Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Week Cinco

Still not pictures, he forgets his camera when he emails and now has lost his USB cable.  Hopefully some next week.

Pues esta semana fue un poco mejor, pero esta todavia dificil.


But this week was boring until Friday. On Friday we did some service finally! We went to a members house that is really just a cement box and we got to break down a side of her house. So about 5 Elders took turns breaking down a wall with a 16lbs sledge hammer! It was really cool. Finally CrossFit really came into use there. But then later that day we went to Chihuahua to listen to Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the 12 Apostles speak to us, but more on that later.

That night we had our entire zone in one house. about 30 elders staying I one house. it was awesome, our zone leaders tried to keep us under control but really one of the elders had some music playing and just about everyone singing it, yeah that was a fun day.

Saturday we got listen to Elder Oaks Speak. I was really surprised about how animated he is. He seemed super hyper and every energetic for being 81, and he said that L. Tom Perry at 91 was even more energetic then he. But he talked a lot on member and missionaries working together. But the thing that really stood out to me was he gave a story of the Mantle.

The principle of the was that every time we are called to do something we put on the mantle of the calling. every single calling has one no matter how small. Now the principle is that with time and trying basically you will naturally grow into the mantle you are called to serve in. He also said that everyone feels like the mantle is to big for them to handle, but with trust in the Lord and time you'll be able to fill it.

Oh so now the food here. All of it is so good. I think that I have had one thing that I didn't care for and that was it. I love all of it, I eat so much I'm getting fat. And because it's cold out here the members feed us more and we eat more so now I weigh 70 kilos or 155 pounds haha I'm fat... (He is 20 lbs heavier than when he graduated from High School)

But the drinks are another story I don't care for the drinks all the much I could go without them. Also there is so much soda here because you cant drink the water so it's either soda or juice basically. (This is hard for him since he doesn't drink soda)

Sorry I've been taking pictures but I keep forgetting my camera at the house in my bag that I carry around with me.

But I'm out of time thanks for the love and support everyday and the prayers and everything.

Love you all missin you all too
Love, Elder Dayley

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Week 2 and 3

I have to apologize for how long it has been since I have sent out any of Jacobs letters.  So this one email will catch you all up.  We would like to thank everyone for the prayers in our behalf and especially for Jacob.  They have been felt in our family and I know they have helped him as well.  This has been a rough few weeks for our family and even worse for Jacob.   I think we are all on the mend and hopefully each week will improve for Jacob. 

Please note that Jacob has a new address for any packages that anyone might want to send.  A guy from Texas drives them to the mission home.  SWEET!  That means cheaper to send and no customs for Jacob and that he will actually get the package and everything that is in it!  As for letters, he says to just email him (jdayley@myldsmail.net).  He doesn't have time to email everyone back, but he will at least get them.

Elder Jacob Dayley
c/o Julio Velazquez
P.O. Box 1486
Presidio, TX  79845

Week dos - (10/28/13)

The second week in the mission field has been a ton better than the first! My new companion likes to work hard, likes to teach me and other people and loves being a missionary  So that has really helped me this week.

The only really cool thing that has happened to us this week was on Saturday I was walking down the sidewalk and there was a tree in the way so I stepped off into the road. Right as a stepped off a truck drove by, but it was so close. It was probably 6 inches from hitting me. Like I don't even know why it was that close.  This gives an inside look into the mind of an 18 year old and what he thinks is cool!  I, on the other hand, didn't not find this story cool!!:)

But another cool thing is that we have an investigator named Tadeo. He and his son are Catholic but they didn´t liked the feeling of being there so they came to our church and started the lessons. We gave him a Book of Mormon and we read some of it and really liked it, and that is where we are at with him.

We are in apartments in the center of the city, our place is a one bedroom, bathroom, living room, and a kitchen.  Most of the people we visit are inactives.  We have three or four investigators.  We keep busy all day. 

Tell Gage, that little punk Happy Birthday from me and give him a big fat kiss and hug.  That is sad to hear about gramma, but it's her time to go.  She needs to go back to grandpa and Heavenly Father where she'll be at peace.  So Juliet's mom passed away literally about 30 minutes before Jacob started emailing us.  We decided it best to tell him, basically as in person as we could, instead of him hearing about it later in the day from his mission president.

