Back in New Mexico

Hey everyone! Elder Smith and I gave talks in church last Sunday. The Bishop called us like Friday night, and we're already signed up to talk in the Spanish Sacrament on like the 17th or 18th. On the 11th I'm going to Roswell for Stake Conference! So I'll get to see Elder Rose, and all the members from Roswell - I wonder if they'll remember me! (Or should I say how could they have forgotten me?!) I haven't ever heard back from Jose and Juana for a while. But there will be a ton of us going through the temple when Albert is ready, (me, Elder Rane, Elder Rose, Ian Vick, and my "family" from Dumas!!!!!) Albert and I still stay in touch!
I'm adjusting pretty well to Hobbs, it's a nice place. What do I like the most about being back in New Mexico? I think the people are a little nicer here than they are in Texas (but I still love Texas, don't get me wrong). What do i like the least about New Mexico? I feel closer to home!!!! haha!! some members told me the other day, "You're from St. George?" and I said yes; then they looked up on their phone app and said "You're only like 15 hours from home from right here!" so that was weird, but whatever!

About my release date: I've known that the date was February 8th since the day you guys kicked me out the car on February 3, 2010!!!! It's in my white handbook!!! Maybe I should have told ya'all about this sooner, but this doesn't mean you can start counting down the days!!! That will just make it longer!! We're going to finish this like a good round of golf: one shot at a time so we stay focused and take everybody's money at the end of the day!! hahah! yeah it's pretty crazy. in a couple of days I'll have 19 months! I remember back when Elder Willie and I joined forces in Roswell, and he had 19 months when that happened, and I remember thinking: if I could just get to where he is now, I think I'll be alright. Well, here I am ~ and I'm doing awesome!! I'm pretty sure I say this every week, but I love being a missionary!!!!!! Nothing could ever compete with this. I remember talking to Elder Ward in the car when I first got here a year and a half ago; we were driving from Hobbs to Roswell, and he asked me if serving a mission was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I told him that it is. Even though back then I had no real experience at all. It was hard and now it's still hard, but I've learned to rely on my Savior, to put my trust in Him, and somehow things work out just fine.

My Spanish is going into overdrive; when I was with Elder Martinez in Ft. Stockton, Texas, I was lazy with my Spanish because he's basically from Mexico and can speak so fluently, so everybody we talked to in Spanish, Elder Martinez did most of the work. But now with Elder Smith, we're both white guys (haha!) and he doesn't really like speaking, so I get to do everything which is perfectly fine with me!!!!! I actually got a compliment last night on my Spanish by the Elders Quorum President and his wife - I talked to him on the phone like on Monday, and he was like, "who was I talking to on the phone the other day?" and I told him it was me, and he's like, "you speak it very well." and his wife was like, "okay, let's see" so all three of us started speaking, and they were both impressed!!!! I love Spanish so much!!!! Elder Smith and I are going to a book store today to see if they have some Spanish books for really cheap!

Oh, here's a story: the other day I ate a habanero pepper!!! If you don't know what they are you should find out, they're the little orange ones. I actually ate two of them, so they could clear up my sinus' (I've been stuffed up like ever since I got here) and they cleared me out alright! My face was all red and I was practically crying it was so hot!!!! Elder Smith filmed the whole thing!!

Wow, I love you guys so much. I think about ya'all a lot. A mission really is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but it's SO worth it! All it takes is for the spirit to be there in a lesson - even if it's just for a few seconds - and then I feel like I can continue moving forward. Ever since the Zone Conference we had in the middle of August I've been trying to get to know my Savior more. I've been blessed with so many things in my life since I started this crazy roller coaster ride. I can speak Spanish. I can testify of who Jesus Christ is. I can talk to people and I can help them have better lives. Which reminds me: what blessings have ya'all seen since I've been out here? Sorry, I think I just went into District Leader mode, hahaha!!!!!

