Mitch runs into Elder Cole Richards at Mission Office/Read D&C 4

Darbi (his only niece)turned a year this week-and Mitch has never seen her

since I never get pics from him, I decided to put her picture in here.

Ok fam, whats up.
ok so first of all I want you all to know something. I love my mission more than you will ever think, I love the people here in Honduras and I am willing to give up whatever it takes to help the humble people here become richly blessed. So dont worry, The only reason I talked about football was because time really is flying by, and I dont want to miss the chance to get ready, besides, im not doin anything. You are all doing it for me.
SO DONT WORRY if you have any questions read one of my favorite scriptures in D&C 4. I love that scripture.
OK so now we got that out of the way we can talk some more football. hahaha just playin!!
SO Alonzo is freakin awesome, this Sunday he told me that he was in love with the church, haha he shows up 30 min early everyday and the dude loves me. ha and I do admit I love that guy, I need to help him get to the Temple in December~ prepare him that is.
So yeah, I still do not enjoy traveling either just so you know, in fact today I had to go to Teguz again and drop off an elder, and when we got to the bus stop, it was full, so we had to stand in between the seat for 3 hours until we arrived to Teguz. Wow talk about a miserable ride.
So my comps name is Pojoy (pohoi) just until Wednesday though, haha that dude can talk the ear off an elephant. but I love him. haa thats exactly why I love him too, is cause he's him and nobody else, its neat how every person has their own special features, like cars, hahaha i gotta get home and find me a sexy red chevy.
So the pics were awesome by the way, Darbi really has grown up alot, I cant wait to see her in 9 months and to kiss her little head and hold her, she better not cry you know. I know she missed me the most in the family. hahaha
Speakin of cars, how bout that truck eh. haha there are no question mark thingys on this computer so sorry for the gramatical errors.

So yeah, Today something amazing happened, I saw and talked to Cole(Elder) Richards haha hes grown alot and he speaks in a deeper voice. ha Wow that was neat seein him there in the mission office and givin him a big hug. we chated for some time, he looks really good and like he's lovin life and thats a good thing. (Cole is a lifelong friend of Mitch's-went to school from grade school to graduation with Mitch. They played all sports together. Cole is in Honduras, Comayagua-Mitch thought they'd never meet)

So I met Elder Zolmans family, haha they are so cute. His mom and dad are awesome, they came and ate lunch one day at the same place I was eating. At a members house, and so I saw them and stayed for the cake. It was awesome.
So yeah, thats my week I love you all and have a great week.
Elder Beckstead

Change of Companions/Fun activity-Watched Remember the Titans-made him think of Football!!!

volveremos
So whats up family, wow I can't believe another week has gone by, but at the same time I can't believe Cole never wants to arrive at the year mark. WOW crazy that dude must love it here. I should bring him here to the south after the mich, this part of Honduras is completely different, hardcore different. (Cole is his friend who is in Comayagua Honduras-closer to Tegucigalpa)
SO im gonna have to go down to San Marcos again and talk with those people from the states about all that stuff. The medics and stuff.(I told him that I read that a medical team was going there for a week or two)
SO sorry I wrote so late, I had to plan an activity today, and the food took wayyyyyyyyy to much time and so I had to clean up and fix everything, you know life was a little easier before I become a zl, haha but I'm learnin soo much its crazy. Seriously. I never even thought about some of the things before and now I have to learn to work with them, hmmmmmmmm lets think of an example, well sometimes when you get a good lift in, you wake up the next day with soreness in places you´d never thought existed. haha thats kinda how it is. Weird, I hope you understood that example. If not well sorry I speak Spanish all day long.
By the way about that, I got a new comp, kinda, there was a problem in the zone this week and we had to seperate to a compañonship. We seperated that companionship and my comp went with one of them and I took one of them here in my area. So I have a new comp and his name is Elder Pojoy from Guatemala, haha neat huh, his name is Pojoy. haha What a funny name, I give him crap for that all the time. its fun. but yeah, I think my time with Elder Gardner is about over, BUT WOW, I can see how people don't get along with Elder Pojoy, haha he's super weird. ha really I realized how much calmer I've become. When he got here, im just chill and put up with his crap and relax, but other people cant take him. ha He's a great guy and really tries hard, but fails. haha thats a bad way to put it, but its true. :)
OK so that picture of Jesse killed me, hahaha that made me a lil baggy, that dude is living it up isn't he. he looks way good. I miss that fool,(I sent him a picture I found on FB of Jesse~he is in a lawn chair with a cowboy hat and sunglasses on fishing)
By the way I have been keepin in touch with Jace and Ricky and Sid but thats it, I know nothing of everyone else.
Wow I just got soo excited to hear about my horse, ( I told him his horse is now broke and I am riding her-when he left she was not trained) im gonna ride that sucker when I get home, I cant wait to go on a long horse ride by myself just chillin, that's something I really do want to do, and buy a really fancy pair of wranglers and a cowboy hat and hit up some rodeos. ha that would be interestin, can't you just see me with my huge butt jammed in a pair of wranglers,(at this point no!!) wow thats gonna be a sight to see. We'll have to take pictures, about that, when I get home, I dont wanna go buy new clothes until the end of summer, cause I have a feeling that im gonna put on about 50 pounds there in the first few weeks. Eating good ole American fast food, yeah thats right a number 12 from Big Jays with not one but two bean burritos with sour cream, haha here if you ask for a burrito its a certain plate of food that everyone eats, traditional plate of food.
So im workin on takin alot of pictures, like I said, I broke my camara so I had to fix it then I'm gonna take pictures, So dont worry, im workin on it.

