Monday, March 28, 2011

8 MONTHS COMPLETED!

Man, of course BYU went and choked! That's what happens. (Haha) Maybe one day they will be good like USU. I still am impressed with how far they did get, and I hear from dad that the lacrosse team is doing even better. Maybe I'll go play for them after. =P hahahahah Not too sure right now.

Oh the good old JAZZ games.. I miss going to them. I remember going with Holly in her car (which I drove) and we had a blast. All the way back we talked and I'm not sure if we won or not but it was sweet. (Haha) But just so that she knows, I am using the t-shirt a lot here in the mission. I really love it!!!

Man!!!! I´m super happy about Box Elder lacrosse and how dad is kicking them into shape. I just wish I would have been around to play at this time. But like I am telling dad, I'm going to come back and show them how we REALLY play lacrosse. Every once in a while I bring out my lacrosse sticks and throw against our walls because here everything is brick. =P But I am preparing myself to come back and all that - push-ups and sit-ups and that's the extent of it. If it works for inmates in jail to get buff it has to work for me. =P

1 - Where is your new comp from and what is he like?

Well my comp is from Guatemala again. But this time a little less weird then my trainer. He still is a bit crazy, but it's good. Normal is super boring here in the mission. His name is Elder Cano. He is from at least a modern part of Guatemala so he knows what technology is. =P The thing is he is super short and I think that's just a Guatemalan thing. (haha) I'll send you all some pictures of him soon. Deal????

2 - Have you heard anything about your mission changing (ie. boundaries, name, zones)? We keep hearing that the mission area is being readjusted......

Well that's the dumb thing. In July (when I complete 1 year in the mission) they are taking out San Salvador from our mission and they are taking out more areas and zones. It's a bit sad; I really wanted to serve there and see the big capital but it's alright. We still will be able to go to the temple. =) But yes to answer your question; it is being changed!!

3 - How are the member of your branch?

Well they are doing super good. Yesterday we had branch conference here and we had the most people ever in our sacrament meeting. 70!!! WOW!!!!!! It's super awesome. But the problem is that a lot were from the stake center so next week we´ll see what happens. The branch is doing well; of course the normal problems with gossip and because it's such a small branch we know everything but besides that - its super awesome!

4 - Do you have to bless the sacrament, play the keyboard, give the talk and give the lesson all in the same day?

Well usually I don´t have to bless the sacrament. I usually play the piano and sometimes talk in sacrament meeting and then we give the Gospel Principles class too. So not a super ton but at the end I'm pretty beat. Running around making sure everything is working out well and then teaching really gets to you!! But I love staying busy. It helps the time to fly by and helps get baptisms. =)

5 - What have you been doing on your p-day lately?

Lately I haven´t been doing a lot. Today we´re going to play soccer so I'm hoping that I'm going to burn some calories today. =P (hahahah) Then I'm thinking about buying a memory card here so that I can put info on it from my Ward mission leader. I hear like a 4 gig here is around 8 dollars so I'm going to look into that. =) I don't know, that will be my surprise for today I guess. Maybe I'll buy some food if I have money left. =P hahah Don´t worry, I'm not going to die. hahahaha We have a family in our branch (The Borja Family) and they really try and look out after us. Saturday they gave us tortillas and some chicken so that was awesome. =D

Well I'm going to wrap up my email right now and I hope that you all loved my email. =D As you all can tell I really love writing you guys. This week was a little hectic and I hope this up coming week slows down a little. But it's alright, like i said, the time is flying by!!!!

TODAY I COMPLETED 8 MONTHS IN THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thought you all wanted to know that. =P

Love you all.

Elder Sutton

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

New Companion

Happy Second day of spring!!!!!!! Well, it feels a lot like the same here.... Hum... Maybe someone forgot to tell the weather guy that it was the first day of spring. Actually don´t do that; I don´t want to actually have the rain start yet so I'm going to enjoy every second I can get!!!!!

It sounds like you guys are all being little angels and visiting grandpa and singing and all that jazz. =) I remember when I went to play my trumpet for the nursing home in Brigham City. (haha) Good old times but that was quite a while ago plus it's been like forever since I've even touched a trumpet.. I´ll get on that right away. hahah =P Plus about those Reese's peanut butter cups you took him................... I´m hungry. =D

Wow maybe I'll change my view now and go to BYU. It sounds like that's the way to go now a days - good lacrosse team, basketball, football. What now!?!?!? But man at least Utah is being put on the board by someone. But just remember last year when Utah State beat them in basketball!! (I don´t know what happened this year or if they even played)

Wow the phantoms Sam and Chris......... hahah. In Spanish there is a word "Chambon".... and that's what I'd call them because A. I haven´t heard one word from either of them and B. They are going to see my family. I think someone needs to kick them in the pants and tell them what's up. I´d do it but my legs are only so long..... =(

WOW even better news!!!! Box Elder Lacrosse sounds like its rocking. Someone needs to give dad a high five for that one. I bet finally all the hard work is paying off that he is doing. My claim to fame is that I started him in lacrosse. =P So when he is a huge D1 coach, I'll be able to see him on the TV and say, "I was the reason he started playing lacrosse!!!"

