Hey ya thats cool! [regarding a recent hook up of one of the elders mom with Sherra via their blogs and the missionary mom email service] Hes in my district now. We just had transfers and the districts changed so now we are in the same district. Ya Elder Chatwin is way tight. Guess what? He was in the movie The RM with his twin brother. Hes way bigger now but ya isn't that cool. And i think his middle name is Hunter. Cool huh? Ya hes cool. Hey guess what this week is Christmas :) woo hoo except theres been some problems with some elders and theres a chance I might not get to call on Christmas. Bummer huh? A couple elders mess up and everyone gets punished. Other than that not much else has happened. I'm way excited to be staying with Elder Backman and staying in this area cuz we have some way cool investigators and the ward is starting to feel like home now. Hows everyone doing over there? Hows Brooke Wesley? I haven't heard from her. Hope all is well. Also mom could you maybe email or send a picture or my blog site to Mr Leone and Mrs Warfield at LHS :) I promised both of them I'd send them a letter so could you either get their address or send them something :) Thanks. Well have a very merry Christmas hope everything is going great!
Love Elder Schupple
P.S. I was just joking about not getting to call home. Ill for sure call but I'm not sure how it works we didn't get any instructions so I don't know when or how. So just try to be ready whenever :) ha sorry!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Crazy weather, Stake Patriarch
Sounds like she [the Chinese house guest] was a blast. I'm glad you got that opportunity. Wow Dackota's is going into the MTC? That's so crazy! Get his email address for me and ask aunt Micki why she hasn't emailed me back. I'm sorry to hear about the car [needing new parts] and the slippery roads. That's really sad to hear about grandma but hey your gunna have a lot of fun and company over Christmas. Yes its true we aren't allowed to go out Christmas day and Christmas eve. We have to be in way early like at noon or something. So it'll be an interesting Christmas. OK now for what happened this past week: First off there was this huge storm. We had just left a lesson and these mean looking clouds came in and then the wind started picking up and then the rain. Well we were protected because while we were walking there was this big metal door to a garage that was propped open. Just as I walked around it the wind slammed it shut. I'm convinced we were being watched over [because it could've hit me very easily] Well after that the rain really started coming down and we couldn't even see where we were walking. But we had a sita [lesson] to go to so we just followed the road. The roads started flooding and we were getting really wet :) It was crazy.
We went out with our stake patriarch the other day and he was telling us stories of his life. Guess who he met and said was a very nice guy? :) Fidel Castro! Ha! Ya I didn't believe him at first but now I think I do. He also helped design a temple in Mexico. Ya this guy has been around. The pic is of our service project. We helped paint a school. But the paint was so watered down we had to go over it like 5 times and then we decided to paint our faces. The other pic is what people do with their trash here. When there's enough of it they burn it. It smells gross!
This is the last week before transfers and I cant believe how fast this transfer time went. Oh and the charger for the ipod works great! Thanks again mom.
Love you all and hope all is well. I'm praying for ya'll.
love elder schupple
Monday, December 8, 2008
Did NOT kill the dog, mobs
OK first off the dog was a stray and I didn't kill it. I didn't even throw the rock. I'm sorry for the confusion. Thank you so much for the package and pics. I can not believe how big the girls are getting! Shoot they have grown so much in four months, I cant imagine what 2 years is gunna do to them. And Miss Jackie! Holy cow! I seriously didn't recognize you without those braces and your hair dyed. ... stay away from those boys. Thanksgiving looked like freaking so much fun ahhh. Tell Dan it looks like hes losing weight.OK now for this past week, it had its ups and its downs. A few more downs than ups but it was still good. OK well last Monday we were on our way to a FHE when we saw a whole bunch of guys on the train tracks. They were all wearing soccer uniforms ( soccer teams fans). We later found out that they were on their way back from losing a soccer game. OK so just for some background info... the train tracks were about 30 feet away from us. We were walking parallel to them. So we were just walking and we saw them start throwing rocks and yelling. Well we got to the family's house for FHE and we started clapping. It was taking a while for anyone to answer the door and the guys throwing rocks did not look very happy, so my comp says OK if those guys start coming over here, start running! I thought, "Aw crap I don't run very fast but i guess its a good thing my comps fatter than me they can catch him first... jk. OK well the family finally opened the door and right when they did we heard police sirens and gun shots. It was intense.
Anyway other than that is that I saw the biggest nose I have ever seen in my life. It was seriously like a Mario and Luigi nose. It was gross.
We went to a lot of our investigators and were dropped by 2 or 3 really good ones, so that was depressing and to add on to that, Maria our golden investigator didn't come to church. Then on Saturday we went to this inactive family's house and all was well until the phone rang. The dad answered it and started yelling/kinda crying and then the mom and everyone got up really quick and asked what was wrong. Well it turns out that someone on the moms side of the family had just died. Well the mom started crying hysterically and it was just a crazy moment. So we left and I got to thinking how much I appreciate my family. So thanks fam for all that you have done for me. Thanks so much. Thanks again for the package and don't worry, I'll get the language eventually. Ha and tell dad yes, when the weather gets really hot and humid the mosquitoes are terrible. My ankles are all eaten up. Thanks for everything!
Love
elder schupple
PS Cecilia was saying you killed some dog? Did Toby die? [Cecilia is a member in the branch where Austin is at in Argentina who has hooked up with many of us on facebook. However, she only writes in Spanish...so we are having trouble totally understanding each other. I had asked her about the dog we thought Austin had killed with a rock...not that I had killed a dog...So no Toby has not died yet*!]
Anyway other than that is that I saw the biggest nose I have ever seen in my life. It was seriously like a Mario and Luigi nose. It was gross.
We went to a lot of our investigators and were dropped by 2 or 3 really good ones, so that was depressing and to add on to that, Maria our golden investigator didn't come to church. Then on Saturday we went to this inactive family's house and all was well until the phone rang. The dad answered it and started yelling/kinda crying and then the mom and everyone got up really quick and asked what was wrong. Well it turns out that someone on the moms side of the family had just died. Well the mom started crying hysterically and it was just a crazy moment. So we left and I got to thinking how much I appreciate my family. So thanks fam for all that you have done for me. Thanks so much. Thanks again for the package and don't worry, I'll get the language eventually. Ha and tell dad yes, when the weather gets really hot and humid the mosquitoes are terrible. My ankles are all eaten up. Thanks for everything!
Love
elder schupple
PS Cecilia was saying you killed some dog? Did Toby die? [Cecilia is a member in the branch where Austin is at in Argentina who has hooked up with many of us on facebook. However, she only writes in Spanish...so we are having trouble totally understanding each other. I had asked her about the dog we thought Austin had killed with a rock...not that I had killed a dog...So no Toby has not died yet*!]
Monday, December 1, 2008
Killed a dog, hot & cold, good investigators
Hey I'm way sorry I'm early today. We have appointments later today so ya that's why I'm writing now. Well it was a pretty exciting week. To start it off I was bit by a dog. We were just walking down the street and these dogs are barking at us like they always do. We usually don't pay any attention to them, but all of a sudden I feel my heel get bit so i like jump and the dog backs off so I bend down and pick up a rock and freaking throw it as hard as I can at this dog. Well I hit it in the head and killed it...... not what I wanted to do. Now when I go to pick up rocks Elder Backman tells me not to throw them cuz of all the people that are watching. We have to be very careful with what we do when people are watching....well make that all the time but especially when people are watching. So ya i drop the rock and we keep walking.
We are teaching this guy who doesn't have legs. He lost them in a kitchen fire. Hes way sincere about everything and just grateful for everything he has. I don't know how he does it but hes really great. Well on Thursday it was 104 degrees with 56 percent humidity. That was a very hot day, we both were sweating so much, it was supposed to be 113 degrees the next day but luckily it rained so it didn't get that hot. Ha well it started raining Friday and hasn't stopped since and now its way cold. Ha theres no getting in between here.... its either way hot or way cold and rainy. In other news there a lot of freaking Jehovah witnesses down here. They got a crazy system. You cant be a member of their church until you do a year of studying and go out like every other day and do some tracting. So every day we pass the testigos. On Wed there was a whole freaking bunch out. So we were going to this appointment and there they were clapping our appointment's house, [in Argentina you clap instead of knock] There were a ton on this street and we were completely surrounded. But no worries they clapped the house and the investigator said no to them and let us in :) It was a good feeling knowing we have the truth and they are just wasting their time.... that sounds really mean. Ok i have a question, how much is an English quad? a kid down here wants one and asked me to ask you how much they were. So if you could find out for me that would be great. For thanksgiving we appreciated the heat, and ordered empanadas. It was great. then my comp mentioned pie and I've had a huge craving for pumpkin pie since then. That's pretty much what happened this week.
