2 Weeks in Mexico, Hotter Than Blazin' Saddles!

Here's the emails from this week. He didn't have very much time online. I can tell he's homesick a little, but I guess that is to be expected. He's a mighty good boy!

Here it is...


Ok this makes 2 weeks in mexico, feels like two years. Its hotter than a blazing saddles here, literally, Ill try to send some pictures through but first let me answer some questions. My companion's name is Motolinia, he is from pueblo mexico, he lived in NY for 3 years, with his father only. He is now 24 years old. We always eat with the members, every day, the food is DIFFERENT, not mexican american food at all. I would really like to have a beef chimichanga right now. Since ive been here we have gotten 8 baptisms. 1 from before, and 7 from lessons that we taught. Sorry i forgot my camera yesterday so no pictures of the baptism. I reckon im picking up a little more of what people say but it's hard. Sometimes i just sit there and smile. But all in all the spanish is coming, slowly. Nothing about hurricanes, we had a little rain about 5 to six days ago but it wasn't much, i heard it was from a hurricane or something. Yeh, we walk everywhere, hotter than a blazing saddles, i sweat more than a monkey's uncle. What's funny is all the songs, the signs and such are in english, it makes me wonder if people in mexico really don't know how to speak english, they hear it every day. I'll send another.

Yep, mexico is very weird, alot of crazy stuff, nobody can say guthrie, but everybody likes to look at my pictures. I'd like to be sitting on that couch right now, i actually have to go right now, i'll send more pictures next week, until then, i love you very much ma, i see you reasonably soon, I think about you all every day, tell dad, jake, katie, gma i love them, goodbye for now.

Letter from Mother with Son in Jordy's Mission!

I shared Jordy's firts email from Mexico with the moms who I communicate with, Moms all with sons in various parts of Mexico. They have kept me sane at times. Here is a letter from a mother who's son is at the end of his Leon Mission. I hope jordy gets to meet him before he goes.
Here it is;
Lisa,

When I read you son's email I laughed till I cried, I could have replaced it with the one my sons sent home that first week, they were so similar. Oh, the keyboards are different so don't worry about the spelling or pucuation. It will get worse. Anyway, My son Elder Thomas is a district leader in your sons area. Maybe they know each other.
My son will be coming home on July 4th (his favorite holiday) and living in Mexico he has certainly gained a greater appreciation for the USA. We are very excited!!!!
I just wanted to share with you what will happen to your son. This is from Jared's email:

"O a funny thing that happened,when Bednar came he ask for commentaries about what he was saying and i stood up and made a comment, but o man i could not speak english. i cant hardly speak english when it has anything to do with the church because the words come to my mind in spanish first. he actually didnt understand what i was trying to say. but i mumbled some other words and he understood. it was funny another american that has the same time that i do in the mission started to make a comment in english but he was like umm its easier in spanish. haha so he said it in spanish and let the translator translate it hahah. o man what has happened to me.

I currently have another son serving in Chile, he has only been out six months, and is just now feeling confident with the language. I reminded him of our Chirstmas call how we all laughed at Jared (the son in Mexico) sounding like a Mexican trying to speak English. Having a son on a mission has been such a blessing to him as well as our family. Don't worry, he is in good hands. Enjoy each week seeing the progress and excitement you will see in your missionaries emails. There will be some rough times for him, but just be encouraging and confident for him.

Sarah Thomas--North Carolina Does Anyone know her?

Elder Jared Thomas, Leon Mexico 7/07--7/09
Elder Ethan Thomas, Antofagasta Chile, 1/09--1/11

Week One in Leon!

Finally got an email from Jordy! He sounds good. I'd been gone all week and just missed his emails. Deena had been checking all day for me while she was at work, but he apparently emailed us a little after 5pm so she missed him. I got home around 6pm so I just missed him too. Oh, well, here is Jordy's email, his FIRST from Leon...

