Monday, October 31st

Our plans keep changing today so I don't know what we're going to do tonight. We have to be in by 6 and we don't have a dinner with a member so we'll probably just stay inside. The ward party was Saturday night.
 
I thought the wig [Donald Trump wig, I sent both Tyler and Daniel one.] was messed up because I tried it on before the party but when I went to put it on in the church bathroom I was twisting it on my head and I figured out that I just put it on wrong back at the apartment.

[How did you do in the Chili cook-off?]

People liked it. It might have been a little too soupy. We didn't even get top 3. I didn't want to be a part of it anyways. I don't like chili anymore. We probably got it everyday during the winter time.

You know how there was a crease from the comb over? [The wig] Well I just had the crease in the middle instead of off to the side.

I don't know if anything really special happened this past week.

If I think of or remember something I'll probably put it in the letter I'm going to write later.

I remember what he [Donald Trump] looked like I just thought the wig was messed up haha. The picture on the front did look strange, like the hair is bigger than what's it's supposed to be. I have pictures before I figured out the right way to put it on.

-Elder Garcia

Monday, October 24th

The weather hasn't been bad. Today is fairly moderate, it's cool but it's warm. But it's been in the 50's for a couple of weeks.

Last Sunday the guy [the new investigator they met in front of Zaxby's] didn't come to church because he had a basketball tournament. Yesterday he didn't come because of our ride we set up for him. He doesn't have a car and so we have a member who lives close by pick him up but Saturday night like around midnight our members little kids got sick so he couldn't pick up our investigator. We've been teaching him and we committed him for baptism and he accepted. We'll talk more about a date next time we go over. 

 
-Elder Garcia

Sep. 26th - Oct. 17th

Monday, Sep. 26th

Is she [our cat] used to the cat place? Poor Minnie, she probably doesn't know what's going on and wondering why she is always in a different place hahaha.

I think it'll be weird going from Georgia where it takes over half an hour to get to a church building to Utah where I could just walk to one in less than 5 minutes.

So we got transfer calls this morning. Elder Asher is getting transfered. I'm getting two more companions, Elder Smith and Elder Youd. Elder Smith came from Clovis, CA but he's one of those families that move around a lot so I don't really count that he's actually from California. I forget where Elder Youd is from, definitely Utah or Idaho but I'm pretty sure Utah. (I don't really [care for] Elder Smith, I served around him before.)

The last threesome I was in didn't do to well. Hopefully this might be my last transfer in Snellville, I'll at least have two more transfers here. Two more transfers will make 6 transfers here and I was in Webb Bridge for 6 transfers. Yeah there's room [for 3 missionries] but I'll have to rearrange the apartment.

She [Minnie] can't stand Flower [the other female cat in the kitty-kennel] eh? I can see it now. When you guys look at every corner of the condo Minnie will be next to you guys and sniff to make sure there's nothing funny, like a drug cat.

As far as I know Elder Smith is the senior. I never got a call saying I'm going senior. Elder Asher says that you don't get a call to be "co-senior" but I won't count that. I'll ask an AP that I once served with on Wednesday. If Elder Smith is the senior companion I am going to be really upset because he came out a transfer after me.

-Elder Garcia

Monday, Oct. 3rd

General Conference was pretty good!

I thought it was Elder Neil L. Anderson who talked about President Dorius. But I heard it and it took a little while for me to convince my companions that he used to be my Stake President before I went on my mission.
 
-Elder Garcia

Monday, Oct. 10th

I was looking down when Elder Andersen was speaking, trying to take notes but I just barely caught "Mission President Peru Lima West" and "Dorius". I was pretty shocked too and I didn't get any notes on the story Elder Andersen gave of President Dorius.

Yesterday during the last two hours [of Church] we went over mormon.org. If you go on mormon.org and go under the first tab "Our People" then "Meet Mormons" and in the search bar you can type in "Ceres California" and I'll be the only one. So you can tell the ward they can look me up (easier) and...maybe tell them to make their own profile ;D

Also, on Friday we were walking home before dinner and there was this guy (in front of Zaxby's) walking towards us. So we decided to talk to this guy. We gave him a mormon.org card, we told him that we had our number on it to check out the website and give us a call sometime. We walked off and my companion realized that our number wasn't on the card. So we hoped something good would happen. Well, we get a text Saturday morning, it was a referral for some guy that lives on the street we tracted Friday afternoon. We called the guy and he said that some missionaries stopped him in front of Zaxby's and he checked out the website. Well, we told him that it was us that stopped him and he said he wanted to come to church tomorrow. We called a member to set up a ride. Sunday comes along and he ACTUALLY shows up. I was pretty shocked because that's the first time that's happened to me. I've had investigators come to church but not from a contact on the streets. I was a little nervous because he happens to show up when we're going over mormon.org for the last two hours. It turns out that he enjoyed it, but hopefully he'll come to church next Sunday.

