Wednesday, October 19, 2011

New address

Here is Andrew's current address, with some instructions on what to send where:

Real quick my address here at the MTC is:

Boulevard Vista Hermosa 23-71
Zona 15 Vista Hermosa 1
Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala

If you send packages send it in a flat rate box, I guess they have better security, never send cash, money, or memory cards. UPS is super expensive but faster. It takes around 5 days for a letter to get from here to utah, then 1-2 days from slc to roy. if you are sending it via pouch do it this way:

Elder Andrew Smith
Gutemala Retalehelu Mission
po box 30150
salt lake city utah, 84130-0150

no packages

WE have pictures!!!

We finally got some pictures of our long lost brother! Looks like he is having a good time at the MTC. He is in Guatemala now and has been for one week. We got a call from him from the airport the night he left, it was sooooo good to hear from him. He already sounds so humbled and you can just hear the faithfulnesss in his voice!!

He misses all of us, of course, and really wants to be kept updated on current sports stats!

My parents got an email from him right after he got to Guatemala, it has a really funny story in it, here is an excerpt:

i have to tell you this story however, we got of the plane, got through immigration and customs, and we headed out to find a church representative. we couldnt find him anywhere, all of a sudden an airport worker tells us that hermano percy (brother percy) wouldnt be there to get us, so he puts us in this ghetto nacho libre bus and sends us off into Guatemala! we were all so scared but the bus had a picture of Jesus on the back of it and the inside had vive Jesus everywhere, which means Jesus lives. so that was a little comforting, we knew that the mtc was next to the temple so once we saw that we knew we were okay!

He also said that the food at the Guatemala MTC tastes better, and that there are only about 75 missionaries total there!! His new companion is from Texas, and he said the driving there is completely crazy, sounds like there aren't many traffic laws.

This is the only letter we've gotten from him so far, so I am sure we will hear and learn a lot more from him!! Thanks for your support everyone!



He found a missionary his size!!!
This is Elder Dyches




This picture is pretty cool, he is SO sentimental, my brother,

Look at all those baby faces!

Andrew and Elder Warren from Milwaukee, his first companion

Andrew's closet, and if I know Andrew, this took some getting used to.........

Representing on P-day......

Monday, October 3, 2011

We got a bunch of e-mails from Andrew last week, so I will summarize them the best I can. Andrew is doing good! He said he started learning Spanish 20 min after we dropped him off. Every Sunday he has to prepare a talk in Spanish and be prepared to give it during sacrament meeting as his leader chooses someone to speak at random!

His companion is Elder Warren, and I cannot for the life of me find in his emails where he is from, I'm fired, I know. I believe he is either from Wisconsin or Minnesota. Anyway Andrew says it is weird to be with him ALL the time. Andrew sleeps on the top bunk (finally got a bunkbed!) and he is also the Senior Companion. His FAVORITE part of the day is showering, he gets a hot shower (at least while he is still in the U.S. anyway) and eats VERY well 3 times a day, all you can eat. He has already formed a close bond with the other Elders down there as he has said he hasn't really been homesick yet (what?!!?), but that's a good thing I guess!

He is getting VERY nervous to go to Guatemala in just one short week already! So keep him in your prayers. He obviously enjoys getting things like pictures and treats and anything in the mail. I asked him for a list of treats he would like and I will post that here for those who would like to send him goodies. He is also doing 'mock' discussions in Spanish and just sounds like he is doing well. His first few letters sounded like he was getting frustrated here and there but his last round of letters sounds like he has it down!

He has such a strong testimony of his Heavenly Father and it really shows in his letters. This is what he wants to be doing and he is so faithful about it. I am pressing him to send us a few pics to make sure he hasn't changed too much already -man this is going to be a long two years- thanks everyone for your continued support!