John 11-23-09

This week actually went better for us as a zone and area. We had more people in the church this week as well. So I am a little happier this week. And I don’t walk under too many trees anymore so I wont get attacked by snakes. Im trying better to take some good pictures of Bolivia. Im not going to lie there are some really cool places. It hits me that im in the middle of a jungle when I see a couple things like…. Naked kids running free in the street, kid with a monkey on his head, when everyone invites us bananas, and the other day it was funny because we heard like a screeching animal noise and my companion and I both knew it was a monkey. So we even know how every amazonic animal sounds. But its crazy how time is flying by. Only like 3 weeks left. And on the 6th there is no church and we stay in house. But I don’t think there will be as many problems as last year. There are a few problems with some candidate stuff with like teenagers coming and throwing rocks at them but that’s about it. And mom I haven’t been gone for that long.. I do remember what pie night was. Haha but im thinking of doing my own kind of pie night here. I don’t know what I will do but I know thanksgiving we are going to a cool restaurant here. So im pretty excited about that. O ya lately I have been learning how to cook some stuff here as well. I learned how to make some really good cheese empanadas and as well a side dish called Rice with Cheese. It is really really good. I hope I will be able to cook it at home. But I don’t know much else to cook. Because we rarely ever cook here. This Saturday we have a baptism of a couple, the wife is already member and we need to get them married first before we baptize him. Today we are doing a little fundraiser so that they have money to get married. So im pretty excited about that. But there isn’t much else going on, im staying pretty happy and still trying to work hard. My last zone leader thing is the first week of December, and the zone meeting will be like the 11th but I will be here in riberalta till like the 16th I think. That’s if I don’t have a change on the 3rd. but I don’t think I will. But anyway that’s about all that’s going on. Lisa im not really sure on my waist size but I do fit in all my clothes still. So I don’t think I have changed too much. Im trying to keep myself disciplined on what to eat but there isn’t much choice for me out here. Well I love yall and I will be writing again next week!Elder Cheesman

John

Well i got a couple stories for this week, yesterday was the most exciting… after the first branch in the morning we went and talked to a member to plan to pick up and investigator. So we were talking outside under a mango tree, and something fell on my shoulder then to the ground. I didnt think much of it but my companion kind of yelled and i looked. It was definitely, a snake! Haha it was hunting a tree frog and they both fell down. The member was freaking out telling us to kill it. Me and my companion just wanted to watch it. It was like 3 feet long and pretty skinny. It looked like a long garden snake, so it didnt look to dangerous, but apparently its one of the most venomous snakes in the area. But the story doesnt end there...while we looked for something to kill it, it got away from us. So once it was gone we got back to talking like normal. My companion was about to lean against the fence and screamed (like a little girl) there it is! It was on the top of the fence sneaking up to bite my companion. It was the first animal i have seen that has come back for vengeance. So at the end of everything we got a huge log and we killed it. And it was an awesome adrenaline rush. Also last week we had zone conference with president maynes. And it was funny when he flew in because the same day a senator running for elections was coming in as well the same day. So we are walking to the airport and there are a million people in the streets, as well in the airport. I think there were at least 5,000 people there. And president maynes gets there and sees all the people and just laughs. We told him it was all for his arrival. But we were stuck there till the senator actually got there and everyone went crazy like it was a celebrity. Stormed the airplane and everything. I got a good laugh out of that. And president did a really good conference this time again. It was really weird though thinking the next one is my last one. This week I will only have a month left. President told me I will still be here probly when I finish. I will be going back to santa cruz like the 16th and have the dinner and interview. So that should be pretty fun. As a zone we are doing pretty well. Our area is kind of going down. The people that were going to get married and baptized are having some problems and the members are not getting animated. There was a problem with some new member kids watching some movies that are against our church and doubted there testimonies. But i think we helped them out some. Last Monday we went as a zone to Tumi Chuckua which is a big lake. I have gone before but the whole zone is new so we went again. And we played a little bit of soccer. And of course the Americans beat the latins again. So we are always making sure that they remember that. The cool thing was at our half time we just went around picking up mangos on the ground for a snack. I forgot to tell dad that. Its mango season and for the past month there has been a ton of mangos everywhere. And all types of mangos. Bolivian, rose, Japanese, grape, papaya, pineapple, all sorts of mangos. I think the best are the Japanese mangos. Had some mango juice that was really good. I filled myself up on it and didn’t eat much lunch. But don’t be jealous dad. It hasn’t rained too much lately but it was cloudy a couple days and then it gets really really hot and goes back to a little cloudy. This morning started out pretty cool, but its already getting hotter. Here in riberalta there isn’t really seasons. The people say seasons like, the rainy season and dry season and maybe a dust season. Nothing else. There is only a time for the south winds to come in like may when it gets cold but for only like 2 days. But im kind of use to getting home really really wet from sweat and filthy from the seats people give us from all the dirt here. Um but there isn’t much else to tell. Sounds like it was a good fireside you had from that guy. There was a saying that president maynes used that is close to what he said. He said ¨good is excellent´s worst enemy¨ just to not settle for being good. But that’s about all that’s been going on. O ya james gosling is going to the mission of an elder in my zone. He said its amazing there and he will have a good time. And that’s cool that bj is going to long beach. That would be an interesting mission as well.Elder Cheesman

