us for being obedient, but that he is working with all of us and also working to get people to get baptized. I think that is a lot more true, but then the area presidency and the mission president say that we should always have certain numbers and everyone says those numbers come from God, but I have my doubts (but remember, doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith).

Also, we only found 0 new investigators this week, which is probably unheard of. I think it is because I don´t like to impose or insist a lot (even though we contacted 21 people and some accepted that we come other days). Maybe I need to improve with that. It has been like 3 really bad weeks in a row. (I´m in a rut, but I will keep trying ot be obedient and be better).

We talked about leaving our nets behind too and all of the ones I thought of or chose are completely psychological (pride, doubt, discouragement) so it is probably going to be a lifetime battle. I need a therapist, haha.

Also, I have had two companions now tell me that they put metal in the microwave and nothing have ever happened, but I am an eye witness to that it sparks and stuff. But then we did it with tin foil and tortillas and nothing happened. So I am doubting that now....

I am not depressed just so you know. I am feeling a little bit better today from your letters. I miss you guys and am going to keep working to overcome, and you guys too so that we all stay in the boat and are in heaven together.

Also, mary is going to get baptized this week. I am excited, but also nervous, because not one of the people I have baptized or taught and then later got baptized, is going to the church with regularity. I am going to keep trying, but I dont´know if I just teach bad or if the ward fails or if I fail or what.

i love you guys a lot and eternal family and the atonement and t hugs and it gets better and better and just keep swimming (but don´t leave the boat) and love for Josh (and thanks for the tips) and love you guys a lot

Kaden

Written October 13, 2014

love you too, miss you too. See you soon
Kaden

Written October 6, 2014

Family,

I am not going to send you any pictures this week because we tried a different internet and it is worse, so "oh well". Which is too bad, because I have had some pictures of the ocean that I have been wanting to send you forever. Also, it turns out you can see the ocean from my sector, except I thought it was the sky, because it is really far away and you have to be on the top of the hill. 

Mom, the coin is smaller than a quarter. Probably there is a comparison online. They threatened to cut our cash if we don´t send the baptismal cedulas on time, which is hard sometimes. But also, if we are in a zone where 4 missionaries don´t send the forms, then they cut it too. It kind of stinks, but oh well. It probably won´t happen. I imagine that it would be a mess to organize. 

I can´t believe that I have 11 months. I was only expecting one pair of shoes, because only one of mine are ruined, but I will carry them around until I need them. If they were actually only 50 dollars, i am pleased, because they seem like really good quality, thank you for trying so hard to find them. Love you a lot!

Josh, yeah, everyone just makes you guilty for thinking about home and say that we should leave the world behind and in what ways haven´t we and stuff like that. Also good to know that ´´"Good Missionary" is a quote, you know who said it? Satan. I promise you that.´´

Did you at least get to listen in Portuguese for that talk? If it makes you feel better, the mission handicapped my good math ability and I also am not going to know what the heck is going on when I get back. Don´t worry about girls being smarter than you, because you are just genetically engineering your kids, plus more successful marriages have smarter women allegedly anyways. Also, don´t worry about going out with older women because it means you will probably die closer to the same age, its actually a good thing. 

I don´t even know what electrical engineering is, I just want to make magnetic grills and stuff, like your professor and robots that cook bacon for me and poop out ice cream. But really I don´t know that much about either major. I am waiting for you letter. Love you and hang in there (and don´t act like it is so bad, because I will get depressed if there is no relief after working hard at school for 2 years).

Aunt Celia, I don´t know what kind of spider it is (in that I can´t use google). Put that ipad to use and tell me when you find out. Hope that everything is good with you guys in my second home, Love you 

Dad, I also had trouble listening, but it is a lot easier when they are actually speaking in Spanish, instead of a weird voice over. Did they have an English voice over or subtitles outside of the conference center? I also really need to reread them, but I probably won´t get the talks for at least 2 months. I am trying to be offended less, but that would irritate me if they decided not to pick me after calling like that, oh well. I need to watch the talks again, because I don´t really remember that about the leaders (well a little bit but only vaguely). 

Lindsay, I don´t remember either of those talks... but now I am looking forward to reading them when they come out in magazine form. I think that I would capture the talks better if they simultaneously had subtitles so that I could focus more, I am just not a good visual learner. Also, one talk made me think of you guys, but really just Josh, because they were grilling single adults about not getting married, but I think everything has a balance, because you also want to search (even if it is a priority to begin your family) because you have to be with that person forever. 

