Elder Eli in Tutla Gutierrez, Mexico
Elder Elijah DeBroux
Thursday, August 9, 2012
From the desk of the mama
"Sometimes I get the opportunity to be on the computer the same time Elder Eli is and he happens to email me and it's about as close to instant messaging as I can possibly get. So, yesterday, he sends me an email titled, "This is it"
The email was brief. It said, "Mom, you on? I need to talk to you."
I just so happened to not be anywhere near my computer...I wasn't even home but one of Eli's brother's was on the computer and saw the message come through. He instantly called me to let me know that Eli was on and what he had said.
I was 10 minutes away from the house and my brain went into Mommy Panic Mode. I imagined every scenario about why my son would need to talk...was he too homesick? Was being in Mexico just too difficult? Was he sick? Needing money? What could he "need" to talk to me about?
Ten minutes of pure Mommy torture passed and I arrived home to find this message waiting for me:"Well, see here's the problem...I have been thinking about this for a while now, every night before I go to bed and every morning when I get up. It´s been hurting me. And last night I just decided it was time. I had had enough. I really didn´t see the point any more. I was just done, so I decided today was my last day. I was not going to do this anymore. I didn't want any more of this. I can not do this for two years. So, while I was at the store I bought a pillow. Finally. It really has been hurting my neck to sleep on towels and shirts. I think this will work much better. :)"
Elder Eli must think he's hilarious. Even 2000 miles away he seems to take pleasure in trying to give his mom a heartache. Gotta love the boy!"
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Day 29 - En Espanol, por favor
Okay, just for fun and so we all get to experience the enjoyment of reading Elder Eli's increasingly broken English I am going to copy this week's email from him word for word with original punctuation and lack of proper capitalization also. :)
"Hi,
ok so i just remembered that i forgot your Dear Elder back at my room, so hopefully there was nothing absoluting pressing that I am forgetting. The two things i remember though are about the paper you want notorized, I haven't asked about that yet but i will once i get it. and about the scripture. which the answer is no i don't have one yet I have several i would like to use but i haven't finalized on just one yet. I will by the time i leave the mtc though.
ok so update time. no not yet. ok first off, thank you again for the lovely care package, it really does make life here more enjoyable, even though i'm going to get so fat, haha all of are. we all drink chocolate milk for every meal and then come back and eat candy. our room looks like a little kids after halloween. But it's all good. once we get in mexico i'm sure we'll burn it off fast enough. and me and a couple other guys from my district have been doing some lead works outs a couple times a week so we won't become useless blobs from sitting all day.
that is literally pretty much all we do we eat, we sit, we run around for 50 min. but it's not as hard as i though it would be for me just sitting still all day. especially sitting still and being exhausted. but it's suprising how much energy i have considering how tired i feel when i wake up. i have woken up once where i actually felt rested, but through out the day i feel perfectly fine. especially when we teach. it's like an adreniline shot every time. i get so pumped every time we teach it's just amazing.
but another reason that i could be feeling tired is that i am not sleeping properly. apparently i am still talking in my sleep. in spanish, and not just talking but yelling as well. luckily my roommates are too tired to care hah
OH yeah so i have set a new personal goal for the CCM that is starting from this monday (2 days ago) I am no longer speaking english!! not that i speak spanish well enough to speak only spanish, but i just wanted to talk in it as much as possible. so except for district devotionals, workshops and pretty much any required interactions with english speakers, i am speaking spanish, my whole zone thinks i'm crazy but, all is well and in 4 weeks anyway i'll have to be speaking it, so it's not much difference. it's difficult to learn just because it's so new but it makes so much more sense than english. english is nuts. and i have actually been trying to work with the zone resource teachers everyday on something new to help me. not because i'm stuggling but just because i have become so consumed in speaking this language. it's funny to think that 4 weeks ago i was having a hard time saying 'Donde esta el bano?' no i can talk about the bathroom in great detail in spanish, which happens quite often, due to the MTC food.
