Zac's Mission Journey in Argentina/Paraguay

Friday, August 2, 2013

Week #2

August 2, 2013

Yesterday, August 1, I received a handwritten letter stating he had exciting news. 1st that his district was chosen to clean the Provo temple next Friday. 2nd that he and his companion, Elder Averett, were called to be Zone Leaders. Awesome news isn't it? He has only been at the MTC for two Sundays...he seems to be doing so well! (Sorry, proud mother moment)

Today we were blessed with an email and 2 emails with pictures to post, Plus a handwritten letter from Elder Averett, he seems really sweet!

Email #1

So time has started to speed up finally here at the MTC. Spanish has been going pretty good, there's just so much to learn in such a little amount of time. But I know with faith all things are possible!

A mission has so far been the biggest test of my faith, and it hasn't been easy one bit. With all the learning Spanish put aside the MTC is a great place to learn and grow your testimony. It is so spiritual here and I have learned so much.

So anyways, last Sunday President Tyler pulled me and Elder Averett aside and asked us if we're willing to become the new zone leaders in our zone (11). Of course me and Elder Averett accepted this great opportunity and calling! I'm really excited but also kind of nervous about it all, since I feel like it's a big responsibility. I'm sure me and Elder Averett will do great though.

Oh another exciting thing that is happening is that our district (11C) has been chosen to clean the Temple a week from today. I heard its a rare experience, so we're all super excited for it.

As of this week we have started teaching an investigator everyday now, instead of every other day! It is a hard challenge especially now we have to plan two different lessons for two different people.

Our first one (who we will be teaching tonight) is Pedro and he has been exploring different churches and trying to find the right one for him. 2 days ago we taught him about the restoration and we related him to Joseph Smith! It was such a great lesson and the Spanish seemed to flow easier than ever before.

Our other investigator Israel has been attending our church for the last 6 years every week too! His wife is a member. So we taught him yesterday and... that didn't go too well, he asked questions we didn't understand and couldn't really respond back to in Spanish. Like he doesn't know/believe how someone (us, lds members) can testify to know certain things to be true . So yeah Israel will be a challenging investigator to teach. We plan on teaching him about the holy ghost so hopefully that will be good for him.

On Tuesday we had a devotional at the Marriott Center and Elder Richards spoke. A thing I liked that he mentioned was how missionaries always tend to complain about how hard a mission is. And what he told them was "It's not the first time someone has asked that question: Isn't there an easier way? Our Savior even asked that to our Heavenly Father when he was here suffering for our sins." I really liked that because I/we can relate to our Savior when we are going through hard times and just want to ask our Heavenly Father if there's an easier way. This also gives proof that Jesus knows exactly what we're going through.

Well that's all for now! I hope everything is going well back at home! Send all my love to the rest of the family! I love you guys.

Love always,
Elder Thayn

Email #2

Our weekly Sunday trip to the temple and a pic of our district in front of the temple!

A protester yelling "Throw your crowns on the ground, for you are not gods" and "I call you to repentance" oh and the other funny thing was when he was singing and in the middle of the song said "Jesus said this"! Hahaha funny stuff.

Email #3

Oh yes and of course our new tradition "comb-over Wednesday"! Just so everyone knows I was the one to suggest it and start it!

Our drawing of our ship (our district) and our duties on the ship! Oh and I forgot to tell you guys

I'm getting a haircut today at 2:45 so next week I will put the picture on of my new haircut! I hope they don't cut it too short! haha

"NOTICE: These email messages and pictures are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited."

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Week #1

July 26, 2013

This week Zac's emails are answering my questions.
He never did have time to write a general email, but he did send pictures after these two emails a few hours later.

Email #1

Hey Mom,

Oh no worries cause I probably wouldn't have time to respond.

Yep it is, so yeah it was nice to have Pday on our second day.

Yeah the food is pretty good but mostly just because its all you can eat and we don't have to make it or anything.

Yeah the computers are super tight but I heard that just some computers won't let you upload pictures, I might try later today cause me and Elder Averett are going to split up our emailing time.

Oh did you get my letter about all the stuff I needed? Sorry there was so much, it just turns out I needed a lot more stuff than I thought. Hopefully I will have time later to write a general email that you can post on the blog.

Alright sounds good.

Hope everything is going well at home. Hasta luego!

Love,Elder Thayn

Email #2

Oh I didn't notice this email until now.

Yeah I know, there just isn't anytime to send letters or even all that much time to email.

Oh gotcha, but that's because they're all older (then Hannah) so it makes sense why they lost.

Oh really, that's awesome they got their on the same day (1st email & handwritten letter).

Oh Sunday was pretty good, but none of us had to give a talk from my district, but there's a chance we could be by this Sunday.

Oh that reminds me, Elder Averett and I are blessing the sacrament this Sunday so that's exciting, but at least we get to read the sacrament prayer off of a paper like at home, but its just in Spanish.

Yeah I like him (Elder Averett, his companion), we get along together pretty well.

So there's a total of 10 missionaries in my district. 4 of them are Hermanas.

Only one companionship is not going to Posadas, and that's Elder Drury and Elder Epperson and they're going to the Dominican Republic, Santiago Mission. But I heard there's other missionaries going to Posadas just they aren't in our zone.

