Joe is doing great!

It has been a while since I have had time to update but Elder White is doing awesome down in Uruguay! He is doing no less than we thought he would...he LOVES the people and keeps us updated on them all so that we can worry and pray for them too. Nicole(my daughter and his clone) takes his letters to heart. She wants a reminder at night of who and what to pray for on Uncle Joe's end. We are so grateful that Joe is setting this awesome example for all of us!

Update...

Joe reading the blogs my mom prints out for him after a long day...

Joe and comp "beat" Jenga
P-day


Fabian's baptism

So the week went pretty well, I got to have interviews with the prez, he is a really cool guy, we didnt talk that long but it was still cool. Then I did divisions with the Zone Leaders, it was pretty cool, I enjoyed it, this last week was full of rain, a lot of it on sunday but luckily for Fabians baptism it didnt rain... we had a Brother in the ward baptize him because this ward member was the only one to fellowship the guy plus the missionaries leave, members stay, or at least we hope so.

Sad that none of his family came, I am not sure why they are not supporting him, but it was cool to see him sunday all dressed up in a sweet suit getting ready to get confirmed even though there was only about 20 people there again due to the rain...

I love you all,

Elder Blanco

Preaching repentance...

Tbo during a Uruguay game...

"That was the first dude that I baptized... super stud, when we went back to Tbo I made surew to visit them, it was great seeing them... when I left she was pregnant... that was the first time that I had seen the girl... super cute girl and the little boy remembered me... he always said, Blanco... I was super excited to see them...."

Same old Joe...

Hey Family...well sorry this emails is going to be a little lame because I don’t really have much to fill you in on... yesterday we had five Cakes... that was awesome... we were running around all day and never have time to rest from all the cake... I put on a bunch of weight but definitely worth it.... as for my area and now I am liking it, its the best area in the world I think, for sure one of my favorites... well I have only had three but this one is wicked awesome... it is so unbelievably big... the area I was in my first change was seriously smaller than Rhodes ranch.... there was nobody but I still loved it, this area goes on forever... lots of fields and also some ghetto parts and rich parts.. It has it all man. The members are few but the ones we have are super studs... My comp is doing pretty good, I like training and all but it is really stressful, he asks a lot of questions and doesn’t believe me when I tell him things, I cant blame him though, the first day we got here I took him to the bishops house and told him it was an investigator, of coarse the bishop played along, but it was hilarious, bishop asked every question in the world and then said him wife was a bandista, they sacrifice chickens here in the streets... then he brought out a Buddha and started kneeling before it... I never laughed so hard in my life, he kept asking why I was laughing so hard... I just said... es loco... or he is crazy, then at the end of the night we finally told him and he laughed and took it like a man. The poor kid doesn’t understand a thing, I remember was that was like, the days seem to go by a little longer, but he really speaks better than me when I came out and is learning sure fast, the lid is also a clean freak, and organize freak, haha don’t worry mom I am doing my best to break him... jk. Its just tough when you live in a 4 elder house, and our house is absolutely terrible, the landlords came over the other day and chewed us out for other things that past elders did, the sink is broke, and the drawers to everything are gone (were used as fire wood to keep warm apparently), the toilet is broke, we just recently fixed the hot water, the cockroach population has now taken over the microwave and fridge... I do what I can to keep the house clean but there is only so much I can do, I adapted the camping slogan, leave it better than you found it, so I try to make sure its at least a little cleaner.

But this week went well including the lady Andrea who I baptized found a boyfriend at general conf... really interesting, then her daughter told me that she is going to get baptized the 1st of may.... boom baby... then Sandra got confirmed... Other than tat a rather rough week but I am sure that things are going to pick up.

Love you all

Elder Blanco

me teaching some kids how to play futbol... haha jk, but we did win...

the pres and his wife...

what dane sent me....

me on my 20th bday...