OK so about football, I want Tyler Gohring or Brown, or Tyson Moser, to kinda help me out with a few films. If ISU doesnt hold my scholarship, im gonna go somewhere else and play I think like walk on at Weber. So well see about that, but try and get that info out so its easier, I need to know by next January. I'm gonna keep workin out, I think im gonna run alot more here in these next few weeks to keep up my speed, I tell you what the air down here really sucks.
But I will say this, I dream, about playin football every night and whenever i'm lost in thought I think about football and my family. I'm not even kiddin you and today we watched remember the Titans, so im gettin really antsy. So if you could get that done for me that would be super dooper awesome. thank you.
well I duuno what to tell you, we're teachin a family right now, and they came to church on Sunday, but the dad has to quit smoking and he's been addicted for like 30 years , so were gonna get him baptized here as soon as he stops smoking, you shoulda seen it, haha 3 hours without a cigarette about killed him. But hes gonna make it.
Well thats the update, i kinda rambled off there for a few seconds, but I really would like to know about this football information. so please HELP ME OUT
ok and dont worry i keep communication with ISU as well, but I want more options.
so yeah thank you
well volvceremos a celebrar juntos
I love you all sooooooooo much and cant wait to see you again in 10 months.
Peace out
Elder Beckstead

What's happens each day for Mitch!!!

(I asked him what an average day is like for him) OK so my usual day is this, I wake up and do some push ups, then at 8:00AM. I study until 10AM, then at 10AM I study Spanish and try to learn more words. At 11 we leave for the day of work. We eat at 12 and at 5 at night and when we're not eating were lookin for people to teach and knockin on doors and stuff. It's neat and boring sometimes, but that's what we do. I really can't tell you exactly what we do because it changes everyday. Just ask me when I call for Christmas. hahahaha by then school will be half over and I will be home in 4 months, neat huh. So it's super awesome that you all went to that elders homecoming, so did he look good and all that or what??? He was an awesome elder, he worked hard and served a lot of people which is a good thing.haha I cant wait to see all these pictures and stuff of the baleadas, (his friend Antonio sent me pics and a recipe of them making baleadas-now we-his boy's are going to make them and send him pictures) and I wonder how they will turn out. They are way-way good here. So tell me what else is new, I can't believe that all those friends are gonna be home before I know it. (his buddies and cousin are returning from their missions in the next 2 months) That's freakin crazy. Then it's pretty much my turn.
So I need you to do me a favor and have Tyler Gohring e-mail me. I need to ask him a few things and have him do me some favors for football if thats alright. Ive been in contact with Ricky and Sid and they sound awesome, but not quite as awesome as Jesse who seems to be loving life quite a bit. They are all either home or very, very close to gettin home which is awesome. I bet they were amazing missionaries. I'm way stoked to see them in a few years. wow ten months, I really thought I would never be at this point, I give my comp a lot of crap cause he doesn't have a year yet, haha and when he has a year ill have 15 months, I swear time just keeps going by. The month of June went by really slow though.
Today we had an activity in a place called San Marcos, its awesome, seriously this place is sooooo cool. It's super hard core, like clean and neat and there are amazing people everywhere, its great. I wanna be here someday. But it'll be a while before I could be here. But yeah life is just tiring. I'm exhausted and need to sleep but can't because there is no time. That's one thing about the mission, busy busy busy every day, I'm this close to freaking freaking out. hahaha I wonder if you can remember where that quote is from. But yeah I love you all and have a great day ok
Elder Beckstead

