iPads, Mexicans, Dallas, and Tongans

Crazy week this week. As you can guess from the title, this is going to be an interesting email. Breakdown time.

Tuesday- We had interviews, and did some preparation for Wednesday.

Wednesday- We started out early, meeting with the Assistants and Pres. to help him with board day. We got a good part of it done, and then had to leave for the mission-wide iPad training. It was so cool. We got a picture with the whole mission, then they all lined up and we shook hands with Elder Nelson. Elder Ray and I took advantage of the line-up to hand out some maps of Mexico, central, and south america to all the spanish missionaries. Right after, we started an exchange, and I got to go with Elder Beckert (the one who came from Oaxaca that was with me for like 2 weeks). It was really fun. Here we are.

Thursday- Elder Ray came and picked me up, and we drove an hour and a half back to Euless... to get our iPads. It was way cool. We got 8 of us into a room and set them up together, and now, tomorrow and Wednesday we are going to road trip and hand them out and do a little training for the whole mission. Right after, we drove out to Stephenville to start another exchange. I was with Elder Saaga, and I know him pretty well.

Friday- We drove out to Stephenville again, dropped off Elder Saaga, and picked up elder Rayos del sol de la manana fresca. We grabbed some dublin doctor pepper, then on the way back stopped at the brisket burrito place I told y'all about a while ago. It was an awesome lunch. Then comes the kicker. So, remember the mexican lady that lives in dallas? The one going to the Tongan ward? So President had some talks with the Stake pres, and Dallas' mish pres, and some other people and decided that we were going to baptize Maribela (the mexican) into the Tongan ward. LONG story, remind me to tell y'all one day. But it was awesome, the baptism was Friday, in the Tongan building (really, really dirty, by the way). Right after the baptism they had a graduation party in the gym for trinity high school haha. Why not? 

Here is us, the Tongan Elders, the Uatafi Family (the tongans) and Maribela. Isn't this great?

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Saturday- We started an exchange with Elder Schumacher. It was a really fun exchange. I love going out with all the spanish missionaries. These are the best elders in the world! I love exchanges. There is nothing like it, especially in missionary work. 

Sunday- Went to our church, then to the Tongan church. It was so crazy. First of all, tongans are really good singers. But it was nuts. I confirmed Maribela in Spanish in front of a ward of tongans haha. There were three people there that spoke spanish, Elder Ray, Maribela, and I. But hey, why not? Sister Uatafi bought Maribela a sweet cultural dress, but the picture is on my iPad. I'll send it your way. 

iPads are really fun. Tomorrow and Wednesday we are going to road trip in the van with the Assistants all around the mission to distribute/ train on the iPads. It is going to be so fun haha. 

So it was a great week. Love y'all. 

Love,

Cole.

Busy Little Worker Bee

Hi Family and others. We had a good, busy week. Instead of q&a, I'm going weekly breakdown #switchinitup. Mostly because it'll answer all of your questions and more. 

Monday- After email, we went and played basketball. It was nice and hot in the gym, so I got all red and sweaty like the good old days. I love basketball. 

Tuesday- In the morning, we borrowed one of the mission vehicles that has unlimited miles, and drove to Stephenville. It was like 2 hours away. Long drives are about 2.9% as much fun on the mission. But, I got to be with mijo, Elder Tanner again. We went to go do service at this christian food pantry place, and ended up tying barbed-wire crosses for 3 hours haha. The good news is, I got to take home the three barbed wire crosses of Calvary + an extra bonus barbed wire crown of thorns! Haha, I feel really weird having these bad boys in the apartment. 

​ Wednesday- They came and picked us up, then I hopped in and drove. Only problem, we had to make a "quick" pit stop in Weatherford (1 hour away), so that took all day. Good news is, Chik fil a in Weatherford was giving out free ice cream lemonade things, so that made it worth it.

Thursday- We drove down to Arlington, and started an exchange there. It was sweet. I had an awesome day in Arlington. I would love to serve there one day haha, it is ballin. 

Friday- We had MLC. It was a good one. Basically, we just need to actually do all the things we talk about. We're moving forward, but slowly and the mission needs a mad jump start. Nothing like a (not so) new sheriff in town to give everyone a kick in the pants.  After MLC, we went to this mission choir concert that took all night. We had 0 seconds of proselyting time today.

Saturday- We watched conference with the Mejias. I watched Saturday morning conference with them in October too, so it was really fun, and kinda weird, After, Danny (the 20 year old) took us to Golden Corral between sessions. We watched the second session in the church, and in between we typed up a report-thingy. Priesthood was awesome as usual. Again, 0 seconds of proselyting time. 

Sunday- There was a "special easter service" in the Colleyville stake, and elder Hagen was in the choir. We went and there was a cool service, and then at the very end Glen Beck (yes, that glen beck) got up to talk. Hahaha, he was so crazy. He was shouting, and slamming the pulpit and doing all sorts of mormon no-nos haha. He did everything short of swearing over the pulpit. It was so crazy and awesome haha. Then we watched conference at the church, the awesome members of the bishopbrik (no chance of spelling that right) fed us in between, and we watched the last one with Eduardo (the investigator who works in the strip club). Haha, I also watched conference with him in October, so it was just a weird cycle. At night, we finally got out and taught. It was good to just teach someone after 2 days of nothing. 

Monday (today)- We taught the Tongan familes friends again. So here is the situation. The Tongan mother works at a hotel, and speaks about 70% english. Her freind/coworker lives in Dallas, and she speaks about 60% english (she's from Mexico). So they somehow became super good friends and now the friend wants to learn about the church. So her and her roommate (who speaks 3% english) come all the way to euless to listen to us. The tongan mother wants them to go to the tongan ward because she wants to be there with them. Hahaha, they speak very little english, much less tongan. And they live outside of the mission #MESSY. But it's chill, they're solid investigators.  We want to send them to Dallas, but have you ever tried to tell a tongan mother no? It's not easy. But the awesome tongans took us out to lunch. Haha, they took us out to a buffet and told us Kai k mate (spelled wrong). That means "eat till you die." Haha, it's an expression in tongan. 

I hope that answered all questions. I got the green package and the easter package haha. Thank you so much! Haha, I was laughing because I was starting my "6 months to sexy" diet, but I think it's officially over. We've got Zone Conference this week. I'm pretty excited. 

Love,

Cole

Downtown Fart Worth

The Nasty sink (but pretty cool style) at the christian food pantry.

Do I spy a giant Jesus Flag? Yep. Texas Forever.

And a spit bubble. 

Cole out.

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