1 - What's your favorite way to eat your "beans"?

Beans???? (hahah) Well, I like them in a bag. Here they call them liquado or like liquid. So not the beans like we get from a can. I like putting beans on sandwiches and stuff. That and somehow I got addicted to garlic salt so I'm putting that on just about everything I can get my hands on............. I´m weird, I know...........

2 - Do you ever have problems with gas or is it something you have just gotten used to?

GAS?????? Okay time out........ That's a little weird of a question.. (hahahahahahaha) I'd tell you guys but A. lots of people read this email (or so I hope) and B. I don´t have problems with gas. =P

3 - Are the mosquitoes bad in your area?

Well the thing is that it's too cold in my area for mosquitoes to live. Like they all die so luckily no!!! =) But also I die. Like last night..... SANTA VACA!!!!! hahahahahahahahaha It was sooooo cold!!!! I almost died.

4 - Did you ever get the package Jennifer sent? I think she included socks - if it didn't, you may just have to buy some...

Well actually I got an email that says I have a package in the office and the Zone Leaders just have to bring it to me. And supposedly it's kind of big. Cross my fingers and hope that it's got socks in it!!! I´m actually wearing socks that they gave us at the Christmas party thing that they had for us. Apparently I'm not the only one that has problems with socks because they gave all the missionaries socks. =D

5 - Besides a new case for your scriptures, what did you buy yourself for Christmas & your birthday (something cool - we hope)?

Well I got a sweet bag that's called a Morral here. It has "El Salvador" on it and it just looks sweet. I use it every chance I get just to show it off. It's my pride and joy. All the members tell me that I need to give them my bag, but I just can´t get up the heart to part with it. So it's going to be mine the rest of my mish!!!!

P.S. - I heard a second about Barack Obama doing that whole air space with Libya. I don´t really understand what's going on with it all. We kind of are shut off from the world here.

Well a quick summary of this week. I officially have killed my first Missionary in the mission. Elder Marin is in his house and hopefully doing sweet adjusting to the real world and I got Elder Cano, whom I'm also going to kill. So at the end of this change I'm going to be pretty ¨baggy¨ as they say in the mission. =P

I also had a sweet conversation with a photographer here who was from New York. He travels all around the world taking pictures and is going through El Salvador to take pictures of Guatemala and stuff. He apparently has gone all over Europe and Asia and all of Central America. It sounds like quite the lifestyle. He even has gone bankrupt too!! And guess how he got the money to start this up? 1. He was a calculus teacher at night and an elementary school teacher by day... hahah 2. He sells his pictures but not digital. He is total anti-digital. (haha) We went off on that subject for like an hour, but he sells like those slide things. Dad has a box of them down stairs. It was quite refreshing to talk to him about everything; he is Jewish and right now kind of atheist. (hahah) Such an interesting man and best of all, he told me I was an "intelligent Kid" (hahaha) WINNER!! Probably because I loved talking about politics and religion and photography, etc. I talked to him and decided something... after my mission I'm going to learn either French, or an Asian language. =) I think French would be easier but I don´t like doing stuff easy. We´ll see. (they say that the second language is easier to pick up)

Well that was my story of the day. Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope that you join me next week at this same time when we talk more about "The life of Elder Sutton"

Love ya´ll.

=) ELDER SUTTON

Monday, March 14, 2011

Derek's New Companion

Derek Doing the dishes

Changes But I Stay!

Well hello family dearest!!! I remember Amanda saying that to mom. Mommy dearest. (hahah) Well man it sounds like things are going crazy fast back there in the states! Like usual. I Still can´t believe that Megan already went to prom let alone with a guy... How crazy. That is super sad that the lacrosse game got canceled. Hated when that happened. Maybe I'll come back for a little bit to show the kids how to play... (HAHAH - kidding kidding) I love it here. I remember Amanda doing something like clay pigeon shooting too. How well was Megan at shooting guns? Does she have bruises from them?

Well talking about how Megan can´t play soccer, I'd say that she needs to practice but I haven´t been playing much lacrosse either so..... I think I'll be in a worse of a boat then Megan is right now; plus I'm getting fat so maybe I just won´t eat for like 3 weeks. Sounds like a perfect idea!!!!!!!

CHANGES TODAY!!!!!

Well here are the sweet news on changes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I´m going to stay in my area and someone else is going to come here named Elder Cano. I actually knew him in my first area!!!!! So things should be super fun!

1 - How was your bus ride to San Salvador last week? What did you get at the distribution center?

Well the bus ride was super hot and super long! We crossed the whole mission to get there and then we crammed ourselves into a small room. But it was sweet; I bought myself another Book of Mormon in Spanish and a bible in Spanish. The ride was awesome. We talked a lot. (hahaha)

2 - Have you had success in the postal delivery service from us yet?!?!?!?!?