This week:

It turns out being happier is all about turning outwards, worrying about others , not yourself. That scripture finally makes sense about losing your life and then finding it (like if you want to be a good parent, you have to worry about your kid´s needs and not if youré a good parent, it is kind of backwards). I still have along way to go there.

Those who have ears, let them hear. Those who have eyes let them see (josh, ben, whoever else): Aprendan español para que podamos hablar cuando yo regrese.

The Liahona says the average age to begin a porn addiction for both sexes is 11, which is really scary. In the same article, it also says ´´Adolescentes that joke about suicide manifest depression´´ so not even my jokes are okay. There is also an article about  charity which i really like in the youth part and about being popular.

I bought white shirts at walmart and used 50 dollars from the card (4 shirts). Hopefully I won´t have to buy anymore in my mission. I am kind of irritated with them, because they didn´t have the same brand I wanted and they wrinkle really bad, but oh well. They seem alright.

Thanks for the package. I especially liked the story and all of Bens drawings (sorry dad that they used a ton of ink, I can imagine that you might have been upset by that). I have a picture of that I hung them all on my wall that you will get in 6 months probably. haha. 

Sorry everything healthy costs so much more. I don´t know why it is so hard to find unsweetened dried fruit and that you have to buy non GMO and organic and vegan stuff to eat less crap. I really liked the mango though especially. Don´t worry too much about sending me other stuff (like the expensive cookies and stuff like that) because I usually just buy wheat bread and honey and that is about the same for me. Thanks though, because those sesame cookies are good. (I realized coconut is horribly unhealthy pure fat, so don´t worry about sending me any again, I ate half the bag and then didn´t want anymore, so I am going to wait a couple of weeks but then after finishing the bag, never again, ahah). 

Good thing God starts preparing answers to things before we ask for them. They prepared a talk about the question I had a day before with 4 months of anticipation and that was is God is pleased with me or how can I know? (among others). 

After I was really depressed a week or two ago, I had my 'bipolar' upswing and felt way better and full of hope and faith and so I contacted someone and they are really excited (which maybe is evidence of what a lot of faith does) and have tons of questions. Her name is Araceli and she loves everything we teach her. She works at a stand on the road selling internet and tv subscriptions and we are also teaching her husband, Juan who sometimes is really angry, but sometimes really cool. They came to general conference and she really liked it. 

They found the membership record for one of our investigatores and she was confirmed, so that is good.

Are you guys doing your family home evening?

I sprouted a mango seed, which fulfills a childhood dream that I had, once. I know it will be sterile and that I will get transferred soon if the cold doesn´t kill it, but it is still cool. (picture to come).

My companion said in a lesson that he was more sure the Book of Mormon is true than that the sun shines, I will never reach that surety, but I don´t care. I just testify to what I actually think, like Mom told me.

Love you guys eternal family the atonement and just keep swimming love for josh and t hugs and eternal family and it gets better and better and love you guys (I almost forgot to write all that stuff, crazy, huh?)

Kaden

Written September 29, 2014

Family,

Josh, good to know that you wrote me. Because I have been expecting a funny letter for months and I was afraid that it got lost, especially because another missionary gets tons of letter from her friend in Japan and I thought yours would easily have arrived by now. At least it went neutral and not bad (it´s all about attitude, probably, so at least you have a neutral one and not a negative one like me). 

Grandma, love you a lot too and thanks for your prayers. I hope that you feel a lot better and your bruises go away too. I am jealous that you get to tend babies all day. I think allegedly it sometimes snows in the mountains and in Tecate, but it is not probable that I will ever get to touch it. It is getting kind of cold in the night and morning here again though. 

Dad, every photo that came after the tile dragon are of Ensenada. I think sometimes I think about home more than my companion that is about to leave. Maybe I am a bad missionary because like it says in the scriptures, if we take up our plow and then look back, we aren´t worthy of the kingdom of God, and I looked back for the entire first 4 months of my mission and probably am not as dedicated as I should be. I know that it is because my camera doesn´t have the best macro mode and I want pictures that are gigantic of little spiders and stuff like that, but oh well. Also, that sometimes I take pictures while walking, but oh well. 