Oh well, Tengo que tomar estos cinco meses restantes, porque hay mucha gente que quiere escuchar la palabra de Dios y voy a trabajar hasta el final! Rezo para que Dios se hará cargo de esta semana! Casi no puedo esperar para la próxima semana para escuchar lo que está sucediendo en sus vidas. Bueno, está bien, vaya con Dios, y que Dios los bendiga! Todos los thenit derecho! hahaha! tomeslo fácil!

Translation: I need to take these remaining five months, for there are many people who want to hear the word of God and I will work until the end! I pray that God will take care of this week! I can hardly wait for next week to hear what is happening in your lives. Well, okay, go with God, and God bless! All right then! hahaha! Take it easy!

Con Carino, (translation: with love) Elder Zachary Levi Perkins

It's HOT Hot hot!

Hey familia!! Well, I was transferred this week ~ I guess I'll tell you where I am right now; okay, well, I started my mission on the very West side (Roswell), then I made it over to the furthest East side (Abilene), then I went to the furthest North side (Dumas) so yep! you guessed it!! I'm on the furthest South side!!!!! I'm in Fort Stockton, TX!! Yesterday (Wednesday) I woke up at 5 30 a.m. and was on the bus from 7 a.m until 3 p.m just to get from Amarillo to Odessa, then my new companion (Elder Sperry) and I drove another hour and 20 minutes to Ft. Stockton!! It's so awesome here!! and hot!! I love it!!! The Branch President is named President Shurtz, he and his wife are senior missionaries here - they are WAY sweet!!!!!

So I'm really excited to be here, where it's nice and hot. I think I told you guys this, but I've always just really wanted to serve way down south here in Texas - and i finally made it!!! Elder Sperry has only two transfers left, so I'll probably kill him here. note: the phrase "kill him" does not mean literally kill him, but it means that I'll probably be his last companion. he lives in Nephi, Utah and knows Beau Richardson!!! But I'm also excited to be here and to get away from the panhandle ~ change is good, so I'm excited to see what happens here! it sounds like we baptize a lot down here - so I'm really looking forward to that!!

Yes, i LOVE that golf ball Albert gave me!!!! i got to talk to him on the phone on Tuesday afternoon! He wished me lots of luck and said he misses me and is going to stay in touch with me! i love that guy! this Sunday he meets with the council to see if he's where he needs to be to get baptized again - he IS where he needs to be. He's even more ready!! and guess what? i don't know how we found this out, but since Ian Vick moved from Dumas and he was the Branch Mission leader, and now Albert is going to get baptized again soon - ALBERT IS GOING TO BE THE NEW BRANCH MISSION LEADER IN DUMAS!!! How cool is that!?!? way cool!

Kate's birthday party sounds cool!! Almost as cool as the sweet techno dance parties that I used to throw!! I want to throw another one when i get home again - if all my friends remember who i am! i haven't heard from too many of them lately (especailly the ladies) but it's all good. I actually like it not getting too much mail (of course you guys should continue doing what your doing, the monthly newsletter, random packages of goodies, etc. ya know, all that good stuff!). um . . . i forgot where i was going with all that, but that's okay, haha!! oh yeah the techno dance parties!!!! yes those were pretty epic!!!

Well, even though I am definitely near the end of my mission and my companion even more so, I'm going to continue to work hard and be paciente (i forgot how to spell that!) in the work. time does go by fast, but only if you're doing what's right, that's what I've found out since being a missionary. I really want to spread my wings and show the members and investigators what I'm really made of, and go out there and capture the miracle and find those that are truly ready. This morning I read in Alma 32, about the people that were truly humble and ready to hear the word, those are the people that I try to find every day. And this town (from what I've seen so far) looks just perfect for that! So, I'm here, and I'm in the moment, right where I need to be. osaat right?! i love you guys! tomselo con calma! peace, from way down south!!

Love, Elder Zachary Levi Perkins

Hey guys, you'll never believe this! but I'm still here in Dumas (that's not the part to not believe) and I'm training!! a greenie!! straight from the MTC!! his name is Elder Justensen and he's from Layton Utah!!! He's so awesome! We're having a lot of fun here! And then guess what?! I'm a District Leader!! what?!?!?!?!? yeah it's pretty crazy! In the last week I've been on three conference calls, and another one is coming up tomorrow! and I get to go to Lubbock for leadership training on Tuesday the 15th! it's so crazy being a leader, but i know i can do it (easy) and the Lord will help me out a ton!