this keyboard is weird, but i have now one week in Mexico!!! Ive already witnessed one baptism, and since ive been here my companion and I have commited 8 more people to baptism. Now when I say my companion and I, I of course mean my companion because i just sit there, probably looking stupid, having no clue where i am, where im going, how i got here, and having NO clue what is being said. Yep, i think maybe i was in the wronge class at the MTC because they did NOT teach me this language. When people talk about churchy stuff i can mostly hold my own, but as soon as they drift off anywhere, its la la land. The plane ride over here wasnt all that bad, kind of liked it, had the window seat the whole time, we spent the first night at the mission home, it was like a little america, I have been assighned to San Louis Potosi, not sure that is how you spell it. My companion is a native,but he spent three years in New york so we can get talking in both languages egnough to understand most of the time. Just like at the mtc we get up at 630 and get ready, for about two hours its study stuff. Then we hit the streets of Mexico, the Fresno 2 area, it is HOTer than a blazing saddles, Things here are dirt cheap, most things after you think about it are less than an american dollar, we get about 1000 pesos every month, that seems like alot here but in america its about 100 dollars, probably less. Mexico all in all is not what i thought it would be, it actually looks like alot of american cities here, they have macdonalds, coke, home depot, all that, it really looks alot like washington DC here, exept everyone is catholic. They have a giant catholic church in the center of the city about 300 years old. Ive taken pictures today, Today actually isnt all that bad, its not hot, just annother day in Mexico, I guess this is probably the easiest way to communicate, mailing should take about 2 to three weeks. Havent understood a word since i got here. Elder bednar did come on friday, all the missionaries in the Leon mission were there, he asked all the missionaries to raise their hands who were at the MTC on tuesday, so the twelve of us raised our hands. I was sitting really close. After the meeting i shook his hand, i have to admit its a little weird. Ill end this email and send annother.
Well i really dont know what to say, the food is very different, i personally havent gotten sick yet but my companion promises me that I will. My companion from the MTC, who is somewhere in San Louis also is sick, Elder Hansen, who was in the MTC with me is in my same district here and was sick. But not me, YET. Mexico is different, dont get me wrong, but its not like you picture it, its really just annother part of the world. So whats happening on our end, anything? I have to go, I love you all and Ill try to think about what to say for next week befor i go. I love you very much, I think about you allways, especially you Jake, Mom too. I love you Bye

Well, I am off to research San Louis Potosi.......can't wait until next Monday!

Lisa Guthrie
mm to Elder Jordan Guthrie, Leon Mex 4/09-4/11

Letter from a Leon Mom!

As many of you may know, I joined an email group of mothers with sons in/going to/ or returned from Mexican missions. There are very few with Leon connections, but I did get a letter today from a mother who's son is a few months ahead of Jordy. I asked her if I could share her letter and she said OK, so here it is.

Letter from a Leon Mom



Lisa,



My son is in Leon. I email him every Sunday and then I copy and paste it into DearElder, that way he eventually gets the email in writing to re-read whenever he wants. His grandparents also use DearElder to write to him. It does take a few weeks to get there and depending on where they are in the Mission it can take a few weeks more to get it to them. The same with packages. He just got a package from me in about 4 weeks, which was actually pretty good. He is now close to the mission home so he can pick them up as soon as they get there.



The package got there and nothing seemed to be missing. I sent him a list of the contents through DearElder. I even sent an electric toothbrush. I sent it using the flat rate box from USPS and I did put pictures of Mary on the side of the box. (I just searched online and printed them out and stuck them on the box with clear packing tape.)



As a side note, just to be prepared. When he first arrived in Leon I didn't hear from him at all until the next Monday. No letter from the Mission President either. He'll be fine... Let me know where is he and who his companion is, there are some wonderful missionaries there. They just had a goal for the month of May to have 300 baptisms and they had 355! Elder Bednar is coming to speak to them on Tuesday because they met their goal. Just think, your son will be there just in time for that. How wonderful!


Jay has had hot water in each of his apartments. As far as I know (Mom's are not told everything) he only has one problem with theft and that was that his house was broken into. They stole all their electronics--which for missionares is not much! Just his 6 year-old CD player with plug in speakers and his electric toothbrush. He was most concerned with the toothbrush, which is why I sent him another one. They mostly live in little houses, which are very inexpensive to rent. I wouldn't worry about telling him the conditions. He'll see soon enough and he will adapt. Those boys/men will certainly come home with a new appreciation for all that they have....

