La Misión de Elder Andres Bosque

2012-01-23T14:16:00.003-07:00

Dear Familia,

This week was very busy. First off, I need to declare my new found love for apple-cinnamon Cheerios. I got sick of Zucaritas and E. Morales got me hooked on these delicious Cheerios. I also have a new spoon to add to my collection. It's hard to believe the one in my right hand is about 16 years old now. Mum--when I was about 12, I told you I was going to take it on my mission. Here's the proof!

Interviews with President always come at the perfect time. Tuesday was a rough day with little to no success. Wednesday followed in a similar manner. The entire week we have been teaching and finding people to baptize for this month (our monthly goal being 3). The mom of I__, does everything she can to avoid us and has been successful in doing so. The options we have to baptize for this month are slim.

E. Morales and I decided to fast to receive spiritual strength in fulfilling our inspired goal. The same day that we terminated our fast we had interviews with Pres. (Thursday morning). The talk with Pres. really helped calm me down and give me more hope. This area is hard and we are really making an effort to forward the work here and I am grateful to know that President recognizes our efforts. I can feel that he is proud of my efforts and that he loves me as one of his missionaries. It is hard to believe that in 5 months or so he will return to Argentina and we will have a new mission president.

The interview helped me focus and realize that all that matters is your fullest effort to be a good missionary. There will always be struggles, whether you baptize 1,000 or 3. This past week was a struggle week but I have grown quickly from the experiences I have had and we have already seen blessings from our fast and our hard work.

We rent a two-room, one-bathroom house from a member family, familia Velez. We held a Noche de Hogar with them and Hna. Velez invited her hard-core Catholic parents. We have since taught them and J__, the mother, is so close to being baptized. We have had spiritual lessons with J__ where she has received rather significant answers to her prayers.

On Thursday we taught J__ and spoke about how, with one God, there is one baptism and one path or manner to obey Him. We referred to Ephesians 4 (using her giant Catholic Bible to show her we use the same Bible) and testified that this church is the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth. At the end of the lesson, we invited her to pray specifically to know that this church was true and if she should be baptized. She hesitated, but decided to pray.

The prayer started off like a normal recited prayer (reciting the Lord's Prayer), but soon she began asking God to know if "The church of my daughter (Hna. Velez) is your church and if it is the true church, and if I should be baptized in it." During her prayer I was praying with all the strength of my soul as if I was wringing out every spiritual drop of my spiritual material to help her receive an answer. She ended her prayer, and we waited in silence.

I looked up as I heard sobs come from J__. She wiped her tears from her face. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning. She told us she felt good and that she felt peace. We helped her recognize that it was an answer from God. She accepted being baptized, but rejected the date of the 28th for her baptism. We set up a cita for Saturday night.

Saturday night with J__ we addressed her next doubt-- being baptized so quickly. This is a doubt we find very often in our work and is due to a misunderstanding of the doctrine of baptism. We referred to the story in Acts 2:37-41 where Peter baptizes 3,000 people the same day that they felt the Spirit upon hearing the word of God. We invited her at the end of the lesson to pray specifically about the 28th to know if she should be baptized that day. J__ prayed with sincerity and real intent, truly desiring to know if she should be baptized the 28th. Again, and miraculously so, God gave her an answer immediately after she uttered amen. Two consecutive answers within two days. It was amazing. A few tears fell from her eyes and she told us that she felt good again. But, because salvation is not a cheap experience, things weren't going to continue being this easy with J__. She presented another duda [doubt] about being 100% committed to the church after baptism. Out of time, we set up a cita for last night.

We went with Hna. Velez once more to visit her mother. We spoke about how baptism is not the end of things, but the beginning. Instead of being the end result of a change, baptism is a part of the process. It accelerates one's learning, spiritual growth, and strengthens the testimony. We explained to her that over time she would make a complete change from the Catholic traditions she so dearly holds on to as she grew within the light of the gospel. She threw out a duda that she didn't know how to read; we told her God speaks to His children individually and in the way they learn the best, and that our bishop didn't know how to read. She continued denying the 28th. Her daughter bore a strong testimony of the gospel and baptism. We told her God gave those immediate answers to her prayers because He knows she is prepared and she will go through with them. We ended the night in a toss up, and are going back tonight. Funny, despite the fact that she is resisting baptism she keeps letting us in the door.

I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ. I know that He is our Savior and that He lives and communicates to a living prophet. I have no fear because I know it is all true.

Onto your emails. I love you all and I hope you are doing well.

Con amor,

Elder Bosque

Here's a photo of Zapata's main street. The vehicle with the orange cover is a form of public transportation. Just imagine 25 people crammed in it.

Baptism Cancelled

2012-01-16T13:35:00.002-07:00

Hi familia,

Our baptism with I___ was cancelled. We had everything set up and ready to go until his mom had to go all hard-hearted on us. She keeps saying that she has to receive a call from her husband (who is working in the US) to ask for his permission. It is frustrating because she won't let us sit down and explain everything to her, so we talk with her in front of her house and manage to convince her for a moment, only to return and have her say ''màs adelante'' [later] to us again.

The other reason we keep persisting and know that she is throwing up excuses is because I___ has gone to church with the member family that lives across the street for a year. He also remembers what we teach him better than any other child investigator I have ever taught.

You wouldn't believe how many lies we hear every day. We are lied to, ignored, sworn at, and more on a daily basis. We encounter hard-hearted people who refuse to listen and even go as far as calling Moses and other Bible prophets false prophets (I will go into more details later about that) even though they profess to read the Bible. We go through so much garbage (literally, I might add) to find the few and rare people that are prepared to receive the word of God and live it. Even then, with those who are willing to listen, it is a battle to lead them to the baptismal font. There is always some sort of obstacle and the devil never ceases to spice things up.

For example, D___, an old lady who is listening to us and wants to be baptized, but her situation is difficult. She receives a monthly pension from her first husband and she survives off that money. She currently lives in an "union libre" [common law marriage] with an old man that has no form of identification. As D___ put it, ''He doesn't exist''. In order to comply with the commandments so she can be baptized, she needs to separate from him or marry him. The problem is that if she marries him she loses the pension, and also I don't know if it is possible to marry someone that doesn't even have a birth date. Who knows what is going to happen there.

All of the pain and struggle in missionary work reminds me of a line from a talk by Elder Holland. The quote has forever been etched into my mind and burns even brighter when I have a bad day or nothing turns out. He said, ''Salvation is not a cheap experience''. I almost wish he'd said, ''Salvation isn't a cheap experience for the investigator'' because I feel like we pay the price to see people baptized as much as they do.

This week didn't turn out the way we planned it to be. Citas [appointments] fell like dead flies (or rather, cucarachas in our house) and it looks like we will need a strong spiritual moment to convince I___'s mom that this is a blessing and that she too can be baptized. We did find a promising family and we are on good terms with the ward.

E. Hinton and Funk (elders in an area called Cima) are going to baptize a couple that I taught in Alpuyeca. Y___ and F___ (the dude who believed that a doll spoke to him and gave him powers to levitate and move objects without touching them) really want to be baptized. We were about to baptize them when they were living in Alpuyeca but they moved back home to Acapulco before we could get them married. The cool thing is that they remember who I am! It made me so happy to hear that they were super prepared for baptism and that F___ has gotten a whole lot better since Alpuyeca. I may try and go to their baptismal service to say hi.

One more story: F___, the dad of a recent convert, has been duped by the devil. When we went to teach him Thursday night he had a bunch of rubbish questions about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Each of his questions had scriptures from the Bible that he had ''looked up himself'' (even though he doesn't know where the books are in the Bible) to contradict Joseph's account of the First Vision and the Book of Mormon. It was apparent that someone had inserted their own ideas and hatred for the church into his mind. We answered all of his questions by telling him he needed to read the Book of Mormon and pray to God with real intent because that would be the only true way of answering his doubts. We testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, but he would merely move on to his next question without considering our answer in the least. He was looking more to prove us wrong or catch us without an answer to one of his questions and scriptures from the Bible than receive an answer to understand our message. One of the things he was hung up about was a scripture in John 1:18 that states that no man has seen God. E. Morales pulled out an awesome scripture in Numbers 12:6-7 and spoke about how prophets in the Bible had seen the Lord. F___ was so obsessed with his tiny, misinterpreted verse (I believe there is a JST that clarifies that no man has seen God except he has borne record of the Son) that he declared that Moses and others that had claimed to have seen God in Old Testament times were false prophets. It was sad to see how hard-hearted he was. He refused to believe nor read the Book of Mormon because he believed that Joseph Smith wrote it and that all it talks about is his first vision, even after we explained to him repeatedly that it was an account of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.

Oh well. We gotta keep working.

Dad, I hope you have a fantastic birthday and that you enjoy your day with the family. I have always appreciated your words of advice and counsel. You have helped me out all throughout my life and I am grateful for your example of one with an unshakeable testimony in Jesus Christ. I have seen so many types of fathers and leaders here in Mexico and I grow ever more appreciative for you and how you raised me; you respect my agency but correct me when I need it. You are patient and wise with your words. I still remember the car ride home from Lake Powell where we almost ran out of gas and we talked about the gospel. I hope you do something today where you treat yourself well (like buying a cool Mac mouse or BYU jersey) like you have treated me. Happy Birthday!

Sorry about the long email today. I actually thought I had nothing to say. Onto your emails.

Con amor,

Elder Bosque

Life is a Beach & I'm Playing in the Sand

2012-01-09T20:08:00.002-07:00

Familia Bosque,

That's exactly what I just finished doing before sitting down in a cyber-cafe to write you all. Our zone got together and burned our feet in the sand as we played some volleyball and longingly glanced over to the ocean after every point. All is well; we topped off the event with some McDonald's with free Coke refills. Ahhhhhh.

I am finally over my stomach sickness! Woo! I have been sick for the past three weeks with who knows what. At first it was sporadic, then it changed to intestinal pain, and, after a blessing, not eating for a day, and then three days of steamed carrots and caldo de pollo [chicken broth], I feel fine.

We should have a baptism coming up this week. The young chap is named I___ and he loves learning about the gospel. He is eleven and he is already sharing the gospel with his grandma. He reads the folletos [pamphlets] we leave him and remembers what he learns from the lesson before. At the end of church yesterday he called me over to set up the cita [appointment], instead of the regular method of us going to the investigator to set up the following cita. The only thing left that he needs is permission from his dad. This requires a call to the US by his mom because his dad works in the States. Oh, he also turns off schoolmates' phones when they try to show him bad stuff. Cool kid.

We have held a ton of lessons with part-member families here. Some have been fruitful, and others not so much. Last night we taught the longest lesson of my life. Normally lessons go no longer than one hour, but somehow this one extended out to be an hour and forty-five minutes. Whew! Good thing the time flew. I learned a lesson about long lessons: God will allow crazy stuff to happen if you stay to long. For example: The member mom, near the end of the lesson (when we are about to put the investigators with a baptismal date) stands in the middle of everyone, bawling, because her primo-hermano had died ten days earlier and she had just been notified.

The lesson last night did go well. The dad, F____, is interested which is excellent. If you can get the man of the house interested you have one huge obstacle defeated. One daughter of the family, G___, was recently baptized so that is how we found them.

I am eating up the book Jesus the Christ. I know I say this every week but Talmage is a Bible boss. The best part of Jesus the Christ is that it is so long! It is amazing the profound amount of knowledge he knows about Christ and how much more meaning the Biblical stories take on when Talmage explains it all. Jesus is the best! He also was an incredible teacher. His manner of teaching is astounding and so deeply intense. For example, when Simon the Pharisee invites Christ to dine with him and the sinner woman (who is not Mary Magdalene, according to Elder Talmage) comes to clean, kiss, and anoint Christ's feet (Luke ch. 7, I believe) and Christ planches Simon with the story of the two debtors that were forgiven is awesome. James E. Talmage relates it to when Nathan planches Daniel in 2 Samuel (I can't remember the chapter off of the top of my head). It is all so interesting to me and I can't stop reading it. Oh, by the way: Planching is a missionary term for calling someone to repentance in a way that makes you want to say ''oooooh, that burned''. It comes from the verb planchar, which is to iron clothing. President Spannaus planches disobedient missionaries like a pro.

The ward is still a little dysfunctional but nice. One of the counselors announced the speakers and the closing hymn in sacrament meeting yesterday, everyone followed the meeting plan, and then when it was time for the closing prayer the counselor announced two more speakers because there was 15 minutes left until the hour. The two speakers proceeded to take 40 minutes to talk, haha. Odd but we are loving it.

I feel like I am becoming more spiritually dependent on God and more spiritually minded. I am praying constantly and doing my best to remain humble and willing to use the priesthood. Jesus the Christ has been helping me stay interested during my studies and more spiritually minded as I ponder more on what I learn. The biggest question I have had on my mission is why we have a need for our physical bodies on an eternal scheme. I understand that in order to become like God one must attain a body, and the united spirit and element receives a fulness of joy (DyC 93:33), but what purpose does the body have in the eternal scheme of things? It is something of obvious worth because every being without one (namely, the devil and his followers) always seek to obtain one.

I have also learned about the importance of having a strong family and how important it is to be an obedient father with a strong testimony. I have seen so many famlies fall apart because the father failed to be a good example and fell in to serious traps of sin.
Things are going well with E. Morales. He and I get along and we are pretty open with our communication, which is key in any type of relationship.

Onto your emails. Nos vidrios!

Elder Bosque

Hot

2012-01-02T18:51:00.005-07:00

Hi family,

First off, it is unbelievably hot and I am dreading being here in the summer. I hope I leave before then just because of the heat. I am already skinny and don't have any more room to lose more weight. All the fat people in the world should move to Acapulco and try the weight-loss program I invented. Walk outside, up hills, and on dirt paths for hours and hours, and come back indoors to see how much skinnier you've become. It's magic!

Wow, so much to say but so little time. To generalize many points, the ward feels like it is at a stage where it will either remain the same if no action is taken, or explode like the ward did in Alpuyeca if we work hard. The ward here has existed for some 24 years, yet it still only brings in 90 people to church each Sunday. The bishop has been a member of the church for 6 years, and 5 of those as bishop! On top of that, he doesn't know how to read. There is no piano but the ward sings a lot better than the ward in Alpuyeca, haha.

My welcome into 2012 in Mexico was an interesting one. Suffice it to say New Year's is huge here. On New Year's Eve you eat twelve grapes and decide on twelve desires or wishes for the new year, one for every month. You hug everyone at midnight and set off every explosive you have while drinking as much beer possible. Because New Year's is a reason to celebrate it is huge. You turn up the already loud music you have playing, you drink more beer than you usually do, and eat some good food.

As for my personal introduction to 2012, firstly, our next door neighbor happened to be the mero mero pachanguero of Colonia Zapata and blasted his music until 7:30 a.m. There were a ton of fireworks shot off and guns fired in other parts of our area. We ate at three or four members' houses (including the 12 grape tradition) and ended the night listening to the musical and fiery explosions outside our window.

Secondly, I was introduced to the ward, but I never got to meet the bishop or his counselors. I realized that I will have to take the initiative in getting to know everyone, because, unlike Alpuyeca, they don't come to meet you. The culture in this ward is different and I am still getting used to it. You know it is interesting when a 15-year-old girl is married to a 68-year-old man. There are some very faithful members that we are working with. With motivation we can get things going in this ward.

After emailing you all last week I felt, after walking around town, that I would never see another guero [white person] or another person that spoke English ever again. The following day our first cita [lesson] was with a teenage girl named L__ that used to live in Anaheim. It was nice to realize God is looking out for me, even in the little things. L__ hasn't had any real guidance in her life and it looks like it is going to be a challenge to help her realize that all of the answers and happiness she is looking for lies in this gospel and nowhere else.

This past week we did more than the previous elders did during the entire month of December. E. Morales was paired up with an elder who apparently did nothing the final month of his mission. I can tell he didn't do much because he holds all of the positions in the high score charts on the little games on our cell phone. To get things going we have been holding family home evening lessons with the members. We have already gotten a few good investigators and have 5-7 more FHEs to go this week.

E. Morales is cool. I get along with him because he wants to work. He has experience so he doesn't freak out at changes. He is still recovering from being with a dead missionary but he has a good heart so I am not worried. We communicate well with each other.

I haven't taken any photos because I didn't know how dangerous the area would be. It is more dangerous than Alpuyeca and it is very feo [ugly], too. It is a lot dirtier and nastier here. My clothes will be destroyed by the end of my time here in Zapata, haha. We walk more and transportation is cheap, so it doesn't look like I will be spending nearly as much as I did before.

I know that this is the Lord's work we are doing and that I am supposed to be here in Mexico. I love learning the language (E. Morales is teaching me a bunch of slang, yesss) and I hope I can gain a stronger testimony and new language from my experience here. I am reading Jesus the Christ and can't put it down. Talmage is a Bible boss and I love taking a deeper look into the miracles and teachings of Christ. It has helped me come to realize the importance of the power of the priesthood and how it truly can cause miracles. Just the other day we gave a blessing to a man who had the worst fever I have ever seen in my life. He was lying on some old mattress moaning. His legs were trembling and his eyes refused to open. His head was soaked with sweat and it seemed like the heat wouldn't release from his tormented body. We gave him a blessing and in the blessing I told him to be healed. We haven't had a chance to go back and check up on him, but I hope that with my faith and God's will the man will feel better.

My apartment in Zapata is tiny. I now appreciate the mansion we had in Alpuyeca. We cleaned our apartment out today so it should be fine. There are a ton of dead cucarachas everywhere, haha.

That's all my news for this week.

I love you guys,

Elder Bosque

It's Already Heating Up

2011-12-26T16:11:00.003-07:00

Dear Family,

Today I am writing to you from my new area and new home: Zapata, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The most famous city in this state is Acapulco. Yes, that Acapulco--with tourists, beaches and cliff-divers. My area is about 10 miles inland from the coast, though, so I shouldn't be anywhere near any of that stuff. Only moments ago I was lifting my bags into my new living space (try lifting 50-60 pound bags up one floor... it is fun) and have already started up a nice sweat. If the Acapulco region is hot like it is right now in December, I can't imagine what it will be like in March or May. Of the three or four blocks I have seen of my area, Zapata, it seems a lot more ghetto than Alpuyeca, but it does have a cajero [ATM], big grocery stores, and KFC. I don't mind ghetto-ness at all. I am here to work.

This past weekend was a bittersweet one as I said goodbye to converts and members in Alpuyeca, where I have served since June, 2011. I wrote every single one of my converts a note, as well as some beloved members. I am going to miss Alpuyeca a lot, but I am also very ready for a new adventure. I enjoyed being in an area for 7 months but my time was definitely up there.

My time in my birthplace ended with a bang as we partied all night with the Ochoa family on the 24th. In Mexico the Christmas celebration is on the night of the 24th instead of the day of the 25th like it is in the States. We held a talent show (E. Anderson and I made up some songs about the Ochoas that had them laughing), hung out, and ate some delicious food: shrimp soup, mole rojo, a seafood plate whose name I can't remember, and delicious rosca de reyes. Rosca is a type of fruit cake, but so delicious.

Sunday no one was in church. The church culture in Mexico is different. Many treat going to the church regularly as something less serious than perhaps many members in the States do. Try 20 members in church in comparison to our normal number of 150-200.

After church I packed a bag and then went to the Ochoa's again to say hi to all of you on Skype. It was cool to see the family and also Marcelo and Andres. Looks like you guys had a very BYU blue Christmas.

Today Papi Ochoa took me to Cuernavaca, where I boarded a bus and sat for a good 3 hours and 15 minutes. The state of Guerrero is visibly different than Morelos. It seems a lot busier, it is a lot hotter, and there are more bright colors. I was nervous when I got the call to serve here in the Costa Azul zone, but upon boarding the bus I didn't feel nervous, just desirous to work hard. Sadly, I have learned by tough experience that I am not good at traveling long distances; either I start feeling sick or my body starts hurting. I hope my neck can recover tonight, because it feels a little sore.

My compañero is named E. Morales. No, he is not the E. Morales that was with E. Blair before I came to Alpuyeca, but a different one. He has 13 months on the mission and we are "co-iguales" [co-equals], or there isn't a senior or junior companion. I have no idea why president decided to do that, nor do I know how it will affect the companionship, so it is something I am not going to worry about. Apparently we have co-iguales district leaders, so instead of one DL I have two halves, haha.

I enjoyed my final weeks with E. Anderson. He should be able to get 3-4 baptisms this month with the people we had in teaching Alpuyeca. Here in Zapata there are 5 people currently in teaching, so we have a lot of finding to do. I hope we can really make an impact on this area.

I have more bad news about the camera-- we were trying to fix the memory card and what ended up happening was that the card lost all of its images. I lost 2-3 weeks worth of photos, maybe more. I am a little sad about it because we had some hilarious stuff on there. I am trying not to dwell on it and hope that my memory will serve me well of AlpucaYork.

Thanks again for the chat yesterday. Dunc may try and deepen his voice, Megan still isn't married, and dad's hair is a lot longer, but I can tell all is well. On to victory.

Love,

Elder Bosque

Christmas Conference

2011-12-19T21:18:00.002-07:00

Dear Family,

This past week was probably one of our best weeks, even if we didn't baptize. A couple we have been teaching are close to baptism but have to get married first (V. and W., with their child named I.).

I am pretty confident I am leaving Alpuyeca soon. Elder Blair wants me to go to Cuautla. I have no idea where I will be going. I imagine I will be going to some tiny little pueblo in the hills of who knows where for 6 months. Can you believe that I am 3 months away from being halfway done on my mission? Nutso.

Our mission president said we can have a visit via Skype on Christmas day but it needs to be limited to 45 minutes. I will be online at 2:00 p.m. my time (1:00 p.m. your time). It will be so strange to see everyone again after nine months. Where has the time gone?

I got the package from home the other day. It didn't say ¨NAVIDAD¨ or anything of the like on it, but when I began opening it Claire had some Christmas paper things for us, so I am guessing it's my Christmas package. I won't open it until Christmas day.

I got E. Anderson a cool Mexican backpack for Christmas. I didn't know what to get him and they are pretty cool. I haven't found a single place to wrap the Christmas presents I bought for people down here so I used the newspaper you guys used as padding in a package you sent me to wrap one gift, and I think I will use one of my many Zucaritas (Frosted Flakes) boxes that I have lying around the house for the others. I have been able to fulfill my dreams of eating however much cereal I want while here in Mexico. It is wonderful.

One fun thing that occurred this week was the mission Christmas conference. We went to Civac and joined up with Zonas Civac and Cuernavaca. We did a big white elephant gift exchange (my Mexican backpack gift was the first thing to be stolen three times, haha) and I scored a nice fleece hat. It keeps my cranium warm in the semi-chilly mornings. The conference began with a talent show. E. Anderson and I wrote lyrics about President Spannaus and baptizing to the tunes of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Joy to the World." We must have done okay because President loved it and now wants a copy of our lyrics. The other district in our zone did a sick interpretive dance to a song called "Healing Waters", where they danced robotically and played out the whole teaching, baptizing, and confirmation process. We took a break for some food and finished with a thunderous devotional by Hermana and President Spannaus.

Hna. Spannaus talked about grace. I liked how she said that grace isn't something we receive after reaching a certain point on the imaginary line between us and God, but rather that we can receive grace continually-- before, during, and after.

Pres. Spannaus' talk was powerful. He spoke about our "fuente de fuerza" [source of strength]. Where do we get our strength? Money, muscles, strong family, intelligence, baptisms, etc? He told us it could all disappear in a moment. He spoke about our need to have our source of strength in Christ and in nothing else, because all other things can and will fall. He showed us pictures of the time he went to Jerusalem and told us he didn't gain his testimony by going inside the tomb of Christ, but rather in his seminary class as a boy and at church. It was awesome.

The conference was nice because I was able to relax and stop stressing about the work. I have got to learn how to become more relaxed but still effective, not only as a missionary but as a person in general.

That's it for this week. I can't wait to see and talk to you all through Skype on Christmas day.

Merry Christmas,

Elder Bosque

Closing in on Christmas

2011-12-12T20:17:00.002-07:00

Hello family,

I just got done with my Christmas "Shopping." I walked through the giant mall called Galerias in Cuernavaca and couldn't believe how expensive everything was (even in dollar equivalent). I couldn't find a single clearance rack! I felt really odd as a missionary in a mall. My needs have changed completely and I found I had no interest in the stores I normally would wander around for hours. The great part of the mall were the Domino's, Krispy Kreme, Burger King, Subway, and Haagen Daaz. We bought a few gifts for a white elephant game we will be playing at the Christmas Conference this Thursday and some chocolates for our favorite ward members. I should be Skyping you guys if everything turns out well.

It so weird to think it's Christmas time yet the sun still shines here in Alpuyeca and it is warm every day. This will be my first Christmas without snow--nothing but sun, sun, sun.

I think I've said this before, but we see dogs all the time here in Mexico. At first I vowed I would never touch a dog, but I sometimes pet the house animals now (you'd be crazy to touch a street dog). After seeing every mixed breed of dog possible (that's what happens with street dogs roaming everywhere) I think I would get a grey dog with short, non shedding hair and grey eyes. Granted, I am never going to get a dog, but if I were forced to I would get that. It would be a cool animal to take up with me into the mountains if it were smart enough to listen to me.

I experienced my first earthquake this past week! It felt more like intense bass in Marcus's home theater, but it was still cool. Right as we were talking with investigators V____ and W___ about being baptized the floor started rumbling and there were sounds of glasses trembling around. Vicente got up and zoomed out of the house with his wife and kids, then E. Anderson got up and told me to come, so I grabbed my pack and followed out. The trembling decreased gradually until it ceased about a minute later.

V___ and W___ were going to be baptized this coming weekend but because the didn't come to church yesterday (we still don't know why) they will have to wait one more week. We normally want our investigators to attend church at least twice before being baptized. They have big plans to be baptized and we are excited for them.

We saw some interesting local traditions from the rooftop of Yuka's house the other day. Her house is built right on one side of the Catholic church in centro Alpuyeca. Apparently they were re-enacting the battle between the Moors and Christians with big costumes, weird masks, and machetes bought from the local Truper (Home Depot). Alpuyeca is a very religious pueblo and you get to see interesting religious traditions here.

