Mi primer bautismo en Malpaisillo

Well this past week was a really good week.

Last Monday when I was writing the fam, I started getting a fever and it got progressively worse throughout the night. We went to a dinner appointment where they gave us pizza, but at that point I was sick to my stomach as well, so I just kind of chilled in a hammock while my comp ate pizza. It was sad cuz pizza doesn't come along too much in a dinner appointment. usually it is just rice and beans.

On Tuesday we went to Leon for district meeting. I was feeling a bit better that day. I think the sickness just came from changing from the cold climate in Jalapa and Somoto to the really hot climate here in Leon. The district meeting was good.

On Sunday we had a priesthood meeting in Leon. So all of the men here in Malpaisillo were invited. We took advantage of the trip and the bus that we had for the trip and we took our investigator Yarelkis (19 years old) to get baptized there as well. Normally we baptize in here in Malpaisillo in a swimming pool. But the girl wanted to be baptized in the Stake Center. So we went.

It was a really good baptism! All went smoothly. I accidentally left my white baptismal pants in Somoto so I had to borrow some. And they were super tight on my waist, but they did their job,

Stay awesome,

-Elder Taylor

Yarelki's Baptism​​

Yarelki's Baptism​​

My team playing soccer today in Leon​​

In front of the sign for Malpaisillo

In front of the sign for Malpaisillo

My last Sunday at church in Somoto

Malpaisillo

Well, my first week is up in this new area! It seemed really short and long at the same time.

On the 4th of July we ate burgers and fries at a little place in front of our house. It was pretty good actually. And we got a good conversation with the lady there as well. 

On Thursday we went to Leon to have the Zone meeting. I didn't really know that many people because I was in the zone Ocotal for so long, but I know enough. My district is really cool and my old comp Elder Sevilla is in it as well. So it should be a good transfer here.

We should have had a baptism this week on Sunday, but the girl didn't show up. I am not sure what happened, I think it was because of her grandma who is catholic and doesn't want her to get baptized. But we will see how it goes.

Also on Sunday we had 17 people at church! The norm is 14 so we had a bit more than normal. Hopefully we can get a baptism this week, we have some really good people that we are teaching!

Till next week,

-Elder Taylor

The view​

The active Volcano: Cerro Negro (Black Hill)​

My district​

Me and my comp Elder Espinoza​

A nice view (An active volcano on the far right)​

Me chillin´​

Me and my comp Elder Espinoza​

Volcano​

My house​

My house​

My house​

my house (the shower)​

A chicken that enters our house sometimes​

Made it to Leon

Well, I have made it to Leon. My adventure stared at 3:30am in Somoto. We woke up early to get the 4:40 bus to Ocotal, but it left early so I had to travel alone at 6am to Esteli for 2 hours where I met up with other missionaries going to Leon as well. We went in a tiny bus for 3 hours. We finally got to Leon about 12:00pm.

When we got there, we were close to a church building and but all of our luggage in there. And then we took a truck taxi thing and went to a giant plaza. (I forgot my camera) There is one of the worlds biggest cathedrals there. And right next store is a McDonalds. I got myself a bacon burger with fries and a coke. It was way good. And I believe better than an American McDonalds.

After lunch me and my Compañero (Elder Espinoza from Guatemala) we went to our area that is an hour away from the main place. Our area is called Malpaisillo (Mal-pie-see-yo) It is really warm here and pretty humid. But it is cool place. I can see 2 volcanos here and they are HUGE!

I hope that I can make this a good place for me. Next week I will send pics of my house and other places. 

Till next week,

Elder Taylor

This pic is of a creepy street painting in Somoto

Surprise Sunday Letter

Today I am sending pics because tomorrow I will be in a new area in Leon Nicaragua. And I am not sure if I will have time to send them out. So here you go and I will send out a letter tomorrow as well if possible.

Me teaching a donkey (Somoto is called the City of Donkeys)​

Still teaching the donkey ​

The church here when it rains​

Teaching English class​

The story that we taught in English class​

Otra semana aqui en Somoto / Another Week in Somoto

Well I have not made a letter in Spanish in a year. And I was one year old last Thursday and I'm going to make one. (Maybe I'll translate it)

This week was very fast. I did a lot of things. I taught English classes again to the girls. We learned verbs such as running, talking, eating, sleeping. Things like that. Talking about verbs. There is a church called "Iglesia Verbo". (Verb Church) Very rare. Elder Asplund and I are always smiling when we pass that church. Just for the name

Yesterday in the church, I gave a message about Miracles in our lives. I give talks almost every week here, and I also teach "Gospel Principles" class to the recent converted and the investigators. Yesterday was a good day.

