July 29, 2014

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos

I have emailed Colten a short email every week. It is fun to hear from him. Please keep me updated on him because I don't have much time to check his blog. If Mitch feels like he is in prison, he should try and learn another language and stay in the MTC for four more weeks. I sent Kaden and Harrison a couple short emails and got a reply. I have not read them yet but I am super excited to hear from them. Colten sent me a ton of pictures. They are really funny. Colten definitely still has the fun entertaining side of him. I got all of your photos from JoAnn. They are amazing. I love them so much. I hope I can get a couple hard copies of them some how. I don't have any pictures of my friends. Maybe I can print them off somehow. Tell JoAnn Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! The pictures are awesome. I can't believe Carson found a dead body. If I found a dead body, I don't know if I would tell you guys about it.

Don't worry about fireworks going off all night. Mexico had a huge party Saturday night for the the Virgin Mary I think. It was so big they had an airplane fly over and announce it on a loud speaker. I was invited but I was kind of stuck inside the walls so I couldn't go. I could hear all the music, though. I was able to recognize the Macarena. We danced along to it in our casa. That is one of the things I miss most, music. I stinks how we can't even listen to church music here. It kind of stinks. One other thing I miss is watching sports. I hear about Real and think, ''Man I wish I could have seen that game.'' I am sure I will see plenty of cool things in Peru though.

I wrote that letter to you guys on my first P day. I think I might of had a little different attitude then than I do now. I still have not received the letters from Kaylee or Kyle. I am hoping to get them sometime this week. A few of the people in the district have received a few letters but it took between two and three weeks for them to get here.

Nothing much has happened at the CCM this week. Yesterday our teacher chastised us, or more a certain few, for not working hard and being a distraction to others. So I know I am not the only one who has noticed it. A few missionaries left the CCM yesterday that we had gotten to know while we have been here. It was kind of sad seeing them go but I am so jealous of them right now because they ''got released'' from ''prison.''

We had a really spiritual experience this week in one of our District devotionals. By the end of it, just about everyone was crying. So, there are some good things in the CCM but I am still ready to leave.

Love and Miss You,

Elder Karter Isaacson

July 22, 2014

Hey everyone,

It sounds like you all had a pretty relaxed week. Kenzies volleyball camp sounds nothing like the CCM. She actually gets to go to different places instead of being locked behind a wall and razor wire. I have not got sick yet and probably will not. The sickness is starting to leave the CCM. My Spanish is coming along well, although I am sick of studying straight language and gospel. I would like to be able to study or research something else. The food is still good in my opinion, although there are some odd dishes. There are a couple missionaries in my district who complain about it no matter what. It drives me crazy. Just suck it up and eat it. Half of the time they throw it away. If you get it, eat it. Sorry if I just vented a little there. They did give us a water filtration bottle and I use it. I do not know what to do with my other one now. The water is clean and safe to drink from the spout it just has a funny taste. It is a little worse then Taylor water. Most of our water comes out of 5 gallon jugs anyway. You do not need to worry about the water. That stinks for RSL. Two bad luck games in two weeks. I would like to go and check out everyone's blog but it is hard to do all that and write in one hour. If you are having trouble on knowing how to work on the Nissan Dad, just bring down here to Mexico. That is all they drive, Nissan Sentras.

I just got back from going to the Temple Visitors Center. It was way cool. I am kind of sad I did not get to go through the Temple because they are working on it. It was way nice to get out of the CCM though. Mexico City looks way cool. It has so many people in it though. The streets are packed with cars. Our bus got in an accident on the way to the Temple. It was just minor and everyone was ok. The bus just tapped a cars side mirror and took off the mirror and put a dent in the bus. I was fine with it though because that meant I could stay outside the CCM walls for just a little longer. I really liked the Temple. It was really pretty. I took some pictures and will have to send them either today or next week.

I did get to see Sloan. I can not even remember what it was like to be like him in his first week. He did get me the stain remover and Twix. Thanks Mom. His preparation day is the same day as mine. Hopefully I will be able to talk to him some more. The CCM is so full right now. For the last 3 weeks, between 150 and 200 missionaries came in each week and between 30 to 60 left each week. The comedor is so crowded. It takes forever to get your food now. Oh, I almost forgot, my District has been assigned to be the Ushers for all of the devotionals. The mission presidents wife really likes our District for some reason and picked us to replace the ones who leave today. Because of all the new missionaries though, the ushers will never again get the soft seats in the auditorium. We will have to sit in the gym with the rest of the people who are late. Hopefully I will get to see Jake and Tanner and maybe even more people I know who come in this week.