I am trying to work on pondering and meditating more. In a very interesting church movie about the life of Joseph Smith, his mother writes in her journal that Joseph would ponder on things for long periods of time. He has received some of the greatest revelations for our time (the First Vision and other select revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants) following periods of meditation, and I want to become more in tune with the Spirit and receive more inspiration. A few weeks ago I began pondering on the life of Christ, particularly his Crucifixion. I thought about how his death was an integral part of fulfilling the will of God, particularly to overcome the obstacle of physical death. I thought about the way He was killed and if it were necessary for Him to die in that way. Although I wasn't able to really study deeply on the subject, I came up with an answer for myself by using another example found in the Bible (just wait, all of this will make sense in a moment). During class on Sunday only one investigator came (G____), so we ended up teaching him the lesson about the Restoration (we teach gospel principles class) and he asked if the people that killed Jesus were considered good, because they helped fulfill that part of the plan. It was a crazy moment because I had thought to an extent about that same thing weeks earlier, and because I had already thought about it I could give him the answer that took me awhile to come up with. I asked him if he thought was Satan was evil. He said yes. I then proceeded to explain how Satan tried to meddle with the plans of God when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, and although it may seem like what he did was good for mankind (because now we exist; see 2 Nephi 2), his intentions were to destroy God's plan and ruin mankind. God, being omnipotent and far greater than the devil, is two steps ahead of him in everything. The people that crucified Christ didn't do it to fulfill the plan of God, but to get rid of someone who cramped on their strict Mosaic Law and started taking power away from the "religious" groups and people (Pharisees and Sadducees). The lesson went really well with G___ and he quickly accepted a date to be baptized on the 30th of this month if he receives his answer before then.

As we close on Christmas I feel that I also may be closing the door of my time in Alpuyeca. I am going to keep working as if I am going to stay, but by the end of this month I will have lived here for 7 months. I have built great relationships with the people here and I am going to miss them a lot. I plan on writing everyone letters (I am going to have more than 30 to write, yay) before I go to keep in touch. Christmas will be my final day here, and it will be spent with my second family, the Ochoas. I love them.

I know I may be jumping the gun when I say this, but I am also close to completing a year on my mission. In four months (or two and a half changes) I will have a year on the mission. Crazy how time flies!

I don't really care if I get my packages from you before Christmas. My needs and wants have changed since I have been a missionary. I don't care if I get letters; when I get them they are like a treat. I appreciate what I receive, but what I really focus on is if I am healthy, if I am obeying the rules, if we are working to our potential, and if our investigators are feeling the spirit and being baptized.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful Navidad and remember Christ during this month.

Con amor,

Elder Bosque

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

2011-12-05T21:29:00.005-07:00

Hello Family,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...probably because E. Anderson and I have decorated our house with Christmas decorations that he received from his mom. We now have a big Christmas banner, a feliz navidad sign, and a paper Christmas tree! It is pretty awesome. We lack some lights and snow or else we would be good to go!

We visited A__so during the week to see if we could help him on his decision of being baptized. We showed up to his house unannounced and the family welcomed us in. Before I could finish uttering the question about baptism to A__so after the prayer he told us he wanted to be baptized. It was so thrilling. We had prepared ourselves doctrinally and mentally for a lesson to help him realize the need for baptism but, and I believe it was due to the example of his sister, he had already made up his mind. We made the final arrangements for the service and he was baptized on Saturday and confirmed with his sister yesterday.

A__ra and A__so have changed. A___ra is energetic and hyper with happiness. She speaks really, really, really fast and is excited for our visits. A____so is one of those young men with a smile permanently set on his face. Their baptisms had a positive impact on the ward and also on their mom. She wants to be baptized, she just needs to stop working Sundays and get married. Yes, A___so has decided not to work on Sundays anymore, and is now praying for work during the week. Go A___so!

We watched the First Presidency Christmas devotional last night in Spanish. The familiarity of Temple Square brought back memories of life before the mission. It was a nice service and we all enjoyed seeing the prophet and his counselors. I am really looking forward to Navidad this year. I plan on reading the account of the birth of the Savior before Christmastime.

On to the other emails! I hope all is going well in snowy Utah and all throughout the world.

Love,

Elder Bosque

An Atheist who Prays to ___ Twice a Day

2011-11-28T21:07:00.005-07:00

Hello family,

Yes, our good atheist friend J___ has finished reading First Nephi in the Book of Mormon and now prays to God twice a day. The funny thing is that he still isn't sure that God exists, although he has felt more calm and focused since he began praying. We left him the commitment to pray and ask to know if God exists. I told President Ochoa (he comes with us to the lessons) to call me if J____ ever gets baptized. I think I will cry if he does. I love lessons with J____ because they always are heavily guided by the Spirit and taught by testimony and personal experiences.

Thanksgiving was celebrated at the bishop's house. Because a turkey was giant and expensive, we dined on a chicken, stuffing, and puree de papa [mashed potatoes] instead. I thought it was really nice of the bishop and his family to celebrate an American holiday with us. Bishop is now employed by the church and had to work during our meal (the first time I have eaten la comida without him since I got to Alpuyeca).

We did a service project in Galeana on Thanksgiving day as well. We swept 1 km of concrete curbing and scraped paint off of it as well in the blistering sun as cars blew by. All of the elders stopped to take a break and sip a cup of Coca Cola (the water of Mexico, and I'm afraid I am hooked on it as well) and then hit the cement for more work. I will probably never see that strip of road again but I have never been so personally acquainted with any other stretch of asphalt in my life.

I don't think I have told you all of the pueblos in my area. My area covers more than 4 municipios and includes pueblos like (so you can see how big my area is on a map): Coatlan del Rio, Mazatapec, Miactlan, Palpan, Alpuyeca, Tepetzingo, Tetecala, Tetecalita, El Rodeo, Zapata, Tezoyuca, Xoxhitepec, Xochicalco, Xoxocotla, Chinconcuac, Coatetelco, and I think a few more.

We finally baptized A_____! It has been weeks of her pushing back her baptismal date and we finally got her to be baptized just last night. She was very excited and there were a lot of people in attendance (20 plus). The service went really well with two nice youth talks and a bienvenido to the mujeres jovenes [young women] from the presidenta herself.

Like most baptismal services here in Alpuyeca, something had to go wrong in the final minutes. Instead of having no water and needing to go baptize A____ in a swimming pool (remember Y__'s baptism?), the water came out of the faucet green. Before we knew it we had a font of green water. It was crunch time so we called Jeovani. He came to the capilla [chapel] and couldn't believe his eyes. We rushed to a store, bought some cloro (bleach, I think), poured the bottle into the font, and mized it around with a squeegee tool. The water turned from a Shrek green to a more tranquil lake green (more clear). Hurrah for last-minute Mexican thinking. Ah, I love the crazy things that happen at the last moment.

We are going to try and help A____'s brother change his mind about not being baptized. The poor chap is 13 but works to support his family and has received a lot of pressure from his dad (who hates us). He is very confused and I think a little sad.

I loved hearing A____'s testimony at her baptismal service when she could resolutely declare that she knew that this church is true and that the Book of Mormon is true after her own personal experimentation with them both. I know that it isn't enough to claim to have faith, but to use your faith and experiment upon the words of the prophets and of Jesus Christ. I know that our leaps of faith are supported with a firm foundation of testimony as God leads our trajectory.

I love Alpuyeca and I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I may not be here by the time Christmas rolls around. I am trying to find any moment to talk to my converts and let them know I love them.

That's all for this week. Thanks for correcting my degrading English grammar. I may not be eloquent in Spanish but my English is already getting worse.

Bye,

Elder Bosque

P.S. Here are some more photos. Um, it's best that you don't ask what Elder Anderson and I were doing when these pics were taken. Just know it was all very safe...Mexican style :)

Happy Thanksgiving from Sunny Mexico

2011-11-21T20:42:00.003-07:00

Hola familia,

Sorry, I have just 20 minutes to read and send emails today so this is going to be short.

Dad sent me an email this morning saying that today it's cold and rainy in Utah--the kind of day that makes you want to stay in bed all day. Well, today is another cloudless, hot day in Mexico. The kind of day where you want to sleep in a hammock under a tree with jugo de piña, fresa, and naranja [pineapple, strawberry and orange juice] mixed together. Not that I'm rubbing it in or anything!

If you've ever questioned the value of Ecco shoes, don't. My non-Ecco shoes are totally shot after just five and a half months in Mexico. The other day I poured 6-9 oz. of dirt out of the sole of one of my shoes. It finally clicked why my one foot would be black and the other white at the end of each day. I can't believe how much dirt and dust was in my shoe. I have tried to glue the holes shut but it isn't working. I am going to take it to the shoe guy in town to see what he can do.

This week we baptized a boy named E___ and we hope to baptize A___ and A___ this weekend. Sadly, their dad loathes us and I think that is what is holding up the baptism. E___ was super-excited to be baptized and even showed up to the service in a new suit and tie. He wants to serve a mission.

I have been a little stressed lately and I feel like I may have gotten out of touch with what it means to be a true missionary. This week didn't really have the excitement and love that it normally has for missionary work. I am stressed because I have to manage a lot of things like an area, a missionary, and investigators. Don't worry though--I am doing fine health-wise and I am not a depressed mess :).

We should be having a classic Thanksgiving this week...with a Mexican influence of course. The bishop of our ward here very kindly did Thanksgiving dinner for the guero [white] missionaries last year and he's doing it this year too. I can't believe how kind and thoughtful people are here.

I found out changes may be before Christmas (December 20 to be exact). If so, and I get moved from Alpuyeca, I am going to be so sad. I have grown to love these people so much and I want to spend Christmas among my new friends and family.

That's it for this week.

Love,

Elder Bosque

Vaquero Por un Dia

2011-11-14T19:54:00.006-07:00

Hola Familia,

This week was both a hard week and a fun week. Thursday, the day I was looking forward to most, ended up being a big flop because we had to run from one pueblo to another and waste a ton of money. This week was also a fun one because I got to attend the birthday fiesta of Mi Amor (three-year-old Giovana), have a lengthy conversation with a lawyer about baptism, and be a vaquero por un dìa.

Giovana and her brother, Javier (who turned five), held a big fiesta to celebrate their birthdays. Of course I couldn't miss out on attending the biggest bash in the Tres de Mayo community all year. There were Spiderman and princess piñatas, lots of jello (popular dessert here), balloons, and very annoying loud whistle toys blown by twenty three wired up children. Madhouse. Mi Amor looked elegant in her Tinkerbell attire and she assured me at the beginning (with a big-eyed nod) that she could fly with her wings. I love Mexican parties.

Sunday evening we sat down in the home of investigator E___ to chat with his dad about E____'s baptism. His family, like the rest of Alpuyeca, is related to some other people we know, namely, the family we rent from (and this family has a child that was baptized and served a mission). Over a bowl of caldo [soup] (I got the neck nerve meat from a cow or pig, I don't remember, but it was like rubber string cheese that you can't chew), E___'s father, a lawyer, told us that he respected his child's decision to be baptized but wondered why we had rushed things. I knew E. Anderson wouldn't know what to say (I remembered being in those seemingly impossible situations where you don't know how to respond when I was companions with E. Blair) so it was up to me to reply. I told him the things that came to my mind. I explained to him that Eric has taken the initiative to know the church and its doctrine. I explained the interview process before the baptism and the parent signature. Apparently my response was sufficient because he asked where to sign the paper consenting to his son's baptism. Speaking of E____, he is boss. He has already told people he is Mormon even though he hasn't been baptized yet. He is also inviting people to come listen to us. Woo!

Today we went at six in the morning to a pueblo called ''Los Idolos'' near Tilzapotla (which is south of Tehuixtla--yes, I know none of these place names mean anything to anyone but me, but aren't they cool?). We were vaqueros por un dìa [cowboys for a day] with J_____ (our convert) and his dad, the owner of the rancho. We milked cows, watched a cowboy stick his arm into the uterus of a cow and pull out the placenta, met a crazy bull, attempted to lasso cows, and wore sombreros. Misael, J_____'s father, invited us to the pueblo of Tepetzingo's party next Monday where we will watch his crazy bull try to kill some crazy people. I think we may go.

Misael is the rough cowboy type that drinks moonshine and swears every other word. E. Anderson commented to me, ''I can understand normal conversations, but cowboy talk is so confusing.'' I told him it was because it was all swear words, and then laughed because I thought it was funny. E. Anderson also said that milking a cow is like pulling on an old person's face. I got a kick out of that description. Misael has had quite a bit of contact with the church and has told us he is interested, but content with his life. I don't think he wants to give up the tequila. He is a cool guy and would be even cooler if he decided to be baptized.

Life is always interesting and different in Mexico. I love this place and plan on coming back one day. Yes, it is dangerous and the evils of the world are more prevalent here than any other place I have been to in my life, but I love it. I love the people, and my heart is attached to Alpuyeca. I love how people have enough time to stop on the street and chat with you for a few minutes. I love how one is always welcome into the home of a friend. ''Mi casa es su casa'' is interpreted very literally here.

I think it is about time we baptize A____, E____, and A____; it is just a matter of A_____ giving us the time of day to perform the service. We are gunning for 6 baptisms this month and it looks like it is going to be a close one.

Con amor,

Elder Bosque

Elder Anderson and me at Mi Amor's fiesta

El rancho

Elder Anderson milking a cow

Mexican Spelunking

2011-11-07T20:51:00.003-07:00

Hola Family,

Cool stuff that occurred this week:

I ate cooked grasshopper. It had a chili and limón flavor to it. I also had corn ice cream. It actually didn't taste too bad! I also got hives for the first time in my life.

At one o'clock in the morning Sunday I woke up itching my body like crazy. One or two nights previous I had killed one or two thousand ants that had been crawling on my wall (they were transferring homes but I killed them all in the process--yay for squirt bottles filled with Pinol) and I thought that maybe they had made a path through my bed and bit me on the way. Then later in church my body started itching more and I had red spots swelling on my legs and some on my arms. I had to bail out of Elders Quorum to put some anti-itch cream on my feet, which had then begun to bother me.

We ate la comida with Jeovani and the swelling, itching, and pain only increased and spread over my body. We decided to cancel our cita with an investigator named Eric and went home. I sat in the shower for a half an hour trying to cool off my body and ease the itchiness away. It was all a very unpleasant experience, especially being my first with hives and weird rashes. We spoke to Hna. Spannaus and the mission doctor and I think I had an allergic reaction to something I ate. E. Anderson gave me a blessing and I took some allergy medicine. Two or three hours later I didn't have a single red smudge on my body. It was awesome to see such quick results. Today I took some more medicine and am doing fine. The only things I ate a lot of in the past few days were rabanas [radishes] and mandarinas [tangerines] ... and I sure hope I am not allergic to mandarinas!

We decided to delay A____'s baptism so she can be baptized with her little brother, A____ (yes, lots of names in Mexico start with the letter A). He took an immediate liking to the Book of Mormon and loved church. We were going to baptize them this coming Saturday but their dad is going in for surgery. It is a scary thing for them because he is getting some sort of eye surgery but also has diabetes and there is a risk of his blood sugar level rising during the operation. Then, on top of that, he is sick with a cold which is really affecting his body. We are all praying that things will be fine with the surgery this weekend.

We got a ward mission leader this past week and we are excited to begin working with him. He is the father of the bishop, who recently moved to Xochitepec from Civac. With him and our ward missionaries we are going to see a lot of help go to our converts who need support in staying active. Already some of my converts have reverted back to old ways and don't come to church. It makes me really sad to see them regress in such a short period of time.

This past week President Spannaus planched us (smote our souls with his words) as he called the zone to repentance. A lot of the elders have slacked off these past few weeks and Pres. decided to call us all back into order. One could feel the slap of the call to repentance against the skin of our souls during those 5 long hours in the church building that afternoon. Overall however it was a fun zone conference despite the need to improve again.

We just got home from Las Grutas caves today on our P Day. It is a huge set of caves (one of the largest cave systems in the world) that are SO COOL. I have attached some pictures below.

Changes are coming up this next Monday and everyone is talking about it. I know I am staying with E. Anderson so I am not too worried about leaving my beloved Alpuyeca, but I will miss the District. Elder Cornejo (currently serving in Puente de Ixtla) has become one of my brothers. I plan on keeping in touch with him for the next two years and onward. I want him to come study at BYU and I think he can make it in. He is very intelligent and works hard.

Things are hot and dandy here in Mexico. The cave excursion only makes me want to travel around Mexico even more and go camping and rock climbing. We have baptisms coming up in the future and we hope to have more all throughout December as well. We are baptizing all of Alpuyeca!

Thanks for your love and letters. I got the Halloween package (everyone loved the Little Debbie brownies), and letters from Jason Chen (you speak well for a month in España, Jason!), Emilee Estrada (finally! woo!), and another Stapley-Forrest packet. I am stocked to go for the next few weeks with food.

By the way, a true taco has two tortillas per taco, not just one. Keep that in mind as you venture to find the most authentic Mexican food in the US.

Adios,

Elder Bosque

Jesus was Baptized!

2011-10-31T20:42:00.007-06:00

Hello Forrest Family,

This week was a difficult one with lots of dropped citas (appointments) but it ended on a promising note with a baptism Saturday and some great new investigators from two evening visits.

First off, the doughnuts. Mexican doughnuts are amazing. They aren't deep fried like US doughnuts and they are covered in this delicious milk chocolate. E. Anderson and I are in love with then so Jeovani gave us some with fresh cow milk Sunday night. I wish they had these in the States. It is is 3 or 4 pesos for a bit of heaven. We are also on the hunt for caramel-filled churros. We may go some evening with Jeovani to dine on more delectable postres de Mexico.
Speaking of food, I played a funny joke on E. Anderson while we were in the fraccionimiento Paseos Del Rio en Zapata. We passed by the house of an ex-investigator of E. Morales and E. Blair nicknamed "the Pie Man" because he always gave the elders pies (I heard they were all disgusting; one was a meat pie that they couldn't eat and gave to their neighbors, who couldn't even choke it down). He called us over to his house and we waited outside his front door as he ventured into the kitchen. E. Anderson asked me, "What do you think this guy is doing?" and I responded, "I don't know, maybe he's gonna give us a pie or something cool like that." Pie Man came back with pay de elote, or corn pie. We accepted the moist wheel of corn dough and went on our way. E. Anderson was mind-blown that I had guessed that we were going to get a pie. For the following 15 minutes he kept asking me questions about how I could have possibly known that we were going to get a pie of all things from the man. It was hard not to laugh, and eventually my cover was blown. E. Anderson had the guts to eat a bite of the pie and he ended up spitting it all out into the garbage. It smelled (I didn't dare do much more than smell) like it didn't have a pinch of sugar in it. Good times as a missionary in Mexico.

One morning we found this freak creature outside of our front door. It is weird and not a single person we asked knew what it was. Many pretended to know, but the stories varied. It bites, it doesn't bite; it can jump a foot in the air; it is a spider; it is an alacran; they are all over Cuernavaca; it sucks blood; it is harmless. The native Alpuyacenses basically invoked the Nicene Creed for this freak bug creature: it is everything and nothing!

Unfortunately it died only a few hours ago. We kept it in a bucket and fed it beetles, giant ants, spiders, raw meat, pay de elote, and it ate nothing. Hmm, pay de elote...maybe that's what did it in. Duncan would love this creature from Mars that no one recognizes.

We are getting a lot of help from Obispo [bishop] concerning missionary work. He is really working hard to get this ward moving. He called his father to be our ward mission leader and he is trying hard to implement the ward mission plan. I look forward to finally working with a ward mission leader; something I have never done on my mission to this date. We will also be celebrating Thanksgiving at the Obispo's house this month, too. I am very grateful for the ward support and I enjoy the relationship I have with the members. It is nice knowing an area, establishing friendships with members, and knowing the history of the people and pueblo. I feel like a true AlpucaYorker!

Jesús' baptism was great. We were well prepared for the service which led to a very spiritual experience. Not many people came (11) but his parents did as well as some of his youth friends from the ward. I loved how he had a smile on his face the entire time. It is an impressive sight to see a 12-year-old take such initiative in his life. Jesús took a quick interest to the Book of Mormon, attends the youth activities and church on his own accord, and also goes to school, plays soccer on a club team, and works for his uncle in Cuernavaca. I feel like I have another little brother in the gospel!

Zone conference is this week. I am excited and a bit nervous. The zone hasn't been up to par with its performance this past month and I am sure president will be making a few comments on our less than attractive performance. This month looks promising for E. Anderson and me but it is also going to be a month of work. We have some good investigators that are rapidly progressing towards baptism and others that lack a distinct answer to their prayers.

Thanks for the support.

Your missionary,

Elder Bosque

Here is the cutest girl ever at her 3rd birthday party. I call her "mi amor." She is the daughter of Jeovani who is in our bishopric.

A dancing pig! Stick around long enough in Mexico and you're pretty much guaranteed to see everything and anything you can imagine...and plenty you can't imagine too.

The Wilderness of Alpuyeca

2011-10-24T20:41:00.006-06:00

Hola Familia,

This week's epistle will tell how my companion and I have ventured through the deepest jungles of Alpuyeca to find the chosen people of the Lord.

Two weeks ago on a Lasser (big bus) we bought pens that have lights for the pen cap. I named mine Green Brilliance because the cap is green and the brand name is Brilliance. Little did we know that our five peso investment would help bring someone closer to Christ.

We had a NDH (noche de hogar, or family home evening) planned with one of our investigators named G____ (roomie of J____). She has had surgeries on her brain, arm, and I think even her spine so she can't see well, uses a bastòn (I can't remember the word in English) [a cane], and likes to tell stories over and over. Our classic NDH includes a hand-eye coordination activity and the short version of the Joseph Smith Restoration video. Obviously our preset NDH was not going to be as effective with G_____ as it normally would be given her visual impairment. We had to do some quick thinking on our feet.

The lesson began and we spoke about prophets, the need to have a prophet in modern times, and the organization and fall of Christ's church. As we spoke about the death of Jesus Christ, the deaths of His apostles, and the loss of the power and authority of God on the earth, we turned off the lights to symbolize the spiritual darkness the world had entered into. We continued to teach in the dark as we spoke of Joseph Smith's search for the light and truth that had been lost. Then, as we reached the part of the lesson about the vision Joseph received when he prayed for an answer, and as E. Anderson recited Joseph's accounting of the experience, Green Brilliance was brilliantly put into action. As E. Anderson uttered the words "Yo vi una columna de luz..." ["I saw a pillar of light"] I turned on my pen and shone it in everyone's eyes. It was so awesome. The brilliance of the top-quality LED light was stunning as it contrasted with the darkness we had been in. By the end of the lesson G______ had committed herself to being baptized, and two Sundays ago she came to church. This past Sunday she missed church (who knows why) so we will likely baptize her next week.

This week we will be baptizing Jesus. Yes, just when you thought he had already been baptized by John in the Jordan River, we are doing it again here in Alpuyeca. In Mexico, anything is possible.

Jesus is 12 and super excited to be baptized. He started coming to church on his own two weeks ago after participating in the youth activities for a few weeks. Just yesterday we took part in a life-changing experience for him.

At the end of our lesson on the gospel on Jesus Christ, we invited him to pray to know if this church was true and if he should be baptized this Saturday. One could feel the sincerity of Jesus' prayer as he earnestly asked Father in Heaven concerning these two things. We waited in silence for God to answer his prayer after Jesus whispered amen. We then asked him how he felt. I loved his response: "I feel another me. I feel like I am changing, that I am becoming better. I feel God's presence and I feel peace and tranquility. I feel different. I feel like a new me." It was touching and incredible to see how quickly his faithful prayer had been answered. We testified to him that the Spirit was touching his heart.

The experience was a reminder to me of the power of a sincere prayer. Heavenly Father is the Miracle Maker and He answers the prayers of His prophets and His 12-year-old sons deep in the heart of Mexico. I know that we can pray and receive answers by means of the Holy Ghost. I know that we can know for a surety that God loves us and that this church is the church of Jesus Christ. It will be a great pleasure and blessing to see Jesus baptized this Saturday.

E. Anderson and I had a great week. We used sledgehammers to bash cement stairs, my tortilla count is up to 171 in 5 weeks, and we are building up a good pool of people to teach. E. Anderson and I get along well; we enjoy talking about basketball, joking around, and traveling through the dense jungle of Alpuyeca. He has had a great attitude this past week and has helped me out with managing the area and using our time wisely. I don't have to worry about him saying anything obscure during lessons and he is doing a good job accustoming himself to Mexico and the missionary way of life.

Life is great in Alpuyeca and I am doing well health-wise. The nights and mornings have become quite cold and I end up studying the whole morning with my rain jacket and bed sheet wrapped around me. I don't have any sweaters, blankets, or sweats but like a true Mexican I am making it happen with what I have.

Viva Alpuyeca!

Love,

Elder Bosque

P.S. Jennifer--if you read this blog post, thank you for the Under Armour shirt you gave me a couple of years ago. It is so awesome. I love using that thing every P Day.

I have also found the Swiss Army knife dad told me to buy useful as well.

I have seen spider webs in Mexico that are 2-3 feet across. Spiders like this one will eat large butterflies.

Cool News from AlpucaYork

2011-10-17T17:49:00.002-06:00

Hello family,

Here is the cool news of the week: E. Anderson and I bought these sweet five peso pens that come with a light. The cap of the pen is a small LED light that works great at night. The pen isn't the best, but I still get a kick out of ''Athing two use'' as its motto.

I received a lot of letters-- thank you! I got letters from Tyler Draper, E. Vincent (I will need his mission address and not his MTC one), Stapley-Forrest fam, the Stapley girls' picture card, the Saxeys, and a letter I tried to send to Brittany Fishback months ago that came back. I don't have another address for her but hopefully I can contact her! I also got a letter from Jennifer Roadcap and from William. I now have a lot of letters to write! My only problem with the letters from certain people who shall remain nameless was all of the evil Yoot propaganda that I got inside. Don't you people know I'm trying to serve the Lord out here? Stop trying to stop the work of the God with your talk of darkness. Otherwise, thanks for the updates on life :)

My list of ''Mexico: Where anything is possible'' is steadily growing. One of the latest is ''Where a blender store and underwear shop are the same business run in the same building''. Who knows the connection between food blenders and boys boxers but I won't think too hard about that one.

This past weekend we baptized J_______ It was a precious moment to see his huge smile after being baptized. On Sunday for his confirmation he was equally joyful. Happiness beamed from his face. It was cool to teach him in both English and Spanish (he grew up in the US), and ironic how we seem to be finding so many English speakers here in Mexico. We meet a lot of people that picked up a word or two during their temporary stay in the States.

On Sunday I gave my second talk here in Mexico and E. Anderson his first. The theme for sacrament meeting was about missionary work. We handed out survey papers that we created and asked the members to check the options that they would like to do to help us out (present amigos, take us to a lesson, teach a lesson with us, attend a baptismal service). Later the bishop helped us get some more references during priesthood meeting. We also taught class, too. I am appreciative of bishop and all of his help and advice and I hope we really see another explosion of baptisms here in Alpuyeca. I want to leave this place singing Christmas songs with more convert friends.

Taking on more responsibility has really kept me focused on the work. I am constantly wracking my brain for ways to find new investigators, plan out our week effectively, use the members, and teach E. Anderson all at the same time. Luckily E. Anderson has a good hold on the language and he is constantly seeking to learn more. We have already begun to have funny moments while teaching and chatting and I look forward to working hard with him in the weeks to come.

