HOLA! WELCOME TO MEXICO!!!!

Elder Dansie left the MTC at around 2 am Monday July 22nd. His flight left SLC airport at 5:45am.  The general consensus is that he probably didn't sleep but 2 hours if at all before his long trip.

That morning, his companion called him into the room right before they were to leave. He told Jake that he wouldn't be going on with him to Mexico. He was going home instead. Jake expressed his sadness to be losing his companion, and  he wished that Elder Mackey was feeling better about his mission. But, he went on alone.

We got a call at around 10 am from Texas! It was Elder Dansie calling from the Dallas airport. He sounded is good spirits. He was tired, and feeling sick from a bad head cold he's been fighting for a week. He was disappointed that his companion wasn't with him, and for the first time in 6 weeks he was ALONE. We were so happy to talk with him, and he said he would call when he got to Mexico City during his 3 hour layover there.

We didn't hear from him.

Finally that evening at 10 pm we got an email. He was in the Zone leaders apartment. We were able to email back and forth for a bit. He was tired (up for about 23 hours at this point) and in MAJOR culture shock!

He told us that the Mexico City Airport was a crazy mess and that the phones didn't work. He got lost, and had to have 3 people escort him to his flight. He almost didn't make it. His carry on wouldn't fit in the Mexico airlines overhead compartment, and he said he was the dumb gringo struggling with his luggage that everyone was staring at.

He was picked up from the airport by 3 native, Spanish speaking elders. One of them introduced himself as Jake's companion. (He thinks that what he said anyway) They took him to meet the Mission President and wife and 19 other new missionaries for dinner. He said not one of them spoke any English.

Pick up at the Airport

At this point Jake said he was starting to really freak out. He told us that it was hotter than Satan's Butt Crack there, and that he couldn't understand a word anyone said. He said they all just kept telling him tranqillo, tranquillo, and it was ticking him off! Paul explained that they were just trying to calm him. Jake said it wasn't working.

First dinner in Mexico!

We ended our email conversation with words of encouragement and love from all. He said he thought that he would be going to his first area in the morning, but couldn't be sure because he doesn't know what they taught him in the MTC, but is wasn't Spanish ;)

Needless to say it was a WORRISOME week for all who love Elder Dansie.
 We were SO HAPPY to receive this email today!!

Hey every one!!!!! I'm just  gonna send one big email so that it works cuz the email here is a little sketchy :P I hope everyone is doing well!!!!!! First i'll tell you a little bit about here then i'll answer your emails after :)

My companions name is Elder Beardsly! He's from St George and i'm so happy that I got an American as my trainer, it really has made me feel so much better. I'm learning Spanish better and faster everyday and he really is helping. He has 13 months out here in the mission and he said it goes by so fast. 

The people down here are awesome!!! We got 12 baptismal acceptances this week!!! So, I hope they all go through!!!!! 

Our house is this little tiny shack and it gets super hot! Everyone's house is kinda half open and half closed to the elements because its so hot and everyone has hammocks here and they're dang comfortable. The food is usually good except that its making e sick while I adjust to it. My stomach doesn't like it, but oh well. The people down here eat IGUANAS!!!!!!!!!! It's so freaking cool!!!! I haven't tried it yet but i'm stoked!!! 

Here in my first area, Tapanatapec, its a little town in the middle of the jungle, but they have these things called moto taxis, little 3 wheeled scooter things that are so sketchy but fun to ride in!! For 7 pesos they'll take you any where in Tapana! (like 13 pesos equal a dollar right now.) Down here, even the rich people seem poor to us. I'ts basically like a 2 year camping trip!

And the bugs!!! There are some weird bugs here!!! They have the spiders that are in Harry Potter ( the ones that mad eye moody messes with!!!!!!) I'm serious!!! And they have 1/2 inch ants that are huge!!! and MEAN!!! and Bees the size of ping pong balls!!!! No exaggeration!!!!! I have pictures!! 

Any way ;) what else, hmmmmm the regular stuff here is weird, all of our water is bottled because the public is bad for drinking, and the milk is gross, it's like in the box stuff and its nasty. But, other than that it's fun and i'm happy!!!!

I'm glad everyone is doing good back home :) Hannah i'm so excited for new missionary man books!!! they'll be super funny!!!!! 

Mom, thank you so much for your quotes and your help, it really did make me feel a lot better today and i really am starting to enjoy it here. It is hotter than the devils balls$$$ and its so dang humid that we carry towels for sweat. But it's OK!!!!