Jordy is Going To Mexico

Well, the time is FINALLY here, and Jordy is off to Mexico. Here are his emails from today. He sounds decidedly more upbeat. He is excited for sure! As you can imagine, we are excited for him and a little apprehensive too. We know that Jordy will ge a great missionary and the days, weeks, and months will go by so much faster now. BTW....I am off to send a package to Mexico...I will make sure you all have the address too because he sounds like he is expecting to get some Mexican mail!

Here's what Jordy has to say.....


Alright, here is the news... I have my flight plans and Im leaving the MTC at 3am on monday morning. We just got them today. We leave Salt lake on American Airlines flight AA 416 and arrive in Dallas TX at 9:33, (like they really know that), we will leave Dallas at 12:15, so that gives us about 2 hours to call, not alot of time if you ask me. The other distict going to tampico got their flight plans today and are leaving Friday morning, can you beleive that, they were numericaly after us and are leaving befor us!!! Yep, im going to mexico. Ill arrive at Leon airport at opx. 2:40 monday afternoon.



We'll we get to talk for another 5 Minutes just to tell you when im leaving. I hope tonigt is ok, Ill try to call around 6 pm this time, don't have time to do all the math you figure it out what it is your time. Make sure you're there k. (Ill try and steal an extra minute or two) I gotta admit Im a little exited right now, we went on monday to sign for our visas in the Mexican consolate in Salt lake, everything was in spanish even the newspapers, and i could read most of it. It was talking about Barak Obama appointing a latin to the supreme courte or something. Yep, ive got my visa, ive got my flight plans, and im leaving on monday, "Im leavin' on a jet plane, dont know when Ill be back again". We get to talk for two hours monday, and remember ~5 minutes tonight!!!

I actually haven't been sending new emails because im always afraid ill mistype the address, that would not be good. 14 mins left. From somewhere around 9:30 to 12:15 on monday we will be able to talk, i have the phone card and im ready to go. Also remember at 6 pm tonight my time Ill try to call home, no promises though on the time or even that it will happen tonight but I will try my best. I liked the song by the way, send me some more videos again, it's almost like being home for a little while. I guess you all have been sending alot of stuff to mexico already, my mission pres. will probably just look at me funny as he hands me card after card im sure. 9 mins left. Yep, all 12 Elders going to Leon will be leaving together, Im a little nervous, a little exited, a little curious,.............................. Yep, going to Mexico, ill send you a postcard or something.

Again AA flight # 416 on monday morning at 6am from SL to Dallas landing at 9:33am, (Talking, Crying, Laughing...) , AA flight # 3211 from Dallas to Leon Mx. from 12:15 to 2:40. And again Ill try to call tonight at around 6pm MY time, be ready but no promises. Oh yeah, I can't remember if you're back yet from orientation, I hope so. 3 mins left, have Q's ready for me, and have someone who can say them without crying. 2 mins left. I love you all, Mom, Dad, Ksua, Gma, JAKE, .......................................................................................................................................................................... Cant think of anything right now, Ill be sending stuff home soon, Ill probably be sending some luggage home too, they say you can do that soo i will, get katie to send me the words to that song from me, myself and Irene, its killing me. I love you all, talk to you SOON. 3 secs left. Be ready. Bye. Again i love you all, especially Jake.

Again, Here is the address you will need. Make sure if you send it via pouch service you read what is acceptable to send.
Family and friends are advised to send letters to the mission office through the "pouch" service once he gets to Mexico. The address will be:

Elder Jordan Lane Guthrie
Mexico Leon Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
USA

IMPT: The Church provides pouch mail service to countries where other mail service may not be reliable. Each country regulates this service differently. To prevent possible fines or discontinuation of pouch service, only Postcards and letters that are single sheet, folded into three-panels, and taped at the top only (on envelopes), may be sent through the pouch.

MAILING PACKAGES TO THE MISSION:

Elder Jordan Lane Guthrie
Mexico Leon Mission
Calle Torre Vieja #128
Col. Aride
37360 Leon, Guanajuato
Mexico

Except im 1700 miles away in a suit coat!!!!!!!

Here's the news this week (Jun3)
All in all, I think he sounds better, and there is a glimmer of hope that he will be leaving the MTC sometime in the not so distant future! Here's what Jordy had to say.....remember, most of the time he is responding to my DearElder letters where I send him a bunch of questions to answer, because he never receives my emails on the day he is posting. You can figure it out though.

