11/25/11

So apparently they decided instead of just giving us time to write letters, they would let us email for a half hour. I just got out of sacrament meeting with Elder Bednar. He gave the most spiritual amazing talk I have ever heard. It was on converting to Christ. I wish I could just record it and send it to you all. It was amazing. Thank you all so much for the presents. I loved opening them this morning. I hope you are all having a great Christmas and remembering what its all really about. It seems like every time I sit down to email or to write a letter my mind totally goes blank and I can't think of anything to say. If any of you want to know anything specific or have any questions, please write me a letter, and I would love to answer them. I think I still have some time later to write letters or whatever, so I think I'm gonna write a letter to you guys then as well so I can have a little more time and hopefully say more. Everything here is going really well. We had a fireside last night where they basically acted out the Christmas story and had a bunch of songs. There was this guy that sang and he was so amazing, and then a girl played violin while someone played the piano and they did a version of silent night. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I think one of the things I miss most is music. That and being able to go outside whenever I want. It still hasn't snowed, but it's just as cold as if it had. I swear, I've had a constant stuffy nose since I got here. ha ha but oh well. My computer keeps freezing when I'm typing, so if I misspell anything, that's probably why. I can't see what I'm typing and then it just appears like 20 seconds later. Tonight we have a fireside, but I don't know who is gonna be speaking there. Elder Bednar gave the same advice about the Book of Mormon that he gave when he went and spoke to Mitch's mission. I thought it was kinda funny. I think I'm gonna try it. It must be good advice if he's gonna give it out so much. The advice is basically that whenever you have some challenge or a question in your life, just get a new paperback Book of Mormon, like the ones the missionaries give out, and read through it cover to cover, and mark anything that helps you with your question. I think it's great advice, and it really shows the Lord your desire to learn. I hope you all are having a great Christmas, and I wish that you all felt the love of the Lord as strongly as I do being here right now. It really is the most desirable above all other fruit. I can't wait to here from you again. Until then, know that I love you all and am so grateful for all that you do for me.
Elder Janda

11/23/11

Hey.
Everything is going great. My companion is also going to the Mexico City southeast. Almost everyone from my district is. All but two that are going to Peru, and two that are going to another mission in Mexico. I got some new people in my zone this week. They're all going to stateside Spanish speaking missions. Some are going to California some to Florida and some to phoenix.
Mallory Eyestone came in to the MTC this week too. I saw her on Wednesday right after she got in. I was walking to lunch and she was walking the opposite direction with her host. It was cool. She has class just down the hallway from mine, so I'm sure I'll see you pretty often.
I'm learning Spanish really well. I started reading the book of Mormon in Spanish yesterday. I have to use a dictionary sometimes, but I'm almost through the third chapter of first Nephi.
I got a present from the Verplanke's yesterday. I haven't opened it yet, but I was really surprised that they sent me something. It was really nice of them. Please tell them all thank you from me and that I hope they have a great Christmas.
Sorry my emails aren't very long or very in depth, I only have a half hour and these computer are really slow. I think they're giving us time on Christmas to write letters, so I'll try to send one out to all of you. I love you all so much and am grateful for all that you do for me and all the support that you give me. I hope you all have a great Christmas.
Con Amor, Elder Janda

December 16, 2011

hola,
Everything here is going good. i'm still getting along with my companion and everything. It's funny, we both think very similarly, like yesterday, we were having a discussion in class about our purpose as missionaries and the doctine of Christ and things like that, and every time either of us was gonna say anything the other one said it first. I'm really grateful that I got a good companion to start off with. That was my biggest worry when I was heading out. I'm still getting along with most of my district too, there's only a few people that are starting to bug me, but oh well. I haven't met any apostles or anything yet, but this past Sunday the BYU men's choir came and sang for our devotional, which was really cool, and then Tuesday, the young women's president came and spoke. Apparently Tuesdays are the days when apostles and such come, so we'll see who comes this week. I think I'm adjusting well, we're always busy. There's hardly ever any time that we don't have something to do. The language is coming really well. Out of our entire district I'm one of the ones that knows it the best. I think it's because I took it in school, and because I learned it when I was little with the jennings, and because we live in Arizona. It's been cold, but not unbearably so. It snowed a little bit a few days ago, but none of it stuck, which is alright with me. If I get a chance, I'll try to get on again later and send you another email.
Le amo mucho.

January 10, 2011

Hola familia! I am doing great. My companion is really cool, in fact, my whole district is pretty cool. At least so far haha. My companion is Elder Zufelt, and he's from Winslow, AZ. If I could pick my companion out of the elders in my district, I would probably have chosen him. We have a lot of the same interests, and we seem to think along the same lines most of the time. My p-day is usually on Fridays, but this week my schedule is different since it's only a half week, so it's today instead. It was crazy when I first got here. Right away we had class, and the teachers only speak spanish to us except for things that are super important, but practically all the time, only spanish. They're really cool though, and very patient haha. Yesterday, I had to teach my first investigator, and all in spanish too. It was pretty difficult, but we got through it. He's not a real investigator, just a member who is pretending to be an investigator, but it doesn't matter. The schedule is so busy here, so it seems like I've been here way longer than I have. Thank you all for your letters. It's great hearing how you are all doing. Thanks for the package too. I just got it today, but apparently they had it at least yesterday if not the day before. Oh well. I feel like I'm learning a lot of spanish even though I knew a lot before. I'm learning a lot of new words and phrases and such. We try to speak in Spanish as much as possible, so that we can remember all the words we're learning. And we all learned how to pray in Spanish so now whenever we pray we try to do it as much in Spanish as possible. It's tough, but it's fun. My roommates are going to Peru, so in three weeks, they leave and go down to the MTC in Peru. One of them is my district leader. He's pretty cool. They're both from Utah. They are Elder Hulet, and Elder Driggs. Almost my entire district is from, Utah, except for me, my companion, a guy from Boise, Idaho, and a guy from Oahu. Well I think my laundry is done, so I better go. I love you all, and can't wait to hear back