I heard of that movie from the ensign, but I think that it probably won´t come out here. I don´t know how you guys can help us so much with the cars, but don´t worry. He will want the corolla and the truck by the time winter comes, so no need to think about what to do with it. 

Mom, the apartment looks really good. Good Job! I have two packages, but they are in someone else´s apartment, I will tell you when I get them. I´m glad that you guys are going to set goals with the missionaries. Love you, Mom

Auntie, love you too and thanks for the encouragement. 

This week:

I started to have money worries (because they threatened to embargo our allowance) and I started to have a ton of anxiety and couldn´t focus on anything and was thinking about budgeting and all this stuff and then started to worry about kids that I don´t even have and stuff like that. But I appreciate your sacrifices for me, sorry that i haven´t ever really appreciated how much moneyyou spend on me. I also hope I can appreciate the members here and their sacrifices for us.

After that, I went to a district meeting and felt depressed and then they made it worse by saying that we analize DC 4 and that if we don´t have faith (or if we have fear and don´t talk with someone or discouragement) then we shouldn´t be on a mission and we would be better off somewhere else and then I tried to talk more in the practice, but they said we didn´t do good. So I decided not to talk (like normal sometimes), and then they said that it was good, so I just felt like I shouldn´t even talk and a bunch of stuff like that. 

According to a toxic shame book, when people are shame based, they don´t have their needs met and then they can´t meet others needs (that is why it is hereditary). And it is true. Because I just felt worthless and like I shouldn´t be here and that no one likes me (which sometimes they don´t because I don´t talk (especially when I am tired, because introverts can´t talk as much when they are tired, because it takes energy, and extroverts take energy to shut up) and then lash out when they try to show me affection) and I don´t have anything worthwhile to say or do.

 But I realized that I can´t help anyone like that, because I was shut down for like the entire day and according to the book, I need to meet my own needs and then i can help others. But I think that it is an Elder Bednar thing that would be the best solution, that is that i need to turn outwards and then I will just forget about my own needs or they will be met without me realizing it. Because sometimes i am prideful and self centered in a degrading way. 

Also, sometimes I don´t ask for things in my prayers, because I don´t have faith that I will receive them, just because I don´t know if it is God´s will or my own, like healing someone with a terminal illness....who knows?

Also, I never took advantage of the free counseling at BYU, what a shame.

I am not depressed right now, so don´t worry. Just usually Tuesdays and a little bit Wednesdays. I am going to keep trying to be more positive, but I think it is a life long struggle.

When I  get home, I am going to teach you, Dad, the truth about boiled meat, because they best foods here are with boiled meat, because it is like turkey soup where it makes the stew part taste really good. 

Things that do make me homesick: the Denver temple, seeing cars here that look like yours. 

I don´t want to tell you about my investigatores more, unless things are going good with them, haha. So maybe next week.

I love you guys and eternal family and the atonement and just keep swimming and it gets better and better and love for josh and t hugs and love you guys and eternal family

Photos from Mexicali

Kaden

Written September 22, 2014

Family,

I don´t eat any fish here really. I think I would have to go to Guerrero Negro for that. Oh well.

I found a really cool spider in our house, but once again, I don´t have manual focus, so I don´t have that good of pictures. And the internet is bad, so you will probably see a picture in a couple weeks, but I think had I let it bite me, I might have gotten superpowers.Speaking of which, you probably will get the first picture of Ensenada this week.

This week was Day of Mexico or something and we ate posole at a ward party and out of tune sang without any background music. Pictures to come.

Is (or Are, what is the gramatically correct way, because majority, the singular, is the subject of this question) the majority of people introverts or extroverts? Is being an extrovert a bad thing?

My companion said they were trying to do a proof and they found out that 1+1 isn´t 2, but there is actually another number that still doesn´t have a name yet or something or other and for convenience they now put 2, but it only applies in the case of 1+1, but I am skeptical. But it is interesting, because I like math. 

Dad, you can paint your car here with a member of our ward that is cool when you come to visit me. It only costs like 700 or 800 dollars. But really that might make me come home, because I wouldn´t be able to psychologically adapt again, but who knows?

I´m absolutely sure that we would sin less if we remembered our goal of an eternal family and the Savior´s suffering everytime we were about to sin, but I just haven´t figured out how to be reminded everytime.

El Salvador: an entire country named after the Savior.