4th of July-Mitch appreciates USA

OK family, on to the next email.
So whats going on there in the little state of Idaho, I love that email from Elder Magoffin, (Elder Magoffin just returned from Teguz-I shared with Mitch how his mom described his reaction to being in the USA again-below) thats the first thing I wanna do when I get home as well, lay out on the grass and then the carpet, and then my beautiful bed that I have downstairs, then go for a drive in (My new truck that ur gonna buy me) :) haha or my Saturn with all my boys. haha wow ten months crazy.
So tell that dude(Tyrel) thats going to San Pedro Sula that their rules and stuff are different, but the gold bond is for sure a need. HE NEEDS IT haha and the mosquito repellent isn't so important cause they have tons here in the mission, but tell him to get extra garments and t-shirts because thats what he'll need. water bottles and stuff and tell him to get ready for baleadas(tortilla's) cause hes gonna be eatin a TON over the next 2 years, BUT THEY ARE AMAZING so dont worry about it. just give him my email address and i'll be glad to answer any of his questions. lo que sea. (whatever)

Things really are not very interesting right now, just the same.
Last week Elder Falabella (First Quorum of the Seventy) came to the mission again just for the zone leader conference to give us some more tips and to see how the mission was. It was super awesome and I gave the guy a hug so I feel a lot more powerful now. That man is awesome.
Everthing in the area is the same though, The work is getting kinda frustrating here because the people won't do anything, we'll teach them all day long but they never want to move from there house, haha but we just have to drop those and move on to the next.

OK SO HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY
we are sooo lucky to live in a place like the United States, when I get home, YES I AM GOING TO KISS THE GROUND the first time I see bare ground or grass. ahahahaha Here you can't touch the dogs or pet them unless you are absolutley positive that they are clean, cause if not you get lice or some bug or something. I cant wait to pet a dog when I get home. haha I dont care which one, just a dog. Im sure i'll be kinda nervous though.
So enjoy our time there in the states and within 10 months ill be there with you all kissin grass and pettin dogs and liftin weights.
So yeah thats the update from here in Honduras, I love you all and keep busy there in the life and avoid the dangerous things ite?
Love you all
Elder Beckstead

The folowing is from E Magoffins mom Tracie:
This is my last post on the group... our son returned last night (rightaround 11:30 pm) and we are thrilled to have him home. Two formermissionary buddies showed up at the airport... Elders Guernsey and Foster(and E. Foster's fiance), and that was fun, too. It was great to see thebond our boys develop while serving the Lord together.We stayed up until about 2:30 am (most of us) and 3:30 am (Dustin and twoof his brothers) and we were up at around 7:00 am. I'm sure we will allcrash this afternoon. The release time is 3:00 pm, so Dustin willprobably keep up enough energy to head off and see some friends as soonas he is able.It's been fun to see how grateful he is for the blessings of living inAmerica, having running (and drinkable) water (hot or cold), grass,carpet, being able to see the stars, a cool breeze... and he keepscommenting on how clean everything looks. (He even commented on howclean our concrete slab is out back... and it hasn't been swept oranything lately.) The first thing he did when we drove up to our houseis get out and sprawl out on the grass for quite some time. The firstthing he did when he went in the house was sprawl out on the carpet. :)He had a wonderful last week on his mission, traveling with the JenkinsFamily. (Thanks, Jo Raye!) His mission had it's challenges, but he learned so much and had some amazing experiences that have made a big impression on him. We are so grateful he chose to serve. Best wishes to all of you as your sons and daughters serve the Lord ontheir missions in Central America!
Tracie Magoffin
mom of Dustin
(Hon-Teg 7/08- 7/10)

