Address in Belize!!!

Dearly beloved family..

So as you all can see today isn’t Monday so I’m pretty sure that you are all wondering what all happened to me and why I didn’t email you yesterday. So the p-days here are really weird like we do all the regular stuff on Monday like p-day - buy, clean all that just on Tuesdays we write all our families. The thing is that there are some areas like Corazol that are 3 hours away in bus one way! So it’s 6 hours of travel here. So we do everything on Tuesday like we meet together and talk about our investigators and all that, then we go and write...

BUT today was extra special and extra crazy. We had thanks giving dinner. Well Belizean style. It was actually really nice. The senior missionary couple here did the whole thing and then we just ate some good food. Not quite as good as your rolls mom... MMmmmmmm, but still way better than just plain beans! (haha) The food here is a ton different. They don’t really eat beans! So, I’m afraid that I’m going to get even skinnier.

FAMILY AND FREIENDS!!!!!! READ THIS

If you send me mail from the regular address of the mission it won’t get here only when president personally comes here on a plane. So send it to the P.O. box here!

P.O Box 1123

Belize City, Belize, Central America

1 – Did you get a bike?

Yeah, I finally got a bike. I didn’t have to walk for the first time in my life!! I love it, but man it definitely works different muscles. The bike looks a lot like the bike that dad has but they don’t have gears. Not many people here have mountain bikes and stuff like that. OHHH but also, my house is soooooooooo nice. I can see the ocean from my house and it’s so beautiful. I could say that we have one of the nicest houses in the mission. Finally running water and a shower that I don’t have to dump out of a bucket!!! I’m working on the pictures and stuff.

2 – Are you still using your Spanish or do you speak that foreign language “English”?

Well as you know my companion, Elder Rabanales is from Guatemala. Yes, that’s my 4th from there, but he lived in the states and studied there with his family. So he speaks English perfectly, but he sounds like a gringo. =) He was from Sandy then his family moved to Alpine, Utah. But I speak to him a lot in Spanish so I don’t lose it. But a TON of people here speak like 2 or 3 languages. Like all the stores here are owned by the Chinese or the people from India. There are a lot of Latin people. There is a Latin branch here in the same building and then all the people here speak Kriol.......... Man that language is going to be the death of me. Literally it’s a language. When I heard before the mission about it, I thought it would be a lot similar to English - BUT ITS NOT... SURPRISE!!! Sometimes in a lesson a guy will talk to us and tell us a story and I just sit there and I have to look at my companion because I didn’t understand a word of it.... I bet it’s worse because I come from El Salvador and just speaking Spanish, but seriously it’s soooo hard.. hahaha.. but really fun. I love the people here.

3 – Is church big enough for a ward or a branch?

Well, all the churches here are Branches. There aren’t wards here. They don’t exist. But there are two branches in my building - one, English (me) and then the other Spanish. But I love my ward. A LOT of people came this week, 112 people. The church here is so new. It’s been here for 30 years, there are 12 branches and 2 districts, but it’s 3 times bigger than El Salvador and there are like 28 missionaries. (hahaha)

4 – How’s the temperature compared to El Salvador?

Well like these last few days it’s been sooooooooooo cold. Man I have slept with all my clothes on and all that. It’s like a cold spell here but the temperature is about the same as Sonsonate just it’s a different type of heat. Like it’s more of a burning heat and not a humid heat.

5 – Any basketball?

As of right now I haven’t played. We have a basketball court right next to our house and I’m going to play with some of the members here one day. Hopefully on Friday! But the problem is I don’t have shoes...... hahah… I had to leave the ones I bought in El Salvador back there because I was over weight in my bags.... and the problem here is that everything is so expensive here... haha (I don’t mean to whine to you.) It’s just part of life. Maybe I’ll just use my church ones and be intelligent. =P

Well the problem is that Elder Finlinson and Elder Brimley are in the other zone here - Cayo. I’m in Belize City zone. So I don’t see them much just Elder Mendenhall and Elder Winters. Some others too but I’m not sure you know them. =)

I love you all so much and I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving holiday.

Elder Sutton

PS: So put on the "to eat list when I get back"
1. Your cinnamon rolls
2. Your regular rolls with butter. =D
Love your hungry son,
Elder Sutton

Transfers!!!

Goodness! Today I have like a billion things to say to you and such a short time- like in Alyson and Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland). Haha - I’m sure that I didn’t spell that correctly. Well the first thing I’ll tell you are the big huge news. So this week was changes in the mission and yesterday President Cordon called me in the night time and told me he is going to send me to BELIZE!!!!!! Man, this Tuesday I have to be in the office and have all my stuff ready. So I only have today to pack. The thing is that I’m going to be in the area Belize City. So I think that’s good. But the bad is that I have to leave my comp and this amazing area behind. Seriously we are going to have some awesome baptisms in this area this month and the problem is that someone in Belize needs my help. Whomever that is? But I have to be there for Christmas. That’s the problem too. It’s very inconvenient for me right now. But it’s what the Lord says

I need to do, so now I have to do it. Right? But man, I’m going to miss Elder Diaz. We had so much fun these last days. Then all the people that I’ve gotten to know here and the people that have been baptized. I’ll miss them a lot. Who knows maybe it’ll just be hotter in Belize. But at least they play basketball.