Also, I think I made my decision...I was wondering if you could start applying me to BYU-Hawaii? I've been told that since I'm Asian, and going to be RM and it would be really easy for me to get in.

I don't remember anything else past Friday.

Well, since it's easier for me to get in...and it's not Idaho or Utah. Plus I can finally finish the circle hahaha. [Mom went to Provo and Kaleen went to Rexburg].

Our last stake conference was in Jonesboro since the Jonesboro building used to be a stake center. It took us like 45 to 55 minutes to get there. The building didn't fill all the way. The Conyers Stake is weird. Everybody south of Snellville ward has to drive outside of the mission to get in the mission. We always drive outside the mission to get to Conyers. The only way to get to the south wards in the stake is to drive outside the mission. Oh well I'm not complaining.

-Elder Garcia

Monday, Oct. 17th

Well...I don't really know how to respond to the first few paragraphs so I'll start from the one that you asked about Georgia.

Georgia's cooling down. It rained a few times last week and most of the week was misty. Yesterday in the morning it was 53 degrees and then it got hot and in the evening it was cool again. The ward has a traditional "chili cook-off" for their trunk-or-treat and it's a huge thing within the ward, even the missionaries get involved and enter in a chili. I personally don't want to be in it but my companions are all hyped up about it. It's funny seeing and talking to the ward during dinner. They're really into this contest on who can get the best chili. Anyways nothing else is going on. My "senior" companion is all about "finding" people right now since our "teaching" pool is low. Which means....plenty of TRACTING! because that's the only way to "find" people. I do think I'm getting transfered in 3 weeks. I think it's time for me to leave. After I leave here I'm most likely to die in the next area. 7 more months is a little crazy to think about. I forgot about the wig, I'll probably wear it. I want to get this Captain America shield...it's basically a frisbee with a strap to put your hand in. I still have the sword I got last year so I want to do Ephesian 6 (I believe) so I have the sword of truth, the shield of faith.

We have been getting more Mormon.org referrals but none (right now) who is like "yes, come teach me this instant" more of like "Yeah, I ordered a Book of Mormon, I want to look at it see what it's about and I'll give you a call back." I read Daniels email and I have three thoughts. My first thought was...what is a "pass-along card"? Then I thought. "oh yeah, those old things that we threw away because all we use is the mormon.org cards". Then I thought. What is "pink washing"? and of course those are cool stories. But anyways, it's been so long since we used pass-along cards I don't remember what it was like to pass them out.

We're still on bikes. I doubt I'll get a car. I was on bike last winter.

We're going to go. We need to shop and go play football down in Conyers.

-Elder Garcia

SEP 5TH - SEP 19TH

SEPTEMBER 5TH
So, we had a baptism on Friday.  Our bishop counted 150 people at the service.  The chapel was pretty well filled.

We taught our part member family the commandments and the nine year old boy asked in the middle of the lesson when he could be baptized.  We'll talk about it more when we go see them next.  So far the two oldest kids want to be baptized.  The mom is close to deciding.

SEPTEMBER 12TH
When are transfers?
September 28th
I think I have the same transfer cycle as Daniel.  Since he went into the MTC the three weeks that our new missionaries went into the MTC.

(Minnie, our cat, is staying in a kitty kennel while we find a place to live.  There is an orange cat in the kennel that is waiting to be adopted.  He has Tyler's middle name.)

That's good that Minnie's fine and somewhat enjoying the Cat house (kitty kennel).  If you do get "Sebastian" I don't know if I would be calling him that.  That's a little awkward saying my middle name all the time haha.

The last girl that got baptized was a freebie, we didn't teach her.  Mostly just the part member family we're teaching.  The two older kids are close to baptism but we feel we are close with the wife.

SEPTEMBER 19TH
Everything's good.  We've been mostly trying to work with less-actives.  We had a meeting with the ward council a couple weeks ago and we identified all the less-actives/part members and we've been trying to contact those.

That's good that you got a place now.  Thanks for the pictures you sent me.

-Elder (Tyler) Garcia

August 9 - 15

Companion - Elder Asher

I took videos of South Gwinnett's [High School] "dancing" band and when they came into the field I thought, "Wow, I am not in the west anymore" hahahaha

[By this I guess you mean they weren't that good?  Or they are way better?]

Well, they weren't that good.  But it was more of a culture shock I guess.  When I watched the movie Drumline I could believe that's how they did it here in the South, but when I watched South Gwinnett play it was hard to believe that's exactly how they do it in the South.

So is Daniel excited to be getting to Nuevo Mexicano?