John 11-09-09

Last week was our little conference with the zone leaders again. It’s always pretty fun, even though the trip there was not fun at all. 2 nights in a row without a bed is not fun. 2 nights on a 10 hour bus ride and hot is not always the best thing to do. But the conference was really good. Sad to see some of the guys home this change though. Kind of weird the next one im finishing. And by the way im getting home on the 18th. I was looking at the flight plans and I leave at midnight Thursday/Friday and I get home Friday morning at 1130. Not on Saturday. I am pretty excited to come back, but don’t worry I plan going out with a bang. This month could be the best month the zone will do since I have been here and as well in my area. So im pretty excited about that. At the conference last week, I got to sit next to elder taylor, whom I have not seen since march. So that was really fun to see him again. Sounds like dad had a good week up there in Utah im trying to get through the pictures so I can see how it was. Kind of weird only have like 6 more weeks left. Today I complete 22 months in the mission. Weird to think its been that long huh? Im pretty much a bolivian now. But I am practicing my English to be able to communicate to people when I get back. Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament again about the atonement and I thought it was pretty good. I think I might get nervous for my coming home talk though. There people actually know if you are speaking true doctrine or not… but I do pretty much have a calling here. In the morning branch I teach the Youth/Investigator class every week. So I get along pretty well with the youth. I made them do practices of inviting there friends to church, and it went pretty well. Im pretty excited to come back and seeing some basketball, it has been a long time since I have seen a game. Its doesn’t even make the papers the news or anything at all. Also want to see some high school ball as well. That’s cool that max is the only white guy, and Mormon on top of that. I liked your experience brooke about the ¨mucho gusto¨ it would make since in our language, but its funny to see the changes they make in other. Like the other day we were talking about a verb change that’s really weird. Like Bañarse means to bathe yourself…. When you change it too.. Nos Bañamos, it has 2 meanings one… we bathe…..or two ….we bathe each other. So I think its funny we tell people are schedule sometimes cause it would come out like this….we get up, do some exercises, and then we bathe each other. Spanish is a funny language. So im going to be living at home for college, that’s good to know. I think I can save up a lot of money doing that. Um the weather the past week has been amazing for me. It’s not too hot and it rains at random times but its always cloudy I love it. The surprise rain kind of messes us up because we don’t have umbrellas-(but your prepared son always has a poncho) and so I never get too wet. And my shoes aren’t too great anymore anyway so it doesn’t matter if they get wet. They are still lasting pretty well. But that’s really all that’s going on this week. Thanks for everyone that wrote and I will be writing again next week! Love yall have a good week.Elder Cheesman

John 11-02-09

Well right now im in the city of trinidad. On my way to our zone leader meeting. But today was pretty interesting. Well we get all of our stuff ready to leave and we call santa cruz elders for some questions. And they tell us that our flight got canceled, and we will not be able to come to the meeting this month. So we both got pretty depressed because we were really excited to go and we didn’t plan anything for the next 2 days. So it was really funny… we kind of got in denial and did not believe that there were no other flights today.(o ya I forgot that today is a holiday here, day of the dead, that’s why they thought it got canceled.) so we are in our room mad, and we decide just to go to the airport anyway. There was nothing else to do because everything closes down the whole day. So we get there and we ask some guy if there is a flight leaving today and said there will be one at 2 o clock. So we go home call the secretary and tell him that. He replies that he will call us back before we go. But an hour goes by and doesn’t call. And our flight was leaving in 20 minutes. So we just decide to leave. We went to the airport and found out we have tickets from riberalta to Trinidad. The santa cruz flights are allll booked. So we come up with the idea that we will come to Trinidad and take the long bus ride down there. And so we are here now and just bought our tickets for the bus and we will leave at 9pm and we wont get to santa cruz until 6am. So tomorrow will be a very long day for us. But im excited that we are actually going. And yes mom, the tropical rain storms are starting. Last Tuesday, a huge storm came through. It rained really hard for about 6 hours. And it got up to like 2 feet of water! And luckily we were kind of near our house to grab our umbrellas and go back outside. But they didn’t help too much just kept our heads and shoulders dry. We had to walk a long ways too because the motorcycle taxis don’t work when it rains. And there are no cars there. So we walked and got really really wet. But it was really fun though seeing rivers flowing through the streets. Some had there own rapids. And it was thundering and lightning pretty hard. Reminded me a little of Georgia. And I will figure out what date they think im leaving here so I can know for sure tomorrow. I guess I cant forget about lisa and kristis birthday. Your all getting too old. Its going to be weird when I get back. Im pretty excited about school though. Don’t know where im going to live. That might be the next thing to work on huh? But everything is going pretty well for me. Im staying busy with the people we are teaching. This past week went a little better. I think we are doing better than a lot of the other zone leaders still. So I think this council I wont feel too bad. Me and elder annis are getting along as well, I think I can deal with him for another month(joke). Anyway I love yall and I want to see some Halloween pictures. Por favor. Thanks for writing everyone and I will write more next week. Elder Cheesman

