I'm just a normal missionary now!!

Dear mom,

Yesterday was fast sunday for us. Jake and Jack sound pretty much the same, and yay sam is still kicking! :D 

Davis will be a great missionary. As long as he follows the rules. The 2 basic things that missionaries need to do to be AWESOME is to just follow the rules and the Spirit. Works ALL THE TIME. :D She leaves mid July? We might be coming home at the same time... Weird. :D

Woo! Thanks! I got your email from last week, hopefully you sent normal sharpies. If not, I'll manage! I will let you know when it happens! :D

We actually get all the church magazines so... I think I read that. Yea, now that I've thought about it I did read it. It's cool though. But the thing is they really only take pictures of like the Manila Mission and the Tacloban Mission. We learned through President Lopez that we are the top mission here in the Philippines (He even showed us the statistics) and one of the Top missions in the world. But SHHHH it's supposed to be a secret. :D

They're just being themselves. We're really working extra hard because we need baptisms this month or President will "scold" us for not upholding the mission vision! There was a baptism last week for the sisters of the other district, and we attended that. Yesterday Elder Cano and I interviewed a candidate for this Saturday (which will be Elder Martinez' FIRST). It was pretty cool. I just sat there and looked super gwapo (handsome). :D No transfers in our district but in other districts yes. I'm not sure who though. We're still figuring who's here and who isn't. This Wednesday is zone training so I'll get a zone picture. Getting people to come to church... That is like our biggest problem. To put it in perspective, It's like trying to get people from Loomis to come to church in Lincoln. Completely and totally possible, but they don't want to. Partially because they don't have plete (fair for the tricycles). But we're going to try to work with members that live closer to our investigators to help with that. :D

Yes and I wrote Elder Colley too! They're both doing great! Elder Nielsen has like 20 something baptisms (granted he's over halfway and I'm not even at 1/4) and Elder Colley has I think 7. Area's are different! :D 

Pictures... Yea. I've been trying to take more pictures but... 1. All 3 of my batteries were dead (1 still is currently) 2. We've actually been taking videos... And Stupid email limit is 15mb (which is really annoying because most of my pictures are like 7.8mb... really annoying..) 3. Haven't had time. We're working in like super-duper overdrive this transfer. But I think I have a picture or two? I'll check. :D

Mmmmm sisig. I will make it for you guys when I come home. It is like SOOO good. And yes mom, Eggplants are purple. Just not after you cook them and cover them with egg, tomatoes, and like 4 other veggies that Elder Cano refuses to tell me in English. (granted he might not know it.. I do teach him english.)

Well it's pday today and we've got a busy day. We finally got the increased support (which was AWESOME!) And so after this we're going shopping, then getting Elder Cano a haircut (his is like really long up top, mine is still short. My hair is like basically not growing because its growing so slowly), then cleaning and doing laundry! Although we're going to cheat and borrow our neighbors washing machine (so laundry takes like 15 minutes, not an hour.) :D

Elder Archuleta :D

ps: :D

A few emails back and forth while waiting for Elder Cano to be done with his transferring of pictures from Elder Archuleta's SD card.

From Mom:

Sam kicking it by Dad working at the table.  

I sent normal ones, but some are colored and I sent fine tipped ones too.  If you need or want more, I will send some in my next package.

From Elder Archuleta:

He looks not poofy and slightly angry... I miss him so much. All the dogs here are weird. They're like.. I don't know how to describe it. I'll take a picture this week.

Colored ones?! Sweet! I would like some colored pencils. We've been teaching a lot of kids recently and they all like pictures. Just like 2 boxes would be perfect. I've tried looking but like all they have are "crayons". They look kind of sketchy so I don't trust them. Oh and a pencil sharpener too (duh). 

Elder Cano still has my sd card. I'll try to get some pictures to you foolz. 

Also, I forgot. I'M FINISHED WITH TRAINING!!!! I'm just a normal missionary now! :D

Finallypictures for you foolz back home!!!

BANANA KETCHUP!!!

This is what I do on Sundays when I get bored. I'll translate it in a second.  (He never did, although we can assume his name is Kevin, he is Thor, has a hammer and loves bacon.😃)

This is the baptism we attended. Elder Cano was they one who baptized (they requested him). The sister standing next to me got mad at me for being like over a foot taller than her so I tried to be short...

ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA.

For starters, I totally did just write the alphabet backwards. 

So like I've said, Elder Cano likes to take selfies. I photobombed him on this one (The sunglasses belong to a member) 

Note I am not wearing a tie.

Dear Dad,

Fathers and sons already?  That was fast.  Of course Davis would win, he can put away food like nothing!  Where did President Eller serve?

I was looking through the pictures, what happened to Robby?  Kid looks twice as big now.  Shaffer and Gibby still look the same.  Who's in the first picture?  Is it Jake and Jack?

No transfers for us, and nothing interesting yet.  But we will keep working hard!  Anything fun?  We interviewed some one for baptism yesterday, that was pretty cool.  Elder Cano held the interview and I just sat there (just because we can't be separated).

Just the Deacons?  I know the Priests talk about it every now and then, but they should all be studying it.  Especially Davis and Alyssa.

We have zone conference this month supposedly, so I will be taking pictures of that!

Love,

Elder Archuleta

P.S.  Some good chapters in Preach My Gospel to focus on would be chapters 10, 8, 6, 5, and 4. All of them are good, but those would probably apply the most to the YM.

From Dad, (a few emails back and forth)

President Eller served in Milan, Italy.

That is Bringham and Gibby sleeping in the truck at fathers and sons, they fell asleep.  Robby has grown quite a bit and is the biggest youth we have.  The teachers and priests finally separate since they have enough teachers in class and Shaffer Jon's the teachers in two weeks.

I will make sure they study Preach My Gospel and start preparing now.  Davis is getting excited to finally leave to Peru MTC.  I think mom told you Alyssa was called to the Salt Lake City Temple Square mission.

From Elder Archuleta:

Oh that's right.  Just to make sure, not Camden's dad, right?  The bald guy?  (Sorry President Eller!)

Yea Robby is HUGE.  Then again I'm one of the big people here.  And one of the tallest too.  Oh. Okay, it does look like Briggy.  Who's in the Priest Quorum now?

That's awesome. Yea, mom told me.

From Dad:

Yes the bald one, he is Camden's uncle.  He came over with Bro. D to visit when you got your call.

Robby is big, but still very picky food eater.  We are all hoping he gets a mission call out of the country where they don't have ketchup.

The Priest Quorum is: Robby, Isaac, Randy, Andrew, the same guys when you left.  They have not added anyone new.  We have had quite a few families move into the ward lately, but they only had Deacon and primary age kids.  We are up to 10 Deacons now.  We have Boy Scout camp in two weeks.  We are going to Camp Marin Sierra this year.  It is off I-80 near Yuba Gap, just before Cisco Grove off ramp (exit to go to Camp Cole).

That is good you and Elder Cano are still together.  I am sure transfers are coming soon.  Good to hear your support money got raised.

Make sure you keep up on pictures.  It will be good for you years later to look back on.  Brother Merrill said he wishes he took more to remember things.

From Elder Archuleta:

Right, I knew they were related some how.  After a mission you learn to not be a picky eater.  But for the Ketchup... I think you can find that anywhere.  But here the ketchup is made with bananas, not tomatoes, so it's kind of sweet.  Do they have banana ketchup back home?

From Dad:

No banana ketchup here.  That would taste different.  How are your shoes holding up?

From Elder Archuleta:

Dang.  It's really good.

It tastes pretty much the same, just sweet.  I have a picture for you guys for the shoes!  They are still good though.

So this is what they look like after one day of work.  Just one day.  I refuse to shine them everyday, so I polish them at least once a week.  (Usually today.) I switch them every other week.

From Dad:

It does look like they are holding up nicely.  The polish job is looking good on them and help them last longer and keep them looking good.  They were worth the money.  Mom and I researched and most missionaries in your climate said the Ecco's were the most durable.

From Elder Archuleta:

Yea, and they should last me well after my mission too apparently.  There's an Elder here who has the same shoes as me (or same brand) and he's almost done and they still look new.  They're pretty good. They're broken in so they're comfortable, except they're still new enough that they squeak when I walk around in the church building.