Elder Rane is in Ruidoso right now, and he's back-up training over there. It was pretty sad leaving him, but it's all good, we promised each other we would stay in touch, and we wrote in each others journals like the night before he left. He's an awesome kid. but so is Elder Justensen, I took him all over the place yesterday! we worked hard! I'm going to show him (by example) what it takes to be a good missionary and how to work hard - all day every day! his Spanish is pretty good too! i also made a promise to myself, to the Lord, and to the zone leaders that I'm going to keep in way good contact with my district, and try to call all of them once a day just to tell them i love them. that's something that really stuck out to me when Elder Ward and Willie were my district leaders in Roswell. I really look forward to teaching all these missionaries how to improve in their areas.

Golfing was awesome with Albert!!!! He had another set of clubs (yep, mayflower ones!) and all Elder Rane had was his left handed golf club; he had to chip and putt right handed. I was so fun you guys!! I got a birdie!!! two of them! on the last hole Albert stuck one close (like 20 feet) and thought he was all pro, so of course I had to put it inside of his right? I mean, this shot was going down in history! so i did my (awesome) routine and put the ball two feet from the cup!!! boom! Take that one Kate!!! hahaha!!

Yeah, I got the trainer call and the district leader call last Friday. that was a crazy phone call from president, "Elder Perkins, I'm calling you to be a trainer" and I'm like, " whoa!" and then he's like, "and a District Leader" and I'm like, "whoa!" and he's like, "Do you accept these two callings?" and I'm like, "whoa! yeah, I do!" then he told me how much confidence he has in me, and told me he's not calling me to do this because it's "my turn" or anything. He expressed to me how much he trusts me, and how excited he is to be working very close to me. He told me that being a trainer and a district leader are the two most important callings a missionary can have, because they affect so many other missionaries around us. In the conference call last night he told all us District Leaders that we're the ones "in the trenches" and everyone else is "above dry ground". What he meant by this, is that everyone is looking up to us to see how our area is doing, to get ideas on how to improve. I've always strived to be an obedient missionary (if I wasn't you guys would have received a phone call from President!) , but now there is absolutely no excuse to break any rules. I hope this makes sense, I've never broken rules before, and now it's so much more important that i don't, you know?

Sweet. so, I don't know if I have any other sweet stories to tell you guys. Elder Rane told me some really nice things (in my journal) before he left. He told me that even though I'm the same person (pretty crazy but super awesome with a hilarious sense of humor!) that he's seen me grow a lot. He said he could notice a difference in my Spanish, that I so confident, that I could contact people in an unawkward way, (sometimes contacting is kinda weird!) and that missionary work in general is a lot of fun around me and things are a lot more effective. Since I've been on my mission, I've really learned how to love everyone around me, and to help then with whatever they need. I've only been companions with elder Justensen since Tuesday night, but i already love him a ton. He's a little shy right now, but that will change very soon with me!! hahaha! The members already love him too, we're going to work really hard and have a lot of fun together!

Don't worry dad, one day I probably will serve in Odessa or Midland. I actually really want to serve there; but we all know it's not what I want, but where the Lord needs me to be. How's your golf game going? I could actually surprisingly still hit the ball pretty well. I was planning on my fade to come into play, but the ball just stayed really straight! Kinda weird but super awesome! We had A TON of fun!!!!! It felt like I was where I needed to be, on a golf course!!!!

How was the temple? I need to go again. I haven't been since I went in Roswell with Elder Kenyon in June!!!! I wonder if I'll get to go when I'm in Lubbock . . . I'll ask about that one. Elder Rose and I are going on exchanges with each other maybe as soon as next week! That will be a lot of fun serving with him in my area!