Love you all
elder schupple
PS mom thanks for the packages again don't worry about sending any more i have more than enough :)
We are teaching this guy who doesn't have legs. He lost them in a kitchen fire. Hes way sincere about everything and just grateful for everything he has. I don't know how he does it but hes really great. Well on Thursday it was 104 degrees with 56 percent humidity. That was a very hot day, we both were sweating so much, it was supposed to be 113 degrees the next day but luckily it rained so it didn't get that hot. Ha well it started raining Friday and hasn't stopped since and now its way cold. Ha theres no getting in between here.... its either way hot or way cold and rainy. In other news there a lot of freaking Jehovah witnesses down here. They got a crazy system. You cant be a member of their church until you do a year of studying and go out like every other day and do some tracting. So every day we pass the testigos. On Wed there was a whole freaking bunch out. So we were going to this appointment and there they were clapping our appointment's house, [in Argentina you clap instead of knock] There were a ton on this street and we were completely surrounded. But no worries they clapped the house and the investigator said no to them and let us in :) It was a good feeling knowing we have the truth and they are just wasting their time.... that sounds really mean. Ok i have a question, how much is an English quad? a kid down here wants one and asked me to ask you how much they were. So if you could find out for me that would be great. For thanksgiving we appreciated the heat, and ordered empanadas. It was great. then my comp mentioned pie and I've had a huge craving for pumpkin pie since then. That's pretty much what happened this week.
Love you all
elder schupple
PS mom thanks for the packages again don't worry about sending any more i have more than enough :)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Being grateful and Eating intestines
Ahhh I'm sorry this is going to be a shorter letter and ya I'm trying to send pics thru this but it looks like it only allows one at a time so ill send a couple and i sent one to Brit so ask her for that one. These pics are of this place we ate at today, it was the nicest and most expensive place I've eaten at so far and ya the food was really good except that i had cow intestines. It was terrible it took like ten mins to chew and had creamy stuff inside i 
thought i was going to throw up so that was a bummer.
thought i was going to throw up so that was a bummer. But now i can say I've eaten cow intestines. I had the opportunity to have blood sausage too but decided against it cuz I was still a little woozy from eating the cow intestines. The other pics are of this kid who thinks hes a dinosaur and goes "rrror" all day so I started doing it back so now he loves me and out of the blue he just says why are you doing this too? I was like uh because I'm a dinosaur. I guess he liked that answer cuz after that he just got way intense and kept doing his thing. The last ones are of this inactive family's crazy lizard. Hope you get them all. Ya I got your packages. They were a little rat eaten 
but hey no big deal. I got them on Friday and they are both almost gone. Ha the other elders in my apartment went crazy when they saw it and I've given a lot of it away. Ha the war heads are fun to give to the kids here. Their faces are great. I have one left and want to get one of them on camera. In other news the investigators have been coming along wonderfully. We decided to move Maria and her son Alan baptisms back until their husband/dad comes back after Christmas. So we are gonna try to baptize him right after them. Estella was pushed back cuz she has work everyday so its hard to teach her but they come to church so todo bien and we have another family that we found that we are going to be taking out fechas (baptism commitments) with this next week so :) Ya everything is going great here.
but hey no big deal. I got them on Friday and they are both almost gone. Ha the other elders in my apartment went crazy when they saw it and I've given a lot of it away. Ha the war heads are fun to give to the kids here. Their faces are great. I have one left and want to get one of them on camera. In other news the investigators have been coming along wonderfully. We decided to move Maria and her son Alan baptisms back until their husband/dad comes back after Christmas. So we are gonna try to baptize him right after them. Estella was pushed back cuz she has work everyday so its hard to teach her but they come to church so todo bien and we have another family that we found that we are going to be taking out fechas (baptism commitments) with this next week so :) Ya everything is going great here. 
Holy freak Brad! When I heard that hes actually pursuing I almost fell out of my chair and wow! Ha congrats I guess. Suerte good luck.
I've learned a lot from my new comp, like how I'm in one of the richest areas there is here. He was telling me about his last area, where the members and people had houses made from pieces of wood and garbage bags. Th other elders I came out with from the MTC say they have cockroaches in their pinches (apartments). So I am way grateful for my blessings. And good news your prayers have helped so much. The hemorrhoids are gone! So thanks everyone so much. Love,
Elder Schupple
Monday, November 17, 2008
Elder Backman--gordo Elder S--skinny
Wow looks like moms b-day week end was fun times. Man I love all the pics. Tell Jackie that her skirt is way to short and I like her hair highlights. Send a pic of her kiss or didn't you get a pic of that? Goodness stay away from the boys Jackie. And I'm confused does Kristen like Brad or the guy that went on the rafting trip with us? Cuz from the looks of the pics you sent me I'd say the other guy. Whatev, so is Brad dating or whats the deal? I love Natalie's dyed hair but it looks like both she and brit cut their hair! So much for the length contest for when i get home. jk. Anyway everyone looks way good, and it sounds like you had an awesome bday so thats good. Shoot! Flying an airplane? dagum! As for me, I'm good. The hemorrhoids wont go away so that's a bummer, and i have a sore throat that really hurts at night, so that keeps me up a little but that's ok. The shoes are great thanks so much. As for my companion, hes good too. Its been a different week. He does things a little different than Elder Tingey but thats ok. Elder Backman is from Wyoming and is a little heavier. Ha we were at a members house yesterday having lunch and they were just making him the butt of every joke and just really making fun of him. Every time hed grab an empanada they would make fun of how fat he was, the poor guy. So ya we get a lot more "he gordo" comments in the street. So now Im the skinny one in the relationship.
We were at a different members house and this old lady asked for a blessing cuz she was sick, so i did the annointing and elder backman gave the blessing. Well when he finished she started breathing really fast. the first thing that came to my minda was "Oh crap we were supposed to help her get better and here we go and kill her." Luckily she didnt die and we went on our merry way. I gotta go now but i have a question, how am i supposed to charge the ipod?
thanks again!
Love elder schupple
We were at a different members house and this old lady asked for a blessing cuz she was sick, so i did the annointing and elder backman gave the blessing. Well when he finished she started breathing really fast. the first thing that came to my minda was "Oh crap we were supposed to help her get better and here we go and kill her." Luckily she didnt die and we went on our merry way. I gotta go now but i have a question, how am i supposed to charge the ipod?
thanks again!
Love elder schupple
Monday, November 10, 2008
Transfers! 3rd companion--Elder Backman-- Baptism date!
Happy Bday mom and good news! All the pics I've taken are on the way :) There are a whole bunch of the MTC with all the elders from my zone... so ya kinda boring but then there are some of Argentina... so Yay! :)
In other news transfers were this week. I stayed in the same area but Elder Tingey left :( Choa Pappy! Now I have a very happy, out going companion named Elder Backman. I'm excited he only has 9 months in the mission so hes not as trunky as Elder Tingey was. Ha!.. just a side note this last transfer in our apartment we had an elder with 1 transfer left, an elder with 2 left then Tingey with 3 transfers left. They enjoyed teasing me saying they could add their transfers together and multiply it by 3 and get how many transfers I have left. Ha! So now I have a comp with a bunch more time left so yay. No, but I loved Elder Tingey. Hes a comp I will never forget. I got the package from Sister Olsen yay! :) [She and her husband came down to pick up their RM from Argentina and hooked up with mom before they came to deliver some stuff to Austin] Thanks so much. I looooove the pics! Thanks so much and the shoes are way awesome. Merry Christmas, thanks a bunch. I couldn't ask for more. I gave her a usb drive with my pics on it. [So they will be going home with her to Hurricane UT, to be picked up by Brad in St. George]
As for the health situation you will be happy to know I don't have diarrhea anymore, but it turned into constipation and then the other day turned into hemorrhoids so that was unfortunate but luckily I'm recovering fast :) The lord hears all of our prayers and loves his missionaries. Muchisimo gracias for your prayers. I saw Elder Jones (my comp at the MTC) at the mission meeting today and hes lost 20 pounds since hes gotten here. Wow huh? My body unfortunately looks the same but summer is almost here and let me tell you, it is very hot and humid here. I sweat so much. This last wed it was way bad. We finished the morning and went back to the apartment for lunch. I hung my clothes up to dry and took a shower. Ha! Ya its gunna be a long summer :)
In other news our investigators are doing great. On the 22nd of this month we are going to have 2 baptisms :) I'm way excited. Well its time to go again.
I love you all hope everything is well with yawl!
You are all in my prayers.