Well supposedly they are going to have a thanksgiving thing here, but I’m sadly going to be in Belize so I’m not so sure what’s going to happen there. Or for Christmas for that matter. Then the package that you sent me.... Lots of questions huh? BUT I can only take 2 suit cases there so I’m going to drop off my small one with a member here that I can trust. =)

1 – Any words of wisdom &/or thankfulness you want to pass along to your “readers” (tis the season - hahaha)?

Well things I’m thankful for. Man I could go on for hours, literally... Well the first thing I’d say would have to be my family. Like all that they had to do so that I could have all these opportunities in my life. Seeing the people here and they just dream of all the opportunities that I had daily in the USA. That and the knowledge of the gospel that I have. How what I’m teaching the people here is the best thing that they could find in their whole life. Not because it teaches them how to earn more money, or just to find more food, cars, but it teaches them that it’s possible to be a good person and keeping the commandments of God and then do more, be happy and content with whom I am. Learn how to progress spiritually then physically. I don’t know, I just wish I would have had this knowledge before my mission. Ha-ha

2 – Have you done any fun/interesting service activities lately?

Any activities lately... well really nothing. We have been eating pizza the Mondays but really not a whole lot. Um - we have been sweating a ton but that’s nothing new. (haha) Even in the night time you wake up and I’m still wet from sweating while I’m sleeping.

3 – The ward choir sang today in church. Have you ever vocally performed in a sacrament meeting? (That would be fun!)

Well kind of, I have sung as a group for the choir like as missionaries but that and only for Pres. Eyring. That’s it. I really do like singing because I’m like a super star here because I can keep a tone. But really I think that I could bring the family here and we could sing on the corner and we’d be millionaires. Hahaha I love the people here but that isn’t the blessing they have received - musical training. =)

4 – Have you had any good soccer games lately? What else do you do on p-days?

Lately we haven’t been playing soccer. We have had to go to Santa Ana a lot recently and we don’t have time in the mornings to invite all the kids to go and play. And when we do play they show up and no one has a ball. But I’m slowly getting better. I still think I could beat Megan. =P

Well it’s quite the exciting week this week. The next time I’ll be in Belize if all things work out. But man I’m sure that I’m going to have to drink even more water or just die. hahah Because it’s tons hotter there then it is here. I think that I need to brush up on my English. Play blow the dust off my Spanish scriptures. (?) Man it’s going to be quite the experience. =)

Wish me luck.

Love Elder Sutton

New Family - Navas

DANG look at how great my family is. All the bishops knew that my family was the best so therefore they made you all talk! But this is like the first time that you have talked in church in quite a while huh, mom? How long has it been? But yeah, I think that my family is the best. My comp also spoke in church here. It was like missionary Sunday here to get the people helping us in the missionary work. =)

1 – You haven’t spoken too much about your companion only that he’s from Panama – what is he like & do you work well together? Are changes coming soon and will lose him?

Well my comp is ending the mission in February so that’s not going to be a lot of time left. I’m almost sure that we are going to be together for another change, but nothing is sure in the mission. He is from the capital of Panama. He loves to play sports mainly soccer and he is pretty good at it. We work soooo hard, he is actually a little down on the weather. But he likes comics which isn’t a problem - I like them too and we laugh a lot. He is the second missionary from his family and he got baptized when he was 11 years old. He thinks that Japanese girls are attractive and wants to marry a white girl or a Japanese.... Weird huh?... but he loves being serious with the elders and sisters in the zone but really he just puts on an angry face and then with me we just have fun. We are working hard in the sun and he says Panama is really hot too. Lots of gringos and lots of Chinese people, because of the Panama Canal. I told him when I’m presidente of the USA I’m going to invade Panama and make it the 51 state. (hahah - just joking.) =P . (Oh, by the way, we have another baptism for this Saturday with a kid named Carlos.)

2 – Do you still have the opportunity to play the piano in church?

No, sadly we have the stake president’s daughter to play. She isn’t good at all - just the right and the left hands play a basic cord, but I told her that she has to do it so that she can get better. Playing in front of the people is the best way to learn. THANKS MOM. =D

3 – Are you allowed to go over to the temple ever on your p-day or any other time?

Supposedly we were going twice in these last months before the new year, but we haven’t gone yet. There is a rule for us that we can only go 2 times every year because the temple is in the other mission..

4 – Have you been on any adventures (like when you went off to the volcano) since you’ve been in this area? Are there even any landmarks that are neat?

Adventures… I haven’t had yet... I feel like my area is an adventure because we just barely got more! So there used to be elders in my area and another area called Santa Emilia. The thing was that president took the elders out of Santa Emilia and told us to go there including our other area so we are running about a million miles an hour to try and cover them all. But Santa Emilia is really poor. Lots of houses made of bags and not a lot of people work.

