December 26, 2011

Hey mom hope you had a merry Christmas.... when I woke up yesterday, it didn’t even feel like Christmas.  No waiting at the top of the stairs, yummy breakfast, opening presents, going to Farnsworth’s house or grandmas or having everyone over at our house.  It wasn’t cold, no snow, no smelly candles, nothing.  I gave a talk in church yesterday too.  I told everyone how Christmas isn’t about getting it’s about giving.  I told them all how last year I had money and I bought you and dad presents because you usually don’t buy a whole bunch for each other, and not that is we don’t have money but you know what I mean, and I told them how they were nice gifts and all but you and dad were just shocked at what I bought for you.  And then I shared the scripture in John 3:16-17 how god gave us his son.  There were about 10 different members who just thanked me for my talk....even tuff guy bishop who gave a talk after me (he passed by to go up to the microphone and said nice job homeboy) all of them said they just felt the spirit of Christmas!

But is sounds like all of you enjoyed the Christmas you had.  All of the gifts looked like they were loved by everyone!  I was so glad to see all of you too.  Even though it was really short it was still worth it.  And thank you for my Christmas present....I’ll just want that in my account so I can buy cloths and stuff when I get home.

Next thing for us to check off mom, my birthday- -  well your birthday and then my birthday....20? Wow! That’s old.  Today we got new numbers from President Callan, our numbers of excellence!!!!  This year by week they are:

Baptism: 1
Confirmed: 1
With baptism date: 9
At church: 9
Lesson with member: 20
Other lessons: 10
Progressing investigators: 8
References: 15
New investigators: 20, of the 20 5 families
Recent converts: 8
Baptism invitations: 20

I have one year to work hard to complete these numbers, well I don’t have to complete them but it would be nice to do it.  I’m feeling like I’m in the hang of things now, I can talk to the people and teach pretty good so I think this year will be better!

Love you mom, I have to go do shopping so I’ll see you next Monday


Taylor

PS  yeah I forgot to tell all of you, 2 weeks ago i finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish

This is what our screen looked like when the call came in!  We were all clapping and cheering!

Elder Salinas in Paraguay!

McCall singing to her brother

Salinas Family Traditions sent to Paraguay

Nativity in Paraguay

Christmas Dinner for Taylor

Top Left:  Pacu (Fish)

Top Right:  Cow Tongue

Bottom Left:  Pork

Bottom Right:  Beaver

December 19, 2011

1)   Are you for sure able to Skype? Yes we are going to Skype.

2)  Where from?  Internet Café, Member’s home, church building?  (Some missionaries from your mission are using the computer in their church) we are going to do it from an internet place
3)  What is the phone number that we are calling if Skype doesn’t work?  If Skype isn’t working which i doubt it won’t work, ill just call you from the same internet place where they have phones.
4)  Skype Login:  eldersalinas  (password) **********
5)  We have heard 40 minutes is the time limit - - is that correct?  yes the white handbook of missionary rules says that its preferable if its only 30 to 40 min so we can talk longer but President Callan says its 40 min only so yes its only 40 min

6)  What time will we be talking?  Here it will be 4 in the afternoon so there it will be 12:00.  So just be there at the barn or wherever before then so that we can talk at that time, and if there is someone else there at the internet place, then I’ll call you and tell you that we have to wait and then I’ll call again right before i get on Skype so all of you can be there. 

So i guess this week was alright, we have a baptism this week hopefully it counts for us, it only is my baptism if the girl isn’t registered in the system of the church.  They are all members and the girl turned 8 like in March and they just haven’t gotten around doing the baptism.  So I’m hoping it’s our baptism.

There isn’t really anything to write to you again.  We have a meeting tomorrow at the office with pres and the trainers and the new missionaries so ill see elder Heiner!!!!!!

But oh well we´ll talk on Saturday!

December 12, 2011

Sounds like it was a great weekend of wrasslin.  And like usual, Columbia wins!!!  Hope they can pull something out this weekend.  Awesome that Spencer got 1st team all state.  Tomorrow, I have 8 months on the mission.  1/3 of the mission already!!!  My birthday is in 2 months too, I’m gonna be 20....I don’t know how I feel about that?!?!?!  So this last week we didn’t have very many lessons, every person has left to go to a city to pay their respect to a virgin from Paraguay.  I did buy a few things with the money I took out.  It’s the stuff I bought for Christmas for me.  I ordered a hand stitched shirt that’s got little designs all thru out it.  Also I bought a radio thing so I can put my pin drive in there and listen to my music, I have more church music, and Christmas music now, this thing is pretty cool, they don’t have them in America, only in black market country Paraguay.  I did get the packages last week, one from you and one from Saige!!!!!!  So I have all of my presents from you around my tree in my room.  I got a sweet present from Saige....did she tell you what it was???  So I read that book that President Monson wrote it was good....I think Ihave an idea of what the other stuff could be.