Well, once again, my time has almost expired on the computer, so I must stop for now. But I hope all of you know that I love you dearly, more than words could ever explain. I now need your prayers more than ever now that i have these added responsibilities; but I'm grateful for the chance I've been given to prove my faithfulness and diligence to the Lord and to others.

I hope you guys have a great week, and I really look forward to hearing from you next week!

Love, Elder Zachary Levi Perkins

You Have Only To Believe If You Wish To Achieve

Okay, I'm going to start out with a story of faith: Jose, this guy has more faith than a lot of people I know! We've been talking to him about the importance of coming to church but it's hard for him to get work off. So the other day he goes into work, walks straight up to his boss and says "I need work off on Sunday's so I can go to church." His boss says "Um . . . no." So Jose says "Okay, well, I quit - see ya later!" Whoa! And Jose has been working there for like five years. He told us this story and said that he absolutely knew, 100% that the Lord would bless him with another job! Guess what? Three days later he got another job!! I love this guy so much. His baptism is actually tomorrow!!

Roswell

Roswell is pretty sweet - some people are nice and other people aren’t. Everyone always asks in their letters if I’ve seen an alien and I always respond with ‘Yes, I have seen an alien; some people are just different’. Roswell is a town of about 46,000 people so it’s a lot smaller than St. Geezy. But whatever, the whole town you could pretty much classify at “ghetto” because there are a lot of trailer homes and really small houses. None of the people have any yard to speak of, but everybody has like 5 cars parked on their small front yard! But just because there are 3 cars in front of their house, doesn’t necessarily mean anyone’s home - especially when we missionaries come a-knockin'!

These are the typical yard accessories on any given street in Roswell.

Wait a Minute

That’s not the same Spanish they taught us in the M.T.C.!

My Spanish IS getting better but there’s lots of room for improvement. It’s just like golf - you practice everyday - all day - and you get really frustrated along the way (bad shots = bad grammar or misuse of grammar, but you get my point) and then when you get to the tournament (or in this case, an investigator’s door) you just have to hope that you practiced enough and you can come out on top! Right now I’m in the frustrated cause-it’s-not-working-how-I-want-it-to phase. Kind of like Spanish is the front nine and the lesson is the back nine - the front nine was like 5 or 6 over (ouch) but the back nine was like 3 under!

If we’re teaching a lesson, I’m all over it, but then before or after and the investigators are talking about their car or work or something random like that, then that’s when I just nod my head and said “si”. Spanish people talk way fast and forever!

We don’t have many investigators right now because about three weeks ago they changed us to Spanish-only investigators. We knock on doors for like an hour every day and we have a really tiny Spanish Branch, about 30 or 35 people and it’s hard to get lessons with a member present because there is just not enough people. My trainer (or papa; that mission lingo - you get trained by your papa making you a son and so on).

Crash and Burn

My first comp since I left the M.T.C. - Elder Kenyon - He and I ride our bikes around all day and one day he saw a Sharpie on the road and he turned around to point it out to me cause I was behind him. When he turned to point, he turned a little to hard left and went up the curb on his bike. I didn’t see it happen cause I was looking at the Sharpie. So Elder Kenyon wanted to show me what he did so he tried to ride up the curb again, but crashed a little and we started laughing. He was super determined so he got back up and tried it again and this time he crashed again!!! I hit the pavement laughing so hard!! I’m laughing right now as I type this!!! At the time we didn’t think his wounds were so serious, but take a look - he looks like a burn victim!

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

This truck is hilarious:

We like to track him down when we're hungry!!

And these signs make us laugh:

(we just like what they say!)

This sign always makes me sad . . .

Hey Everyone! So after 9 weeks in the MTC, and studying harder and longer than I ever thought I could, I "escaped" and landed myself in Roswell, New Mexico!

Roswell is the west end of the Texas Lubbock Mission. Got settled into my apartment, Apartment "D" and assembled the bike.

We generally ride anywhere from 15-40 miles per day. The work is progressing a lot and my Spanish is getting better. I'm excited about the work here and we're expecting more success by the end of this transfer. We're working really close with the members here so we've got to be seeing some success soon!

The Aliens are everywhere - don't let them get me!!