Adams Report/Making Tortillas/Alonzo still hard at work

Robert and I and Elder Justin Brown's(also in Teguz) parents and his sister Chelsea had the priviledge of going to the Adam's report in Kanosh Utah on Sunday. Brother and Sister Adams have been serving in the Tegucigalpa mission for 18 months as the Medical care takers of all the missionaries. They returned June 15, 2010. She said in her report that they started out taking care of around 150 missionaries and when they left they were up to around 230. I am so happy there are people like them who choose to serve and help take care of and counsel the missionaries. They both gave wonderful talks. The only thing that could have made them better, is if they had more time to share more experiences.
Sister Adams mostly talked about the medical end of it, helping the boy's out by giving them instruction when they arrived. She gave them the 10 commandments of good health. And the most impressive thing to me, was different than here in the states, she would give them medical advise over the phone.(many of the Elders are many miles away from the city where bro and sis Adams served) Most every missionary gets sick with the same symtoms-stomach ache, diarrhea, fever~so she has to talk to them over the phone and tell them how to take care of things. Sister Adams gives the credit to the Lord for the help so often on how to get these boy's feeling better and back out to work. It was amazing and inspiring to hear about it.
Brother Adams told about Honduras being the most dangerous country in Central America. He talked about there being guards at most all buildings. He said every business is guarded. I guess you are searched before you enter a bank and sometimes just random road searches. He talked about the people there being very poor, but happy. He told us that the country of Honduras (including San Pedro Sula and Comayaguela) has around 500 baptisms a month. The problem after that is the retention. So the missionaries have their work cut out for them. He also talked about the Missionaries being safe. He said that if they were doing what they were supposed to be doing the Lord would bless them. He testified of our missionaries including Him and Sister Adams being watched over by our Heavenly Father. At the end of his talk, he encouraged everyone young or old to go on a mission. They loved it. They talked about the missionaries being their family-while they were away from their own. He also encouraged mothers raising boy's to make them tough so when it comes time for their calls, they would be ready in case called to serve in a place like Honduras.
There were also 2 returned missonaries there. I know one's name was Elder Anderson, and the other one I forgot his name. But they both knew Mitch and E Anderson said he gave him his football when he left. It was so fun to visit with them.

I also had a great time going with the Browns. Robert said today how neat it was to know and visit with someone who also had a son in the same mission as your son is. It is really fun to get to know the Browns. They are great!! And Justin is a great missionary.

In the e-mail from Mitch today, he gives me a recipe that I asked for from the family who was in the ward in his last area. They fed Mitch a lot and I wanted to try and cook tortilla's the same way as Hermana Martinas does. So he got her recipe and transcribed it for me. I am going to try to make them for the boy's!!! Wish me luck:)

Dear Famili Que Honda:

Ok first things first, here is ther reciepe for baleadas
Ingredientes:
2 libras de harina- 2 pounds of flour
2 cucharadas de soda- 2 spoons of baking soda
1 huevo -one egg
Aceite y agua- oil and water, how much I dont know it doesnt say obviously. haha
Sal y azúcar- salt and sugar
Procedimiento
Agregar a la harina las dos cucharadas de soda, el huevo, sal y azúcar al gusto
Add to the flour the two spoons of soda the egg salt and the sugar to your taste
Echar todo en el centro y revolver
put all of it in the middle and stir

Empezar a amasar con agua, luego se le agrega un poco de aceite hasta que despegue de las manos y la masa este suave y sin grumos
Comenzar a hacer pelotitas con un poco de aceite en las manos
Dejar reposar por una hora y taparlas con una manta
Después estirar en un plato con un poco de aceite para que despegue más fácil.
Al estirarlas se deben poner en el comal no muy caliente ni muy frio hasta que tenga la apariencia de una tortilla con sabor más o menos a pan.
Complementos
Se puede llenar con frijoles y mantequilla
También se puede agregar huevo con jamón.
Aguacate o pollo o cualquier carne si quiere puede intentar como sabe mejor

