Last Day in the CCM 

Hello People of the United States and possibly Germany!!!!

This is crazy!!! I'm excited but scared. Happy and Sad. Ready to go yet I know I’m not at all. Seriously what could actually prepare me to teach in the field...

Well the answer is teaching in the field. It’s been a crazy day we packed and weighed our luggage. I have to do a little rearranging because I’m bringing back like 5 pounds of new Spanish books. I've decided I’m going to read my Spanish Book of Mormon in a hushed but audible tone and see if I can get my neighbor on the airplane to ask what I’m reading and if all else fails I’ll try to introduce myself. :)

These last couple days have been really cool. We had a mini earthquake while in the temple Thursday. Um Friday we did In-Field Orientation!! Yay... Longest day so far here. No we didn't go out and practice proselyting in México City that would be super scary and possibly dangerous >.<  No we were in classrooms and we did workshops about planning, and ... No it was really just about planning. It was good. Forever long but good :)

Saturday we had Mexican night and it was super cool!!! There was dancing and singing it was really cool to watch.  It was so much fun. At the end of the night we sang all together Army of Helaman and it was super cool cause half of us were singing in Spanish and half were singing in English. One of the most powerful and spiritual and awesome experiences I’ve ever had!!! :)

Sunday we had church and during our district meeting we had a testimony meeting in Spanish. It was super cool. The Spirit was so strong in that room. And the love that we all had for each other and this gospel and for our work was almost tangible. In Sacrament meeting, Elder Larkin and I sang a duet, him on Melody and I on Tenor, for the first verse of "Para siempre Dios esté con Vos" (God Be With You Till We Meet Again). It was super fun. I was a little nervous but I’ve found that I care less about what people think about me singing. It probably helps that so many people have complemented me on my voice. But I sing out and I think part of the reason is because I'm seeing the singing more as Praising my Heavenly Father and so that’s what’s important about it. Not how I sound or how other people think I sound. It is Praise. :)

We watched the Joseph Smith video Sunday night and then we participated at 11 pm (by the permission and invitation of President Pratt) in the Mexico’s Grito de Dolores. It’s their independence cry/shout thing and it was pretty cool :) (you can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grito_de_Dolores  -  the shout out is near the bottom of the page)

The president of México would say the name of an important person in the revolution and says "Viva _____!!!" and then we would yell¨"Viva!" in reply. It was really cool and I’m glad we got to participate. We had to hurry straight home afterwards because lots of people like to shot their pistols and other firearms in the air and it’s not uncommon for people to have bullets fall out of the sky at them. So we all ran home so we wouldn't be killed or anything.

And now we are at today!!! It’s so much fun. Not really half the district left at 2 this morning. It was really sad :( but we know they will be ok and we are going to try to stay in touch!!! So we'll see how that all goes.

I'll send pictures when I get to California if they let me email to tell you I made it safely!!!!!! I'll let you know what my apartment address is as soon as I find out!!!

I know this Church is true. I know that God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and that through Joseph Smith the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ Was Restored. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet on the earth today and that God leads His church through him. I know that God is My Loving Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is my older brother and my Savior. I know that only through Him can we return to live with God our Father and with our families for all time and eternity.

I say these things and testify that I Know they are True. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you all!!!

Until sometime probably tomorrow or else next Monday!!!

Elder Gore!! :)

Week 5

It’s crazy I will be on a plane in 5 more days heading to California!  It’s really exciting but I’m also really sad to leave. I have grown to love the members of my district just so much over the last 6 weeks. We are like best friends. It’s going to be weird not seeing them everyday :(

I'm also a little scared cause like this, the CCM, is like a safe place. We got a huge barbed wire fence and we know our schedule and just everything is set up and nice. I'm scared to leave the ummm. what’s the word. uhhh. security and routine of the CCM. But I will in 5 days and it will be good.