5 – Were you able to get your pictures copied from your memory card by your friend? Are you saving them all to your hard drive? (We’ve only received pictures once since you’ve been there – you are still there ?.?.?) :P

Well I still haven’t gotten it back from him yet. I still need to pay him for the DVDs. But as soon as I have it I’m going to send it. JUST DONT LOOK AT THEM YET!!!!!! I want to do something cool with all my pictures when I get back and I don’t want you all spoiling the surprises of my pictures. =D

So this week we found lots of people and had lots in the church so if all works out how we plan it then we are going to do some baptizing. But we found a new family, Navas, and they are awesome. We have taught them like 4 times and as soon as we taught them about the Book of Mormon, the girl who is 17 took it to school to read it and she went to church with some of her family.

Well just so you know, grandma I did get your package with the lotion and cologne in it - thanks. And also I’ve gotten some dear elders from Emily and Carissa and I already sent off some letters to Amanda and other people in the family and friends. =) Cool huh?

But yeah, I love the mission. I know that I’m helping people out here to understand how to get the eternal life. It’s not hard to love them. The only hard thing is being in the right places in exactly the right time.

I love you all. I hope we all can receive the blessing that God has for us.

Elder Sutton

A Few Infirmities?

Good day, family of mine, back in the hills of Utah!!!

It really has been a while since I've been able to talk to you guys!!! So that’s really funny that someone has been saying stuff like that to you guys. But you should tell me who is saying it so that I can beat them up! (haha) As you know, I kind of got sick in church or something.... Not a huge deal or anything - I was just sick due to quite a few infirmities. =) They all combined to make me really dehydrated and then after that I got light headed in church. I DIDN'T FAINT! I just got light headed or something but man everyone really kind of freaked out.

So on Monday when I got back from the doctor, I got to baptize 6 people - our investigators (the Sanchez family and the Esquivel family). It was quite the coming home party! I love it. But really you need to tell me who is this elder or sister is. The gossip flies faster than the internet... haha

Man it sounds like Megan is going to do what Tasha used to do, or something like that. I can see her having a blast though! Plus she will be getting an income so she can buy her favorite brother a sweeeeeet cell phone when he gets back from his mission!!!!!! =D

KEITH IS BACK! Man, I feel like he just barely got out there!!! You’ll have to tell me how his talk is going to be and all the stories. Like he served in Russia right? Sounds like a tough mission, but Keith is an amazing guy. I’m sure that he baptized all the world of Russia.

Kyle Smith and Miles Penrod!!! Man that’s so cool that they are going on the mission! I love hearing people talk in Portuguese because they sound like Spanish with rocks in their mouth. I can understand it; just a few words change. But it’s awesome that Miles is going state side. He’ll baptize like 9 million people.

Kathy’s birthday huh? No one invited me to go to the party and have fun on a birthday. How was it? Did you all have tons of fun? I hope she had a great birthday!

BOX ELDER LACROSSE IS THE BEST TEAM EVER IN THE WORLD!!!!!!

So I did just get a little sick and all that jazz but I’m better. I need to drink more fluids.... Maybe if you guys could send me a cool water bottle for Christmas or something!!!!

Well I’m happy and I've learned my lesson and I’m going to drink more fluids.. Don’t worry mom. Thanks for caring about me =)

Elder Sutton

Snow in Heaven?

Well like you guys know I have been cut down really short on my writing time due to some changes in the mission by President Cordon so I don’t have much time to write you guys this week.

I have to send presidnte a report on some things in my area so I will just have to answer your questions really fast... I know that all my fans (mom included) are going to be really mad this week... =(

1 – How is the flooding situation coming along?

Well the thing with the flood, it only lasted 9 days so now it’s over and there is the scorching hot sun again. My comp is loving it because he is from a really hot country too. He talks about how it isn´t a Christmas without sun and I tell him that it isn´t Christmas without snow and then we get debating as to if there is snow in heaven. I´m sure there is. =P hahahah

2 – Did you buy yourself a new backpack yet?

That’s on my to-do-list today actually. I´m going to go look for the bargains and then the best because if I buy a bad backpack it won’t last long enough and then I’ll just end up buying another one in a few months again. So I’m going to do like my mom taught me and buy intelligently!!!

3 – What kind of things do you do on p-day now that everything is so so so wet? (Megan’s question)

That’s the thing... when it’s wet we don’t do anything. We’re Just inside the house and when we leave we run from building to building to try and not get any more wet then necessary.. Maybe we go to a little restaurant and eat inside. That’s about the only things that I can do when it’s raining…. but now it’s not!!!!!!!

4 – Kevin Tyler is home on leave and said he has written you 2-3 times & you haven’t written back…. Is he up in the night?

That would be a huge lie because I haven´t gotten anything from anyone over there. I thought that kid just fell off the face of the planet. Make sure that he is sending them to the right address. I want to talk to him and I can get the permission necessary.

5 – How was the baptism? Did it happen? What were the details?

Not yet but this weekend we´re planning on it... ahhh the time..

6 – Tell us about your new companion… he’s from Panama - yes, short?, speaks English?, his family?, how long has he been out?, you get along?, etc.

Well he is short and brown and he definitely is learning how to speak English with me but as of right now he cannot. But he has like 20 months in the mission so he is on the downhill, but he is a really hard worker. He has like 4 brothers and sisters and parents that are all members of the church and they are really great from what I hear. I think that he is the 3rd youngest and has 1 bro and 2 sis.

AHHHH if you only knew the rush I was in...

I love you all and I promise next week will be better for us..