Ok im gonna send that to you all, and see if you can translate it, if not just let me knoiw and next week I will translate it for you all,
So how goes the battle? Thats soo neat you all went to their homecoming. I dont know who that would be that was with me for three days, I really don't remember, maybe an Elder Smead or something like that, or an Elder Gardner??? im not sure but it could be one of them. And yes I know who Elder Anderson is, he's a great guy and yes he gave me his football so now I have a football here in the mission. Its awesome,
So what else did the Adams familia say about Honduras?? anythintg neat??
They were really amazing people, she helped me with several sicknesses that I've had hahaha.
So i'm gonna answer grandmas message today, im stoked to see how thats goin for her, ojala q le vaya bien va, pues yo lo se porque ella es buenisima. But yeah, if she has any questions just tell her to let me knoiw.
So how's the summer going, All is well I hope, Man I just imagine how neat everything is there, workin all day and then the weight room at night, haha then from time to time a shake at Big Jays, haha good times. Man it feels like just yesterday I was there workin out with the boys from West Side. Man I miss those days, and high school football, intense.
SO Ill be sure to tel Alonzo that(I told him to say hello and we pray for him) haha he brought another old dude to a lesson the other day, haha so now he has another buddy at church. Just so you know, Elder Anderson was here in my area when he was here in the mission.
So yeah Its good to here from you all again, I love you all and hope you have a great week.
BE CAREFUL
Elder Beckstead

Still in the South- Alonzo is awesome!!!

volveremos voveremos volveremos volveremos volveremos a celebrar juntos.
esa cancion si..me llega. (we think this say's when I return-we will celebrate not quite sure??)

So whats up there in the north, where the people have blue eyes and beautiful blonde hair?
Here in brown eye black hair town all is well, The peoples hearts really are startin to soften up and the mundial is really humbling the people.
but yeah me va todo cheque and im so thankful for a family like you all, I just want you all to know that, your amazing and I love each and everyone of you with all my heart.
So about the homecomings, really there is not a single elder here that I do not like. Go to the homecomings and enjoy them alot, I love elder Magoffin, I was only in one zone with him but everything was awesome and we had alot of fun. I was almost his DL as well but something happened and I wasn't at the end.
And yes, you are crazy!! jajajajaja
But yeah about changes, we did have changes but I didn't have any, Elder Juan is gone now. I'm still with elder Gardner, which is alright. We get along just fine. We have a few different interests and ideas.

I had an amazing experience this week, remember Alonzo that we baptised, well this Sunday in church he came up to me and asked me how to pay fast offerings. Turns out he was fasting and wanted to give the money to the church which is amazing because like less than half of the members here do that. Man this guy is awesome, by baptizing him, I can really say that I have changed the life completely of another human being, He is SOooooooooo happy now and everytime we see him he´s got his book of Mormon out and is reading it. He´s amazing really. I love this guy.
Thank you all soo much for the prayers, We really do feel them here in the mission field.
and thank you all soo much for the money, You have no idea how much that helps me here in the south, in the north I dont really spend anything, but here the food is really bad and you don't receive as much nutrition so I have to buy more food, it sucks but thats how it is, and if I dont buy food I lose weight and that's not a good thing.
thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooo much.

SO its great to hear about the family and about my boys, and my new little girl who I will get to know within a year Woooooooo well 10 months more or less.
I bet she is just adorable. uhhhh I cant wait.

Well thats All I got for this week I hope you enjoy it and I will talk to you all next week. Love you
Elder Beckstead
P.S take care of my boys, that includes dad.

Three e-mails!!!

Mitch wrote to Chelsi, Mandi and Me-so I decided to share some from each letter!!
To mom and dad and I asked a lot of questions:
Whats Up Whats Up.

Well first to answer the questions, I feel fine, im takin some pills that are helpin me out a ton, but dont worry, I think it was a bladder infection, but still members in my ward want me to go to the clinic, and really that place is aweful and I dont wanna go. So we will see, but I'm working and everything is fine.

