Daniel Christian Stoddard
hey everybody!
Family
christian!!
Daniel Christian Stoddard
hey guys how it going?
Emma
AWESOME SAUCE!
Daniel Christian Stoddard
i`m doing good too! I`m here in sonaguera with my new comp, elder miranda
Emma
OOH!!!
Dan
good deal. what is the new comp like?
Emma
What’s Elder Miranda like???
Daniel Christian Stoddard
he`s cool, from ecuador. he`s pretty new in the mission, just finished his training. lots to adjust to here in sabà... i think he`s a little overwhelmed, but he`s a hard worker
he wears his pants pretty hiked up, and plays soccer really well
Emma
Soccer??? Do you play with him???
Allie
Aw- does he remind you of yourself at the beginning of your mission?
Dan
so he is used to running water? having to adjust to sabá?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
yeah, sabà is really different. the running water is back thank goodness, but it`s only in the night and only sometims, so we can fill up the tub outside and use that water in the day
yeah we played soccer this morning, he plays like a pro
Dan
now that reminds me of my mission
tell us about leonel!
Emma
What’s “leonel”?
OH the guy from your last email!
Never mind!
Go on!
Daniel Christian Stoddard
he`s having a tough time... we learned that his parents are pastors in another church... we had a conversation with his parents and it didn`t go too good...
but he`s 42 years old... at some point he`s gotta start making his own decisions
Dan
poor guy. that would be hard.
Emma
Oh yikes!
Are his parents really mad at him?
Dan
allie came up with a new phrase .... “cossack up!” ... it is like “man up” on steroids.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
his parents really don`t like our church. i don`t think they`re mad at him, but they for sure don`t want him baptised. At least he`s still coming to church though. He will be baptised sometime, but it might be Elder Miranda and his new companion that baptise him
cossak up
whats a cossack?
Dan
xcactly
Emma
Haha! She found that in a book!
Dan
cossacks are ukrainian tough guys ....
Emma
Cossacks are the team mascot for our school.
Dan
kind of a combination of cowboy, pirate, mercenary, bike gang member.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
ha that`s an awesome word then
Emma
YEP! 
Dan
going back centuries. so yeah, you will have to use it.
Emma
Mhm.
Allie
It seems like Leonel is putting forth a lot of faith in just coming to church at all. I think he might get there slowly, but maybe he’s gaining a foundation. :)
Dan
yeah. have to respect that. recognize what IS and not just what IS NOT.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
haha i don`t know if i talked about flor and minor with you guys... we started working with t them a while ago... and they always come to church. just need to get married!
yeah leonel might not be our 4th guy... maybe our 5th or 6th... I have high hopes with minor
Family
Are you hoping to be a wedding photographer again?
Dan
no. i think this is the first time you have mentioned them. (i would remember a name like minor)
Emma
Haha! So they are new to the Church or have they been there for a while?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
no they`ve been coming to church for a while, just taking out all the paperwork is a tedious process
yeah i hope to be a wedding photographer again!
Dan
so they have wedding plans then?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
and minor has some substance abuse problems, and we have to help him with that too... but they are a really great couple. We cooked some fish with them on friday
yeah they have wedding plans
but getting married here is NOT easy
Emma
What makes it hard? The wedding? The preparing?
Dan
ha yeah. only place getting married is easy is las vegas. but i am sure it is a bigger challenge there than a lot of places.
so what is the process for making it a branch? i do not think it is automatic when you have enough priesthood holders, is it?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
the requirements as far as i understand them are: stake president approval, 6 priesthood holders (missionaries count), and a monthly average of 30 attendance.
Dan
so i guess you have to prep the stake president and he kicks it off. and it sounds like you are pretty close on attendance, too, right?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
last month we beat the attendance... about a third of the people who come are investigators though (which is good i think)
Dan
i think so, too.
so think you will finish out your mission in sabá? or do you think there will be one last change?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
good question... i think i`ll finish here. it would be cool to finish in this area
and i don`t want to have to pack up all my stuff again tbh
Dan
hopefully just ONE more time, right? the one before a plane ride. bet you will leave a lo of stuff behind, though.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
i wanted to talk to you guys about that actually, maybe on the phone call. i wasn`t planning on bringing much of anything home... maybe some souveneers for you guys, some books, and that`s it
and i`ll burn the rest of my clothes
Allie
Considering how dirty you’ve been, probably not a bad idea to burn everything. ;)
Dan
i was typing the same words as allie, but she is faster.
Allie
Mwahahaha.
Family
From mom- I am buying you new stuff!!!!
Medium shirts and 30x32 pants, right?
Daniel Christian Stoddard
but don`t buy too much just a couple of shirts and a couple pants... i want to make sure stuff fits haha... I`m fatter and skinnier at the same time now...
i bleach everything, so they stay pretty white
the shirts are kinda greyish now too
Family
Fatter and skinnier, huh? ;)
Dan
have to plan ahead with purchases. shipping takes 3-4 weeks. so unless you stock up a little, your daily routine will be washing what you wore yesterday so you have something to wear tomorrow!
Daniel Christian Stoddard
haha ok... does ukraine have malls and stuff? honduras has some us clothing stores and lots of US donated stuff. Aldo they have lots of fake name brand clothing thats really cheap
i guess you guys know best. is it really cold there?
Dan
going to be really hot when you get here.
and there are stores, but not cheap, and the language is a barrier. but you will be used to putting it all out there, so it may not bug you to shop on the economy here.
Family
I think you can find some stuff, but styles will be off. We even had a hard time finding things in Paris. I will order a decent supply and we can work from there. Don’t worry about it!
I will have some things for you to wear when you get here!!! :) undies to shoes. :) I’ve already made a list.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
haha ok, i`m not super worried about it. man you are much more prepared than i am for when i get home... it still feel like a while away
Family
You shouldn’t worry about it. I’ve got this one little thing.
Daniel Christian Stoddard
guys... i feel kinda bad about not finishing the big email, but I gotta go 
it was great taking to you guys!!!
Family
It’s okay!!! We love you! Have a wonderful week!!!!!
Allie
Don’t worry about it- I love you!!!
Dan
love you. have a great week!
Daniel Christian Stoddard
Daniel Christian Stoddard
love you too! Bye
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