Missionary Connection Newsletter Entry

November 23, to all the West Side Missionaries
ey que hay missionaries
The first thing I have to say to all of you is this, It is a pleasure to have had the opportunity and privilege of growing up with each and every one of you, and at this moment I just want to use this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for the examples that you all are, have been, and will be in my life. What a pleasure to have been able to grow up with each and every one of you.I may only have about 7 months in the mission here in Honduras, but I can tell you all that I really, really do have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can tell each and every one of you all that I know without a doubt that this is the one true church in the world. And I am very thankful to have been a member and to have the chance to grow up in the church all my life. Even though at times I wasn't the best young cat.Well I guess as you all can see I have changed, ALOT. I think Sid put it perfect in the last connection letter. I' m still me and can joke around and have fun like everyone else, but I just have such a higher perspective on life right now and I actually do have a testimony of the plan of salvation.I want to tell you all that we are in the work most important in the world and for being so, we will all be blessed. I want to tell you all that I love you and once again thank you soo much for the examples you all are in my life.I look forward to seeing you all in two years.
Elder Beckstead

Transfered to Villa Vieja~Uyuca Awesome

November 23, 2009
Well first things first your questions. Well the weather here rocks and i will tell you all why in just a second.the food rocks and that i will tell you in a second too.The answer is yes, i speak in church almost evey week, well i did for a while.The Spanish is coming very well right now. Im starting to feel very comfortable with it.I have received very few letters in pouch.and no i have not gotten a letter from a member of our ward yet.Ok well here we goo...........I GOT CHANGES WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......I loved my first area but it was about time to leave El Triunfo.So I got moved to an area called Villa Vieja, in the zone called Uyuca, and this place is awesome.The climate is very similar to the climate at home. well kinda. Its kinda cold here and I love it. Sometimes I can't sleep cause it is sooo cold and its freakin awesome. I've decided I like cold more than heat.Ok and second, the food here rocks, Every member here is freakin rich, so everyone gives us food. hahaha i love it. And the food is SOOOOO good. Like corn dogs (sounds like a great Thanksgiving treat)and stuff, and the other night i went to a members house to eat and they had another football game on. i should not have watched it, but you all know how weak i become when things like that happen.So they invited me to watch it and i did, but just a little bit. But this was not a regular game.This was On A HUGE BIG SCREEN TV with surround sound. AHHHHH and they gave us orange juice with sandwiches. hahaha its like they put me from the poorest area to one of the richest areas, and i'm not complaining at all. hahaAnd here is somthing really cool that you will all enjoy. My new Comps name is elder Marecos, he is from Paraguay. the only paraguayo here in the mission. haha he's awesome, but he wants to know where Josh is going for his mission.(Josh is a friend of Mitch from High School~he played guard on his basketball team)But its awesome, this dude talks very good Spanish, and he tells me that the people in Paraguay talk very proper and well spanish. haha sometimes he doesn't understand people here they talk so ugly. haha but yeah, so thats whats going on right now. It's awesome here right now. Also here in Honduras they have a thing called coliche, which is like a whole new set of words. for example niño is also whirra, cipote, tito, bitcho, chimpayate, chywini. all for that one word. haha its nuts, and mancear, wow there are so many words it incredible.But yeah, so today we went on an activity to this sight here in Teguz, where i am right now, and i saw elders from the Comaguela mission, or however you spell it. they said they knew Cole so they took a picture of me and they are going to show him when they see him.(Cole is also a friend from High School~other guard on the BB team) haha but yeah, so life is good right now. Well im enjoying it.But yeah, asi es la cosa.I love you all and wish the best for you.
Elder Beckstead

If you Could Hie To Kolob (Spanish)

This is Mitch's favorite MTC song!