Time here at the MtC is irrelevent. it's just all the same time now. 2 week\s, 8 weeks it doesn't really matter it's all the same, the only way i know how long i've been here is because i'm keeping track of it in my journal.
oh yeah and the district ahead of us just got their visas so that bodes well that me and my district will be going straight to mexico no transfers. hopefully, we'll probably go to salt lak in the next week or so.
So yesterday we got visted my another apostle. Elder Christofferson came and spoke and i was in the second row. it was awesome. being that close to a General Authority is simply amazing. and where i was sitting was right in one of those 3 spots they always look at so, it was like were were connected. haha
and we had fast and testimony meeting on sunday and i got up and bore my testimony in spanish for the entire branch, it was nerve racking but it was suprising that actually remembered what to say.
That sunday was just amazing though. Fasting here where the spirit is so strong was just such an experience. It was like drinking from a spiritual fire hydrant. just wave upon wave of understanding. I was studying for myself and for my investigators and i was just recieving so much. i can't even begin to put into words what i learned. It was more that i just gained a more full understanding of these principles.
it's amazing what can come when we humble ourselves before the Lord. If the MTC has taught me anything it is that. I was talking with another ELder the other day about that and we both agreed that this should be the hardest thing we have ever done, but it's not. As we trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding. i know I can feel my limbs become light and my mind quickened. Thank you for your prayers i can feel the strength they give and the angels they call down.
...
I love you all, keep writing.
Elder Elijah DebROUX"
He sounds well and happy and I guess his English isn't tooo bad, but it is definitely slipping. :)
"Hi,
ok so i just remembered that i forgot your Dear Elder back at my room, so hopefully there was nothing absoluting pressing that I am forgetting. The two things i remember though are about the paper you want notorized, I haven't asked about that yet but i will once i get it. and about the scripture. which the answer is no i don't have one yet I have several i would like to use but i haven't finalized on just one yet. I will by the time i leave the mtc though.
ok so update time. no not yet. ok first off, thank you again for the lovely care package, it really does make life here more enjoyable, even though i'm going to get so fat, haha all of are. we all drink chocolate milk for every meal and then come back and eat candy. our room looks like a little kids after halloween. But it's all good. once we get in mexico i'm sure we'll burn it off fast enough. and me and a couple other guys from my district have been doing some lead works outs a couple times a week so we won't become useless blobs from sitting all day.
that is literally pretty much all we do we eat, we sit, we run around for 50 min. but it's not as hard as i though it would be for me just sitting still all day. especially sitting still and being exhausted. but it's suprising how much energy i have considering how tired i feel when i wake up. i have woken up once where i actually felt rested, but through out the day i feel perfectly fine. especially when we teach. it's like an adreniline shot every time. i get so pumped every time we teach it's just amazing.
but another reason that i could be feeling tired is that i am not sleeping properly. apparently i am still talking in my sleep. in spanish, and not just talking but yelling as well. luckily my roommates are too tired to care hah
OH yeah so i have set a new personal goal for the CCM that is starting from this monday (2 days ago) I am no longer speaking english!! not that i speak spanish well enough to speak only spanish, but i just wanted to talk in it as much as possible. so except for district devotionals, workshops and pretty much any required interactions with english speakers, i am speaking spanish, my whole zone thinks i'm crazy but, all is well and in 4 weeks anyway i'll have to be speaking it, so it's not much difference. it's difficult to learn just because it's so new but it makes so much more sense than english. english is nuts. and i have actually been trying to work with the zone resource teachers everyday on something new to help me. not because i'm stuggling but just because i have become so consumed in speaking this language. it's funny to think that 4 weeks ago i was having a hard time saying 'Donde esta el bano?' no i can talk about the bathroom in great detail in spanish, which happens quite often, due to the MTC food.
Time here at the MtC is irrelevent. it's just all the same time now. 2 week\s, 8 weeks it doesn't really matter it's all the same, the only way i know how long i've been here is because i'm keeping track of it in my journal.
oh yeah and the district ahead of us just got their visas so that bodes well that me and my district will be going straight to mexico no transfers. hopefully, we'll probably go to salt lak in the next week or so.
