I have so much to tell you and I dont really know where to begin. So after leaving AL I arrived in Trinidad @ 12 that night. I spent nearly 2 hours in customs and wasn't able to get to bed until about 2 that morning. We met with Pres. Gamiette that next morning. He is absolutely amazing!! I cant describe him. We had dinner at his home and we met with his wife and had a wonderful spirtiual meeting. And then we found out where we would be serving. I have been assigned to the City of Uitkijk!! It is in the southeast part of Suriname!! My comp is Elder Fernandes from Belgium!! He is an amazing guy!! I have learned so much from him. Suriname is everything and more than I imagined. It is beautiful. The people are so kind. At least the ones I have met with. It is so hot, I have never sweat so much in my life, and PB and J's are a 2-3 time a day occurance, but I love it!! Trinidad was amazing!! But I dont think you should go there. You would die! People drive like maniacs and you wouldnt be able to handle it! But it was beautiful!! Everything about the place. It was covered with trees and flowers and these houses waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy up on the mountain side. I dont know how they got them up there!! I had a blast. Elder Buhler and Elder Helms the AP's were so good to us. Roti and doubles were amazing. I will send pictures later. The Jansens are soooo soooo kind. They are so good to us. Everything has been perfect these first few days. I am having a lot of difficulty understanding the people but i know it will come. My comp speaks perfect Dutch and I asked him to only speak Dutch to me so hopefully it will help. But I dont have too much to report. I fell into the swewage drain today!. Thankfully only up to my shins. It was a great first pday. The food is delicious!! The winkle (store) is awesome. and I love the native language!! Everything is amazing! My comp. and I are reopeneing an area so things are going to be tough. But I know with the help of the Lord we can make it through it. Send my love to everyone!! I will write more next week!!
Love,
Mason
Monday, September 26, 2011
Address to Send Elder Garcia letters
Elder Mason Garcia
P.O. Box 2932
Paramaribo, Suriname
South America
Anyone wanting to send Mason a package or have something they'd like included in a package being sent to him can contact his mom (Karen) at Garciax6@aol.com for information.
P.O. Box 2932
Paramaribo, Suriname
South America
Anyone wanting to send Mason a package or have something they'd like included in a package being sent to him can contact his mom (Karen) at Garciax6@aol.com for information.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Alabama Baptism
Here's a picture of a baptism Elder Garcia was able to attend while he was in Alabama. He really enjoyed the experience.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Email from Sept. 19, 2010
Hoe gaat het met je? I ben heel blij om uw email te ontvangen. And I am so excited to get to Suriname!!! I am all jumpy and twitchy!! I am so excited to finally get there!! I emailed Ryan today!! And I instantly got a reply! He says he is loving his mission in PA! It sounds like everything is going great with him! It was so good to hear from him! I miss that young man!
Krystal sent me some really cute pictures of my favorite nephew!! And tell Dodge hello for me! And Jeanette as well!!
So here is the low down on my time in AL! I have both loved and despised my time here in the dirty south!! The state is actually very beautiful! It has so many trees! And I want you to google Kudzu. It is a plant that has taken over the state! The people that I have come into contact with have been awesome for the most part, but you get that everywhere!! I definetly came to AL for a reason and I think it was to learn how not to work as a missionary. My trainer Elder D is a good kid. But he has absolutely no work ethic. It has been really hard being paired with him because I want serve with all that I have. I want to be going non-stop and he doesn't share that mentallity. And so much of my short time has been wasted. But I have tried to stay positive and learn all that I can from the situation!!
I am nervous to be speaking 100% percent Dutch here in a couple days. Pray for me! I am going to need it. But other than that I dont have much to report.!! I'll give you a call tomorrow!! And we can talk a little more in depth! Ik wil je te weten dat ik van u houd!!
Love uw zoon,
Mason
Krystal sent me some really cute pictures of my favorite nephew!! And tell Dodge hello for me! And Jeanette as well!!
So here is the low down on my time in AL! I have both loved and despised my time here in the dirty south!! The state is actually very beautiful! It has so many trees! And I want you to google Kudzu. It is a plant that has taken over the state! The people that I have come into contact with have been awesome for the most part, but you get that everywhere!! I definetly came to AL for a reason and I think it was to learn how not to work as a missionary. My trainer Elder D is a good kid. But he has absolutely no work ethic. It has been really hard being paired with him because I want serve with all that I have. I want to be going non-stop and he doesn't share that mentallity. And so much of my short time has been wasted. But I have tried to stay positive and learn all that I can from the situation!!
I am nervous to be speaking 100% percent Dutch here in a couple days. Pray for me! I am going to need it. But other than that I dont have much to report.!! I'll give you a call tomorrow!! And we can talk a little more in depth! Ik wil je te weten dat ik van u houd!!