"By Their Feet Ye shall know them"

11/9/09 Still in Truinfo

This Picture was sent today 11/9/09

But I think it was taken when Mitch arrived in Tegucigalpa. Honduras

This is his first companion and President Luis Chaverri and President's wife Julieta Chaverri

Que Tal Fam:

Well all is well here in Honduras still. But yeah I'm not in no Amazon, ( I told him about Colby Campbell in Peru)but I'm in a pretty desolate place. Like 45 minutes away from anything. And I mean anything. In my town where there are about 30 churches and no stores. And a lot of evangelicos that think that just by listening to the word is good enough.
Ha Ha How neat dad and Stockton fising in the river. I promise that when I get home I'm going with them a few times, after I sleep in till 11 in my wonderful cozy bed one day.
But yeah things are all well, those two families are awesome, (I asked about the 2 families in the pics from 2 weeks ago)they are both members of the church, but one family is inactive. I had activated them until someone in the ward said something and turned them away from the church in general. So yeah, but it's their fault for taking things so serious and besides they made covenants with God not the people there. Ha Ha but yeah the familia had that Jose kid too, but she wasn't willing to support him so his baptism failed, and I will not baptise a kid without complete support from the family. That is a huge problem where I am right now, people are fighting a lot among themselves to the point where some don't come to church, its rediculous. But thats how it is.
We have been playing a lot of basketball lately here in Honduras, there is an indoor gym here in Choluteca where we come for p-days, so at times we will play ball all day. haha I'm gettin pretty good.
And yeah I have already received my package for Thanksgiving, thank you so much, that pillow is awesome, I love it.
So yeah, ISU almost pulled it off, well tough luck-giv em 2 years haha!!
I went to a members house last night to eat dinner and they had football on the TV. ha it was awesome, me and my comp were just like, well we should ask them to shut it off, but the Cowboys were playing the Eagles. So we just kinda didn't say anything. I couldn't help it. haha But we only saw a little bit!
Well thats about it for today, my last comp was very crappy so we are not havin many baptisms here right now, but the branch president did baptise his little girl so that was awesome, cause he has been having some serious problems with his family, and to see his smile and everything after the baptism was awesome, Wow just think this guy is the branch president and only has 6 months of being a member. He compares me to him a lot cause that's how much time I have in the mission.
But yeah thats whats up, if I stay in this area another change, we'll have some baptisms, but I kinda wanna leave and know more of Honduras.

Well love you all,
Next week we have changes too, we will see what happens

Elder Beckstead

November 2, 2009

Well heres the news.
No we do not set clocks bad here, but nobody really arrives anywhere on time anyway. so.....
But yeah all is well, I really don't know why you are scared. I don't really feel any diffferent right now, so don't worry. It's not as bad as it seems on the TV. (I was worried about the President taking control again) So was just thinking that Cole Richards is here in Honduras right now. That's freakin crazy huh. Haha that dude is here.
So yeah about the young women and relief society, tell them not to marry someone unless they are a RM. Haha it's a joke kinda, but it is really true. It's amazing the things people learn out here in the mission. We learn things that not only help us with the gospel, but with how to be a dad and how to be a better person, and especially patience. I only have like 6 months here and I already realize so many different and new things. But yeah as for Leiza, I'll write you next week that note. People are pushing me to finish so I have to finish fast. HaHa we are gonna go play soccer I guess.
But don't worry at all, I'm safe and I'm gonna stay safe till I get home. I 'm glad you liked the pictures. I'm gonna leave my area here really soon. Well I hope.
Tell dad I'll be home in 2 years to go fishin with him. Tell Tyson the whole pumkin thing really is a great way to get rid of the stress and feelings of dispair.
But yeah that is all the time I have for today. Love you all and talk to you next week
PEACEOUT
Love
Elder Beckstead

Currency

Things around here are pretty cheap compared to the United States. The currency here is the Lempira. It is not worth much. One U.S. Dollar is worth about 20 Lempiras. A lot of things are extremely cheap, and others no. For example, to get a haircut is only 30 Lemps which is about $1.50 for one haircut. But if you want Pizza Hut, one large pizza is around 200 Lemps, $10. Places like Pizza Hut, Wendy's, McDonald's are some of the nicest places here. They have security guards, waitresses, air conditioning, all the works. I have included One Lempira in this letter, it's worth about 5 cents in U.S. currency.