Thats really it for this week, but everything is getter better little by little.

Love you all, Miss you all
Love, Elder Dayley

Week tres - (11/4/13)
So this has been anything but a desireable week in my life. Actually Monday was the worst day of my life by far. (Reminder - that was the day that Jacob found out about his gramma passing away.  This turned out to be quite a trial for him, but he perservered, or I should say perserering.  Things are still very hard for him, but each day is getting a little better.  Again, thank you to those who fasted for him and prayed and sent him words of encouragement.  It all worked!)  But some good news, I'm doing a little better. Better and better each day. But it is still super hard in the mornings because that's when I'm the most homesick and lonely.


But the rest of the week after Wednesday has been a lot better then the first half of them. I actually got to share my feelings and exprience with an investigator on Friday. He was super depressed and didn't want to do anything. I knew how he felt because that's the excact way I felt too. I don't know if it helped but he came to church and he said he felt better.

But I get to learn a another new langauge! For the Mennonites I get to learn German! That's super cool, but it's going to be hard.  All I have to study is the Book of Mormon, but I know I'll learn it.  My spanish is coming along slowly.  I can almost understand most of what people say to my companion and what he say back.  But once they srart talking to me, I can't understand anything.  It's kinda annoying.

It's getting so cold here! I found out it snows in Chihuahua!  I had no idea this is what the church meant by warm climate mission!

One of Jacob's best friends got his mission call to Pocatillo, ID, english speaking.  Mind you, his friend is half Mexican.  This was Jacob's reply to the news.

HAHAHA!  You know what's funny is that I was telling my companion that he was getting his call soon.  I said how funny it would be for him to go english speaking because his two all white friends would be fluent in spanish and he wouldn't.  Then his two white friends and his white dad could speak spanish together and he would't be able to!

Okay I'm out of time, thanks for the love and everything miss you all!  Tell everyone thanks for the emails even if I wasn't able to respond to them all.  I read them and they really helped.

Love, Elder Dayley

Monday, October 21, 2013

First email from Mexico

So Mexico is close to what I thought it would be haha. Really kinda run down and old. But the people are super nice here, which is good. The food here is really good too, not as spicy as I was thinking though.

My first week was rough really got homesick, and just really wanted to go home. I talked to my companion and he really did not care for my thoughts, so as you can image that really helped. (not). But I just talked to my mission President and he changed my companions, to a American that I already went on splits with and he is really cool. Glad for that. 

We do a ton of walking here, and do a ton of inactive member work here. The ward here is great super supportive and helpful. We teach like anywhere from 3 to 6 people a day which I do not know if that is being busy or not.

The Spanish is not the same spanish in the MTC. There it was slow and clear, here its all fast, munbbled, and not clear at all. So I have to ask ¿como? a lot. Which is a nice way of saying What?

So the mail, if you want to send me a letter I would just email it Ill get it faster. For Packages send it to this address 
Julio Velazquez/Elder Dayley
P.O. Box 1486 
Presidio, Texas 79845

It goes to a guy in texas that brings it down here to the mission home. It is faster and safer that way

Everything is going good now, thank you for the prays and support love you all, miss yall
Love, Elder Dayley

First week in Mexico

Here is an email chain that we had this morning.


It's killing me not hearing from you for so long.  I want to know details. 

Tate and Gages games went ok this weekend.  Tate's team won pretty easily.  I messed up and caused the other team to get a TD based on my play call.  Man that was a mistake.  Tate had 3 TD passes.  Gage's team played a really big team. Almost everyone was over 100 lbs. and 10 or 11.  We aren't anywhere that big.  Gage got hurt and had to sit out a series on offense.  The ended up losing 26-7.  First lost in 3 seasons, so pretty good overall.  The line is what killed us. 

I sent an email with lots of questions to hopefully help you send us info.  Steph Efnor got her mission call to SLC East mission, leaves in Jan.  Justin had his interview yesterday morning and is now waiting on his.

Other than this nothing exciting is happening.  O Wait, I did get release from YM President finally.  Someone asked if it was bitter sweet to be released.  I told him no, just bitter.  I was called to be the Ward Financial Clerk.  So exciting huh. (Sarcasm)

Ok, I hope you are working hard and doing what is right.  Can you understand your companion?  Give me details.

