Week 52 - A little b-day video for Mom...and Half way done this week!

Hey y'all!

Sorry I didn't do a weekly email last week we got super busy with stuff. But this week was good! A little hard though not going to lie. We had a bunch of lessons this week and had to drop a lot of our investigators which sucked :/! On Tuesday we had a zone conference with President Mortensen that went really, really good! We talked a ton about the Book of Mormon and how it came to be and where we receive our inheritance in the gospel and just a lot of deep and crazy stuff… it was awesome! While we were there some of the missionaries I knew were giving their last testimonies at the conference and it's going to be crazy seeing so many of them go! Wednesday night we decided to run instead of doing it in the morning and I was shocked! I was able to run a lot faster than I thought I would! Elder Curtis is like scary fast he hasn't run in a while and ran a mile in 5 min 27… I rode a bike hahah. Friday we had district meeting and then we had English class which went good but, we probably won't be teaching that class anymore :/. Saturday we gave the sister’s investigator her baptismal interview wich went wonderful! Then we went and got breakfast with them and man we got that all you can eat buttermilk pancake deal! I only ate like 4 :p hahah! Then we went to visit a few people and played soccer with Suamy!

Today was a great day! We had church and I got to meet this younger guy from Mexico who got baptized like 3 years ago and then just like decided to move here! And one of the Elders who baptized him lives here in Houston but he doesn't know where or anything. Then we had a training for missionaries, ward missionaries and ward mission leaders which was just for our stake and it went really good! I learned a lot! To top it off it was my mom’s birthday today! I miss her a ton but only a year left to go Thursday! Crazy how fast time goes!

Well thanks for checking in guys! Love you lots,
Elder Tidwell

At zone conference! 

Week 51 - Just pictures...

A few words from Mom...

First of all I would like to thank you all for checking in on Elder Tidwell and reading his weekly blog emails! I apologize for getting behind and not always updating every week!

As far as this week's update goes...there wasn't a group email. He sent a couple of personal emails but not one for this blog. There have been some issues with emails that are being felt all over the mission world. Some emails are taking hours even days to go through. Tristin was also somewhat short for time this week. He did however manage to send a few photos. (He didn't leave any captions for these photos besides the Zone Conference)

Elder Tidwell is doing really good and will be hitting his halfway mark really soon!! Thanks again for checking in!!

Zone Conference!!

Week 50 - A full week...and mattresses!

This week was pretty good! On Monday, we had an activity with our district again and played some mean beach volleyball and had lunch haha. Tuesday Elder Curtis and the other leaders had a meeting they had to go to so I went with Elder Childs for exchanges, we had an English class at like 10 a.m. to go to and that was a blast! Hah we had a ton of people come too and as you might assume I did make them all laugh hah. We also met up with the Galianos to eat at Panda which was good, still not as good as his wife's cooking though hahah. On Wednesday not much happened until later in the day when we visited our investigator Manuel and had a bomb lesson! Friday we went to zone meeting and wow it was probably one of my favorite ones like ever! One thing we talked about was positive affirmations hahah Like telling yourself things are great or things are going to be good and you really start to believe it's going to be! I've used that a lot on my mission not going to lie hahah. Another thing we talked about was just putting a smile on your face, not worrying about anything and just be happy about it… another thing I've just learned how to do out here. We also talked a lot about faith and well like faith in finding. I realized if I wouldn't have had faith to find someone I don't know if we ever would have found Marco and Mayte in College Station. It's all so key to being a missionary and it's absolutely key to the work! After zone meeting we went to Jimmie Johns with a few sisters and talked for a little while, It was nice haha. Then we played soccer with Suamy and a few of these guys came to play with their kids and we ended up playing with all of them… it was fun! :) Then we had a few lessons planned after that and went over to this family who's investigating the church, the Rivas, they bought us papusas which were seriously so good! We really got to know the family a lot more. Saturday we helped someone move up to their third story apartment but it kind of sucked because we got there and the lady was like, "They’re coming with the truck… they'll be here in about an hour. I'm going to go to the store, be right back" and had us wait in her apartment until she got back. Then when the truck finally came it was filled with temperpedic mattresses!! That kinda sucked to carry all 7 mattress and then the box springs for them all up 3 flights of stairs:p hahah And…they didn't even help at all which was kind of a bummer… but whatever, it was an opportunity for service! Then on Sunday we were going to have a ton of lessons but because of the Super Bowl, every one of them cancelled. And… well that's pretty much how my week went!

Thanks for checking in!
Love Elder Tidwell

Elder Bonzo and myself!

Elder Curtis and I ....

Add caption

Week 49 - Such a busy but great week!

Hey!

Well guys, this week has been pretty awesome! Starting with Monday, we played basketball with the English elders and wow am I out of shape! Hahah Then we went and met up with our sisters and had I guess… a picnic at a park. Then we played soccer or well kicked the ball around while they just did a bunch of cartwheels hahah.

