Tuesday, March 30, 2010

March 29, 2010 (28 de Marzo Party)

Well first your questions, o by the way, right now to my left looking at my screen is Elder Magoffin, the dude you ask about. He got a change and is finally in my zone.
Ok Elder Moore, (from Jacksonville Florida) yes I know him very very well, he was in my district in the MTC and we were really good friends, in fact, we still talk through internet and stuff. So yeah I know him, and yes he did talk to Tim Tebow
. (Peyton told me that Mitch had wrote to him about a missionary that met Tim Tebow and he told me to ask if he was the one)

Well I'm glad my letters make you all feel better, its the only chance I have through the week to talk in English so I need to take advantage of it.
About coming and getting me, (I asked Mitch what he would think if we wanted to come and pick him up-I am sure Robert would never do it because it freaks him out too much and I would never go without him) I really dont know, I've always imagined the whole famous walk down the stairs to see the family there waiting for me. That's like the vivid picture I have in my mind and I just think of how awesome it will be. I guess if you want to come you can, but i'll have to think about it. It's up to you I think.

So guess what, were only gonna talk 2 more times by the phone and I'm going to be home, well three probably cause i'll call you in between sometime. I have two calls every year so maybe i'll throw a call in between there somewhere.

That's awesome that you all beat Marsh Valley, sounds like a trip to state and a trophy to me. haha im feelin it this year thats for sure, even though i'm so far away.
(I hope he's right that would be OK with me and my team!!)

So last night there was a huge party by my house. O my gosh I did not sleep at all, They had the music sooooo loud. They were celebrating the 28 of March because the place is called the 28 de Marzo. Neat huhu. But yeah the Hondurans really know how to party, WOW. I was up till 3 trying to sleep. finally they stoped and I went to bed. yyyyaaaaaayyyy.

OK so about the next call, were gonna see about it ok, but I would like Jesse to be there as well, that would be super cool. I was gonna be there for his call but I didn't have time. So invite him, jeez i haven't talked to him in a while.

The work here is still the same, my area is hard, again, but were working through it. I just want to go to an area where there are just a bunch of baptisms there and ready to be dunked. Ha! Maybe someday. I didn't have a change at all, I'm still with my comp in my same area. He's a neat kid so I'm not upset about it. I don't think he likes me though, he's kinda a slacker already, he has 2 months in the mission and already he likes to slack off and I dont let him do it, so he gets mad.

So in like 1 year and one month I'll be home, weird huh. I'll tell you time really is going pretty fast. But it's all good.


I found the 20 dollars, and I bought pizza with it. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!! That pizza rocked.

But yeah, like I said, Dont worry about packages. Just send me money and I will be happy. You dont need to send packages. I love them but still it's probably better with just the money :). Then I can buy cool stuff, for example some friends of mine are going to Amapala this week so im givin them 500 limps to bring me some super cool stuff from there. it should be legit.
but yea,
Love you all and have a great week.
peace out
Elder Beckstead

Monday, March 22, 2010

Study the BOM you learn soooooooo much!

Heres this weeks e-mail-just leave home for 11 months and it's amazing how they appreciate the little things like begging pancakes from Mandi. Thanks again for the prayers~ Honduras is a hardship mission and your prayers really help.
-----
Subject: Re: Monday March 22, 2010


Well whats up, ok to start off NO. I did not talk to any of the gringos, I was way to scared. seriously I have no idea what I'm gonna do when I get back to the airport in the states. Everyone is gonna be looking at me funny and making fun of me cause I stink and everything like that. Luckily I still have two years left before that happens. (I asked him about the bus full of Gringo's that stopped into Burger king last week!! I hope he's not extending another year)But yes they were the prettiest girls I have seen in a while. haha jk

Yes, that was Josue that was in the picture. (I asked if that was Josue in the baptism picture that he sent last week) He is the man, tomorrow were gonna go and help him build his new house, which will be be super hard I'm thinking. I haven't done hard labor in soo long. But yeah I got the Easter package today and it was awesome. The candies are amazing and I plan on putting on about 20 pounds of fat when i get home tonight from p day. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I mentioned to him that my mom reads the BOM to my dad every morning and my dad has really enjoyed it also that I went to church with mom in her ward yesterday.

