Week #33 - Wow Week

It really was a "Wow Week".

To start off, as district leader, I told you that we have a responsibility to prepare a little meeting every week. Well, it was a new week, and it was time for a to prepare for a new meeting. While preparing, I had a very clear feeling to set a goal for the district. And this wasn't just any normal weekly goal to set. I had the feeling to set the goal to double our numbers as a district by the end of the change. Not that our numbers are bad as a district, but they can certainly improve. We focused a lot on how that our own obedience is one of the biggest factors to our success, and to fulfill is awesome goal. 

Afterward, I had the chance to have interchanges with Elder Alcaras (my zone leader) which was a good experience. Apart from the fact that we were in Maravillas (my area) for the interchange, because I still don't know the area well, at all. And the fact that we only had one planned cita for the day, we ended up walking, A LOT. Almost the whole day. Just because I didn't know where I was going.. But the day was still good. I learned a lot, and that is the point of the interchange. 

Concerning numbers, they suffered a bit this week.. That would be a result from 10 hours of General Conference. Not that I am saying GC is bad! It was actually nice to rest a little bit from Wednesday.. As for the actual talks, my favorite would be the very last, from Elder Bednar. After several hours of sitting, it makes you a bit sleepy (or at least for me).. But his talk really caught my attention. And it further encouraged me to do my best to accomplish the goal we set in the district meeting. 

Hope that you all enjoyed conference, and are doing well this week.

And thanks for all the support and love that you all always give me.

Les amo!

Showcasing the collection of Luis Matamoros from the ward, who has collected quite a few name tags since his baptism (Elder Enos is the one who baptized Luis, and he just went home ... two changes ago, I believe, and is already engaged.. Crazy guy.) I think it is the last one, that is Elder Osegueda. He left the same day when I arrived to Puebla, and is technically my great-grandpa. It is funny, here in the mission, we have our own geneology line! Because we call our trainers, our "dads" so, Elder Osegueda trained Elder Echo Hawk, Elder Echo Hawk trained Elder Gutierrez, who trained me. And here, Maravillas, is where Elder Osegueda "died" (meaning it was his last area, before he went home). Elder Echo Hawk has also died.. And it is my goal to make Elder Gutierrez a great-grandpa before he dies. Yeah, I am honestly hoping to train soon!

To explain the sign, it says "Oh yeah, 8 glasses a day!" Which is from a little health conference we had a while back, but of course, referred to water. But Elder Chacon and Elder Wilky both LOVE Coke, so they decided to do the joke of 8 glasses of Coke a day.. And all that is from one change.. 6 weeks.. Since I arrived, we have added about 5 labels I think.. Haha I remember one of the first questions Elder Chacon asked me.. "Le gusta la Coca?" Haha so my Coke intake has dramatically increased here in Maravillas. So every time we finish a bottle, we tape the label on the wall in our room. We hope whatever other missionaries that come here will carry on the tradition until the whole wall is Coca-fied. :)

*** Step Stats ***

Monday, September 28 - 3224

Tuesday, September 29 - 13715

Wednesday, September 30 - 30618

Thursday, October 1 - 17021

Friday, October 2 - 11360

Saturday, October 3 - 6075

Sunday, October 4 - 6732

Better step standing for Elder Blackham this week, right there in the middle of the Top10. SuperCooper has continued to step it up, again coming in 2nd place. He actually DID move up to the #1 spot for several days (but then Mommy re-took her position) and set himself a new high of 32,000 steps in a day (Tuesday, 0929). Landon's 30K on the last day of September was a new high for him!

How many steps do YOU take each day?

*** Between Brothers ***

Dear Landon, we went to Saint George! We went (Keaton, Dad, Cooper and I) with, Amare, Aidan, Maga and, Anna! It was so much fun. We stayed at a house instead of like a hotel or condo. At least there was a pool and hot tub in the back yard. Throughout the entire trip, we were in the pool about 11-12 hours! The first night I slept pretty bad. I slept on the couch. But the second night, Dad blew me up a mattress so I can sleep on it. Also we went to this breakfast place called, "Bear Paw" It was so good, just I soaked my pancakes with syrup so they were soft. That same day we went and visited the Jensen's! We went into the basement a had a serious pillow fight. The day we left we dropped by Dad's foster sister's house. She made us some delicious Navajo tacos! She was Navajo. Also, I had a field trip this week at school. It wasn't that fun because we had to fill out a book along the way. But after, we went to this park, "Castle Park," for lunch recess. The fences were about as tall as me almost, but I can hop right over them! Well that's it for this week. Love ya. Love, your youngest brother, Colt

Dear Landon, school this week was not any fun. I though ketchup and relish was going to be fun, but it turns out that we don't get our free time, we have to do a game with all of the grade. And this activity was playing baseball with a badminton racket. Luckily, I had to go to "kinderbuddies" and teach the kindergarteners. I've also been watching some football games, just because I don't want to keep on watching Friends all of the time. And I have been playing catch with the football with Colton, and I am getting really good at one hand catches. Even though I have been watching football, basketball season is coming back! The pre-season has started and I'm going to watch the Jazz game tonight. We actually went to St. George this weekend, and it was very fun. It was me, Colton, Keaton, dad, Anna, Maga, Aiden, and Amare. We stayed in a house instead of a hotel or condo this time. This house had a couple of bedrooms, and a swimming pool in the backyard. Most of the time, we were spending time in the swimming pool and the hot tub. And that was basically the whole week. Already October, and you have been in Puebla since February, almost 8 months. Love, Cooper

