April 28, 2014

Hey mommy!

It sounds like everything has been pretty interesting around our house these days! Yeah things down here have been pretty great if I do say so myself! The baptism was awesome and the song was good! I sang really well, but we messed up on a few parts, but all around it was awesome! We filmed it so you can see it when I send this card home, or when I get home! :)

More baptisms!

Anyway, that is AWESOME about Camille! That makes me super happy! I know that she will love her mission! I know that I have loved it for sure. Sometimes it feels long, but it’s going very well. I am definitely loving the Spanish part too! It is coming along nicely, but I still have a LOT more that I need to memorize. Just vocabulary. That sounds awesome with Ryan and Callie too! It’s really cool that they come see you at least once a week and are all still staying so close.

I had a dream that I got to talk to you for a little bit so that was cool too. I’m probably dreaming that because Mother’s Day is coming up. We don’t know anything about times when I can call or anything yet. I have been dreaming in Spanish for like 2 months now. I love that! :P I don’t understand how though because Elder C and I hardly talk in Spanish. But, it’s so funny though because sometimes Elder C talks in his sleep in Spanish! Well, like every night, and he yells in both Spanish and English while he's sleeping. It’s so funny!

Que guapo! Si?!

Playing the guitar is coming along good! I just keep learning more and more songs. I had that SAME idea with Tay! I want to play and sing with her at my homecoming, too. I want to sing 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives' with her. I will sing in Spanish and she can sing in English, then we will both sing in Spanish, then both in English! I think that would be awesome!

What do you mean I mix up my words and spell them wrong (I have been fixing the errors for him) and add Spanish words?!! Seriously?! I thought I was doing so well and was so literate!! That’s funny! It’s because they say sentences in a different format than we do.

We met this really awesome family that gave us all these cool crystals. The guy works in the cave so he gave us each one of these awesome crystals from the cave! They were such a nice family!!

Nothing really more has happened, but where do you want to move? It can’t be too far away from Austin’s house. :P Just somewhere cool yeah? I am excited to have a new house! :) I am sorry that this letter is so short, but I want to say that I love and miss you! Please know that you are all in my prayers, and I know that I am doing the right thing! I love you tons and tons mommy!

Great Family!!

Elder Shaddick :)

P.S. You can send food!!! Just not perishable food! So don’t worry about that!!! :) Oh, and Kati sent me a package, too! I should get it soon! :) How nice, right?!

Well I really have to go now mommy! I love you so much!! I hope that you have a good week, and you will all be in my prayers! I love you mommy! :)

April 21, 2014

Hey mommy!  I really miss you tons!

This week has been super good! I didn’t really do anything different, and not that many interesting things happened, but we are having another baptism this next Sunday, and two more the Sunday after that :) We are doing good I think! Half of these baptisms are just straight miracles, but that’s what the mission is about right? I am super happy about all the work, and I can say that I am completely comfortable understanding and speaking Spanish now! The ward members told me I was basically on Elder C’s level now! That was pretty nice too! :)

Elder C and I have to prepare another song on the guitar for the baptism, because the ward member lady really liked it when I sang at the other one, so they gave us guitar sheets, and the words, and we are going to have to sing it then, too! :P That will be pretty fun. Also, for your Santa Semana (Easter) question. That’s what it is called. They believe that Christ ´God¨ dies again, and they don’t have Him with them in their presence for those 3 days. They all do a HUGE parade, and guys walk around holding crosses, and huge statues of the Virgin María, That is Jesus’ mom. {Haha! I have to insert here! I love how Brae doesn’t think I know who the Virgin Mary is!! J} They worship her here, and it’s so crazy with all the stuff going on. People are so apostosetic {apostate} here, or however you would say that. It’s pretty interesting!!

Beautiful Sunset!

Yeah, I am pretty sure the thing about the packages is true. {He is no longer allowed to get candy and food sent to him, or used clothes ie. some of the stuff he may want from his closet.} That makes me want to cry. You can send clothes, just not used clothes. So that’s pretty dumb too. But, I guess I will be fine. I just really wanted a Kit Kat!! :P The time is passing fast anyway! :) I can’t believe I hit 5 months yesterday! It is absolutely insane to think about. It does NOT feel like it’s true. It’s the coolest thing in the world to be able to understand and speak Spanish!!!!!! I taught a class in church yesterday, by myself, for the whole hour! That was pretty cool! I was not even prepared, because I didn’t know I was supposed to do it? :P  

Your blessing sounds amazing! I am very happy that you feel comforted and I’m proud of you for getting a blessing. That’s all that I am praying for for you. You deserve the best mommy! I just wish people would realize the worldly things last for this life only, and don’t follow them to the next. I don’t want to see anyone suffer for the rest of eternity. That makes me so sad!