Here's a post...I have been repremanded:)

Well that was great work this week family and friends.... I am glad mom and are forwarding my emails..., good to know. But also I have gotten a couple of e mails of people telling me to update my blog... haha they dont understand Im not really in charge of that.... but for this weeks questions.... I think Im going for the saints... not that Icare that that much but I remember when I was young and I saw the saiunts and I was stoked the church had a team even though we stank... at that time... I remember think well at least we still have BYU. Now The colts did pretty much steal our high school jersey, I think that happened when coach Dungi came to see me play, haha. But I am old now, its time I go for my boy Shockey... who deserves another ring to show the Giants what a boss he is. Second... about the Dogs dad... that last photo with the latins and the dogs was taken Al fondo... whjich means behind, at a lot of times we live behind people in small cheap houses... its safer. Plus everyone has dogs here, even at missionaries houses sometimes... they arent pets and cant come into the house but they chill on the porches and protect the place.... also having lambs and sheep is quite popular... the nieghbors put them in our yards to eat the grass... espeacially the lamds because we gotta get em fat so they are good when we eat em haha... Personally I am not a fan of horse... but I did eat cow heart the other day... I feel like a new man haha. jk. I didnt like it that much. But this week was really interesting... super long with divisions with my DL who is just so dull. But the awesome news is... we had 3 investigators in the church!!! It was great.... It was a lady who we are teaching who is super stud.... just progressing really well. Then an old man we found the day before... and some random druggy who showed up to church saying he wanted to change his life... alrighty... lets do it. So things are looking better but those are the only people who are listening and I got some bad news today.... Not sure but the Assistants are coming to myt area to do divisions for 5 days!!! I like the Assistants but five days... not sure how they are going to like it...l.. DANNNY and JULIA::::: holy cow... I am in a cyber and Poker Face just came on... haha.. its crazy, first time that I have heard it since the US.... I shoulld probably leave this cyber but they all play really loud American music and the loud fast music helps me type faster haha... funny. Well thanks to all your good letters and advice I am sticking in there, its not that bad... just super hot and for some reason they dont like me here that much... then again my face isnt that welcoming when its so hot and I am super tired but I always try to smile. But the things they yell... man Sometimes Im just like why... but its all good. And no dad we shouldnt really fight back because the areas are small here so when a missionary gets in a fight with robbers the chances are thatthe will see them later that week and it will just be worse and worse. And that is why they pull elders out of areas sometime... those elders who were robbed last week were robbed again... man that stinks.... the kids have nothing now. Well other than that everything is going well... the best thing about all this persecution is it is another sign that I am in the right church... just look in the bible with Paul... now I am not as baptizing as many people but sometimes people just ask why.... why do peole hate you... and that is my favorite thing to explain.... when people ask that question it when they are just golden and rewady to hear the gospel. Also sometimes when people ask....why... its a billion degrees outside and everyone is sleeping or at the beach, what are you doing.... though half the time I am not quite sure why I am here I just pull out my old wallet that used to be dads and show them our family picture and say... thats why... theyre the reason I am here in front of you right now. So thank you all for the great words and advice all throughout life.... keep up the good work fam.... thanks for the letter maria.... hope sam likes this photo... tell him congrats and I wish I could be there.... Elder Blanco.

Sweet dreams are made of these

Hola todos.... howare things... luckily i had a much better week because we had sector conference with president and it went really well... sorry but there is not much time i have... it is dia de los muertos here in uruguay and its nothing big but i am writing you at an investigators house..... it is really hot down here in uruguay... wow i can not explain how hard it is getting to work here with this heat... i have not recieved the packages yet but hope to get them this week as well as i hope to send one to you all this week... not sure if it will get through with guayo mail but lets hope.... this month elder bednar is coming the 20th.... what a blessing... i am really excited. Also halloween was nothins special here... just the teenagers and adults have dances but it is nothing like america..... sorry i do not have much to say this week other than keep being the amzing people you are and remember to read, pray, and go to church.... i lve you mom and dad... thanks for everything.... wish i had more time... I also dont have many new pics this week... so i am sending one or two of when i was in the ccm...
elder blanco