Love ya
Elder Schupple
In other news transfers were this week. I stayed in the same area but Elder Tingey left :( Choa Pappy! Now I have a very happy, out going companion named Elder Backman. I'm excited he only has 9 months in the mission so hes not as trunky as Elder Tingey was. Ha!.. just a side note this last transfer in our apartment we had an elder with 1 transfer left, an elder with 2 left then Tingey with 3 transfers left. They enjoyed teasing me saying they could add their transfers together and multiply it by 3 and get how many transfers I have left. Ha! So now I have a comp with a bunch more time left so yay. No, but I loved Elder Tingey. Hes a comp I will never forget. I got the package from Sister Olsen yay! :) [She and her husband came down to pick up their RM from Argentina and hooked up with mom before they came to deliver some stuff to Austin] Thanks so much. I looooove the pics! Thanks so much and the shoes are way awesome. Merry Christmas, thanks a bunch. I couldn't ask for more. I gave her a usb drive with my pics on it. [So they will be going home with her to Hurricane UT, to be picked up by Brad in St. George]
As for the health situation you will be happy to know I don't have diarrhea anymore, but it turned into constipation and then the other day turned into hemorrhoids so that was unfortunate but luckily I'm recovering fast :) The lord hears all of our prayers and loves his missionaries. Muchisimo gracias for your prayers. I saw Elder Jones (my comp at the MTC) at the mission meeting today and hes lost 20 pounds since hes gotten here. Wow huh? My body unfortunately looks the same but summer is almost here and let me tell you, it is very hot and humid here. I sweat so much. This last wed it was way bad. We finished the morning and went back to the apartment for lunch. I hung my clothes up to dry and took a shower. Ha! Ya its gunna be a long summer :)
In other news our investigators are doing great. On the 22nd of this month we are going to have 2 baptisms :) I'm way excited. Well its time to go again.
I love you all hope everything is well with yawl!
You are all in my prayers.
Love ya
Elder Schupple
Monday, November 3, 2008
Both of us Sick, States-side family investigator
Wow sounds like a lot is happening at home, and don't worry about sending the packages express. I really don't care. Good news about my feet :) The blisters have all callused over and I am walking just fine now :) Some not so good news-- this past week has been kinda rough because both elder Tingey and I are kinda sick. So that's made things a little difficult. However we push on regardless. We found a new investigator the other day who has family in the states-- one who lives in Florida who is a member :) and one who lives in Utah who is not. Well we taught her the first lesson and it was amazing. I have a good feeling about her and Elder Tingey thinks shes gonna get baptized.
As for Christmas, I am not really sure what I want or need. Everything is good so far. Kids here love American candy so maybe some candy or something. Other than that I really don't think I need anything. Thanks tho. Oh I have a question, theres been a lot of talk lately about another great depression. Whats going on with that? Elder Tingey says if that happens hes just gonna move back down here. Life is pretty chill down here. People get money from the government once a week and just chill and drink mate. Some people work but a lot of people are pretty chill. Well I gotta go.
love you all
Elder Schupple
As for Christmas, I am not really sure what I want or need. Everything is good so far. Kids here love American candy so maybe some candy or something. Other than that I really don't think I need anything. Thanks tho. Oh I have a question, theres been a lot of talk lately about another great depression. Whats going on with that? Elder Tingey says if that happens hes just gonna move back down here. Life is pretty chill down here. People get money from the government once a week and just chill and drink mate. Some people work but a lot of people are pretty chill. Well I gotta go.
love you all
Elder Schupple
Monday, October 27, 2008
Blisters, New investigators, Soccer game
Well I took pics and I have my camera here but its not working. For some reason it doesn't recognize the USB whatever, so I'll try to work on that for next week. Other than that everything here is pretty good. I got this very large blister on my left foot that was like a waterfall of puss when I poked it, and now its turning purple but no big deal soon it will turn into a callus and I wont have anymore problems. By the end of my mission my feet will just be one very large callus so that'll be nice... I guess. What else... oh mom we got a notice that your package came, so we went down to the offices where we pick up packages and I received a little slip which told me that I gotta go to the post office and get the slip stamped in order to pick it up. My companion says it takes about a month or so for them to find it, so he suggests sending it express mail. He says its way easier and gets here way faster. But i don't really care either way works. In other news we found a couple more investigators this last week, one from a contact which i started :) and another from a member, the one from the member is really good we are going to set a fecha (baptismal date) with her next time we visit her. The other contact guy I'm not really sure about cuz we were on divisions so I was with a member doing other stuff. Uh the language is still hard but I'm understanding more everyday. I need to speak it more I think. Oh we are going to a soccer game this Friday. My one soccer game I get to go to on my mission right off the bat. :) Well I'm sorry this one is short. I wasted a lot of time trying to get pics working so sorry.
Love you all
Elder Schupple
Love you all
Elder Schupple
Monday, October 20, 2008
Shoe issues, rough week, primary kids mutiny
Hey I got letters today! I received one snail mail and a bunch of Dear Elder.com pouch letters. Thank you everyone for writing to me. I wished I had time to write personal notes to everyone, but thanks everyone for the letters and emails. Keep it up! I loved the pics of the girls. I wish I could print them off but o well. Uh oh about the shoes ya just another pair of Eccos. I guess they are what my comp has so ya. Do i need to send the old ones back? If it helps we walk a lot. They get wet and muddy and we walk a lot on like glass and sharp rocks. Also its getting very hot and very humid. Hope that helps. Shoot I'm so sorry I forgot my other memory card, the one I have right now doesn't fit in this computer. So ill try to figure something out. Well today was pday and we had a mission soccer tournament, :) My zone won (all because of me :) Ha! not really I'm terrible) but ya I'm extremely sun burnt and now very tired.
Our baptism date was moved back a week, but we ran across this family who is way interested in the gospel. It was crazy cuz it was just a casual contact. We were stood up by an apt we had so we just went next door because the family was sitting out so Elder Tingey starts talking to them for a half hour. We left them with a BOM :) So hopefully that leads to something cuz it was a rough week. We were dropped by a family of four, because they said Sac meeting was too loud and not family oriented enough. Ya it was a big bummer, the dang ward is really loud during sac meeting, nobody sits with their fam and ya they just talk the entire time. So that was a bummer. Then I had my first bible bashing experience which lasted way longer than it should have and ya it led to nothing.
That's way cool you have a Chinese lady living with you. She looks way nice, and to answer your question about the food-- No the food is way sweeter here, everyone is missing teeth. Its kinda gross but o well i guess. Ha! OK so I'm sorry I'm starting to get random but this past Sunday was Mothers day and in sac meeting when the kids where supposed to go up and sing there was like a mutiny! Almost all the kids wouldn't go up so there was like four kids up there singing! And all the moms were in their seats telling their kids to go up there and sing to me. It made me laugh. I think the ipod is in my room in the brown dresser top left shelf. Just an FYI--I still cant speak castllano spanish but I'm starting to understand a little more.... slowly but surely its coming. Well I gotta go.
Love you all lots
Elder Schupple
Our baptism date was moved back a week, but we ran across this family who is way interested in the gospel. It was crazy cuz it was just a casual contact. We were stood up by an apt we had so we just went next door because the family was sitting out so Elder Tingey starts talking to them for a half hour. We left them with a BOM :) So hopefully that leads to something cuz it was a rough week. We were dropped by a family of four, because they said Sac meeting was too loud and not family oriented enough. Ya it was a big bummer, the dang ward is really loud during sac meeting, nobody sits with their fam and ya they just talk the entire time. So that was a bummer. Then I had my first bible bashing experience which lasted way longer than it should have and ya it led to nothing.
That's way cool you have a Chinese lady living with you. She looks way nice, and to answer your question about the food-- No the food is way sweeter here, everyone is missing teeth. Its kinda gross but o well i guess. Ha! OK so I'm sorry I'm starting to get random but this past Sunday was Mothers day and in sac meeting when the kids where supposed to go up and sing there was like a mutiny! Almost all the kids wouldn't go up so there was like four kids up there singing! And all the moms were in their seats telling their kids to go up there and sing to me. It made me laugh. I think the ipod is in my room in the brown dresser top left shelf. Just an FYI--I still cant speak castllano spanish but I'm starting to understand a little more.... slowly but surely its coming. Well I gotta go.
Love you all lots
Elder Schupple
Monday, October 13, 2008
1st Baptismal date, BBQs, Movie stars, Fights in the streets
So this past week has been kinda hard but still way fun. Its a whole new world down here but I love it. Its way cool. Right now I'm loving Bolivians more than the Argentines cuz we are in a Bolivian area... so ya its fun. The language is way hard but I'm starting to understand a little more :) Ok first things first: Mom- one pair of shoes have cracked and give me crazy blisters under my toes so I've stopped wearing those. I went to the other ones, the ones I usually wear to church. They aren't very comfortable and rub against both of my big toes so they are a little.... reddish but so far they don't hurt so esta bien. Also just a small thing that doesn't really matter but the cd player doesnt really work. I dont know what its deal is. I turn it on and all that stuff but it doesn't wanna play any of the cds. Hmm what else....I don't know what to say cuz the only ones who wrote me this week were Jackie and Kara. Uh concerning pics, I have to download them onto a cd and send them soon. Sorry I'm not more on top of things but I just haven't had time to think about it.
