The Man Who Taught Me To Be A Man

Love you guys. Been a little while since elder jake has checked in with a good email. I have been a little busy lately. I now write you from my new 14 story home here in the mission office in managua. I miss all the people my palm trees/ dirt houses/ wild dog jungles in esteli and tipitapa but have already developed a great love and appreciation for the people here in the concrete jungle of managua. 

My life has changed just a little bit over the last couple of weeks. I travel a lot with the big dog. PDays are now meetings all day in the office. And i now am officially certified and liscened to kill here in nicaragua...no i can drive now. During the next three weeks, i will only be here in my area in managua 6 days. Gonna be takin sleezy with President all over Nicaragua.  I am learning very quickly that my mission is no longer my mission. My mission now is to help others have great missions. including my companions.

This week my hands took a beating once again. First while using a welding torch for the first time and second when i chopped down several massive trees with a very rusty and dull axe blade. Sister Morales was stoked that the trees were gone and also felt bad for both of my hands which bled pretty badly for about an hour afterword and so she gave me a nice big bag of chocolate milk and massive plateful of beans.

Happy Birthday to my 46 year old father. I love you dad. This week as i was chopping and welding away I thought of you  and how much you would love to live here in this nicaraguan paradise where their power tools have no rules. 

I want to thank you for showing me, through example, how to be a man. A man who puts his head down and works hard. Who doesnt complain and serves others constantly. A man who loves his family, loves others, and loves God. I love you dad. 

I attribute the success that i have had on my mission to two people. First to God. And second to my father. 

Brent recently sent me this quote. 

“Pray as though everything depended on the Lord and work as though everything depended on you.” 
― Brigham Young

I shared this quote with the President Collado the other day and he freakin loves it. It is something that i am trying to live by as a missionary and is an idea that i will carry with me for the rest of my life. 

I have recieved a lot of letters over the course of the mission. I thank all of you guys for that and for the love that you have shown me through emails and packages and letters. However, i recieved a hand written letter from a lady that i hardly even know this week that truly is the best letter i have yet to recieve. She told me how thankful she is for my father. For all that he has done for her family over many years. She said, "if you can be one tenth the man your father is then you will bless the lives of so many people."

I love you dad. Workin hard to get to that one tenth because i hope to be something close to the man you are one day. Thank you for all that you have done for me, our family, and for countless others.

Love all of you. Stay sleezy.