1st Area - Denver Harbor

Hey everyone!!!

Right now i am sitting in the Houston comm. College! a ton of the spanish missionaries meet here to email! But my Area is called Denver Harbor. Its a pretty cool place, a little bit ghetto! ill just let you get on Google and see for yourself and you can make your own judgements! haha there are a ton, and i mean a ton of stray dogs here so that always makes it fun to ride bikes! haha the other day we stay a dead dog in a ditch with three other big dogs eating it!!! it was so gross and stunk and as i rode by it made me think i really was out of the country! haha. but the address for my HOUSE, we dont live in a apt. because those are in a part of town thats a little sketchy so we have a house, but the address is:

Elder Erickson

6904 Hershe St.

Denver Harbor, TX, 77020

you can send things there or just to the mission office. the mission office can forward anything to us that is sent through U.S. mail for free. Thats what i would do if its a box or close to a transfer. that way it will get to me for sure. but its up to you. The mission office address is:

Elder Ethan Erickson

Texas Houston East Mission Pkwy Ste109

Kingwood TX 77339-5520

The house have is white with orange trim if you try to look it up on google earth. its small but there is only two of us living there so it works out great. its dirty though. I hate dirty. its different lifestyle for me but ill make it work, i need to bust out my CNA skills again and clean up. But My companion is named Elder Facer! he is From Nash, Tenn. that made me think of dad when he told me that! i thought it was pretty cool! im not sure if they lived there when Dad was serving but they live there right now. He is a cool kid. Super smart, he got a 36 on his ACT. He has trained twice already and hasnt even been our here that long. He has only have 1 transfer where he hasnt either been trained or training. I like to think of him as the super missionary. But the problem with that is he works to much with out any fun. I havent even gotten my bags all un packed because we have been going  going going going oingooignoginoging.

 Its all good though i can keep up, its just going to not be as fun if we cant incoperate fun with the work so we'll see if i can teach him a thing or two. we've been out every night but 1 until 9:30 so then with planning we dont have time for anythign but rushing into bed! i barely get to write the cool things in my journal! and he also already knew spanish pretty good before he came out! so he doesnt really know what its like to have to be learning it as you go so he doesnt talk to me in spanish as much as i would like! but we get along get and work good together! we taught 34 lessons in this one week! i guess thats a lot...he said thats the most he has ever taught.

 It was awesome my first night out we taught this couple for the first time named Lesbi and Isaias. And i have struggling to follow along cuz im not used to the navtive speed and how the slur everything but i kinda got the main idea and it seemed to be going really well and then Elder Facer leaned over to me and was like ok im going to talk about the book of mormon and you commit them to be baptized!!! ah. so i did it and it went alright there was only one word then had to have me repeat and they said yes!!!! he was way awesome for me. so we set a date for the 31 of this month. im not sure how well its going to go cuz they aren't married we found out and the husband hasnt been home the last two times we've stopped by so we'll see how well it goes. but it was still a cool experience for my first spanish lesson. we actually teach quite a bit in english so its going to be that much harder to learn the spanish cuz i use english so much too. right now that is probably my biggest worry! i want to learn it but its a lot harder than i thought. i felt so good leaving the MTC and now i get out here and can barley understand anyone!  but we have taught a ton of people and ive met so many people! Its pretty awesome! we also got another bapt. comt. last night that was was aweome! i feel it was better about that one than Lesbi because witht he second one, Dora, her husband actually just got baptized last week and he an awesome guy so hers is for the 24 of this month! its close and we'll have to work hard but i think she can make it! 

oh and i almost forgot! we are working with town kids from a family whos mom got baptized a few weeks ago and we set a date with the boy for the 4th i think. whatever is the first sat. in april, cuz he is only there every other weekend so its will be a little more work but his name is nicky and he is only 10 i think.  his Sister Named Lyric is 15 and we asked her and she started crying and didnt really give us an answer but we'll have to see how it goes.

 ah so much has happened and i wish i could get all the stories in here! we had an investigator come to church yesterday! his name is Jesus and he has a date for the 31st of march as well! but he is an Ex- JW/TJ whatever they are called and so he has a lot of questions and doubts but he is progessing just slowly, But he came to church with his old hat on and denim jacket and jeans with a box of cigs in the coat. so i dont think will make the 31st but we're trying! haha he is crazy though! super old and hasnt shaved for years and i love him! haha.

 Church is all in spanish and i actually did alright to understand the sunday school lesson! Testimony meeting was hard cuz everyone talks different and its hard for my ears to adjust to all the different people! but it was aswesome!

 ive already had so much mexican food its unreal! everything has been pretty normal except i had cactus the other night which was pretty good! and i had a Lingua Burrito the other day too! it was pretty good! the taste isnt bad at all but the texture and maybe just the tought is a little weird for me! but i wouldnt have a propblem eating it again! the other food though is sooo good! and the salsas they have here are so freaking hot! its crazy! but i love it!!

