NICARAGUA

I finally made it to nicaragua. My day yesterday was crazy but I am having good time so far. Both of my flights went well. I flew from mexico to san salvador and then took a bus to a plane that went to nicaragua. Nicaragua is just like costa rica except it is 100 times poorer. The wall of humidity and heat that hits you did not disappoint. It is freaking hot here. I have not stopped sweating since i arrived. Once i landed i waited in the airport for about thirty minutes until i was picked up by two young elders. I was taken to the mission office and i did some simple paper work for a few hours. Everyone in the mission knew the story about the elder that locked his passport in the mtc store. I met president collado and his wife. They are great. I also met with my new companion, Elder Sotay (sothi). He is crazy and awesome and i know i will have a good time with him over the next month. He has only been out three weeks so we are both pretty new. He is from guatemala and has great attitude and personality. After taking care of everything in the office, Elder sotay and I got in a taxi for about an hour. We then got on a very crowded and hectic bus for 3 hours. I sweat more on that three hour bus ride than i have my whole life. We arrived in our area called estali. It is up in the mountians a bit but the city is fairly large. I am basically living in a jungle. My companion tells me that the apartment we are staying in is the nicest place in the entire mission. Its a pretty nice place actually. Everything is great. The shower is more like a hose plugged into the wall that spits out cold water but everything else is good so far. We have a nice little mamacita that cleans and washes clothes for us. When we arrived at our apartment, we immediately left and went to appointments. We taught this little family last night and it was awesome. Real life spanish is completely different than mtc spanish. People talk so freaking fast. My companion did most of the heavy lifting but i talked to the little kids and bore my testimony at the end which was awesome. They will hopefully be baptized sometime next week. After that we went over to the bishops house and his wife made us dinner. The food was awesome. They served me a mystery drink which i just gulped down cuz it was ice cold. My first day was exhausting and the language is a little stressful. I know god and hard work will allow me to get better. One thing i have learned in the short time that i been here is how impovershed and humble the nicaraguans are. They have nothing but are all so happy. We are so spoiled back home. I literally makes me sick seeing how little these people have and thinking about how ungrateful we are for things back in the states. dirt floors, tin roof, and little kids who run around with no shoes on. Mom and dad thank you for all of your love and support over the years. I love you and all the kids.

Free Willy--Mexico

This week, my district and i took over as full time ushers for all of the big meetings in the CCM. We really don´t have any responsibility but are given some niceeee yellow badges. Anyways, tuesday was our first official day on the job and it started out pretty normal. It began to rain about thirty minutes before we closed the doors to start the live missionary devotional broadcast from provo. Aside from the the 20 minutes of constant thunder that shook the building, everything was good. About 1 minute in Elder Cooks talk, an elder walks over to president pratt and we can tell something is wrong. As ushers, it is our job to do the things that ushers are required to do... which we thought was nothing. We soon realized that the lower part of the auditorium had began to flood. We evacuated the first four rows and really though nothing of it. About 2 minutes later the water really started flowin. Do you guys remember that part in free willy (if you havent seen free willy stop reading this because we arent friends) where the bad guys go and loosen the bolts on willys the tank and the water starts spraying all over the place? Thats exactly what began to happen in the theater. It had rained so hard that that it completely filled up the ramp down to the auditorium and water sprayed through the gaps between the doors just like in free willy. For the remainder of the devotional, me, one or two of my companions and several mexicans pushed the shin high water with brooms from the flooded side of the auditorium out the door on the other side where the water table wasnt as high. We did this for about an hour in front of about 500 other missionaries. Eventually, the water tables equalized and the theater began to fill up. We were told our services were no longer needed. I was happy to serve and knew this was only preparation for the waist deep water i would be swimming through in nicaragua. Us elders and the mexicans just sat there and while i was making a water snow angel (not really, but i should have) i had an urge that we should pray. I gathered the 5 other missionaries that were down there with me and i asked god to stop the rain as we stood in the rising water in front of 500 hundred spectators. it stopped raining 5 minutes later. president pratt thanked us for our efforts and we went home wet and sore. Though my butt, back, and arms beg to differ, It was an amazing experience.





I just got back from the temple today. Mexico city temple is huge and beautiful. We had a chance to go through the visitor center and i picked up some sick zipper ties. My biggest regret is not bringing more zipper ties. We were told not to leave the temple grounds... buuuuuttt i had not had a coke in like four weeks and was going throat punch my companion if i didnt get one soon. The temple is located in a very busy part of mexico city so there was a bazillion people walking around it. I asked several people to go across the street and buy me a coke and many of them said no because they were in a hurry or meeting someone. Finally some old man on a bike told me he would hook me up. I told him to buy three cokes and gave him 50 pesos which is way more than enough. He came back 2 minutes later with the cokes and my money. I kept 2 cokes for my companion and i and let the man take the third coke and the left over change. he was so grateful. The coke was so lushess but the look of gratitude in that old mans eyes was better.