Yeah well Tell Grandma and Grandpa that I love them. Grandma Wood is awesome and its true, if you read the Book of Mormon and actually study it you learn soooooo much. SOOOO much. Its incredible I love studying that and the Liahona. or Ensign, I have no idea how to spell it.
That's awesome that your going to lunch with e Browns mom, that kid is awesome, I called him the other day for like 30 minutes and we had a good chat, he's in such a good area and has a lot of good investigaters. You'll have to ask his mom why he had an emergency change. It's a neat story.

OK So you all liked the picture huh, haha I know they didn't say that I look great, my guess is that they are all saying that I've gotten smaller or something. I'm gonna start joggin every Saturday morning with some members from our ward, they are the bomb. I think that I'm gonna get a change, well I assume anyway, but I dont wanna have one. I love my area, it's hard but I have created some everlasting friendships here with some super cool members, this week I'll take a picture and send it to you. I wanna bring these dudes to the good ole USA to study and hit on la chavalas at BYU Idaho haha.

Tell Grandma that I wished her luck in the barrel racing, and tell her to keep reading that amazing book. And keep going to church and everything like that. I can't believe how important that stuff actually is and how bad I was to have had blown it off for all these years. Well I guess they are just things you learn from studying and all that stuff.
If Grandpa Wood can't go to church you should arrange that someone goes to his house to give him the sacrament every week. That would be a huge blessing in his life I promise you that.
Man what a blessing to be able to repent of all of our sins every Sunday even though we will never be perfect. I guess what the Evangelicos say is true, Por Gracious somos salvos, or by the grace of God we are saved. But we do need to do our part.

OK so get those boys better ok, they need to get back on their feet and keep runnin around. (Jaxon, Stockton and Parker have all been sick~better now or I wouldn't mention it)
Something I was thinkin about, it's amazing how much I miss the little things that I used to do, just at random, for example, Just going to Mandi's house out of nowhere and begging her for some pancakes. Or going to Chuck's house and getting her super, super mad only to end up at pizza villa and enjoying a good solid pizza that she always bought me. haha or givin Coach Brown a hole bunch of crap every freakin day in weightlifting or basketball. I owe that dude soooo much,
I miss him, its funny how much I miss that guy, I never thought I would say this but I think about him alot. I guess its true, when we surround ourselves with great people in our lives, We will never ever forget them or the things they have done for us. Nor will we ever forget the advice they give us. That dudes example has alot to do with who I am today. Of course the example of other family and friends, we must never forget them, but the patience he had with me was incredible. haha tell that dude I love him for me and that he's the champion in my book.

Well thats all I got for you all!
Love you sooooo much and hope for the best siempre, y que dios les bendiga

Elder Beckstead




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, March 15, 2010

3/15/2010 A Priestood Blessing

Baptism with JosueElder Contreras Elder Beckstead and Josue


Sounds like it is very hot there. It is for sure summer in Honduras. Jaxon and Stockton went b-b gun bird hunting and sorta missed and hit the window in the Tractor. . . I told him the story about them and the confession. . .(I knew he'd love it-brought back some memories)

Well hey fam, whats going on?
Here in Hondo all is super super hot. And I'm not even in the south. O My Gosh. haha I don't understand why mom wants me to send a little bit of the heat to her. Its not worth it at all really.
As for the weight thing. I'm sending you all a picture today to shut you all up, Im not skinny and I weigh 220. Dunno why everyone keeps telling me that, I'm thinkin it has something to do with Roberts. I saw Elder Brown last week and talked to him for a minute, I didn't have too much time, but we were talking for a second. He had to come to Teguz to get his new comp. I'm not sure what happened but his last comp did something and got a change.
And yes this place is full of crazy bus drivers and taxi drivers. Seriously crazy, its awesome, but safe, dont worry about it mom. OK so last week we were in Burger King for p-day and a bus filled with gringos pulled up. I was like, what the crap, and they came in and used the bathroom and left, but I will tell you all that I have never seen prettier girls in Honduras. hahaha just playin. But yeah I felt sooooo stupid, I'm not sure why but it just felt super awkward.
OK so im gonna send pics this week for sure. Josuè got baptised this weekend and it was awesome. First we went to do the interview on Friday and his wife had some serious problems with an illness. I'm not sure what, but she was seriously close to dying, and throwing up and all that jazz. We offered her a blessing and left, the next day he got baptised and after the baptism he bore his testimony, he said he knew the church was true, then he said that the night before he had almost lost his wife, but the missionaries arrived at his house and gave his wife a blessing and right after the blessing she got better. Not completely, but she just layed down and went to sleep. She was up and walking around yesterday. It was awesome. Something I will never forget. thats for sure.
It is true, about how people really do want to see the gospel fail, I have really gained a strong testimony about that over the last few weeks. People will try and try to cause problems between the missionaries, but this work will never ever fail. The truth is here and we are spreading it, Christ suffered for our sins so that we didn't have to, he suffered for every one of us, and for that we have repentence, this amazing chance to repent from every single one of our sins and keep living life and never remember them again.

