so i got a lot to talk about this week so ill just get started!!

tuesday: we had a zone conference and we got to hear from Elder Andersen from the seventy which was way cool. Its also always nice to get a break from the work and go to the offices and see other elders in the mission. After that, as a zone we went to WENDYS!! it was SO good!! wendys here in mexico is so much better than in the US. haha its weird. the workers in wendys were flirting with us cause we were white, but we just ended up contacting them and got their address and told them our other companions in the field would go visit them at their houses. And then they got sad hahaha.

wednesday: We taught familia *** and we talked about missionary work cause one of the daughters wants to go on a mission. it was a good lesson and at the end we started talking about loving each other in the family and helping out around the house cleaning and stuff. It was just the mom and two daughters during the lesson. I had a lot to say but didnt know how to say it in spanish, but everything was telling me i needed to say it. So i told them that im going to speak in english and Elder Boden will translate it. I starting talking about family and how important it is to love family cause you never know how much longer you´ll even have them in your life. By the end of the lesson the daughters were crying. The spirit was very strong and it made me realize english is a lot easier than spanish hahaha.
Also we found this family in the most crazy way. We had a reference to go meet so when we got to the house, nobody was there so we just started walking. I decided i was thursty so we went into a store that was closest to us and when we walked in a man said ELDERS!! and nobdy here in mexico just calls us elders, its very rare for that to happen. Come to find out this family actually right behind the store so the store is like the entrance to their house so the whole family was there when we walked in to buy something. They were very interested so we taught them the first lesson. We were there for kind of a while which was bad but they had so many questions. The spirit became so strong while we were with this family it was crazy.  When the lesson was over Elder boden said we are going to end with a pray. But i remembered that we had bore our testimonies yet. So i said first im going to bear my testimony. So i did it and by the end of that i had one of the sons, 18 years old named ***, crying. It was a great experience and this family is chosen. The family consists of parents, boy 18, girl 15, boy 11. We scheduled to meet with them another day. Their name is Familia ***.

Thursday: We went and visited this lady named ***. Its hard for her to go to church cause she works on sundays but she loves the gospel and everything. So we visit her every so often. *** told us that *** wasnt feeling good so after the lesson we gave to*** she asked us if we could give natalia a blessing. And I had to do it!!!!! in SPANISH!! it was so weird, but it was such a great experience! after the blessing...the mom was crying, man...i gotta stop making people cry. i cant tell if its a blessing or a sin making people cry all the time. haha

Friday: We received a reference from the zone leaders so me and Elder Boden went to go check them out. Most of the family was home besides the dad and they all ended listening to out message! Their name is familia *** and they said they´ve met with missionaries before. They actually knew a lot about the first lesson. It was crazy. They were all woman and by the end they all accepted to be baptized on june 14. It was way cool. Hopefully it all works out, the dad doesnt like our church too much but we´ll keep working hard.
We also went back to the family *** house and taught them again. They accepted to come to church. Whenever people accept to come to church, they dont usually come. But we had a little surprise sunday haha. Plus on Fridays we have ward mission leader meetings and i actually led the meeting....in SPANISH! ah my spanish is actually coming along finally! it felt so good to be able to finally do it! Also a funny story. we were walking in the middle of the street and we passed this mom who had to kids and they were walking on the side walk. And the little boy and girl saw so dog poo and were screaming, MAMA MAMA, ES CACA DEL PERRO!!!! they screamed it like 5 times haha. they reminded me of pete and courtneys little kids.

Saturday: We got free ice cream from a drunk man.

Sunday: The family ***CAME to church!!!!!! It was so awesome to see them there and they liked it a lot!! all the members were very welcoming with them and made them feel at home. I hope they come back next week! We visited later in the day and the 18 year old boy *** is the most interested. He said hes going to prepare himself for baptism on june 7. Me and him have become very close, we have a lot in common. The dad has a problem with word of wisdom and the mom is kind of scared about baptism. This family is chosen though so we´re going to work hard with them!

Monday: so the subject HE TOUCHED MY FACE!! this day is where it comes from! the whole mission got together for a mission conference and we got to hear from Elder Johnson from the seventy and we also heard from the one and only Elder Holland from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING!!! But anways, Elder Holland shows up and walks into the church where we are all at. We all stood up when he walked in and the spirit was ridiculously strong. Before the meeting started, all the missionaries had the opportunity to shake Elder Holland´s hand. We had assigned seating and our zone was in the very back. But it was kind of nice cause it meant we were the last ones to shake his hand. I was sitting by Elder Larson, one of my zone leaders and my new homie haha, and we decided to be the VERY last ones to do it. So i was 2nd to last and i start walking up to the podium where they are at. I see Elder Doman as im walking up there and give him a little wink to make him laugh hahaha. And i get to Elder Holland and shake his hand. And this is how it went.....i say[Elder Holland, its nice to meet you. Do you remember a man named Gary Shumway?] (but first think that none of the other elders asked him a question, but i HAD to haha) he says[Gary Shumway?! Of course i remember him!] i say[Well, that is my grandfather!] he says [Noooo! You are Gary Shumway´s grandson?! i say[Yes sir! My grandmother says hello!] He then GRABS MY FACE like a little baby and squeezes my cheeks!! and says [YUP, you look just like him!!] hahahaha all the missionaries in the congregation were busting up laughing and elder larson was dying right behind me! it was so funny! My face is now pure for the rest of my life!! The conference went on and Elder Holland has got to be the best speech giver in the world. It was magnificant! After the conference we were all just waiting to leave and i got to talk with lots of friends and stuff. And plus i saw Elder Jamison Miller!! He goes home in like a week! I gave him something to give to mom and dad to dont forget to get it from him! I also talked to elder Doman and he says his knee has been killing him. He has some nerves getting pinched and he most likely has to get surgery. I told him to do anything he could to not have to go home. it would kill me if he went home! I personally went up to President Walker about it and he said that its not looking to good right now. If elder doman does go home he will most likely be switched to a state side mission with a car. I told President to do anything he could to help Elder doman. It was a good talk. I said bye to Elder Doman like 10 times cause it probably will be the last time ill see him for a few years cause he´ll most like go home. But as long as he starts feeling better. After all that, as a zone we went to this restaraunt and ate! it was way good and it felt good to eat somewhere nice and clean. haha. I watched sportscenter and stuff with Elder Larson so that was way cool. Plus they had american music playing and my JAM came on!!!
                            this girl is on.............FIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEE
I was going so hard!!! hahaha
anways im done now, that was a lot.
Mom i had some friends here add me on facebook, so if you can add them. Just add the ones that have Mexican last names. haha leave the others alone till i get back!
Also something i realized. During Church when natives here have something to say, they ALWAYS stand up and have to say it to everyone. Its like they´re trying to make themselves look bigger, but honestly, they are so short here they look the same size!! haha i just laughed to myself cause im probably the only one that notices!
but i love you all and have a good week!! peace and blessings