Well this week was very exciting. I have my first fecha (baptismal date ) :) so I am way excited for that. Elder Tingey really wants to baptize so hes a great driving force always saying "dale dale" or come on! come on! We walk a lot. Its good stuff.... kinda. We also took away liquor and cigarettes from a member having a hard time with the word of wisdom, so that was fun. We had 2 asados (BBQs) this week, they were both amazing. One of them was cuz we did some service for this recent convert named David. We helped clean his yard. I ripped down a bunch of stickery ivy things from his wall, so now I have hives and a bunch of scratches. Its very itchy but it was fun... so good stuff :) Then we ran into 2 new investigators as we were walking down the street to our other investigators house. A couple of older couples stopped us and just started rambling on about how we looked like movie stars and how we looked so great. Ha! It was very funny. Then there was another time when we were in this ville (ghetto) looking for an inactive family but couldn't find them so we stopped and asked directions. As we were doing that we saw a fight. It was interesting. We didn't get to see much cuz it moved into a yard with a big wall but we heard lots of glass breaking and yelling. The lady we were talking to just shrugged and said "Those dang drug addicts are gunna kill each other now." Ha... OK then! We got a return appointment with her so we have to go back. I'm kinda scared but also excited :) Good stuff. Well I don't know what else to say so i guess I'll talk to ya in a week.
Love Elder Schupple
P.S. By the way, sending pics thru these emails works... so send some! :) I wanna see everyone. I cant remember if I told you last week but everyone here loves pics. Every time I'm over they always say tiene photos? ha si aqua :) I love it! Its so much fun.
Well this week was very exciting. I have my first fecha (baptismal date ) :) so I am way excited for that. Elder Tingey really wants to baptize so hes a great driving force always saying "dale dale" or come on! come on! We walk a lot. Its good stuff.... kinda. We also took away liquor and cigarettes from a member having a hard time with the word of wisdom, so that was fun. We had 2 asados (BBQs) this week, they were both amazing. One of them was cuz we did some service for this recent convert named David. We helped clean his yard. I ripped down a bunch of stickery ivy things from his wall, so now I have hives and a bunch of scratches. Its very itchy but it was fun... so good stuff :) Then we ran into 2 new investigators as we were walking down the street to our other investigators house. A couple of older couples stopped us and just started rambling on about how we looked like movie stars and how we looked so great. Ha! It was very funny. Then there was another time when we were in this ville (ghetto) looking for an inactive family but couldn't find them so we stopped and asked directions. As we were doing that we saw a fight. It was interesting. We didn't get to see much cuz it moved into a yard with a big wall but we heard lots of glass breaking and yelling. The lady we were talking to just shrugged and said "Those dang drug addicts are gunna kill each other now." Ha... OK then! We got a return appointment with her so we have to go back. I'm kinda scared but also excited :) Good stuff. Well I don't know what else to say so i guess I'll talk to ya in a week.
Love Elder Schupple
P.S. By the way, sending pics thru these emails works... so send some! :) I wanna see everyone. I cant remember if I told you last week but everyone here loves pics. Every time I'm over they always say tiene photos? ha si aqua :) I love it! Its so much fun.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
1st letter from Argentina, Elder Tingey
Hola family and friends!
OK I'm having a really hard time typing on this computer because theres a whole bunch of Spanish buttons that are not normal! Anyway yes Elder Tingey says the general authority is his dad. Hes from Idaho.... Ya enough said.....:) No he's cool except he is kind of mean sometimes. We were at the train station Friday and this little boy comes up and asks him something and he just shakes head and tells him to go away. So I asked him what he wanted and the poor kid was hungry, he just wanted a bite of his sandwich. Ya I felt way bad. I wanted to go find the kid and give him my sandwich but he was long gone. Anyway other than that hes a good elder. Well I'll just start from the beginning: I got to the country after the longest plane ride ever!!! I was sitting between Elder Jones and Elder Stienkuler, so ya i was way squished and got like an hour of sleep so that was nice. Anyway we got our bags and stuff and met Pres Asay. I met the zone and stuff and met my comp Elder Tingey. So long story short we took a long train ride to the apartment. O crap! I just restarted Elder Tingeys computer and erased his long letter to his family oops! O well! Anyway so we drop off my bags and go start teaching. We walk a lot. I have my first crack in the bottom of my shoes.
Now to answer your questions-- the answer is no i can not understand castillano. Our investigators just laugh at me when i start talking or when they ask if i understand what the are saying. So ya its kinda frustrating but that's OK I'm used to being frustrated by now. My area is called Quilmes 2. Its definitely third world. I cant believe the people live in these houses. Its crazy! But that's OK because most people are nice, or at least i think they are nice, I cant really understand them. Our living conditions are pretty good. We have one of the nicer apartments cuz we live with the zone leaders. We are supposed to have a water filter but we don't so I've been drinking regular old Argentina water so I'm prob gunna get sick soon. jk :) The food is interesting. My comp said i ate an interesting part of a cow the other day... it made me cringe. But whatever. Other than that everything is pretty good except they don't have any chips. All their snacks are cookies and all their meals are either empanadas, beef, or potatoes. But its been good. I've enjoyed it. All our investigators are from members. Clapping does not work so well but Ive done it just cuz Elder Tingey said I needed to. Im sorry i dont have my camera so I cant upload pics. But that's OK because I haven't taken many. Our area isn't the safest. Elder Tingey was robbed at gunpoint so i dont take my camera out very often but ill try to work something out. I'll probably just end up sending a cd home or something cuz we don't have enough time to upload them, it just takes to long. So ya. Ok so other news... people kiss a lot here, Ive been kissed 3 times just on the cheek luckily but ya I'm not very good at dodging them. They get ya when you turn around so ya. Oh also this country is crazy! There is a very big morality problem here. Elder Tingey had an investigator family who had a 12 year old daughter who was pregnant. Ya apparently that's pretty common here. We were doing a service project at an elementary school and there was a poster saying "kids if you're gunna have sex, use a condom...." Elementary SCHOOL!!! O my gosh i could not believe that. So ya that's the latest for now. Sorry its not more. We don't have much time, but i love you all!
Elder Schupple
OK I'm having a really hard time typing on this computer because theres a whole bunch of Spanish buttons that are not normal! Anyway yes Elder Tingey says the general authority is his dad. Hes from Idaho.... Ya enough said.....:) No he's cool except he is kind of mean sometimes. We were at the train station Friday and this little boy comes up and asks him something and he just shakes head and tells him to go away. So I asked him what he wanted and the poor kid was hungry, he just wanted a bite of his sandwich. Ya I felt way bad. I wanted to go find the kid and give him my sandwich but he was long gone. Anyway other than that hes a good elder. Well I'll just start from the beginning: I got to the country after the longest plane ride ever!!! I was sitting between Elder Jones and Elder Stienkuler, so ya i was way squished and got like an hour of sleep so that was nice. Anyway we got our bags and stuff and met Pres Asay. I met the zone and stuff and met my comp Elder Tingey. So long story short we took a long train ride to the apartment. O crap! I just restarted Elder Tingeys computer and erased his long letter to his family oops! O well! Anyway so we drop off my bags and go start teaching. We walk a lot. I have my first crack in the bottom of my shoes.
Now to answer your questions-- the answer is no i can not understand castillano. Our investigators just laugh at me when i start talking or when they ask if i understand what the are saying. So ya its kinda frustrating but that's OK I'm used to being frustrated by now. My area is called Quilmes 2. Its definitely third world. I cant believe the people live in these houses. Its crazy! But that's OK because most people are nice, or at least i think they are nice, I cant really understand them. Our living conditions are pretty good. We have one of the nicer apartments cuz we live with the zone leaders. We are supposed to have a water filter but we don't so I've been drinking regular old Argentina water so I'm prob gunna get sick soon. jk :) The food is interesting. My comp said i ate an interesting part of a cow the other day... it made me cringe. But whatever. Other than that everything is pretty good except they don't have any chips. All their snacks are cookies and all their meals are either empanadas, beef, or potatoes. But its been good. I've enjoyed it. All our investigators are from members. Clapping does not work so well but Ive done it just cuz Elder Tingey said I needed to. Im sorry i dont have my camera so I cant upload pics. But that's OK because I haven't taken many. Our area isn't the safest. Elder Tingey was robbed at gunpoint so i dont take my camera out very often but ill try to work something out. I'll probably just end up sending a cd home or something cuz we don't have enough time to upload them, it just takes to long. So ya. Ok so other news... people kiss a lot here, Ive been kissed 3 times just on the cheek luckily but ya I'm not very good at dodging them. They get ya when you turn around so ya. Oh also this country is crazy! There is a very big morality problem here. Elder Tingey had an investigator family who had a 12 year old daughter who was pregnant. Ya apparently that's pretty common here. We were doing a service project at an elementary school and there was a poster saying "kids if you're gunna have sex, use a condom...." Elementary SCHOOL!!! O my gosh i could not believe that. So ya that's the latest for now. Sorry its not more. We don't have much time, but i love you all!