Love you,

Papa
_________________________________________________________________________

I talked to my Mission president and he changed me to a new trainer which I already did a split with and we really got along well. He’s American from Utah, but he’s really nice. His name is Elder Hanks from around Salt Lake.  I just changed companions probably 40 minutes ago, right before I emailed you. But I went on splits with him on Saturday and he’s really cool. I learned more that day than I had all week.

We walk around the city and just talk with inactive members and try to reactivate them. Then we get referrals from them and members.

The members here help a lot.

We wake up at 6:30 and get ready, then do personal study at 8:00 personal, 9:00 is companion study till 11:00. 11:00 till 12:00 is language study. After that work until 2:00 when we eat. Then work until 9:00 and go home and eat dinner. 
_________________________________________________________________________

Wow, so different than mine.  We had to be out of the apartment by 10 am and get all that done except language of course.  I hope this week works better than last.  

Do you do daily planning?  
Do you tract or are you to busy?  They are really focusing on inactive here as well.  
Are you typing up another email or is our chat back and forth it?  
How are you getting internet?
What are your plans on P-Day?
Is there anything cool to see there?
Can you send the correct spelling of the town?
Does your companion know Spanish and how long has he been out?

Love you

___________________________________________________________________________

I’m sending another email.
We do our daily planning at night
No tracting here but a lot of walking
We go to an internet cafe but right now I’m in the mission office because i just talked to the President
Nothing really that cool to see, they sell a lot of cowboy boots and hats here though
It’s Cuauhtemoc 
And he knows a lot of Spanish been out for 4 months
Love you 

_________________________________________________________________________

Do you like the food there? Is it mainly Mexican or can you get other stuff?
Have you eaten anything strange or anything you don't know what it was?
Am I taking up all your time?

_________________________________________________________________________

The hats here are probably like $600 in pesos which is like $45 dollars in the USA. The Dollar is worth like 12 or 13 pesos 
Yeah it’s like an hour west of Chihuahua.

The food is good a lot of chicken and rice and beans but it is good

_________________________________________________________________________

So, how do you get your monthly money? 
Does the mission give you a check, deposit in an account?
Lucky, on the chicken, do the member feed you or have you had to learn to cook? heeheehee
Have you had to do laundry or anything?  Clothes working ok?
Whats the weather like?  

Is this way to many questions?
_________________________________________________________________________

No good questions

We have a Debit card
Members have feed us every day so far
Haven’t done laundry yet so I don’t know haha 
Weather is cold in morning and night but hot in the day
Everything is working good
_________________________________________________________________________

OK, so the Mission gives you a debit card, what did you do with yours?
Have you gotten a coat yet or do you just wear one of those Mexican rug coats?  heee heehee
I sent your email to Sedina with the new address for packages. That sure is nice of the guy to do that.

So this may be a dumb question, but a lot of Mexicans?  Any whites?
_________________________________________________________________________

I kept my card and bought a coat. The other elders said it was a good price and good quality. 
A ton of Mexicans no white people, except there is clan of Germans that are here and they like started their own church based off the Book of Mormon but that’s it for white people 
_________________________________________________________________________

Germans wow, what are they called?  Not Mennonites?

Looks like you’re about done with your time.  Love you and we are praying for you every night.  It's pretty neat that the boys are praying for you.

3-6 lessons are a ton a day.  Our missionaries don't really teach at all.

I love you and am proud of you, cannot wait to hear from you after a week with a normal companion.

Love papa
_________________________________________________________________________

Love, you yeah they’re called Mennonites. Why? Have you heard of them?
We get a ton of help from the ward here it is really cool.
Love you, tell the boys I love them too, and miss you all
Love, Elder Dayley
_________________________________________________________________________

I looked it up on Wikipedia:

The Cuauhtémoc area is the home of around 50,000 Mennonite people divided into various colonies that surround the city.
The Mennonites settled in the San Antonio Valley, as far as 120 km (75 mi.) to the north of the town. There was a General Conference Mennonite Church in the town composed almost entirely of Mennonite refugees who came to Mexico after World War I. The growth of the Mennonite population due to natural increase and to additional immigration from Canada stimulated its economic activities. A small cereal factory was established by non-Mennonites, while a large cheese factory, slaughterhouse, and ice plant were erected by Mennonites (the Redekops) in the town. In 1947 the Mennonite Central Committee established a service unit in Cuauhtémoc to provide health services, recreational direction, and assistance in educational activities of German-speaking children
Although the city, formerly called San Antonio de los Arenales, developed only after the arrival of the Old Colony Mennonites in 1922, it has practically no Mennonites living in it. However, the streets and the numerous banks teem with them, especially on Monday mornings. Cuauhtémoc is the most important commercial center for Old Colony Mennonites in Chihuahua.
In the early 1930s the recent Mennonite immigrants from the Soviet Union (Rußländer) formed a Mennonite congregation in the town, but by 1987, it had disintegrated completely. The few Mennonite families and General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Central Committee workers living in the city in 1986 (5 families and 5 singles) worshipped mostly at the General Conference congregation at Kilometro 11. Cuauhtémoc was the first city to erect a senior citizens home under public or government jurisdiction. Its first matron was a Mennonite, Maria Giesbrecht, from the Santa Rita Colony (Nord Colony).
_________________________________________________________________________

Hmmm cool, I don’t know the city well enough to know where any of that stuff is at but that’s some cool info. 

I forgot in the big letter that on November 16 Dallin H Oaks is coming to speak to the missionaries in Chihuahua. That’s really cool!



Monday, October 14, 2013

So i just got in Chihuahua and met my new companion he's native, no english which is good. We are in Catuamuc? I don't know how to spell it, but doing good, everything is fine and no problems so far. Just got to send a quick email today, it was nice talking to everyone. Love ya, miss ya.

Love, Elder Dayley

Last Email from MTC

Jacob leaves Monday morning super early to Mexico.  We will get a phone call from him at some point while he is waiting in an airport for a flight.  We are so excited to hear his voice!  (Justin he asked for your cell number, so you better have your sound on and the phone near you Monday morning - early if you want to talk to your brother!)
This is his last email from the MTC.  You can still email him at jdayley@myldsmail.net

Here is the address to the mission home:
Elder Jacob Dayley
Mexico Chihuahua Mission
Oninaga #2210 A, Antes Morelos
Cuauhtemoc
31020 Chihuahua, Chihuahua
Mexico

It has been the slowest but fastest month in my life. The flow of time here is slow days but fast weeks, I'm excited to see how that translates to the real world. But today is probably the last time I'll be going to the temple for a really long time, that's weird to think about because here you can go ever single week. Which we did, and is really cool.

It's been really nice to get all of your letters through out the week, they really do help a ton. You won't think so but they do! Thank you for all the support and love. I've been writing Devon (Ridd one of his best friends who is serving in the Madrid, Spain Mission) and Cody (Jacobsen his cousin serving is the Salt Lake City West mission) every week, which is really cool to hear from them!

I got the Bethels package this morning and when I opened the paper covering it, there was a box inside that said 5cc syringes w/o needles. At first I didn't know who it was from so I was freaking out a little bit. Like who would send me syringes from AJ(Apache Junction). But then I showed it to my companion and I said, "Hey look now I can start taking my steroids again!" They thought that was pretty funny. There is a pic showing what the box looks like.  (The Bethel's are good friends of our family and she works at her husbands, fathers' doctors office.  Thus the reason for the box!  Really funny actually!) 

So on west campus on P-days you can walk down the road to a place called Brigham Landing and get stuff over there which is really cool!  They have a burger place and Jamba Juice.  I like hearing about Tate and Gage's football games.  I like bragging about them to my companions!  Haha

So General Conference! How was that for you guys?? But favorite talk was in the priesthood session by President Ufdorf when he was talking about Failure. And what I got out of it was Failure is natural, let it work for you, don't work for it. But this is the most I've ever paid attention to Conference in my life and I actually got a lot from it so that was really cool.



So I'm out of time now love you all, miss you all.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

One Month in the MTC

So here is the email we got from Jacob yesterday.  He leaves to Mexico a week from Monday on 10/14.  So any letters or packages you would like to send him at the MTC do it quickly.  Probably no later than Tuesday.  You can always email him at: jdayley@myldsmail.net

Here is the address for the mission home in Chihuahua as well:
Elder Jacob Dayley
Mexico Chihuahua Mission
Calle Oninaga #2210 A, Antes
Morelos
Colonia Cuauhtemoc
31020 Chihuahua, Chihuahua
Mexico

  
Today marks the month day of being in the MTC, it went by fast but at the same time really slow, but then I look ahead and there's only two weeks left. It's weird how time flows here. 