As for the travel here it was so awesome to see Todd in the airport i love that man! im not sure if im fully dress in that picture cuz he came up right as i went through security to i was trying to hurry and get dressed and he need to leave and the airport lady was trying to get me so she could screw up my bag and open everything it was just a mess! but it was fun...

everyone in my travel group that was going english was kinda weird but at least it was Salt Lake but we flew on a baby airplane! it was like 15 rows long and two chairs on each side. it wasnt a bad flight though. but nothing really cool happened!

So i sent some pictures!  Me next to a Denver Harbor tag. one is me and elder Facer! and the other is me and Jesus!!!

 the houses they live in are very humbling! one less active we teach lives in a chickencoop! and he gets his power thought a cord into the next house! ill try and get a picture some time!

well my time is up! sorry if i missed anything! I love you all so much!!!!

Con amor!

Elder Erickson!

Elder Facer and Elder Erickson

Jesus the investigator that came to church last Sunday


Denver Harbor Tag

 Elder Erickson's Home while in Denver Harbor - from gooogle earth

He's There!

We recived an email today titled  " Your Missionary Has Arrived!" 

Dear Families,

Your Missionary has arrived safely to T.H.E. Mission! They were treated to a great Texas BBQ, had personal interviews, and shared testimonies. The following morning was focused on training after which they met their new companion and were transported to their area of service.  They are now out diligently searching for our Heavenly Father's children and doing the work of the Lord. Thank you for sending your daughters and sons to us, they have added great strength to our small army here in the Texas Houston East Mission. We love them and are so grateful to have them with us. You will find attached a picture of  your newly arrived missionary with Sister Crawford and myself as well as their arriving group.
 

We are delighted that your Missionary is here and look forward to working with them.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Crawford

President Crawford, Elder Erickson, and Sister Crawford

The Group of Missionaries that Elder Erickson flew to Texas with.  Elder Erickson along with Elder Kefer and Mallard (his Roomies from the MTC) are Spanish speaking. 

Today he was assigned his area and companion......we are anxious to know where and with who!

He's Off!

We got to talk to Elder Erickson this morning!  Ethan's friend's dad was in the airport this morning headed to California and so he was able to find him and send us a few pictures right after he came through security. 

Can't you see the light in his eyes?  ha ha

It was so good to hear his voice.  He seems to be doing great and is so excited to get to Texas and teach the people, and his Spanish is sounding awesome.  He told us on the phone "I love Mexicans!" 

When I told him to write me a letter on the plane he said "sorry, I am reading my Book of Mormon the whole way... I'm going to convert someone on this flight!"

 He is so "gung-ho."

 

God Speed Elder.

Week 8: Last MTC Email

Hey!

So first off I did get to host again this week! It was fun! and I actually saw Bryce Decker's car drive by so i ran down to where he was and got to be his host just like Bryson was for me! it was awesome to switch places in that situation! Bryce is going to be a Stud missionary though! 

Not a lot happened this week. A funny story in TRC we were teaching a lady we had already taught a few weeks back and the tema for that week was "Revelacion por medio el Libro De Mormon" so we just asked what her favorite scripture was and why and she gave the Words Of Mormon scirpture that I had shared with her a few weeks back and when i shared it with her that time she said she hadnt heard that one so it was awesome for me that i gave her her favorite scripture! haha Im so stoked about Preston's mission call! That's so awesome! Spanish is the best! There is no better language, well besides the language of the spirit but still! Im stoked for him! I need to write him, that awesome kid already forgot about me haha.  He is going to love it!  I wish I could have been there when he opened it!... 

I need to go start packing right now probably with all the stuff im not going to need. I got my hair cut again, I know it was just like last week I got it cut but I told them to cuz it was as short as they would on the side and leave it as long as they could on top! haha. so now its just straight short all around. Shortest its ever been for sure......but its all good I still look good and now I won't have helmet hair! 

We got a whole batch of elders from Tonga and Somoa and New Zeland yesterday! They are so sick! we go talk with them at night and its the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life...they are crazy! and I'm trying to learn some of their language but its tough haha.  I know like fefe hake or something like that it means hello how are you.  They are awesome and all have the sick tribe tatoos all over their arms.  One is going to Ogden and he is sick. 

I'm not really sure what else to say, I guess ill just talk with you on monday! I got to go pack! IM SO excited to go teach some mexcians and whatever kind of people even live there, I love them already and I'm so stoked!  Not too excited for the heat but I'll figure something out. I love the mission I can already tell teaching real people and helping real people is going to awesome!

For my testimony just know that "I Know its all True."  that should cover it!!

Love you all!

