Turkey Day!

Hola Papi! Happy Birthday, again!

So the sad day has come.... I have been transfered away from Montreal. This was probably the saddest transfer call i have had. I was really looking forward to spending christmas in Monte rey with all of the Mombers, and Friends that we made here. The worst part is that I was sooo confident that I was staying here, because 1) President Cannon had just told us that he was instructed to keep Missionaries in their areas for at least nine months, and it has only been four months.. 2) on the Interview schedule President had already written that he would be interviewing Elder Poole and i on the 3rd of December, which was after transfers. so i though, ``there`s no way i`m leaving this place!``......unfortunately that wasn't the case. This transfer their are only four teams changing throughout the entire mission....and sure enough, Elder Poole and I are one of them.

So this is what is happening. Wednesday morning i have to take a long bus ride to Ottawa, where i will be for Christmas. I don`t know who my Companion is yet, because i`ll be training a new missionary. I`ll also be District Leader in Ottawa. My new area is called Riverside...i`m pretty sure that`s what the ward is called....i`m pretty sure it`s a ward... The area has been closed due to a decrease of missionaries, and so my companion and i are going there to re-open it. I`m excited to go!..... I`m just sad to leave. i loved Monte Rey. I loved being with Elder Poole too. We got along really well, and the transfer came as a shock to the two of us. But i am excited to spend Christmas in Ottawa. The stake i am serving in as an all English stake, so i am assuming that Church will feel a lot more like it does back home.

Well thats all i know about transfers for now... I will tell you everything i know about my new companion once i actually get to know him!

As for Christmas packages.... in all reality, everything that i want for Christmas i can only get here.... Like dry cleaning my suits and ties, i think that is all i really want for Christmas. So maybe you can send me nopney to do that?.... Please dont send me anything i have to keep..... I keep saying that but every package i get comes with t-shirts, ties, clothes, socks. ect...... I say this with as much love as i can, but anything that you send me that i cant throw away, or eat...i am probably going to have to give it away to someone else or throw it away or donate it. I already have way too much stuff to carry around. Up until now it hasn`t been too big of a deal, because i have been able to drive to transfers every time....but now that i have to take the bus, i have to make weight... So at some point i`m going to have to take the bus and come back to Montreal, and so i can`t be getting more stuff.

Something that i would love to get though... is some new Contact Lenses.... i am currently using my last pair. Also, a little child ate my CTR ring... she took it off of my finger during a lesson, and then it dissapeared. We were hoping to find it, but since i am now leaving, i wont get a chance to look for it...so i am assuming that that little girl ate it... So, maybe a new CTR ring. Yup so that is all i want for Christmas!

Well i have a lot of junk to go pack\get rid of. So i have to go. But i love you all very much. Please have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Remember what you are thankful for! Because I am very thenkful for you, my Family and Friends.! Yay I love you tons!!!!

Elder Meza

I'm a Mormon

(This email is really random and strange... but it's all we've gotten from Andres in awhile so I decided to post it anyway! -emily )

Hola!

 

First off... I did receive the Halloween packet. I got it on Halloween! They told me that it actually arrived before the 31st, but i didn't actually get it into my hands until Halloween. Thank you!!! That contact case, and solution was exactly what i needed. There were a lot of things in there that i didn't really understand... like the half used pack of batteries...or the bag of rocks and dried pine needles.... except now that one makes sense after Sophia explained it to me. The bow ties were nice haha! I`ll send you pictures! Also thanks for the cookies, candies, and ties. The little recipe book is cool too. Thank you, to whoever include the recipe to the `nutella sandwich` haha, I thought it was funny. Especially since Nutella is our most used item... Elder Poole and I go through a jar of Nutella every week..... yup, that is why I am getting fat. That, and also all of the delicious fried Mexican food that we eat with the members several times a week. Eating so many Gorditas, is turning me into a Gordito.... dont worry though I am taking care of myself.  I drink alot of water, and now with the vitamins you sent me, I`ll be the healthiest person in Montreal! 

 

Anyway thank you for the box of goodies! Also thank you for the pictures you send me everyweek. I do look at them, and I enjoy getting them.