That seems to be it for this week. We are working hard and trying our best out here. We will see if we can pull off three more baptisms by the end of this month.

Elder Bosque

Week One with Elder Anderson

2011-10-10T21:30:00.003-06:00

Hello Family,

This week started a little bumpy as I fought an intense cold (if you can call it that): sore throat, odd headaches, lack of appetite, fever, and more. As of now I feel fine (I took antibiotics for my throat); I tire easily but have recovered from the headaches, throat, and fever. I still can't eat as much as I used to, but I gained back the pounds I had upon leaving the MTC.

My new companion is named Elder Anderson from Temecula, CA. He did a year at BYU before coming on a mission and is excited to be here. He speaks pretty good Spanish. I am not worried about him learning fast because he has a desire to learn and be a good missionary.

This week was spent visiting the members. We rendered service to a member family with some awesome machetes. Oh yeah, we chopped huge tree branches into bits with machetes. Little Man, you would have loved this service project. Machetes are light and fast and yes, they make the cool ¨WaShiing!¨ noise when you chop things into pieces.

This week's lesson with J., the self-professed atheist, was spiritual. We taught him the plan of salvation and he expressed to us that he wants to believe in it. He wants us to come back in three weeks after he has read more of the Book of Mormon but we are going to try and visit again this coming week.

Our teaching pool is on the brink of exploding again. We are going to work in a part of our area that previously has not had many missionaries. A huge pueblo by the name of Xochitepec (near Alpuyeca) will be our target this week. There are only three member families we know of there so working with members may not be as open of an option as I would like.

We are planning on having a baptism this week, and hopefully we will begin to baptize weekly as we have done before in AlpucaYork. You should be getting a picture of E. Anderson and Johnathan dressed in white next week!

I am going to read and complete the Book of Mormon in Spanish by Christmas Eve. I am currently in 2nd Nefi.

I have already bought my piece of land in AlpucaYork and am beginning to build my house. I will have so long here in AlpucaYork that the pueblo will soon be giving me citizenship.

That is really it for this week. As usual things go by quickly and before we know it it will be Christmas. I sent out a huge batch of letters to people that wrote me this summer. I am writing back; it just takes some time to find a mail station and travel. Keep up the letters!

Thank you for your love and support,

Elder Bosque

P.S. They celebrate Dia de los Muertos here. I figure I am going to dress as a missionary and go knock doors.

This is how we ride in AlpucaYork! Okay, okay, no need to panic--note there's no one behind the steering wheel. We are rule-keeping missionaries...who just like to play the fool every now and then.

Look Ma, I'm Training

2011-10-03T21:22:00.002-06:00

Hello Bosque Clan,

For the next three months I will be training a new missionary in AlpucaYork. I have no idea who he is, where he is from, nada. I pick him up from Cuernavaca tomorrow morning and we begin working immediately. I am very nervous, to be quite honest. I feel like I just barely got here and now I have to take on a lot of responsibility as I manage an area and train a new missionary at the same. Ironically just last week I was thinking about how good I've got it here with E. Blair in comparison to the difficulties and trials elders like Elders Croft and Durrant have had on their missions. I am nervous for this change. I will likely be leaving AlpucaYork at the end of two changes (the minimum amount of time to train a missionary). The new year will mark a new area.

It was really sad to see E. Blair go. He is going to be a zone leader in Cuatla. We went around and said goodbye to converts and members and it was hard not to tear up. I love that elder a lot and I know we will be keeping in touch. He is a great missionary and I enjoyed my time with him. He had 7 months here in AlpucaYork and I will have 7 months here as well.

To add to the nerves and sadness, I got sick this weekend. I have a sore throat, headache, and I think I have been fevering. Mum, don't worry; I spoke to Hermana Spannaus and I am taking medicine. I feel bad because I will be picking up my new companion and I won't be 100%. Needless to say I have begun to rely on the Lord even more this weekend and for the weeks to come.

General Conference was a lot of fun. All of the American missionaries watched the sessions in English. We had our own room and we snacked on goodies and chatted. On Sunday we had to watch GC in two secretary offices. GC is watched in the stake center via satellite. I am looking forward to reviewing the talks in the months to come.

Mum, I got your package with the SA soccer jersey (thanks Angi!), jump rope, and the candies for E. Blair and me. It came at the perfect time, so thank you so much! How did the package get here so fast? It only took 11 days or so to reach me.

I don't feel like there is much to say today. I am low on energy so being motivated to write copious amounts is difficult. Thank you for your love and support. We will see how the next few weeks play out as I take control of the area and as we seek to baptize.

Adios,

Elder Bosque

Jedi Mind Tricks, Teaching a Brit, & a Baptism

2011-09-26T21:49:00.002-06:00

Hola familia,

Didn't think you would be hearing about Jedi mind tricks and teaching people with English accents from a missionary in a tiny pueblo in Mexico, huh? Welcome to Mexico, where anything is possible (yes, I am compiling a list of crazy things that happen in Mexico because anything is possible here).

We are teaching a guy named JS from England. He met a girl in a Spanish bar he was managing, apparently fell in love, and left his job and lifestyle in the UK to come live in Mexico, learn a new language, and work in a dirt mine. We are his first friends that speak English. We introduced him to the Ochoas because the Ochoas speak English and they, like JS, enjoy playing tennis. He is 95% atheist and not showing signs of quick progression. We likely won't be teaching him very actively with his girlfriend because of conflicting schedules and his lack of interest. It is fun to say that in the deep forest of Mexico we found a guy from England that we are teaching. His girlfriend is interested, but due to some foolish missionaries in England her perception of us could use some help. We will see how the lesson goes this week.

We baptized E and his family. We baptized him, his wife, daughter, and son. One daughter will be baptized in two months when she turns eight. It was great to see a whole family baptized together the same day. The wife has a firm testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel. I hope they stay active in the church because AlpucaYork needs all the people they can get!

I have been very satisfied with our converts. They are active, they have good member support, and they are all now receiving callings. Andres, our 15 year-old convert and cousin to Yuka, is sure to go on a mission. He hasn't missed a night of seminary and he is teachers quorum president. It makes me so happy to see how happy and strong our converts are in the church. Sometimes I worry we don't teach effectively the critical importance of going to church and actively living the gospel to our converts, but at the same time I think part of that process of realizing the importance of this gospel is self-realized. I have noticed that our converts that struggle the most to come to church (only 3) don't have good member support either in the home or near their residence. We will have to work on that.

Now for what you have all been waiting for-- the Jedi mind trick story! E. Blair and I were taking a break in the Zocalo (town square), chomping on some chips near a big group of borrachos (constantly drunk people). One came up to us and began blubbering his life story and how he wasn't a sinner because he decided not to get baptized so drinking wouldn't be a sin. Another came up and pushed him over and argued with him how he was a sinner. While we enjoyed this small show in the Zocalo, crinkly Cheetos bag in hand, a third zombie-borracho came up to us and began asking us for money. Then E. Blair did something that took me off guard. With two fingers together, he waved them slowly in front of the borracho's face and said, "you shouldn't drink."
"No... I shouldn't" came the reply.
Again, E. Blair waved his fingers in a Obi-Wan-like motion, "You should be baptized!"
"Si..." the borracho replied in mesmeric fashion.
Later the zombie borracho horde began closing in on us. We needed a way out, and what better way than to use the power of the force.
"We have to go now" E. Blair waved his magic little fingers. Access granted.
We left the Zocalo nearly in tears as we laughed at what had happened. The Jedi mind trick truly works!

Now onto reading your cartas.

Gracias!

A Visionary People

2011-09-19T17:29:00.002-06:00

Hello Y'all,

I have to be fast today because we are going golfing soon. We had a lesson last night with a 53-year-old man named A. It was an awesome lesson. Basically we could have baptized him right then and there if we had white clothes and if he didn't need an interview. E. Blair said that he was the most prepared investigator he had ever seen. A. told us that he, like king Limhi (father of king Lamoni in the Book of Mormon, if I am correct), was willing to give up everything to follow us in living the gospel. It was a touching lesson as he told us of the pain and heartache he has been through and of an LDS family that he’s friends with bore testimony that this gospel was true and that baptism is the way to begin again without the pain of the past.

A. told us that when he was 8 years old he had a vision, in the which he saw and spoke to Jesus. He knew in his heart ever since that moment that what he had seen was indeed his Savior and that He had a plan for him. Now, years later, he has come to know the path in which he will find his purpose in this life. The people of Mexico, like Lehi, seem to receive visions and dreams often. Many converts receive their answer by means of a vivid dream at night. Personally I have never had any considerable or significant instances where my dreams meant something beyond the organization of my day's thoughts. I find it so interesting that so many people here have dreams and visions.

One of our investigators is a man named J. from England who is living in a tiny pueblo in the middle of Mexico. Yes, there’s an Englishman living in Mexico—can you believe it? It will be our first lesson in English!

Things are going well here. We should start baptizing this weekend and start baptizing consistently again. Our problem before was that we didn't keep adding new people to our teaching pool. It doesn't look like C. will be baptized anytime soon. We visited with her and encouraged her to keep reading, praying, and coming to church.

I am having a race with one of our investigators. The first one to finish the Book of Mormon in Spanish gets an order of tacos, paid for by the loser. All of his family are members and it is only him that remains to be baptized. He is a cool guy (21 years old) but he doesn't open up a lot. I feel like pretty good buddies with him and I think he looks forward to our race.

I am fine, no parasites, just lots of milk and cereal. I realized that a slugbug probably wouldn't be very efficient in Utah because it is rear wheel drive and because it is small. My dreams of a pimped out bocho have been smashed, haha.

Thanks for your help and prayers,

Elder Bosque

P.S. You need to listen to the song Chilanga Banda. It is all Spanish, but it sounds like another language.

P.P.S. New slang word for the week: pachanga. It means fiesta, or party.

"I love missionaries. They are fearless."

2011-09-12T20:24:00.004-06:00

Hello Family,

Today's email subject line is a quote from Elder Ballard when President Spannaus told him that two missionaries (you can guess who they were) had invited him to eat lunch with them while he was in Cuernavaca. Elder Ballard laughed when he found out two young spiritual warrior-missionaries had invited him to eat lunch, but politely declined the offer. Mum, I was close to eating with Elder Ballard but apparently he already had plans by the time we called.

Happy Birthday, Claire! To celebrate your birthday E. Blair and I went to President Spannaus's house and ate delicious Argentine food and a delectable fruit pie cooked by his wife. We put some candles on the pie and blew them out, too. Sure, we may have been celebrating E. Blair's birthday as well but I was thinking about you, Clairie-Bear. I will go eat some McDonalds in your honor as well as soon as I get off the computer. I got your drawings that you and Maddy made on some of my letters. Thank you! I hope you are loving school and having Justin Bieber parties with Kelsey Edman.

Speaking of letters, we passed by the offices today and I got a handwritten letter from Dad, Onion, and a Stapley-Forrest package. Thank you to everyone for writing.

Eating lunch with mission president today was awesome. It showed to me the type of leader president is to his mission: he is a man who cares about every individual and he knows every single missionary in his mission. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him and his wife and getting to know them better. They are the type of people you want to have as your next door neighbor and as best friends. Mum, I left a gift of American candy and they were excited. You've taught me well.

Here is something interesting about a pueblo called C_____ (we have investigators in this pueblo that called and told us about this holiday): Every year this pueblo gets together and throws a big party. The men dress up as women and parade around in the streets. If any man is not dressed as a woman, he gets beaten up by the other men of the pueblo. The alcohol bottle is passed round and round and they also throw paint at each other during the festivities. However some people forget the whole paint part and throw rocks instead. Let's just say we avoided that area of town for a few days until the festivities died down.

This weekend we had the spiritual opportunity of a missionary lifetime: we heard from Elder Benjamin De Hoyos, Elder Jay E. Jensen, and the apostle Elder M. Russell Ballard. What an experience. I felt his love as I shook Elder Ballard's hand. His grip was firm and he held it just long enough to really make you know he meant it. It was an incredible experience to hear him talk and share his views on the mission. E. Blair and I will be adopting some of their advice into our practices, including receiving two references from members every day and truly knowing the doctrine.

We taught a lesson to a woman with a crazy story. J____ is a 29-year-old woman who wants to be a journalist but is currently working in a tortilleria. Her parents were missionaries for the church named "Light of the World." She grew up traveling with them from Mexico to Spain to the USA. Her parents met and got married because of the church and also divorced by the same token. The dad realized he was practicing a religion that was worshiping a man, and not God (apparently). She ended up in little old AlpucaYork after chasing after a man and unfortunately seeing the candle fizz out. She is looking for God and what a miracle we contacted her in a taxi. In the lesson we listened to her and her roommate (older woman who has had surgeries on her legs, arm, and brain, and can't see too well and has a fiery faith in Christ) tell stories, including one instance where J___ came home to find her roomie tied up on the floor and three masked men with guns in the house. We spoke of fear, of faith, and more. In the end we bore our testimonies and J___'s roomie declared that she was feeling the presence of God and that we were here to help J___. I look forward to the lessons to come this week.

This change is halfway over. The next three weeks may be the last with E. Blair. Hay que aprovechar!

Thank you for your letters and emails. I am doing well health-wise. I have never had so much milk and cereal in my possession ever before (I am obviously doing well). I am sharing American candy like you asked and we love life in Mexico. Our president is an awesome, caring man and I am grateful for the leaders in this mission and in the church.

Bye!

Elder Forrest

Here's a photo of the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission as we wait for Elder Ballard to come address us.

Here I am with the Spannauses

No Baptism

2011-09-05T18:54:00.003-06:00

Qúe tal, familia,

This week has been an interesting one. Our baptism for this week bailed out on us at the last moment and we had one investigator in church yesterday. Thus the 11 week streak of baptisms has ended as one of our investigators fell to the fear of following the traditions of the fathers rather than acting upon faith in Christ. I have mixed feelings over what has happened. I am definitely disappointed and I am doing my best not to be discouraged by the whole event. We worked with our investigator all week to prepare this person for baptism; from scriptures, promised blessings, and long talks on the phone, we did everything to show our investigator that the exact thing she was looking for in her life was the passage of baptism. She even told us that she knew her decision to postpone the baptism for a date further in the future was an incorrect decision and a blatant action against the heavenly response she received weeks earlier. We will try our best to work with her this week but if she does not have the faith to be baptized this coming weekend we will have to stop teaching her because baptism is her next step.

I was sad to see our consecutive weeks baptizing end. I have been pondering on if I need to make some changes in myself ever since our investigator bailed out on us. I know we gave our all in telling her that baptism was the right thing to do and she used her own agency to defer her baptism, but this past week I have felt a little flat in my teaching and maybe I was lacking in faith.

It seems like teaching is so much harder for me than I thought it would be. I am not saying that I am completely inept and don't know how to teach the lessons, but I am looking to be so much more effective in the way I teach. When I was teaching in my BYU ward, teaching came so easily. I don't know what it is but it seems so difficult to teach in the field! It may be my high expectations for myself or the different environment and style of teaching, but I still feel at times that I am lacking. It is something that I am constantly looking to improve but I don't exactly know what to do. I will be consulting Preach My Gospel this week and hopefully that will do something for me.

This weekend we celebrated E. Blair's birthday. I woke up early, wrote him a note, made him some pancakes, and threw a bunch of glitter and balloons on his desk. Later that evening (this past Friday) he received 50 Mini Mamuts (a s'more cookie candy) and cake from the bishop's wife and the youth. We ended the night with a game or two of soccer and tacos al pastor with Jiovani, one of our favorite ward members. Sunday the partying resumed when we went to the Ochoas' house to eat. It was pretty funny because they pretended to celebrate my birthday too and gave me a present and everything. We both got Cancun shirts and Hugo Boss ties from Papi Ochoa. The tie I got is so nice and I will have to take a picture of it. We (E. Blair, Papi Ochoa, and I) are all going to wear our Boss ties on Saturday when Elder Ballard comes to speak.

I am excited to hear E. Ballard this Saturday. I have inhaled nearly all of the words in his book Our Search for Happiness. I decided to read it to prepare for his coming and have found it to be a very easy, understandable read. I should finish with the book by tonight.

Funny events that happened this week:

I miss my good friend Takami, so in his honor I decided to play a harmless prank on E. Blair. I stuck a small Ziploc bag that had some old chip pieces inside in E. Blair's left shoe. He put on his shoes with the plastic bag in his shoe and wore them the whole day. Two days later I remembered about the prank I had done and we found the plastic bag still in his shoe. He told me that he had felt something funny when he had put on his shoes that day but he just thought it was his sock.

Another great moment happened when we got hot chocolate from a really poor family investigating the gospel. The cup of liquid I received was gray, but apparently it was hot chocolate. Looks were deceiving however as it was delicious. The funny part was when a fly landed in E. Blair's cup of cocoa. He was trying to carry on a conversation with the family, all the while dodging the black motorboat buzzing around in his gray sludge. It was so hard not to laugh when I saw the fly floating around in his drink.

Mum, I got the blog posts about TK and Alex and Kelsey. I also got letters from Nick Porter and Emily Kendall. Takami sounds like he is having the time of his life. I read the part when he got a laptop to my zone and everyone started grumbling about how spoiled Japanese elders are with GPS and now laptops with Skype. One elder said, "half the time I don't even get water in my house!" I found it funny and interesting how different the work is there compared to here. We definitely do everything ghetto-style here but I love it anyway. Japan is the perfect mission for Takami.

Oh! One last experience (or rather, experience to come): We are going to eat with President Spannaus and his family sometime soon. We are pumped. E. Blair was super brave and called Pres. and pretended we had some ideas for success that we wanted to share with him over dinner sometime. When Pres. asked for the ideas right then and there over the phone E. Blair resorted to pure honesty and told him we just wanted to eat with his family because we love them. When Pres. started telling E. Blair about how there wasn't time and such, E. Blair pulled out his final card and told Pres. it was his birthday. That was apparently the key to winning breakfast with Pres. because he stopped mid-sentence and said that he could make some time to eat with us on a P Day. His wife later called and wished E. Blair a happy birthday. We are pumped to go have some quality time with the Pres.!

Hope all is well. Tell Little Man I am baptizing as many as I can for him out here and that I am going to go buy a fake mustache from a tienda [shop] after this.

Bye,

Elder Bosque

Checked for Drugs; Machitos; Tramposos

2011-08-29T20:14:00.005-06:00

Hello Family,

I hope you kids have enjoyed your first week back in school. Most of the same faces from last year, new pair of white Nikes, and renewed energy for the onslaught of homework and stress. La vida in Mexico is stress free (sort of) and a lot of fun. As always, I am learning and developing myself daily.

This week we baptized America. She is nine years old and her older brother baptized her. We were hoping for one more baptism (America's aunt, in fact) but she bailed out on us last minute. She is 21 and lives with her parents and has a great fear in telling them she is going to be baptized. Here in Mexico parents have a great deal of influence over their children and kids are raised fearing going against what their parents tell them to do. They may be a legal adult and in their 20's but if mom says you must be Catholic because her mom was Catholic and her mom was Catholic then it must be done.

We got checked for drugs by the police again (I don't remember if I told you about the first time or not). Our vehicle was pulled over and the bored policemen half-heartedly checked us for drogas. While one of the policemen checked E. Blair's bag E. Blair offered one of the snacks he had inside. The man didn't accept his offer but I thought it was funny.

The other day we ate machitos. It is a type of taco. Want to know what type of meat is inside? To be as polite as possible, machitos are the parts of the bull that make him a bull and not a steer. Hmm, I wonder it's against mission rules to eat something like that? Anyway, these "parts" are chopped into bits and fried up. It was a little crunchy and dry but not so bad. Throw on some salsa and limòn and you are good to go, although I still love tacos al pastor the most. They are a Mexican version of gyros with the meat being cut from a spit.

This week E. Blair and I dealt with some hard-hearted less active church members. In our discussion with this family it was apparent why they had left the church. Sadly their testimonies did not outlast the actions and sins of others in the congregation. I learned a lesson with our dealings with this family. The importance of having your own testimony is paramount in a world that will pull you in any which direction if you aren't completely firm in your beliefs.

We have some new elders in the zone and district. I worked with E. Porter (Spanish Fork, UT) for a day in AlpucaYork. He has pretty good Spanish for being a newbie. He is taller than me but just as guero, ha ha. He will be a good missionary because he has a good attitude and a desire to learn.

Playing soccer is the bomb. We played today and some of the hombres from the calle [street] played with us. They started getting rough with me so I played rough back. I then nicknamed one of the guys Señor Tramposo (basically Mr. Dirty Player) and he thought that was funny. We then became friends after that and he told me that is how everyone in Mexico plays.

I am ever so grateful for the time I have on the mission. Every day is an adventure and a struggle. Last Sunday we had zero investigators in church for the first time in months and I was very sad. We are planning, however, to find more nuevos and increase the size of our teaching pool. All should turn around this coming week concerning our investigators.

Thanks again for all the letters and support. I got a letter from Kiefer the other day and it really touched me. I wrote him back today so he should get his letter in the near future (exact dates cannot be specified).

Hasta Luego!

Elder Bosque

We preach to all corners of the earth...including swamps and bogs.

Dropping a Bomb in Alpuyeca

2011-08-22T20:30:00.003-06:00

Familia Bosque,

I am contentedly writing this email next to my new companion for the next change...Elder Blair!

On Saturday night we were on tenterhooks as we waited for the phone call from the zone leaders to tell us who was being changed. This entire past week E. Blair and I (although we wouldn't admit it outright to each other) thought he was leaving. He has 6 months or so here in Alpuyeca and he was due to leave. When the assistants to the president called and told the changes to our ZLs they said: "Well, first off E. Blair and E. Forrest stay together in Alpuyeca [AlpucaYork]. President says that they are setting off a bomb there and need to stay." Needless to say I am so happy to work with E. Blair for one more change.

I got bitten by a crazy dog on the 16th of agosto. Fortunately I was moving my legs so fast to get away from the mutt that no harm was done. E. Blair had his bag off, ready to beat the dog up but the owner kicked the dog off me. I was going to try and go my whole mission without a dog attack but this perro loco got me from behind before I could say clam chowder.

On Saturday we baptized Arath, the son of Ever (and brother of Andres) who we baptized last week . He is a cool little guy and I am happy to see his whole family baptized. We have baptized a lot these past two changes and we hope to continue baptizing every week.

We found out this past week during a lesson that Yuka and her family have received a lot of flak for joining the church. Her dad went from the town druggie and drunk (well, there are too many drunks here to have a town drunk, more so a town of drunks) to family man and Mormon. A lot of people don't like that. They claim our church is the "rich man" church because the building isn't made of cement like everything else and they have two white boys in nice shirts and ties walking around town as representatives. It was hard to hear that she and her family were in a period of persecution but she said she made the decision to be baptized because she knew it was true. It is amazing to see how united they are as a family. They have to be my favorite converts so far.

Jorge opened up a burger business and we may go this Friday for fun. One of the perks of being a missionary that I will miss is getting free stuff. I know that sounds selfish but it is so awesome to get free ice cream, rides home, burgers, and more. Work hard and the perks will come. I am thinking about continuing to wear my tag when I get home because I hear the missionaries in Utah are treated like gold.

The other day we ate la comida at Maria, Diego, y Alonso's house (converts). Maria is a funny woman (not on purpose) and she did something that got me laughing. E. Blair had just finished his plate of spaghetti, carne empanisado, and more and he was obviously full. Maria asked him if he wanted more and he responded, "No hermana, ya me lleno, pero muchas grac...."
Before he could finish his sentence, Maria barked at her daughter to serve him another plate, and before he realized it another plate of steaming spaghetti and meat was set before him. He gave me a wide-eyed look and I started shoving more food in my mouth to keep from laughing.
After he had fought through his second plate Maria asked him if he would like a slice of cheese. Politely declining, indicating with his hand that he was full to the top, E. Blair thought he was home free. Maria then commanded her daughter to give him a slice of cheese. It was so hard not to laugh. The best part about it all? She never asked me if I wanted any cheese, just E. Blair. It was so funny to see his face as plate of food after plate of food was set down at his place for him to eat.

I am having a great time here in Alpuyeca and all things are going well. Every day is a small accumulation of more spiritual knowledge and understanding of God's will. I am grateful for the protection I have had, the love I have felt, and the Spirit that has been present in my life.

Our zone reached our zone baptism goal in the third week of this month, making history and setting a record in the mission. Never in the history of the Galeana zone has the zone goal been met (since the mission opened). Never has the zone goal been met in the third week of the month either. Rumor has it that President promised a cake and Cokes to the zone that does it.

Guess what? I gave E. Blair a haircut! Now it is time to get mine.

Thanks for everything, and good luck in school to Erin, Duncan and Claire!

Love,

Elder Bosque

Arath's baptism.

Giving Elder Blair a haircut. So how do these clippers work?

S'mores with Gerardo and his family to celebrate E. Blair's staying in Alpuyeca.

The Galeana Zone

Ever and Gloria

2011-08-15T19:09:00.006-06:00

Dear Familia,

Sorry this email is so short. We are really pressed for time this week.

Our soccer tournament last Monday went well. It was a lot of fun and we had good attendance. To top it all off we ate hot dogs and played around some more after eating (maybe not such a good idea). We used a big white board and showed the brackets of all the teams. The missionaries played as a team and we all wore sweet soccer jerseys. I love soccer. We played again today in Puente de Ixtla on a cool turf court (which is why I now have so little time to email). On my team was a Puente investigator named Cesar, and he plays for a pro team. The guy was boss. You wouldn't think the white boys could win against the Mexicanos but we manage to put some balls in the back of the net! E. Blair has been a boss goalie for us and helped us a ton in the tournament.

I have gotten a lot of letters (8) and am in the process of writing back to everyone. The next step will be finding a mailbox.

We had two baptisms this past weekend! Ever, mother of Andres and sister of Carmen (wife of Gerardo and parents of Yuka) was baptized. She has a lot of faith and she will remain as a strong member of the church. Gloria, after returning from the hospital (her mom was sick) and a trip to see family in Veracruz, was baptized on Sunday. We visited her Saturday night to talk about her trip. She had left the house here in Alpuyeca in a frantic hurry to get to her mom in hospital in Mexico City and had forgotten her Book of Mormon, but she continued to pray fervently during this trial in her life. She also resisted the temptation of drinking coffee with her family. E. Blair and I were deeply impressed that she stayed so strong. We planned to baptize her this Sunday to come but after a spiritual thought during our chat she said she wanted to get baptized sooner. Both E. Blair and I are very grateful to see so much success and at the same time we are doing our best not to get caught up in the numbers. It gets hard when things are so good.

This could be the last P Day with E. Blair. Changes are this coming weekend and we will see who goes and stays in our district. I really hope we stay together because we have become such good friends.

Thank you for your love and support! Now onto all of your emails (Little Man, write me back!)