Oh cool that's good to hear from Elder Garcia! Tell him I'm jealous of him being able to speak Spanish already. Haha

Alright that's all for now!

Love,Elder Thayn

Email #3 & #4

Here's some pictures of us!

The one with all the "Post-its" is when we did a prank on the new elders a couple of days ago.... classic!

And the one at the temple is our whole district. Hopefully later today I might have more time.

Email #6

It works good! (speaking of the bag we bought to replace the backpack he can longer take with him)

So did you get my list of things I need?

Oh and you should look into this thing called dearelder cause its free to the MTC and basically you type a letter and send it through the internet and then the MTC prints it out and puts it into your mailbox and you can get your mail any day of the week!

Email #7 & #8

Here's just some more pictures for you guys, I hope you like them! Hopefully there will be more next week! Love you guys!

Love,Elder Thayn

I caught Elder Thayn on the Internet in-between emailing pictures and was able to chat via email a couple of times before he left. He mainly talked about the things he requested in his letter which Alyssa brought to me when she came up to the cabin that same day.

Overall I received 9 emails and a handwritten letter (handwritten letter arrived on Thursday) on Friday!!!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Zac's First Handwritten Letter

July 19, 2013

1st Handwritten Letter

I went to get the mail yesterday, Friday, but found nothing good, within an hour or two I checked my email account and lo and behold Zac's 1st email letter to us. I was so excited, it made my whole day! A few hours later we were leaving for Hannah's soccer tournament and had to pickup one of Hannah's teammates when I told Corey to stop the car and back up because I saw a letter on the ground right by our mailbox. And lo and behold there was Zac's 1st Handwritten Letter on the ground I couldn't believe my eyes! It must have slipped through the mail as I looked through it, unbelievable.

Zac's 1st Handwritten Letter

Written on his first day,Wednesday (July 17), at the MTC, mailed on Thursday (July 18) and received on Friday (July 19). Ohh the perks of being at the Provo MTC and not in the Argentina MTC (sorry Kristie)

Friday, July 19, 2013

Zac's First E-mail

July 19, 2013

First E-mail from the MTC!

P-Day is Friday

Hey Mom, Dad, the family, and everyone else,

Things are going pretty good now. The first day and yesterday were pretty rough. Like the only reason I didn't cry during the nights was so I wouldn't get embarrassed by my companions. But things are a little better. I still miss you guys so much and Hanna! Like when I think about how I'm not going to be seeing you guys or Hanna for 2 years it makes me really sad and want to come home. But when I just focus on today and whats going on right now I feel much better. I heard that as soon as Sunday rolls around the MTC experience is a lot easier.

It's so weird to me and my companion that we've literally only been in the MTC for 48 hours, like it feels like we have been here for weeks rather than hours. Talking about my companion, his name is Elder Averett and he is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He is the same age as me. And he's been here as long as me. Everyone in my district got here the same time as me. So we're all going through the same emotions for the most part. There's 2 other sets of companions in our residence room. I still forget their names.... haha.

Oh so yes today is our P-day. That's why we have time to e-mail and what not. Yeah it's so crazy how busy it is here. Like the first 2 days have given me a headache trying to figure out our next place and how to get there. So like I barely have time to write letters and write in my journal.

Okay so you guys dropped me off at 1:45 then I just dropped my suitcases off in my room. Then the Elder took me to Language Class and that's where I met Elder Averett. Our teacher Brother Barfuss just returned from his mission 11 months ago. He spoke nothing but Spanish so it was super stressful!

They expect so much out of us here, it's crazy hard. Like tonight we have to give a 20 minute discussion in Spanish to an investigator! Me and Elder Averett have been working really hard on preparing for it. I have memorized this so far "Hola, buenos dias. Nosotros somos misionarios de la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias. Tenemos un mensaje de Jesucristo y Dios." And other stuff too.

Oh yesterday our branch president was like "On Sunday I'm going to call one elder and one sister to give a 5 minute talk in sacrament meeting. It's random so make sure all of you prepare a talk just in case." So I'm like that's not too bad but then, he's like "oh I forgot to say it has to be in Spanish." So yeah pretty crazy!

Oh sweet sounds fun! Tell Hannah good luck on her games!

Thank you mom so much, I love you and Dad so much! You guys have been such great parents and examples! Sorry that's all for now. I don't have all that much time. Send my love to the rest of the Family.

Love,Elder Thayn

"NOTICE: This email messages is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited."

Zac's MTC Dropoff Day

July 17, 2013

The Grand Anticipated Day

We (Grandma, Corey, Eva, Alyssa, Dusty, Kayla, Zac, Hannah, and Hanna) all gathered for Zac's setting apart that morning. President Davidson came to our home at 7:30am. Pres. Davidson talked to us for a short period and told us how he likes to do the missionary setting apart in the soon to be missionary's home because their home is where they have been training for their missions pre MTC. It was a profound setting apart and comforting blessing he gave Zac...he will have a very successful mission.

After Zac's setting apart we went for breakfast at Kneaders

After breakfast we went home and Zac finished packing, finished writing his last thank you notes, and went to WalMart's to get a satchel type bag since missionarys are no longer to wear backpacks (Friday, we had expediated shipment on a new backpack and had just received it yesterday,Tuesday, too bad).