John's Email 26 Oct 2009

Well thanks everyone for the letters this week. Im glad you enjoyed the pictures. Well changes were last week and im………still in the same place. Which I was pretty happy about. Elder annis and I will be together for another change. I think its because we are having some good success together up here. But the down side….its really hot and these little bumps always come out on me from the heat. But I can handle it a little longer. I bought some cream so that they go away don’t worry about that mom. Next week we will be going to our zone leader meeting thing which is always fun for me. Apparently elder Taylor is a zone leader so I will be able to see him finally after like 8 months. And are you sure we leave on different days? Because our secretary told us that we are going back the same day. I think it’s the 19th now. But that is not that far away which is pretty weird. It also started raining a little bit and we are getting a little bit of the rainy season. Im fine with that because its not as hot. But really really humid. Its kinda of funny you mentioned the people might not sing that well here. Yesterday me and elder annis wanted the members to start learning new songs so that they aren’t singing the same. So we tried singing some and it was just bad. Every singing there own tones because they don’t know how to read notes so that was an experience. I don’t know if I will be able to write steven on his mission but if you write him just tell him. He needs to have a tone of patience and have an assurance he will eventually learn the language. And ask a lot of questions to his companion. And just talk a ton in lessons even if they don’t understand you, you learn a lot faster by looking dumber I have learned. We did get to baptize that family last week. It was soo awesome. They have gone through a lot. He had to stop his smoking addiction and find a better job that’s not on Sundays. I think they will be good leaders for the church down here one day. So that was a fun experience for me. O ya apparently I got accepted to GGC and they are asking for some paper stuff and that I need to take a test right when I get back. But I will tell lisa to go into my account. That got me pretty excited though. Im kind of ready to start studying different stuff again. I have learned that studying is a lot of fun here. I have read the book of moron like 5 times now. 3 times in English and going to finish in Spanish for the second time before I leave. And I got a new bible and marked it all up nice to teach better with and study better at home. But im glad I have learned to take advantage of my study time. And I don’t know what you are talking about mom that I didn’t study in high school or something. I got pretty good grades my last year if im not mistaken. That stinks that BYU lost that bad, I thought they were doing pretty good. Brooke thanks for the pictures of mason. He is already getting huge. Looks like he will be able to say my name when I get back I have been gone so long. Me and elder annis have made plans for thanksgiving dinner. There is a tropical restaurant here that is pretty nice. It has tiger skins every where and anaconda skins. It’s a cool place just a little expensive to eat there all the time. But I think that is what we will do. O ya and about the missionaries who have left the zone. The one I was sad about elder evans left. We got to be really good buds be he is in santa cruz now. I think in the zone of elder taylor. But good news we have 5 new Americans in the zone. So now we are 5 and 5. (today its gringos verses latins) in soccer and we are going to win. There names are Elder Cope(not from my group), elder askar, elder Schweinke(tongan). They are pretty cool guys. The tongan is pretty new and struggles a little bit with Spanish but he will get better here. He will lose a lot of weight as well. Im not too bad my self I might have as much muscles as tarzan like brooke says but im not as fat as I was in lima. So im pretty happy about that. Im sure If I would have had a change to santa cruz I would have ate a lot more and get fat again. Well that’s pretty much whats going on thanks for everything. Love yall and have a good week.
>Elder Cheesman