Training is going good, I don’t have to teach him Spanish so that’s nice.  But he is doing really well.  Remember how we were (my group) tried out that new training program, well that’s what we use now so we just follow the little book so it’s really easy.  We get along really good. I like him a lot.  He is really smart too, and he tries really hard to do his best.

We found some new people the other day this guy and his wife, the wife seemed really interested but we'll see.  Hope we can find some new people....that’s what’s the hardest.  Find people.  That’s the job of the members!

We had stake conference yesterday, a lady passed out in the meeting and the stake president had to leave the stand to help her.

Man I feel bad that I don’t really have that much to write to you this week, it’s just like my journal!

I hope you have a sweet time in Reno.....and, next week is when we are going to talk, the end of next week so it’s like 2 weeks, but whatever it makes me excited.

Love you mom

Taylor

December 5, 2011

Ok, so this week has been all over the place....and I only have a little time in the mission and I’m training!!!  My new elder is Elder Segovia from L.A. He already speaks Spanish too so training is going to be cake!  So I found out that I was going to train last Tuesday.  I knew it was coming too, the DL said Elder Hauser you’re leaving, and I said and I am training right, and I sure am!  So on the bus on the way home from District meeting, the assistants called me and said Elder Salinas, your getting a local comp for a week because your comp didn’t come because he doesn’t have his visa yet.  So I went to the office to get my local comp and he didn’t show up.  So I took a taxi back out close to my area by myself and spent the day with Elder Patterson who came in my group and his new comp who came the change after me.  Then that night we took another taxi to the office and I got my new local comp.  Elder Morinigo....he leaves in January to go to Dominican Republic on the mish.  Yesterday, I took elder Morinigo back to the office and got my real comp.  I was really bummed out that I couldn’t be a part of the first day for the missionaries and when they get to meet their trainers and stuff, and the trainers learn how to train the missionaries but it was ok, I just sat in President Callan’s office for like an hour yesterday and talked with him about it.  He said “Elder,  if I get any kind of revelation, it’s about the trainers.  SO don’t feel like you can’t do the job.  So I guess I am able to do the job!

Also another highlight of the week, I saw Elder Heiner at the bus station or the terminal.  He is also training, out of the 23 of my group, Me, Elder Heiner, Elder Stevenson (from Nampa) and Elder Clark we are all training.  So I get to see them in like 3 weeks when we go back to the office for a meeting with the new missionaries and the trainers.

We do get to take money out today, and last week I really screwed up.  I went to take out 100,000 guaranies or 20 bucks well I hit the 1,000,000 guaranis so I took out 230 bucks, the dollar is worth more right now so I took out less money but I’m still pretty mad I took out 230 bucks, it’s locked away in my suitcase so I won’t use it unless I buy something nice.  So the money that anyone gives me for Christmas put it in my savings and I won’t take any of that out!  And today we are going back to the office because the office elders messed up and didn’t do my comps papers so back to the office today, hour long bus ride.....what a joy and so fun to do on MY p-day!!!

So today the weather is nice because it is cloudy but usually it’s a good 100 lowest and it’s about to start getting up to 115 every day!!!!

I will load a picture of me and my new companion, ooooh and also I found a paintball arena in my area and this gigantic canal that’s way deep, when you are down in the bottom, looks like you are in the jungle, when I have time to explore it I'll take some sweet pics.

And today we are going to Pan Cholos, hamburger place....for 25,000 guarani or like 6 bucks I’m going to buy a meal that is the same size as the big Jud's hamburger!!!!!!

Good luck at wrasslin this week, And when he is at Reno, he better not lose the match to place!!!

I will get a package tomorrow at district meeting, I paid for it last week, I think it is from Saige, she sent me a something a long time ago, so maybe I’ll pay for your package tomorrow mom!!!! haha can’t wait!  Can’t believe that is December already.

That’s about all for this week, I’m gonna write a little to dad and to grandma....

Love you mom

Not many days till we get to talk!!!

Taylor

 Elder Salinas, Elder Segovia, President Callan, Sister Callan