(Response to mom's weekly letter)
I feel you on that one. This has been the worst week of my life to date. I am struggling so bad... I cry basically every day and I am just feeling super sad all the time. But it is slowly getting better. Super slowly. I am trying to focus on the positive that happens around me everyday but it is so hard for me right now and I dont know why. I think about coming home basically every day but I know that I cant do that. I know why I am here and Satan is just working so so hard on me right now. Our area is super spread out and is on the outside of Cochabamba. It is called Villa Mexico and there are only like 2 members where we are. We have to walk forever to get around but it is super good when we are moving around. When we are hanging around the house it is so hard and I cry basically every day. I am becoming such a baby. My companion is a little hard. I cant communicate with him and I cant really connect with him because we are so different so that is hard as well. Luckily the other two elders in our area are super awesome and I talk with them a lot. Spanish is so different here and I barely understand anything. My mission president is super awesome tho. He is really nice and he is pretty chill. I will be emailing every monday and I can use google hangouts to chat with you guys. If you send on sunday it will be perfect. Right now we are in an internet cafe and we have two hours.
The flight down here took forever. It was so good to talk to you guys tho. I seriously miss you all so much. Like more than I can even explain. But I am staying out here for you guys.
Sounds like everything is going super well back home. That makes me really happy. How awesome for Bailey and how awesome for Josh. Also there is a company called LDS Express that you can send packages through and they will make it for sure. All the elders use it.
I miss you all so so so so much. Please keep me in your prayers. I need them so much right now. I love you all soo much.
Elder Mason
(Google Hangout Conversation)
Mom: Oh Kolbe I'm so sorry. This email breaks my heart. Hang in there. It will get much better. That is one thing that is hard with these foreign missions. You American's have to be so strong because it is so different and usually you get a native companion (someone from South America) so it is even harder. I firmly believe that God takes the cream of the crop for these missionaries! Hang in there though. Pray and be diligent and the Lord will direct your path to people and the language will come! If your companion is that old he must be pretty committed to the gospel to be on a mission That's cool. You will probably learn a lot from him.
And you are in our prayers every night!!! And we fasted for you yesterday. Be patient, have faith, and pray like you've never prayed before and I promise the Lord will be mindful of you and take care of you!
Kolbe: Mom this seriously sucks. But I am just trying to hang in there. My friend Elder Grossen said he went through the same thing and that it does eventually get better. I just hope I can make it through that point. I am in here crying in the Internet cafe right now. I pray so much and I just feel so alone right now but I know it will get better. Yeah my comp is way committed but he is so different from me that it is hard. We don't connect at all really so that makes it just ten times harder. Plus our house is crap which sucks but it is getting better. Today was the best day of my life. We went and hiked a waterfall and hung out with the gringos all day so it was good.
Keep praying for me I need it so much. I love you so much mom
Kolbe: Elder Grossen has helped me out so much. I am beyond grateful for him.
Mom: Where is Elder Grossen from?
Kolbe: He is from Sandy. Sorry dad I don't have much time to respond to your email...
Dad: No don't worry about that. I write it to try and make you laugh is all. Mom thought the SMP part was hilarious. It's too long to respond anyway!
Kolbe: I love reading them! Please keep sending them!
Dad: Oh I will. It's my favorite part of the week. I spend hours finding those stupid memes.
Kolbe: I miss Koda. Normal dogs aren't around here.
Dad: Are they mangy with their ribs sticking out?
Kolbe: Yeah they are gross and they are mean! We have a taser for them. We have to be way careful around here they are crazy. My comp keeps them away!
Kolbe: I miss the MTC.
Mom: Haha and yet you couldn't wait to get out!
Kolbe: Yeah I wish I was back.
Dad: I told you! My letter the week after leaving the MTC was all about wishing I was back in that prison
Kolbe: It was cool. I'll send pictures right now
Dad: Tell us about your companion. How tall is he? My money is on shorter than 5'6
Kolbe: He's about 5'8. He's super touchy, he is much older than me, he runs on his own time, and I have no clue what he's doing half the time.
Mom: That's a typical South American!
Dad: True, about the age. But you have always acted older than your age.
Kolbe: Yeah it is just a little different
Dad: Different cultures too. He probably thinks you are nutty as well
Kolbe: I don't know. Honestly he is a really great guy.
Mom: My client from Venezuela told me American's are hard to get used to because we are so "stiff" and non touchy. She said that is how they express themselves. She talked a lot about how hard it had been to adjust to American culture. So I'm sure it's an an adjustment for him as well. If there is one thing I know about you it's that you can do hard things! God has groomed you for this. And don't stay for us, stay for you. And for the people you are meant to meet and teach. You will be so glad you did. But pray, pray, pray and we will pray on our end as well and you will be blessed.