Elder Schupple
Friday, October 3, 2008
Letter & pic from Elder Schupple's Mission President
Thanks for sending us such a well prepared missionary. Here he is on his arrival [in Argentina] with his great trainer. We know that he will be great!
love
the Asays
love
the Asays
(From left to right: Elder Tingey (Elder Schupple's new companion and trainer), Elder Schupple, President and Sister Asay
Friday, September 26, 2008
Zone leader stuff/ Visa is in! Going to Argentina Monday!
Hi everyone,
This past week has been rough. On Mon there was an incident with a pinata. The district leader didnt want to tell his district that it wasnt appropriate because he doesnt want everyone to hate him. Sooo Elder Jones and I said we would help him. So we knock on the door and the elders opened it but shut it really quickly. So we knocked again and right when they opened the door Elder Jones put his foot in so they couldnt shut it. Well they started pushing and some elders on our side started pushing and one of the elders moccasin's got caught and ripped, so he started yelling and screaming. We finally went in, got the pinata, gave them the candy in it and destroyed the pinata. The elder whos shoe broke was kinda angry at Elder Jones and I which was unfortunate because he was the only Chicago Bears fan here except me. Anyway after meeting with the Branch Pres and stuff like that everything turned out ok. But shoot I've never felt more like a parent than this time as a Zone leader. We keep telling the elders to be obedient and stuff like that but they just keep on rebelling... but esta bien cuz I leave on Monday! :)
We got our visas and we leave at 10 in the morning so I'll probably be calling you around 10:30 or 11ish. I dont know. It's just whenever we get to the airport and we get time to do it. So ya I am sooooo excited but at the same time scared out of my mind because I dont feel like my spanish is anywhere close to being good enough. I'm going get there and someones going say something to me and I am not going to understand a word of it. O well I'm so excited to go and start serving! Dang it...I had a whole lot to say in this letter but I forgot my sheet that I write all my stuff on. Oh well. Uh well I got a haircut today and the lady pretty much made me bald so I have no hair now so thats unfortunate but whatever...esta bien.
We taught on Tuesday and by this time we were thinking we were pretty hot stuff. Well we were humbled by the teacher we taught. He spoke really fast and asked questions we didnt know how to answer in spanish. So ya that was a humbling experience. We later found out that our teacher had told that teacher to be really hard on us! So that was a little reassuring but still not much.
Elder Jones is singing in mission conference on Sunday and he's a little sick right now so keep him in your prayers if you could. :) Thanks. ok :)
Next time you hear from me I'll be in Argentina :)
Love you all
Elder Schupple
This past week has been rough. On Mon there was an incident with a pinata. The district leader didnt want to tell his district that it wasnt appropriate because he doesnt want everyone to hate him. Sooo Elder Jones and I said we would help him. So we knock on the door and the elders opened it but shut it really quickly. So we knocked again and right when they opened the door Elder Jones put his foot in so they couldnt shut it. Well they started pushing and some elders on our side started pushing and one of the elders moccasin's got caught and ripped, so he started yelling and screaming. We finally went in, got the pinata, gave them the candy in it and destroyed the pinata. The elder whos shoe broke was kinda angry at Elder Jones and I which was unfortunate because he was the only Chicago Bears fan here except me. Anyway after meeting with the Branch Pres and stuff like that everything turned out ok. But shoot I've never felt more like a parent than this time as a Zone leader. We keep telling the elders to be obedient and stuff like that but they just keep on rebelling... but esta bien cuz I leave on Monday! :)
We got our visas and we leave at 10 in the morning so I'll probably be calling you around 10:30 or 11ish. I dont know. It's just whenever we get to the airport and we get time to do it. So ya I am sooooo excited but at the same time scared out of my mind because I dont feel like my spanish is anywhere close to being good enough. I'm going get there and someones going say something to me and I am not going to understand a word of it. O well I'm so excited to go and start serving! Dang it...I had a whole lot to say in this letter but I forgot my sheet that I write all my stuff on. Oh well. Uh well I got a haircut today and the lady pretty much made me bald so I have no hair now so thats unfortunate but whatever...esta bien.
We taught on Tuesday and by this time we were thinking we were pretty hot stuff. Well we were humbled by the teacher we taught. He spoke really fast and asked questions we didnt know how to answer in spanish. So ya that was a humbling experience. We later found out that our teacher had told that teacher to be really hard on us! So that was a little reassuring but still not much.
Elder Jones is singing in mission conference on Sunday and he's a little sick right now so keep him in your prayers if you could. :) Thanks. ok :)
Next time you hear from me I'll be in Argentina :)
Love you all
Elder Schupple
Friday, September 19, 2008
Zone leader issues, Flight plans!
Hola familia and whoever else reads this :)
Well I'll start with the questions mom had: No i don't need anything. I think I'll be able to fit everything in my bags. Oh I got the package! Thanks by the way! We listened to Christmas songs today. It was awesome. The memory card pics were great... at least the ones I could see. There were some that the camera couldn't read. So that was a bummer but thanks.
OK so life has been interesting since becoming a zone leader. We don't get any time at night to do anything because we have interviews with all the district leaders and give abrazos (hugs) to everyone in the zone. By the time we are done we are late for bed-- which is a bummer because we arent being obedient to that rule. But we're try our best, so I think the Lord will understand. OK so other than that, being a zone leader isn't that hard. We have a lot of meetings on Sunday and we have to give the spiritual thought every priesthood meeting. This Sunday we get to teach all of it because the branch presidency will be at another meeting but esta bien. We are teaching about the scriptures so it wont be that hard. The hardest part will be preparing because our mdt has been cut short. But it ll be OK. This past week, on Monday we got our first trial. A younger elder really wanted to go home and almost did. So Elder Jones and I were stressing about that big time and praying really hard for him. His district had a fast for him. When he was packing his bags and was almost ready to go we thought all hope was lost. But then out of the blue he decided to stay! O my goodness Elder Jones and I were so relieved! Lots of thanks to Heavenly Father for that one. Other than that there are only a couple other problems. We have a district that has a hard time focusing and needs constant watch. So that's a bummer. We keep trying to motivate them but not much is helping right now. Other than that, we are over booked because the district older than us doesn't have their Visas so we have 57 people in our district now. So its interesting trying to watch over everyone especially since that district is starting to get tired of the MTC. They are constantly in our prayers along with the rest of the zone but its a little stressful at times. Pero esta bien-- everything will turn out OK because we are all in the Lords hands :) Its very comforting to know.
Lets, see...oh...Elder Jones has a fan of his voice. It's Sister Boone-- the mission presidents wife. So we have been spending some time with her lately. Shes trying to put him in as many meetings as possible. Its fun.
So I just heard from an elder in my district whos brother is in Argentina that about 1 out of 7 letters gets there so :) I hope I have internet!
Hey we just got our flight plans!!! :) Im excited, but not too much because the older district got their flight plans but didn't get their visas so we'll see. But it was way exciting to see that we will be out of here some day :)
love you all
elder schupple
Well I'll start with the questions mom had: No i don't need anything. I think I'll be able to fit everything in my bags. Oh I got the package! Thanks by the way! We listened to Christmas songs today. It was awesome. The memory card pics were great... at least the ones I could see. There were some that the camera couldn't read. So that was a bummer but thanks.
OK so life has been interesting since becoming a zone leader. We don't get any time at night to do anything because we have interviews with all the district leaders and give abrazos (hugs) to everyone in the zone. By the time we are done we are late for bed-- which is a bummer because we arent being obedient to that rule. But we're try our best, so I think the Lord will understand. OK so other than that, being a zone leader isn't that hard. We have a lot of meetings on Sunday and we have to give the spiritual thought every priesthood meeting. This Sunday we get to teach all of it because the branch presidency will be at another meeting but esta bien. We are teaching about the scriptures so it wont be that hard. The hardest part will be preparing because our mdt has been cut short. But it ll be OK. This past week, on Monday we got our first trial. A younger elder really wanted to go home and almost did. So Elder Jones and I were stressing about that big time and praying really hard for him. His district had a fast for him. When he was packing his bags and was almost ready to go we thought all hope was lost. But then out of the blue he decided to stay! O my goodness Elder Jones and I were so relieved! Lots of thanks to Heavenly Father for that one. Other than that there are only a couple other problems. We have a district that has a hard time focusing and needs constant watch. So that's a bummer. We keep trying to motivate them but not much is helping right now. Other than that, we are over booked because the district older than us doesn't have their Visas so we have 57 people in our district now. So its interesting trying to watch over everyone especially since that district is starting to get tired of the MTC. They are constantly in our prayers along with the rest of the zone but its a little stressful at times. Pero esta bien-- everything will turn out OK because we are all in the Lords hands :) Its very comforting to know.
Lets, see...oh...Elder Jones has a fan of his voice. It's Sister Boone-- the mission presidents wife. So we have been spending some time with her lately. Shes trying to put him in as many meetings as possible. Its fun.
