The best part of going up is getting to ride down!

Hey mom! Still in San Jose! Today it is pretty cold, im almost debating on whether or not to get a light jacket. Or wind breaker. Cause we ride fast haha. We are going to Ross today, so we will see. We just got back from the Post office. I sent home a poster that was given to me from a Less Active (for now). Brother Ruiz. I talked about him in one of my other emails. He is a very good painter. And this is a print of one of his paintings. So If you could Frame it somewhere or Keep it in its shell and let it wait for me. My legs are pretty sore! ha, we were visiting a lot of people in the HILLS for the past couple days. The best part of going up is getting to ride down! Its sooooo fun haha.

Hmmm, So still no news on visas? I wonder if it is going to come.. Mark is gone?? Whaaat? thats sooo crazy! Im getting close to my 4 month mark. Thats SUPER wierd! It feels like I just left yesterday, But it also feels like ive been here all my life. Its about time Ryan comes home! Man how long has that elder been out?? And my little Preston is leaving next month too?? Awwww :D.  Sister Burton sent me a portuguese hymn book, which is going to come in super handy. Those comments are soo cool! Im soo glad im so popular haha jk. Tell everyone I said thanks! And I love the support! In case you have been wondering I have been borrowing a members bike, and ive been using one of the Elders in my districts bike lights. So conference was amazing! We scheduled all the sessions at less active homes or part member families, so we watched it with them and got fed too :D. I feel like I connect sooo well with the members here and the less actives. And more and more people are starting to come back to church. *Always keep a smile on your face**And have a teddy bear personality* Ive found that to work best for me. And Aparently I have a southern accent haha. Did I? I dont know what else is really new? If all is still going good with my investigator Susie, She will be getting baptised on Oct 30th, Keep her in yalls prayers. Oh also I got the letter with my Pat blessing in it! And I have read it sooo many times since then! So much makes sense to me now. And I love the little card that came with it. Any other big news in the world? Sorry I dont have any pics this time.

Well, I dont have anything else to say! Sorry! Tell everyone I miss them, and Love them!

Love ya, Tchau

Elder Arroyo

Oakland temple was amazing!

Overlooking Oakland and San Francisco

Hey mom,

We just got back from the Oakland temple a couple hours ago. It was amazing! Agh! The temple is on a huge hill, and you can see all of Oakland and all of San Fransisco! And Alkatraz or whatever. It was soo beautiful. I took a few pics. Still nothing on visas? dang.. Well at transfers we got put into a 3 some. So its Me, Elder Peterson, and Elder Smith. There both from Salt Lake. ha.. Just like every other missionary in the world. I dont like being in a 3 some as much as a 2. Oh well though.

Elder Peterson and Elder Arroyo
with the Christus.

I thought Mark already left! Whats he waitin on?? lol jk.Hope he has fun with 3 months of MTC. I almost lost it with 2 haha. Anyways. Preston looks like a missionary huh? haha I gotta see this. Thats wierd that Nathans home. Haven't seen him in forever! And yea, ME and jimmy send lame emails back and forth. There great! So guess what! I have lost 30 lbs out here. The biking is helping a lot. And im getting pretty tan. I have a HUGE white watch tanline haha. Its pretty cool. It has been record hot over here for like 4 days! It got up to 109 degrees!! We were just drenched.

Click this picture to see it bigger. The Golden Gate Bridge
and the San Francisco Bay are behind the buildings.

On spiritual news! We tracted into a women named Stacie and she has 3 kids. We taught her the plan of salvation last week and on tuesday I took a ward member with me to teach her the restoration. And elder peterson and smith went tracting. So in a nutshell the lesson went GREAT! and we bore amazing testimonies at the end. And after that I invited her to be baptised on Oct 30! So she will find out if our message is true, and if she does then she'll be baptized. SO yea! And her three kids are baptisimal age. And I asked them to sit in on the prayer and they did. So ill try to get them in on the next lesson! So I can baptise the whole family! :D! 

Oakland Temple

I wish I could tell you sooo much more that has gone on! but We need to get shopping and eat dinner at a members house! But soooooo much has happend!! Youll just have to hear the stories when I come back! Has any big news come up? How are the Burtons doin? The people are still loving me here! They say im so easily pleased and always have a smile. I love it! Even though its sooooo hard in this part sometimes. Well! I hope all is well! Are yall saying a prayer as a family at least once a day? Or reading the scriptures? Ya better be! Anyways!  :D. Stay safe! And close to the Lord!

Tchau!!