OK well what made me sick was some food a family gave me once, the lady has nothing and was super nice to give me food, but she's not real clean, and I got sick from it, but like I said, don't worry I feel fine now,
And dont worry, Im drinkin good water, We bring in pure water in bottles and that is what we drink so dont worry about that, they purify it here in Honduras and a member owns it I think so dont worry. (what a relief)
Ok I'm sorry to say this, but you dont need to ship me anything. JUST MONEY PLEASE, do not waste money on packages and just send money, If I need something I will tell you but i'm buyin some neat things right now so im almost out again I think. Just send money or put it in my account or something, I just wanna buy a few more neat things and i'm done.(I guess I will just send $$$$$$)
Yes I got my package from Zach's report, its was super cool, but the dude sounds a little different, i'm not sure how to explain it but just different.(Zach is his cousin that returned in Feb from his mission)
Yes I got the Gramh Crackers and yes they were amazing, I loved every second of that, but like I said, dont worry about that, Dont worry about packages, just send money.($$$$ OK OK OK ) haha I dont want to sound harsh, So please just letters and money, NO more newspapers either cause its against the rules, if there is something cool, just save it and I will read it when I get home. Thank you.
As for the clothes, I will look around but really there is nothing here in Honduras. Seriously all the clothes they have are clothes shipped in from the states, but I will definately look around for you. See what I can find. (I asked him to buy me a skirt from there-I'm curious what he will find)
Yes I have my camera, but its broken and I have to fix it I think, which is gonna cost me like 1000 limps. So it might be a while before I can fix it, but yea i'll have her done here pretty quick.
NO that P-day happened in Teguz where Enique R. Falabella (first Quorum of the Seventy)was at, I was here in the south when they had that cool party thing.
As for food, we just kinda bum around here lookin for food, there is a sister that gives us food but I dont really like going there becasue she doesnt give us very much food and all it is, is beans and tortilla, seriously though, come on, at least throw some rice on there.
Well yes I do in fact know elder Mann, he is actually an Elder here in my zone in Choluteca North. I know him very well actually.
(I am going to try to make tortilla's so I asked him if they all have those things that make them or do they mash them down with a rolling pin or what??) About the tortillas, it all depends on the person, some people make a lot of tortillas so they have a lot of machines and stuff, but others just make them from time to time so they dont make as many. So it all depends.
Yes we do have changes this week to be exact, really i'm not sure whats gonna happen but I can tell you all that I kind of want to have changes this week. IM tird of the situation that im in. So were gonna find out about all this here pretty soon Im thinkin.
And yes Elder Juan was my comp and I can tell you that really, he is one of the favorites that I have had, He's a stud haha even though he got in trouble he's still a great kid, he just needs someone to push him and he's fine.

Alright so there it is, hopefully I got some of your questions answered, So it's crazy that all these people are gettin married and stuff, its kinda trippin me out actually im surprised that Raquel didnt even wait a year, so who is she gettin married to??(his friend Josh who is in Riverside Ca. old girlfriend) Do you know???
But yeah next week Ill inform you all of changes and what happened here in Honduras.
Love you all and will talk to you all later.
Elder Beckstead
To Mandi:
whats up whats up, so all is well here in the south, kinda missin football I wont lie but I can't do anything about that, If there is something Ive learned here in the mission its this, If there is nothing that you can do about it, dont waste your time worrying about it. Some things are so hard but you just gotta keep going and forget and push the things behind you. so yeah, the pictures are awesome, Chirp is freakin huge by the way and it looks like you added on to the pen that you all had there, which is neat.(chirp is our pet lamb) Zach sheared his wool today-he learned how to shear sheep on his mission. On the reservation in Az.)
Well I love you all and Ill talk to ya later
Elder Beckstead
To Chelsi:
HAhAHAHAHA Im gonna need a pic of Colby in his t ball uni, hahaha what a neat kid.
OK so its official, im dying, I have the cutest neice in the entire world and I can't hold her and won't be able to for another year, IM freakin out right now. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh well 11 months hahaha, dont worry i'll be home before you know it. but yeah chuck (Chelsi's nick-name)I love you to death and send me some pictures Ite!!
thanks love
Elder Beckstead
PS I still have bad breath :)