So yesterday we got visted my another apostle. Elder Christofferson came and spoke and i was in the second row. it was awesome. being that close to a General Authority is simply amazing. and where i was sitting was right in one of those 3 spots they always look at so, it was like were were connected. haha
and we had fast and testimony meeting on sunday and i got up and bore my testimony in spanish for the entire branch, it was nerve racking but it was suprising that actually remembered what to say.
That sunday was just amazing though. Fasting here where the spirit is so strong was just such an experience. It was like drinking from a spiritual fire hydrant. just wave upon wave of understanding. I was studying for myself and for my investigators and i was just recieving so much. i can't even begin to put into words what i learned. It was more that i just gained a more full understanding of these principles.
it's amazing what can come when we humble ourselves before the Lord. If the MTC has taught me anything it is that. I was talking with another ELder the other day about that and we both agreed that this should be the hardest thing we have ever done, but it's not. As we trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding. i know I can feel my limbs become light and my mind quickened. Thank you for your prayers i can feel the strength they give and the angels they call down.
...
I love you all, keep writing.
Elder Elijah DebROUX"
He sounds well and happy and I guess his English isn't tooo bad, but it is definitely slipping. :)
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Day 15 - A Day in the Busy Life of Elder DeBroux
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012
To get right into the heart of this post, here is Elder Eli's most recent email...
"Dear Family,
This is just my overview of the week, I got the pictures and letters earlier this week. Thanks a lot, my district will finally accept that you are real. ha ha
I really enjoyed the letters as well, they were very touching. I'm going to try to respond to them today, so we'll see how that goes.
Life here at the MTC was finally getting into a pattern last week and then BAM! they changed our schedule, so now we are lost all over again, but it is all good because now our Pday schedule is ideal. I actually just got back from doing a set of iniatories at the temple. I was able to do some sealings last week, as a witness and as a child to parents. It's such a blessing to be able to go to it each week and we get to walk to it and around it every Sunday, and in addition to that our playing field is right in front of the temple so we see it all the time.
I would never have thought that Spanish would take hold so quickly, we started on a new "investigator" this week and we had a lesson all planned out and we ended up not using it and just talking in Spanish. It was great.
...In addition to the new investigator we went to the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) and talked with 2 members for 20 min. each. It's beginning to make me think I will eventually be able to speak this language. Also, I apparently talk in my sleep now. I didn't think I did, but I do now. Apparently though I only speak Spanish. Kinda odd, but hey, whatever works.
This week we had another General Authority come and talk to us. Last night we got to hear from Russell M. Nelson and his wife. It's amazing to feel that spirit that these General
Authorities bring. This work is hard. I haven't felt rested since I got here, but every time I hear them speak I am reminded what I am here and re-energized for the work.
...Love you lots."
So...there you go...latest updates from my favorite missionary.
To get right into the heart of this post, here is Elder Eli's most recent email...
"Dear Family,
This is just my overview of the week, I got the pictures and letters earlier this week. Thanks a lot, my district will finally accept that you are real. ha ha
I really enjoyed the letters as well, they were very touching. I'm going to try to respond to them today, so we'll see how that goes.
Life here at the MTC was finally getting into a pattern last week and then BAM! they changed our schedule, so now we are lost all over again, but it is all good because now our Pday schedule is ideal. I actually just got back from doing a set of iniatories at the temple. I was able to do some sealings last week, as a witness and as a child to parents. It's such a blessing to be able to go to it each week and we get to walk to it and around it every Sunday, and in addition to that our playing field is right in front of the temple so we see it all the time.
I would never have thought that Spanish would take hold so quickly, we started on a new "investigator" this week and we had a lesson all planned out and we ended up not using it and just talking in Spanish. It was great.
...In addition to the new investigator we went to the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) and talked with 2 members for 20 min. each. It's beginning to make me think I will eventually be able to speak this language. Also, I apparently talk in my sleep now. I didn't think I did, but I do now. Apparently though I only speak Spanish. Kinda odd, but hey, whatever works.
This week we had another General Authority come and talk to us. Last night we got to hear from Russell M. Nelson and his wife. It's amazing to feel that spirit that these General
Authorities bring. This work is hard. I haven't felt rested since I got here, but every time I hear them speak I am reminded what I am here and re-energized for the work.