Love,

Elder Bosque

Ever's baptism (with her sons Andres & Arath)

Gloria's baptism

Baptisms & Elder Ballard

2011-08-08T13:33:00.006-06:00

Hello familia Bosque,

Another week in the book of life and many more to come. I love being a missionary. I love the mission. I am so glad I love everything about being a missionary right now because I have less than two years to enjoy this life.

On to the baptisms:

This week's set of baptisms really touched me. I was overjoyed to see Gerardo and Carmen, parents of Yuka (my first baptism) and Mauricio, enter into the waters of baptism and be baptized. This event marks a great change in the life of Gerardo, and through the gospel of Jesus Christ his family has become united, happier, and at peace.

This week we were pressured big time for a baptism. We were throwing our pebbles in the bucket of a certain investigator named Ever (Carmen's sister and Andres's mom). She was the closest person to baptism in terms of qualifications (times attending church, lessons, progressing with commitments, etc.). The night prior to our cita (appointment) with Ever we had taught Gerardo's family. We had already taught them literally everything and then some, and this lesson was on fasting and preparing for baptism. Gerardo and Carmen had been working hard to get work off on Sundays to go to church but they had been having some bad luck. We were hoping that by fasting they would have a miracle occur in their lives and they would be able to attend church. At the end of our lesson E. Blair went over some of the baptismal interview questions with Gerardo.

The next day was the big day. Our lesson with Ever would determine if we would be holding a baptismal service that week. Before our cita, however, we decided to pass by Gerardo's house to clarify some details concerning the baptismal interview with him from the previous night. As E. Blair talked with him about some of the questions, I pondered on my morning studies (I studied for Ever and how we could help her be baptized) and who or how we were going to baptize this week, when I received a sudden thought or stroke of revelation: Why not baptize Gerardo and his wife? I quickly mentioned my thought to E. Blair before it slipped away like a dream sifting into the darkness of sleep. Often it seems that thoughts from the Holy Spirit, if not acted upon quickly, drift away into the distractions of the world. The look on E. Blair's face told me he was processing the thought and liked the idea. We decided to call President Spannaus to receive permission to baptize them (if an investigator has attended church only once and you want to baptize them you must call Pres. Spannaus).

We called, and I am glad we did. President said yes.

It was perfect timing for Gerardo and Carmen. They truly were ready for baptism. Gerardo had such great faith in the gift of the Holy Ghost and how it would change his life. It was something they both wanted badly. They agreed to be baptized on Friday. E. Blair and I felt so relieved and overjoyed. For the past ten weeks we have watched this family transform into a true family, filled with love, unity, and a desire to do the right. That night we went and told Hna Norma, sister of Gerardo, that her brother and wife were going to be baptized. We told her we had something urgent and we needed her help.

"Hermana, we have an emergency. Could you give a talk for a baptism this Friday?"
"Well, I have work on Friday, so I don't know if I can do it," she replied.
"But hermana, it is super important! We really need you to be there."
"Ok, I can get into work an hour later."
"Thanks, hermana. We are actually going to be baptizing two people this Friday."
"Oh really? Que bonito, elderes. Bueno... Como están ustedes?"

She seemed to be avoiding the question of whom will be baptized, as we attempted to make the question the most tantalizing one to ask. Finally, in excitement, E. Blair asked,
"Don't you know who we are going to baptize, hermana?"
"Well, I suppose, but..."
"Your brother and his wife."

In an instant tears erupted from her eyes. She, and we, were so happy. She had seen her brother go from being rejected by all to changing into a follower of Christ.

The baptism was beautiful, and I was so happy for them. On Sunday we ate with the Ide Ayala family and they truly felt like a happy, contented family. I love this gospel and I know of the power of the Atonement as I have seen the love of God work in the lives of people.

Great baptism. And more good news to come! I don't know how he did it, but President Spannaus hooked us up with a conference with Elder Ballard who will be in our mission on the 10th of September. We are all pumped to hear from an apostle. This will be the fifth apostle I've heard speak on my mission. Elder Blair and I look forward to going to it, and hopefully as a companionship.

E. Blair and I are close friends. We love working with each other and we really want to work together for another change/transfer. President Spannaus is well aware of this fact. During zone conference this past Friday he was commenting on our goals for baptism and such. We changed our goal from baptizing 4 this month to 12, and president said he thought we could get 10. In his own words he said, "I think you two could get ten this month, that is, if I leave you two together." He then looked at me and raised and lowered his eyebrows really quickly. I'm hoping that was a joke and he wasn't being serious.

All other things in life are great. Oreos from America really do taste better than their Mexican counterparts (we had a taste test last night). My non-Ecco shoes are just about worn out. Ecco truly does make an excellent shoe. I love those things.

Hope all is well!

Love,

Elder Bosque

Pineapple Ice Cream. HOLY DELICIOUS. It is made from the pineapple and served to you in the shell. So amazing. Eaten at La Tortuga in Cuernavaca.

Week of Work

2011-08-01T21:45:00.012-06:00

Que onda Familia,

I left my planner in the house of the elders in Jojutla (we came down here to play soccer with the elders for P Day) so unfortunately I do not have my week's worth of little moments to write about.

We had another baptism this past week: Andres. He was there when we first taught Yuka (our first baptism) and by her example and her invitation he became ecstatic to be baptized. His mom and little brother are showing great progress in the gospel as well and we hope to get them in the water soon too. I must admit that it has been increasingly difficult to baptize every week. I know I repeat this often but this week is going to be a tough one in getting a baptism! Gloria, our goldie whose mom had a stroke and is in hospital, is nowhere to be seen or heard. We plan on working with Andres's mom this week, or.... well, I don't think we have any other option. Both E. Blair and I are determined to continue baptizing every week, not only because we are inviting others to come unto Christ and because it is our purpose to do so, but also so we have a good excuse to go to our regular spot in the centro to celebrate with fresa licuados [strawberry shakes]. Some of Yuka's relatives own a café and they make strawberry shakes (and mango and more) and we love going there. Not only do we get them free or for a discount, but we spoke to some of the owners (a 24-year-old girl and her 27-year-old boyfriend) in English and invited them to talk with us next Sunday. I think because the couple are currently learning English in school and know very little, they didn't realize what kind of spiritual showdown they are going to encounter this coming Sunday, haha.

E. Blair and I are getting along like old friends. We pretend to speak Japanese on buses, we count how many times the little kid or young girl turns around in her seat to look at us, we laugh, and we get along well with the ward for the most part. One time E. Blair sat by someone who actually knew some Japanese so I said the one phrase I know in Japanese that Takami taught me in college. Another time we convinced some of the youth in our ward that we really could speak Japanese. We figured out a way to tell each other the phrase in English and then one person would rattle out some jumbled Japanese-like sounds and the other would "translate" into Spanish.

This past week barrio Alpuyeca (E. Blair and I), Puente de Ixtla (that is E. Hancock and E. Cornejo), and Tuixtla (E. Ruiz and E. Cayo) held a talent show. In classic Mexican fashion no one showed up for an hour and a half after we told them it would start. Some of the members that were in charge of food from our ward showed up late and the first thing they said when they got out of the car was, "Is it over?" I laughed pretty hard when they said it. E. Blair, a youth named Carlos, and I did a special "talent" (if you can call it that). We did a skit entitled "Missionary for a Day" and we captured some of the moments of missionary life. I was dang nervous for it because we never practiced it. I was the narrator and E. Blair was E. Blairo and Carlos was E. Frito. At one point in the skit I became Hermana Forrest and I served them super spicy food that they pretended to throw out to the dogs. We managed to survive without hearing any boos and we even got a few laughs from the crowd as well. To end the show all of the elders sang "Ye Elders of Israel."

E. Blair and I are making plans for a big soccer tournament on the 8 de Agosto. We are trying to get youth investigators to come to the church and realize that there is a fun aspect to the LDS community as well. We will see how things turn out next week.

I got letters from Talya, Blake, and Joann Montesinos today. The letters have been with the Jojutla elders for weeks and are long overdue. My zone leaders went to Cuernavaca to the mission office today and should be coming back with more mail. I wrote back a letter to the Forrest/Stapley clan, as did E. Blair. I will be sending my USB to the States with all of my photos, so be ready for that.

Here's a cool story that happened yesterday. Hna Norma (she is the one who invited Yuka over to her house for an FHE with us and she is related to Yuka) gave E. Blair and I official Mexico soccer jerseys. These things are so cool. We were both blown away when she and her son Alejandro gave them to us. These things aren't cheap and I know Norma's family doesn't make a lot of money. E. Blair got a green short sleeve jersey and I got this tight white 3/4 sleeve jersey. They are made by adidas. We both thanked them profusely.That is one thing that impresses me about the people of Mexico. We may joke about how Mexicans are always late, but if there is one thing that sticks out about the Mexican people is their willingness to give even when they have nothing to give. They gave us those jerseys because they love us. They told us it was a small price to pay in comparison to the blessings we bring them. I really feel quite the opposite: Hna. Norma has been a key source in all of our baptisms!

The gift reminded me of when Pres. Martinez asked what I needed in preparation for my mission. I mentioned to him that I didn't have any scriptures. On my birthday I came home to a brand new set of scriptures with my name printed on the front from Pres. Martinez. I couldn't believe it. It meant so much to me. The Mexicans' ability to give in the same manner that the widow gave her mite adds so much more power and meaning to the gift. I am so impressed by their thoughtfulness and generosity. Some of the best gifts I have ever received have come from people from the Latin culture: Marcelo, Pres. Martinez, and Hna. Norma.

I wax long in my writing today; I felt like I needed to make up for last week. Now onto reading all of your messages.

Love,

Elder Bosque

P.S. Here are some photos from our talent show.

A Boy Band

2011-07-26T07:12:00.004-06:00

Mi Familia,

Sorry, not much time to write this week. First of all, we had another baptism--this time of Jose, an 18-year-old young man. Here's a photo of us trying to pose as a boy band. Do you think it would be a good cover for our first album? I envision us doing a fusion of sappy Mormon pop and Mariachi music, with me on the electric cello. What do you think?

I have to admit that it really isn't that bad living in third world conditions, it's just that it can be highly inconvenient. When you get to experience something as luxuriant as air conditioning or real ice cream, you realize what a treat it is. Don't take those things for granted back home because so many people on this earth rarely if ever have them.

Some Mexicans moved into our ward here in Alpuyeca from Midvale. They know President Martinez from our stake. I didn't catch their name but they lived on Adams Street. They said they were in the Midvale North Stake. Isn't it a small world in the church?

So you know, the Mexicanos call us gueros, which means white or fair-skinned. They do not call us gringos.

I was thinking about life back home earlier this week. I reflected on likely one of the smallest and simplest moments: coming in the door after a day at school, standing on the back door landing and saying hi to you, Mum, as you cook something in the kitchen. I realize it will never be the same, and that I either won't have much time to have those simple moments when I get back or they will be gone completely. It got me thinking deeply about if we aren't meant to fully cherish little moments in the time they are passing, only to find greater joy from them as we look back on them with eyes of wisdom. At any rate, I just want you to know that I miss you, Mum, and I will miss those little moments of coming in the door and saying hi to you first.

We love the bishop of our ward here in Alpuyeca. Blair worked his pants off to gain the trust from the ward because apparently it was lost due to the behavior of some prior missionaries, and now we are riding the waves of that trust. E. Blair is an excellent companion and I want to take up his offer of going out to Missouri to hang out and visit places like Chicago and Nauvoo. He and I get along really well and I hope we can continue to be companions for a change or two more.

Love,

Elder Bosque

A VW Bug turned into a sweet ride.

This is one of our modes of transportation: the Convi. Elder Blair is pondering a gospel mystery.

I've had Diarrhea Since Easters

2011-07-18T21:21:00.006-06:00

Not really, but dear Familia Bosque,

I did have an attack on my stomach and intestines this week. I think the grease and soda finally got to me. Before you get too worried, I am over my sickness. E. Blair and I are on the upswing when it comes to our health. It is incredibly difficult to work when one half or both of the team are limited in any way, physically or mentally (and may I add spiritually, though this has not happened to us). We felt good enough to challenge some of our favorite ward members to a Nadal v. Federer-like tennis match today in the blazing sun. I sit a bit uncomfortably in my squeaky internet cafe chair as the burn on my legs reminds me of the three hours whacking tennis balls every which direction. We called the match a tie and hope to continue the battle another P Day.

Gloria, one of our choice investigators, was not baptized this past weekend. Go ahead, let out that gasp you have held in this whole email as you have waited for the part about baptismal service number five.

We baptized Mauricio instead.

Mauricio is the younger brother of Yuka, our first baptism as a companionship (Yuka´s full name is Yukarie, which is Japanese. Her father has Japanese roots) and is ten years old.

Before we get to the joyous baptism, some necessary exposition will be provided: Gloria called us Friday evening to inform us of some less than happy news. Her mother had a stroke and was in a hospital in Mexico (DF, or Mexico city). Gloria was rushing up to see her mom and would be living with her for an unfixed amount of time. She was crying during the phone call. The call ended, and silence ensued in the room. E. Blair and I knelt down and prayed. This past week Hermana Spannaus, the wife of our mission president, asked us to look for miracles. This indeed did we ask for, and fervently so. After our prayer we pondered on potential investigators that could be baptized. We decided to try, once more, to baptize Mauricio.

Two times prior to this we attempted to receive the permission of Mau´s parents to have him be baptized. This time up to bat we needed a home run (my companion adores the St. Louis Cardinals so I will relate this all to baseball for him). As we entered into their home E. Blair was anxious. He said it was my turn to do the talking so I proceeded to open my mouth and say every sentence that came into my head. I spoke about how the requirements for baptism is a desire to follow Jesus Christ and a showing of this desire. I explained with examples how Mauricio had already done so. E. Blair included some more choice thoughts and then we offered the home run pitch. This time, the parents hit this one with a crack and it sailed out of the ballpark. They agreed for him to be baptized the following morning. Not only did we have a beautiful baptism but Mauricio's dad came to church for the first time. We have been working so hard to have their whole family baptized, and we hope to do so by the end of this month.

Don't think this whole baptism thing comes so easy; this week will be our hardest week yet as we have no seguros and only one or two posibilidades, namely, Gloria and maybe a youth named Jorge.

I know that when we ask specifically for things to God-- whether it be to have a spiritual gift, charity, an answer to a question, or a miracle-- we can receive those things. Granted, receiving our specific requests is contingent on our faith, our intent to act on an answer, if the thing we ask for completes the will of God, and ultimately if it is God's will to have that thing granted or occur, but I know that it can happen more often than our mortal minds comprehend.

One funny event that happened this week occurred after a lesson with our investigator Jorge and his LDS girlfriend Alma. Lately, largely due to the fact that everyone stares at us on the bus (because we are white, and probably because we are cool, too) we have begun to speak ¨Japanese.¨ While we were in Jorge's house we decided to speak our made-up nonsense Japanese about Alma, as a joke. We would make Japanese-sounding noises (with some clicks included for good measure a la The Gods Must be Crazy) and mention her name, as well as El Libro de Mormon. As we commenced eating the meal Jorge cooked for us, Alma mentioned casually that she knows English and she understood everything we said. We looked at each other and couldn't hold it in (granted, I was already crying from laughter with E. Blair, and he being a good actor pretended like he was telling a good joke) and laughed and laughed. We didn't even know what we were saying so how could she? We asked her what we were talking about and she said we were talking about her and the Book of Mormon. The few words we said in Spanish she managed to understand amidst our blabbering Japanese phonetics. All in all it was a hilarious moment to look back on in the weeks and years to come. One day Alma will be fluent in Japanese, too, as long as we keep teaching her.

I have learned the importance of family while here in Mexico. Family tends to live close to each other here which can come at an advantage and disadvantage. I do love how family can be near to each other both in heart and in distance, and it has helped me realize the love I have for you five. I have always loved our barbeques with the Forrests and I have often reflected on vacations to Bear Lake and Park City with the Shelton cousins. We are in the summer and I am missing out on staying up late and eating raspberry shakes! Just know that I love you all a lot and hope to spend a lot of time with you when I get back. I know you are supporting me and I thank you for that. Your letters are encouraging and insightful.

I hope all is well and interesting. Duncan should still have two eyes despite having purchased an armful of illegal fireworks and I hope Erin comes home from trek this week with a greater testimony of Jesus Christ's love for her and some new friends in the stake. Oh, and Claire, guess what? I got you!

Thank you, mum and dad, for your letters. I need your guidance more than ever, and what luck to be miles apart (a 33 hour drive in a Slug Bug). Adios!

Love,

Elder Bosque

P.S. Thanks to My Favorite Person, Miss Perfect, and Uma, for your letters!

Tennis with the Ochoas.

Semana 6

2011-07-11T22:15:00.007-06:00

Buenas tardes, familia Bosque!

Transfers/changes happened this weekend but nothing has changed for us.

This week wasn't too eventful, largely due to the unfortunate fact that Elder Blair was bedridden the whole week. (Mum, don't panic after looking at this photo--I do have sheets on my bed.) We don't know how he got it, but he had a fever, cough, and cold. He slept more than I have ever seen a human sleep in a week, except for the narcoleptics. Luckily I have not gotten sick yet. The package from you guys was priceless as the soup helped him a lot. Although it was tough not being able to go out to work very much (E. Blair and I went out a few times when he was feeling well to visit some of our seguros, or sure baptisms) I enjoyed the time being able to study at my own pace and time. One of our favorite families in the ward, the Ochoas, came over with Zucaritas (Frosted Flakes), 6 liters of milk, bread, cookies, and more. It was such a blessing because we didn't have any food in the house (and I don't have the cookware suitable for cooking; we have a small pan and a small metal bowl to cook stuff, haha) and that food saved us. Needless to say we are so grateful for their help and love.

We baptized three people this past Saturday- Maria and her two grandkids, Diego (11) and Alonso (10). I love those boys a lot and we already know they will be good missionaries. We are still being blessed by Heavenly Father in fulfilling our goal to baptize every week. This coming week we should have another baptism with Gloria, a reference from a family.

Some members have commented jokingly about our pool of investigators. At one point the majority of our investigators were single women between the age of 16-25. The male stereotype around here unfortunately is a drunk who beats his wife. The men's hearts tend to be a little hard toward the gospel. It is also so hard to get people to go to church. We do everything we can to inspire and encourage investigators to go to church and when Sunday morning rolls around they don't show up (even when they were in the church the night before). We are really trying hard to baptize a family so we can go to the temple with them. We are looking to find a lot of new investigators this week in preparation for our baptismal service on August 6 this week. It is always important to keep the future in mind as you work in the now.

One sees the craziest things in Mexico. This past week I saw a horse being led down the street tied to a truck. There are dogs everywhere in Alpuyeca. There are plenty of flies, limones, and alcohol, but dogs still top the charts of "the most common things seen in Alpuyeca". They lie in the streets; they defend their territory; they search the trash for a bite to eat. We were walking down a narrow street and a truck was driving ahead of us when it ran over a dog. The dog, lazily stretched out on the worn cement, didn't bother to get up as the truck approached. We watched in horror and then heard excruciating inhuman screams as the truck bobbled a bit as it passed over the dog. It did get up and hobble away on three legs. It was probably the next most interesting thing that happened in las calles (the streets) this week.

Tacos are by far my favorite thing here in Mexico. You can't fathom what tacos are from an American point of view because they encompass so much more than that hamburger meat they use in America. The meat here is delicious. My favorites include chorizo, carnitas, and longaniza. Also in Mexico there is this cream that tastes so delicious. I have no idea what it is made of, it is some sort of cream cheese, possibly made from Oaxaca cheese.

I think the quality of the street vendors in Mexico is a reflection on the state of the city. In Cuernavaca you wouldn't typically find junk like you see for sale on the streets here in Alpuyeca. It is so sad to see an old woman sit all day on the side of the street with some fruit (usually limes) and seeds on a cloth to sell, when every man and his dog have a lime tree in their backyard. There seems to be no progression in this part of Mexico—if you are born into the low class, you remain there. Your future consists of selling chips and soda out of your house for the rest of your life, or cutting metal, or working with cement. I still love it here, though, and really love the people.

Thank you for the package and your prayers. I know I have support from back home and I always look forward to receiving emails from you all.

Con Amor,

Elder Bosque

I vote we get to drive this bad boy around instead of taking the bus. One of our favorite members just bought this Mazda MX-5.

Goober, our pet. He's lived with us for the past week.

12 Taquitos and Counting

2011-07-04T16:16:00.010-06:00

Hello Family,

This week was busy and tiring. There was a capacitacion (training seminar) in Civac and all mission leaders and trainers went to it. We had two zone leaders from Acapulco (Elders Russell and Zepeda) live with us as they and my comp went to the training from Tues till Fri. When the elders returned home from their capacitacion I went on splits with E. Zepeda while Elders Blair and Russell went and taught in other parts of our area. This turned out to be a great experience for me. E. Zepeda has 8 weeks until he returns home from his mission. He has been around the block a few times and I enjoyed learning from him as I taught and contacted with him. He is very good at teaching, especially teaching in a clear and simple way.

At the capacitacion I got the package you sent me. Receiving a package is like when Katniss in the Hunger Games gets a backpack of supplies attached to a silver parachute--it is a life saver. AMERICAN CANDY IS DELICIOUS. E. Blair gave me some of his Mike and Ikes (he thinks you are super awesome, Mum) and I swear Mike and Ikes have never tasted better, ever. Thank you so much for sending that! I found a place that sells pancake mix and such so if you haven't bought it already don't worry about sending me some. I realize with the cost to send a package, I should be asking only for the essentials: American or European candy, contact solution, etc. On a tangent I do miss America today and hope to blow something up after our district meeting tonight. In Mexico you can make a bomb out of anything or buy one from a street vendor.

I have had some good food this week. I had a fruit called rambutan (here's a photo of it), ate lots of good bread, and ended the week with chorizo and suadero (sausage and beef brisket) taquitos (I set the record at the Ochoa household with 12 and received a tennis ball trophy,) and some limon and mango flavored nieve (sorbet). Needless to say I was full to brimming. We always eat well at the Ochoa's. Mum, you should be comforted to know that I am in good hands every other Sunday for La Comida. Rambutan looks like it should be growing on a tree in Willy Wonka's factory, don't you think? I also ate a torta (sandwich) called torta cubana which was absolutely delicious. It is a bunch of meat and some veggies. They need to sell them in Gandolfo's! Hot chocolate here is also a league and a half better than the stuff in America.

My bishop from our ward here in Alpuyeca will be in Utah until July 18th. He is looking to work in a restaurant on Redwood Road and 5300 South in Murray. It is a friend's Mexican restaurant.

This Sunday we baptized two sisters, Suri and Luz. Here's a photo of Elder Blair and I before we baptized them. We were going to baptize their younger sister as well but she is a bit confused over the fact that once you are baptized into this church you don't continue to attend the Catholic church. This upcoming week we hope to have 4 more people baptized.

Suri and Luz's family embodies many of the tragic characteristics of Mexico. The family is literally dirt poor. Their house is made of scrap materials with a few bricks slapped together, some tin roofing, and old advertisement posters to maintain privacy. They have plastic chairs, dirt floor, a few chickens and a crazy duck. They wash their clothes in a filthy river. The father (if you could really hand him that honorable title) works for the police and is home once every three days or so. He has been known to beat his wife in public (sadly, beating your wife is not uncommon around here) and he forced his family to sell fruit on the street last Sunday right as they were walking out the door to come to church. Oh, and I can't forget the other key characteristic of it all: Adrianna (the mum) is living in an union libre with him so she can't get baptized until she marries him (they more than likely don't have the money) or if she splits up with him (they will no longer have any source of income and he would likely beat her in a drunk rage if she did).

Speaking of more crazy stories, Victoria hasn't been to church because she lost her job and her ex-boyfriend came in the middle of the night to try and steal her baby boy because his parents (grandparents of the child) want the kid. She locked herself in her room with the baby for 5 or 6 days straight and is considering running away. We don't know if she will be able to be baptized until she comes to church one more time. The devil definitely gives his all when someone receives a spiritual witness that this church is true.

I am starting to feel more comfortable with life in Mexico and with speaking in Spanish. Occasionally it can be nerve-wracking and when you lose your cool you lose your ability to speak well.

Now that I am on the other side of the fence I can testify for all missionaries that getting letters and packages is the best. When I picked up my package from the capacitacion, all of the elders were milling about hoping they got a package. I therefore submit a petition for all missionaries to read handwriting: for anyone who knows a missionary out in the field (especially if they have been out for more than a year), even if you hardly know him or her, sit down for 25 minutes and scribble out a quick note. You never know what kind of impact it can have on missionary who may need some extra support. Every missionary recognizes the fact that it isn't easy to sit down and write (DearElder has made it convenient for everyone) and they appreciate every letter.

The sun continues to rise every day and so must I. Each day is another day to bear testimony, realize the impact of the Spirit on a human soul, and work a little harder to invite others to touch the marks on their Savior's hands and feel of His love. I know that as we simply but sincerely pray and read the scriptures daily we will be able to make great changes in our world.

Viva Mexico! Viva el Evangelio!

Elder Bosque

A ward party in Alpuyeca

Someone got very creative with a VW Bug

Suri (in pink) with her friend Orfa at the church

One Month in Mexico

2011-06-27T16:26:00.006-06:00

Hello Familia,

As usual there is a lot to say but not much time to say it. I can’t believe I have been out here a month and almost a whole transfer (6 weeks). My mentality of taking it one day at a time has really helped these past three months to stay focused and work hard.

Last Monday we went to the pyramids of Xochicalco...WOW! Talk about a blast. We went with Giovanni and his family (1st counselor in bishopric) and Yuka, her brother, and mother. The pyramids are up on a hill and the views of Mexico are gorgeous. You can see all of our area and everything is green. I took loads of pics of the pyramids that should do more justice to the site than my words. I love the clouds in Mexico. They are thick and huge.

I was on divisions this week (when we work with a different missionary companion) and had a funny yet unfortunate event occur. I was with Elder Cornejo in Puenta de Ixtla. We were eating la Comida at the house of a less active member. I had to go to the bathroom so I politely asked to use their baño. As I was washing my hands I heard an odd spilling noise, as if something was overflowing. To my horror, I turned to find the toilet overflowing onto the floor. I freaked out and tried frantically to find a solution. I found a plunger and plunged away as water continued to pour. No luck. I pulled off the lid to see if the stopper had inserted itself back into place. I tried using a welcome mat that was in the bathroom to wipe up the water but there was still a ton left. I tried using a bucket to pour water from the toilet into the shower drain but the bucket was too big. I thought to myself, “the one time I go on splits, and the one time we eat at a less-active’s house, and I have to overflow the toilet!” During this extended stay in the half-star Porcelain Palace, the madre of the house called to her daughter and asked her if she was using the washing machine because water had overflowed out into the hall. My fears were confirmed when I looked in the corner of the bathroom to find the washing machine and all of the water from the toilet leaking out of the room.