Im glad to hear that metties funeral went well and that you all could make it. Tell the tingey boys that their strength is an example to me.

This week i became really good friends with a little 7 year old mexican boy named antonio whos parents work the dry cleaning in the MTC. He has a really beat up soccer that we play with together when i have gym. Bryce and kate, this kid could school you. He is one the nicest and most humble kids i have ever met. Bryce and kate, tell mom you love her every day and be grateful for all the crap that you have. Antonio has his soccer ball and his parents and thats it. Yet, he is happiest kid i have ever met. One of my teachers is gonna help me buy a new ball for him.

President Kaits, who is over all of the missionaries in the mtc, gave a devotional on sunday that really had a impact on me. He talked about his missionary experience and how much church meetings suck. his message was very relatable. He talked a lot about leaving everything behind and how important it is to let ourselves become fully committed. He told us to leave our nets behind and be fishers of men. I have had a hard time forgetting about all the great things i have back at home but it gets easier and easier everyday. Its hard not to miss home/family, and surfirng, and team sleezy but i know that all of the hard work will be worth it.

Love all of you guys am so grateful for all of your love and support. Only one more week and im off to nicaragua. take it sleezy. see ya next week.

Week 3 - I am an Idiot

WEEK #3 - I am an Idiot

As my time here in the CCM goes on, i realize more and more how much of an idiot i am. On monday i woke up and my face was all dried up. So, like any normal person would do, i put lotion on. At the end of the day my face was red and irritated and i figured/convinced myself that i must have gotten sunburned while i was playing basketball in a gym that had a very well functioning roof on it. The next morning i woke up to the same irritation and dryness so i put more lotion on. The following morning, same story. However, i realized that morning that my lotion smelled like unicorn farts and rainbows. I simply chalked it up to my great taste in exotic lotions and that i had at some point come out of the closet before my mission and decided to pack some lotion from the gay aisle at bath and body works. **Refer to the title of this email**. Night came lotion. Morning came lotion. It wasnt until the third night that i realized that i had switched my lotion bottle with my shampoo bottle. My face was irritated, red and really just completely burned. Ive had a real gnarly rash for about 4 days. Can you bring me my chapstick mom? My face hurts real bad. And the nurse does not have like four sticks in the drawer.

I have been good the last week. My stomach has finally become acquainted to a healthy beans and fruit loops diet. I received your package mom. Thank you!! The mexican cookies were great and i shared them with all of my companions and teachers.

This week my companions and i were discussing the 199 section of the doctrine and covenants. verse 4 states, "And it came to pass that a curse will be sent among the children men that after every lunch, the destroying angel of naptime shall come upon them and cause them to be tormented for till at least 3. And wo be unto those that shall give in to the destroying angel of the nap, lest it shall feel so good but their whole day will be ruined and they will fall into a pit of darkness. But if they shall not give into the nap they will actually learn something after lunch. Amen." D&C 199 verse 4.

This week i realized why dad has an ulcer whenever mom or bryce makes a mess or whenever the garage is not spotless. This week i walked in from the shower and found my companion clipping his toenails on my bed. Nice.

I also have found that most missionaries come into the MTC thinking they already know enough spanish to get by. They are like Grandma every time superbowl sunday roles around. Every year on the day of the superbowl, grandma thinks she can speak japanese after watching all the commercials.. "Mitsubishi, Toyota, Kawasaki, Sony, Honda, Ping Pong." No elder, taco, burrito, and chimity changa will not help you here. I even i had to realize that cheese crisps arent actually a real thing.

btw grandma, yo necisito mas "puedo hacer cosas durras" book marks

Thanks for your update on basketball dad. It ruined my day. I have decided that im not coming home until kobe gets another ring so you better start praying for los angeles and not me. Also thanks for the story about the navy seal. (Commencement speech at Univ of Texas this year) The only bell i have ever touched was the liberty bell in phili and im pretty sure thats a felony. I promise that i wont be ring any bells or tap out any time soon. Its great to here that the gospel and mexicans have made brad retarded cuz i can feel it comin on a little bit too.