Uncle Bill is in Uruguay

Well family….
If you already saw the Pictures you can see that i found Uncle. Bill… he is in uruguay…. How crazy is that…. He looks just like him and really is attitude is just like him too. He loves to live life and has a moto cycle and likes all the coolest bands. I Could seriously sit and talk to the guy all day because he is hillarious and it is uncanny how similar they are He is super cool to work with…
This week investigador wise wasnt too bad, we actually found a lot of people to teach thanks to some help from other elders in this area
we had two hours were we just had about 18 elders in our area go out and find people.
But that is that for this week.... not much really to say.... today I got chasd by a lion.... one of the coolest most auxillerating (sp) things that i have ever done.... i have it o video. It was a the zoo but still... they only have this tiny fence inbetween us... i felt like i was playing with ricky bobby or mushu again....
But to answer your questions about my mission president.... he is absolutely awesome... butunfortunately no i doint not see him that much. But when I do see him it is sweet. He has made this mission so much better. And his wife is an amazing cook... I am super sad that they are going to leave in like six months because they are phenominal.
Thank you for sending the package and thatnki you for the personalized letters this week it really helped... I am going to need them for the next few weeks. Thanks for the the updates on the family and friends... looks like everyone is changing which is good but weird at the same time.... The only thing i can ask is that you send a few of the addresses of people that i wanted... and if you could get brents and ryans that wouyld be sweet..... I love you all and hope to snd you a package within the next couple weeks.... take care and please be safe....
Elder Blanco

The Lamb and The Lion

Alrught so I am noit going to lie to you this was a tough crazy wek but all in all it was good. First off the craziest thing in my life happened to me last week... not to scare you mom... but we were walkking in a storm to a house with a returned missionary who does divisions with us... out of no where came this crazy strom... it was super bad... but we were going to the Barbosa house (which is far away) and then lightning stuck about ten feet away from all three of us... it was so quick and so hard that all three of us fell over, Elder bitnoff on his back and I just stumbled and fell to a knee and hand. it was the longest five seconds of my life... we just remember blinding flashes and loud noises. We got up and we all felt supper weird and super grateful to be alive... we want to go on the discover channel 'i shouldnt be alive thing'. Our hair was straight up.... it didnt hurt and i was hoping it would have some crazy side affects like i could learn spanish or my knees would heal or my hair would stop falling out... but that stuff didnt happen. But yeah... I just think it was so sudden and frightning that my boidy tensed up and it was just a cool feeling. But yeah i am still normal, kinda stinks but oh well. Butwe came to later figure out the next day that that lightning that stuck the wire pull broke almost eveyones tv that was on at that moment... therew are not many tvs in Barriuo Lopez but of the ones that had it on at that moment it was really tough.... it caused a lot of problem with money in the area. which leads me tomy next story....
Carlos and Maria Bastos... the Carlos that we baptized that is absolutely golden and his wife maria that is sick withthe baby. The guy is amzing and humble and hard working and the family is just golden.... but something happened last wek, with that lightning strike the family lost their tv, and he cant leave her bed, to be without a tv is tough, then she was in the hospital, then the bathroom broke, all this stuff added up and they got into a huge fight and we walked past their house and the scooter was on and there was a bag of clothes... we stopped to see was was up. Wow we are lucky we stopped... he was leaving, going to his brothers house where he probably was going to get back into drinking because he told us he was done with the church... he said that eversince he started his wife has been in the hospital and sick and they dont have money and the tv broke.... it was hard for him to see the blessings in his life. Luckily we had a talk with him and his wife then stopped by the next day and he was okay... he apoligized and said an amazing prayer saying that he will never stray again... it was great. It was tough for us that night though because they are our golden family... but luckily they made it back on track.