I got my birthday package from you guys and I actually made some videos of me opening them. =P So I'm sending off 2 memory cards and I think the video is on it. =P I sure hope that they get to the house!!!!!! P.S. LOVE everything that you sent me!!

3 - Is your comp still on track to go home or has he requested an extension since his present comp (YOU) is so GREAT?

Well he actually had an extension and then last week a family asked him to go to the Guatemala temple and be a guide for when they get sealed!!! He just called the president right now and said to cancel his extension that he is going to the temple. It was quite the news actually. But that decision was super tough for him. He was pretty preoccupied all this week. But it's all turning out for the good.

4 - What is your house like? We really want to see new pictures - at your convenience..... hahaha

Well speaking of my house you should be getting my memory cards and those have tons of pictures in them. I hope that they get there. =/ My house is sweet; it's in like two parts - one for cooking and cleaning and bathroom and one to sleep and study. It really is pretty nice especially for the conditions here. The mission really does try and take care of us. =) So don´t worry too much mom. =P

5 - What do you eat and drink for breakfast in the mornings?

Well now that I have cereal I'll be eating that, but usually I try and eat fruit and stuff. Sometimes I get lazy and eat a cookie.... or nothing.... That's going to be my goal this change, to eat breakfast and eat healthy!!!!

Well I don´t have tons more to say except that the mission is awesome. I´m so great (glad) that I made the decision to come out here. It's super tough but man I'm learning tons about the church and myself. Hopefully I'll make it to the end so I can apply what I've learned here in the mission. =P ( hahahahahaha)

Well I love each and every one of you. Feel free to send me some letters if you want? :) I just sent a batch of letters off so I hope you all love them. =D

Elder Sutton

Monday, March 7, 2011

WOW!!! Time Flies!

Well I'm going to get my share of water here soon. So I don´t feel too bad for you guys getting rain. I'm thinking months straight of water is going to be quite interesting. (hahah) Actually, I'm not all that excited for it... BUT it's one of those adventures that I'm going to have whether I like it or not.

That is really sad about Brother Hess. I hope there weren´t many problems with it all. He really was an awesome man.

Well talking about lacrosse, why didn´t you guys stop lacrosse for me until I get back!! I'm definitely going to have some fun playing with the guys when I get back, but the problem is that I'm going to be super fat so I'll have dad work me out. (hahah) Maybe some of the new kids will give me a run for my money..... Doubt that!!!!!!!!

Dang that month went by sooooo fast. I remember in the beginning when grandma & grandpa went down there to Mexico around my birthday and now their back already. What in the heavens happened with February?? At this rate, tomorrow I'm going to be done with my mission!!! Let's hope not. =( But I really hope that I'm invited to go with them when I get back. =P I am really super curious to see how the difference is between Spanish here and there. Even the Spanish between here and my companion is different!!!

Speaking of what in the heavens - why is Megan going to prom anyway? First of all, she is like 6 years old and second why is she using a fancy dress and third what the heck about this guy??? Man I haven´t been introduced yet or anything. What a good date he is going to be without introducing himself to the brother of her!!!!!!! Seriously..... What happened to little Megan...

1 - Do you pretty much live surrounded by the jungle (the picture looked quite dense)?

Well yeah I pretty much live in the jungle!!! It's sweet but different at the same time. Like literally I don´t live in the jungle but in a tiny town in the valley.

2 - Have you seen snakes, rats or other strange creatures or eaten anything strange lately?

Well I've seen snakes, rats, bats, EVERYTHING!!!! I kill them all too.

3 - Anything new with the temple completion?

Well it should be open for open house in July and ready to go in August so we´re all super excited for that and I'm super excited to go back again!!!!!! Even the people are super excited because they don´t have to go to Guatemala to go to the temple anymore.

4 - How are your knees holding up since you're prayer schedule has increased? (Megan's question)

Well actually my knees kind of hurt from all the walking and stuff. Not so much the prayers but walking is super mean up and down hills all day long!!!! Especially in the jungle!!!! (hahah)

5 - Have you seen Bryant or the other Brigham boy lately?

Well actually I haven´t seen them in a long time. Months actually - maybe they all died and I'm the last one here. I sure hope not but from my perspective, I have no idea even where they are in El Salvador... Maybe you could fill me in mom??

Well I'm kind of super rushed today because we´re going to the distribution center in San Salvador today and I don´t have much time to write. I promise next week will be super better. Just nobody hate me okay??

I love you all and I'm super happy to be on the mission!!! With all the good times and bad times. =)

Love Elder Sutton

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The road to ?


This is as good as roads get in El Salvador.

Baptismal Party

River Baptism


Derek baptizes Mauricio near Jujutla, El Salvador

Central American Cowboy


Derek may have missed his calling in life "Ridin' Bulls".

Derek's Birthday Feast


Derek and Elder Merin eat like kings.

Feedin' the cows



Derek helped a local farmer pick corn for his animals, in return,
the farmer went to church the following Sunday.