Love, Elder Arroyo

He liked this painting enough to take a picture of it and send it to us to see.
Even though you can see his flash it is still an amazing painting.
Here Jesus Christ began to suffer for the sins of mankind, read:
(Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-41; D&C 19:16-19).

The members are great out here

me tracting at 8:30 half way up a hill of million dollar houses

Ola mom.

So Brasilian visas are comming in? Whats my chance? The bike riding is going great. Its a lot easier than walking and faster. I have had a few close encounters with the pavement but all good haha. Im getting super good at riding so I like that. Whats dad doing on a week long golf trip??  He better have brought a couple books of mormon to hand out! Yea, I cant wait for Gen conference either. Ill try to take a lot of notes.  

my desk

So this week went by super fast! Being missionaries you give a lot of blessings. I love doing them! So theres a sister here pretty old, her name is sister Gifford. Shes like our mission Grandma. She loves us! And likes to give us food :D. We cut their hedges so they took us to Wendys. She said I remind her of her nephew. But shes loves us! And we met with a less active couple. They are sooooo cool! He use to be some secret U2 flyer back in the day! and had all these secret missions and stuff! But now hes super old so he paints pictures of planes! And he is amazing at it! He is going to give us one each!!

my "beautiful view" from my chair looking out the window

Im going to have to send it home. But he came to church this Sunday and looks like there going to start comming back now!! And they have a grand daughter with them that hasnt been baptised yet! ;) We had a baptism on Saturday! Her name was Sarah Woodhouse. She has been taking discussions for like over a year and a half. My companion got to baptize her and I got to be a witness! But thats not all! I had to stall during halftime till they got all dressed! I was not prepared at all! The first 7 minutes went ok, but after that it just got awkward. The members are great out here though. They love to feed us. Right now we are trying to find more people to teach. We have a pretty solid appointment tonight with a tracting contact and were just hoping she wants to hear more.  There were like a million other things I was going to say but forgot... I hate when that happens. I just saw someone that speaks PORTUGUESE! and it looked like she was having trouble talking to the librarian! So, Im going to go find her and contact her. Wish me luck! Hope you guys have a great week!!

Love ya,

Elder Arroyo

Southern Hospitality is nowhere to be seen over here

Hey mom! Whats up?? One week in San Jose! It feels like its only been a day. Most of the Days its hot here with a little breeze that feels really good, but Breezes are bitter sweet when your riding a bike haha. Feels good, but makes it harder. But days like today feel amazing!! Its a nice overcast and breezy and just chill. I love it. So today is P-day. We woke up and did our daily studying and then we cleaned! You would go crazy if you saw how I clean now haha. I looooove cleaning bathrooms! Wierd huh? I just like making everything look super white and shiny! haha. I dont know how I started to like that but, it happend and its kind of cool. Probably cause I never cleaned at home and its something new haha. Anyway! Everyone says I have really good manners when we eat over. It makes me feel good. Oh, and by the way. Southern Hospitality is nowhere to be seen over here haha. You learn and see a lot when you go tracting over here. At first I didnt let it get to me. But now its starting to get harder. From what ive seen so far from tracting everyday is that people just need to be struck down!! haha just kidding! But really I wish I could just take away all of there nice cars and houses away from them, so they can be humbled and actually want to hear about Gods message. But I never give up!! So the biking! I like biking more than I would a car. At first it was tough but now I dont have any trouble. I find it fun and exercising! Im going to have legs of steel by the time I get out of this area though haha.

Thats soo cool that yall went out with the Burtons! I miss Mexican food.. But the members are feeding us great here! I dont know what it is about me. But people just love talking to me. Especially old ladies haha. I have learned how to end convos. Thats so cool that Yall got to hear of me from Sister Linda. I love my mission president here! He is great. Oh and yea we do get to go to the Oakland Temple at the end of the month! It would be cool if I was here for that, but if Im not that would be ok too :D. But I heard its a nice temple.

We have a baptism this Saturday and we dont know who is going to be baptising her yet, but Im sure its going to be my companion Elder Peterson. I hope it is. Most of my crazy experiences come from tracting haha. Just some of the stuff you encounter. I wish I could tell you everything. But ill save it for later. Its super hard to write in your journal. Your just soo wiped out! But I do!! Talk about exhaustion! Elder Peterson says litterally 5 seconds after my head touches the pillow im asleep! haha. This work is so hard! But so worth it. We have so many peoples salvations in our hands. It is very easy to get homesick out here. So I do my best just not to think about it.