...Love you lots."
So...there you go...latest updates from my favorite missionary.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Day 8 - One week down, 103 to go
As promised...communication from Elder Eli....forgive me if it seems a bit choppy...I'm trying to make these posts make sense. Sometimes Elder Eli is just answering questions that his Mama has asked and without both sides of the conversation things like, "Yes, they came Wednesday night, much to my relief." would have very little meaning unless you knew that I had asked him the question, "Did you get your new set of scriptures?"
Out of context, Elder Eli's answer could mean...
"Did flying monkeys come visit you?"
"Yes, the came Wednesday night, much to my relief."
So without further commentary...Elder Eli's update:
"...It's so busy here. We literally work or study from 6:30 til 10:30 when we go to bed. And there's no babying here, they put us right to work. I was late to the MTC (C.C.M en espanol) on Wednesday and I walked into a class and the teacher would only speak Spanish to me, kinda confusing especially because everything was new. But the language is going amazing. It's incredible how much we can already speak in a week. I can pray and bear my testimony and have enough Spanish that me and my companion have taught three 20 minute lessons in Spanish. It's just amazing how much the spirit can help. It is by no means easy but it is definitely working. The Lord has a lot for me to learn here.
...Anyway time is running short so here's the good stuff. 1. Use Dear Elder while I'm at the MTC. I get letters from Dear Elder that day. I get letters everyday but Sunday and it is greatly appreciated to receive them. I'd still like normal letters, but if you could post that on Facebook, that'd be great.
Highlights of the week, got a missionary name tag, got to hear from Elder M.Russell Ballard on Sunday, teaching Miguel (our investigator), and hearing Elder Archuleta sing a beautiful rendition of Called to Serve (made me cry). Oh, and the spirit here...it's like floating on clouds.
Love you a lot, give love to the family,
Elder DeBroux"
ps...ignore the post date...this email came to me on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
Out of context, Elder Eli's answer could mean...
"Did flying monkeys come visit you?"
"Yes, the came Wednesday night, much to my relief."
So without further commentary...Elder Eli's update:
"...It's so busy here. We literally work or study from 6:30 til 10:30 when we go to bed. And there's no babying here, they put us right to work. I was late to the MTC (C.C.M en espanol) on Wednesday and I walked into a class and the teacher would only speak Spanish to me, kinda confusing especially because everything was new. But the language is going amazing. It's incredible how much we can already speak in a week. I can pray and bear my testimony and have enough Spanish that me and my companion have taught three 20 minute lessons in Spanish. It's just amazing how much the spirit can help. It is by no means easy but it is definitely working. The Lord has a lot for me to learn here.
...Anyway time is running short so here's the good stuff. 1. Use Dear Elder while I'm at the MTC. I get letters from Dear Elder that day. I get letters everyday but Sunday and it is greatly appreciated to receive them. I'd still like normal letters, but if you could post that on Facebook, that'd be great.
Highlights of the week, got a missionary name tag, got to hear from Elder M.Russell Ballard on Sunday, teaching Miguel (our investigator), and hearing Elder Archuleta sing a beautiful rendition of Called to Serve (made me cry). Oh, and the spirit here...it's like floating on clouds.
Love you a lot, give love to the family,
Elder DeBroux"
ps...ignore the post date...this email came to me on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
The absolute easiest way
This is a copy from a facebook post on April 18th, but it is new info for the blog, so it's being added!
"Update from the mom (hereafter to be referred to as Mama...he says that's the Mexican Spanish way of saying "mom"...apparently me referring to myself as "madre" was totally wrong. :)
"Anyway, we just got our first email from Elder Eli...Wednesday is now my official favorite day of the week. For the next 8 weeks Wednesday will be his p-day, the day he is able to write letters.
"All is well with him, his Spanish is coming along...he's even taught three 20minute lessons in Spanish and reports that he can pray and bear his testimony in Spanish.