So I just heard from an elder in my district whos brother is in Argentina that about 1 out of 7 letters gets there so :) I hope I have internet!
Hey we just got our flight plans!!! :) Im excited, but not too much because the older district got their flight plans but didn't get their visas so we'll see. But it was way exciting to see that we will be out of here some day :)
love you all
elder schupple
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Pres Uchtdorf, Zone Leader, Language fast
So guess why I asked about Alice Carris :) It turns out that Elder Jones is related to her :) Shes his great aunt or something. So give her a call and tell her :) Anyway sorry I just thought that was so cool. This has been a crazy week-- hard, spiritual and stressful :) I'll just start from the beginning... uh i don't remember what I did Monday so we'll start on Tuesday. We had class like always and then Elder Jones and I left early to go to choir. We got our usual seats on the front row and after practice we went to dinner really quick but when got back to the devotional place we were surprised to see that it was packed! The only seats that weren't taken were the choir seats. We were all pretty excited to see who was going to be speaking to us. It turns out it was Pres Uchtdorf! :) Amazing :) How people find out Ill never know. He gave an amazing talk and left a great blessing for us. So in the past 4 weeks we have had 3 apostles speak to us: Oaks, Cook, Uchtdorf. What an amazing blessing. I put the notes I took in my journal so when I get back I'll have to show them to you. Oh goodness it was sooooooo cool! The spirit was so strong. So that was great. Then on Wed my district had a language fast. So no speaking english the entire day. Let me just tell you it was sooo hard for me. Do you have any idea what its like to have something to say but have no idea how to say it? Well its no fun and I struggled a lot but it was a good experience. It made me think of how in 2 weeks I'll be speaking nothing but espanol for 2 years. I'm so excited but it was a huge reality check for me. Im kinda scared but esta bien. On another note, Elder Jones and I were called to be zone leaders. I was kinda scared especially since it will cut a lot of my language time out, but I'll just have to pray more and use every second of my study time. So thats the latest update here. O mom could you possibly send me a cd of some good Josh Groban songs like "You are loved" and some of the Christmas songs, also this song i dont know the title of but it starts off like this, "And the roman soldiers laughed as they saw their prisoner stumble.... something something something...O lord my Redeemer thou hast done so much for me..." Sorry i dont know the name but thanks!
Love you all!
The Savior lives and he loves you!
Love
Elder Schupple
Love you all!
The Savior lives and he loves you!
Love
Elder Schupple
Thursday, September 11, 2008
MTC pics
Austin's companion: Elder Jones (from Mesa, AZ)
Aus
tin & Elder Spencer Washburn from home!
Elder Schupple demo-ing... with help of another elder...the perfect pushups (thanks Branhams for the gift!)
The 4 elders in his district going to the Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission
Aus
tin & Elder Spencer Washburn from home!Elder Schupple demo-ing... with help of another elder...the perfect pushups (thanks Branhams for the gift!)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Gift of tongues/teaching in Spanish
First off: Happy birthday happy birthday happy happy birthday to Nat! :) Sorry I dont have time to do the entire song.
Thank you all for the pics. They totally made my day, and I was so happy the next day was pday so I could look at all of them (this weeks goal was obedience and we aren't supposed to look at pics until pday) So ya I was so excited to look at all of them today :) my nieces are by far the cutest nieces in my district. Sorry I havn't sent the memory card yet. I was going wait till I had some pics with the Schreks but our appointments keep falling through so I'm just going send it without pics of them. Hey if you want, you could put more pics on the mem card and just send that. But I love the actual pics too, so if you want to do that then I'm totally ok with that also.
Ok, so the title of this email is teaching in spanish because this past week was our first time teaching in spanish. I was kinda nervous all week because I just wasn't remembering any of the stuff we would memorize the day before. I was getting more and more nervous every day especially because my companion Elder Jones is so good at spanish. Everyday we would practice and he would teach perfectly. Then I would try to teach and it was just terrible.... so ya the butterflies started flying in my stomach. So I prayed a lot this week and was just trying my best to study the lessons but it just seemed like I wasnt getting very far very fast. Anyway so Thursday finally comes and I'm just like whatever. It'll be over in an hour anyway. Maybe I'll just bear my testimony and Elder Jones will teach the rest. So we get started and when it came time for me to start teaching I just started saying what I would do in english and it turned out the spanish just came to me. I taught half the time instead of just bearing my testimony. Every time I'd finish a principle and hand it over to Elder Jones I would just think "wow that turned out nicely" After I taught the last principle and bore my testimony I felt the spirit so strong that I just wanted to jump up and down/cry. The spirit and Heavenly Father helped me so much I couldn't believe it. So I've had my first experience with the gift of tongues. After we finished and walked out Elder Jones just looked over at me and said "Where did that come from?" I was like "I dont know but it wasnt me." Heavenly father blessed me so much.
Gotta go I'm out of time.
Love yawl!
Elder Schupple
Thank you all for the pics. They totally made my day, and I was so happy the next day was pday so I could look at all of them (this weeks goal was obedience and we aren't supposed to look at pics until pday) So ya I was so excited to look at all of them today :) my nieces are by far the cutest nieces in my district. Sorry I havn't sent the memory card yet. I was going wait till I had some pics with the Schreks but our appointments keep falling through so I'm just going send it without pics of them. Hey if you want, you could put more pics on the mem card and just send that. But I love the actual pics too, so if you want to do that then I'm totally ok with that also.
Ok, so the title of this email is teaching in spanish because this past week was our first time teaching in spanish. I was kinda nervous all week because I just wasn't remembering any of the stuff we would memorize the day before. I was getting more and more nervous every day especially because my companion Elder Jones is so good at spanish. Everyday we would practice and he would teach perfectly. Then I would try to teach and it was just terrible.... so ya the butterflies started flying in my stomach. So I prayed a lot this week and was just trying my best to study the lessons but it just seemed like I wasnt getting very far very fast. Anyway so Thursday finally comes and I'm just like whatever. It'll be over in an hour anyway. Maybe I'll just bear my testimony and Elder Jones will teach the rest. So we get started and when it came time for me to start teaching I just started saying what I would do in english and it turned out the spanish just came to me. I taught half the time instead of just bearing my testimony. Every time I'd finish a principle and hand it over to Elder Jones I would just think "wow that turned out nicely" After I taught the last principle and bore my testimony I felt the spirit so strong that I just wanted to jump up and down/cry. The spirit and Heavenly Father helped me so much I couldn't believe it. So I've had my first experience with the gift of tongues. After we finished and walked out Elder Jones just looked over at me and said "Where did that come from?" I was like "I dont know but it wasnt me." Heavenly father blessed me so much.
Gotta go I'm out of time.
Love yawl!
Elder Schupple
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Temple blessings, strong spirit and tingles,
So hows everyone doing? :) Thanks so much for the pic of the fam. It totally made my day. Send more! EVERYONE should send me a pic cuz im supposed to talk en espanol this thurs about my fam and friends and am supposed to bring pics. So send more fam y friends por favor. Ok o also thank you mom for the Cubs shirt it is now my new fav shirt i just got it 2day, i also got the other memory card. Ill prob send it monday cuz sunday I told Elder Schrec and Elder Washburn to meet at on Sunday to do pics of us. So ya hopefully that'll come thru. Sorry i know you're gunna be mad at me because there are so many more pics of my comps than of me. Sorry ill try to do better. I cant remember if i told everybody this but a couple weeks ago in the temple I had the opportunity to participate in sealings for eternity. It was awesome! Im so happy familys can be together forever! Going 2 the temple every week has been so great. I love this. Yesterday Elder Jones and I taught some of the new missionaries and it was awesome. The spirit was so strong. I had the opportunity to teach/testify about the saviors atonement and how i know he is the only way we can make it back to live with our Heavenly Father. It was a really cool thing right when i finished and it was elder jones turn to start teaching again...I just sat there and felt how strong the spirit was. I felt tinglys coming off my spine and shoulder blades. Sorry that doesnt make any sense but thats the only way I can describe it. Lets see what else would yaul like to know? Oh so every Sunday night we get to watch a movie after the fireside. This week it was the new Joseph Smith movie... the one with Sis Mellen in it from the ward. It is so good. I cry everytime. My testimony of Jose Smith grows every time I watch it. Well i guess thats all I have to say if you have any questions, just Dearelder.com me and put an astrix by the questions you have so I wont forget them. Love you all. The Savior lives and will come again. Heavenly Father gave his only begotten son for you. Dont waste the gift that has been given to us. I love u all!
Elder Schupple
Elder Schupple
Friday, August 22, 2008
Daily schedule/Elder Schrec siting & hug/ Powerful spirit here!
(2 letters came today--snail mail & an email!)