Dear Landon, Saint George was way fun with the Aidan and Amare! We spent about a total of 12 hours in the pool at the house dad rented instead of a hotel (which I totally prefer). We had a very triumphant pillow fight at the Jensen's house while we were down there. It was also fun to coincidentally drop by on Jenna's birthday. It was very princess-y when we got there. We stopped by dad's foster sister in Cedar City. Her name is Rosie and she made us Navajo tacos today for lunch, for she is Navajo. Dad also let me drive in a huge parking lot at a church up in Cedar City! Cooper and Colton were in the car though, so they pranked me a few times with the old, "LOOK AT THERE'S A CAR!". I hated that. I'm not doing any running, I just bought this pair of shoes so I can wear them to Copper Hills to work out and also so that I can use my old pair of work-out shoes for hiking. Sounds very fruity in Mexico. I'll try the Tajin on a mango. I've tried mangos before and I liked 'em. Sounds pretty fruity! White Collar didn't last long. I resumed where we were, at the start of season six, and there were only like ten episodes with the series ending! I hated the way it ended even though it was SOOOOOOO cool. So yeah... lots of stuff. Wuv, Keaton and wuv ya

Dear Landon, sorry I couldn’t write you last week, I just never really got the time because on Sunday I had a ten and half hour shift and I got home around 11. But last week and this week my hours did cut down to around 24-26 ish which is way easier. It seems actually easy now, it’s weird. But last week was homecoming and for the day date we played bubble soccer! Where you get in those big bubbles and knock people over. It was so much fun! It was only$43 for two bubbles, which was cheaper than I thought. But we played at a park by Parker’s house, so we filled up the bubbles at Parker’s house. But the full sized bubbles were too big to fit in the truck of the suburban, so I had Mason drive my car and I was riding on the side of the car holding the bubble on top. It was pretty tough, but that just made the experience more memorable. The dance was a lot of fun too, I thought it was the best dance I had been to yet. We also had a couple games the past week. I missed two because of work and I couldn’t get it off or covered, which was a bummer. But we have had new kids move to Utah this year and we have 13 players on our team for Fall Ball! It really sucks because they don’t know the plays and the coaches try to rotate everyone in so we can never get a grove going. We lost every time except for once. We also have a freshman on our team, the coach’s son, which isn’t fair because he really isn’t that good. But other than work and homecoming and basketball, school hasn’t been kicking my butt like I thought it would. I have all A’s besides a B+ in Language Arts Honors and an A- in Chemistry Honors. Those two are my toughest classes. In LA we have a test almost every class period, which sucks but it we can do retakes for 2 days after the test is given, but if you can’t make it to his class after school to retake a test, you are kinda screwed. But it seems like you got a lot of rain, which I think you like, but to an extent. Maybe that much rain is just a little too much for you. I know it would be for me, but I don’t like rain at all really. Anyways, keep working hard brother, love and miss you, Callahan

• Dear Colton: Sounds like the St. George trip was pretty fun, as I can imagine! Ouch.. Sleeping on a couch that isn't ours.. It never really works out. The magic of blow-up mattresses! They are pretty awesome! A field trip?  Sounds like a pretty good time!
• Dear Cooper: What a bummer. In ketchup and relish you guys should be able to do want you want to do, right? Oh well. Hmm "kinderbuddies"? I remember doing something like that in elementary school.. I just can't remember if it was with Keaton or Callahan.. I think Callahan. Haha oh man.. I do miss watching football and basketball.. I miss playing them more though! A trip to St. George?! For what?! Just a good time?! Haha sounds fun! Yup.. Already October.. But I've actually only been in Puebla Since April, but I have been in Mexico since February.
• Dear Keaton:  Aidan + Amare + St. George + swimming pool? MADDNESS! Haha a little Jenna. Haha two families with the oldest child on a mission right now.  It is weird to think that Janika, oops... Hermana Jensen will still beat me home, even though I have a couple months more than her. Rosie...? I don't think I knew Dad had a foster sister... Weird.  But sounds fun! Haha that is right.. You are coming to the driving age! Crazy! Awwww Tajin. Such a wonderful spice. What a bummer about White Collar... It is always sucky when a series ends.
• Dear Callahan: Wow... 10 and a half hours? That is pretty rough.. I think my longest shift with Nate was the same. It is very hard! Bubble soccer?! Sick! Was it $43 to buy the bubbles, or to rent them? Seems very cheap, that is for sure! Haha sounds like a blast! The actual dance I never really care for honestly. All it is, is a room packed with hot, sweaty, crazy people. You cannot deny that. Missing games? Now that is nuts to hear from you! So the coach is alright with it because you got enough players, and it isn't the actual season? I would imagine missing games is a way to get kicked off the team.. What are all your classes again? Are you taking AP Psych like you said while preparing your schedule? Language Arts is the absolute worst. I will simply leave it at that...... !"&/$#"amp;%# ...... sorry.. I sneezed. Haha as for rain, we had a much needed break this week. After Wednesday we were dry and warm again. I remember being very excited when it said in my call that it rains a lot in Puebla. But to walk in it with missionary attire, and with precious books. It takes the fun out of it. But we were playing some fútbol today, I was just thinking how awesome it would've been to play in the rain.. Oh well. Igualmente, sigas trabajando duro hermano, te amo y te extraño.