Glad to here that everyone is doing good, and everyone is going good in football. Colton was asking for advice for his dance. So I would say don't wear your suit jacket into the dance leave it in the car. You can't move as well in it and it gets really hot while you wear it, and those things stink. Another thing is eat light at the dinner before hand, don't try and impress her with the amount of food you can eat or be in a competition with your friends to see how much you can eat. A lot of food moving around in your stomach is not a good feeling. 

So this week we have become the oldest district in the zone, and elder Wright and Elder McKay are zone leaders, and I was asked to be the District leader for my district. Which is cool because now I don't have to worry about myself but I now have some responsibility to keep me occupied. Oh and also I broke through the 150lb barrier mark!! I gained 8 or 9 pounds so far. I'm fat now, just kidding, I actually have an eight pack coming through haha. Tell Tate to step it up. 

Mama asked about my Sundays, well this Sunday we studied for hours until 1:30 then went to priesthood and sacrament meeting. This Sunday and Saturday though we are going to Main Campus to watch them all. Hopefully I can stay awake through all of them. haha I'm going to miss our traditional breakfast afterwards.  I also get to go to temple every p-day.

This last week we had a lot of rain come in and it snowed on the mountains around us it was really cool looking. But it was kinda cold, I was fine though, it wasn't to bad since we are inside most of the day.

Grandma asked me to take pics of the snow on the mountains so I did that for her they are really cool, but I like The Superstition Mountains better they're cooler looking.    
Last night we had a speaker from Scotland and he had an accent and everything. He taught about how ridiculous is the thinking of those who don't believe us to be Christians. He was really bold in everything he said it was really cool to listen to. 

That's all for this week.  Love you all, miss you all.
Love, Elder Dayley

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Emails back and forth

Here is an email chain that we did back and forth on Wednesday.  I was at my computer and was able to email back and forth
_____________________________________________________________________

Your half way done with the MTC.  Exciting.  I hope everything is going good.  We read your letters to the boys for FHE on Monday night.  They really liked them.  They all wrote you back, so you should be getting the letter quickly.  I have started a blog for you and I am putting all the letter and emails on it.  When you get back we will turn it into a book for you.  Make sure you take lots of pics.  Probably not a ton now, but when you get to Mexico.  


How was travelling to the Visa place?  Was it nice to get out of the MTC for a while?  Did someone go with you?  To bad you don't get to go to Vegas.  What will you do when the rest of the group does?


I have a friend who's son is in Chihuahua on his mission and just got there 2 weeks ago.  He is loving it.  His name is Elder Cummings.  I dated his mom in high school a few times and hung out with her a ton.  


Ok, I have to get back to work,  love you and miss you.  Be good and work hard.


Papa

_____________________________________________________________________

Hi, that's cool. I hope the boys enjoyed that last one. To get the visas there were 10 of us and we traveled by train to Salt Lake. Then walked to the Consult, will we were walking this homeless guy walked up to us and said he was a jack Mormon and he was about to go get high and drunk, and he said sorry for it. I don't know why really. Yeah it was really nice we walked by a Ducati dealership which was really cool. And the next day when they all left I just went with the district above us, so it was fine. How many people did you date in high school? And is it taken her out on a few dates. But love you, miss you.



Love, Elder Dayley
____________________________________________________________________

Hey aquí es una ventaja de mí sentado en el correo electrónico todo el tiempo. ¿Cuál es su plan de P-día? 

(Hey here is an advantage of me sitting on email all the time. What is your plan for P-day?)


_____________________________________________________________________


haha me plan esa P- Dia es voy a la temple de Provo otra vez, vamos todas semas. esta bien. es un desafio a leo espanol de google tranducir. pero yo perdono usted de su pecado. que es su plan para hoy? trabajar trabajar y mas trabajar?