That’s AWESOME about Kyle and Parker getting their mission calls!! That makes me happy! I love that so many people are going to Mexico! I will have so many friends to talk to!! Woohoo!!

Message to his best friend, Austin, who is serving in Botswana!

Oh, and when do I have to send that I love my mom thing? I didn’t have time this week and want to send it this next week!! I am trying to think of an awesome idea!!! I can’t wait to talk to you on Mother’s Day!! I can only talk for 40 minutes! But that will be way long :) and so amazing!! I can’t wait to see all of you guys on Skype!!

Well I have to go! Thanks for all that you do for me!! :) I am super grateful to have you as my mom! I am the luckiest missionary in the world! I wish I could see my blog... 2 years! Anyway, I love and miss you! I’ll write you next week, and see you in 3 weeks!! :)  LOVE YOU!!!

  Élder Shaddick

April 14, 2014

Hey mommy!  

Things have been really good for me this week, except our numbers could be a lot better. But, we did have another baptism! :) So, that was awesome! I feel like we are doing great, but we could be doing a lot more! Okay here is a funny story that happened this week. Elder C and I were just walking down the street when all of a sudden an old lady came up to us. She just stopped and stared at us for about 15 seconds without saying a word. Then a little after that, she said, “Oh wow! ¿Por que están dos guapos? (Why are there 2 good looking guys here?) Haha! We talked with her a little bit. Sadly she wasn´t interested, but it was hilarious. We get called good looking so much. I guess it’s a positive of being a gringo, especially since we’re both blonde.

One thing I forgot last week! When it was conference, one of our members showed up 15 minutes after all the sessions had ended, and she missed conference. She was all just happy and everything, then randomly, she broke down crying for about 10 minutes because she had missed it. It was very sad, and we all thought that we would NEVER see her cry. She is so tough. But it was super sad. But Elder A and I got the session going again for her in Spanish right after so that made her happier!

So, about our baptism. His name is Fermin.

Fermin, our latest baptism

He was a chosen person ready to be baptized the moment we saw him. He says that he was “Thirsty for more knowledge about God.” So thank goodness we had the cup full for him! He just straight up wanted to be baptized right when we talked to him, it was incredible!  His service was this Sunday, yesterday, and Elder C and I did a musical number for him. Elder C played the guitar and I sang, En Un Lejano Cerro Fue, There Is A Green Hill Far Away. When we finished, they literally gave us a standing ovation. They clapped at a baptism! It was hilarious! Then, a lady in the branch asked us to sing at her daughter’s baptism in 2 weeks. So we will be singing again! :P Well, that’s all that’s happened! I will keep praying for you all! I miss you! I love you mommy!

Elder Shaddick :)

P.S. Here are the answers to your questions this week:

1. What is your favorite food that you've tried out in the field? I am not sure, but probably Chili Colorado y Enchiladas!

2. What is your least favorite food you've tried? Some nasty bread with a bunch of gross stuff in it... For santa semana

3. What's the weather like right now? Are you dying of heat or is it still good? I am ROASTING!!

4. What do you usually do on your p-day? Nada, just rest I guess! Laundry, shopping, sports, etc.

Apparently taking selfies is what happens on p-days

5. How do you wash your clothes? We have a washing machine :) (We’re lucky because some other Elders have to use a washboard.)

6. Do you ever cook? If so, what do you make? Yes, only eggs, tortillas, and ham :P

7. How about treats? Do you ever make those? No treats. We don’t have time to make them. Just the candy I get! Send me more candy!!! Please! :P

8. What's grocery shopping like? Are there Walmarts? Or what? In Saucillo, we just have a tiny little store. I might get a Walmart in a different area!

9. Do you usually just walk? Or take a bus? We walk a ton, and take a ton of buses to other cities!

10. Have you seen any strange animals or creatures around that we don't usually see around here? No strange animals, but a TON of stray dogs!! It’s insane.