Other than going to the Temple, this week has been pretty uneventful. We just keep studying hard and feeling the Spirit in many different meetings. I can not believe I have been here three weeks already yet I also can not believe I still have three more weeks left. Hopefully they go by quickly.

Love,
Elder Karter Isaacson


Here are some photos:

 A way cool statue of Christ in the Visitors Center.

​The back of the Temple. We did not get to go directly onto the temple grounds because the Temple was being worked on.

​The front of the Temple. It is really pretty. It fits in well with the rest of the city yet it still stands out.

More Photos!

Here are a couple more photos I just took today. I know Sloan is coming tomorrow and I am excited to see him. It would be great if you could send some stain remover for me with him. Even get him some because he will not be able to get some either.

Look! They have already made a statue of me just outside the CCM! 

A picture of my companion and me at the sign at the front of the CCM.

First Pictures of the CCM

 ​This is half my room and my companion, Elder Connolly. You might be surprised Mom, but that mess is not mine. I am the cleanest, most organized in the room.

 This is one of the cool views of the side hill from inside the CCM.

​This is just a quick picture I snapped on the bus ride from the Airport. It doesn't depict Mexico City at all.

July 15, 2014

Buenas Dias,

It must be that families don't have to spend as much money to feed their missionaries anymore so they go by new toys. You guys got a new computer and my companion's family bought a new plasma TV. I don't think the mail is very good. I sent a letter on Thursday to you guys and I don't think it will arrive for a long time. I didn't get Kaylee or Kyle's letters. A kid in our district said his girlfriend sent him 2 letters 3 weeks before he came into the MTC and he still has not received them. Colten has sent me a couple short emails of encouragement. He says he loves it out there. It was really fun to hear from him.

I did get to hear about the World Cup from a couple of my teachers. It sounds like they were very good games. Also, please remember that "your actual boy" is in Mexico right now and did not cost the Jazz 63 million.

I can't believe Mel cried in church. I have never seen him cry before. I really hope everything is well back home in the ward. I do miss everyone back there but I am now on my own adventure. Tell Paul and Mitch congrats on their talks and that I am jealous they only have to stay in the MTC for 2 weeks.

This week has been pretty ordinary. We get up, study, read the scriptures, practice the language, teach fake investigators, and then study some more. We did have one interesting thing happen this week. There has been a virus going around the CCM and we have not been allowed to shake hands the whole time I have been here. Well, apparently Elder Toth, my roommate, got it. He had spent the day on the toilet and by the end of the day was feeling much better. After we went to sleep, we heard a thud as he flew off the top bunk, and then the splatter of his puke on the floor because he didn't make it to the bathroom in time. He cleaned it up because none of us wanted to help clean up the nasty smelling and looking vomit. Miraculously none of it got on any of our stuff. Don't worry Mom, I am staying healthy and very hygienic.

I am starting to get along with my companion better, but I am sure we still have a few things that bother each other. Let's hope we can keep working out our differences.

No, I did not feel the earthquake. Although I was up late that night because there was a huge party just outside the CCM. It sounded like a pretty epic party. The music was way loud.

Camping sounds like it was a blast and I wish I could have been there. Hopefully I can be there for the 2016 camp out. Just think, I will only have to miss one more Fourth of July. Yippee! 

Thanks Kenz for setting up the blog. We both know Mom and Dad are not technologically inclined at all. As for the Robin you saved, I could care less right now because one just pooped on my clean white shirt as I walked over here. They don't have any stain remover for us to use or buy, but one kid in our district has a little so I will try and borrow some from him.

I still have a little time left so I may get on later today and send you guys a couple pictures.