Also suzie thank you for you video hahaha. I will try not to get a "tubor" like max here in mexico. Tessa nice work on getting baptized your dress was "So Fluffy!!"- little girl from despicable me quote

This week was actually a busy one. Our senor branch and zone leaders left on wednesday which sucked cuz i had become close to many of them but i was happy to see them get going on their missions. I was called as zone leader and will meet the new branches in our zone on thursday. Our district was called as ushers for all the major meetings in the CCM. And ive ran 2 and a half miles and managed to play basketball every day.

This past week was fast and testimony sunday. Grandma you would not believe how long slow sundays are here. They make you fast for 24 hours and there arent grandma tacos waiting for you when you get home from church haha. On a more serious note though, it was an awesome experience and President pratt sat it on our meeting. We added up to about 18 people and everyone got a chance to go up and speak. i bore my testimony in 100 percent spanish which was pretty sick.

Grandma and Grandpa i am slowly starting to learn the importance of HOP especially the obedience part. I have almost completely read the entire book of mormon in the couple of weeks that ive been here and my new favorite scripture comes from alma chapter 57 verses 20 and 21. "20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.
21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them. "

I love all of you and hope you are doing well. I thank god every day for your constant love and support.

Take it Sleezy and I'm out!

Week 2 - The Three Bugs of the Mexico MTC

The Three Bugs of the Mexico MTC


During my short stay here in the mexico mtc, i have learned of three bugs missionaries may catch. These include- the prison bug, the mosquito bug, and the mexico bug... let me explain. The prison bug is derrived from the 30 foot, barbed wire encased wallls that surround the mtc and the desire to get going on your mission already. The mosquito bug are simply mosquito bugs. i have aquired about 30 bites all over my hands and arms. The mexico bug comes from drinking the water by mistake and is the period in time in which substance other than the gospel starts to come out of your mouth.... puke. im taking about puke.

hello friends and family i want you all to know that i am very much alive and doing well. i love life here in the mtc and learn so much about god and spanish every day. the church is true and the book is blue!

This last week has definitely been one that has humbled me. I threw out my back last week, pinched a nerve in my butt, and contracted the mexican bug all withing a short 8 day period. I have definitely learned of the importance of humbling oneself before god and having a good attitude. I have actually been grateful for these things and have started to realize the importance of having trials in ones life. It gives you focus, gives you a greater desire to thank god for all the good in your life, and makes you put your head down and work harder. Its like dad and grandpa used to always say, you play your best games when you are sick and tired. Needless to say there has been no pussyfooting around grandpa.

I like to think the MTC is a small heaven on earth..... well maybe the terrestial version. I get to learn and teach the gospel in the morning and play ball all afternoon. An in n out on the campus would make it a celestial heaven.

This week i learned a very important life lesson. No matter how strong the spirit is during an investigator lesson, a misplaced fart will ruin everything. We learned that the hard way this week when one of our mexican companions let one loose on accident during a lesson. We like to blame it on the staff cuz of all the freakin beans they make us eat. I imagine dad will be able to relate to my story of well placed farts except in his version, his farts all have a question mark on the end of them.

So it was our annual mormon sex education class last week and our local mexican leaders were trying to coax the sin out of us new missionaries in there jack black garbled spanglish. they do their best but i often have to resist the urge to ask them if they are aware that i have had diarrhea since easters. Anyway, the guy that was lecturing us all of the sudden ran out of the room with a painful look on his face. His grouchy wife then took over the lecture. The brother who ran out of the room forgot to take off the microphone that was attached to his collar. We were then pleased to go on the magical ride of listening to this guy go to the bathroom. His wife had no idea what was happening and the rest of us listened to this guy grunt, sigh in relief, wring out the toliet paper, and then flush. At the sound of the flush, one of the elders couldnt hold it anymore and burst out laughing. the mans wife was disgusted that this elder could laugh and be so immature during our sexual immorality interogation. He was reppremanded. The poop guy (thats what we call him know) burst through the doors of the auditorum just as the closing prayer finished and said "did i miss anything?"

These past few weeks have been great. I have only cried twice. Once because i ate so many plates of refried beans that i began to loose control of my orifaces and the other when i read kates words on the letter mom sent. I am trying real hard to summon my eagle powers kate. i love you.

This week was yet another great spiritual experience. I had to give a talk in spanish in sacrament meeting this week which was a problem because i dont speak spanish but it was an awesome experience. Its amazing what you can do if you put your trust in god.

President pratt said something this week that really impressed me. He said the most important thing to remember on your mission is to be selfless. He said "if you go looking for yourself, you wont find it. If you loose yourself, youll find it"

Despite all the bad things that have happened the last i have found it easy to be grateful for both the trials that come in life and for all the amazing support and love i have from family and friends. I always revert back to what grandma and grandpa jake have told me since i was a little kid, attitude is everything. That single idea is vital to success as a missionary and i am so grateful for those that have set examples for me over the years. I love you all and am so grateful for all that you do. Adios.