Snail mail:
How are you? Thanks for all the letters. Ok so since I ran out of time on email I'll tell you all about a day here. So, we wake up at 6:30am and get ready til 7am, then we go have study time (MDT) in the clase' (spanish for class) till 8:15am then we go eat breakfast til 8:45am. (I hate the food here... it gives me crazy gas*!) Then we climb the 5 flights of stairs again to get to the clase' and are taught until lunch at 1pm. After lunch we have gym. I play soccer. It's fun. Then we shower and get ready for class with is at 3:20pm where we are taught again til 6pm. Then we have dinner and after that there is study time (MDT) again until 9pm in clase'. After that we plan for the next day and get ready for bed, exercise and all that jazz. I found an exercise buddy...so ya. OK as for the memory card, am I supposed to send that in a regular envelope or a special one? I'll try to take more pics before then.
Love ya always,
Elder Schupple
Today's email:
Hello again thanks everyone for the letters they are all great. OK we'll start with moms questions. the hardest thing to get used to out here has been the language. the coolest thing here is the spirit its just always here its great. i have not tried the OJ but it doesn't really matter because i still have gas regardless. I'm not a fan of the food because i think that's whats been giving me gas, uh i kinda found someone i knew this kid from BYU that Kara knew but it was just like a hi bye thing. i saw the schrecs 2day..... ha ok so elder Schrec yelled, "Elder Schupple!" in the lunch room so I turn around see him and give him a hug, as i do this he loses control of his lunch tray and it goes down my leg! I felt so bad cuz he at first just put his hand out for a shake and i gave him a hug. I don't know what i was thinking sometimes I'm just not to bright. so ya I fell really bad about that and now i gotta get my pants dry cleaned. uh what else ....no surprises really its pretty much what i expected it to be. Mom thanks for all the spiritual thoughts at the end of your letters they are great and i really appreciate them. The Spanish gizmo you gave me I haven't really even touched but I'm sure i will in the near future I'v just been making flash cards. Up to this week the language has been really hard and I've been kinda frustrated with myself but its ok cuz i know the lord will bless me. This week something clicked and i can understand a lot more and speak a little more. Its great! I have a lot to be thankful for. Heavenly father has blessed me a lot so while yawl are asking him to bless me, also thank him for the blessings hes given me thus far. Thanks for all your prayers everyone. I feel heavenly fathers love thru your prayers every day. That's one thing that is really new to me. I have never felt his love like i have the past three weeks. Teaching his love for us has made me realize and feel how much he really cares about us...that and prayer. We pray a lot out here. Before I hadn't liked doing it so much. But I know now that he answers pretty much every prayer i say, Thank goodness Heavenly Father loves us and answers out prayers. I'd be in some serious trouble if he didn't. OK i gotta email others now and stuff. I love you all. God loves you more and the Savior knows what we are going thru so just lean on him when you're not strong.
Love elder Schupple
Snail mail:
How are you? Thanks for all the letters. Ok so since I ran out of time on email I'll tell you all about a day here. So, we wake up at 6:30am and get ready til 7am, then we go have study time (MDT) in the clase' (spanish for class) till 8:15am then we go eat breakfast til 8:45am. (I hate the food here... it gives me crazy gas*!) Then we climb the 5 flights of stairs again to get to the clase' and are taught until lunch at 1pm. After lunch we have gym. I play soccer. It's fun. Then we shower and get ready for class with is at 3:20pm where we are taught again til 6pm. Then we have dinner and after that there is study time (MDT) again until 9pm in clase'. After that we plan for the next day and get ready for bed, exercise and all that jazz. I found an exercise buddy...so ya. OK as for the memory card, am I supposed to send that in a regular envelope or a special one? I'll try to take more pics before then.
Love ya always,
Elder Schupple
Today's email:
Hello again thanks everyone for the letters they are all great. OK we'll start with moms questions. the hardest thing to get used to out here has been the language. the coolest thing here is the spirit its just always here its great. i have not tried the OJ but it doesn't really matter because i still have gas regardless. I'm not a fan of the food because i think that's whats been giving me gas, uh i kinda found someone i knew this kid from BYU that Kara knew but it was just like a hi bye thing. i saw the schrecs 2day..... ha ok so elder Schrec yelled, "Elder Schupple!" in the lunch room so I turn around see him and give him a hug, as i do this he loses control of his lunch tray and it goes down my leg! I felt so bad cuz he at first just put his hand out for a shake and i gave him a hug. I don't know what i was thinking sometimes I'm just not to bright. so ya I fell really bad about that and now i gotta get my pants dry cleaned. uh what else ....no surprises really its pretty much what i expected it to be. Mom thanks for all the spiritual thoughts at the end of your letters they are great and i really appreciate them. The Spanish gizmo you gave me I haven't really even touched but I'm sure i will in the near future I'v just been making flash cards. Up to this week the language has been really hard and I've been kinda frustrated with myself but its ok cuz i know the lord will bless me. This week something clicked and i can understand a lot more and speak a little more. Its great! I have a lot to be thankful for. Heavenly father has blessed me a lot so while yawl are asking him to bless me, also thank him for the blessings hes given me thus far. Thanks for all your prayers everyone. I feel heavenly fathers love thru your prayers every day. That's one thing that is really new to me. I have never felt his love like i have the past three weeks. Teaching his love for us has made me realize and feel how much he really cares about us...that and prayer. We pray a lot out here. Before I hadn't liked doing it so much. But I know now that he answers pretty much every prayer i say, Thank goodness Heavenly Father loves us and answers out prayers. I'd be in some serious trouble if he didn't. OK i gotta email others now and stuff. I love you all. God loves you more and the Savior knows what we are going thru so just lean on him when you're not strong.
Love elder Schupple
Monday, August 18, 2008
Learning and the language
OK so the only family member to follow my instructions and give me their email was Brit so she gets one all to herself... so there. :) Dad send me your email. I tried billschupple@yahoo and it didn't work. Anyway so here's the answer to all the questions. The learning is coming along just fine but the language is still hard and it seems like I'm really far behind everyone else. They tell us not to compare ourselves to other people, so that's what I'm doing, just trying hard and stuff like that. Oh thanks for all the letters everyone especially mom for my daily letter its good stuff. The 24/7 devotionals are not bad at all in fact its kinda fun and the days are going by really fast now. Nobody else has the mission shirt you gave me or anything like it so that's cool. Most people have shirts with the country's flag on it and stuff but whatever. Oh if you could send me a Cubs shirt I would be grateful cuz my companion, Elder Jones just busted out a Red Sox shirt and it makes me sick everyday so I gotta counter. So that would be nice if you could do that. The short sleeve shirts came and Elder Jones and I had a party! It was way nice to finally get to wear those bad boys. Oh and mom things are not getting too tight thank you very much. The shirts are big as it is and if they start getting tight I'll stop eating or something. Anyway oh, as for the facebook stuff just ask Kara to help you out and I'm sure she will. So that settles that. I can't upload pics in the MTC but maybe when I get to the field so we should probably just do the memory card mail thing. I think that answers all the questions so now now I'll email Brit. I still need my priesthood lineage and stuff. Ill try sending dad an email at billschupple@remax.com. We'll see. I miss you all.
Brad: be careful with girls they can be crazy!
Jackie: congrats on being done with drivers ed... that's crazy
Nat: send me a pic of Ashton and yawl.
Uncle Todd: thanks for the letter it really helped and it came on a day that I really needed it so thank you very much.
Love you all
Elder Schupple
Brad: be careful with girls they can be crazy!
Jackie: congrats on being done with drivers ed... that's crazy
Nat: send me a pic of Ashton and yawl.
Uncle Todd: thanks for the letter it really helped and it came on a day that I really needed it so thank you very much.
Love you all
Elder Schupple
Friday, August 8, 2008
1st Email home!
OK everyone who's family needs to tell me their email address. You can do this at dearelder.com or something. By the way, thank you all for all the letters they have been great and theyve come right when iv needed them. Ok im not sure what to say so ask me questions.... sorry i shoulda brought all the dearelder letters with me i dont know what i was thinking. ok ill start with mom cuz shes sent me the most.
o ha mom this is ur email address so just send this 2 everyone else if u could :) ok thanks for all the letters, Im in second to last place in the dist cuz of all ur letters so thanks, but the elder in last place has only gotten one letter so eh.
Anyway stuff here is good I'm having a hard time with the language but i have faith ill get it, everytime i get discouraged with the language or something and start wondering if ill ever get it the lord sends a ball of spirit at me and makes me feel like everythings gunna be ok. I keep coming across these scriptures saying learn my gospel first then your tongue will be loosed so i have faith everything will be ok. I'm working hard and i know ill be blessed for that. Uh what else , O my companion Elder Jones is a way good singer, not a big sport guy but a fantastic tenor. Hes doing really good with the language so he helps me a lot> He's prob getting tired of all my questions but ha, hes stuck with me so ha! Just kidding. I like him a lot. He's from Mesa so that's another good thing. OK other than that uh i hope your canoe trip was good. Love u lots!