LOVE ELDER SUTTON

Mini Flood

Well now that was something new seeing a picture of Megan in a dress with a new guy.. Someone needs to keep that girl on a leash because man, she is getting older and older. hahah =P Don´t worry, we all love Megan right? But man that really was a shocker to see her there in a dress and all that..... =/

Well my new comp is Elder Diaz!! He is from Panama. But this guy is super cool. I´m going to have so much fun with him – I am already. I've been with him less than a week but already things are going great. If all works out well and God blesses us we´ll baptize 2 families this next coming week. My comp used to be in Santa Ana in the old area I was in. It’s called Paraiso. He loves the Book of Mormon and he says it’s his life, food and his wife. =) But he is funny and I’m working on the pictures but today I didn't bring my camera..

Well it’s been raining a whole 7 days straight here. I believe it’s a tropical storm or something. Like all the rivers here have risen and people’s houses are falling apart. The problem is that they don´t make their bases of their house correctly! They just throw down cement on the earth, and so when it rains it washes everything away!!! But definitely everything I own is wet - all my shirts, shoes, etc. I’ve actually used my boots the most now! They work really well - thank you Bryant slash mom. =) But yeah the only way to have dry clothes is if I put a fan on them all night. The problem with that is that the light bill goes up like a crazy man.

But hey, what’s up with the family singing for the general authorities?? (Megan’s madrigal group is singing for the Pres. Monson the week after Thanksgiving.) I think it’s just a requirement to live in our house huh? So now only Amanda needs to sing for them. Wait, I think she already has right?

But what’s up with the losing streak that’s going on in Brigham City? Man, we need to change that – ASAP. I know that they can do it because they are the SUTTON FAMILY!!!!

Well actually I wasn't aware of Mimi Rex going on a mission? That’s some new information that I would have liked to know! But now that I know, it’s all good. But it’s not the same mission as Chris Darais, right? I know some elders here from California. They are usually really tall - taller than me. I wish I was tall like dad. Dangit..... =(

But Right now I don´t have any stories to tell you guys other then I’m pretty sure this is going to be the second mini flood in Central America. But you gotta love it. I´m actually cold here and I wore my sweat shirt sleeping a couple nights in a row. (hahaha) I think it was like 70’s or something – hahah. But yeah I love the rain and I love being wet. Let’s just hope that I don´t get sick. =D

LOVE Y´All!!!!

Elder Sutton

I Love Where I Am

Man, so I’m not even joking when I say that I forgot what cold is. The only time I experience cold is in the mornings when I have to get my bowl of water and shower myself with that. The first time I throw water on my back, it’s definitely a shocker but I’m pretty sure that it’s warm water I’m just sooo used to being hot every day that I would die if I had to go back in December.. But the good thing is I’ll come back in the beginning of August so it’ll still be warm and I can gradually get used to the cold. =P

Question/Answer: So don’t you have an actual shower? Do you have to do pan baths or is there a nozzle that comes out of the wall?

Well we have like a little tub and a faucet that comes out of the wall, and then you get your bowl and have to pour it over your body. =P Kind of a weird experience but I’ve been doing it for like 3 months now... hahah

It sounds like Megan is doing amazing! Geeze - I wish I was there to see. But maybe my family will be loving enough to take photos or videos of it??=?!!!!!! But if they win, that would be the best news in Box Elder in a long time! So what position does Megan play again? Mid-field? I kind of am a ditzy bro and I forgot.

Well so here is the deal... I actually am still with elder Alonzo but they called us last night and told us that he has changes and so that I’ll be getting my new companion on Wed. Maybe if I’m lucky, tomorrow they will tell me who he is. But I’m really just content because: 1. I love this area and we work so hard; 2. I have a family that really supports me and gives me so much... and 3. I’m here learning what I need to so that I can be a better person... Really the mission has taught me more about myself and working then I thought could be possible. When I thought about the mission I thought, "hey that sounds like an adventure!!!!!" But little did I know how much it really is. Walking in the rain, we had a rain storm that the water reached up to the knees of the people here and my shins... and knocking lots of doors, trying to turn on my gringo charm so that they let us in their house. =P Convincing people that really God loves them and that they need to keep the commandments of God to be able to return to His presence after we die.

Well we did do an activity this week and if I do say so myself we had quite the success.. What my comp said was that he wanted to break a piñata, so we used that idea and transformed it into an activity with water balloon volleyball and all that. We had a number of investigators come and participate. It was really awesome... Also, I don’t know if you remember a mother and daughter that I baptized a while ago, Leticia and Fatima, but they are really awesome this week they started talking to some organizations. After a while they got a hold of some wheel chairs to donate to people here in the community. So what we are going to do is invite the people to come and then after we are going to teach them in their house - an awesome way to get references. Also they got us some baptismal pants and a pair of church pants for my comp and I. They are really great.

Well I don’t know if you have any more questions? But I think I’m going to send ya’ll my letter. =)

Love, Elder Sutton

Immigration + Wendy's = Happiness

Well Family just so that you know, nothing really as exciting as last week has happened. Actually, during this week my companion has been complaining about pains in his side too; I highly doubt that it’s anything but if it is he will be the 3rd consecutive missionary that has had appendicitis in that same bed!!!! HAHAHA crazy huh?