Kolbe: This is so true. I am ready to stay. Elder Grossen will make sure of that. I am just trying my best to be my best and stay busy. The people here are really great. Our Pench, the lady who cooks us lunch everyday, is awesome!
Dad: Mom said it best. In my letter I wrote about Elder Crook...he was the hardest but yet looking back also the best part of my mission. There is a lesson you are meant to learn here.
Whuuuutttt??? You have a personal chef?!?!?! Not fair!
Wait I have one, we just call them moms in the US!
What do they feed you? Beans and Rice?
Kolbe: I know there is something to learn from this for sure. And yes but only for lunch.
Mom: That's awesome you have that. I remember Grandpa telling me he had one of those in Mexico as well. And Elder Grossen is a good man! You tell him Momma Mason wants to meet him one day! Do you have dinner appointments or not yet because there aren't many members?
Kolbe: Yes Elder Grossen is the best. He's right by me right now I will tell him you think so. We eat a ton of chicken and rice. And no we barely have anything going on. The kid before us messed up the area a little so we are working hard to fix it.
Mom: How is your stomach?
Kolbe: Honestly my stomach has never been better. I only poop every other day or so!
Dad: That's because you have a witch doctor for a mom! Tell us about the Country. Is it green or more desert like Utah?
Kolbe: It actually reminds me a ton of Utah, just way run down. But it is also very green.
Mom: What is your day like? I know you are just getting into a routine but do you knock on doors a lot of what?
Kolbe: We knock on gates. Everyone here has a gate and so we knock on a ton of gates. People will answer and listen to you but no one lets us in. The people are really nice though.
Mom: Remember it's about getting to know them. As you do, they will come to trust you and love you and will be more receptive to hearing more.
Dad: Are you a giant compared to the locals?
Kolbe: Actually they aren't that short. But I am quite a bit taller. I hit my head every time I go to shower. Also the shower shocked me the first morning. It's electric. As long as you don't touch the shower head you are good.
Dad: How about the bano? Good white porcelain like home?
Kolbe: Yeah but here they put the toilet paper in the trash can. Also the Cholitas (the native women)...we saw one pooping on the sidewalk today. They wear colorful skirts and have braided hair and wear big hats. And they just squat in random places and sit all day. And poop where they sit.
Mom: Oh no!!! That would be shocking to see. I'm sure you will have so many stories to tell when you get home. Honestly as hard as it sounds, I'm still jealous you get to experience this!
Kolbe: I'm telling you this place is so wild! It keeps me on my toes thats for sure. By the way, we have a really awesome investigator named Andrea who we are teaching and she loves me. I shared my testimony about the Book of Mormon with her my first night here and it went super well!
Mom: Kolbe that's awesome about the investigator. Was it someone the missionaries before you were teaching? Are you both new to the area?
Kolbe: The missionaries were already teaching her. And no my dad was born here and he only has two more cambias than me. Sorry for all the mission language. Dad is your trainer, born is where you start, cambia is a transfer.
Well I don't have much time left but I love you so so so much!
Mom: Love you too!
Dad: Love you Junior! Would love to hear about the Bolivians you meet. Let them feel how great of a guy you are even if you can't communicate well. Smiles go a long ways.
Kolbe: Yes for sure I will keep you guys updated. Oh one more thing, I had to give a blessing my first night here. Talk about rough.
Mom: Who did you give the blessing to? Although it was hard, I'm sure it was also a tender mercy to know the Lord was with you to help you through it.
Kolbe: We gave a blessing to a lady in the Ward. I just read straight out of my white handbook to anoint the oil. I don't know if I said it right or what.
Dad: The white bible! I used that thing so much!
Mom: Well the good thing is Heavenly Father makes it all right on that end. Do you know how many mistakes are made by people in the temple? By the way I just got your pictures. Your companion looks very kind.
Kolbe: Yes he is super chèvre. That is how they say cool here.
Mom: And your house is a dump!
Kolbe: Tell me about it. It's depressing. The other missionaries in our area have the nicest house ever.
Mom: I don't know why that makes me happy though. I guess if anything it makes you grateful for what you have! Humility is a good thing!
Kolbe: That is so true! Well I have to go! I love you so much! Talk more next week! Seriously guys this made me so happy. I needed this. I'm straight up crying again.
Dad: So did we! Keep your head up! My heart aches for you but it's so full of pride as well!
Mom: Well I'm smiling now but I've done my share of crying. That's okay too. It's not meant to be easy or more kids would do it! Go have a great week! We love you!
Dad: 8 second hug everyone!
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