Message from Michael September 29

The punctuation on this keyboard is screwy so be patient with me. This week has been pretty laid back. The older guys left to their respective missions yesterday so we are the older kids on the block for another 3 weeks. I heard a funny quote the other day from one of the area authorities:

 

´When I am in the airport I watch the people and the Americans and Europeans are always reading a book, but us latinos, we have two boxes of chicken.´

 

Our AP who just left went to George Washington University; He´s a super bright kid and way fun to talk to. It´s too bad he left. It makes me wish I had gone somewhere like that.

 

Today we went into the market. For a lot the missionaries, it was their first experience in a Latin American central market. Many of them were a little freaked out by the meat section. Ha. It´s funny because what you said about CA kids being generally not very prepared for the work is true. They´re much more cultured and capable of dealing with the enviromental change of a mission, but it´s also the most time consuming and most difficult work we´ve ever done. The kids from other states consider it more of a vacation. My friend from LA was asked by a kid from Colorado if he´d ever been on a ranch before. My friend replied by saying: ´´Ýeah, it had a sick spa and we played tons of tennis and then we went horseback riding a few times. It was really sick.´´

 

My spanish is becoming pretty decent; It´s better than most of the missionaries here, at least. It should all start to catch on pretty smoothly from here on out.

 

My brain is really bored. I hate memorizing grammar and nouns. I wish we were able to do something else intellectually stimulating. Oh, well. Sometimes I really enjoy being here and other times I just want to come home.

 

The mail sent to me that arrives here after I leave in three weeks will be forwarded to me on my mission. Also, make sure everyone knows that DearElder is still a very efficient, FREE way to contact me. The amount of mail I recieve has dramatically decreased.

 

Until next week,

Michael

Message from Michael - September 22, 2010

Ahh! I want to go riding. Bummer. Everyone here has a bike. It must be crazy riding through the jungle. I remember that patch of grass where we studied that map very well. Hope it was funny either way.

 

So this week. I saw a bunch of vaccination needles in the trash cans in the kitchen. Kind of weird. Oh and everyone in my district things I´m a robot because all of my comments and answers and very methodical. Ha. On a more interesting note we went and talked to people in the city square today by the capital building. Old Guatemalans are literally impossible to understand. Especially when their diction is tampered with by a lack of teeth. Most everyone was Catholic with the exception of some gay atheist. It was going really well until a gang fight errupted in front of the capital building. Literally teenage kids in highschool started a gang fight in front of the Capital Building. Where the President lives. And it took the police five minutes to show up. Absolutely crazy. Luckily, these kids fight with stone age era weapons. I watched some kid pull a rope out of his back pack with a rock tied on the end and start swinging it at people. Almost everyone else was just throwing rocks and using their belts. I felt like I was playing a game of stronghold but with cavemen. I hope that doesn´t offend anyone. Anyway that kind of cut our day short. But otherwise the weeks been going well.

 

Do you guys want to send me some CDS? I`m looking for some straight up piano and string instrumentals. I heard some lady named Jenny Oaks Baker makes a lot of church CDs with just those instruments. If you can find them and send them that would be amazing. I´ll a cheap CD player at the market or something.

 

Also, any advice on teaching the plan of salvation? I remember you saying you had it mastered.

Message from Michael September 14, 2010

Hey! Things are starting to move really quickly here. Which is good. Im sick of the MTC and am anxious to get out in the field. I hear gunshots everynight!! And this is within my mission boundaries. Its funny because apparently we´re in the safest neighborhood in all of Guatemala... I was able to play three hours of basketball today which totally rocked! I miss everyone a lot. I´m kind of gravitated towards this Elder from LA. Really super good guy who I can relate to really well. Also very ahead in Spanish. He´s 3 or so weeks ahead of me which is a bummer but I´m sure we´ll keep in touch. We´re kind of locked up in here which isnt so fun but apparently in two weeks they let us go to the market and the city square and shop and talk to people, etc.

 

Everyone keeps asking me if they can write Courtney when they see my family picture. I have to remind them that she´s 14. Then they ask how old my older brother is... Ha. I hope everyone is doing well. Tell Jordan and Courtney they´re free to email me.

 

Heres my current address-- Boulevard Vista Hermosa 23-71, zona 15 Col. Vista Hermosa, Guatemala... I think thats it at least. The mail here is reliable so invite people to send me letters. Dearelder is also still a very good choice.

 

Michael D. Rex

Same day next message:

Oh and the guards carry 9MMs and shotguns. People literally walk down the streets with shotguns and rifles and stuff. and I saw a prostitute across the street. Let everyone know I appreciate the love and attention!!

Same day next message:

Oh also, Ive been teaching my Spanish teacher English slang. Yesterday she said the word ´shades´and the day before that she said ´Permiso, I need to get out of yours guys grills.´ Its super funny. Also sometimes we´ll purposely whisper or speak super quickly so she has no idea what we´re saying. Thats probably the best part of the day other than Basketball. Oh and all we eat is beans.
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Real address:

Guatemala MTC

Bulevar Vista Hermosa 23-71

Vista Hermosa 1, Zona 15

01015 Guatemala

Guatemala

 

Message from Michael September 8, 2010

Landed here in Guatelmala last night. At first I was a little shell shocked and wondered what exactly I had signed myself up for. Wait, I still feel that way. Am I honestly living a country that's not America for two years? And these spanish keyboards are outrageous. I got a new companion too. He doesnt like beans. I told him that might cause problems during his stay in Guatemala. Nice guy though.

The MTC is composed of two small buildings and only a hundred or so missionaries. It is guarded by 6 armed security guards and a 7ft castiron fence, so what I thought would be more freedom has turned how to be less freedom. The food is good. We get black beans and eggs every morning for Breakfast and today we had mashed potatoes and chicken for lunch. Not bad. This is just all so crazy.

I dont like Spanish which could very well cause problems.  Its not that Im bad at it, in fact Im better than most of the other missionaries, Its just a lame language. On a brighter note, Im making serious progress in Jesus the Christ and have started to read my BOM in spanish. Only six weeks left... Hopefully I can keep myself busy and stimulated enough to stay consistently happy. As I look out the window I realize the weather is pretty nice too. High 70s with moderate humidity. Because Guatemala City is elevated above sea level its not as wet as youd think it although it still retains a lot of green throughout the year. People from CA would consider it tropical. I wish I had more to say but I really dont. Hopefully Ill have more for you next week.

Any idea how to make a break on a spanish keyboard?

Peace.

Michael is in Guatemala

We were able to chat with him for a few minutes today while he was in Dallas at the airport.

He loves hearing from all of you, so please write. He likes to receive e-mail, but please include your mailing (not e-mail) address so he can write you back.

His e-mail address is michael.rex@myldsmail.net.

The address for him in Guatemala is:

Elder Michael Rex
Guatemala MTC
Bulevar Vista Hermosa 23-71
Vista Hermosa I, Zona 15
01015 Guatemala
Guatemala

Thanks for your prayers and support!