In the end the plunger ended up working and I apologized profusely for my mistake (although it was really the toilet’s fault—all I did was flush liquid down) and helped mop up the mess.

This week our baptism fell through on the day of her baptism. Victoria didn’t show up to church (we were planning on baptizing her after the services because she doesn’t have enough money to make two trips to the church) and she never responded to our phone calls. That of course did not stop us from fulfilling our goal of having a baptism every week! One of the members of our ward has a child that is disabled. She has always wanted her son to be baptized even though it isn’t necessary because of his conditions. We asked her if she wanted to baptize her child that night and she agreed. It was an interesting baptism because both Elder Blair and I were in the water to help immerse him. His mom was so happy to see him baptized. Some of our investigators came to the service in the evening as well. Needless to say we will be paying Victoria a visit this week among our other potentials for this month.

E. Blair and I gave talks this past Sunday in church. It was my first talk in Spanish and I was a tad nervous beforehand. I spoke about tribulations, why we have them, and two means of overcoming them, namely, fellow ward members and the love of Christ. Apparently things went well because E. Blair had a few people go up to him and tell him that they were amazed with my Spanish and that it sounded good. One hermana in the ward was very kind and told me that she really felt the Spirit strongly and that my Spanish was excellent. She was very kind and it helped me feel good about my progression as both a missionary and a Spanish speaker.

I am wearing my contacts because I am so sick of glasses. Things here really aren’t as bad as Americans put it-- They exaggerate the living conditions… but sometimes they are spot on…like this scene.

Hope all is well.

Elder Bosque

My First Baptism

2011-06-20T12:56:00.008-06:00

Dear Family,

This week has been yet another crazy but eventful one, peaking with our first baptism on Sunday morning.

Before all the juicy details, did I tell you I got in a swimming pool this week?

On Sunday morning we woke up at 4:00 AM to go to the church to fill up the pila (font). We had a baptism planned for one of our investigators, Yuka, at 8:30. It takes a few hours to fill up the font so we had to get there early. (For my Mexican blog readers who are wondering what kind of a name “Yuka” is, her proper name is Carmen Yukari Ide Ayala. Yuka is her apodo, or nickname.)

Upon arriving to the church and to our utter dismay, we discovered that the well to supply the church with water was empty. Empty! No water for the font or the whole church, for that matter. We tried transferring water from the city well into the church well, but some of the electrical sensors were broken so there was no hope of getting any water.

We made a few frantic phone calls and one member of the bishopric came to help out. Alas, nothing could be done about our situation. The counselor, Giovani (he is a way cool member and he took us to this delicious restaurant the other day where I ate carnitas for the first time and sipped on delicious agua de limon), suggested we call another member of the ward to see if we could baptize her in his backyard. The member had a pool as a part of his small hotel he owned. At 6:00 AM we called him to see if we could work out a now impromptu baptism in his backyard. He said there wasn’t much agua in the alberca but that we could baptize someone.

We had a lot of time on our hands now that it was 7:00 AM so Elder Blair and I fell asleep in the church. We were both completely exhausted. I went to sleep in the bishop’s office on the floor because it is the only room I know of in Mexico with carpet. It was amazing.

We woke up half an hour later and proceeded to make some phone calls to let everyone know the sudden change of events. At 8:30 (because nothing is ever done on time in Mexico) we went to the pool.

Yuka’s two brothers and some of her relatives came to the baptism. I really love her family and hope to baptize them all. She was happy to be the first to be baptized to be an example to her family.

We got in the water (slightly cold), flicked away some of the bugs floating in the water, and Yuka was baptized. We then changed quickly and rushed back to the chapel so she could be confirmed.

It was my first baptism, and how great it was to be a unique one. It is so awesome to see how the gospel can change lives. Our companionship plans to baptize every week from here on out, and we look forward to baptizing another one of our investigators named Victoria this coming Sunday.

I have no doubts when we invite someone to act on our message. At times it may seem absurd to stick a couple of white boys in a poor part of Mexico and get them to go around talking about a book that can change your life and in a sense contest the dominant religions of the area. All of this work here would be absurd if it weren’t for the fact that all of it is true. This gospel is true and that is why I have no doubt that it can and will change the lives of those who open up their hearts to it. I have all the confidence in the world that the Holy Ghost can change a person from a drug addict to a respectable, humble son of God. Despite the challenges and discomfort, I look forward to spreading the message of the Restored Gospel and help the people of Alpuyeca to come unto Christ.

My comp and I are getting along really well. Alpuyeca is one of the more poor areas in Mexico but we like to call it AlpucaYork. I am doing fine with the language—it is just a matter of becoming comfortable with my new life and relaxing.

Some of the more interesting things common to Mexico:

--Delicious food (nothing in America that is called "authentic" Mexican tastes like this).

--Friendly, open people. Everyone in Alpuyeca knows each other because people are amiable and welcoming.

--Dogs... EVERYWHERE.

--People living in Union Libres, or people living together without being married.

--Using boraches (drunks) to describe different parts of town… and people actually knowing which drunk guy you are talking about because he is always passed out in the same place.

--Soda (peach, pineapple, apple, coke, coke, coke, coke).

--Agua (limon, mango, normal, and more).

--Dirt.

--Random gunshots or loud bangs.

--Bugs, including cucarachas and a scorpion or two (I killed my first scorpion the other day).

--Sweating all the time.

--Noise noise noise (roosters, horns of all types, dogs).

--Little children staring at you as you try to speak their language and because you are whiter than everyone else.

--Things rarely working the way they are supposed to.

--Loud, blaring music from houses and cars.

--Beautiful green landscape.

--And…the SUN!

Today for P Day we are going to pyramids in Xochicalco.

That’s it for this week.

Bye!

Elder Bosque

P.S. We like to speak in hick accents in English on the buses. One time my comp was saying something way funny in a hick accent and he said, ¨Well I would date one of these here cute gals but they’s gots ter be 14 years old!” Two minutes later my comp said to me, ¨Well, looks like we are lost¨ and one of the girls turned around and, in perfect English, said, “Are you guys lost? Do you need any help?” She ended up knowing where the person lived that we were looking for, but I found it hilarious that of all the people who happened to know English in the middle of Mexico, it was one of those girls. I don’t think she understood what my comp said because of his accent, but it was funny nonetheless.

Stake Conference

2011-06-20T08:18:00.003-06:00

June 13, 2011

Fam,

This past weekend we had stake conference and the Mexico City temple president, our mission president, and a member of the Seventy by the name of Elder Jose Alonso came and spoke. It was awesome. Elder Alonso had us missionaries come up during his talk, had us sing “I am a Child of God,” and basically brought the congregation to tears as he explained how hard the work is and that the missionaries need every member to help. Immediately after the session a guy took Elder Blair and me to visit someone he wants us to teach. It was great.

Elder Alonso was very eloquent and powerful. He made everyone laugh with his jokes but was serious at the same time. After the sessions of conference (there were two) we ate with him and our mission president. President Spannaus and his wife are sharp characters; I am really glad to have them as my leaders.

You asked who feeds us. Different members of the ward cook la comida for us each day at 3:00 p.m. We have had everything from piranha to chile peppers to bistec empanisado (breaded steak). I miss American food. One of our good member friends, Hermano O. became second counselor in the stake presidency yesterday. He works for a company called Redline and does business with Canada so he knows English. His home is really nice and the food we eat there is the closest thing to non-Mexican. They put soda water in with their orange juice. Everyone here is obsessed with the bubbles. Soda prevails here and they have flavors from durazno (peach) to pineapple to apple and of course “Coca!” Surprisingly cheese is almost never used in Mexican food. I guess it can be a little expensive for many of the people in our area. I have only had it 3 times since I got here. Pizza here has no pizza sauce; instead one puts ketchup on the top. There is a Dominos in our area where I would love to go eat.

It sure is hot here. It's over 100 degrees every day. I am always covered in dust. I am going to ask my mission president if we are really not allowed to wear contacts here because of the risk of getting parasites in our eyes. I would love to wear mine. I wake up in the night and I am so dazed that I always think I have my glasses on (I imagine I see the frames around my eyes) and I grab at my face to take them off. We are going golfing today with two other missionaries. We have a junta or reunion every Monday night after P Day has ended with the district. My water filter broke so I just buy bottled water, which kind of stinks because now I am spending more money.

Spanish slang of the week: Placticar (to chat). It is a verb Mexicans use for basically every type of verbal communication. For example, as missionaries we placticamos with investigators, instead of charlamos or hablamos.

Our first baptism is this Friday. The girl getting baptized is named Natalie. She bore her testimony last week in testimony meeting and basically said, “none of you know me because I am not a member, but I know this church is true and I want to be baptized and I hope the missionaries visit me.” Then everyone in the congregation looked at us, indicating that we should go talk to her as a potential investigator, haha. Talk about having the baptisms come to you! We also are teaching a family of six. We have high hopes for them. One of the daughters, Yuca, is freaking awesome and came to church yesterday even though she was feeling sick. The biggest problem with our investigators is getting them to church. It drives me nuts.

I am enjoying the work here and I can't believe it has been two weeks. I know that I am in the right place doing the right thing. I am excited for this week and more of the crazy stuff to come. For instance, we have an investigator who believes a spirit possesses a doll he owns and that he can move things without touching them with the power of the doll. Crazy stuff, huh?

Let me know how Derek and Takami are doing on their missions. I just found out I can't email non-family, including missionaries, so mail is going to take a long time to get to them. Send packages and mail to the mission office (or you can use DearElder or pouch mail).

Thank you for your love and support!

Elder Bosque

Elders Blair y Forrest

Our apartment--who knew missionaries lived in such luxury?

Inside our apartment--this is our study area.

A local gym. Maybe we can spend a P Day here working out.

Greetings From Alpuyeca

2011-06-06T21:53:00.005-06:00

Hola Familia,

This keyboard is pretty ghetto (surprise) and it is a little different so you may notice some mistakes. They put white out on some of the keys because the letters wore off and they had to re-write it.

I have been assigned to serve in Alpuyeca, which also includes Zochitepec, Miactlan, Zapata, Paseos del Rio, and other places I don't know off of the top of my head. My trainer is a great elder from St. Louis, Missouri. His name is Elder Blair and he went to BYU for a year before his mission. He served in Ogden for a few months as he waited on his visa and he has since served here in Mexico. He has been out for about 10 or so months. He wants to work and he is obedient. It may be a disadvantage at times because we are both white boys, but it helps to really learn the system and tricks of being a missionary in your native tongue. We can talk about things on the bus and no one understands us, which is crazy to me. Little children can't stop staring at me, hahaha. They've never seen someone as alien as me before.

Apparently our area is bigger than most. Our apartment is big, really big for two people. The photo is the view from our porch. Our bathroom smells horribly but all is well. Bugs aren't too bad and sleeping at night isn't too hard. It can be way hot at night and all you want to do is sleep on a mattress of ice but by morning things are better. I eat cereal with luke-cold milk (yes I just made that up). My stomach acts up only every once in awhile, and that may be due in part to the fact that we basically eat one huge meal every day at 3:00 p.m. called La Comida. I never would have thought that I would dream about white sauce on pasta and wake up missing it.

It is so weird to think I am in the field, it is... surreal. We take a ton of buses of all types- from Convi to ruta to taxi to I don't know what. I threw up on the bus ride from Mexico City to Cuernavaca. Ha ha, it was horrible. I almost didn't make it. Riding the bus is horrible--you would die. I get motion sickness all the time. The only law that is obeyed on the roads are the speed bumps. They put in speed bumps so drivers hit their top speed, brake to jumble over the bump, and then speed again. Utah driving is picture perfect to some of the stuff I have seen here, ha ha ha.

We have met most if not all of the active members of our ward (Alpuyeca Ward of the Galeana Stake). This coming Sunday we are hoping for a baptism in between stake conference sessions. A member of the Quorum of the Seventy is coming to speak at the conference as is our mission president. We are making an effort to work through the members to find investigators by holding noche de hogars (FHE). I guess the numbers we produced this past week were pretty dang good for this area and our overall goals for the next month are not only huge for this area but way in front of the pack in comparison to the other areas in our mission (if one were to compare by numbers, of course). I found out only yesterday that we are in one of the worst baptizing areas in the mission which got me excited because I want to help turn things around.

Our stats for this past week:

0 baptisms

18 investigators with fecha (baptismal date)

4 investigators in church

4 lessons with member present

13 other lessons

13 new investigators

2 lessons to less-actives

Freak, No matter how much Spanish they teach you prior to your mission it just isn't enough. They need to revamp the way they teach Spanish in school to make it more effective. The people here talk normal speed which is fast, and I can hardly understand it. I need to speak a lot more but I am trying. There is this song I heard in a member's car by a band called “Chilanga Band” and it is so crazy.

Surprisingly, Mexico hasn't been a huge culture shock to me. Sure, there are things that are different, but when you more or less accept them as fact and don`t compare them to your former culture it isn't so bad. Food is definitely different here: I ate piranha for lunch one day! I don't dare buy anything off of the street yet. I am fine with my Mexican Trix and cornflakes at night when I get home. Soda is huge here—everyone drinks soda, offers you soda, puts soda water in their juice.... Soda all day, every day.

I was just thinking the other day that school was getting out for everyone. It is hard to believe that only a year ago I was walking in a green graduation gown to receive my high school diploma. Now I am thousands of miles away trying to speak and understand a tongue I don´t know with a guy I am with 24x7 that I only met a week ago. Weird.

We get mail only once a month on the first Monday of the month. I guess you send it to the mission offices and I will get it at the start of the month. Here in Alpuyeca no one has an address to their house (turn at the Zocalo, go past the tortilleria, etc.) so there is no point in sending it directly to me because I have no idea where I live.

Disneyland couldn't make a place more bona fide with its broken brick buildings, green trees everywhere, and homeless dogs roaming the streets. For some reason on my first day I kept thinking of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland and all the worn out brick and cement they use on that ride. The people here are literally dirt poor but that hasn't affected me as much as I thought it would. I rarely if ever wash my hands (there is no sanitary place) and I sweat so much I go to the bathroom twice a day. I have had diarrhea and it was pretty nasty. Our investigators range from a doctor who has traveled the world (including SA for the World Cup, bringing home a full zebra skin and painted kudu eggs, if kudus lay eggs, which I don´t think is true, so I think they may be ostrich) to a single woman with a kid who earns 100 pesos a day and lives far away from the church building. She earns less that 10 American dollars a day and taxis and stuff aren´t cheap, like 60 pesos round trip for Sunday. I would love to come back here though and vacation here like a human and not a missionary because things are so stinking cheap. We went to a huge Tiangis (I don`t know how to spell it but it sounds like tee-yang-ees) where they set up displays under tarps and they sell tons of clothes, shoes, underwear, and clothes. I want to get a cool jersey but I feel like my Spanish is too weak right now to barter down the price.

I really hope I can speak more to help with the work here. It would be tough to be a trainer because you have to front all of the load because you have a clueless 19 year old following you down foreign streets to talk to foreign people. We do get to teach often (especially the first lesson on the Restoration) but they are so flaky when it comes to attending church. We are in the process of figuring out how to get them to church.

The members of the ward are really nice and I hope to get to know them better in the coming weeks. I will send some photos in the next few emails.

Thanks for your support!

Love,

Elder Forrest

P.S. Dad, you were right that I should have gotten a nice camera that fit into my pocket, because I am too nervous to whip mine out and actually haven`t carried it all yet during the day. I will try and take more pics.

P.P.S. Everyone here seems to have seen Forrest Gump, because every time I introduce myself they say “Ohhh, like Fowess, gump? Corre Forres, Corre!” They have a hard time pronouncing my last name. I am also not completely hopeless against the ninos in soccer. I scored two goals on them one night in full proselyting clothing.

Elder Nelson

2011-05-26T16:48:00.001-06:00

Family,

I don't have a lot of time so I am going to share a thought from the talk Elder Russell M. Nelson gave this past Tuesday. Yes, half of my Tuesday devotionals here at the MTC were given by Apostles. It has been SO cool.

One thing Elder Nelson mentioned was that in order to keep a battery alive one must recharge it. In an automobile, in order to keep the battery charged the car needs to be moving on the road for the generator/alternator to supply power to the battery. So, as a missionary, to keep my batteries charged I need to always be on the road!

It reminds me of many of the moments in sports where you hit the point where you either give up because you are tired or you push harder against the pain. I recall one time while I was playing ball that instead of taking it back a degree or two, I pushed even harder. I found my extra aggression gave me a huge boost. As a missionary I will push harder when that wall of pain comes.

Obedience brings blessings, and exact obedience brings miracles (Sis. Nelson).

I'm in Mexico this Monday! If you send any mail you either need to get it in today or send it to my Mex address.

Woo!

Elder Bosque

Que Onda, Familia?

2011-05-19T19:32:00.001-06:00

Hey Family,

I don't know if there will be much to write about this week because this past week has literally flown past my eyes. We had two districts leave and we have had two new ones come in. One came in yesterday and the other came in a week ago. I love balling it up with District F (last week's district) and chatting with them during down time. I got a little bruise on my leg (I thought I might tell you for tradition's sake) but other then that I have been fine.

I can't believe I head into the field in 11 or so days... It is crazy! I have felt myself change over these past few weeks and I am really grateful for the time I have had here in the MTC to prepare.

Cool things that happened this week:

Elder Hinckley, son of President Gordon B. Hinckley, came and spoke to us on Tuesday. His advice and words were very practical and simple. He spoke very plainly and he was able to connect to me on a very personal level because he spoke like a regular person, only with a special message.

We got to host the new missionaries that came in this week. I had to lug up a huge 50 pound or more bag up four flights of stairs... Talk about a work out! Speaking of which, I have gained 6 pounds here in the MTC. For a Forrest, that's a big deal.

Our district/companionship was selected to take part in a big teaching meeting that occurs on Wednesday night for the new missionaries. Basically we teach investigators for a few minutes in front of the new missionaries. The purpose is to show the newbies a good example of how to teach effectively like a missionary. We are excited for the task and a little nervous because we haven't taught in English since week one in the MTC.

Thank you for the mail and support! I am almost to the campo!

Love,

Elder Bosque

"How long have you elders been here?"...

2011-05-16T15:23:00.001-06:00

...Too long. But I have enjoyed it greatly.

Hello family, it is that special 30 minute moment of the week where I attempt to crank out another informative and inspiring email/ blog post.

Let's begin today with the fun stuff that has gone on this past week:

PROJECT HAWAII

With only 3 members of our district left in our room we decided to "pimp my casa" and acquire something better than some dinky desks. We ended up finding two tables, another big fan, and brought more candy from our residence hall to decorate our classroom. Our room is amazing and all the other classes are a bit jealous of our home improvement. Looks like learning can be done in a Provo paradise!

EGG LAUNCHER

I'm not very proud of the fact that our companionship (specifically my two companions, but I participated by watching) bent a few of the rules last night but we did something pretty awesome with an exercise band (big elastic band), a chair, and some chocolate eggs and kisses. One of the districts in our zone was trash talking with E. Flint and I back and forth down our long hallway last night before we went to bed (in comedic jest, nothing serious of course). One of them threw a chocolate kiss down the hall at us in our room. E. Jackson immediately went into action and created a chocolate launcher with the elastic band and the chair. The other D was wondering what we were doing until E. Jackson launched the kiss back at them. It was a flop of a shot and the other D started jeering and sticking their butts at us down the hallway, calling us out to see if we could hit them. Our next shot was a zinger but it was low to the ground. By now everyone in the hall were peeking their heads out of their doors to see what was going on. Our third shot was crazy. E. Jackson let a chocolate egg fly and it zoomed all the way down the 30 feet+ hallway until it smashed against the wall behind the district. It was SO AWESOME. It went so fast and everyone was freaking out.

As one of the ZL’s I went and apologized to the new district that came in yesterday about our behavior (ironically 30 or 40 minutes prior to the egg smashing action we had told a new district to be reverent in the residence hall) and they lovingly accepted our apology after telling us how awesome our egg launcher was. There will be no launching wars tonight, no worries.

UGLY TIES

I have a new quest in the next two years: Find and obtain the world's ugliest tie. So far I have two, and one of them I would like to tell you about. It is called (yes, it has a name) "Mexican Fiesta: The Day After". When I acquired this tie I found out the profound meaning of this tie's name. The Mexican Fiesta tie is the type of tie that would look awesome on the night of a crazy Mexican fiesta, but the day after you realize how dang ugly it is. It is red, grey, and white and a part of the design looks like snake skin. I actually think it's cool if you have a sombrero on and a couple Sangrias to drink. I'll send pics ASAP so you too can enjoy the artistic depiction of the post-party moments in Mexico.

Onto leadership:

District Rambunctious is officially gone. I am going to miss their district leader a lot (he has a very strong testimony of the gospel and an amazing life story) but the level of peace and tranquility has grown greatly since they left. I have learned quite a bit about how to lead disobedient people, namely, the importance of setting aside time to sit down with that elder and teach them the principle behind the rule and why obedience is necessary not only in the mission field but for one's personal progression in this life.

In their place we got a new district, comprising of white people (first time in 7 weeks). They are an intermediate group and most of them are fresh out of their freshman year of college.

Mission/Spiritual:

Wouldn't you know it, but we had yet another Apostle come speak to us on Tuesday night. That's three in the space of 3-4 weeks, which is unheard of here at the MTC. Elder Neil L. Anderson came and spoke with his wife about the importance of knowing the Atonement. As we understand and use the Atonement, our desire to share the gospel will increase.

One of the best parts of Tuesday is talking about the devotional with a member of the branch presidency. It seems like the Spirit speaks as strongly if not stronger to me then in the hour after the devotional while we are analyzing the talk and sharing our thoughts than it is during the discurso. I think that is because the thoughts we share during that time are the messages the Spirit told us during the talk, so the items we discuss afterwards have a deep, personal meaning to us. For me it was a realization of two things and how they are both needed in order for the other to grow: That unshakeable testimony of Jesus Christ that I desire and the importance of the Atonement in our lives. In order to receive that testimony I need for the people of CUER it needs to be centered on the Atonement. As I have studied the scriptures, attended church, and observed the lives of others I have come to a small realization of how the Atonement will inevitably affect our lives if we seek to be righteous people. As the Atonement is everything to this gospel and our lives, we will each go through events in our lives that will make us experience even a sliver of what God felt as He watched His son die on the cross. As I go on my mission as a representative of Christ I will take part in a small portion of the pain and suffering He felt for everyone. I will come to realize even to a small degree how God felt for His son as I struggle to spread the gospel in Mexico.

I am out of time, but I hope all is well back home. Thank you so much for the letters (I love the monthly package of letters from FHE group).

Paz Afuera!

Elder Bosque

Take it Eeesy, Man!

2011-05-05T16:53:00.001-06:00

Hola Familia,

Another week done in the MTC and 4 or 5 more to go. This past week my two comps got their visas so I am the only person left in our distrito without a visa. I am not worried about it though. My duties as a ZL went into full-power mode as two more advanced Spanish speaker groups came in. In a few weeks my little district will be the only group of gringos in the zone, haha.

I have had my hands full with a few of the missionaries in a certain district (I call them District Rambunctious) and I have learned how to deal with people (though I am far from mastering the technique). Some of the elders are very disobedient but I find it difficult to correct them because if I began correcting all of the rules they were breaking I would be up all night speaking to them. In addition to that, I would distance myself as a true leader to them because I would appear more as a rule-Nazi and not a friend. Instead, I have done my best to get to know the missionaries in my district and befriend them before I correct them. There was one elder in particular that rubbed me the wrong way and instead of distancing myself from him I have made an effort to get to know him. I have been blessed with some great opportunities to talk to this elder and really befriend him.

I am learning more about people and relationships here in the MTC, especially in my calling as a ZL. There was a fellow ZL in our building of whom I wasn't too fond initially. Instead of leaving things at the first impression I decided to ask him about his life. I found out that he had a very interesting life story and I saw how inaccurate an initial impression can be. In conversing with different missionaries I have also made an effort to humble myself and learn something from everyone I interact with. Mum's wisdom in being kind to everyone you meet has turned into a blessing for me here in the MTC.

I am so glad to be here. I still keep acquiring bumps and bruises from basketball (yesterday an elder's shoulder connected with the bottom of my jaw when he jumped and my tongue inherited some new holes) but the field opened up so I will see how I can get injured outside now. Yes, Mum, I am only saying this to freak you out, I am doing well and nothing is serious :)

I've thought a lot lately about the Atonement and the importance of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Never has anything in history applied more and been more important to mankind, both back then, now, and for generations to come. Through the Atonement we can receive a remission of our sins, the removal of the mountains of guilt on our shoulders; we can find peace and pure joy as we seek our savior for help in our deepest problems and situations. I love Alma 7:11-13, the account of the final days of the mortal Christ in the four Gospels, and Isaiah's vision found in Isaiah 53 and Mosiah 14. Throughout scripture, in the symbolic ordinances in our religion, and in the center of our gospel we find Christ and His love and sacrifice for us. I know that as we base our identity, our decisions, and as we place our pain on Jesus Christ, He will console us, lead us, and love us. I know that as we follow him and take up his cross and lose our life in His we can receive the answers we need at this moment in our lives.

Thanks again for all of your support and letters. With only 3 members in our district, mail has decreased significantly, but every letter is loved.

Take care!

Elder Bosque

Week...What Week am I on in the MTC?

2011-04-28T15:31:00.002-06:00

Que Onda, Familia?

The MTC could not have changed more aspects of my life. We received a new schedule along with a new curriculum to be implemented in August. Our district now consists of 3 people-- and it happens to be a trio companionship as well.

This past Tuesday Elders Loveless, Bush, and Johnson said their last goodbyes to us (Elders Flint, Jackson, and Bosque) as they left to enter the Peru MTC. They received their visas last weekend and were promptly shipped out to Peru. I was companions with E. Loveless for a period of just 9 days. Although the time with him was short, I learned how I can improve as a leader and missionary. E. Jackson is now the other ZL with me and E. Flint is our district leader. Yeah, we've got a lot of responsibility in our small district.

Some of the duties as a ZL include meeting and teaching the new districts in the zone, loving everyone the zone and helping out with problems, being a line of communication between the presidency and the district, answering tons and tons of questions, preparing sacrament as well as who prays and performs music during sacrament and priesthood meetings, and lastly attending lots of meetings.

We had a new district come in last week and another one just yesterday. They are both advanced Spanish groups so they will be leaving 3 weeks after their entrance date. District A (first group) are crazy. They have no discipline and at times it blows my mind as to what they think they can do. Their DL, E. Irizarry, is a really great elder and I try to help him out as much as I can. He has a lot on his plate when it comes to keeping his district in line. For those of you coming into the MTC, don't even think about bringing your cell phone with you.