This week also, an Elder had a worm leave his body ... But, it was very rare. So parasites are very real here.

Today in the morning I went to Ocotal to play soccer with the missionaries there and with some investigators there. It was a team of cheles (white people) against the others and we won many parties. (Gringos FTW) And for breakfast I ate "Wheaties" for the first time in a year. (It's my favorite cereal)

There are not many drunkard experiences this week. Maybe the other week.

Well that's it, I hope you have a super tuanis week and that you can eat good summer meals like barbecue.

-Elder Taylor

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Bueno, no he hecho una carta en español en un año. Y yo tenía un año el pasado jueves y voy a hacer uno. (Quizá lo traduzca)

Esta semana fue muy rápido. Hice muchas cosas. Volví a enseñar clases de inglés a las chicas. Aprendimos verbos como correr, hablar, comer, dormir. Ese tipo de cosas. Hablar de verbos. Hay una iglesia llamada "Iglesia Verbo". (Verb Church) Muy raro. El élder Asplund y yo estamos siempre sonriendo cuando pasamos por esa iglesia. Solo por el nombre

Ayer en la iglesia, le di un mensaje sobre los Milagros en nuestras vidas. Doy charlas casi todas las semanas aquí, y también enseño la clase "Principios del Evangelio" a los conversos recientes ya los investigadores. Ayer fue un buen dia.

Hoy por la mañana fui a Ocotal a jugar al fútbol con los misioneros allí y con algunos investigadores allí. Era un equipo de cheles (blancos) contra los demás y ganábamos muchas fiestas. (Gringos FTW) Y para el desayuno comí "Wheaties" por primera vez en un año. (Es mi cereal favorito)
Esta semana también, un anciano tenía gusano salir de su cuerpo ... Pero, era muy raro. Así que los parásitos son muy reales aquí.

No hay muchas experiencias de borrachos esta semana. Tal vez la otra semana.

Bueno, eso es todo, espero que tengas una semana super tuanis y que puedas comer buenas comidas de verano como barbacoa.

-Elder Taylor

Burning my 1 year shirt

1 Year Down, 1 to Go!

As the title states, I have been out a whole year now! (This Thursday the 22nd)

This has been a really good past year. I have learned a lot and seen a lot in this past year. I can now speak Spanish pretty much fluently and can talk with a whole new group of people. Now I just have 1 year to go!

This past week was pretty good, we went to Esteli on Wednesday for a multi-zone. I got to see a lot of my past companions and old friends that I haven't seen for a while. It was really good.

On Saturday, we had English class with the young girls that we teach each week. We taught them how to say he, she, we,  and simple things like colors and how to ask someone their names. they really seemed to like it. When we see them in the street they usually say something that they learned in English. It is fun.

And that same Saturday, the Mission Nurse and her husband had family visiting from China. (they are white but live in China). So we had a special meeting for them in the church. We watched a Mormon message and ate a lot of cake! They all speak English so that was kind of fun.

I don't have any pics this week, but for sure next week!

-Elder Taylor

I lied....

This is a pic of all the people that have been in Jalapa  that were in the multi-zone​​

Somoto Nicaragua

Well this week was pretty good, we found some really positive investigators and hopefully we will get some baptisms soon. 

The highlight of the week was that Elder Renlund of the 12 apostles came to Managua on Saturday. We left from Somoto on Friday so we could leave early Saturday. We left Ocotal at 8am and got to Managua a noon. Before we went to the meeting we went to McDonald's. I got a Big Mac and a McFlurry for the first time in 4 months. It was so good! We will see the next time I eat that again.

Then after lunch we went to the meeting. All of the missionaries from Nicaragua were there from the North and South missions. So I saw all of my old comps. Elder Renlund gave a really good talk. He talked a lot about how to have success on the mission. And gave us good points. We all got to shake his hand as well. It was really a good time.

My zone was the furthest away from Managua in the Country so we had to leave first. We left at like 4:30pm and got to Ocotal at like 9pm. And we had to leave for Somoto really early on Sunday to get to church on time, and we made it. 

That is all I've got,

Till next week!

-Elder Taylor