Im still looking for people that speak portuguese! This one lady we trackted into was like "I dont speak engish" in a spanish accent. and I said back in spanish "I dont either" hahahaha its was hilarious! But she spoke very good english and just closed the door on us. Ive heard all the excuses in the book out here man! Sometimes you just have to be bold with these people.

But I love it out here. And this is where I need to be right now. Time is going by soo fast. Still looking forward to my visa!

How is life back home? Anything new happening? Anything new with the ward? Have any idea when my visa will come? (try to find me an estimate)  Any big news with anything? Where is my patriarticle blessing? haha.

You guys stay safe! And ill keep you in my prayers! I love you guys a lot!  Ill see if I can send a pic or 2. Tchau!! Talk to ya next week! Hopfully in Brazil!! :D

Love, Elder Arroyo

In Paradise

Hey mom! YEA!! So I'm San Jose now!! I love this place!! It feels soooo good outside!

 Ok, So My trainer is Elder Peterson! He is GREAT! We get along very well! We have a nice apartment and we are covering the Dublin area.(I think thats how you spell it.) It is so beautiful. Its at the very top of the mission. So, this is a biking area, and im still trying to catch my breath from riding over here haha. It was fun. Im in a nice library. This area is mainly upper middle class. Up on the hills are where the upperclass are. The members are sooo cool! We ate at the Jensons yesterday and had burgers and hotdogs! NO MORE MTC FOOD haha WOOT! They have like 3 kids and another on the way! Their kids love me though. Then we went to help move in some members that was fun. Everyone wanted to talk to me. I love the people! We have scheduled to eat at a members house everynight! :D. Theres a lot of nice cars everywhere haha. After we email we are going to go meet with an investigator or 2 and teach some more to them. But yea. I love being out in the field! And espieacally in this area. It has a VERY nice breeze! But I'm still looking very foward to my visa! haha.

What part does sister Asquith live in?

And its def not cold it feels amazing.

Im going to send you some pics in a sec if I can! Love you!! :D

p-days are on Monday. im trying to eat healthy during the day, cause the members feed us really good at night ha. thats cool that I might get to see Chase out here. I love you guys too! dont stop reading the scriptures! haha ever think I would say that?? i love them so much! and it builds your testimony like no other! So read them and ponder!

ha, I still have 15 minutes so Im just going to force myself to write somemore. So hows life at home? anything big change since ive been gone? Is there anything that you guys want? I never knew that it felt this great in California haha. ummm, hows the ward? any new people? It feels like the MTC was just a blur its wierd. Time is sooo wierd out here. Oh, Brother Jenson went to Sao Paulo on his mission. SO I practice talking with him any time I can. I want to teach some people soo bad!! We get to go to the Oakland Temple at the end of the month! Cool huh? I'm getting the chance of the lifetime out here. I feel like blessings are comming up left and right. I hope yall are feeling the same way. I know that the Lord needs me here. And I hope I find out why he sent me here before I get my visa. I just feel like I need to talk to everyone I come in contact with.  Ive already witnessed some wierd things that happen out here haha. When your outside most of the time looking like a missionary and especially at night people can say some pretty wierd things out here. But anyways! I love you guys soo much! Does anyone want me to write them that I havnt written? and double check that mission office address before you send something to it please. Thanks for everything. Oh yea! I'm still waiting for my Pat blessing. Can yall send that out ASAP por favor? Thanks. I love you guys a lot! (Add this to my other email)

 

Tchau, Elder Arroyo (in paradise)

Do You Know The Way To San Jose?

Christopher flies into San Jose, California this morning to serve the great people of that area. He will be there until his visa comes.

Ill be calling tonight at 6:30 Utah time. Tchau!

Hey mom!! Soo yea!! I got my reassingment!! But im not going to tell you till I call!! I get 5 minutes with you guys! Ahhh so excited!! haha!!! Yea the MTC has treated me way well. Ive learned sooooo much. SOOO MUCH!! haha. This is definitly one of the greatest places you could ever be. It just protects you from the world. But yea! I am ready to go though! To my NEW AREA!! :D

 

Ok, so this week I had to get my Hep A2 shot, so I used your card. It cost $71. I think they told me I dont need anymore shots. I have spent no money since ive been here. We get like 5 or 7 bucks a week on our MTC cards. And I find that over efficient for me! Ok, so my district leader got his reassingment to the Jackson MS mission!! haha! His name is Elder Halgren! Hes pretty cool. Man! I cant wait to call you guys! Melody sent me a huge thing of salsa! haha! We are all trying to down it, but its huge haha. The Packs took a picture with me on there camera in the cafe and they said they would send you a copy!! Portuguese is amazing!! I can go days without speaking english here! I love just going around and my comp says im from brasil and dont speak english! And they all believe me, like when i share a message with them and bare my testimony! It is prolly the best language on this earth today.

