November 27th email

Hello everyone!

Sorry for not emailing you all last week; I wasn't able to send out a mass email! So in here I'll include things about the last two weeks.

So there's a new Elder here in our area, Elder Ixtlahuac! That's pronounced "Esh-la-wok". Sounds like an Arizona name. WHICH speaking of, he's from Chandler! Is that not cool? He and I got to spend time together on exchanges; he went to Harvard for a year before coming out! ...he's really smart, as you may imagine. On Sunday, there was an event called a "Face to Face" that the church has been putting on; where people basically ask church leaders questions. It was awesome! If you want to watch it (which, if you haven't, I highly recommend) you can view it at 
https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/face-to-face/oaks-ballard?cid=HP_SU_19-11-2017_dPFD_fBCAST_xLIDyL1-B_&lang=eng

That's a long link!

Monday last week, our district, comprising of eight missionaries; four companionships, played a game they have lovingly dubbed as "slaughterball." It is, in essence, free-for-all dodgeball, with only one ball. We ended up playing it in a racquetball court. Imagine with me, what that was like... 8 guys, all bursting with the energy of 18-20 year olds, crammed into a small racquetball court, throwing a rubber ball at each other. It was...hectic, I'll say!

After that, nothing too much happened for the next few days. Thanksgiving we were invited for dinner to a Brazilian family's home! They're a fun, bubbly family. While there we went around the table and said what we were thankful for ('cause that's what we do!); the wife said some things, and her husband made fun of her jokingly, and said, "You didn't say you were grateful for your family!" She said "I did! I said that first! Didn't I?" She then looked at Elder Carlsen. He shrugged and said, "Yeah, I think so...?" She looked at him sternly with the look only a mother can give and said "Say yes!" He threw his hands up in the air and went "Okay! Yes! She did!" We all laughed! (and for the record, she did in fact, actually say family first. I am a witness!)

The next day we ended up having dinner with them as well; Thanksgiving leftovers! We did survive! (Well, Elder Carlsen was ready to pop, but besides that...)

Then Sunday we gave a lesson to the members of the Columbia Village ward, on the new Light the World initiative the church is putting on this year. It is, in essence, just doing a small act of kindness for someone, from now until Christmas. If you'd like to learn more you can here: www.mormon.org

Thank you everyone, for all that you do! You're all awesome. Hope you have a wonderful week!

-Elder Jacob Degiuli

Here is a picture that was taken at the Face to Face broadcast. I found this picture on his mission Facebook page. The Mission President and his wife are so good about taking pictures of the missionaries. I love it! 

 

Here are a few more pictures Jacob sent.

 

 



November 13th email

Hello everyone! 
Hope all is going well for all of you all! 

So, last week, right after sending my email out to you all, we sent my companion, Elder Barton, out of the country! Kicked him outta here, off to Portugal! Later Monday, it actually snowed! It was snowing lightly for about a half hour. No idea where it came from; and it didn't stay. But still! Ah!

Then, later, Tuesday, we stacked wood for a man here, we're planning on going over again later this week to chop and stack some more.

Nothing much too exciting happened then until Saturday, when we were able to help a different man in the area. He made a ceramic fountain, and needed help pouring concrete to make a sturdy base. So we were able to help him with that, it was quite interesting! I've never mixed concrete before! 

Then, while we're out walking around, we were going past this park, and there were SO many geese! More than I could really count. We had a stare-down as we passed by...they won; but only because there's more of them than us...

Besides that, I don't have much else to report on! Oh, besides that I'm still with Elder Carlsen. We'll be together for the next 5 weeks or so!

Love you all!

-Elder Jacob Degiuli

Last week, he said he had pictures of visiting the Capitol Building. Here are his pictures he sent me of that visit. It's a beautiful building and the fall colors are just gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

I have no words for this picture except for... boys.

 

November 6th email

Hello, everyone!

This past week went by just like *that* which is weird because we didn't do a whole lot!
On Monday we visited the Capitol building, pictures will come next week as I am on an unfamiliar computer and have no idea how to put an SD card into this computer! Later Monday evening, we were able to teach several families; we were rushing from appointment to appointment! It was lots of fun.
Then on Halloween we had to be inside of our apartment by 7; in the past there have been issues where people have caused problems for missionaries on Halloween, so we had to be in early! We played a movie, called "The Testaments." It's about the life of Jesus Christ, sorta. I can't really explain it too well in a short email.
Then on Wednesday my companion got his visa! I don't know if I've told you all, but my companion is waiting to fly out to Portugal; he was waiting to get his visa. So he got it on Wednesday, and is flying out today at 2pm our time! That's crazy.
Friday we did exchanges, where we switch missionary companions for about 24 hours. Ours were cut short because we went through the Meridian Temple open house! For anyone who doesn't know what that is; whenever an LDS temple is finished being built, there's an open house for it and the public is able to go through and learn more about what we do there.
No cat stories for you all this week!
Love you all! Thank you for all of your continued support.
Have a wonderful week!

-Elder Jacob Degiuli

These pictures are from Monday, before the Elders left for Portugal.

I've also been busy trying to put together a birthday package to send to Jacob. His birthday is next Tuesday and packages are delivered to the missionaries on their Pday, so he should get his package the day before his birthday. Perfect!

I put thermals and thick socks in for him to sleep in, a package of blueberry fig fruit bars, trail mix, microwave popcorn, hot chocolate and some vitamin C drink packages. Kevin and I also made Rolo cookies and mini pumpkin muffins, individually wrapped them so hopefully they'll stay fresh this week and put them into Pringles cans. We also have some letters and notes in there. I hope he has a great 19th birthday!