But also I did remember the birthdays of the Ken Sutton and especially Megan, my not so little sister... Dangit - will someone just tell the world not to move anymore! I still remember when she was growing up and had the really crooked front teeth! I remember how excited she was to get braces; how she would go and play bunch ball in basketball and soccer....Where in the crap has that little girl gone? Just so you know, I’m not so happy with you right now Megan =(...... But…. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

But yeah I actually listened to conference in English this time. They set up a whole room for us to listen in English so I just decided what the hey, I’m going to listen in English. Just so you know we did keep our tradition of buying treats and drinks to have while they talked. But I don’t know, I felt like the conference went like 20 minutes... someone needs to tell the people to speak longer.. I guess I’ll have to wait until April. (My last conference here......)

hahah – Ronald Beltran!! If I’m not mistaken, he is from my first area and he is going back to Uruguay to finish his mission. He had to come home for a while (I don’t know why) and now he is going to finish!!!! That’s super awesome!!! I’m really excited for him.. =) (I had asked Derek what Ronald’s post said on his facebook: “el 10 de octubre me voy para la mission asi que no voy a estar por un rato!!”)

But hey I got another surprise package from mom this week!!! I got the coolest stuff inside including some really really really needed shoe insoles. Like my feet were hurting really bad so I threw them into my Eccos and now I’m feelin’ good. =)

Well I think it’s like story time or something now.. But I’m not so quite sure what to tell you guys. Well here is a baby story I can tell you. So last Tuesday we went to San Salvador to fix our immigration because I just barely completed one year in the country. Supposedly we have to do that every year. But we were there for quite some time and that’s not the best part. Afterwards we went and got in a taxi to go to the bus stop. And at that point I thought fast and asked the guy to take us to Wendy’s.... and the best news is we ate Wendy’s!!!!! I bought a double baconator... (It’s so hilarious to hear people say that in a Spanish accent.) Elder Reed and I ate that on the bus ride to our area. It was the best feeling of full I’ve had in a long time... We decided that we are so tall in the states because we get our proteins from real meat and not beans... hahah

I don’t know what else to really say... =( I love you all and honestly I pray for you every day.

I also thank you for helping me go on the mission :I I hope that these two years can be something I treasure for the rest of my life.

Elder Sutton

"Sickly" Companion

Well the thing is that I have come a long way. I can definitely see a big difference between before the mission and right now. I´m hoping that you all will see it too. But we won’t know until we can really talk face to face in like 10 months.. (hahah - that’s crazy).

But I’ll tell you about how crazy this week was actually... Sooooo - let’s start at like 2 am on Friday.... So I woke up to my comp (Elder Tamayo because we did interchanges) and he said that he felt a huge pain in his side and he was yelling and moving around kind of destroying my room. So I gave him a blessing and he told me to go back to bed and that he would just wait until it went away. But I decided that I shouldn´t wait but to like call the nurse. But at this time it’s like 2:30 in the morning... (hahah) so I called 3 times and finally the nurse answered!!! After some really funny stuff which included poking him and getting him on his toes and falling to his heals, she told me we needed to go to San Salvador (like 2 hours away) to a hospital and that it was his appendix!!!! (hahah) So at this time, the crazy calls started… There was like 8 calls in 2 minutes - from President Cordon (who was in Belize), from our bishop, from the assistant and the nurse, etc. Man was that insane! After almost an eternity the assistant got there and we started the drive to the hospital which also took what seemed like a year. But the good news was when we got there, they took about 15 minutes of exams and then said "yep, we´re going to take his appendix out"... hahah… so at this point it was like 4:30 in the morning. I went upstairs with him to the operating room and waited until he got out..... So actually I had fallen asleep for about 20 minutes when the doctor came out with a little pot in his hand and something that looked like a big worm... It was his appendix and it was 3 times as big as it should have been.... man that was gross...

But everything went well on the surgery and so my job at this time was just to sit with him in the room and do nothing until the next day.. I sat there reading (but you can only do that for so long) We had a huge big screen TV there that we couldn´t watch. Then we had hot water (the best news I’ve ever had in my life...) So all I did was I took 5 showers and then drank water.... Man that was the longest day of my life.... (hahaha) But I got back here in Sonsonate at like 8 pm on Saturday.... I crashed until the next day... THE END

Well I’m going to write great grandma a letter soon. So you can tell her all about that story. =) But like always, I have go. I love you all!!!

(I´m sorry if my English doesn´t make much sense.)

Love you all,

Elder Sutton

American Barbeque

Bueno, So I just want to say, “Megan (yet again) wins the injury of the week award!!!!!” I showed some of the guys here your black eye picture and they thought it was quite the good one. It looks like someone got a little too excited playing soccer... Speaking of which, I played soccer today. So as a zone we planned to make an American barbeque thing with hot dogs and hamburgers and then while they were cooking we played soccer and not to brag...... hahaha...... but I made quite a few goals. I think my team won. We didn't keep score but we did really well!!!! Even the hamburgers turned out good. But most of all, we got to run around for a little. =P

Well also this is for Bryant!!!! I met someone that knew him named Delmi... but she told me to say hi to him. She is a young girl like 15 or so but maybe she was in his area.