(haha me that P-Day plan is going to the Provo temple again, we all semes. okay. is a challenge to read Spanish from google tranducir. but I forgive you of your sin. that is your plan for today? work work and more work?)
_____________________________________________________________________

How did you know that was from Google translator?  Did you type that or did you use translator?  Yes plan is to work and more work then home for mutual.  We moved Tate into your room on Monday and then broke down Gage's bunk beds last night.  They are both happy now.
_______________________________________________________________________

Haha because of the way it was worded. It was a Direct Translation. And we don't have Google here so that came from my brain. Well I'm glad my leaving brought them happiness. So at basketball I play con Russians y they are really good. This one elder he's like 6'4" and he can drive like none other. I play con ellos everyday, we've all became good friends. One of them is from Pima, and I meant someone who lives in Queen Creek and knew Rachel Waite. So that was pretty cool to talk to people that have a connection with sorta.

__________________________________________________________________________

It's nice that they let you play basketball everyday.  It is a good release.  Where is the Russian going?  Do you see anyone else that you know?
__________________________________________________________________________

No they are elders going to Russia, sorry. But I've seen Daniel Butters here, and he's already gone to the field. But the only problem is that they don't give you enough time to play, we only get 50 minutes to play. okay my time is but now.


Love you tons, miss you.

Love, Elder Dayley


Half way done with MTC

It's exciting to think that I'm already half way done with the MTC, but then its kinda scary because in 3 weeks I'll out teaching people, in Spanish. But its okay, I'm still doing good.

Thank you for the packages! They're awesome! Especially the letters, blanket and the candy corn! Can you send more of it, me and my companions just ate it up.

On Monday I went to get my visa with 9 other elders, we went on a train to Salt Lake. The MTC picked a elder from main campus as the group leader, he was about 5 foot 6 and looked so scared to be in charge that I felt bad for him helped him with it. But after the train we walked about half a mile to the consult and on the way there, there was a guy that looked homeless walking towards us. When he got to us he said, "I'm about to go get drunk and high, I'm sorry I'm a jack Mormon." All I could do is laugh in my head because he kept saying sorry to us, but I don't know why, because we can't do anything for him if he doesn't have the desire in him to change. So why he was saying sorry, I don't know but at least he felt something. 

That's really all the exciting stuff that happened to me this week, and probably for the rest of my stay here until I get to Mexico. Sorry about the boringness of them, it's really not my fault they're super boring. That's just how my days are here.

Haha well love you all, miss you all.

Love, Elder Dayley

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Got his Visa and Happy Birthday Mama

First here is a quick note he sent us Saturday:

So I get to go get my visa on Monday!  (Which would be today.)  I'm taking a train up to Salt Lake to the visa place, then I'll be back here that same day. But what's weird is that everyone else in my district are flying to Vegas on Tuesday and I'm the only one going on Monday to Salt Lake so I don't know what's going down with that but oh well. Tell Grandma Dayley that it's fine if she shares my letters, I don't mind at all. Also I got a slip telling me that my packages are ready for me to pick up but I can't pick them up because the mail room is closed today for some reason which is dumb. I hope mama got my letter by now. Oh the progressive investigator is our teacher that he just pretends to be a investigator. Hope that clears things up. Okay that's all. Oh and I can only write you guys once a week on Wednesday, but today we were allowed to tell you that I'm getting my visa at that's all.


Thanks love you all, miss you guys.

Elder Dayley

Today we got another hand written one and found out his address had been changed.  So anyone that is writing him either by way of real mail, or by dear elder take note of the address change, because his Unit changed as well.  Looks like he has still been getting his mail, but taking longer to get it.


Elder Jacob Dayley

Oct-14  Mex-Chi
2023 N 900 E.
Unit 885
Provo, UT  84602

Then this was a letter just to Juliet:


Dear Mama,

Happy Birthday!  Hope you have a really nice day!  I hope you guys go out and have a good time.  Thank you for always supporting me and always loving me.  Thank you for being a great mom and a great example to me.  I know I show my love for papa a lot more visually, but I really really do love you a ton.  Thank you for the letters.  Everytime I get one it just makes my day a hundred times better than before.  I like hearing that you guys miss me, because I know that I'm not forgotten and that I'm not the only one with missing feelings.  I love you a ton and miss you so much.  Don't forget about me!  You're still not old!

Love,

Elder Dayley

Well we should be hearing more from him on Wednesday!