Con amor

Elder Erickson

Love you and cant wait to talk!

Week 7: Valentine's Day

Hey Family,

So funny story first, So as you all know Tuesday was Valentines day, so after breakfast all of the Elders are just wanting to get studying and forget about it so it doesnt make us homesick, so we walk into our class and the Hermanas had decorated all of our desks and each of them wrote a letter to all of us and had these little treat bags made up, it was very nice of them, but none of us even thought about doing something for them. So we were all freaking out and so we locked the door so we could try and figure something out. They had put a lot of work into it and we didnt have jack. so while we were trying to figure something out someone knocked on the door....it was our teacher so we let him in and told him the situation and he just laughed and started telling us how we have a big problem, and they'll only talk in spanish so it made it even more funny cuz they get the thickest accents when the speak. but they the Hermanas came in and we all felt terrible cuz we didnt have anything for them. but later in the day all of us gathered the candy we had and just covered their desks! it was so funny we tried to decorate it nice but when you have a huge box of candy and 8 elders, it looks pretty messy. haha. but i took some pictures of them and they look pretty legit, and we also bought some CTR shirts like all of us had and signed them for them. So we came out alright but it was a little bit of a panic at first!

So that probably wasnt even funny to you but it was to me so i thought i would share it with you.

Some other cool things that happened was we went to TRC and there wasnt enough volunteers that morning so teachers were filling in and they actually split up a companionship cuz they were still one short and so i got to teach with elder Maxwell and Elder Satchwell. it was so awesome. We taught a way good lesson, and they teacher told us that it was the best lesson he has ever heard in TRC!!!! i was way pumped. we didnt even prepare anything together or nothing. that really pumped me up! We also got to Host yesterday! it was so Fun! i helped a kid who was raised in our mission, but in the Louisiana part! he had been going to BYU for a little but his family had the thickest accent it was awesome! they were so cool! but i only helped one Elder because i Got asked to teach with other of the teachers. I helped him teach the new district in our Zone. It was pretty fun, i got to speak spanish to all of them and get to see the look on my face the first day because im sure it was the same as theirs. it was a way fun experience. and i think it helped create a good fellowship between me and the new missionaries, there are two going to spain, one to Madrid and another to Barcelona. im a little bit jealous. But I love Houston and the shirts you got are sooo sick! im rocking it right now! they are awesome! and The othe Elders love them too and are wearing them haha. i was so pumped when i opened the box and saw them! they are awesome! thank you! Thank you everyone who has sent packages or Cards! they are awesome and i love them! thank you!!

Con Amor

Elder Erickson


PS
i forgot to tell you one that jake got reassigned! he is no longer going to houston. he is going to cambodia!!!!!!!!!!! he was supposed to leave next week but now he's not sure when he is leaving!....and also i went and checked the mailbox and WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we dont leave on the 29th though...we leave on the 27th!!!!!!! its crazy!!! our plane leaves at 9:45! we meet at the travel office at 6 in the morning! and im the travel leader of 9 of going...whatever that means! its crazy!!! and we get to host again next week!! its going to be wild! im so pumped! the four elders going to mexi didnt get thier vias so who knows whats happening with them, but im freaking out right now cuz i dont know any spanish! but it will be good.  Love you all! just wanted everyone to know!

Love you!

ELder Erickson

Video: Mission Call and First Pictures

Week 6: First Haircut

 Thats crazy you go an E-mail from Hermana Larson's mom! we talk with her all the time about our mission since her mom works in the mission office down there! its pretty cool to have a little in that way! the mission sounds so sweet! And that logo you got will be way sweet if you can get in on a shirt, im not sure how long it would take, i may just have to get one made after the mission, but if you do get one made all three of us would love one! haha Nothing really happened this week! same old same old, But i did get a hair cut this week! my hair grew so fast! so fast it was a joke. But i got in cut super short on the sides and had them leave it as long as they could on top since i am going to have to get it cut again in a few weeks before i leave for Houston. It looks ok, it really made me miss Halli though!! Also just for your information that is not me in the hall grabbing the book! haha, I am however in the crowd of misisonaries sitting in the bleachers! if you got about five or sick rows up from the Telepromters bottom left corner where that darker skin Elder is im right in the middle of that row looking the wrong direction! haha im the only one looking off to the left. but its all good, at least i made it! sorry i dont have much to say! I Love the work here and i feel like im really improving in every aspect! I Love all you guys and hope everything goes well this week! I hope you enjoyed the Tape and pictures, ill try and do that again right before i leave! probably be the same pictures since we dont ever do anything new but ill figure something out! I know i like to joke around and all but i want everyone to know that aside from all of that I Know Jesus Christ Lives and i know He is my savior and through him all things are possible. I know this Church is true and I know this work is true!

Con Amor

-Elder Erickson