Week 1

There are timers on the computers they use, they have 1 hour to read and respond to all of their emails. 

Here is the first email we received today:

Awwwwwwww maaaan I miss everything good (Zach’s response to a list of fun stuff we did AFTER he left). Oh well I´m having a lot of fun here. We  just got back from the temple so I uh don’t have my camera cable with me... again.. I’m sorry >.< I promise I’ll have it next time!!

Thank you to everyone who emailed me this week!  It was great to get so many emails, I am sorry that I cannot respond to each one individually.

 My first week was long and hard. We have 15 hour days starting at 6:30 and ending at 10:30. We are studying and learning spanish. ALL DAY! its fun but hard.

This last week has been intense. Hmm..where to begin. Well I finally met my companion Elder Moore! He´s pretty cool and we have a lot of fun. I feel really short though sometimes haha. The 12 members of my district are. Élderes Gore, Moore, Tilby, Watchman, Eichers, Larkin, Lots, and Grisham and the sisters are Hermanas Curtis, Hanson, Harris, and Culotta. I have like the best district ever. Everyone is so cool.

I´m the only real east coaster everyone else is from Utah or some other state in the west-ish haha. Us elders all live in the same casa (little dorm house) it’s green. I will send pictures next time. I got the top bunk! SCORE!!!!!! and we use my alarm clock. That is by far one of the hardest things to do. Wake up in the morning.

Here is my schedule:

6:30 - The alarm goes off. Those that didn´t shower the night before shower then we get dressed 7:15 - head to breakfast

7:45 - we have personal study

8:45 -  language class

9:45  - language couching

10:30  - more language class

11:45 - additional study time

12:15 – lunch.  

Lunch is an hour-ish and then it’s either back to the classroom or to TALL (Learning Spanish on the computers) after that is more Study and then more Language and then Gym at 3:55. Then we have prep time and then Daily Planning and then Dinner. (He didn’t tell us his schedule after dinner but we know it includes teaching an investigator (who is really one of his Spanish teachers), and more Spanish class and study time, until 9:30 when they have personal time (showers etc.) and 10:30lights out.

Since the Friday that we got here we´ve been teaching an investigator. Its scary! Our first lesson was awful but our 2nd and 3rd and 4th have been better and better.

 We had some other crazy stuff happen but I’m almost out of time I’ll share everything else soon!!

I love you all and miss you so much!!

Elder Gore

Second email….

Oh never mind the timer hits 0 and nothing happens. Soooooo I’ll finish. We participated in the first world wide MTC devotional broadcast on Tuesday it was really cool. Elder Scott spoke about missionary work it was Very inspiring.

Also Elder Moore and I were called to be District leaders last Thursday :) We teach a class/give the lesson during district meetings each Sunday. It’s kind of nerve wracking cause we are like in charge kind of everything, well really we just have a lot of responsibilities. Like teaching, and leading classes and calling on people to pray and just leading our district in general. We have a lot of fun though.

Elder Eichers got a package from his familia yesterday so please, please, please send me food and maybe my frisbee?????? I need it for gym.

 Ohhhhhh yeah!!!!! I can run again!!!! I tried during our first gym time and I ran for 40 mins!!! I almost couldn’t believe it. Dad and Bishop Clark thank you so much for that blessing!! (Zach hurt his leg last January running, and had not been able to run since. He did everything the orthopedist had told him to do, but still could not run without sharp pain.  The Sunday before he left he asked his dad & our Bishop to give him a blessing.)

The Spirit is just so strong here. We pray all the time, for everything!  The beginning of every class, end of classes, food, before bed, before lessons, in the middle of study if we feel like we need help.  Nuestro Padre Celestial is how we begin prayers and we end En el nobre de Jesucristo.

Alright got to go now!!!

Love you all,

Elder Gore!!

PS-  There are no driving lanes and stop lights seem to be optional. Its craaaaaaaazzzyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! >.< But I´m having lots of fun :) I´m learning lots of Spanish and more about the gospel. If you don't have the link ask my mom for the blog of my mission letters it should be a lot more detailed.

PPS -  We had the craziest experience last week. We taught our first investigator!!!!! I mean it was a teacher pretending but we still had to write a lesson and give it in Spanish. Oh yes I am learning Spanish. Its kind of slow but it is coming along.

PPPS - The food here is pretty good :) I´ve tried quite a bit. You´ll probably be surprised about what I´ll be willing to eat when I get home. I haven't gotten sick yet thank goodness but I mean I guess I never know.

More Photos ... Since we won't hear from Zach again until next Thursday!

I'm Still Alive!

Hey Mom, I made it to the CCM!!!! The flight was pretty uneventful. I wrote in my journal and wrote letters the whole time. I was the only missionary on my plane. :( then when I got to the airport I was the only missionary there. >.< I sat around with a brother for about 40 maybe 50 mins before he said I would just get trucked over to the CCM by myself. I haven´t met Elder Moore yet but he is my companion for the next 6 weeks. I did however meet some other elders and a sister who all got shipped over together. So we've been chilling.

Ummmmmmmm. Im not the only one who doesn't know any Spanish. As far as I can tell none of the missionaries met so far (well the new missionaries) know very much. So I´m not so out of place. It was kind of tough when I first got here. Everything was in Spanish and everyone was talking in Spanish - I was just so lost. I´ll see what I can do about uploading photos on my P-Day, which is Thursday if I´m reading my schedule correctly. I don't have my camera with me and the cable is buried. But yeah, next Thursday I´ll hit you up with some pictures. I´m sorry :(

Oh my gosh!! We just all almost died!!! Some alarm went off randomly and we were all confused and then getting yelled at to get out on the street. When we got out there we found out that we had just experienced our first Earthquake drill/possibly real life alarm. But we are all OK. Just sort of confused and excited.

It's actually pretty nice down here in Mexico. Low humidity, and its not all that hot today. Hopefully it stays that way haha. As far as I can tell we are just going to get settled in today. The fun stuff starts tomorrow. We are doing all the registration, check ups, eye checks, hair cuts and some orientation stuff.

Well we are going to do some exploring and what not. Love you all!!!! Please write or email me!!! My parents will give you my email and I´ll respond as I have time!! Until next time!!!!

I'm Ready to Go!

My Sisters are Smiling, but ...

Yeah, I can read the Departures board!

Not really Zach

Actually, Elder Gore did NOT enter the first post - I did! This is Brian, Zach's dad ... it will just look like he is doing it ...

Welcome to Zach's Mission Blog

Hello All,

Welcome to Zach's Mission Blog. A lot of preparation has brought Zach and our family to this point. We are excited for the tremendous experience that lies ahead for him, and for all of us! Over the next few days we will update the site with some more photos and items related to his preparation, the departure on Tuesday, August 6, and then .... we'll wait for email, letters, and photos from Zach to share. Here we go!