Week 3 in the MTC and Letters to the Boys

Dear Mama and Papa and the boys,

This week has been pretty good, nothing major happened. Just a normal week, studying like 10 hours a day now. We are teaching two investigators this week. But they are really just our teachers acting like them. But it is still really good practice for us for Spanish and for learning how to teach. It's coming along good. It's pretty fun. There is sorta an adrenaline rush that goes along with it at the beginning. It's crazy how much Spanish I can speak now compared to when I left.

Just fair warning for you guys when I get back I'm buying a street bike and I'm going skydiving and I'm going wing-suit flying. So just warning you so you don't freak out on me. Since you said and I quote, "I don't care what you do after your mission." So I'm just warning you before hand. (I'm not sure where he is going to get all the money for this stuff, because his bank account is going to be empty when he gets back!)

So the homesickness has severely decreased, about to the point of where I just about forgot to write you guys. Just kidding. But I still miss you a lot but luckily I've got really good companions and district members.

I just felt like writing something to each of the boys so if you can have them read it, since it'll just be in this letter.

First, to Colton,
You really surprised me about what you said.  I never knew that's how you felt or that you even looked up to me at all.  t means a lot that I left with us on really good terms.  Because if we left while we were fighting or not talking to each other the guilt would have killed.  Keep on being an example to Tate and Gage, because just like how I didn't know that you were watching me, they are watching you.  Since I'm gone you have to take charge of keeping the peace in the house with Tate and Gage when they fight.  By being patient, calm, and relaxed.  Respect is more powerful than fear.  Love you.

Next to Gager-Wager, Gagey-Wagey.
Of everyone you made me cry the most.  Before you wouldn't touch me at all or talk to me, but that night before I left, how you hugged me and cried.  Dude, I lost it.  That's the most I've ever cried in my life.  You don't even know how much that meant to me.  It makes me teary eyed when I even think about it.  Thank you.  Just remember to be teachable in all things, and be humble.  Those two things will help you become better than you could be, by just going out there all cocky.  There's a difference between cocky and confidence.  Cocky kids are the ones who are good now, but can't go anywhere.  Where confident kids know how good they are, but are humble about it and know that they aren't the best, but strive to be the best all the time.  They do that by listening to their coaches all the time.  And trying their best always.  Love you, Miss you!

Tater-bug,
How are you?  I was just wondering if the kids could get a photograph or maybe an autograph.  Look, the kids they love you.  You are the best! Haha!  (Again, another Nacho reference!)  I want my socks back you punk!  Tate you were my favorite brother, well blood brother.  You would always be there for me, even when we'd be mad at each other, we would make up with each other within an hour.  I don't think that we'd ever been mad at each other for more than an hour.  I would consider you one of my best friends.  I could trust you, and you trusted me.  Tate you go to stop teasing Gage, or you just got to know when to stop.  Just like Gage, be humble and teachable.  The people who can teach you will help you so much more than you can imagine.  Coaches will give you criticism and that's good, it'll help you.  But don't let anyone bad talk you, stand up for yourself and don't be pushed around.  But don't be a bully doing it to others.  Know when enough is enough.  Stick up for your friends also, as you do that your friendships will become stronger and closer because you'll really start to care about them.  Love you a lot!

At the bookstore, they have shirts of each of the missions on them and I bought a Mexico one and was going to buy an Ireland shirt, but they didn't have it, sorry papa. But everything is going good here, enjoying it a lot. Time flows really weird here. Each day is long, but the week is fast, but they are longer because you don't get a weekend.

So somethings I found out about my mission is we don't do tracting because it is too dangerous to do that. (Isn't that what every mother wants to hear, is how dangerous the mission is that her son is going to?!) So how we get to people I don't know. I don't know if you know this, but there is a missionary mom email group that sent something about sending packages to me once I get in the field. But I'm not sure about all the details about it. All I know is that mama should try and get on the email group. I heard also that the mission president and his wife are super nice. Nothing else to write about really. I could say sorry for the handwriting and spelling mistakes.

Miss you all, love you all. Tell Gramma that I love her. Oh, one more thing, but at night I've been having super vivid dreams. The dreams are really realistic and they've all been about you guys and the Wright's. It sounds weird, but its been good to see you guys again. (I actually really lost it today when I read that part.) But love you and miss you tons.