They said in our ward that a fast offering should hurt and that it should be something that we wouldn´t be offended to receive if we asked for help and they just gave us back what we had offered the entire year, but I don´t know. I just always figured that a generous offering was that you multiplied the cost by 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or like you ate at a fancy restaurant where we would never go. But I don´t know. Also, that you shouldn´t binge first, so that it is actually a sacrifice. What do you think?

I had bitterness towards a brother that fixed our water heater and it didn´t work and he was always bringing it up and stuff, but then today I found out my companion just didn´t close the battery and hatch and I did it while my companion was showering and he started screaming about how it was a miracle and made me come and feel the water halfway throught his shower, so now I feel bad about those bitter feelings.

I made lentils and split pea soup today and it is really good. I was inspired by the people that don´t have any money and give us that. I also found cheap (finally) honey in the supermarket. It turns out that it is not in the bottles, but rather in the deli section. It is really good too, almost like that stuff from utah.

I love you guys and eternal family and talk to you next week and the atonement and t hugs and just keep swimming and love for josh and eternal family love you it gets better and better

Kaden

We had an investigator that got baptized years ago but never confirmed that was going to get baptized this week, but she had to go to Chiapas, because her dad is 108 years old. Cool, huh? 

Also, we are teaching an older lady named Mary, that is really cool and always makes time from working in a factory to listen. Also, Pedro, who was a drug addict, but has 4 years clean. They both understand the lessons really well, which is cool. It makes teaching so much better. 

Written September 15, 2014

Family,

Dad, yeah, I realized while reading your letter that it is ironic, because I can barely swim. Yeah, but baptisms in the different parts of the world are different. But it just means that there are a lot of people that must not baptize, because allegedly the average here is like 30 and it isn´t even a big baptizing mission for Latin America. Also, I am never going to be zone leader, which I don´t care about, I just think it is funny that you were. 

My companion and I thought the dragonfly was getting ready to die because it was really sluggish and passive. Too bad I didn´t have manual focus camera. Usually it is hot here and a little bit humid, but the areas close to the ocean are cooler. I visited one that was pretty cool, but was still kind of hot, but it was cold in the morning. I saw a cruise ship and an island in fog and stuff, so it was pretty cool. Don´t worry about sending me curry, I am too good for the brick kind now that we´ve made it from scratch and there are plenty of things here that I try to cook. love you though and thanks.

Mom, tell Ben not to be so rude because he is going to be old soon. Mrs. Trask is pretty cool, that was good of Bailey to invite her. Glad that your medical stuff is turning out okay. Is dad the next one to be released for seniority or because he isn´t preparing talks well anymore? Haha

I hate the internet here, because it starts off okay, and then it gets notably slower. Which bugs me with how many photos I can send you. I will probably catch up by the time I leave Ensenada.

This week:

I ran out of things about myself to thank God for after a couple of days. It is okay though because that is something another companion explained to me because almost everyone can think of more negative things than positive things. But I can´t think of very many of either sometimes, maybe just because a lot of people don´t know themselves really well, despite all the comparing we do to one another. 

My companion told me that in Mexico the 10 second rule is the 5 second rule so maybe it is an indication that they have better hygiene here, or maybe just that the ground is dirtier. Anyways, if it passes that time, then you say that the devil sucked (licked) it and that you don´t want it anymore. So now I just say that for people too and I also just say it for everything because I like it a lot.

We also don´t have hot water in this apartment, allegedly because there isn´t enough pressure, says the brother that allegedly fixed our boiler, but it still doesn´t work. But the bad thing is that there is a shortage of potable water and so we lose water every other day practically and can´t shower and then they turn it back on.

I don´t have that much to tell you guys besides that, and you probably won´t get anymore pictures because the internet is the devil.

Love you a lot and eternal family and just keep swimming and love for Josh and t hugs and it gets better and better and the atonement and eternal family and love you.

Kaden

Written September 8, 2014

Family,

I will just try to send a couple of pictures at a time and I am going to send them all because I don´t know which ones ended up working. I am still trying to be more obedient, so hopefully not going on flicker or whatever will bring me blessings. Allegedly LDSMail is gmail or at least is sponsered by it, so who knows?

Ben, don´t save me any blowpops because I hate them. I eat so much MSG here that hopefully I get super powers. 