While I am on a tangent, it is surprising to see how many elders disobey the rules here. I don't remember if I have mentioned this in emails prior to this one, and I am not implying in any way that I am a better missionary, but there are simple rules that many choose not to follow. It is so easy to follow the rules if you have the right attitude and your focus is not trying to be different or cool but trying to be a representative of Christ. The MTC asks that you don't wear flip flops outside; you see missionaries every day outside with flip flops on. The MTC asks that you don't read letters in the cafeteria; DearElders are seen regularly next to a salad and glass of chocolate milk. It is disappointing to see this at the MTC but it is something that I will deal with all the time on the mission.

The boys in District A are crazy and may not obey all the rules but I love them. I know that if I am one to point out all of their mistakes and flaws then they won't trust me or look up to me as a leader. Instead, I talk with them, tease them, play basketball with them, and love them. I have been able to be more of an influence this way rather than trying to get them to comply with every rule in the MTC.

The new district as of yesterday, District C, seems a bit more normal than District A. I look forward to getting to know them tonight at another meeting.

With the exodus of most of our district, our trio has taken on a new project-- project Home Improvement. We have an empty classroom and we are on the search for a couch to put in the room so we can learn in comfort.

Thank you so much for the letters and Easters packages! I now have a whopping 11 pounds of candy. That's right, I have ELEVEN pounds of sugar in my room (and that doesn't include the booty of my other two comps). We are in the process of giving some of it away and decorating our classroom with the rest of it. If you do decide to send me anything, SmartWool socks or calling cards to use in the airport will be appreciated, because I'm covered on the chocolate egg-gummy bear-cookie stuff.

One interesting thing I learned this week-- put Virgin Mary photos on your packages and luggage when going to Mexico and they won't be rummaged through for the wrong reasons.

In these past 10 days I have had the privilege of listening to two apostles-- Elder Oaks and Elder Scott. I don't have much time to expound on my thoughts on these two incredible men and their talks, but I do want to stress the importance of having an unshakeable testimony of Jesus Christ, something that Elder Oaks stressed in his discurso to the MTC.

I once had a long conversation with my dad about the greatest thing one could attain in this life. I thought it was intelligence and I based my thoughts on the scriptures found in D&C 130. My dad said he didn't agree. He told me an unshakeable testimony of Christ was what he believed the greatest thing one could attain or achieve in this mortal life. As Elder Oaks spoke on the importance of having a testimony of Christ, I reflected on that moment in the car with my dad and how it was paramount that I reinforce my own testimony. As a teacher in the mission field I want more than anything for my investigators to receive a testimony of their own of Christ and His love for us (as manifested in His suffering in Gethsemane). When they receive that burning testimony they will be converted to the gospel forever.

Hope all is well at home!

con amor,

Elder Bosque

Change, Change, Change

2011-04-20T07:51:00.000-06:00

Dear Familia,

Things never cease to change here in the MTC. Ten minutes before sacrament meeting started on Sunday (the real Sunday, not the 5 other ones that I live) I was called to speak with a member of the branch presidency. I didn't know if I was busted for something or if he was going to ask me to give one of the talks in the meeting that day. Instead, he said something I was not expecting: "Elder Forrest, will you be one of the next zone leaders?" I was so surprised, and very excited. Elder Loveless, my district leader, became the other ZL. E. Jackson became our new District Leader. E. Loveless and I are now companions and I moved over to their room. E. Jackson and Flint are still a companionship, and Elders Johnson and Bush are now comps. E. Valenzuela got his visa and he is going to the Peru MTC tomorrow! We are all very sad to see him leave.

Numbers in our MTC branch are at a low right now (which is probably why I got called to be a ZL; if there were more people I'm sure life would have continued in its normal path)-- we have just 18 missionaries in our branch. We are getting a new district this Wednesday which will bring our numbers up to 25. As a part of our responsibility Elder Loveless and I will be teaching the new district some of the rules and give them a tour of the MTC.

Life as a missionary is a lifetime of changes condensed into 2 years. Not only have the changes above occurred or are in the process of happening, but we may have an entirely new lineup of teachers because the semester is ending at BYU where they are all students, and some of them will be going home for the summer. Scheduling here at the MTC will be changing as well so we will all have to get used to a new schedule with some big changes included. I just need my gym time and I will be fine :) In addition to these changes, my P day will be changing to Thursday so the next time I can reply to letters and write this email will be in 10 days and not 7.

I've come to realize that things will never be the same, ever. The missionaries I get to know on my floor move out next week; the district I am now becoming close to I may never see again. Every moment I have here and now must be worth every second. I have to be grateful for what I have as I have it, because in the next moment I may never have it again. I also need to be flexible and willing to follow the will of my Heavenly Father-- He will throw plenty of curveballs my way and I have to accept every pitch. I don't want to strike out in these next two years; instead I want to set the home run record.

This past week we taught our first lesson in Spanish and Elder Bush and I had the opportunity to teach a Kenyan named Nickson (in English). I get a high off of teaching; After every lesson we teach to our mock investigators I have an intense desire to keep teaching. I feel like I could teach people all day and feel great. Even though we are teaching mock investigators (our first lesson in Spanish was taught to a guy who just got back from Cuernavaca and he was excited to hear that I was going there and he was impressed with our spanish) the Spirit is present in our lessons. Nickson is hired by the MTC to be an investigator but he really is not a member of the church. It was so fun teaching him and I look forward to teaching down in Mexico, despite the difficulty speaking Spanish presents.

Thank you so much for the support. The photo machine is finally working here so I will send you some shots.

Love,

Elder Bosque

Week Two...and it Feels Like Eternity

2011-04-12T20:47:00.004-06:00

Hola (or as we like to joke, "holla") Familia,

Although I am on the brink of my third week in the MTC it has felt like a piece of eternity. I feel like I have been here forever already. Either I passed through the veil once more upon entering into the CCM (MTC) or God is just teaching me what forever feels like.

I am still very happy to be here and am enjoying the company of my companion and my district. We have some good elders in this group.

This week our district will be injecting the Spanish Steroids as we aim to teach out next lesson in the TRC (Teaching Resource Center-- where we teach the lessons found in the book Preach My Gospel to mock investigators) completely in Spanish. Typically language districts don't teach the lesons in the TRC in the language we are learning until the 6th week in the MTC. Despite the great challenge in doing this, I am determined to wean English from my diet and focus on expanding my Spanish abilities.

Life here with the elders can be hilarious. During our first experience in the TRC my companion and I were nervous. I think my comp was a little more so than me because when we entered into the room the investigators said "hola!" and he said "adios!" in the same tone as a typical greeting. We all laughed about it for a few minutes and I am still laughing about it days later.

We discovered that Elder Johnson has the perfect Sean Connery impersonation. It becomes even more funny when he strays from the Sean Connery quotes and reads the scriptures in a Sean Connery Voice.

Elders Flint and Jackson were doing a practice contact in Spanish with a female teacher a few days ago who had come in to help us out. Elder Flint was trying to say to her, "can we come to your house to teach more about our message?" but instead he said "vamos a su cama", which means "we are going to your bed". There was a pause in the classroom when those choice words left his mouth and then everyone erupted in laughter. The teacher was laughing her head off and said she had never heard that before.

In addition to God teaching me about eternity, He has also provided the saving grace of an hour of gym every day. This hour is one of the best of the day. Don't worry mum, I haven't had too many injuries while playing basketball. So far I've managed to limit things to a cut on my cheek one day, the next day a nosebleed, and then later on a bruised tailbone and elbow. No, the boys aren't rough here, I just want to win really badly. I am fine though and none of my injuries have been serious, just minor nuisances. I am addicted to basketball and I was happy to hear about Jimmer winning POY.

On Sunday (the real one, not one of the 5 others that I live weekly) we had a devotional and the BYU Men's Chorus sang. The whole day was spiritual and uplifting but this really took the cake. It made me want to play the cello so badly... so I am! I found out that the MTC has a cello and I am going to try out for a special musical number. As soon as I get my music from home sent to me I will begin practicing and hopefully be able to bring the spirit to the MTC through playing the cello. I am really excited.

Nacho Libre is definitely going to be the first movie I am going to watch when I get home. In my residence building we have a lot of missionaries from out of the country. The best part of it all (because most of them are crazy) is that the Latinos quote Nacho Libre ALL THE TIME. It's funny to hear Nacho Libre quotes, but it is hilarious coming from native Mexicans and Peruvians. Just now I heard one of them saying to the other "take it, Chancho!" Chancho seems to be their favorite word.

The Spirit is present here and I am enjoying it a lot. We have a lot of time to study Spanish and the gospel in between classes. In sacrament meeting they randomly call on two people to give 3-5 minute talks in the meeting that day. I was nervous about being called to speak because the talk has to be entirely in Spanish. I am believing more and more in the gift of tongues as I realize my great need for it.

One of our teachers, Brother Frampton, invited us to say our personal prayers in Spanish for the rest of our lives. I agreed to the challenge and so far it has been good. In order to really get the language one needs to speak it. This week it is my aim to speak as much Spanish as possible, swallow my pride, and be willing to make mistakes and grow from them.

Thank you all for the love, support, and letters. I now have some new decorations for my dorm thanks to some of my cool cousins!

Yo se que Dios nos ama y su Hijo es nuestro Salvador. Yo se que la Expiacion es verdadera y puedo arrepentir con la Expiacion. Estoy agradecido por mi familia y por la plentitud del evangelio. Yo siente el amor de Dios y el poder del Espiritu Santo. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

--
Elder Bosque
Cuernavaca Mexico

Week One in the MTC

2011-04-06T08:04:00.005-06:00

Dear Family,

Mum, hopefully with those two words you have been able to release the tension, stress, and anxiety of the past 5 days. I acknowledge and appreciate all the letters and notes you have been sending me, but unfortunately I cannot proffer a 21st century response to your mail, and can only respond on Tuesdays (my preparation day). I have also quickly realized that a small portion of the spelling mistakes in missionaries' emails are a result of shoddy, worn-out keyboards with dryer lint in between the keys (I am in the laundry room writing this email).

Wow, this place is awesome, and also very, very intense. Many of the "veteran" missionaries here tell you to make it to Sunday and all will be well from there, and indeed this oft-repeated advice is valid.

The first few days of the MTC were intensely regimented and rule-driven. My brain was overloaded with information as our district (comprised of 7 male missionaries, 4 going to Peru and 3 to Mexico) was herded from room to room to hear leaders wearing conservative dark suits explain the rules to the rules that we have to follow. Everything that can have a rule has a rule. While this is overwhelming at first it is entirely possible to follow every single one.

After I departed from my family for the last time for the next two years I was immediately into the work here at the MTC as I was led through similar looking buildings to get my black name tag, ID, and books. There is no time for a break and everything is planned down to the minute.

Despite the overwhelming and busy atmosphere at the MTC, during my first moments in the MTC I felt that I was in the right place. Despite the feeling of my brain nearly exploding I felt happy. I still feel that sincere, true happiness. I know that I am supposed to be here and I feel good about it.

My companion is Elder Bush. Yes, some bored employee here must have thought it would be funny to have a Bush-Forrest combo, but our companionship is definitely one with nature (and the Spirit).

Here is a quick look at everyone in my District (Distrito amigos unidos, as we call it):

Elder Bush- From Indiana, went to BYU for 3 semesters, off to Cuzco, Peru. He may only be here in Provo for 3 weeks and go straight to the Peru MTC. He is laid back and easy to get along with. I was worried about getting a bonehead for a companion and I am really grateful to have him as my comp.
Elder Loveless-- from South Jordan, UT and going to Lima, Peru. He plays football for Utah State and is our DL. He is a funny guy and I like talking to him. He is a stable person and missionary, and one we all can rely on.
Elder Flint- Syracuse UT and going to Veracruz, Mexico. He is the comedic relief of our district and can be really funny. He is good at connecting with people and investigators. Went to Weber State.
Elder Jackson- BYU for one semester, from Texas. Smart guy and is going to Puebla Mex.
Elder Johnson- Nice elder from Layton, UT. Going to Trujillo, Peru.
Elder Valenzuela- From Washington and going to Lima Peru. He is really good at Spanish and I like him. More of a quiet personality but he is beginning to open up.

Our district is very close, even from day one. We eat all of our meals together and have come to enjoy each others' presence. I am going to miss the guys going to Peru if they get their visas on time.

i hopee alle is goooing welle. i thot i mite rite like some off the udder missionarees withe some bad speeling. 30 minutes isn't enough time to say everrrrtyheeng so i may haev to rite a leter.

My teachers are Brother Frampton (Veracruz Mex on mission), Brother Milne (Mexico mission), and Hermana Rojas (from Mex, went to Arizona on her mission). They are on-the-ball teachers, especially Brother Frampton (whom I met in line before coming to the MTC at a BYU b-ball game) and Hermana Rojas. Bro. Frampton really inspired me to take my work and efforts to the next level and gave me the spiritual boost I needed at this time.

Paz afuera (peace out),

Elder Bosque

Time to be a Missionary

2011-03-30T20:04:00.003-06:00

This will be my final post for awhile. I have asked my dad to put my emails home on my blog for the next two years so you can follow me as I serve in the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission.

If anyone wants to write to me while I'm in the MTC, my address is:

Elder Andrew Forrest
Mex-Cue
MTC Box 158
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604

From what I've heard, you can write to me using dearelder.com and it won't cost you a dime. Just use the address above when sending me a letter through DearElder.

Thanks for all your love and support. It means so much to me.

Elder Forrest

RATATAT

2011-02-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.theswagmag.com/ratatat

(Press play on one of these videos before you begin reading the post)

Two men. Their staple apparel consists of some skin-tight jeans and t-shirts with sleeves that barely qualify the stitched swaths of cotton as t shirts instead of tank tops. Their hygiene places a solid second behind their passion for creating a sound that is unique and entirely original. Scraggly, greasy beards, pale white skin, and a physique that screams "skinny-and-maybe-a-bit-drugged-up" create the appearances of Mike Stroud and Evan Mast. Soft-spoken with the verbs, bigger-than-life with the music.

http://www.shockhound.com/features/1268-ratatat--strings-attached

Ratatat began mostly by accident. Meeting up in 2001, the duo's beginning was the classic story: fooling around in a garage-band manner, being heard by a label, and getting paid to play music. While they haven't had their big break yet (actually, who cares if they get big?), they have been featured on a song by Kid Cudi.

Ratatat creates some of my favorite music. Their harmonies, rhythms, and the moods they present in their sound is mass rad. They are out of this world, and indeed occasionally their songs sound like it, too.
I am big into bass and percussion. With Ratatat I find the perfect mixture of that big bass sound with layers and layers of percussion, creating a complex electronic orchestra of rhythm and energy.
It isn't just a bunch of music clips thrown together. They perform their songs live, too.

http://austintownhall.com/tag/ratatat/

Ratatat continues to pop and fire away in my eardrums because they aren't typical mainstream artists. Many radio artists out there today don't deserve to be heard over the airwaves because of their lack of musicality, originality, and emotion. Real talent strums the metal guitar strings twitching with electricity, it taps the beat on percussive instrument after percussive instrument, and taps and clicks on the computer in creating the final production of the mass of sounds. I'm obsessed with them. Ratatat's music produces a unique, rhythmic mood for me. Whenever I listen to them I feel this focus come on, I let the beat tickle my tapping foot until it has me in my head, bobbing unconsciously as I fall deep into the guitar solos.
Their remixes are freezy, too. Ratatat has two volumes of remixed rap songs (I didn't link them because most of the songs swear. I edited my two favorite songs.). They didn't just stick another House beat onto the existing song; they went in and recreated the song entirely. It blows my mind at how different and bizarre these guys are.

If you are looking for a new sound, look no further than the eccentric, unknown, and mass rad duo called RATATAT.

Air305 Videos

2011-01-24T21:42:00.004-07:00

I couldn't help but walk down memory lane tonight. Stay tuned for another Air305 video soon (will it be the best yet?).

Salt Lake City Con Artist Technique

2011-01-22T10:48:00.006-07:00

Watch out, ladies and gentlemen! The deceitful, low-life con "artists" are prevalent in downtown SLC and are looking for the green shrapnel in your back pocket. I've been a part of two cons but luckily on the first experience I only had one dollar to my name (a lucky one, at that) and the second experience I was smart enough to graciously decline the liar's offer.
I have no respect for dishonest people. I hate lies because they are the antithesis of truth. I'm adamant about having the truth in my life and I don't want anyone else to be deceived by this lie.

It was a summer or two ago that I had the privilege to join a wonderful young lady in attending the symphony (that was one crazy night). The orchestra was incredible, the Eastern European performers out of this world, and overall it was a great night. After I got hit by a car on the way back to our whip we ran into an out-of breath man next to the conference center. He proceeded to tell us a story that, on the surface, was compelling and slightly absurd.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresbosque/

The guy had been biking around downtown all night after waking up to the police busting down his door. Come to find out his roomies were into narcotics and drug dealing and the po-po were taking his pad to nab the hopped-up roommates and their druggie buddies. The sweaty, afraid man was attending a college nearby and was from Texas (or Boston, I can't quite remember). He said he didn't know anyone too well and he had nowhere to go. He went to the homeless shelter but they were full. With no room in the inn and no stable to lay for the night, he decided to go to a local hostel. The problem was... he didn't have any money. He needed only $17 to stay for a night, and that was all he needed.

The whole time he was telling us this story he seemed freaked out and stressed. I kept looking around in case he was trying to distract us so another buddy could grab a wallet or purse and run off with it. Before he began his story he asked us if we were LDS.

At the conclusion his story, my friend and I looked at each other. I was strapped and the only cash I had was my lucky dollar. I pulled it out, a green crisp folded into the shape of a t-shirt (it was mass rad) and handed him it. After explaining that we didn't have any money, he thanked us and drove off.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaguelyartistic/132177047/

My friend and I forgot about the experience until 4 months later, when we met another guy while attending another performance by the Utah Symphony.

As we strolled into the Abravanel Hall, we were stopped by a man in a dark blue hoodie. He signaled to Temple Square and asked us if we were "a part of that religion". After responding to his question in the affirmative, he proceeded to tell us a story.

Photo by Andres Bosque

That story was the exact same story as the one we had heard 4 months previous. He pretended to sound real, like it was his story. We told him we didn't have anything for him and he walked off.

We couldn't believe it. The exact same story, nearly verbatim, from another person months later. It was a deceitful trick.

A few days later I related the story to a good friend and his girlfriend. They too were surprised, but not for the same reason. When they were in Salt Lake City a man had told them the same story as well! My charitable friend gave the man a score of lettuce because he felt so bad. I give props to my good friend for his kind deed; may the weight of the lie remain on the shoulders of that stinkin' liar.

I've analyzed a few things about this well-used con story and realize that it is quite effective:

First, the con "artist" (hereafter referred to as the "stinkin' liar") asks the person if they are LDS. Being in Utah, the likelihood of speaking to a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is high, which ups the chances of the victim falling prey to the stinkin' liar. This is because Mormons are taught to be charitable and to receive all that need help.
The stinkin' liar adds details into his story that seem valid. He may name an address that would be familiar to a person from around town, or mention that he goes to school nearby.
Finally (and I feel that this part is key in their lie), the stinkin' liar asks for a modest sum of money to help out his cause. He is asking for an amount around $20, a "donation" that is feasible to give by a large portion or wide market of people, still significant enough to be making a profit, and also for the person to feel like they made a difference with that contribution. Also, rather than asking for money in general, the stinkin' liar makes it more of a tangible option for the person to give some money. He makes the choice simple, give twenty bucks or no, rather than asking for money from the person and making it the responsibility of the person to come up with a sum of money (that would be too much thinking on the person's part, which the stinkin' liar wants to reduce as much as possible).
Other minor details in his trick is to target young people. In all three cases of the story (two being mine) the stinkin' liar spoke to young, college-aged people. It is likely that older gentlemen and ladies would see through the lie, while younger generations (still old enough to be responsible people) would be more prone to getting caught up in the emotion of the story.

If a stinkin' liar tells the story eight or ten times in a night, he could make off with up to $200 with little to no effort at all. That ticks me off.

So warn your kids, warn your wife, and warn your husband, because they're conning everybody out here.

They are so dumb, really, really dumb. For real.

Paper Dots

2011-01-15T21:55:00.002-07:00

Warning: Do not try this at home. You'll quickly get the picture as to why you should avoid this.

They spawn and spread like a virus. Pour some cereal at breakfast time and discover your frosted flakes salted with papery white circles. Close the blinds and you're surrounded in a small, circular-flaked snowstorm. Pick your nose and... Well, you get the picture.

Dots. They're everywhere. Hours upon hours of cleaning. Vacuums jam. Patience wears thin. You continue, day after day, to shuffle through your dormitory in a carpet of white dots.

Instead of sleeping on a bed of roses, try sleeping on a bed of paper dots.

And that, my amigos, is how you prank someone beyond your wildest dreams.

Admittedly (and my mum will readily attest), I am one mischievous imp with a wickedly creative mind. After being flipped upside down by some neighbors in an unexpected prank it was time to fire up the BosqueBrain and get those creative juices flowing for a stunning response. It was my call to arms in my quest for ultimate Prankedom. With the help of a close friend and accomplice of the prank, we succeeded in becoming knights of the Prank Kingdom.

A criminal is careful in wiping up his trace on the crime scene. The "criminals" of my sort find no pressure in leaving a (paper) trail for the victims to discover.

The Paper Dot Prank.

Indeed, it was over the top, extravagant, and blow-your-mind massive. If you want to maintain your friendships with roommates and friends alike, don't try this. I've been blessed with incredible friends who are willing to forgive people who go a bit extreme in their pranks.

Facebook Stalking

2010-12-31T13:47:00.003-07:00

You've heard the phrase plenty of times, trickling into the vocabulary of chillaxing teens or spilling out of your own lips:
"...So after class I Facebook stalked his profile and he is SO cute!"

"I'm pretty sure Janice is Facebook stalking me. She 'liked' all 314 photos of me."

Facebook stalking is supposedly when one closely examines the profile of a person that they are not friends with online, or reads and pores over the profile of a friend (and possibly a potential love interest, too).

I pose a query to the Facebook world: Is it really Facebook stalking?

I believe it is anything but. Facebook gawking, maybe, or "digital checking out". But definitely not FB stalking.
Imagine this:
You wake up in the morning, get dressed, slurp up some milk and cereal, and head out for the day to the mall. You peruse the stores, stop to get a snack at the pretzel stand, and chat with some friends you coincidentally see in the mall.
Now picture yourself on stage, bright white lights shining on your face, not missing a single detail of your actions and expressions. The crowd oohs and aahs after your monologue and continues to watch your every move. You are, after all, the star of the stage.
Facebook is the same way.
It was a voluntary choice to go to the mall, right? Same with throwing up a couple pictures of you at a concert on Facebook. Your 1,202 friends like your post about your touching act of saving a dog and making it into the newspaper. Just like your amazing monologue that nearly brought the audience to tears.

The internet was made for people to access bucketloads of data; anything online is fair game for the person with the round, white mouse, clackity keyboard, and crinkly bag of Cheetos. And online there is you.
By putting yourself out there you allow yourself to be searched, tagged, and invited to the latest event. And inevitably you will be searched, added, and looked at online. Your private life has become public, and everything you say or do can be viewed by your digitally blue and white family of 550 million. Did you do something a bit embarrassing or scandalous, and not notice the camera-happy girl at the party who recorded every juicy moment on her SD card? Whoops, now the whole world knows about what you do on weekends. And not just whoops, but ouch. "Smile, you're on candid camera" just took on a whole new meaning to your life. The content you put on Facebook is there for every last "friend" to see, like, and comment on.

I've seen and read what some of my colleagues have done while I was on Facebook and I have become sadly disappointed in what they have chosen to do. Girls I thought were nice and virtuous are uploading rather shady photos of themselves. Some of my buddies' selection of beverage last Friday night wasn't the best, either. You learn a lot about a person when you take part in their private life; now that many people are putting their private life online I see things and learn things I never really wanted to learn about that person.
My personal policy is not to put or say anything on my profile that may be embarrassing, deeply personal, or reputation-marring. To do this, I don't do anything in my life that would ruin my reputation or embarrass myself to a horrific extent (many of you that personally know the Bosque know that I encounter embarrassing moments on a regular basis; a photo of me in sparkling green sequins while performing in men's drill is nothing new). I also don't add people I have never spoken to in my life and I never gossip online.
Facebook isn't all-controlling. It is your profile, after all. You can control privacy settings and you can freely choose what photos you upload and what you decide to "like" online.
In that line of thought, Facebook isn't bad. It can be used as a tool to keep in touch with friends and revive that sense of community that the younger generation so seeks to have. Without Facebook I wouldn't have been able to go out to lunch today with a friend who is visiting from England. Facebook can be used to find long lost friends and learn more about people that you don't know too well.

The profile of Andres Bosque

In the end there isn't any justification for feeling stalked, nor can the "stalker" fail to feel justified in looking at someone's profile. There is not such thing as Facebook stalking because everyone with a profile has willingly created and updated their profile. It's all a matter of agency; whether you choose to add that friend, allow everyone to see your profile, or upload that picture, it is your choice to throw the meat out to the lions. And for the "stalker", what better than to take advantage of technology and learn more about a friend or see what a cute girl/guy is like? There is no reason to feel like a stalker because you know how to use the digital environment to your advantage. An increasing amount of couples meet and get married online; how can a single person looking for a mate online differ in definition than a person checking out someone's profile?
The next time you're looking at an unfamiliar profile, ask yourself: "Facebook stalking? Yes, or no?". By my definition of things, it's a no.

Student Development: Leadership Panel

2010-12-10T18:27:00.002-07:00

I liked this week's discussion led by three former BYU students that are now successful business men and women contributing to society. I felt that it was a good way to see how leadership has applied in their respective lives and what they have done to be leaders.

One thing that stuck out to me was Mrs. Halladay's integrity when she was in a pressure situation in college. It reaffirmed to me of the fact that good leaders have integrity and good morals both on the job and at a dinner party.

Overall the panel helped me realize that it doesn't matter necessarily what vocation I choose to become proficient in but if I can lead or be a positive, influential person within that career. I don't necessarily need to seek a leadership position as my career outright but I can be a leader whether I decide to go into marketing or law.

Student Leadership: Influencer Model

2010-12-04T16:30:00.003-07:00

I was slightly confused during this lecture based on the Influencer Model and wished that the model itself and its terms were explained a bit more clearly, nevertheless I will attempt to portray being a friend in the light of the Influencer Model.

My challenge that I am trying to approach as a friend is reducing negative competition among friends and increasing positive peer pressure and encouraging growth among my friends.

This can be measurable by the attitude of my friends around each other and their improvement in all aspects of their life.

Some of the most crucial moments in reducing negative competition include the buildup to the competition (official or spur of the moment) and the continuance of the competitive attitude merely to be the one with the last word.