I am better from last week, i dont what bug i had but i got better with lots of pills. This week there are changes and I have a feeling I will not get changed. I had a dream the other night that im staying here. But who knows. It was pretty funny when lisa wrote me about a Halloween party, cause that was the first moment of this month I remembered that Halloween is this month. I usually would recognize with the cold but its just stays hot here. It rained some last week and really hard. Knocked over some tin roofed soccer courts and stuff. Pretty intense. Lisa I haven’t got any emails from the schools yet only one from polytech that said Thank you for submitting your application to Southern Polytechnic State University. In 2-4 business days you may follow the status of your application at our website www.spsu.edu and click Banner Web. Use the ID lookup form to find your new SPSU ID number. If you have any questions please email us at admiss@spsu.edu.. Crazy that I only have 2 months left huh? Its going to fly by. Elder Rubio went home the other day. He was pretty sad but happy at the same time. He left baptizing more than any other missionary. The zone is still doing really well. Even president called me the other day and asked about the goal we put was 7 families with 25 people. And asked how much we really are going to have. I said I think 9 families with 25 people. He paused and just said excellent and keep doing that. And that’s all he called for. But I think we might only finish with 18 now. But im still happy about it. It’s the best we have done since I have been here. Um today I think we are going to play some basketball. What was nice about getting sick last week is that I lost a lot of weight so I am kind of back into shape. Sunday we had a little more people in church but still not enough. We baptized the family Vaca a few weeks ago and they are the most faithful of any member here. I am really proud of baptizing them actually. This week we also made 20 liters of Kool Aid in our water dispenser. Its pretty awesome im not going to lie. The other night as well we made grilled cheese sandwiches which were really really good. Its been a long time since I have had those. We might have a baptism this week as well of a family that we have been working with for a very long time. Last week I went on an interchange with elder evans again to help him out in his area. It was a prett fun change not goin to lie. I will be sad to leave this change because I have already gotten use to the people in this zone. But we will see. I will go and do right? Im staying pretty focused as well even though every now and then I catch my self thinking that 2 months isn’t anything in the mission. This time the pictures will go through of me in the jungle of my area. It’s a pretty cool place. Just really hot. I don’t got much else going on. Just thanks for writing me and I love you all.
> Elder Cheesman

John 10-12-09

Dad that was a funny story. Elder calle(the secretary) calls me one day and ask..your ending flight is going to be in Manchester right? And I kinda of freaked out and said .i don’t even know where manchester is, im going to atlanta. He kind of went silent and just said I will call you tomorrow. Luckily he is buddy of mine and does a lot of favors for me. So I think its all worked out now. The santa cruz flight coming back was really nice actually. Just the fact we were on a bus for forever again. But im use to it now. Not to brag or anything but we figured out in the meeting(we were the best zone leaders in the whole mission last month) the asked we could baptize and marry 2 families. It made me feel good about myself. I don’t know if it will be the same for this month but I hope it will. Yesterday was probly one of the worst days of the mission though it just seemed everything fell apart. We got done fasting which was very very hard this time because of the heat. But once we ate.. I got a little sick. But im getting better now. Just a bug in my stomach. O ya I want to send yall some pictures of the jungle in my area. Its pretty cool im not going to lie. Family getting baptized this week I have been working with for a very long time, she is the one that just had a baby and just waiting till she is better to get baptized. But I think this week it will happen. So im pretty excited about that. Changes are next week and we will see if I just stay out here till I finish. In santa cruz I got to hang out a lot with elder Hanks who I havent seen in a long time. So that was fun. O ya yesterday me and my companion felt like branch presidents apparently something happened in the afternoon branch and we got the sacrament ready and my companion directed the meeting and I passed the sacrament to like 15 people. While I had to leave every 10 minutes to the bathroom. So that was an experience. i forgot to tell yall I think that I met a Georgian here in riberalta last week. It was really funny. He is from thomasville georgia. Passing out bibles to schools here. He doesn’t speak a word of spanish. So we had a good little conversation with him about georgia. About how the airport here is the size of a bathroom in the atlanta airport. But that was fun. But im really enjoying the mission work and its weird from this Sunday I only have 2 months left. I forgot last week to follows bednars talk about bearing testimony to family. Just I know this gospel is the true gospel and the book of mormon is true. No natural man could ever write that, it was inspired for us to use daily. My companion says…someone who reads the Book of Mormon every day will not go inactive. It’s a book with lots of power and lots of teachings. I bet dad you are loving teaching that seminary class. And last week I bought the new bible that has come out here. And transferring some scriptures from my old bible to the new one. Getting the testimony I did of the teachings of Jesus Christ and how amazing they are if we apply them. Studying a lot about faith with works lately as well. There is a cocaine addict we are helping right now and it is interesting how the book of mormon teaches you have to have faith si o si( I don’t know how that is said in english.) but that’s a little something I wanted to share with yall maybe I will write more next week. Well I love all of you. And have a good week.Elder Cheesman