 

Love you, Elder Arroyo

Oh and for Devotional President Hinckley's son talked to us! But yea. Other than that this week has been flying by extra fast! Tomorrow, I start packing and well! Ill tell you the rest when I call! Bye mom!! I love you!! :D Tell the family I said I love them too!

 

Tchau, Love,

 

Elder Arroyo

(his responses to me telling him to call me NOW even though Jim is not home!! )

1. I can call tonight, or I can call tomorrow. What do you want?

2. I dont mind having to call tomorrow? I dont have to call tonight

3. I cant call now. I would have to call after dinner which would be around 6:30 Utah time. And if I dont call then. Than Ill call tomorrow around lunch time which would be like 1:35 or so Utah time

4. Youll prolly get a phone call from me tonight though around 6:30 Utah time

5. Ok, Im for sure calling tonight at 6:30 Utah time. Do I call your phone or dads?

6. Ill be calling tonight at 6:30 Utah time. Tchau!

I almost cried when Sister Pack gave me a hug (is that legal? haha)

1 Hey mom! Yea no visas! ONE MORE WEEK HERE! Its sooo wierd! I feel soo old at the MTC haha. On wednesday we got to host the new missionaries coming in. Cause were like seniors here! It was soo much fun! I got to serve like 4 elders and a sister! I loved it soooooo sooo much!! You pretty much just welcome them at there car on the curb and open the door for them, get there stuff and just show them around and get them all there stuff. Ok! On Tuesday, Jeffrey R. Holland spoke to us at the devotional!! Ohh man! Definitly my new favorite speaker! He is just sooo powerful. I sat only 13 feet away from him!! I got soo many notes off of him. I think he came cause they installed new bleachers in the gym, and the first week I was here the started the contruction of it. and now its finished! Ive been here to long haha. But he was great! I wish I could tell you soo much more!! ahh!! Other news! Me and my comp were making contacts around the building to random elders and I saw 2 sitting on the couch so i went over there and was like hey can we share a little message with you. and one of the elders was Elder Asay! Hes from Clinton or Madison I forgot! But Ive seen him a few times! Lindeys friend! haha. 
Speaking of the Packs!! I was walking into the lunch room! And being sooo tall. I never look at anyone! And I here my name and I see Brother and Sister Pack!! Ahh, I almost cried when Sister Pack gave me a hug (is that legal? haha) anyways it just felt soo good to get a hug from someone I knew back home. Soo yea a little over one more week! Im def excited!! I know the lessons in portuguese! Oh hey, can you guys send me my pat blessing if you havnt! That would be sooo sweet! I love you guys sooo sooo much!! Hug everyone for me!


2. It was soo alwesome to see them! I miss everyone soo much! And cant wait to get my reassignment! But im pretty sure ill only be out there for one transfer and then ill get my visa! hopefully


3. Thanks mom! Yea, I'm use to being out on my own! Well not exactly on my own. I have a comp that im with 24/7 haha. It fealt sooooo wierd hosting and being away from him. I cant even describe it.


3. Stay safe!! I only have 1 more minute! Love you guys!! Ill let you know where im getting reassinged!!

Emails back and forth today

1. its really hard to remember stuff from home now unless you really try to focus on it. Noooooo Visas! soo a brizilan district got reassigned to the states for no visas. So hopfully they will start comming in, or were the next ones to get reassignments. Whatever happens happens though. I just want to get out into the field and teach!! Wether it be in portuguese or english. haha Ryan. Tell him I went and ate breakfast by the gate today. where there are 4 benches and outside the fence are a bunch of little houses. Are those his? Oh, And sorry about the pictures. Its really hard to get them developed... theres always a huge line! and it takes a couple weeks for them to print them out!
2. I prolly wont be able to develop them now because im out in like 2 and a half weekss!!!! WOOP WOOP!! I feel sooo ready! We taught the 1st lesson again in portuguese for 45 minutes! Of course my comp didnt do any talking! But it really does strengthen me. Cause I know that I can do it by myself! Uhhh lets see, This week. Same ole! Just more and more portuguese and knowledge of the Gospel! And OH MY HECK!! You guys sent me a new pair of Adios!! haha! What happend to my old ones?!? Thank you sooo much! I hope you all are doing great! Cause I pore out a lot of faith in my prayers for you guys. Oh one thing I reaallllllly need is my patriatical blessing! I think you guys were going to shrink it down or something? anyways. It would be great to have. But you dont have to send it if you dont want to. Oh yea! And I played piano in sacrement last week! And this Sunday im playing in priesthood! Im getting better and better! And me and Elder Deakin are thinking about starting to do musical numbers for devotionals or firesides or anything. we sound reallllly good together! For real haha. Anyways! Keep praying for my visa!! And ill talk to you guys next week!! Love you all!! Tchau Tchau!! :D 