I am motivated to attack this problem because I have a problem with being overly competitive. I am as much of the problem as my friends are, and oftentimes I am the one who provokes others into competitive action.
I can solve my own problem by changing the atmosphere of the situation from being competitive to fun. I can also turn away from competitive venues when that competition is merely going to hurt rather than develop camaraderie. I have to be the one to make the change and my friends will follow suit.

Ways I can change things in the moment include quitting the event altogether, exhibit a positive attitude, congratulate my team mates as well as my opponents after good plays, and overall looking to improve my friends rather than dominate them in something.

I feel like if I can solve this problem and minimize the weaknesses of myself as well as my friends through good competition (competition that builds rather than busts) we can all grow closer as a team and family.

On Perspective and The Bosque Challenge

2010-11-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

I decided to mash up these two topics because they relate to one another; the first being focused on self while the second focuses on others.

After enduring through trials, relishing the good times, and living life in general I have realized that one paramount part of life is perspective.
Keeping a perspective on things is important, especially in tough situations and when making big decisions.
In tough situations we often get caught up in the minute things of the problem. The problem or trial consumes us until it is the only thing in our focus. A good friend related this to a pebble. When the pebble so close that it is brushing our eyelashes it is the only thing our eye can see. It is looming, blocking out nearly all light, and distracting us from our path. When we pull that pebble away from our eye, however, we find it a small item in the grand scheme of life. It is one of many things going on in our world and its size pales to the scale and importance of the other items in our world: our family, our friends, our personal growth. If the grit stays in our eyes we become irritated and can be impacted negatively long after we have removed the nuisance from our life.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sappmama/320241354/

What is more valuable to you, your relationship with your sibling or friend or a piece of pie? Many, if not all of you answer resolutely that your relationships are more important than pie, however many of you act otherwise.

Lets take a look at some hypothetical situations that could happen during Thanksgiving break:
Is it really that important that I get the first piece of pie on Thanksgiving day and is the argument I am falling into with my sibling worth that piece of pie? The argument is in fact hurting my relationship with my sibling and affecting my life far beyond this moment for a piece of pie. I think I can wait on getting a piece of pie because I value my relationship with my sibling far beyond a piece of pie.
Is it really worth it to beat my little brother and cousins in a video game because winning is fun and gives me the same temporary joy that a piece of pie brings to me? Is it worth it to me to compromise my relationships that give me true joy for some temporary self-indulgence?
When we look at things in perspective we realize that we can make long-term or short-term decisions. Sure, having some pie or getting first place are great things in life but if I let my sibling take the first piece or let my cousins win a few rounds on the video game I establish and strengthen my relationship of trust with my kin. My little cousins will want to play more games with me and will remember the fun times together. They will remember the experience of being with their big cousin and want to follow in his footsteps.
The piece of pie and first place finish will mean nothing to me two minutes, two hours, two years from now. Do I really want to care about something so insignificant in place of establishing encouraging memories and relationships of trust?
My hypothetical examples are simple. We all live through experiences far more complex and deep but it all boils down to that decision based on our perspective.

http://frederickdouglassopie.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

Our trials and problems are no different. When we allow our problems to fill our view we can get bogged down and discouraged. Pain is temporary and we can and will live through all tough times. When we pull the situation out of the cramped context package we receive it in and place it in our house of life we see how manageable it can be. Sure, some packages come in bulkier and heavier sizes but everything will fit, everything will work out. No two trials are the same yet all trials can be overcome.

If we keep a perspective, even a "grand scheme of things" or eternal perspective on things, we can more fully adapt ourselves to the situation and work at our optimum level.

http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/2956312

Now that we realize the importance of keeping perspective in our personal lives, I want to consider applying that to our friends and peers.
We must be cautious in doing so because this can hurt our relationships with others or boost and strengthen our relationships.

I have been thinking lately of a friend whom I haven't seen for some time. Efforts to find time to talk and spend time together have been fruitless. I was thinking about this friend and what has been going on in their life. After some pondering on some of the choices they have made I was hit with an epiphany of sorts. It was as if a voice penetrated my conscience and told me this:
"Andres, view people as what they can be, not what they are right now."

I pondered on this new thought. I should look at others for more than what I see. I should view others according to their strengths and not their flaws. I need to view others by their potential.
Caution: This does not mean that we should go and make them become something. This does not mean that by viewing others and their eternal potentials that we should push, force, or coerce someone into doing what you believe is best. I find greater success in seeing someone fulfill their potential by loving them.
By loving others and truly believing that they can do their best those friends, peers, and family feel of that sincere love and are inspired to become their best. I know personally that when I have people cheering me on, caring about me, and supporting me that I want to do better and be my best self. When I know someone is looking out for me I gain that feeling and belief in my personal worth and it motivates me to develop myself. Love is a choice; we choose to love others. I promise that as we yield the great power of love we can elevate others to fulfilling their potential.

Now for what you have been itching to read this entire post: The Bosque Challenge.
I made this challenge for myself but I issue it as a challenge to all who read this post.

View people according to their strengths, and serve them and support them that they may fulfill their potential. Look below the surface of things and examine the meanings behind what someone says and does. Ponder on your interactions with others and seek out ways to help others realize their potential.

As I have pondered on the life of my friend I realized all of the things I missed by looking at things on a present and surface level. When I looked at things "in the now" and not in a larger scheme of things I missed all of the crucial signs that sent far more important messages than the ones I was seeing on the surface. I now know that there is a lot I can do to help my friend out.

I will consciously take on The Bosque Challenge during my week and seek to love and serve others. Viva Andres Bosque!

Can you take the heat of The Bosque Challenge? Email Andres Bosque at andresbosque@gmail.com

Reliving My Childhood

2010-11-24T21:37:00.002-07:00

Would you ever guess that an eighteen-year old college student would find himself taking a stroll down memory lane and reliving the fond past?

I didn’t think I would be either, until my roomie showed up one evening with a hard-to-get copy of James Bond Goldeneye for the classic N64.

For those of you younger than eighteen, the Nintendo 64 was the video game machine of my toddlerhood in the mid to late 1990s. It preceded the Wii, the Xbox, the Gamecube, and even the Playstation 2. This was the system that launched the video gaming world into addicting 3D adventures, starring a tubby Italian man with crazy hops, form-fitting overalls, and a friendly red hat with an M on top.

I don’t have many memories from toddlerhood. I have a few select memories including getting lost from my home down the street, waking up from a nap and coming downstairs to watch the latest episode of Gargoyles, and eating Macaroni and Cheese in the shape of Bugs Bunny. What I do remember quite vividly were the times I spent with my aunt and uncles being one of the “big kids” and playing video games with them.

I was five years old when Bond starred in his first and easily most memorable video game, Goldeneye for N64. This game was revolutionary, the bomb. Every kid on the block either owned a copy (with other video game necessities like Mario Kart, Mario 64, and NFL Blitz) or knew someone who had the game. When mum dropped me off to spend time with grandpa and the relatives, I’d inevitably find myself trying to figure out how to work a game system and get the TV onto the right channel. Remember, I’m five, maybe six years old at this time. I did a lot of observing and learned from the examples of my aunt and uncle.

As I delicately slid the gray, chunky piece of hardware into the ancient yet fully-functioning game machine back at my college apartment and grasped the awkward, three-pronged controller a flood of memories came back to me. I remember playing against my aunt and being backed up against a wall, she knowing where my character was and I hers, and us shooting bullets around the corner, hoping somehow that we would get each other. We were playing paintball mode and the walls were a graffiti of neon blue and highlighter pink.

Kicking booty in the bathroom

I remember being in the cold, mysterious basement of my grandpa’s old house with the enveloping lion blanket and the old couch reminiscent of the ‘70s, the big bin where the video games were held and the black TV we all crowded around to navigate our Bond characters.

I remember the emotions from those memories. Anxiety struck my five-year old frame whenever a bullet would graze my Bond avatar. I would get scared to death and stay in a corner, waiting for all the piexlated baddies to run to me and, quickly mashing a button or two, get rid of them before they got a shot off at me. I had the first five levels of Goldeneye memorized after beating them time and time again. I remember the excitement I felt as I assumed the form of Bond: jet black suit, silenced PP7, and top of the line gadget watch.

I loved the James Bond action films, and now I was one step closer to being 007.

As I sat down in my college pad, dinosaur claw controller in my hand, and made the first movements on level one (bad guy around the corner to the left, he has his back to you, one more baddie in the tower. If you’re lucky you can get the tower guy without him noticing you. Go up into the tower to get the sniper rifle and nab the two guys in the tunnel with the newly acquired weapon), I wondered why I remembered this game and the memories attached to it so vividly.

Then it hit me, like a burst from the RCP90.

I remember it all because I loved it. My emotions ran strong with this game, more so because of what it was attached to- being with my family and “hanging out” with them, observing my uncle, the big brother of my youth and wanting to be just like him. It was the excitement, the fun, and the love.

The colorful memories I have are undeniably tied with strong emotions: Anger when my friend broke one of my favorite toys, sadness and fear when I got lost, and rebelliousness when I went outside with only my socks after mum chided me time and time again to wear shoes or I’d put holes in my ankle-high whites (I wore a plain purple shirt that day).

Ultimately, it comes down (or rather, up) to love. My memories boil down to pure love. As I love and the deeper my love is for something, the more of a part of me it becomes. As Bond was intrinsic to my childhood, being a student body officer was to my teenage years and soon my mission to Cuernava, Mexico will define my entrance into adulthood. Life without remembering is sad, and boring. A life of boredom is a life without love.

I look at photos I’ve taken and that passion for photography and art boils up in my chest. I say boils because it’s unstoppable, an emotion that shoots through my system and envelops my mind. I love it. I let my green, heavy SBO jacket run through my hands and my heartstrings twang and my eyes well up because of the memories with my friends, my SBO family. I loved it, and miss it dearly.

My fingers twitch as they slowly remember the ways of the game. I finish level one with ease and reflect back on the difficulty of the game back in the day as a mini, blonde-haired James Bond boy. I smile, and proceed to level two.

Student Leadership: GOals FORd ineptITude

2010-11-23T17:26:00.003-07:00

This week's lecture on setting goals really put things back into perspective for me. I really needed something like this to occur in my life right now.

The lecture was based on the talk "Go For It!" by M. Russell Ballard. Elder Ballard's talk provides insight into becoming and staying a successful person. Some of the main points from the talk are as follows:

Have a positive attitude
Write down your goals and put them in a prominent location
Practice personal self-discipline
Stop (right now) something you know you should not do, and replace it with something you should do
Life isn't perfect; it is a progression towards perfection
Have faith!

Every time we set goals opposition comes into play. My biggest setback or opposition is myself. I decided I wouldn't let what other people say affect me in life. When people tell me they don't think I can do something I use that as motivation to do the "impossible". No matter what people say they add fire to my drive, positive or negative.
The biggest weakness in my mindset is loss of perspective. Oftentimes I will get caught up in the little things or be overwhelmed by the massive task at hand and get discouraged. Most times the solution to my opposition is keeping an eternal perspective on things. When I pull the looming rock away from my eye I realize that it's only a pebble in the scheme of life. I also counter my negative thoughts with my "Life Mantras".
The depth of my determination is also a big determination of achieving my goal. In simple terms, I ask myself "how badly do I want this?". Everything in my life that I have ever wanted badly I have achieved; whether it be playing for the high school basketball team, becoming a student body officer, going to BYU, or playing the cello.

Finally, here are my goals as a friend:

Build relationships of trust
Compromise
Respect
Loyalty
No conflict or quick conflict resolution

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Student Leadership: Teamwork!

2010-11-19T23:48:00.002-07:00

This week in Student Leadership we discussed leadership. In our lab sections we created skits emphasizing the different aspects of leadership.

In our skit groups I played the role of "organizer". I asked for people's input on what we should do for the skit and helped organize those ideas into a skit. It took all of our ideas and input to create and agree on a skit that would emphasize our specific aspects of leadership: compromise and cooperation.

As a friend I can use the teamwork characteristic of compromise. In many instances my friends and I may want to participate in different activities or we may view life differently. It is important to recognize that everyone is unique and has different perspectives on life. Compromising and helping each friend be happy with the situation is important to me. I do not put pleasing others over attaining the main goal; if I can help others be happy with how things are going but also achieve the vision then I am operating at optimum performance as a friend.

The Shaman likes magic! Ooooooh, magic!

Student Leadership: Ethics

2010-11-12T23:43:00.002-07:00

Ethics and integrity in the courtroom happen when witnesses tell the truth (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) and when attorne-- well, when do attorneys ever have integrity in court (no offense, dad).
Attorneys have to speak and convince the court that their client's case is correct. Attorneys go to great lengths not to lie but to tell their side of the story to the extent of their knowledge of the truth. They often tread a fine line between lying and telling the truth and in many cases lawyers (who are hired by the guilty party) end up lying anyway. Unfortunately an attorney may have to defend the case of a client they know to be guilty, but being hired and required to defend the client they must do things out of compulsion and contract.

In the case of our court case (pun slightly intended) I feel that the witnesses did do a good job of representing their part of the case. The attorneys did their best to twist words and create convincing arguments, sucking the most information out of the witnesses' testimonies to build their argument.

The final decision was not the right one! I shouldn't have been suspended- give a man with a loud opinion a break! Breaching dress code should not result in such a serious consequence. A simple verbal warning for the first offense should suffice.

Ethics and integrity are important in being a friend. My friends expect me to live my morals and be who I say I am at all times and in all things. Situations where I have to have integrity and ethics include going on dates, eating roommates food, and telling the truth when pranking others.

Student Leadership: Servant Leadership

2010-11-05T23:57:00.004-06:00

This week the topic discussed in leadership class was on being a servant leader. Christ in his teachings told His disciples that the greatest are those who are the servants to all. The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Being a servant leader in the context of friendship is being willing to go the extra mile for a friend or to make an extra effort to help him or her out.

At times being a servant friend can be difficult or inconvenient. I have a friend whom I keep in touch with over text because I rarely have the chance to see him in person. He is a person who is extremely shy and does not have many friends. At the seemingly most inconvenient moments in my life I would get a text from him. In those moments it takes a lot of effort to carry an amiable conversation all the while balancing my life or situation. I know however that he needs friends and support and maintaining my friendship with him is important to me. Maintaining and strengthening friendships requires sacrifice and willingness to serve.

I tell all of my friends that if they ever need me I will always be there for them. Indeed, I have had many opportunities to cash in on my promise.
One evening I got a call from a close friend asking me if I had time to talk to her about things. Of course I didn't have any time; I was drowning in homework and SBO duties. And, of course, I told her I had time and I would chat with her.
It was a school night when I picked up my friend at 10:00 PM to go talk. We drove to the temple and talked for hours. When I picked her up, my friend was stressed and depressed; the friend I dropped off was comforted and focused, ready to overcome her trials. I dropped into my bed with the digital clock reading in the AM.
The next day at school I was tired, but the exhaustion was worth it.

Serving friends strengthens relationships. I became closer to my stressed friend as we shared our thoughts and feelings and also made sacrifices to serve each other. It may seem humiliating to stoop down and wash the feet of our friends, but in reality the message we send our friends is that we love them deeply. When they see that willingness to serve they in turn become willing to serve us. Give a little and receive a lot.

Student Leadership: Conflict Resolution

2010-10-29T16:43:00.003-06:00

Conflict is direct opposition to our growth; it is also what helps us grow as we learn to overcome conflict and problem-solve.

Conflict resolution is paramount in maintaining friendships. Though we may be friends because of shared interests, we don't have everything in common with our BFs and BFFs and BFFLs and all other Fs and Cs (colleagues). No matter how close we may be to someone we will still have disagreements and arguments.

A good friend is one who compromises and collaborates with friends. They are willing to sacrifice time, choice, and ultimately be flexible in order to maintain a good relationship.

One of my best friends in many ways is polar opposite of me. While I prefer english, history, and politics, my friend loves math, engineering, and science. I took Spanish in school; he took German. I love hip hop; he likes hard rock. It seems almost improbable that we could be best friends for ten years and now live together in college.

We have been through some rough patches in our friendship, but we have been able to work through our differences by explaining our views and how we feel about the situation. We had to first express what we were thinking and how we were feeling about things before we could adequately address the situation; we first needed to equip ourselves sufficient information before tackling our problem. Many times we continued to feel differently about things but made a decision that would continue our friendship. It was much more important that we move on than dwell on something that could hurt our friendship.

If conflicts remain unsolved and neglected often they will fester into big issues that can ruin friendships. The sooner the conflict is confronted in a mutual, respective manner the faster wounds can heal.

I have found the most effective way in solving conflicts is by thoroughly investigating the opinion and emotions of my friend and find a solution that is both effective and considerate of both of our emotions. My friends are important and I show how important they are to me when I am wiling to work with them through our differences.

Student Leadership: Public Speaking

2010-10-22T23:50:00.002-06:00

Public speaking is not extremely prevalent in the role of being a leader-friend. As a friend I should be comfortable speaking with my friends and stating my opinion. The speaking skills I would need most as a friend would be knowing my audience (some friends like to play sports, others like to watch movies) and listening to them.

One area that I am speaking public is as the gospel doctrine teacher in my ward. I am up in front of 40-70 people teaching from the scriptures. One aspect of public speaking that I have found to be important is preparation. I need to be completely prepared and knowledgeable of the scriptures, footnotes, and cross references so that I can control the flow of the conversation, follow the Spirit, and be flexible in what we discuss in class. It is important to be captivating by making the scriptures personal to the people in my class and also involving the class through questions and reading scriptures. I seek to have a lot of class involvement in my lessons.

Public speaking is an important ability that can be developed in church callings, class presentations, and being a friend. Though some leadership positions do not specifically call for public speaking, different aspects of speaking can be improved according to the leadership position.

Student Leadership: Time Management

2010-10-15T22:00:00.003-06:00

Time management is key to maintaining good friendships as well as getting the necessary work done before play time occurs.

Time management, especially concerning friends and social life, is best managed by our priorities. If our priorities indicate social life first and academic pursuits second, then our time will be largely invested into developing our social lives over cultivating A grades in class. It is important to first realize where your priorities truly lie before learning how to manage your time.

Upon entering BYU as a student I made the decision to put my grades first and my social life second. In truth, this has been a difficult transition for me. I went from being a very social SBO to a more academically-focused student. So far I have not enjoyed the transition but I know that in the end putting my academics first will pay off.

One way to manage or compromise the time management between hanging out with friends and studying for school is combining the two when possible. For Student Leadership class we a required to watch a movie; instead of watching it on my own I am going to invite a few friends over to watch with me to make it both a time for learning and a time for fun.

It is important to distinguish the time to play and the time to work. I have learned both the hard way and the disciplined way that when we work hard now and put off playing till a better moment in time, not only do we feel the satisfaction of accomplishment after doing our work but the reward feels that much more gratifying.

There must be a balance between social life and academics. One cannot be wholly committed to either one or the other; they both exist in one's life for a reason! This is where time management becomes important.

As I grudgingly pull myself away from my friends to finish an assignment or do my necessary chores, I reduce stress in my life and it makes spending time with friends a lot easier. One of my good friends is excellent at working first before playing and he has helped me by reminding me of what is most important and what I should be doing when I want to be distracted or call up a friend to chat. As I develop my time management skills as a friend I too can become an example to my friends in learning how to work first and play later.

Student Leadership: Divine-Centered Leadership

2010-10-08T21:29:00.007-06:00

Divine-centered leadership calls leaders to follow the Perfect Example in being an effective leader. Christ, our Savior, was and is a leader, a perfect one at that. In the context of my chosen "vocation" as a friend-leader, I would like to emphasize some of the aspects from our in-class discussions on becoming a divine-centered leader and how I can apply (or improve) them to being a friend.

Modeling the Way, the Truth, the Life

It is important that as a friend I practice what I preach. If I am constantly shifting my standards, acting one way around a set of friends and another way around another group of amigos, I lose the trust of my friends when they realize what I am doing. To accomplish this I simply set one standard for myself and let my friends know that I seek to live that standard at all times and in all places. Because of my decision of living the highest standard I have friends that not only share that same standard but help me live up to that goal. If I can live to a high standard then I can be an example to those who are seeking a standard to live by, and I can also influence others to lift their standards as well. If I don't live up to the way I claim to live, then I not only mar my reputation but can hurt the reputation of others- in this case, my closest friends.
As I friend I want the best for my friends. I want to see them live up to their potential. I can't force anyone to do anything but I can be a good example. I can always support others and be available to listen to questions and concerns, I can be willing to take the initiative and say hi first. I can do my best to choose the right so that my friends (and in this case my siblings) can follow my example.

Knowing Each Heart

I really liked talking about this in class. As a student body officer in high school I set a goal at the beginning of the year to exemplify the individual. My ultimate goal of the year was to seek to lift up individuals, and rather than focus on the huge groups of people in the hallways, at football games, in the lunchroom, I did my best to be a friend to as many individuals as time and sincerity could permit. I wanted to let those individuals know that not only did I know their name but I was their friend, and they meant something to me. I didn't care about popularity, I didn't care about wearing the latest style and using the "in" words and phrases. I cared about reaching out to that individual amidst the crowd.
Knowing each individual and their wants, needs, dreams, and skills is important to me. Whether I am working on a planning committee or hanging out with a group of friends, knowing the personalities and desires of the people around me matters. In more serious situations I need to know what a person is like to know how they can best serve the group; in less serious situations I want to know what a person likes to do to have fun or talk about. In the end I seek to draw out the best person from within. I want to see the best in my friend, performing in full form and personality.
This can be difficult sometimes as humans. In order to truly understand someone we need divine assistance. God, in His omniscience, can help us understand others:

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord ^aseeth not as ^bman seeth; for man looketh on the outward ^cappearance, but the ^dLord looketh on the ^eheart. "

God sees His children, our fellow brothers and sisters, in their true form. He sees their potential, their talent, their light. He knows each one of us better than we could possibly imagine while living here on Earth. It is when we seek His guidance in helping us understand His children that we not only receive spiritual eyes to see through but we also gain a better understanding of ourselves. We realize the worth of souls in God's eyes and know that we too are valuable to Him. When we understand that we are of worth to the Creator, then we begin to treat our fellow men with that same love. When we come to understand each heart within our circle of friends and know of their eternal potential and worth, we learn to love with a love deeper than anything looking on the outward appearance can produce.

In conclusion, I seek to be a better friend by modeling my life after Christ's and also to better understand my friends and remember their worth to our Lord. I can do this by having the correct motives; I seek to love my friends and help them become their best selves. I can share with them my vision of not only living high standards but spreading the Love of Christ to others. I can better myself as I center my leadership on the teachings of Christ.

Student Leadership: Myers-Briggs Evaluation

2010-10-01T23:01:00.003-06:00

ENTJ

Extraversion: Focus on the outer world of people and activity
Intuition: Take on information from patterns and the big picture and focus on future possibilities
Thinking: Make decisions based primarily on logic and on objective analysis of cause and effect
Judging: Planned and organized approach to life and want to have things settled

According to the Myers-Briggs test, my letter combination, ENTJ, contains only 1.8% of people who took the test.

I was slightly skeptical on my results largely due to the lack of clarity in two areas on the test: the thinking area and judging area. My results between thinking and feeling situations out only leaned toward thinking by 2 points; I feel that I tend to both analyze situations and look at how people feel and how decisions will affect people as well as using logic as well. Judging only had 5 points over perceiving and I realize that I tend to like flexibility and spontaneity as well as structure to my life (but not too much).

I learned that the people that are ENTJs in the work force tend to be within the Engineering family; jobs include mechanical and chemical engineering, also architect, etc. Ironically, these are jobs and fields of study that I tend to avoid (I dislike math). Other jobs that ENTJs are satisfied with include top executives, anesthesiologists, CEOs, and more top executive stuff.

One thing that stuck out to my in the personality analysis is that I may tend to drive others as hard as myself. This is something that has occurred in my life on small occaisions. I recall one particular experience during a cross country workout. The XC team was split into small groups that rotated to different workout stations. I took charge of my group (another thing on the test said that "you may intimidate others with your take-charge attitude". Better look out for that one, too!) and led out the stretches and called out the reps. One guy in my group seemed to be giving a poor effort on the push ups, sit ups, pull ups, and other workouts. I noticed his half-baked flops on the gym floor and I called him out for not pushing himself. At the time I was giving everything into every workout and for some reason it drove me nuts that he wasn't doing the same. It told me that he did not want to work hard for the team and win on the race course. I realize now that I should not expect others to drive as hard as I do for certain things in life because everyone is different and everyone stresses importance on different things.

One thing that relates closely to who I am on this test was the drive to achieve lofty goals and that I prefer competitive work environments that also rewards achievements. I have a go-big-or-go-home attitude on things and if I have the potential to make it big I will make it big.

Through this test I realized what type of leader I could potentially become. While I am not completely convinced by my results (because half of my results were not very clear due to my lack of preference) I have a better understanding of who I am. Applying this new understanding to my leadership role as a friend I know that I mustn't push others as hard as I push myself, that I should allow others to take charge and lead out discussions and decision-making. I can be a bit competitive and some of my friends may be put off when I start becoming competitive (My next door neighbor has an arcade game in his apartment and I currently have the high score on Robotron 2004. Go me :). I am very good at organizing people and can use that to my advantage as I invite friends over for a post-game party or to set up a group date for a weekend. I know that when situations or problems arise within the lives of my friends or between fellow friends, I can help be a mediator by analyzing the situation, take into consideration the feelings of the person(s), and help bring peace through compromise.

I can better understand others by listening with sincerity to their thoughts and feelings. I can also decide not to take charge in certain situations and let my friends become the decision-maker or organizer for group events. I think that I will best understand people by listening first and getting to know them by letting them open up.

I am excited to have a better understanding of my potential as a leader. I know that I am not merely limited to the results given by this test but that I can learn to expand my leadership abilities by minimizing my weaknesses and using my strengths for good, especially in building friendships.

Student Leadership: Situational Leadership

2010-09-24T21:48:00.004-06:00

This week's lecture was given by Adrian Klemme on the Situational Leadership Model.

I thought this lecture was very enlightening. I didn't fully realize the dynamics of leadership and how effective leadership adjusts to the situation at hand.

In the context of my leadership role as a friend the type of situational leadership I would be prone to follow would be the supportive (relationship) zone, where I focus more on the relationship (high relationship, low task) and instead of being directive in commands, involve my friends in making decisions and listen and consider everyone's opinions and feelings. Thus my friends are as much a part of any decisions as I am. This will help everyone feel included and create a stronger bond of trust between persons. The aspect of teamwork and working together becomes emphasized as friends make decisions. Involving everyone will help individuals feel important; as individuals realize that their voice is being heard and implemented in the decision-making process they too will learn to recognize and respect the opinions and feelings of others.