It sprinkles every night without fail and we almost always have a big, big storm between 3 and 7. Normally at 5 but it’s not always consistent. At least once a week we get hail. Never go outside in hail. It hurts. But ultimate Frisbee is always fun after the rain. I'll send my muddy picture!! :)

              

                   

I am in Branch 4 District E. It’s the best district here!!! We have more fun than any other district. We all sit together at meals and we do gym all together and we talk to and try to make friends with the other districts!! :)

        

                                    

I asked him: How is the Spanish coming?  On a scale of 1 to 10, one being the first day you got there knowing nothing and 10 being can hold a conversation with someone.  Where are you?

 I’m at like a 6 or a 7. If they talk slowly and pronounce everything I can understand fairly well but when it gets fast and they slur the words I’m so lost. Lessons are kind of rough sometimes I get nervous and I get self conscious and I don’t want to say anything wrong.  So I like freeze up and my head goes blank and it just sort of stinks. I've decided I’m going to talk to people around me on my flight and in the airport so that I can get more comfortable with just talking :)

Have you been able to talk anyone into an English free day yet? 
  Nobody wants to and it’s hard because all of our Spanish is gospel related so far. I just learned how to count and the days of the week and the months this week. So we try as much as we can but it’s kind of impossible. Maybe I’ll be able to get someone to do it with me the last couple days. I'll keep trying.

If you’re not sleeping well at night, are you sleeping in? or sleeping in class?

  No I force myself to stay awake and I suffer though the days. I'm kind of living and pushing on because I know I’ll be able to sleep in California.

What have you learned about teaching the Gospel that you didn't know before?

  How much harder it is to do in another language!!  I could do this pretty easy speaking English. But since I have the Spanish of maybe a 5 year old I have to figure out how to simplify everything and then say it in Spanish. I have no sympathy for English speaking missionaries. Unless they are learning English and it’s not their first language native English speakers not much. :)

What has been your favorite part about the CCM?

  Oh it’s for sure my district! This group of kids probably has no equal. Everyone is just so good and tries so hard but we also just have tons of fun. We have super spiritual moments and some not so spiritual ones but more spiritual then not :) We help each other out all the time service, service, service! Well for the most part. We have made Elder Watchmen fall out of bed at least 7 times and scared him half to death like 8. It’s fun but we prefer the spiritual moments when we are all learning from the spirit together and individually. It’s so cool the stuff that happens :)

One of our Hermanas went home on Monday. We don’t know why. She didn't tell us and we didn't ask. All we know is that it was a family issue and that she will be back out again later. So it’s sad but it’s ok. I miss her in class she had some of the best insight into the scriptures and doctrine ever and it was a lot of fun to talk to her!!!

Ummmm. I’ve lost 13 lbs... We go to the scales in the clinic on Mondays and most people have lost a little or stayed about the same. I barely fit into my pants. :/   I have to tighten my belt to the 4th hole I used to only go to the 2nd. I'm eating I promise!!! I really have no idea what’s going on. I think it’s mostly muscle mass. Then again I have about 2 inches of space if I pull one side of my pants. So maybe not all muscle. But I realize that’s not ok. But I think part of it is that I’m used to eating throughout the day and not only at 3 meals so I don’t eat enough I guess. I don’t know how to fix that. I'll just have to have some food for in between meals I guess. But also the food they serve here has very little unnecessary things. There isn't a lot of grease or fat. It’s pretty healthy and your body uses most of it to run itself. So I’ll probably jump up once I get to the states.

Well I think that’s it for today!! I’ll start loading up the pictures I’ve taken in a few minutes!!!

I hope everyone has an awesome week!!!

I'll message you all again soon!! and I’ll give you my apartment address!!

Please write letters!!

I can get them fast starting next week and I can respond to them more quickly!!!

I love you all!!!

Elder Zach Gore :)

Week 4

¡Hola! Las Personas en las Americas (Specifically the United States)

It’s kind of the same every single day, even though it’s all different.  

So I got 3 packages last Friday!!!! From you and grandma!! The Frisbee is so nice to have we play with another district in our branch everyday!!! And I have a pic of my candy stash I’ll send.