I defiantly felt like the second picture Mom, because the first one was the MTC, the second one was here because of the whole, I can't swim with a parachute on and Spanish is defiantly my parachute ;) The people are really nice about the language barrier thought, and they listen even when we stutter.

The people here call us Guerros (white guy!) it's super funny, and we've already had run ins with 3 drunk people. Everyone gets drunk on the weekends. So, Saturdays and Sundays are interesting.

We have a little tiny house of prayer, and about 50 member come to church every week when we have about 300 total. We work with members a lo, and the inactive members. We actually don't tract any more, its time wasting and doesn't accomplish much. So, now we work with the members and inactive members for references and just contact people in the street. It works a lot better and we get things done!  

I hope dad and Kenzie are doing well. I will be able to email at this time every week (well around 11) so IDK what time it is there but its 11 here haha. Any way, i'll send some pictures and I hope that everyone is safe and is doing good! 

These 2 years are going to fly by!!!! I love all of you very much and I cant wait to see you all again.

Love Elder Jacob Paul Dansie

Life in the MTC

Jake spent 6 weeks in the Provo MTC. He was able to see a lot of his friends there. He met lot's of new people, and learned a lot about the gospel. He entered the MTC slim, tan, and buffed out from climbing and swinging from trees all summer. He left looking slightly different :) (a little pasty white)

He will be glad to get out from underneath those florescent lights and back out into the world where he loves to be!

Here are just some of the friends he was able to see in the MTC

Elder Aaron Bowen

Elder Parker Kikel

Elder Spencer Halford (Camp Hunt)  

Elder Brown (from theater class)

Here are some pictures of his district and zone.

Jacob was jazzed and ready to go! This is the night before he left the MTC. Here he is gettin in a little Jedi training before he takes on the world.

to be continnued..............................

On To Mexico

On Saturday, we got an email from Jake. He told us that the travel plans he gave us last week, had changed. (they showed him on a bus from Mexico City to Tuxtla, about 700 miles and 2 days travel) He left Salt Lake City today at 6:23 and flies to Houston, and then on to Mexico City, with a 5 hour layover and now flies to Tuxtla. He should get there about 6:50pm today. Tuxtla is on Central Time. He said that it has been raining every day, but he thought it looked like it would not be raining today. I feel much better not having him ride a bus for 2 days. Finally, we got a picture of him in his suit, with his nametag!

Goodbye

On June 12, 2013 we dropped Elder Dansie of  at the MTC. We had a pull up time of 1:25. The drop off procedure at the MTC indicates that you are to pull up to the curb at your assigned drop off time, unload your missionary, say a quick goodbye and then depart.

For weeks we dreaded the event, and tried to imagine what it would be like. We had a nice brunch on Wed morning. Parker was able to come over. Everyone felt calm and peaceful. The ride to the MTC was enjoyable. It was fun to listen to Jake chatter away in the back seat. We all know it would be a long time before we heard that chatter again.

We were able to arrive a bit early, and park at the west side of the Provo Temple. There is a nice field of grass and a beautiful view of the temple. We got out and took some pictures and chatted a bit. After about 15 minutes, we all started to feel anxious. We knew it was time, and really were all ready to go at that point.

We pulled in, and were directed all the way to the end of the drive, clear to the bottom of the MTC. There was an army of missionaries there directing traffic and assisting all of the missionaries being dropped off. There was a section for the sister and a section for the elders. It was all very organized and efficient, complete with a color coded post it note stuck to our windshield. We didn't expect any less.

The drop off took all of about 4 minutes. We got out the luggage, set it on the curb, hugged him goodbye, and he was off! He didn't even look back. We know he had his head in the game. He always does when it's crunch time. We love you buddy. Our hearts broke a little as you walked away, but we were comforted and reassured that you are where you should be.

See you in 2.

Family's are Forever

Shortly before Jake left, we had the opportunity as a family to have our portraits taken.We planned to have Jake's missionary portraits taken the first half of the session, and then our family pics the second half. We went to a new studio, and knew it would be a risk, but the risk paid off! We were blessed with an excellent photographer who did a wonderful job. We ended up with some precious memories, and we had a great time.

Jake has loved Superman forever. Somehow, he started collecting stuff, and soon it became part of his "brand". He is a superman to us, and we wanted to take some fun pics that represented his fun side, and also because we know he will be a super missionary!

Hannah posted a quote on her wall a couple of months ago when Jake started preparing to leave on his mission. It says...

Missionary: Someone who leaves their family for two years, so that other families can be together forever.

We love you Jake, so much! We will miss you, but we celebrate that we are a forever family.