 

Oh also thanks for the tape. Don`t worry i do have time to listen to the tape. I do it while I`m in the Bathroom...hahaha. Eating habaneros and beans everyday has it`s toll... during my bathroom time i normally stare at this tiny little globe of the world trying to memorize all of the countries, and locations, in the world. I meet so many people from so many different countries that i like to know where their country is. I`ve been keeping track since i got to Montreal this second time, of how many different countries i come across. I`m at over one hundred. I`ve met people from pretty much every Central, North and South American country, as well as tons from africa and the Carribean... It`s really interesting. But now I don`t have to stare at that dumb globe, now i can listen to your voices! haha

 

 A`ight. Next thing. I`ve been hearing a lot about the I`m a Mormon push in Denver. The First Presidency has asked that all Missionaries should also have Profiles made to put on the website. So at the Zone Leader Council Sister Cannon had us all start the process. i just made mine, so it should be posted up within the next week. So you can go to the website and find my profile. It should be easy to find if you search Andres Sabastian... anyway They have asked us to also kindly remind our families and friends to stop being lazy and make profiles of their own......so that was your reminder. President Eyring said that the responses, or anything that we write on those profiles should be written prayerfully and thoughtfully. This is meant to be a missionary tool to show the world all the personal changes that peopel have had because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.... It`s important for everyone to know and hear our own personal testimonies.

 

I don`t know if i mentioned it, but President Eyring also called President Cannon to repentance... President Eyring said that ``Every missionary should stay, at the very least, six months in an Area. And even better nine months in an area. And Ideally One year in the same area.`` President Cannon has been transfering a lot throughout this mission. Especially a small handfull of us who have never stayed in an area for more than three months.... like me. So now with this new attempt to keep missionaries longer in their areas, I could potentially spend the rest of my mission here in Monte Rey!  I think I would like that. I really enjoy working in this area. I love the Branch, and I love the friends that we`ve made, and have been able to help come into the Church. This is already the longest I have ever been in an area, and I grow to love it more and more everyday. It`s especially cool being able to see all of the change actually taking place. Up until now i have seen people before, and then i hear that they got baptised later, and I get to see the after... but i never get to see the changes that the Gospel has on these people.

 

Well i am off to go cut my hairs. All of them. I`m getting really shaggy... Ok i love you all so much have a great week!

 

Love

Elder Meza

Busy busy! -- Muy ocupado!

So last week, i told you that i didn't have time to email you because i was very busy helpin other missionaries move, well, this week, again i have to cut it short. Sorry! I feel terrible The reason is that President Cannon has to make some calls to the mission in Peru. And the problem is that he needs someone to translate for him.... I don't know why he chose me, it's not like i speak Spanish or anything..... After that, there's a list of things that we need to do today that left us with a very limited amount of time to do anything else. 

So right now i am writing you my email from the MIssion Home, because President Cannon wanted us to be here early to call Peru. In about 15 minutes i have to go be President Cannon's Interpreter (Like Mami!!). And today, since it.s the first P-day of the month, I also have to write a report to the Stake president, giving him a report of the progress of the missionary work in our stake. Investigators, Baptisms, etc....

I'm doing well. this week was a good one, and i REALLY enjoyed General Conference. Especially Priesthood session, and Saturday Afternoon session.  It was a good battery refill.  I hope you all got the answers to your prayers through General Conference, because I sure did. I've been spiritually uplifted!

Do you realize that exactly one year ago, this last weekend, was my very first weekend in Canada? I was in Montreal too at that time, and i was still completely lost, and i felt like i knew so little. Now, a year later.... I fell exactly the same. Haha, only now I am more confident with the little that I do know.

I am happy.  I am healthy. I am a child of God. And i know why i am here.

I love you all. Until next time!

Elder Meza

PS: Next week is Thanksgiving here... I think. But that means that I probably won't be able to do emails on Monday... just a heads up.

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I dug up this photo in one of the Mission Newsletters Andres sends sometimes!

This is his new companion, Elder Poole.  I'm looking into getting a better picture of them!

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He encontrado esta foto en un boletín de la Misión. Andrés y su nuevo compañero,  élder Poole
-emily