Oh! i cant find my priesthood lineage so if u could send that, then that would be great. Thanks 4 everything. I'm not sure how I'm gonna fit everything in my already bulging bags when its time to go to Argentina with the new pants and shirts and stuff (the shirts i haven't got yet but whatever). love ya lots!
OK next ill talk to dad. Thanks so much for the letter it helped me a lot after a long day. The first 2 days were really long but since then they've been going pretty fast. I think of you every day. I miss you a lot but i try to work hard so u can be proud of me and all that jazz :) love you!
Next Jackie: thanks 4 your letters. PUT THE TWILIGHT BOOKS DOWN THEY ARE BAD :) Just kidding. Shoot i don't know what else to say. I love you! Ask some questions. Stay away from boys.
BRAD :) i hear you're playing with girls hearts, be careful they throw crazy fits! so be careful, ha hope you have fun at school. Thanks for the dear elder letter you're almost at how many letters i wrote you... so sorry, ha i love you
Sessions:) send me pics of the wedding!! hope it was great. Thanks for the letter it was great I miss Ashton so much. Keep sending pics of her too. Don't cry 4 me Argentina :) Just kidding. OK I'm running out of time quick i gotta type faster
Johnson's: Brit thanks for the letter :) u2 kayla i love u and kiera be good for your mom. I love u guys, Brit thanks a lot 4 your letter. I'll write you and Nat the most next time but if i don't send this letter now it ll be erased!
lvlvlvlv
Elder Schupple
o ha mom this is ur email address so just send this 2 everyone else if u could :) ok thanks for all the letters, Im in second to last place in the dist cuz of all ur letters so thanks, but the elder in last place has only gotten one letter so eh.
Anyway stuff here is good I'm having a hard time with the language but i have faith ill get it, everytime i get discouraged with the language or something and start wondering if ill ever get it the lord sends a ball of spirit at me and makes me feel like everythings gunna be ok. I keep coming across these scriptures saying learn my gospel first then your tongue will be loosed so i have faith everything will be ok. I'm working hard and i know ill be blessed for that. Uh what else , O my companion Elder Jones is a way good singer, not a big sport guy but a fantastic tenor. Hes doing really good with the language so he helps me a lot> He's prob getting tired of all my questions but ha, hes stuck with me so ha! Just kidding. I like him a lot. He's from Mesa so that's another good thing. OK other than that uh i hope your canoe trip was good. Love u lots!
Oh! i cant find my priesthood lineage so if u could send that, then that would be great. Thanks 4 everything. I'm not sure how I'm gonna fit everything in my already bulging bags when its time to go to Argentina with the new pants and shirts and stuff (the shirts i haven't got yet but whatever). love ya lots!
OK next ill talk to dad. Thanks so much for the letter it helped me a lot after a long day. The first 2 days were really long but since then they've been going pretty fast. I think of you every day. I miss you a lot but i try to work hard so u can be proud of me and all that jazz :) love you!
Next Jackie: thanks 4 your letters. PUT THE TWILIGHT BOOKS DOWN THEY ARE BAD :) Just kidding. Shoot i don't know what else to say. I love you! Ask some questions. Stay away from boys.
BRAD :) i hear you're playing with girls hearts, be careful they throw crazy fits! so be careful, ha hope you have fun at school. Thanks for the dear elder letter you're almost at how many letters i wrote you... so sorry, ha i love you
Sessions:) send me pics of the wedding!! hope it was great. Thanks for the letter it was great I miss Ashton so much. Keep sending pics of her too. Don't cry 4 me Argentina :) Just kidding. OK I'm running out of time quick i gotta type faster
Johnson's: Brit thanks for the letter :) u2 kayla i love u and kiera be good for your mom. I love u guys, Brit thanks a lot 4 your letter. I'll write you and Nat the most next time but if i don't send this letter now it ll be erased!
lvlvlvlv
Elder Schupple
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Short sleeve shirts & overheated elder
August 4, 2008
Dear Fam.
Hope everything's going well with ya'll. OK, so mom if you could get the short sleeve shirts here soon that would be great. Uh well, I'm not sure what you guys want to know. The second day was the longest day ever, but things are getting easier. The spirit here is really strong, today was the first day we got to exercise. An elder from my district was breathing really heavily and his heart was beating really fast when we got back to the room. So since I was there his companion asked me to help him give a blessing. So I did the oil and he blessed and sealed it. The elder got up feeling allot better but his good companion made him go to the doctor anyway. Well I'll be able to email soon so I'll just talk to you then.
Love ya'll
Elder Schupple
Dear Fam.
Hope everything's going well with ya'll. OK, so mom if you could get the short sleeve shirts here soon that would be great. Uh well, I'm not sure what you guys want to know. The second day was the longest day ever, but things are getting easier. The spirit here is really strong, today was the first day we got to exercise. An elder from my district was breathing really heavily and his heart was beating really fast when we got back to the room. So since I was there his companion asked me to help him give a blessing. So I did the oil and he blessed and sealed it. The elder got up feeling allot better but his good companion made him go to the doctor anyway. Well I'll be able to email soon so I'll just talk to you then.
Love ya'll
Elder Schupple
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
1st Letter Home--1st day at the MTC
July 30, 2008
So, I pretty much love my companion. He's this really tall, bigger guy--Elder Jones :) Ya, he's great. He was called to be the district leader so it's great. I have a lot I can learn from him. I was called to be the senior companion though, so I think that is kinda weird. Ya, other than that the first day was good. Aunt Micki, Dackota & Missi all cried. Ya, people are pretty friendly here. I'm excited to start learning the language and start digging into the gospel. OK, so after the Johnsons left, I stood in a long line for the immunization stuff, the I got my other books, then another little welcome thing from the President, then dinner, then a long meeting with my new Branch President. So, ya, they all taught a lesson and we all got interviewed. Now I am ready for bed except I still need to write in my journal, so I'll write you a longer letter later. I love you all.
(Heart)
Elder Schupple
P.S. Sorry for the misspelled words and nasty hand writing. Get used to it...haha!
Testimony: Christ is our Saviour, Heavenly Father loves us allot. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith is a true prophet as is Thomas S. Monson.
I love yaul!
So, I pretty much love my companion. He's this really tall, bigger guy--Elder Jones :) Ya, he's great. He was called to be the district leader so it's great. I have a lot I can learn from him. I was called to be the senior companion though, so I think that is kinda weird. Ya, other than that the first day was good. Aunt Micki, Dackota & Missi all cried. Ya, people are pretty friendly here. I'm excited to start learning the language and start digging into the gospel. OK, so after the Johnsons left, I stood in a long line for the immunization stuff, the I got my other books, then another little welcome thing from the President, then dinner, then a long meeting with my new Branch President. So, ya, they all taught a lesson and we all got interviewed. Now I am ready for bed except I still need to write in my journal, so I'll write you a longer letter later. I love you all.
(Heart)
Elder Schupple
P.S. Sorry for the misspelled words and nasty hand writing. Get used to it...haha!
Testimony: Christ is our Saviour, Heavenly Father loves us allot. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith is a true prophet as is Thomas S. Monson.
I love yaul!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
1st day at the MTC
Austin flew in to Salt Lake City on Monday the 28th of July 2008. He was greeted by his Aunt Micki and cousin Dackota who also took him to see his Stake President to be set apart as a missionary. President Labrum happened to be in Utah for a wedding at the time. Austin said that the blessing he received was really wonderful...especially the part about being able to learn the language! Aunt Micki and her family then acted as his surrogate family while he stayed with them until Wed, July 30, 2008--MTC day! Thank you Micki for being there to take all those great pictures of him. It just killed his parents to not be there for this precious moment in time when he receives his official name badge and steps through those doors as a regular full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--not to be seen again by his family or friends for 2 years as he focuses his life on serving the Lord and the people of Argentina. This is something that Austin has been singing songs about, dressing up and wearing little homemade missionary badges for and looking forward to doing ever since he was a little boy--What a wonderful day to actually be a missionary! ...And now on to the training!
The Mission Call --April 2008
On April 1st, Austin received the biggest April Fools joke ever when his sister and brother in law dummied up a fake mission call packet and sent it in the mail. Austin had been waiting for weeks in anxious anticipation to know where he would be called for the next 2 years of his life. So when he opened up this packet, believing it was the real thing and read that he was going to Bangladore India speaking Hindi and leaving in just 4 weeks from then he was absolutely giddy with excitement.....that was until he read the next paper which read, "You're the fool Austin!" OOOOH was he mad or what! Thankfully the real mission call came shortly thereafter and with many cell phones gathered around him so that all the family members who were not there could hear where he was going, he read to all of that he had been called to the Argentina, Buenos Aires South Mission speaking Spanish. It was a very happy moment indeed! Mom was in St. George with tears streaming down her face, Brad was also in St. George at his college apt, Dan and Natalie were in Indiana. All of us were thrilled. Austin said he had guessed it right that day coming home from work when Aaron asked him where he was going to be going and also in a dream that he had the night before.
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