Dad, Ensenada is like an hour south apparently of Tijuana. I don´t know if it would be good to buy a house here, but lots of people do. My companion is going home after this transfer, but I just feel stupid, because I am still really quiet and sometimes don´t even help with the lessons or talk when we visit people (it doesn´t help that it is even more difficult in another language), so sometimes I feel bad. I do talk, though, when needed, so if my next companion doesn´t talk, I will do everything. It is kind of bad, but mostly I work only with necesssity, maybe I need to realize it is a necessity to talk even if my companion talks a ton and has more experience. But maybe to a degree it is just my personality.  He is from Mexico and is pretty cool. 

The missionaries being senior companion in this mission earlier has to do with a lot of factors, the first is an increase in the number of younger missionaries due to the age change (just imagine social security and the baby boomers), and an increase in sister missionaires I think. Also, the culture is different, so there are more disobedient missionaries who get put as junior companions, even if they don´t have a lot of time left. I always learn the Mexican word or if not that, the proper common Spanish word, but I don´t think it has to do with where I am, because the people with ugly accents also hear my accent, I think it is part of being tone deaf (medium tone deaf)

Mom, I can´t see the ocean from my apartment, but I did see it and it was really pretty. I am shoved against the mountains, which is fine with me. Good to hear that everyone is doing pretty well. I figured I would get it pretty early for a birthday package. I think for my birthday I am going to buy a gallon of ice cream and frozen raspberries and strawberries for smoothies. I am pretty excited.

Auntie, thanks for sharing those stories with me, love you!

This week (and last week):

I found out that tons of the trees here are date trees, but I can´t really find dates because they are super tall and I don´t have a ladder, but I did eat a twig of them with my old companion. 

I think that I have a different life goals or desires than a lot of people. I just feel like I want something more like from Up or something like that. 

I don´t feel bad about not baptizing much because my old companion told me they baptized people with just the first three lessons and the commandments in the baptismal interview and that leaves out like 20 principles (including commandments and stuff). So I would rather baptize less and do everything right than that, even if they all go inactive anyways.

Also, my other companion knew all about mission politics and different stuff and I don´t care about being a leader anymore. Also, besides that, it doesn´t mean that they are better than me, it just means that they might be better leaders or more outgoing or something, but not necessarily more righteous (my old companions dad taught me that with something he wrote his son).  

I am happy because even though my sector is small and I will have a hard time, I learned it pretty fast and it reminds me loads of Colorado. I don´t know if I will be able to send the photos this week, but you will see when I have a chance to send them. 

I was inspired in church this week to think of Finding Nemo and the forgetful fish that just says ´Just keep swimming´ so now I say that too.

A bunch of little kids, without prompting, bore their testimony that they knew the canonized books were true, using those words, which always makes me laugh.

I tried to make re-fried beans, but they didn´t really work out, because I used too much salt. I am going to try again in the future with the results to report.

I bought some pomegranates and was eating them with my missionary clothes, which is just the same as in the movie when Clint Eastwood asks the guys if he is 'feeling lucky'.

Picture descriptions: first attempt at tortillas, the most harsh pamphlet I have seen. I misread a mural for so much time and thought that it said ´Telling someone they are stupid doesn´t make them smarter´ and then I grew to love it, until I realized it said ´Telling someone they are stupid doesn´t make you smarter´. And people from my old ward.

Love you guys and eternal family and the atonement and don´t give me diarrhea and love for Josh and it gets better and  better and T hugs and just keep swimming love you eternal family.

Kaden

Written September 1, 2014

I am so angry, because I am almost out of time and I have been fighting to send you guys photos and there were like 30 and I don´t want to lose them.

I am in Ensenada if I don´t get around to writing more, love you

I will try to send all of the pictures again next week because like half of them didn´t even attach and reply to your stuff and say my stuff.

 

You can send the package now if you want, I will probably get it early.

I also can´t go back to look at the rabies dog, but it didn´t seem rabid at all, just a jerk, because it wasn´t afraid about the kid filling up water and just bites people and is just territorial I think.

 

I love you guys and sorry my letter is so lame, you didn´t even get half of the pictures because this internet in Ensenada stinks.

 

They made me senior companion, so probably they are going to close Ensenada next transfer for lack of baptisms.

 

I do want the hard copy of the vinegar bottle story, because I don´t even have time to read it, argh.

 

Love you guys a lot and blessings for obedience I hope and love you guys and it gets better and better and the atonement and t hugs and love for josh (i have never been able to guess the grable theme) and eternal family and everything