"He's had Elder Ballard come to the MTC to speak and has been able to listen to Elder Archuleta sing....yes, that's David Archuleta. :)
"He's asked that I let his Facebook friends know that the absolute easiest way to contact him is through www.dearelder.com. It's super easy to use and the email you send will get printed out and delivered to him the same day that you send the email. Once you go to the site choose Provo MTC - write letter - fill out his name and such - MTC Box #268, Mission Code MEX-TXG, Estimated departure date 0611. I've already looked into it and it really seems like it'll be a breeze. He says he still loves handwritten letters but this is a great way to contact him...and will save you the 45 cent postage stamp."
So now you have two different ways to contact Elder Eli - snail mail or printed out e-mails! Now go to it and write him some letters!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Day One...a continuation
We got our first letter from Elder Eli today...okay, so he refers to himself now as "Elder Elijah DeBroux" but I really like "Elder Eli"...it has a good ring to it and makes me smile every time I say it, and since I am the mommy...that is what I will refer to him as for the next 2 years. :)
So, without further ado...here is our first update:
"Dear Parents,
Hopefully this will get to you before next Wednesday when I can e-mail you, other wise you would already know I'm safe and well.
But if not, you would probably like to know that I am not dead, which because I am writing this I am not. Zombie is still a possibility though.
The MTC has been interesting...I got here late so I was kinda lost but, my companion, Elder Gwynn, has been a great help.
It's really cool to have a name tag that says Elder DeBroux, just very surreal, but it's all in Spanish, so everyone keeps talking to me in Spanish and it's really disorienting, but I'm sure it'll help.
The classes have been great too. Very enlightening and educational on how to listen and teach people.
The first night they had actors who were being investigators and the Elders and/or Sisters would come in and start talking to them and then we as a group had to teach them. It was very frustrating and helpful, oddly enough.
How is everyone holding up at home? I miss you guys, and would request that you send me pictures as soon as possible, because I don't have any and the other Elders are wondering if you exist. Haha.
Anyway, I love you,
Elder Elijah DeBroux"
Okay, so looking back on this first letter I'm thinking that maybe it wasn't his first night there but maybe his second day...can't quite tell.
He seems well...overwhelmed, but well. His p-day will be on Wednesdays while he is at the MTC. Happy day for the mommy! Wednesday has just now become my favorite day of the week! I wonder if I will get an email from him any faster if I just sit at the computer all day Wednesday with my Gmail account open waiting for his email? Something tells me that doing that will be like watching a pot of water, waiting for it to boil.
So, without further ado...here is our first update:
"Dear Parents,
Hopefully this will get to you before next Wednesday when I can e-mail you, other wise you would already know I'm safe and well.
But if not, you would probably like to know that I am not dead, which because I am writing this I am not. Zombie is still a possibility though.
The MTC has been interesting...I got here late so I was kinda lost but, my companion, Elder Gwynn, has been a great help.
It's really cool to have a name tag that says Elder DeBroux, just very surreal, but it's all in Spanish, so everyone keeps talking to me in Spanish and it's really disorienting, but I'm sure it'll help.
The classes have been great too. Very enlightening and educational on how to listen and teach people.
The first night they had actors who were being investigators and the Elders and/or Sisters would come in and start talking to them and then we as a group had to teach them. It was very frustrating and helpful, oddly enough.
How is everyone holding up at home? I miss you guys, and would request that you send me pictures as soon as possible, because I don't have any and the other Elders are wondering if you exist. Haha.
Anyway, I love you,
Elder Elijah DeBroux"
Okay, so looking back on this first letter I'm thinking that maybe it wasn't his first night there but maybe his second day...can't quite tell.
He seems well...overwhelmed, but well. His p-day will be on Wednesdays while he is at the MTC. Happy day for the mommy! Wednesday has just now become my favorite day of the week! I wonder if I will get an email from him any faster if I just sit at the computer all day Wednesday with my Gmail account open waiting for his email? Something tells me that doing that will be like watching a pot of water, waiting for it to boil.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Day One
Day one started early with the bittersweet farewell to his family and the beginning of his new adventure.
It was an early start to the airport. A long flight to Utah. A short visit with his Aunt Elizabeth. And a quick jump into his new missionary life.
It was an early start to the airport. A long flight to Utah. A short visit with his Aunt Elizabeth. And a quick jump into his new missionary life.
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