Week 2

WEEK 2
March 16, 2015

So this morning at 6 in the morning we hiked Camel Back Mountain. It is a 2,700 foot climb, of nothing but rocks and steep dirt paths. It was very hard, mainly because it was dry. I loved it a ton!!

 Top of Camelback Mountain

So this week has been quite awesome. I only have a little bit of e-mailing time left,. so Ill be quick. This upcoming Saturday will be my first baptism. It is to a cool guy named Marcelino. We also have a few others on date, but dont think that will happen, because everyone here lives with somebody, but is not married. Blah!!!

Anyway, the Spanish has really come along since getting here. I think it is because it is my only option of communication, and you all know I like to talk, so continuing to learn is a must.

Elder black is Awesome, he is nervous, because he goes home at the end of May, and so everybody is already saying goodbye. 

Arizona is really nice, it hasnt gotten super hot yet, only around 88. lol. Anyway this morning we hiked up a 2,700 ft mountain. Its called Camel Back Mountain. It was really fun, but just pure rock and dirt.

Anyway lastly is I wanted to share with yall what my breakfast has looked like the past few weeks. It is a tradition that has came from an Elder named Elder TuiToo from Tonga. It is awesome!!! I invite everybody to try it out.

Instructions on how to make THE WORLD FAMOUS TONGAN PANCAKE:

Take a pack of raman and put it in a tubawear a little bigger than it. fill it with water just to where the ramam is floating.

put it in the microwave for 1 minute.

While its in the microwave. take a small tubawear. Mix two eggs and a little milk.

After the raman finishes in the microwave flip it and do another 1 minute.

While its in there mix in the raman flavor pack with your milk and egss. Act like your making scrambled eggs.

Then once the raman is done. Spray a frying pan with cooking oil spray. Empty out the water from your raman and put the raman in the pan spreading it out as much as possible. 

Then pour the eggs in trying to cover all of the raman.

Cook on that side for a little bit, and then cook on the other side. 

Add cheese, Salsa, and Hot Sauce and wake your self up with a Tongan Pancake. lol.

Anyway See yall next week!! Hope Everything is good and all is well. I am living Arizona up, and following by how the Lords wants me to go. 

See YAll,

Sincerely,

Elder Shepherd

 

 Tongan Pancake

 

 So these are elotes. They are corn on the cobs, covered in mayonayse, melted cheese, chili powder, and Jalepano Sauce. They are amazingly good, but are super hot because of the chili powder and hot sauce. I LOVE THEM!!!!!!

 

So every quarter of the year (March, June, September, and November or December). Each zone takes a Temple Trip. This past Wednesday, was our day to go. It was super fun and Beautiful. Ill send more photos. The one in the van is the guys in my zone, and the other is our whole zone.

 So this is the rest of the Temple pictures. The Mesa Temple is very pretty!!

 

 his is one of Elder Black and I, we got some Mexican Ice Cream and Candy.

 

So this is the Second thing we saw at the VC. It is a model of Jerusalem. It was really cool. I got a close up picture of the Temple. 

These are the photos at the end of the tour. First was 89 Book Of Mormons in each a different Language. Next are indeed the Mesa Temple at night. When you walk out of the VC, that is the first thing you see right in front of you.

 

 This is the first thing I saw when we walked in to the VC. It is just simply Marvelous!!

 

Responses to several questions Mom asked:

 

Do you get to eat at members homes much?

We have eaten at members houses every night except for last night, and that is because we had to be at a fire side.

I am also curious if the investigator you told us about was baptized.  

M had his baptism rescheduled to this next Saturday. He wants our Branch President to baptize him, and he is real nervous. We see him twice this week, and Ill make sure he gets it done this week. lol.

Do you have any other missionaries in your apartment complex?

In our apartment nope. Me and Elder Black in a 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment; all to ourselves. hahahaha

We have 4 sisters below us in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment. They are pretty cool.

From Spencer:  Also I saw your e-mail about President Sweeney, Mom all I can say is when I met him and on the day you meet him. You will lose all consciousness of being upset or mad or having any worries. He is a man I would compare only to President Grisel and probably a quorum of the 12. The way he carries himself and the way he looks at everybody he sees, is just with complete love and respect. He puts others before himself, he accepts input from us missionaries and his wife, he gets things done they way they are supposed to be done, and he gets them done quickly and to the T. I forget about the things I have done wrong around him, because he makes you only want to feel happy and joyful. Elder Black and I live across the street from them, and so we have eaten their once and play him at basketball about 2-3 times a week. He is super good. He was a track star at BYU and served his mission in Japan. He still practices and is willing to teach whoever would like to learn. 

As for Sister Sweeney, she is pretty much the same. She is more of the hit the ground running kind of person. It doesn't matter who you are or what your past is, she qualifies you to serve here in the mission.

Ill send more e-mails, but I just wanted to tell you about the Sweeneys. They are all around amazing. President is expected to be called into the Quorum Of The 70 after he finishes this call in July of next year. 

I love them so much!!!!!

Sincerely Yalls Boy,

Elder Spencer C. Shepherd