I have received all of your letters and Dear Elders!!!! The

Dear Elders took a week and a half. They get here every Wednesday. I think it's too late at this point for any more but I have received all of the other letters and I sent you another one a couple days ago!!!

At this point it would be nice to get mail but I’m afraid only a regular letter might get here fast enough but that’s iffy with only 12 days to go. So if you just want to send stuff to Cali I’m down with waiting until I get there!!!

Dang it took 18 days for you to receive my letter!! That’s crazy!! Well in 12 days they will all get their much faster.

I want to try to do English free days but I don’t know enough to do it by myself, but I keep trying.

 

I actually understand most of what the other missionaries say. The teachers have to slow down a little, but we are here to learn basics. For example, there are 2 different ways to say the word 'for' (por y para). None of us really understand which one you are supposed to use where or when, but they aren't supposed to teach us the whys. We are here to learn Spanish in a way that gets us to be able to communicate lots of things with a very simple set of rules and patterns. And yes I contribute to the lessons now!!!

 

Our investigators are doing well they are both committed to being baptized on the 14th and we are checking up on Jóse (Hermano Vargas) today about his scripture reading. He works a lot so he said he doesn't have a lot of time. We told him that he should read with his kids because it would allow him to spend time with them and grow spiritually and become closer to Cristo. So we'll see what happens!!

More on the food they have this weird thing for peaches and I’ve tried stuff but I don’t really like it.  They usually have two different options for meals and I usually take the steak or chicken and I put it inside of this really, really good bread!!  Just in case anyone is thinking steak at the MTC what?!  It’s not good steak; it’s this roll sort of thin, but it’s really, really good. I'll take a picture of one of my meals so you can see.

Fast Sunday was good. I'm pretty sure everyone in the branch bore their testamonio and it was a good spiritual experience.

Well Hermana Culotta got a parasite. :/ and she was feeling pretty awful for more than a couple days and then she asked for a blessing. So Elder Moore and I, with the permission of our teacher went to the Hermanas casa and the 4 of us, Elder Moore and I, Hermana Cullota and Hermana Harris, met in their living room and Elder Moore and I gave her a blessing. This was the first one either of us had done without our dads with us so we were really nervous, but we said a prayer before hand and asked to be guided in what to say and do. We did our best to follow the promptings of the Spirit.

We also gave Hermana Hanson a blessing. She is super allergic to strawberries and she accidently got some on herself and she was freaking out for a while. She was fine we think but she was really scared and she asked for a blessing. So after the devotional Tuesday, when we were supposed to be having our devotional review, we gave her a blessing. All 8 of the Elders in our district stood in the circle. She went back to her casa early and she is fine now :)

This week Alma 44:2-8 really stood out to me along with the rest of the chapter and the few before and after. Alma is talking to his son Helaman and is asking him all these questions about his faith and if he will be obedient, and in verse 8 it says...''Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.'' I like that because it’s just another scripture about obedience which I have been learning a lot about.  I am the time keeper during gym. I make sure we head home when its time, and one thing I’ve noticed is that my knee doesn't hurt whenever I stop when gym is over. There have been a few times when we have played a little extra, not on purpose, but my leg always starts to hurt when I keep playing frisbee or whatever we are doing. So I try to be as obedient as I possibly can :)

Elder Moore and I are getting along great!!! Singing, dancing sometimes, and scaring Elder Watchman. Well I don’t scare him but Elder Tilby and Elder Moore do sometimes and its pretty funny but he´s a good sport about it :) 

We learn a lot from each other I think. I learn a lot from him at least. We make a good team I think.

That’s really it for this week.

Love,

Elder Gore!!!

Week 3 in the MTC - Oh No - the CCM

Hola!!!!!

I'm doing great!! I'm getting stronger, physically and mentally, and spiritually. The last being the most important,  of course :) 

The work is... it’s coming. Practice teaches are hard sometimes. The language. ugh They all talk sooooo faaaaast its like catching every 3 or 4 words and then I have no idea what they just said. But that’s better than before when I had no idea what anyone was saying.  I’m not giving up on this. I'm practicing and studying all the time and I’m making progress so I know it'll all be ok :)

  

So um here are the last of the questions on the list. Took forever. :)

Are you in a casa or a dorm?