Love and miss you,

      Elder Karter Isaacson

Survived One Week in the CCM! (July 8, 2014)

Hola mi familia,
    You are right, I have survived one week in the CCM. I´m really happy I passed my A.P. test but I felt like I should have gotten a better score .Oh well, I still get the credit. I actually knew who had advanced in the World Cup because I asked our ´´investigator´´ who was still in it. I wish I could get an ipad in my mission because I am lugging around my bag that is full with gospel training supplies and another bag they gave us that is completely full of Spanish study guides. The missionaries here all like to play soccer but none of them are very good besides one kid in my district who has a scholarship for soccer to UVU. They told me about the mission soccer tournament in Peru and I am very excited for it.
    The first night seemed kind of rough because I felt so alone. I am in one of the houses that has about five bedrooms. I share my room with my companion, Elder Connolly from Arizona, Elder Toth from Washington, and Elder Speed from Texas. To be honest, my companion kind of annoys me. He said his favorite thing to do before coming on a mission was watching movies and that his greatest accomplishment was watching all 6 Star Wars in 2 days. Oh well, it´s only six weeks. I really like my district, we seem to get along really well. Sometimes though we get a little distracted after studying for a long time and its not very productive. The food here is really good. It is Mexican food about half the time and the rest is American. I am still getting used to the breakfast here though. Apparently in Mexico, their breakfast is more similar to our lunch, it just seems weird eating nachos for breakfast. No Mom, I haven´t heard gunshots yet. I have heard a lot of police sirens though. I have heard either a cannon or really loud fireworks though. Apparently a church in the town I am in likes to set off whatever it is at night and it just about shakes you right out of bed. The apartment is pretty nice although it is a little crowded. The weather here is really nice until five o´clock. It has rained every day I have been here but only after five and it stops by nine. One of my favorite things at the CCM is the view. We are in a little valley with three big mountains around us. The houses just go straight up the side of the mountain and it looks really cool. Maybe you could see it from google earth.
    I got an email from Colten today just asking how I was doing. I am very excited to write back to him. Could you send me all of my friends mailing addresses because it is hard to have time to email all of them. Also most of my last email was copied and pasted. I don't know why they said to send packages. I saw an Elder eating krispie kreme doughnuts that his parents had sent him and I was so jealous. That is one thing I miss most, all the yummy treats I could go eat whenever I wanted.
    Sunday was Fast Sunday and man was it rough. They didn't even open the comedor for dinner or breakfast. I think that might have been the longest I have ever fasted before. Even though I couldn´t understand all of the testimonies I could still feel the spirit. The spirit is so strong here. I have felt it so many times in just one week. Hopefully it stays like that.
    On Friday, they made us prepare our first lesson and then they made us go give it, in SPANISH!!! The first lesson was really rough and all over the place because I was trying to use the words I knew. Saturday and Monday´s lesson went a lot better. Our investigator is Guillermo. Apparently he is going to become our afternoon teacher. I am very excited for this because I really like him. I can´t believe I have been able to learn so much Spanish in just one week. They make us study so much. I have no time for anything else. I am so mentally exhausted. I feel like I just took the ACT 10 times in a row and then wasn´t allowed to go to bed for a week. One Elder put it this way, the CCM is either spirit paradise or spirit prison. Sometimes being here is so amazing and then other times I would just love to get out of here. It does feel like a prison though because of the big fence surrounding the edge of the CCM and the razor wire on top of the fence. I know it is to keep people out but sometimes it feels like its there to keep missionaries in. Oh, that reminds me, I will only get to go to the temple visitors center because part of the temple is being remodeled. I really wanted to be able to do a session here in Mexico. At least I get to go to the visitors center though and get out of the CCM for a day. I would like to get out of here and into Peru but I still have a lot to learn before I can do that. Keep me updated about the things of the world, especially soccer, and tell me about camping and the Jeffs-pedition. It would not be an Isaacson camp out without one. I think I might hand write some letters to you guys just so I can hear from you more often and I would like to be able to test how fast the mail is.
Love and miss you,
Elder Isaacson

Arrival at Mexican MTC (July 2, 2014)

    I made it to the mtc safely. I flew with 6 elders going to Lima North. I ran into Dixon and Tyler at the mtc. It is very nice here although I do not know much about it since I just got here. My P-day is on Tuesday here so that is when my next e-mail will be. Love You.
    Your Missionary's mailing addres is:
Elder Karter M Isaacson August 13, 2014 Branch 8 - District D
Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828
Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero
07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal
Mexico
    The estimated departure date for your missionary is August 13, 2014. The use of the above address on all correspondence will greatly faciliate delivery to your missionary at the MTC. Please don't send packages.