Elder Arroyo

3. Yea, long time no see huh? :D ha, I miss you guys a lot. But its nice here in Provo! Hey you can add this to my email to if you want! Who all is going to BYU right now? Cause its like right across the street, and I dont know, They could hook me up with something. I feel like im in a bubble!! Whats up?

4. Um, nothing that I can think of. Im pretty much set. The only thing I can think of is my Pat Blessing. But you dont have to send that right away. Cause its looking to me like im going to get reassingded to the states for a bit.

5. Just put in my email that i asked who was going  to BYU, and that maybe they could hook me up with some outside MTC Stuff! :D haha we'll see what happens. Or they could drop off a letter or whatever.

6. Ahhh thats sooo great!! I just went this morning! and also did service in the big laundry room! Its was soo much fun! The longer your here the cooler jobs you get :D

7. Well mom. I have 1 minute left! I wish I could talk all day! I love you. Have faith and you will have the power to do anything.

8. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!! TCHAU!!!!!

Just have faith in the Lord and keep His commandments and He will work miracles.

Hey mom! Ahh thats a pretty bummy dream. I wish it were true. But I have a lot of weird dreams out here. Really weird haha. I think its the food. We all tell each other about our dreams cause they usually come true! Ahhhh Come on! I was looking forward to seeing where preston was going!! hah!! Tell him to let me know! or anyone! I didnt know if you wanted me to write you cause we email. Sorry. Ill write you soon. And Destinee better write me!! For realz! Oh and hey! My nikes that I brought here were a baaaaad idea!! They were soo old!! I was playing soccer and the bottom of my right shoe just came right off hahahahaha! Man! How lame! I ducked taped that sucker though! it looks cool! Buuuuuuuuut! Can you guys send me my adios?? porfavor. My nikes are just destoyed. My adios are the white skate shoes. Dont send me the white DC's Send me the White Adios pleeease! Thanks :D

Ok, So this week... Life changing. So I start it off with teaching my progressing investigator. And I went in there knowing nothing about him. And he knowing nothing about the gospel or bible or anything. But after I was done with him he wanted to believe more in Christ and God, And was getting very interested in our lesson. The spirit was guiding me in sooo many ways! I LOVE ITTT!! Sometimes I just dont even know what im saying!! And then on Sunday we watched a Joseph Smith movie, and I broke down like 4 times. The spirit is soooo strong. And it just takes control of you. I wish I could share the feeling. And then we got to teach our first lesson in portuguese to the returned brazilian missionaries that volunteer here. As always I did all the talking...! But at least I know I cant teach the whole first lesson in portuguese! Ok, And heres my top story of the week. I wont share all of it with you for personal reasons. Wednesday night, I told everyone in my district that if anyone is feeling down or depressed, to come into the custodial closet at 9:40 at night in our dorm place. And so there were 4 of us in this little closet. And we were joking around for a little and then we started getting serious, and this elder wanted to go home for a reason. And he told me, and we were discussing it, and the spirit was sooooo strong in there. And then he looked at me, and no lie 10 minutes from the time he looked at me to the time I looked back everyone was crying. I can hardly remember what I was saying. But I just remember looking at everyone again, and they were all crying. And that they said everything I said that they could feel the spirit soo strongly. I know for a fact that the Lord loosed my tongue and told that elder what he needed to hear. I will never forget this experience. Just have faith in the Lord and keep His commandments and He will work miracles.

The portuguese is going great though!! Were doing portuguese fasts 3 days out of the week. And I love them. It just feels natural. And obviously still no visas.. And were getting a shipment of 140 brazilian missionaries next week!! Something is up with these visas. This place is about to get crowded. Let me know if you find out anything por favor. I love you so much. And miss the fam a lot too! and the ward! I gotta email Jimmy and Dad!! See ya next week!! Tchau Tchau!

 

Love,

Elder Arroyo