Jun 3 messages from Jordy
Ok here are some answers to your Dear Elder. The whole MTC is on swine flu alert, one member of our zone is in 5 day quarantine right now. It's kind of weird, no shaking hands..... I did get the other pair of shoes and I like them alot, I mean they're rockports, what's not to like? I just started to get things organized today, I'll probably be sending home a suitcase, I'll be putting some things in there, I'll also send home that big coat of Bill Boy's so you can have more time to send it off to him. I'll see what I want to keep and just sort it out. I'll send all my letters home probably this week some time. Im feeling alot better, I've been sick mas o menos for about 2 weeks but I've been to the med centre and got some pills that seem to be working. I really don't need anything right now, in fact I think I've got too much right now. My companion just has back pain and that is why we go to a doc, our schedule isn't that different, we're just teaching in spanish about 5 times a day. One of our Teachers, Hermano(Brother) Swenson has the Swine Flu so he won't be here all this week. We still go to the RC, a couple members of my district have made spanish calls but I have not yet. And no mom, I don't think I can ever comprehend how much you love me.

The gym was closed because they were redoing the floor, it's open again now. We got some sister missionaries in our zone 3 weeks ago, we see them around all the time and we sit with them at lunch

So, right now there are three people from our zone going to get their visas today, that is a big change, the wheels are moving. There is at least a decent possibility that our turn will be tomorrow, if so we may leave on monday. If we do I'll get to call you, I'll try to make it on Sunday again. I can't wait until we get to talk again. 10 mins left. Again respond with DE. So, is Katie graduated now, or is it in 2 days, it's soo weird to think about. How are things going over at the Shop, what are you and Gma, Jake and Jessie doing these days? My favorite part of the Year is coming up, Summer, except I'm 1700 miles away in a suit coat!!!!!!! Has Dad gone fishing alot lately, has he been catching anything? Besides from the bathroom, what other news. Gacious for the newspaper, send me a national one when you get a chance. 6 mins left. I'll also probably send home my nice pair of sunglasses, keep 'em safe for me.

This will probably be the last letter. 5mins left. I was thinking of Home alot in the last couple of days, it seems my spirits go up and down from thinking how short 2 years are to thinking how long 2 years are. Whatever happens I know I'll be home before too long, I miss you alot, I'll try to write you today. Tell Dad, Katie, Gma, Jake, .... that I love them very much. And I love you very much. Always the hardest part of being here is that you're not. 2 mins left. We might leave Monday or stay another week. I love you very Much!!!! I really can't think about any more to say. Don't worry about me, again, I love you very much, I think about you every day, time to go get clothes, until we talk or write again. Bye


Lisa writing again.........so, that is today's news. What do you think? I think I am worried about him being right in the middle of a whole lot of Swine Flu! Oh me, when I thought about Jordy going on a mission this kind of thing never once entered my mind.
On a positive note, I do think he sounds better this week. It is amazing what at least a HOPE of Visas coming through and getting on with their mission can do for their spirits.
I know if you are reading this that you already do, but keep the people of Mexico, the missionaries worldwide, and especially Elder Jordan Lane Guthrie in your prayers. Until next time........
-

A 5 Minute Phone Call Can Make You Cry!

OK, so I THOUGHT I had posted on here about Jordy's phone call.....I wrote it, but where is it? Is it out there in cyberspace??????
Anyway, there's a new post for today so that is old news. Here's the Reader's Digest version.....Jordy was supposed to leave (estimated date of departure) on May 25th and he emailed me all the particulars of his flight, when he would call from Texas airport, etc. etc. Then he said that he might be delayed, and if so he MIGHT be able to call me and let me know.
Fast forward to the Sunday before Monday, May 25th. Katie and I are home and the phone rings. I look at the caller idea and see that it is an 801 number.....hmmmm, could that be my boy? I answer to, "Hola, Madre" and immediately start crying..yep, you know me. Luckily Katie is upstairs and picks up the phone and fills in the gap, because he only has 5 minutes! It was so nice to hear his voice, that voice I had not heard in over 2 months. He's delayed.......and 5 minutes goes by way too fast!