11. What single item do you want sent in a package to you the very most? A lot of Reese’s and Kit Kats! They don’t exist down here! If you can, just packages and packages of candy and nothing else :) Chiste! No seriously, I don’t really need anything! A few ties I guess. :)  

I love you tons and tons mommy!! :)

April 7, 2014

Hey mommy!

Things have been super good around here! Just normal stuff though. On the upside, we have another baptism this Saturday, and the guy is so excited it’s not even funny! We found him, well, our other baptism we had, (Jaime) told him about the church, and he immediately fell in love with it. Basically you can say he was an ´hijo escogido´ or, a chosen child of God. Literally I cant believe how easy it was. Everything we told and taught him, he took and is living with ease. It’s mind blowing. His name is Eliseo. He is absolutely awesome. He smoked marijuana for years, but stopped now so he could be baptized and said that it is of the Devil. He was also at every single session of General Conference. That was pretty great to see as well. We are having amazing success down here in Saucillo! I absolutely love it.

Eliseo.. He's Golden!!!

Yes, I watched all of Conference. It was literally a HUGE blessing. I loved every single second of it. The talks were amazing! I took a lot of notes on Elder Uchtdorf’s talk, but all of the talks were incredible. It was my favorite when they talked about how the members need to work with the missionaries (they even mentioned Chihuahua!)! The members in Saucillo don’t do as much for us as we had hoped and it makes it really hard. But, I hope that talk kicks them into gear :) I truly love these people!! They’re amazing in every other way!

Taking conference notes

I can guarantee that I am working a lot harder down here than I ever would be up there. I love being here! Spanish is coming along really nicely. I feel like I can understand almost everything now, all I need to do is just listen really closely. But it’s coming along pretty successfully. I can’t speak near as well as I can understand. I keep having dreams where I am speaking Spanish perfectly and everyone around me is speaking back to me and I understand everything. Then I wake up, and I can’t speak near as well as I could in my dreams. So I know that it’s in my brain somewhere, I just need to find it :)

I am super happy that you made a blog for me! It’s good for all the people in the U.S. who miss me! Well, who wouldn´t miss me? Chiste, chiste. (Jokes, jokes) But, I want to say to everyone that is reading, that I love you all :) Thanks for all being my friends, and thank you for supporting me, and thanks for all your prayers! I can definitely feel them. When I want to quit, I know that I am out here to save those I promised I would save in the pre-mortal life. I will reach everyone I talked to and made that promise to. Thank you!

This is Yared! She is my absolute favorite!!! :)

Well, I will let you go now. I love you mommy! :)

Elder Shaddick!

March 31, 2014

Hey mommy!

My district

How are you?? Things have been pretty good down here. I finished my training today! None of us had transfers here in Saucillo. I still have my companion Elder C! He was made our district leader this time.  We are the smallest district in the whole mission. We also have a missionary that has been in Saucillo his whole mission and he has 6 almost 7 months here. We wondered why none of us got transferred, but we must be doing something right so I guess that’s why they’re leaving us here. We are having a lot of success! We had one of our investigators ask us, “Which one of you guys are gonna baptize me?!” Hahaha great right?! I’m with Elder C, Elder E, and Elder A. They are all so nice! It’s cool that you’re Facebook friends with their mom’s. Elder E is one of the nicest people I have ever met. So is Elder C.

We get around only by walking. Nobody on the mission has a car. And we hardly ever ride bikes. We don’t have enough of them. Yes I would LOVE it if you made a blog for me! That would be super awesome. It would be a great memory to have with all of my emails and stuff :) You went to women’s conference! I am so happy that you and Taylor felt the Spirit super strong there. I can’t wait for General Conference!

Burger King!! Finally got some fast food

I am almost counting down the days until Sunday. It will be so amazing to hear from the Prophet and all of the other general authorities. What a blessing! So you’re going to see the new temple movie, huh? You’ll have to tell me how it is. I am super excited to see it when I get back. Well, I have to go now. I just wanted to say that I love you :)

      Elder Chadik

Rats! Haha!

P.S. I mastered the Frozen song, and I am going to sing it for the kids here this next ward activity we have. :) They are all SO excited! Oh, and we found a dead rat in the church!

It died inside the oven, and we had to take apart the whole oven to get it!! I love you mommy!!  :):):)

    Love, your son, Elder Shaddick :)

My Mission President and his wife!