I'm in a casa!!!! Casa 36 :) 

How many rooms are there?

There are 5 rooms in our casa along with like a kitchen (nothing in it to use) and a like living room with the most uncomfortable couches I have ever sat on >.<

How many have to share a bathroom? Tell me about it.

Each room has a bathroom and out of 5 rooms only 4 are in use and there are 4 in a room. So four to a bathroom but we have the spare in room 5. So it’s never like we have to wait because if we had to other rooms would let us use theirs.

This picture was taken right after I got there and before my roommates got there.

How many roommates do you have?

I have 3 roommates. I room with Elder Moore, Elder Tilby and Elder Watchman. 

       

 Do you have any natives in your room? Tell me about them.

Nope no natives. Which is probably good because they don’t seem to understand that you put the toilet paper in the toilet and not in the garbage can. I feel so sorry for all the elders that have to explain that to them.

Mosquitoes ? 

Nope. I haven't been bitten yet. No idea why.

Are they as bad as I have read about? 

 Well I mean there are a lot of them but they don’t seem to really like my blood or the blood of my companion.

Do you use the net? 

Not a once have I used the net. Would it be ok if I gave it to Hermana Curtis and Hermana Hanson for while they are in Panama?? They'll have more need then I will/do.

How is your shoulder bag?

Totally rocking it!!! President Pratt said at this MTC we all have to wear them. But some missionaries use the backpacks they brought. Which totally makes sense since otherwise they would have to buy a bag from the store and they aren't very nice bags.

(Note the large shoulder bag)

I heard there was a crazy storm the first night you were there. Did you get soaked? 

No I had already gone and had dinner and I got to just chill through the storm that night. My 3 roommates weren’t so lucky. They got to the CCM at like 5 I think maybe 6, they had to run through the rain to get some cold gross pizza. It took forever for their shoes to dry out :/ 

Do you use your umbrella and/or rain coat?

Usually Yes. I have this problem where I forget it sometimes and then it dumps on us and so I hold the waterproof shoulder bag above my head. I look like an idiot but I stay pretty dry :)

What has been your favorite thing so far? 

ummm. That’s hard. We have so many fun things. We have lessons which we always dread but they are never as bad as we think they will be. Well except the first one we came out laughing because either we walked out laughing or we walked out crying.  It was not a good lesson. But they have been pretty awesome since then :)

 ummm Gym is always fun. I've been for a couple runs on the track and I’m getting  stronger and faster.

ummmmmmm. Additional Study Time after TALL. Thats always a blast. We have no teacher soooo sometimes we don’t always study. We just hang out and talk, and study, and talk, and then we just talk. We have decided to do better from now on :)

Me doing TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning) I can record my voice saying words in Spanish and then listen to how it is suppose to be pronounced and try again.

Gym time in the rain (Elders Watchman, Moore, Grisham, Larkin  (front), Lots, Tilby, Gore and Eichers)

What is your least favorite?

Uhhh I don’t think I really have one. Unless it’s not being able to sleep. I wake up about every 2 hours every night, and with only 8 hour nights that really isn't helpful.  It’s pretty much the worst sleep night after night after night.  I can’t wait to get back to the states and be able to use my heavy blanket!!!!  (Zach’s mom made him a weighted blanket (it weighs 16 lbs!) it really helps him sleep much better.  It was too heavy & big to put in his suitcase.  We will mail it to him in California.)

How is your investigator doing? How are your lessons going?

Well at this point we have 2 investigators and they are progressing. The Hermano (Brother) is pretty easy. But the Hermana (Sister) is having some issues. They aren't actually related. I’ll explain this all in my answer for the next question.

Who is your favorite teacher?

I have a morning and a night teacher. Hermana Callejas is like one of the nicest people I have ever met. She tries so hard and she does an amazing job. It was her 26th birthday a couple days ago and we sang and got her candy. She is one of the sweetest and most sincere people I have ever met.