In my aims to become a good "friend-leader" I hope to see my friends grow in many aspects of their lives as well as develop new friendships and foster the "old" ones. A good friend is loyal and respectful. This fulfills the maturity aspect of the Situational Leadership Model. In being a supportive friend, using less directive commands and involving others in the decision-making process (in deciding things as simple as where we are all going to eat after the game, what we should do with our spare time, etc.), I hope to achieve greater competence with my friends in that they develop into better, more well-rounded humans, and also commitment in the context that friends are more loyal to each other and desire to be a part of a group.

Student Leadership: Interview With US Senator Bennett

2010-09-21T21:07:00.005-06:00

THE RUNDOWN:
You're given a phone number to call at exactly 2:30 PM the following day. You have an estimated time of 15 minutes to speak with a high-ranking United States Senator before he catches a flight back to Washington DC. Fifteen minutes to interview a man who has had major influence in the US Senate for the past 18 years. You quickly load a new window on your laptop and begin studying his biography, accomplishments, and home life to formulate questions in your once-in-a-lifetime interview.
---
This was how my leadership interview unfolded this past weekend as I received the privileged opportunity to speak with Senator Bob Bennett on leadership and his career as a senator.

I am doubly grateful for having done my interview with Senator Bennett because I have a growing interest in politics. My interest was birthed in AP US Government and Politics class this past school year when I learned about the American government and its history. Getting this inside look at the workings of the senate and how leadership is unique in that setting was priceless and merely sparked my flame for politics.

Leadership in the senate is unique because, rather than dealing with subordinates or working with people below you, you are dealing with your equals. Everyone is concerned with their political agenda as well as the fragility of their political reputation. Everything going on in the senate, what bill is being discussed or passed or whom is siding with whom, impacts the political careers of every senator in office. It is therefore of the best interests of a senator to be cautious of hurting or affecting the careers of fellow office-holders.
Leadership in the senate, according to the Situational Leadership Model, leans more towards supportive behaviors and coaching rather than directing and one-way communication. The leader of the Democratic party in the senate cannot demand his party to choose his argument, rather, he must request for a vote and attempt to sell his course of action. Thus leadership in the senate is high-task and high-relationship oriented.

Leadership therefore is built on the basis of ideology and persuasion, with emphasis on the latter. It is based on relationships, selling ideas, listening, input, problem-solving, and effective communication.

The currency of the senate is information. An effective senator is one with the facts. A senator with an argument based in sound fact, backing all arguments and ideologies with truth is the most effective senator in dealing with their political contemporaries. Information is the key to good persuasion.

In building an effective argument to bring politicians onto your side of the decision, it is of the utmost importance in how you would word and present your argument. Framing the presentation in a manner that would hurt politicians the least and emphasizing aspects of the argument that would help politicians is key to winning people over. This, plus an excellent foundation of facts and information is the prize-winning recipe of success on the floor (being a high-ranking senator, accomplished in many aspects, experienced in many committees, and having power, unofficial or official, may also help win arguments as well).

Senator Bennett shared a unique experience in the senate where he applied these tactics to effectively convince fellow politicians into siding with his argument, which in turn saved the border states in the West.

Assigned to take on the Mexican Peso Crisis by Bob Dole, Senator Bennett gathered information on the peso, the devaluation thereof, and framed his arguments such that he convinced both Dole and Gringrich (the leaders of the two Houses during the early 1990s) whom in turn convinced President Clinton to side with Bennett's argument.

The leadership aspect most emphasized during our interview was the power of persuasion. Preparation precedes power, and in this case preparation with sound information precedes effective persuasion.

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, by love unfeigned;"

Not only is persuasion an integral part of leadership, but it is a part of becoming a complete priesthood holder and disciple of Christ. We must with a kind word persuade our fellow men to follow Christ and choose the right. Senator Bennett, within his vocation of power and responsibility, maintains that great power through persuasion and respect for his fellow men. I had the strongest impression during our phone conversation that Senator Bennett has taken his duty seriously and has served with the people of Utah in mind. Not only has he loved serving the people of Utah, he has taken his responsibilities to heart, namely taking the interests of the people of the state to the national level and as a policymaker seeing that the country moves in the right direction, and made those responsibilities the motive of his leadership of the State of Utah in the United States Senate. He has used his power for the people and not himself and has maintained that power through persuasion, patience, strength, and love for what he has chosen to do. On a personal note, I admire Senator Bennett for his stalwart drive in the political realm, putting his people and duty first, and working tirelessly in a vocation that is constantly criticized by the media.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have had an enlightening conversation with a man whom I respect. I am grateful for the chance to have an inside look at leadership and its unique role in the political world.
---
13 minutes, 11 seconds later the phone line clicks as the conversation ends. Papers filled with notes, head churning information like an unconquerable waterfall, you head to class as a plane miles away slowly rumbles to life for its journey to the heart of America, with a US Senator on board, ready to take on another week's work.

Student Leadership Leader Analysis

2010-09-17T23:41:00.005-06:00

After doing my in-class report on Robert Mugabe, current leader of Zimbabwe, I decided to analyze him as my example of what not to be as a leader. I think it is healthy to see and gain wisdom from examples of what not to be in addition to taking after the many examples of what kind of leaders we can take after.

Robert Mugabe is a selfish leader, bent on self-preservation, greed, and personal gratification. His motive is himself. Every action speaks selfishness; everything he does is for his own personal benefit, whether it be at the expense of others or not.

Mugabe rules with fear and intimidation. His bullies wait at the voting booths to intimidate citizens into voting for Mugabe. Even mentioning his name in a phone conversation or in daily life and expressing your opinion about his way of ruling the country may put your life in mortal danger as a resident of Zim (obviously I can say what I want about him from the safety of my apartment in the USA).

Due to his inconsistent leadership, Robby Mugabe has divided his people (Robby is openly racist against whites and will do anything to get them out of Zimbabwe) as the Africans kick whites off of their farms, he has created a divide between himself and the people as he throws lavish parties in his mansions while his people starve in the streets, he has ruined the economy, and left little or no hope for the people.

I have learned that when my motives as a leader are centered on myself then corruption will commence. If I am focused on vaulting myself as a leader, working for the adulation of others and spending my time gathering fame, then I let down the people I am leading. I lose the respect of my peers, the people would no longer trust me, organization would fly out of the window, and nothing will be accomplished. It is therefore of the utmost importance that we, as leaders serving in any capacity, whether it be an appointed vocation or not, have our motives and ideals in the right place, and that those motives are consistent. When we lead we do it to serve the people. It isn't meant to be abused like Robby Mugabe, and transformed from a position of power to change and influence the people to a position of power for one's own personal gratification.

Student Leadership: What Does Leadership Mean To Me?

2010-09-11T14:02:00.004-06:00

Leadership has become an important part of my life as I have gained a greater understanding of its essential part in society and in the world.

Leadership to me is being an example and an influence for good for the people you serve. It isn't a job but a joy to me. I love to lead because (and I'm not trying to be conceited) I know I can lead. I know it is something I have an talent for and I whenever I have an opportunity to lead I take it. It means putting my best self on the line and representing not only myself but whatever I am being a leader for, whether it be representing a club, school, my church, or a group of people. It means that I have greater responsibility as I make decisions that may affect those around me. It helps me grow as a person as I learn how to be decisive, organized, and determined.
Leadership is important to me because I have had opportunities to be a leader in various vocations in life. I have served in positions in my church, as orchestra president, and as a student body officer for my high school. I think the greatest think I have learned from serving in these positions is that leadership isn't based upon a title or position, but how a person operates in their personal world. Having a leadership position provides the opportunity or duty to be a leader, but doesn't necessarily mean we will practice better leadership.

As a student body officer (SBO for short) I had the duty to my school to be a representative of a morally upstanding, diligent student. When I put on my green jacket I felt responsible to my peers. I was enabled to do my job as a leader; I did my best to reach out to others, show school spirit during sports games, and magnify my position as school historian in capturing the best moments of Hillcrest's 2010 school year.

Photo taken by Diane Edman (Thanks, PhotoMom!)

I now no longer hold any public leadership position entering into BYU. This does not change the way I am as a leader. Despite the fact that I don't have a vocation or position that calls me to do my duty as a leader, I can still practice good leadership as a peer and friend. I can still be diligent in all of my activities, be morally upstanding, and have school spirit. I no longer am an official representative of my school but I still live to those high standards I have set myself. I can practice leadership no matter my situation or circumstance. Leadership means the world to me.

Student Leadership: What Is Leadership?

2010-09-08T20:34:00.006-06:00

Leadership is the ability to guide an organized group in an influential manner towards a specific goal or vision. Leadership entails a vision, plan, a group of individuals, delegation, and deliberation.

There are certain qualities that are integral to an effective, moral leader. Though many attributes make up good leaders of our time and times past, I will emphasize a few that I feel are most important to becoming and maintaining excellent leadership.

The first piece to leadership is good morals and integrity. I believe good morals are essential to leadership. When one is chosen or volunteered to a position where he or she may make decisions that will effect the group or individuals within that group, it is important to have someone with a good moral compass to make those choices. Good leaders also have integrity; leaders will maintain those good morals on and off the job, in public and also in private. This creates a reputation of good will for the leader and also creates a relationship of trust between the leader and his or her governed body.

The next essential part to leadership is having and sharing a vision. There must be something that the leader is working towards, otherwise leadership is pointless. If a leader has a particular goal or vision in mind, he or she should effectively communicate that vision to the people so that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal. This creates solidarity in the group (mechanical solidarity to be exact) as they share a common thread. Included in this vision is a plan or a way to achieve that vision.

The last aspect of a good leader comes from the scriptures:

"24 ¶ And there was also strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth."

Leadership involves serving others. Being a leader doesn't mean one is vaulted above others, in fact, it is quite opposite. Leadership means being with (not above them) your peers and doing service for their betterment as well as forwarding the progress of the group as a whole.
Good leaders in the scriptures are always found serving and laboring with the people. Most notable in laboring with the people is King Benjamin:

"14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly king!"

Leadership is essential for the progression of society and our goals. Leadership is good morals, integrity, vision, a plan, and serving others.

The 411 On The Bosque: Transition

2010-09-05T10:04:00.008-06:00

Emprise readers, I understand that I've left you in a drought, in a world lacking the juicy, soul-quenching words on Andres Bosque for some time now (pardon my ego), and because I miss you so much and have wanted to write on the Emprise for ages I'm forcing myself to sit down and give you an update on mi vida.

The summer is over, and now I am in college. Life is changing on a large scale and change arrives in large doses, small packages, and in any assortment of surprise.

All in all through this transition I don't feel much different. Gone are the days of high school where, looking back on it from my new point of view, were void of reality and true responsibility. High school was its own "virtual reality" in the world of adulthood and maturity. It is at the edge of "youth-hood", the final step before delving into the world I now inherit.

High school was fun. It was its own little world. H-Town is a fitting nickname for my former school, because life at Hillcrest was like living in a miniaturized community. I loved that community and learned to to explore and become a part of it. This summer, however, I did feel that it was my time to go, to pack my bags and move out of that town of 1500 or so souls and move on to bigger, better, and harder things. The pond had become too small and it was time to leave and grow.

Whether we liked it or not, the senior class of 2010 was pushed out of High School-Reality and into the real world.

The transition has been difficult for some. I feel blessed, and in fact I know I have been blessed in this higher education-seeking endeavor. My parents have prepared me to the best of their ability, and this summer has been spent preparing myself mentally for the changes to come. I haven't had any emotional, psychological, or mental problems with moving out and living independently. I am still the same me living in a new setting and going to a new school. I don't feel any different because I knew the changes would come and I got ready for them. I have quickly learned to like my new life before it got the better of me. I know I have had a great deal of support to get me to this stage in life, and I thank all of my leaders, friends, and my parents for helping me become prepared for college. My leaders and parents have taught me well. I am grateful for the experiences I have had to help me become prepared for living independently.

"Going Independent" hasn't come at complete ease. I am experiencing new challenges and responsibilities that push and pull me as a person. Time management and remembering all of the chores and homework assignments are easily the two biggest challenges I face. I have learned that with added responsibility one must remember a seemingly dizzying amount of details and tasks, ranging from doing the reading assignment for Anthropology to buying more milk for breakfast the following day. There are so many things to do it seems impossible to get it all done in a day. Prioritizing tasks becomes paramount. Food doesn't magically appear when I come home from school, nor does it replenish itself in my cupboards either. Reminders from mum or a teacher in school concerning homework are few and far between. Laundry doesn't return neatly folded after putting it in the laundry hamper, it remains in the same, untidy pile I create day after day. No one tells you to clean your room, wash your dishes (although a peeved roomie might), go to bed early, or even do your homework. Life has become a lot harder as I assume more responsibility.

It has become harder, but I know I can do it. No dish is too dirty, or bedtime too early. It may be more difficult to create a balance in this life, but I know that through the difficulties and trials I face I will become stronger.

College has had its fun moments as well. For example I am thoroughly enjoying waking up late and staying in bed to write this blog post. Our apartment has seen many a party as we host post-game pizza parties, welcome in the student in need of a video game session or two, or teach a Family Home Evening lesson. Football games are AMAZING, especially while sitting next to your best friends. Everyone here is friendly and welcoming. It is a great environment and I am grateful to be able to live in such a kind, fun community.
I miss my family and friends back home. I miss my good friends that have moved abroad to pursue prestigious educations. Home will always be Home, but as for now the Y on the side of the mountain is my Amish Hex Sign in the eaves of my new residence: Brigham Young University.

Student Leadership: Defining My Leadership Role

2010-09-04T15:29:00.003-06:00

After some careful consideration of my new life as a freshman at Brigham Young University, I am convinced that my most effective leadership role in this community is being a friend to everyone.

Choosing to have my leadership role as a friend to all is best for me because that is the area where I will have the most influence on my peers. As a friend I can be an example of one upholding the rules, finding the fun in everything, working hard, and most importantly keeping a positive attitude during this period of change in my life as well as my peers.

All of my fellow freshmen are experiencing the same major adjustments in life: moving out of the house and living independently, taking greater responsibility for one's work and education, and all the while balancing work with a growing and shifting social life.

I feel that being a friend will help those that are insecure and need someone in their life during this important period of change. Although I may not be in the spotlight serving in a public leadership position, I know that I can be a positive influence to those individuals around me.

My leadership role: Friend.

Big Green Tractor

2010-08-14T16:18:00.001-06:00

Air305 pulls out all the stops in their latest and possibly greatest vid to date. Yeehaw!

High School Advice

2010-08-03T17:30:00.008-06:00

I always have an uncanny desire to preface all of my posts, so don't mind me as I preface yet another Emprise post:
I was motivated to write this post when one of my younger siblings asked me for advice on high school. Onion asked me to write it down for her, so here you go, Chuckles. Don't laugh too hard at what I say, I'm being serious. I also direct this post to all other high schoolers, both new and veteran, in the hopes that you too may gain something from this post. And I can't forget the rest of the Emprise subscribers-- many of the things I will write in this post can be applied to life beyond the football games and stuffy classrooms.
Most people in the world like to talk and give advice. Like my dad says, most advice that people want to give is bad advice. You go with what feels best and works best for you. You don't have to take my advice.

High school was an excellent experience for me. I had a great deal of success, friendship, and happiness. I feel that there were some things that I did well that helped me find that success and direction I needed to make it through those tough years. I want you to be successful and enjoy high school like I did and be able to look back on your experience with gratitude and joy, but also with a desire to move on and continue to grow.

I will also address some of the things I noticed in high school kids that, if changed, can help you out with your insecurities immensely.

The first thing I discovered that helped me in high school was who I was.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE

Easily the greatest solution to deep insecurity is knowing (and being) yourself. And this includes more than your faults and weaknesses that we so easily recognize and dwell upon, this includes your strengths, gifts, and talents. Don't start shaking your head, you have a great deal of talent and ability to bring to the world!

High school is a common time for youth to hit their "identity crisis". I hit mine the summer before I entered into my sophomore year at H-Town. I was unsure of who I was. I was shy, my confidence was inconsistent and I felt a bit scared and nervous to be entering into a new world.
I sought to know myself through someone who was there for me all the time. For me, I decided to build my identity on my Redeemer. He became my foundation of who I was to become. I choose to omit the more personal details of my experience of discovering and choosing Christ to be my foundation from this public journal, but have recorded my personal and life-changing experience in my private journal. I have gone back on occasion to reflect on that time and how it has helped me in present day.

Discover yourself. Find out what you like and don't like. Dare to be different. Be open to new experiences, new people, and new change.

The next step is being that person.

BE YOURSELF

There is a difference between knowing yourself and actually being yourself. I can think of many friends in high school who knew better but decided to follow what they thought was cool and seek for attention and laud from the world.
I did a lot of observing my sophomore year. I watched the seniors, relaxed and so cool, dance and dominate the hallways at school. I saw the juniors, attitude worn on their sleeves, shuffling down the halls and dragging duffel bags of sports gear to the gym. And I watched my fellow sophomores, saw good colleagues slowly shift before my eyes, and heard an outpouring of gossip, relationships, and dramatic texts.
I learned something from watching my peers. I discovered that the coolest people were the ones with the most personality and character. The people that stood out the most were the ones that truly stuck to themselves.
I decided that I was going to be me, and I was going to stay as true to myself as possible.

That single factor brought me the greatest amount of success in high school. I know that being myself was the thing that attributed to my success.

I gained confidence as I was tested to stray from being me. As I acted on my personality, my strengths, and my dreams I found friends that I will have forever.

I caution you in how you go about finding yourself. Many in the world take to following the media and what seems to be popular and cool. No one has ever found themselves this way. The media way of living is a lie. It's fake. What you see isn't real, and is void of all good truth.
There will be pressures to do what is cool and follow the crowd. It's not cool. In honesty it's stupid. Be yourself and don't be a part of the crowd when you know it isn't right.

There is something about a person who is true to who they really are. People around that person can feel it. They can feel the sincerity, the soul of the person. They have an aura about them that attracts other people. One who is true to his or herself has confidence, and that confidence spreads to those around him or her.
On the flipside, people can feel it when someone is fake. I'm not trying to be judgmental when I explain this because I, like the rest of the world, don't truly know what is going on in that person's life to make them act that way, but people know and feel when someone isn't being true to themselves. If you can help it, avoid this. Don't be afraid to be you. That is how you will find your true friends, work on your weaknesses, but most importantly exemplify your abilities.

I know if I wasn't always being me then I would still be the shy, reluctant kid I once was. It was hard at first to let my personality show but once people saw me for who I was they began to respect me and enjoy who I was. Through my efforts of being the best me possible I was able to take advantage of opportunities in high school, including becoming orchestra president and a Student Body Officer.

Be yourself, no matter what they say. No matter where you are, who you are with, be yourself.

CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY

This, ladies and gentleman, is very important. You will be heavily influenced by your peers, and especially by your friends during high school. Choose friends that will help you live the life that you should. Find friends that have good morals. Whoever you choose to roll with on weekends and during your free time will be who you become. Don't choose friends that will reflect badly on you and your reputation. Always be nice to others no matter what, but be selective in who you decide to spend your valuable time.

BE DECISIVE

This is something that surprised me about high school youth. No one dares take the initiative to make a decision. It scares me. There were many times where I would hear something like, "It may take me awhile to do that because I stink at making decisions," or "No, you choose because I don't like to decide things".
This, my friends, is not good.

Make decisions because nobody else is going to do it for you. If you want it, go out there and get it! We live in a world of speed and ease and the younger generations are finding it increasingly difficult to learn independence and make decisions because of everything that so conveniently falls into their laps. Life from this point on will cease to come to you, and it is important to learn how to make a choice and go through with that decision.

The decision making process can be broken down into steps to help make a clear and definitive choice:

1. Identify the problem (or choices)

2. Brainstorm solutions (don't throw out any options just yet, include even the extravagant ones at this point)

3. Evaluate solutions (tying up your teacher and destroying her computer in order to not do that homework project probably isn't a good idea. Throw that out at this point)

4. MAKE A DECISION. People aren't perfect. Sometimes the perfect solution isn't available. Cowboy up and pick!

5. Make a plan (with the decision as the foundation of that plan)

6. Implement the plan (go through with your decision)

7. Get feedback and BE FLEXIBLE. Things may not always go according to plan. Work around things and have a backup plan when the situation permits.

Be decisive when you are in the position to do so. Make choices so you can continue to be the best you possible. You can't let the world decide for you because they will never pick the choice that is best for you.

NEWSFLASH: HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE

In the wise words of Brad Paisley, the high school years are not the best years of your life. The best is yet to come!

I don't mean to burst your bubble or deter you from having a good high school experience. You can make the most of your time in high school and gain a lot from this time. I want you to keep in mind however that these aren't the best years of your life because I don't want you to bank everything on these three or four short years. You haven't reached the pinnacle of your life, trust me. I just made it around graduation corner and found a lot more to life than I first supposed.

Don't take your tragedies and adventures in high school as the final tragedies and highlights of your life. Concerning the trials and sadness experienced in school, keep going. There is an end to the pain, for pain is temporary. It is extremely difficult to look past the stumbling block on our path of progression, but if you can keep an eternal perspective on things your trials will not be so overwhelming. I heard it put in an excellent way during class my junior year: Imagine your trial or hard time as a pebble. When we have that pebble up close to our eyes, it consumes our entire vision and perspective on life. When we draw that object away from our eyes, we see how small it is in comparison to life as a whole. There will be times where you will have to just keep kicking and holding your head above the water till the tide recedes. When you come to realize that these years are in no way your final ones, then the hard times won't seem so hard.
Concerning fun in high school, make the most of it. There are some adventures that you may never get to experience after you don the cap and gown. Make every memory and moment count. Be selective in how you choose to use your recreation time. Too much of something can be a bad thing, including fun. I found the people that tended to get bored quickly at parties and while hanging out on weekends were usually the peeps that did nothing but play, play, play, and text, text, text. Make your fun worth it by working for it.
These are final stages of your youth. Do have fun, but remember there is more to come. Prepare yourself for that future, you will regret it if you don't.

GET INVOLVED

My final piece of advice is to get involved. I was driving home with a friend who had recently graduated high school and we were talking about what high school life was like, as I was just about to enter into my sophomore year. My friend suggested that I get involved at school. She told me that being involved helped her have a lot of fun and make school more than just sitting in a classroom.

I took that piece of advice to heart. And boy, did I get involved.

If my mum were with me right now she would probably push me away from the keyboard to write in all caps DON'T GET SO INVOLVED THAT YOU HAVE NO TIME TO BREATHE AND YOU MAKE YOUR MOM STRESSED OUT AND STRETCHED THIN LIKE YOU!

To say the least, I was an involved high school student. I was so involved that one could easily say I was too involved. I did everything I possibly could during high school. Basketball, musical, cross country, track, AP classes, honors classes, clubs, student government, orchestra, service, you name it and I probably did it.

I give one piece of advice to the super involved. This likely does not include you, but there are a few that choose to be extremely involved in school activities: give yourself time to breathe. If you have some free time on the weekend, leave it that way! Don't always pack your minutes with something else to do. Again, have moderation. Be involved enough to be diligent in the activities you choose to participate in, don't do everything just because you think you can. There were some moments where I was so tired I didn't even want to hold a conversation with a person. There were times where I wanted nothing more than to literally do nothing. Give yourself a break, don't spread yourself too thin. Lack of sleep increases and patience and good health usually decreases. It's not fun.

Don't be afraid however to get involved. Try out for sports teams, enter into that club, take an arts class. Go to football and basketball games on weekends. Those were some of the most enjoyable times, cheering on your team (win or lose, lose or lose) and then going out after the game to roast marshmallows with some friends. This is what makes high school fun. Only boring people are ever bored, so go out there and do something!

I wish you the best of luck in whatever path you choose to follow. Always push to go further and reach higher. Don't take a break and think you're finished, you've only just begun. Be yourself, choose your friends wisely, get involved, and be successful.

___
Questions, extra-juicy comments, or do you need an ear to talk to? Email Andres Bosque at andresbosque@gmail.com

Bus Buddy

2010-08-03T16:53:00.003-06:00

Here's to you, Bus Buddy.

I ride alone today, another long day at work completed. I sit here, deciding not to doze off- mouth hanging open, slightly snoring, and slowly falling onto the older man sitting next to me who is busying himself with Sudoku on his iPhone-but to express to you my gratitude for what you have given me. I see it fitting to say thank you on the same rumbling, heavy mass transit vehicle that we first met.

It's a shame that things have come to an end so soon. Just when I got used to the system, started making friends, and began to explore and expand things changed yet again and now you are gone. Just when our friendship was really picking up destiny calls for you to pick up your bags and head out into the real world to establish yourself as a teacher.

Our goodbye was a humble one. Void of the dramatic, theatrical, or visible sentiment. The exact way you would say goodbye. A handshake, a see you later, a quick stuttering of a thank you from my lips, a salute from you as you walk out the door and a V for victory perched on my hand was all it took. Then you were gone.

Four weeks was the duration of our friendship. Despite this short time period you helped me. I was nervous entering into this new life. Sifting away were the days of my youth as adulthood rushed in to grasp me. It was a hard change, and it still is difficult. I didn't know what this new world would bring and I didn't know how to cope with it all. You quickly took the initiative and introduced yourself to me.
(By the way, as usual things out of the norm are happening. Our bus driver, the lady, just stopped the bus and ran off into the AppleBees. Midday snack attack? :)
Bit by bit, bus ride by bus ride, we became friends. You showed me the ropes, told me about who was who and how things at work worked.
(Now the lady who talked about flowers for ages that one bus ride went into the restaurant to check on our bus driver. Wish you were here.)
I quickly realized that you were a blessing that entered into my life. Whether you knew it or not, you were a comfort to me in a new world where I had no idea what was going on. You showed me kindness, friendship, and acceptance. You got on my level and got me to relax. You introduced me to new people that I have become friends with because of you.
(Now the bus driver is running back onto the bus, nearly leaving flower-lady on the wrong side of the bus doors and she scrambles to get back on her bus route time schedule)
Thank you for inviting me to play basketball with some of the coworkers after work last week. That meant a lot to me. I became a part of the gang, and you surprised me with your sweet jumper. For the first time I didn't mind losing a pickup game or two.

Thank you, bus buddy, for being my friend. Although it may not have seemed like it at the moment, I loved our small adventures trying to run across the street, dodge traffic, and hop on our bus home before its doors quickly shut. Yes, I am probably cursed because the only times you almost didn't make it on the bus when we took the transfer bus was when I was with you. I don't dare try the transfer bus again, I think my hot walk in the sun to the other, more distant bus stop will suffice. What you did for me was small and simple, but through those small and simple acts you brought about a great change in me. Thank you.

Our lady bus driver is rushing us home, and now Providence will be the only thing waking me up at my bus stop in case I don't on my own accord.

Best of luck to you and your wife. With your kindness you will be able to touch hearts.

Here's to you, Bus Buddy.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

2010-07-27T23:00:00.000-06:00

The latest by Air305. Let me know what you think!