OHHH so the packages!!! Yeah I did get the package from grandma - with chocolate chips and the gummy rings!! I kind of went out of control and ate just about everything in 3 days but man were they so good. I´m still rationing the chocolate chips and making my famous chocolate chip pancakes!!! But man they are sooooooo good.

I think it should be story time right now.... Well I don’t know what to tell you. Okay so like in the mission every once in a while we do interchanges with the other missionaries for various reasons, like to do baptismal interviews, teach the elders how to work better or be taught and sometimes just to see how their area is going... So I went with Elder Reed this week, and man did we laugh our heads off. That day was a terrible day... like no matter what we did nothing worked out, like we went to all the lessons that they had planned and nothing worked. So we ended up knocking on doors all day and even the members were busy, so it was us against the world but the funny parts were at night and afternoon. So the only Latin person in our house was Elder Lopez and man he is super hilarious. What we did was we put on the national anthem of the USA and full blast to wake him up and then periodically during the morning and when it would come on the iPod we would sing it at the top of our lungs. Elder Lopez would just get up and leave the room. We could all tell he was just trying not to laugh & be serious at the same time - Elder Wilcox, Elder Reed and I. Then poor Elder Lopez, he actually knew my companion before the mission.

Well apart from that, we had a sweet movie night last night. We watched the life of Pres. Monson with some people from the ward; not a whole ton came but man that movie is super awesome. We´ll watch it when we get back, but maybe not in Spanish..... =P

Well right now I need as many prayers as ever from you guys. First of all, we are going to a new part of our area called El Jobo.. (haha like hobo) but we found some families there and a girl named Rosa who needs your prayers and then family Sanchez. Alcohol and all that junk are not helping stuff out. But I need your prayers for them.... Love you and thank you. =)

But really I think that I might buy me some jerseys because man they are sooo cool here. I think that I’m slowly turning Latin but that’s alright. I like lots of new stuff now. Maybe I’ll even watch the funny soap operas on the TV in Spanish when I get back because here that’s the big huge thing. BUT I saw Grey’s Anatomy though!! - “lol” that’s for you mom. =)

So I’m outa here….

Elder Sutton

The GQ September Cover photo

Who could resist these two?

An Ocean View

Gettin' out of the rain 9/11

One tired Missionary 9/11

I Ate at Subway! "YES"

Alright so it’s my job to write you guys a long letter this week... And make it interesting too right....

Well let’s just start out telling you about my health this week and all that - I’m super good and super tired. I think I’m going to go buy some vitamins because maybe I’m low in something. I feel like I could hibernate until the spring right now....(hahaha) but I just go and buy me like a soda and I’m good for a few hours. =P Kind of like mom and the Dr. Peppers right.

Well as of right now my shoes are doing wonders!!!! Like they are going on 13 months and holding on tight. Like I’ve sent them to be sewn twice, but they are holding together. The best ones are my Ecco´s; they haven´t been sent yet to be sewn. So just to sum this all up, they are the best even if they cost a little more. =)

Well some cool stuff that happened this week.... I started lifting weights, or like the dumbbell made out of concrete, so maybe when I get I’ll look buff - doubt it with my limited resources.

OH, we also had a sweet meeting with a 70 Elder Amado. He was recently called as a 70, but he came and talked to us and at the end we ate SUBWAY!!! Do you realize how long it has been since I’ve eaten Subway? I don´t think that you know how long it has been since I’ve eaten something sooo good. =D

Well I figured out what Sonsonate means. It’s like “river of many waters”. It sounds like something that an Indian would say, right. But that’s what it means...

Well I’m not sure what all more you want to know. I´m thinking about buying myself like some cool jerseys. The only thing is that I have to go on a hunt for the cheapest ones here so that I can eat this week. The thing is really touchy. But I’m going to do my best. If anything, I’m going to have some cool jerseys. No one needs food; I’ll just go beg the members or something for some beans and rice. (hahah) I sound such like a man. It’s awesome right?

Well I’m not going to lie, I forgot about September 11 until an investigator asked me about it so like I’m really bad and I know but I just got remembering it and it kind of made me sad. But I was just too busy running around that I didn´t even remember that. I kind of am mad at myself for forgetting.... dangit..

Well it was like Eric’s birthday wasn´t it? That and peach days!! Right?

Man I’m struggling about things to talk about. I know there is cool stuff to talk about but man when it comes down to writing, I forget about them.... dangit..

Well I love you all and I’m going to eat something super good for this week just as long as it isn´t rice and beans!!! (hahah)

ELDER SUTTON

Pizza as I Know It :D

(Haha) Man, dutch oven food...... cobbler and chicken... man if you could only see me right now; I’m drooling.. I think that the people here could use a few classes from you, dad, about how to make some new food because they are super good at making beans and rice but when you branch out from that, they really struggle... hahaha

Wow the Box Elder team is doing well in football!!!!!! That is like a first in years!!! But of course the girls’ soccer team is doing great!! They have always done well because Megan was playing for them. The sad thing is that I’m not going to get to see many of your games (or any I don´t think... Dangit..) But I chose to be here - so I’m still happy =)

Mom got a new calling??!! That’s awesome!!!! I wonder how that’s all going for her? What exactly do you do mom?! Do you have to get on computers and stuff or is it all just paper work? Like I know that you have always been good with secretary stuff. =)