I love this gospel seriously with all my heart. It really does change lives and makes things better, no matter the situation from before. I love you all very, very much just so you all know. Ok last thing tell Stock not to worry about it, that kid is awesome, I just imagine the conscience of poor little Jaxon. But yeah how many windows I've broken there at the farm. Some people still don't know about the mischeif that I did there at the farm. It's awesome with little ole Tukker. Me an him had some good times.
Well love you all and peace out
Tell the boys I love them
Elder Beckstead

Monday, March 8, 2010

3/8/2010 Staying Busy

Fam
I'm sooo stoked you got to meet Jonnny, that dude was a stud here in the mission and pretty much my first good friend that I had here in the mission, he helped me through some really good times. (Jonny-Elder Roberts just returned from Teguz and we met up with him the other day-he's a great kid and I am glad he was there to help Elder Beckstead through some hard times)
The work is moving forward, I called E brown(from Hyde Park) the other day when I had a little bit of time and we chatted for a few minutes about the mission, he's super lucky cause his area is super chill and they always have alot of success there. Its super cool.I talked to his comp too and told him the importance of patience. I dont think anyone really realizes how hard it is to learn a language. It's super hard.

Ok but yeah I have 8 min now so I have to hurry.
So the work here is good and the mission is good too. It's hard and I'm super busy every single day and more and more work keeps piling up. But were movin forward and advancing. I can honestly say that my area is improving a ton. It's sooo cool to see success and see the changes in some peoples lives. Honduras is still Honduras, it's hot and humid and very, very active. Pretty dangerous but I won't talk about that haha!!
Tell all my boys (7 nephews)I love them and all that fun stuff. and as for the pics. I didnt get the chance to recieve them. So next week Ok. I'm gonna try to put some pics up but it's just that I have no time, so next week ok????
I love you all very, very much and keep moving forward. The church is true, and we need to spread the word. Keep up the good work and I love you all soo much.

p.s tell jonny im gettin fatter ok???

Elder Beckstead

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

3/1/2010 Baptism with Sign Language

Hey there fam,
Whats crackin? So the life here in Hondo in crazy as ever. haha I'm lovin it I won't lie. Well tell all the people that I am fine and that I'm still pushin here in the mission field. The work is hard but fun and worth it. As for the heat, well it's hot and yesterday we had an actividad, (which is why I didn't email you all) and I got super sunburnt in the neck. The heat is gettin pretty rough, but you get used to it with time. Lacy got married??? Which one???(Lacy Ralphs??? I don't know who else he could be thinking of) Wo I've been gone a while huh, which means I'll be home sooner than we think.

Tell Kade that he better get going soon or hes gonna regret it. It's so much better to leave for the mission right off the bat than to wait. (I told him that his cousin Kade told me he wants to go next Feb so he can snowmobile first-he could go in Nov.) Unless he wants to hang out with Zac,(brother that will return in March) that would be good. So you'll never guess what happened to me the other day, A missionary in my district had a baptism and I had to go give the person an interview, but this wasn't any normal interview, the kid was deaf!!! wow talk about a struggle. Just imagine me over there trying to communicate in three languages. haha It was sooo hard but I finally finished it and the dude got baptised the next day. It was awesome, his best friend, and another deaf person, baptismed him, and he did the baptism prayer by sign language, haha it was pretty hard to find some witnesses though. Then I'll tell you something pretty cool too, right now we are teaching a 40 year old man that we found contacting one day, this dude is incredible. The only person I have ever seen that actually listens very well and reads frequently the Book of Mormon. He's getin baptised the 13th of March and I'm super stoked for that. But yea thats whats I got for right now. The towel is my comps I dunno where he got it, but he got it, haber donde.(he sent a picture home with a picture of a flag form USA and one from El Salvador it's posted on this blog!) I recieved my shirt, and thank you very much for that. I love that package so much, but its true, if you just send the money instead I could put it to better use for things to bring home. but yeah thats what I got for the day, You all have a great week and I expect good things Monday saying that the Boys won state!!
Alright peace out
Elder Beckstead