ps...DHILLS....2nd place for life!!!

Elder Needham

Hola familia,it was great to hear from you all yesterday. It was just what i needed, to make you all laugh haha. But why do you gotta make me cry? that wasnt cool. Anyways mom i hope you had a good mothers day! you´re the BEST mom ever!!!!So this week was pretty fun. i dont know if i told you about my zone leaders but they´re pretty legit. One of the kids that i get a long with really well, his name is Elder larson, he´s from alpine area. I went on exchanges with him this week and it was definitely the best time i´ve had so far in the field.  He´s just like one of my friends back home and he´s a baller so we just get along so well. We actually did what i thought a mission was like. Worked hard during the day and still had a good time doing it. We just talked about life which was cool to talk about cause it feels like forever since i´ve done that. And i stayed over at his place tuesday night while his companion was with elder boden at our place. We ordered the food called Campachanas which is one of the best things i´ve ever had. Its a big toritlla with guacamole and TONS of meat! its amazing! ill attach some photos of what we did.When i was back with elder boden the next day we were going to an appointment and this one lady named *** contacted US! It was way random but way cool. We set a baptismal date for the 31 of May so hopefully it works out. She said she use to live with mormons and she really likes us. But one times she gave a mission $150 pesos to buy her a book and we think the missionary must have been transfered like right after that cause he didnt get her a book. So she was kind of mad which is kind of funny haha, but she is still way nice and interested so thats cool. We are still walking about 6-8 miles a day so thats cool. haha  On Friday it was the hottest day so far and i about died!! ah man. But its been raining the past few days and its been pouring! its way fun! but anyways have a good week family and i love you!Elder Needham

April 29th 2013

Yo its michael, remember...your son!!

Im still alive here in mexico!! no gun shots or anything haha!!

Well.....a lot can change in a week! Im slowly starting to understand some more things when people talk and i´ve realized that they´re actually not that nice at all. Haha last week in my email i kept saying people are super nice...but i thought that cause mexicans talk really high so it sounds like they´re saying nice things. But they naturally just talk really mean and straight forward. haha i think its kind of funny and i just laugh! Those are usually the people we contact and such. Members and less actives are really the nicest people ever. They´re always offering us food or water and think very highly of the missionaries in their ward. I love sundays and church cause people try and help me with my spanish and stuff. Every morning right before i have personal study, i pull out my pictures and look at the family and my homies, and just other pictures i have. And then i look at a picture of Jesus Christ i have taped on the wall by me and it helps me get started for the day. And then sometimes when i pray at night, i just pause for a little and try my best to think what the family is doing at that exact time. hahah i think i usually do pretty good! Mom and Dad: watching a movie on the big screen sitting in the corner seat eating salmon. Nate: studying for school or taking a nap with titan, or cuddling with morgan. Morgan: watching netflix and eating something she just fixed up with a leopard blanket covering her and titan sleeping on her feet. Jared: at the house with mom and dad watching the movie with them....but he´s actually sleeping haha. Keilani: with justin just doing weird things. hahah. I do some pretty weird things out here! But anyways to the experiences i had this past week! We had a hard working week and got a lot done! We contacted over 40 people along with the lessons we taught. Its been raining and overcast here the past week so its felt way good outside which is nice! The little 8 year old boy Saul is doing well. We continue you teach him and he´s a way smart kid! We had his date to be baptized this week but we found out his parents that he doesnt live with are still his legal guardians so we´ll have to get permission from them first before he cant be baptized. We hope he can be baptized cause we can tell he really wants to. We also taught this lady named Josefina. Shes had a baptismal date before but it fell through. We went back over this week and taught her, at the end of the lesson, for my first time, i asked her if she would be baptized. She accepted to be baptized on the 24 of May!!! I had the biggest smile on my face and the spirit was so strong when she was deciding her answer right after i asked her! it was awesome! After we left i hurried and pulled on my camera and took a picture of me and Elder Boden smiling cause i wanted to remember the first time i asked someone to be baptized and they accepted. haha. When our investigators accept to be baptized they have to come to church at least twice before they can be baptized! So hopefully it all works out and she gets baptized! Besides that we just had some more lessons with investigators and a lot of less actives. My spanish is still very small but its coming. Like i said its been raining here! When it rains....it POURS!! its way fun! Last night when i was sleeping, we had the window open and i woke up with water coming on my face cause the wind was blowing it inside, ha it was funny! Anyways i love you all and hope you have a good week! I cant believe kk is getting married soon and pete and courtney are having a baby! thats so cool! Send lots of pictures cause those are my favorite! Peace and Blessings family. I love you.