1. Is there a mafia like group in El Salvador? What about gangs?

Haha - well actually just gang like things.. In all parts, the problem here is that when people are poor and don´t have food, they look for any way of getting food so most of the guys get in gangs just to be able to eat. So that’s another downside of the poverty…. but the people here are still awesome. =P (hahah)

2. Do you ever eat American food?

Well the closest to American food that I get is pizza. Then sometimes we eat like pieces of meat with like salsa on it. It kind of reminds me of American food. But they have some regular drinks here like I’ve seen mt. dew and dr. pepper but they are 80 cents a can. =D (cool huh?) I don´t know if that’s good or bad..... I’m kind of figuring out how expensive stuff is here. There motto here is "if you don´t have money, fill yourself with tortillas and rice.." =D

3. Did your Mission President ever tell you thanks for the singing performance?

Well the problem was that no one but the elders said anything about my performance.... Like not even the president said anything to me about it. I sure hope that I didn´t do bad... But from what I could tell it went well. They were really hard to work with because not all of them saw eye to eye with me but in the end, they had to listen to me because I was the leader.. =) I kind of was like a dictator. =P

4. How are your clothes holding out? Do you need anything?

Well my clothes are going really good. My shirts are slowly changing colors like a chameleon, but its part of the fun experience - right. And my shoes are slowly dying but the good news is that they have shoe people here that can fix them up. I’ve done it like twice now. Until my shoes literally fall apart, I’m going to keep sending them to this guy. =P Well apart from that, I think my clothes work. It’s because we didn´t buy the cheap stuff! We bought the stuff that would last! I´m convinced that that’s why! My socks, though, kind of want to die. But that’s from all the walking (hahahah)

5. Did you eat something good on your last P Day?

My last p-day I ate pizza actually!!! And it was sooooooooo good. I’m sure that it wasn´t good according to your standards, but for me it was the best thing ever known to man since duct tape... hahah

But hey man, I’m loving the mission. Don´t take all this as that I don´t love the people, mission, etc. I really love everything here. It’s soooo hard but that’s why I love it. We have good days, bad days, worse days but you don´t remember the bad. When I look back at my mission, I can see the last year and if I think, yeah I’ve had bad days - but I can´t remember the details of them. But the best things I can describe to you in full color.

Love you all!!

Elder Sutton

County Fair Week :)

Man those were good old times going to the county fair.... I still vividly remember all the things that we did. How we made like crocodiles out of bread dough with Val and how the leather stuff I made etc. Then how happy we were when we got the money. But I remember looking at all the animals and the booths of free stuff. Good old times. I’m guessing there wasn't anything earth shattering there like a pig with 4 heads or anything but it was always a good time to be with ya'll....

I actually remembered it was Sarah & Grandpa Jode’s birthdays!! I was going to ask about them in this week’s letter, but I do believe that you have beaten me in that subject. If anything, I hope that they both had a Happy Birthday!!!!!!

There really isn’t much else that I can say. I feel bad but I’m really slacking in the letter department too. It’s just I’m always sooooo busy. Every single second that I have free, I find food or rest. I sure hope that not only Sarah but everyone that is waiting for letters doesn’t get mad at me....... If any of you have been on the mission - you will know. But shoot me back a letter and I’ll do my very best to send you one in return.... =)

Well speaking of elderly men. We contacted an old man and his wife and child who sell like food on the street the other day (or in their house). He is like in his 80’s too and he isn’t in such good shape. He has to sit down all day and barely eats. He actually fell in the shower the other day so we went there to give him some encouragement. But his wife is still running around crazy. She is always happy and always gives us a little bite to eat. Then they have a son, Manuel, who is 15! (haha - that’s quite the age difference huh?) But it just shows that we age really well in the United States. Or at least we take care of ourselves better - I’m not sure which...

Dad should go over to Fred’s house with an offering like cookies then ask him if he can help him again! (hahah) The cookies kind of soften him up a little. I mean if someone were to come up to me and give me some cookies and then ask me a favor I’d do it, especially because the cookies here aren’t as good as the ones in the states. (hahah) Here I’d rather eat pupusas.... hahah - so if someone were to bring me pupusas here and ask me a favor I’d have to say yes.. =P

But actually some members have been saying that there have been some hurricanes in the United States. Like last night we had a big storm and supposedly it was the tail of this same hurricane or something. We don’t get to know the weather here so we kind of wing it like in the olden days. Look outside and if there are clouds - we bring an umbrella... =P

Well this week was the winding down of the month; and I’m not going to lie, the zone didn’t do that fantastic. So now we’re in the phase where we pick ourselves up and dust off the bruises and keep on working. The thing is that the missionaries lack the motivation!!!! That’s something that I’m learning lots about in the mission. About what really motivates us - to do the good or the bad. How if we feel this motivation we’ll go to church and do the right things, but if we don’t have this same constant motivation we lose that sight... that vision… and fall behind.. It’s a constant struggle looking for that motivation here in the mission. (Not only the missionaries but the investigators.) Some might be their own family and the thought of being together forever. Others it’s the love God has for us... There are tons of reasons. WE just need to find ours and never let it go...