[Yeah, he's super excited]

Thats good that he's excited.

Transfers this week - we're both staying . . . .

I'm going to try and send stuff home.  Like shoes (you'll get why), general conference cases.  I bought a CD holder case thing so its easier to pack, and pictures and videos.

We don't teach as much as the Salt Lake Mission.  P-days are tough, school just started, us and the Centerville Elders are like cut off from the rest of the zone and we're on bikes.  Centerville is in a threesome and they have to bike to the library and it takes them forever to email.

[Saturday, Elder Ballard and Elder Gaye(?) spoke to the missionaries.]

No time to take pictures.  Elder Ballard and Elder Gaye(?) had to leave and go do the same thing for the Atlanta Mission.  We only got to shake his hand.  Elder Ballard broke his toe so he's been limping.

Elder Garcia

August 1 - August 8

(From July 24th)
          From Tyler to Kaleen:

                 A year goes by fast, by the time Daniel hits his year mark I'll

                 be home!  It's neat to say huh? A brother going out each year

                 and one coming back each year.

          Kaleen to Tyler:

                 That is weird to say about a year from now.  Yeah that will

                  really go by fast!  Also, little Scotty could be walking by then!

          Tyler to Kaleen:

                  I'm now at the point where I'm (almost excited) to go home

                  but I'm glad I'm still here on the mission.

(August 1st) [Mom's responses/additions in Purple]

From Kaleen to Tyler:

     Here's a story for you -

            Wednesday night [after Daniel was taken to the MTC]

            a bat flew in through the fireplace! Dad caught it.

[up in the corner of the living room with a rubber glove, standing

on a chair - Scott took pictures and Artem threw it out the back door] 

            I should upload the picture and send it to you 

            (if you want to see it). Ew it was so gross!

            Then on Thursday night I was on the computer and I

            heard this noise and I thought someone was trying to open

            the back door.  So I went into the kitchen to turn on the 

            light and another bat flew over the top of my head!

[probably the same bat looking for revenge!]

             I ran

            upstairs to wake up Scott.  It took us a long time to catch

            it. It actually landed in the wooden bowl on top of the

            cupboards by the sink.  Scott put a cookie sheet over the

            top and we ended up letting it go outside [again!].  That bowl is 

            going in the garbage. Turns out the fireplace vent got open

            somehow.  Crazy huh?

Tyler's response to Kaleen:

        That's pretty cool.  Hahahaha I pictured father totally being
asian/ninja catching it while it flew out of the fireplace.  I do want
to see it.  You know what I pictured when the bat was in the bowl?
I pictured you getting Scott and you two popped out your guns and 
shooting the bat in the bowl.  hahaha

August 8th
         August already!
I know...10 Months!!! but who's counting?  I figured it was easier to 
write back in an email [because] I'm two weeks behind in my journal 
writing and it's hard catching up.
The week has been very slow. We had two teamups with the members 
and one solid appointment.  Hardly any dinner appointments as well but 
I didn't worry about that.  We have a good amount of investigators to 
teach but the only problem is, is to get in with them.
Yeah, President Wolfert is a good mission president.  It'll probably be 
a while before I get used to it.
Transfers are on August 17th.  So I think Daniel and I have the same 
transfer cycle. It's a five week transfer because last transfer was 7.
I like the ties.  Especially the lime green one!  I thought Temy was going 
to send me his plane tie? [maybe a month before he's off his mission].
The new drop-off [at the MTC] is not fair!  They broke tradition! oh, 
well what can you do I guess.
Hahaha that's pretty funny that Daniel tried to find girls to write to him.  
Daniel and I aren't lucky like Temy is haha.

Elder Garcia 

July 25, 2011

I asked about Plantains, which he said he didn't care for a few weeks back. They look like a large banana. They are really popular in the south.

His answer:

It's in the squash family.

Plantains are alright now, after you eat [them], after awhile they're not bad.

From a resent letter:

Elder Asher [my new companion] is from Burley, ID [he was old companion in the MTC].

Here's another [hymn] that every so often we'll sing at Zone Conferences. Some words have been changed a tad bit.

1st verse -

*We have been born, as Nephi of old, to goodly parents who love the Lord.

*We have been taught, and we understand, that we must do as the Lord commands.

(Chorus) -

*We are as the army of Helaman.

*We have been taught in our youth.

*And we are now the Lord's missionaries to bring the world his truth.

2nd verse -

*We have been saved for these latter days to build the kingdom in righteous ways.

*We hear the words our prophet declares: "Let each who's worthy go forth and share."

(Chorus) -

3rd verse -

*We know his plan, and we are prepared, increase our knowledge through study and prayer.

*Daily we'll learn and we have been called to take the gospel to all the world.

(Chorus) -

Elder Garcia