Love uw zoon,
Mason
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Letter from Sept. 4, 2011
Hey,
Things here have been crazy! As you know, the tropical storm has been rolling through the state of Alabama. We got dumped on today. I don't know exactly how much we got, but we were projected to get 2 - 9 inches of rain.
So here are a few 'facts' about Alabama. The humidity is palpable. I have been sweating my behind off. And that classic southern "hospitality" is more like southern 'hostility'. I'm companions with Elder Decker from Boise, ID. Elder Sadler fortunately lives in the same apartments so hopefully we don't lose too much of our Dutch. I've been assigned to Oxford/Aniston and Jacksonville area, and the people are amazing here. They are a little rough around the edges, and they have crazy accents! But they are awesome. Our mission president, Pres. Holzapfel, is a stud. He is so intelligent, and he's all about the work. I really appreciate his dedication. We are lucky to have him.
We have a baptism on Saturday. I'm really excited! We spend about 5 hours in church on Sunday. We are in charge of the Anisten ward, and the Oxford branch. IT's impossible to cover our area. It's HUGE, but other than that life is swell. I like 'Bama. It is the ugliest, prettiest state I've ever seen. There is this vine called Kudzu that is everywhere. It takes over 130,000 acres a year. It looks like a grape vine that has taken over!
Football truly is a religion down in the south. And their fans are absolutely ridiculous! It's either you bleed Crimson or you bleed Orange and Blue.. It's Alabama or Auburn or NOTHING! It's rather annoying. I love football, but I would never talk sports with these people, but at least I stay updated on college football.
We've had tornado warnings every day this week. Hopefully we don't get swept away. I haven't died yet, and I still have all my limbs.
Ik houd van u!
Love,
Elder Garcia
Things here have been crazy! As you know, the tropical storm has been rolling through the state of Alabama. We got dumped on today. I don't know exactly how much we got, but we were projected to get 2 - 9 inches of rain.
So here are a few 'facts' about Alabama. The humidity is palpable. I have been sweating my behind off. And that classic southern "hospitality" is more like southern 'hostility'. I'm companions with Elder Decker from Boise, ID. Elder Sadler fortunately lives in the same apartments so hopefully we don't lose too much of our Dutch. I've been assigned to Oxford/Aniston and Jacksonville area, and the people are amazing here. They are a little rough around the edges, and they have crazy accents! But they are awesome. Our mission president, Pres. Holzapfel, is a stud. He is so intelligent, and he's all about the work. I really appreciate his dedication. We are lucky to have him.
We have a baptism on Saturday. I'm really excited! We spend about 5 hours in church on Sunday. We are in charge of the Anisten ward, and the Oxford branch. IT's impossible to cover our area. It's HUGE, but other than that life is swell. I like 'Bama. It is the ugliest, prettiest state I've ever seen. There is this vine called Kudzu that is everywhere. It takes over 130,000 acres a year. It looks like a grape vine that has taken over!
Football truly is a religion down in the south. And their fans are absolutely ridiculous! It's either you bleed Crimson or you bleed Orange and Blue.. It's Alabama or Auburn or NOTHING! It's rather annoying. I love football, but I would never talk sports with these people, but at least I stay updated on college football.
We've had tornado warnings every day this week. Hopefully we don't get swept away. I haven't died yet, and I still have all my limbs.
Ik houd van u!
Love,
Elder Garcia
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Birmingham, Alabama
Mason has arrived in Alabama and it sounds as though he is being very well taken care of by the senior missionaries!
He will be serving in this area until his visa comes through.
That mission has a blog and there are some pictures of their new "visa missionaries"
http://alabamamissionupdate.blogspot.com/2011/09/friday-saturday-and-sunday.html?showComment=1315266380650#c8837495812757187399
He will be serving in this area until his visa comes through.
That mission has a blog and there are some pictures of their new "visa missionaries"
http://alabamamissionupdate.blogspot.com/2011/09/friday-saturday-and-sunday.html?showComment=1315266380650#c8837495812757187399
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Mason Left the MTC Early!
As of 9/2/11 Mason has been reassigned to Birmingham, AL until his visas for Trinidad and Suriname are ready, so please not send any mail to the MTC.
Any mail can be sent to Mason's home address. It will be forwarded to him as soon as a new address is available.
Elder Mason Garcia
1163 Emerson Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT
84105
His parent's and sisters got to talk to him while he was enroute to AL and he seemed excited and nervous to finally get out of the MTC and into the field!
Please keep him in your prayers!
Any mail can be sent to Mason's home address. It will be forwarded to him as soon as a new address is available.
Elder Mason Garcia
1163 Emerson Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT
84105
His parent's and sisters got to talk to him while he was enroute to AL and he seemed excited and nervous to finally get out of the MTC and into the field!
Please keep him in your prayers!
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