Well I love you all. I hope you loved my spiritual thought of the day.... hahahah

Elder Sutton (the most handsome missionary that you all know)

P.S. Jennifer, I love that book that you sent me about the powers of heaven.....

I’m reading it and going to read it again. (hahaha)

Tasty Treat

Derek's favorite new El Salvador Treat. A Liches

I'm Hungry So It's Short & Sweet

Well I’m just going to say that I’m going to die because I’m so hot right now. I have to go and eat right now, but I’ll write your answers to your questions. But man I need to eat. It’s 4:00 and I haven’t eaten lunch or breakfast.

1 - We have been anxiously anticipating hearing about your musical performance for Pres. Eyring. HOW DID IT GO – Details!!!

Well that’s the thing, I thought that we sounded good. Better than some of the choirs that sang for the dedication and all that. But President didn´t say anything to me about how it went...... But I liked it and it sounded good to my ears.

2 - Were you able to watch the dedication?

We did actually see the 3 sessions and man, President Eyring did some cool stuff in them telling almost the future of the people here in El Salvador. But man that guy has something special about him. You can just feel the difference of the room when he comes in. But at the same time, he is a human like us. I can´t explain it; you just have to be there. (hahah)

3 - How did the baptism go last week?

They went super good. She even went to the dedication of the temple and she started to cry and said that there is no doubt in her mind that this is the true church. I don´t know - it was like a little boost in my week to show me that what I’m doing here matters.

4 – Are night time temperatures a little cooler and easier to sleep?

Man it’s like 85 in the morning and I’m not sure about the night but we all are sleeping with fans on, and the electricity bill is super high!!!!

5 – What fruit is in season? What is a typical meal for an El Salvadorian missionary?

Well I’m not too sure about the fruit but like a fruit called “lichas”. They are weird fruits and then coconuts and bananas. I´ll look into that this week. But every single night we eat the same thing with the members................ Tortillas....................... Beans..................... and eggs...................... I´m getting bored of them, but it’s food so I don´t say no..

But I love you all. I need to leave you with a short letter, but next week I promise to be better. =) Plus we played soccer in Santa Ana too!!!!!

Love you family!!

Elder Sutton - the attractive one of the family

I Love Smoothies!

August 12, 2011

Man let’s just say that this week has been the craziest week in a long time that I have had. Man I’ve just been plain running around in circles it feels like. BUT I GOT MY PACKAGE!!!!! I have successfully eaten all the food in it.. Okay funny story.

I saw all the stuff in it when I opened it up; I loved the book from Dr. Seuss and the T-shirt (i don’t know if it means something.....) and then the box of popcorn. In the end I was a little disappointed not to get a camera but after it all I was just super happy that you all loved me enough to send me a package. Then like 3 days after, I decided to make popcorn for some of my investigators so I opened it up and guess what?????? There wasn’t popcorn. (hahahahahahah – I’m dumb) hahahah But the elder that I was with just laughed, Elder Guirola, who is super awesome.

Man it sounds like Megan is always running around as crazy as I am. (Haha) With all the stuff she is doing, at least she is in madrigals. I loved that class so much. It’s funny; I don’t know if I’m changing my way of thinking or what’s happening but all the things I didn’t really like before the mission are changing. I think I’m just getting old and fat. Dangit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me sad....

Laney Peacock? Wow, I actually knew her pretty well. She and Jared M. used to be like a thing. That is super sad to hear........ I bet the whole family feels so terrible including the fiancé. We should pray for them this week.

1 – What is your new area like? (touristy, only one city or small towns too, branch or ward)

Well my new area is kind of touristy, not too much. It’s not too close to the beach but it’s really well developed. It’s a huge city, smaller than Santa Ana, but still there are big stores and a center and all of that.

2 – Are the mosquitoes biting and are you using repellent?

Actually i don’t have any problems with mosquitoes. I don’t know if it’s the season as of yet. It’s raining pretty hard but I’m relatively safe. =)

3 – Your new house/apartment with just the two of you or another companionship?

Well my house is pretty nice; it’s super dirty because the elders are nasty that live there. There are 4 of us all in total. But the thing that the president wants is for every companionship to have a house so there is more responsibility too. But HEY the area presidency or something approved us to send text messages here now! So I can start practicing again. (hahah - not really)

4 – What does Sonsonate mean in Spanish?

Well I don’t think that Sonsonate has anything to do with anything. Well I don’t think so. But it should mean “super-hot city”. I sweat out my weight every day. (hahah)

Well this week we baptized a girl, and she is super awesome. She loves the church and her dad is inactive so we’re hoping to activate him and then baptize the mom and all that. This Saturday and Sunday are the dedication for the temple here and the cultural activity so I’m planning on going to that. We have a baptism this Thursday (if all works out) of a single mom and her daughter who were so hard to teach just because of her knowledge of the bible. She was like a missionary of another church and all that jazz, but she received an answer and is going to be baptized.!!!!!!!!!!! Well we had our last practice today for the choir and it should all go well. I need your prayers always but it should be good for President Eyring.

I love you family and friends.

I hope that there are some friends out there too. (hahahah)

But thanks so much for the package because it saved my life. =P

Elder Sutton

P.s. I love smoothies. (hahahahahaha)