Love,
Elder Dayley

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Batch of Letters

For anyone that would like to write to Jacob his email address is for his entire mission is - jdayley@myldsmail.net

He is at the Provo MTC West campus and his departure date is Oct 14, his mission is Mex-Chi, and he is Unit 44.  Once on is in Mexico, you can still write him using dearelder, but you would put his location as Mexico-Chihuahua.  All of those letters will go to his mission home.  They are all free to send as well.

This is actually the first email that he sent us last week on his first p-day.  Honestly it was pretty non-informational, so I didn't send it out last week, but now that I have some other letters to add to it, I will go ahead and add this.

Hey guys hows it going? Everything is going good here. First full week of the mtc done and it was hard but rewarding but also disappointing but at the same super fun!

So mama you were right that I am at the west campus and it is way better here. I got two companions so its a trio of us haha. There was 7 elders and 5 of us are going to Chihuahua and the other 2 are going to Madrid Spain. The other two left this morning at 3 am kinda like what Devon did. But I wasn't the only one to mispronounce Chihuahua when they read there mission call all 5 of us did!  So now its just 5 of us living in a apartment and its super fun.

Papa I appreciate your two line long emails haha, but I'm jealous of you guys going to get In and Out. But I sent you guys an actual hand written letter with a little more of a personal stuff on it for you and mama

Provo is super super nice and the mountains are really pretty I got some pictures to send you guys, tell Kurt thank you for the camera again for me. Oh and thank you for the dear elders they really mean a lot. I got lots of pics for you! 
(All of the pictures he sent are on the blog Lee started.)

But I wake up every morning 5 am and make some soup, I love it! Its the best! (Another tribute to Nacho) But I really wake up at 6;30 shower, go to personal study in a small classroom, then breakfast, then additional study, classroom which is all in spanish. Then maybe lunch I don't remember, but then we go to language study or more study for a few hours then dinner then more classroom time then planning then bed at 10:30. It's pretty exciting.
Remember when you promised that we would build a rally car when I got back well I'm holding you to that!

So now you know why I wasn't super excited to send out just that last week!
So here the 2nd hand written letter we got from him.

Dear Mama and Papa,


Today is my first p-day and it's a Wednesday, and it marks the one week of me being here.  So yesterday we got moved over to the west campus and before hand everyone was saying how much it stunk over here and how it's just not nearly as good, so I wasn't too excited to go and leave, well I actually I was because I did not like the main campus at all.  But I'll explain that in a sec.  But we got here and we have an actually apartment, a three room, one bath house for the 5 of us.  I have loved it here way more than the main campus.  We're on the 3rd floor of a building, we have a view of the mountains around us and there's trees and grass, it's awesome here.  I took a lot of pics for you guys that I'll try and send though email.  I felt like the main campus was of a prison.  Everywhere you looked it was brick building and old trees. 

Needless to say, his first week was harder on his than we originally thought.  He dealt with a lot of homesickness and some depression that goes along with being homesick and the white brick walls of the MTC didn't help at all.  Then he went on to say this.... 


Sunday night we had a devotional which was cool, but after that there was a video about the character of Christ.  In the video was David A. Bednar talking about how in trials we have to turn outwards to others instead of turning inwards.  So I've been trying  to do that and I've been praying a lot for comfort and all that has helped and the fact that we moved to the west campus has really helped me. 

On Monday I played my best game of basketball ever.  I don't know if it's just the floors here or something, but it was really cool actually being able to help my team win and actually being the leading point scorer haha. 

My companions are really cool.  One is sorta annoying sometimes, but it's not anything bad.  An elder in my district, Elder Wright (the non-annoying companion) and I are doing a dirt bike trip in Utahwhen we all get back, because we all ride dirt bikes and they both live in Utah.  

Ever since we left the main campus things gave been 100 times better.  The first three days have been agonizingly slow, but the last three have been flying by so fast.  It's crazy how much spanish I've learned in a week.  I can understand a lot of what the teacher says, but speaking it is still hard.  Over all I'm glad I'm here.  Love you all, tell that to the Wright's too, and tell Brother Wright I'm still expecting his letters he promised.

Love You!  Miss You!
Elder Dayley

So that ws pretty much his first week in the MTC.  Good life lessons and growth.  I'm proud of him for sticking through things and looking in the right places for the help and strength he needed.  So here is what we got from him today.