 Our night teacher, Hermano Vargas,  was our first investigator. He is the guy in glasses and the suit. He's really nice, always smiling, and super fun.

Hermano Vargas

So our teachers are our investigators and they angle our lessons towards the things we have to work on which is everything so basically they just angle them at us.

We are trying to get Hermano Vargas and Hermana Callejas on a date. They would just be super cute together. It’s probably not going to happen though :(

My favorite food is Pizza Martes!!! Best thing in the world. New missionaries and pizza :) soooo good!!!

Do you love singing in Spanish? 

Uhhhhh. I prefer English. Totally prefer English. In English all the words and notes line up. We have to squeeze multiple syllables onto one beat and it’s really, really hard sometimes.  But we make it work.

Is there a choir?

Yes there is a choir. And it’s the 12 missionaries in my district. Yay!! Nobody else seems to want to be in it :(

Did you have to give a talk on Sunday?

No talk yet. But I write one every week. It’s the scariest thing. But there is nothing so good as looking at the program and not seeing your name  :)

 Have you gotten sick from the water or food?

  I haven't yet but I don’t drink the tape water. They ship in a couple hundred 5 gallon bottles of water and every casa has a stand for them and so I drink out of those. But one of the girls in my District got a parasite and they are doing some tests on uh.. some samples to put it vaguely and not wanting to say exactly what they are testing.

What do you do during gym time?  How is your knee?

During gym we play a lot of Volleyball and Basket ball. I stink at basketball but I play my hardest I’m best at defense. But volleyball I’m pretty good at :) my knee is getting better. I run around and I went for a run a couple days ago and it didn’t start hurting until we were done and then I ran a tiny bit the next day and nothing. So I think its healing :)

Have you bought anything at the Tienda?

uhhhh. Presents for each of the girls, and uhhh on Monday i bought 10 rolls of sweet tarts.... uh and I bought a picture of Christ knocking at a door and a picture of the Mexico City Temple which I must say whoever cropped that photo is a master cropper because you can’t tell what’s actually around the temple! Crazy, scary México City!!! oh and a case for my scriptures and some tape to put up all the pictures you've sent in our room :)

I hope this answers a lot of your questions and I'll try to tell more next week!!!!

My companion needs a hair cut so I'll talk to you next week!!!! (Talk = email).

Love you all!!

Elder Gore

Elder Moore and Elder Gore at the Mexico City Temple

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Week 2

My District's Elders at the Mexico City Temple

Everything is great! We are teaching some mock investigators and learning Spanish. It’s a little hard but I’m praying and working crazy hard.  We have been learning new verbs every day. I'm still pretty bad. This is what I get for taking 4 years of German in High school I guess….

No I didn’t feel the earthquake. We had the earth quake warning alarm go off 3 times so far and have had to run out into the streets but haven't felt anything yet. So I have only ever felt an earthquake in Virginia.

The craziest thing though is it rains every single day here. At the exact same time every day. Well almost the exact same time. If it hasn´t rained by 5 it starts almost exactly at 5 but it’s always a storm regardless of the time it starts. Thunder, lightning! It’s crazy. But we have fun :)

We played a crazy game of volley ball during a thunderstorm! It was awesome!!!

Zach’s dad sent him a few questions.  Here are his answers:

1. The Best thing about being a missionary?

Learning and teaching and feeling the Spirit all the time!

2. What is the hardest thing?

Ummmmmmmmm Spanish. Its way tough. I hate conjugating >.<

3. What do you think you were the best prepared for?

Not having any technology and the work and the energy involved.

4. Send us a couple of good pictures so we can get one on the missionary board at the Church.

I'll see what I can do. Can mom send me her Costco account? It would be easier to upload them all onto there and then she could pull them off.  Cause I can only send like 4 in each email and that takes way to long when i have like 70 pictures.

Me and My Companion on the Bus to the Temple

  

Zach’s mom sent him a bunch of questions.  Here are the answers to about half of them.

How is your companion? 