Week 1 - MTC--Mexico City

Hello everyone! My first week in the MTC has been crazy. its actually called the CCM here in mexico (Say Say Emayy). I have met a lot of great people and have all learned a ton of stuff about the mission, the gospel, and spanish. They think i dont know a butt load of crap about the gospel but i dooo.

The first day of travel was kinda rough. A lot of boring plane rides with no entertainment. I slept all all 4 and a half ours while on both flights, i guess it runs in the family. i met up with some of the guys going to the ccm in pheonix. i have actually only met one guy that is going to nicaragua. i met up with the rest of the missionaries going to the mtc in mexico city. The bus ride from the airport to the mtc was probably the craziest thing that i have seen since being here in mexico. imagine a 6 lane freeway with no lines and hundreds of people lined up along ether side of it. every drive basically just makes his own lane and there are no traffic laws. i will have to record it on the way back to the airport.

my companion, elder boren, is from the middle of nowhere in new mexico and is serving in the east salt lake spanish speaking mission. he went to byu hawaii for a year and is a pretty cool guy. we get a long pretty well . i am having a good attitude grandma!

my district and zone are sweet. all of the elders in my district are all great guys and are all weird in there own little ways but i love it. we all get along great and have a good time. my zone leaders are also pretty cool one is basically jordan price (short stalky wrestler who likes to yell) and the other plays basketball so we get a long pretty good.

i have worked my butt off in the week that i have been here. my branch presidents are awesome. one is an american who works at the embassy here in mexico city and the other is a straight mexican who likes to tell jokes that aren't funny. its great! on sunday i did the sacrament prayers in spanish which was way cool. our american branch president (president linton) gives a weekly update from babylon every sunday. he tells us about all the important sports news so basically just basketball. i know okc and spurs, heat and pacers. go pacers and okc! actually since I've been here i haven't cared about using a phone or about sports which is good. i am getting caught up in the work! i have missed surfing tho haha

The food here is pretty good but nothing to write home about....wait i just did. beans and rice is served 24 7 and they actually make some good stuff here on occasion. i have had a bowl of cereal, ether pops or fruit loops, with every meal. they made french toast yesterday morning and i had 6. it was awesome. the chocolate milk is not cannon center quality but they have little milk cartons and they are pretty good. every saturday and tuesday they order costco pizza. mexican costco and american costco are not the same haha.

the facilities here are actually pretty sweet. they have a huge gym and a bunch of pretty nice indoor basketball courts. i actually sprained my back pretty bad playin ball on monday and have been out for the last couple days but its all good. they have a nice weight room by mexican standards haha.

grandpa would like the president of the mtc president pratt. he is a grouchy old man that takes no crap from nobody and likes to fall asleep during important meetings haha. ironically, there are stories that when he sees an elder sleeping during a meeting he will stop the meeting, go stand by him until he wakes up, and then yell into the microphone "try harder"! Needless to say i have not fallen asleep during a meeting yet.

whoever said a mission is a nice break from school is a liar and an idiot. being a missionary is hard work and especially hard when you cant speak the language. my first couple of days in the mtc were difficult and very long. we had church meetings all day for like 3 days. now im in the swing of things and it has gotten easier. trial by fire is also an understatement. on my second day in the mtc i had to teach an investigator in spanish even tho i dont know spanish so you can imagine how that went. we having been teaching in only spanish since we got here and i am getting better and better everyday. i am not having too much trouble with the language but it is definitely frustrating sometimes when i cant communicate during lessons to investigators.

after being in the mtc for only a week i have quickly learned how important it is to rely on god for help in all things. the first three days were tough and i definitely thought about how nice it would be to just go home but i am no panzy. and even if i wanted to the entire mtc is surrounded by ten foot stone walls with ten feet of metal fence above that with two layers of barbed wire on top of that. i think its too keep missionaries in, rather than locals out. life has been hard but i am ready for the challenge. i cant put my scriptures down. i have such a strong desire to become a great missionary and to read all of the great things the scriptures have to offer. i have come so much closer to god in just a week and i love the good feelings i have every day. i know this is where im supposed to be.

i am sorry i could not address all of you separately but i only have an hour to write and read on p day. i want you all to know that i love you and that two years will go by quickly. i cant wait to get to nicaragua and get a nice rash! a rash from studying my scriptures so much of course.

love
elder jacobsen

Dylans Farewell---he had lots of support from family, friends and ward members

CALLED TO SERVE-- NICARAGUA MANAGUA NORTH