  He´s pretty cool.

Is it really Elder M.? 

  Yes it really is :)

Are you getting along? 

  Yeah, I think so.

Tell me about him. 

   Elder M. is way tall and he´s a really spiritual guy. I'll send some pictures so you can see him!! He likes sports and he can sing even though he says he can´t. He took Spanish in high school so he´s like miles ahead of me even though he says he´s not very good.

What is it like being with the same person 24/7? 

    Ummmm it’s not like a huge deal. We get along really well so it’s pretty easy. Also it’s just like what we do. We are always supposed to be with our companions soooo we are and there is nothing much else to it.

How is your district? 

   My district is sweet!!! We have some of the coolest spiritual experiences I’ve ever had. We learn and work and have fun together. We are together at least 12 hours a day if not a bit more. I don’t like thinking about the end of the 6 weeks because I love these guys. They are so awesome. Sorry I’m not gonna talk about it I might start crying >.< well probably not but still….

How many Elders & Hermana’s are in your district? 

There are 8 Elders and 4 Hermanas.

What are their names and where are they from/going? 

 Elder M. is from Utah and is going with me to Redlands. Elder T. and Elder W.

 (mi roommates) are also from Utah but are going to Bakersville Cali. Elder La. and Elder E. are from Cali and Utah, respectively, and they are going to Chicago. Elder Lo. and Elder G., from Utah and Alaska, are going to Santa Rosa Cali. All us elders are in the same casa so we hang out a lot.

The hermanas are: Hermanas Han. and Cur., from Arizona and Florida, are going to Panama!! Panama! Panamaha!!(Van Halen song - sorry) and Hermanas Cul. and Har., from Mississippi and Washington state, are going to Salt Lake City and Florida, respectively.

Food!!! 

How is the food? 

   The food is alright. The pancakes and waffles are all really dry so we have to pour our milk onto them before we eat.  They serve a lot of meat and they have these like white bread roll things and we cut them open and fill them with meat. It’s not bad. Could really use some salt or just not dry food.

And the milk?

   Ehhh it’s like that H milk dad was talking about in Germany I think. It can sit out and get warm but it doesn't go bad apparently I don’t drink it when it’s like that. But if you can get it when it’s really cold it’s pretty good. That’s something I’m really looking forward to back in the states. Cold milk. Oh!!! AND COLD WATER!! None of it is cold and it’s annoying >.< haha

I have read they have Fruit Loops. Do you eat them for breakfast, lunch & dinner?

I usually have them at breakfast and dinner but that’s in addition to whatever breakfast or dinner is - they don’t serve them at lunch. haha. :P I eat food mom!!!

Have you found anything else you like? 

  Everything I’ve tried I’ve liked well enough. Nothing is super fantastic. Oh well the lemonade was sooooooooo goood!!!! But then I think we drank it all so now it’s just like juice from prunes, and pineapples and just other random juice that nobody really likes so I have water at lunch most days.

Costco pizza on Tuesday’s must be your favorite!

   Pizza Martes!!!!!!! It’s the best thing in the world!!! We see all these new missionaries and we talk to them in Spanish and they have no idea what’s going on and then we say jk and welcome them and head over to class.

 I sure hope you are not losing anymore weight or your pants will really be hanging off of you.

  Uhhhhhhh. I’m on my last belt loop...I’m probably going to have to poke another hole in all my belts. Sorry >.<

Sorry this is all I have time to send!!!

I got Jena, Emily, and Katie some nice things from here!! I'll send them when I am able, in like 4 weeks once I’m in Cali!!

Lucky ducks you girls!! I would give anything to go to Water Country or swim or just have cold water!  Emily you take good care of that car!!! We need it to survive to Katie!!

The Spanish is coming along.

 I’m attempting to upload photos but it’s being very picky and annoying so I’ll see what I can do.

 I love you all!!!!

Elder Gore!

P.S - Oh can you send me the lyrics to the song Homeward Bound??? The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings it and a group of young men sang it at the devotional and so if you could send me the words that'd be awesome!!!!