We taught a bunch of lessons this week and did a lot of finding again haha. On Friday, we played soccer with Suamy and a bunch of these kids that were just there at the fields, which was fun! I've started to love playing soccer hahah. Saturday, we met up with the other two missions in Houston and heard President Nelson talk! It was crazy! They had us go up and shake his hand and everything which, by the way, the guy has the softest hands ever hahah. We learned a lot of stuff in that meeting including a ton about the temple and family history and that our Heavenly Father loves us so much. I also got to see some familiar faces!! ;) Hah And… even a new elder, who happens to have the same last name as me! Haha After that, we went to this place called the Pulga, which is like a giant storage flea market. Pretty much if you can think it… they probably have it there haha! :) We found this place that had a bunch of soccer jerseys well we found like 4 places that had them, hahah but the ones we got were the cheapest! Heck yes! 

Sunday, we had stake conference and well we got there at like 8:15 a.m. or something like that and the conference didn't start till 10... And we still had to sit in the hard chairs! :p hahah But besides that it was an awesome conference! At this one point we all had to get up and sing, La Luz de la Verdad, and it really was an experience I won't ever forget. We finished of our Sunday with a visit to one of our member’s house that we've been teaching. We talked about a few thing and then they brought up a concern about not seeing any changes in their lives yet… I told them that you won't just see the changes in one day, it happens little by little and although sometimes we don't see it in ourselves other people can. That's pretty much it! Thanks for checking in you guys!

Love ya lots!
Elder Tidwell

The new Elder Tidwell!

Just a little hello selfie for my family!

I love it so much...I had to go bigger! haha

A familiar face from home!

Week 48 - A week of food challenges!

Guess what???

Where both staying together for another transfer!! Heck yes! Haha This week’s been great! We've set two baptismal dates this week and it's been so awesome! The work over here is really starting to progress! Also this week with the English elders, who live right behind us, we have had ongoing food challenge nights hah! The other night we did the cinnamon challenge and then the next night I did the gallon milk challenge… that didn't go well but I finished! Hahah I will spare you the details and the video!! Also this week I've had some of the best food in my whole mission at this less active’s house! And I freaking love salsa now! hahah Like it's gotten better as time’s gone on in my mission but it's like essential to some foods hah. (For those that know me well, know that I was a pretty picky eater and wouldn’t touch things like salsa before!) And well that's pretty much the sum of my week! Sorry it's not too long this week next week will be better!

Thanks for checking, in love you guys!

~Elder Tidwell

One of my favorite meals this week!

I love this stuff!

Look mom...I am eating big boy food now!!

Just a couple of G's

Just some parking garage pics...

Our Zone!

Week 47 - Great food...tons of teaching...and soccer!

Hey!

I can't believe how fast time is going! The transfer is almost over and time has just blown by! I guess that's what happens when you’re having fun! Well we've had some awesome things happen this week! We've had the opportunity to get to know a ton of or members and had a few dinner appointments which has been awesome! I tried some new stuff and it was freaking bomb! We had these things called sopes which are a tostada with frijoles and cheese and salsa on top! hah Man I can't wait to get home and make them!

We taught a crap ton of lessons this week and had finally seen a bunch of miracles from all of the finding we've been doing! We found some really solid investigators on Sunday with two of the youth from our ward and walked a ton too. Saturday, we played soccer and had a super fun time…and I'm getting better hahah. A few weeks ago me and Curtis made up this dance and we were able to do it in a video we took during soccer it's pretty funny hah. Oh, on Sunday, we had to practice singing for the upcoming stake conference and they told me to lead them even though I have no idea what I'm doing! :p It was super funny haha, definitely a day to remember hah.

Something that has been getting a lot better are my jokes in Spanish… I'm always able to make people laugh which is and awesome feeling! I love leaving people feeling better than the way I found them! Well pretty much a lot of what we did this week was a lot of knocking and a ton of following up, but I'm excited to see how they all progress! :)

Thanks for checking in guys!
Love Elder Tidwell

Pday bowling!!

Week 46 - Caught in a rainstorm and a busy week!

Look what was at Chick-fil-a!!

What up?!

Crazy things have gone on this week! On Monday, we had some dumb stuff go down with our gas card… it was just crazy and took an hour and 45 minutes to get gas! Hah! Tuesday, we had a mini exchange and I went with Elder Williams… we seriously had a ton of fun! Hah! We got some donuts for breakfast and then went to this 99 cent store and then went to a goodwill type place, we also taught English class to these two people from Vietnam which was awesome! Wednesday, we went on splits and when me and this kid Jason were contacting it started pouring down rain and usually in Texas it'll stop within like 10 min or something. But nope it didn't go down like that :p!! We ended up waiting underneath this garage like cover area thing while Elder Curtis and this other kid Victor were in a lesson and then it was super cold on top of it all. We ended up just walking to the car and it would start pouring and then fade a little bit and go hard again, so we waited outside in the rain for probably about an hour :p hah! Thursday, we went running for the first time in forever and wow, I'm out of shape :p haha. Friday, we had zone meeting and that went really good! We then went and had exchanges with our zone leaders and that went really well too! Saturday, I got a sort of new mattress hah, it's a lot bigger and firmer than my last one :p hahah. Sunday, we went to church and then had an activity with the Elder’s quorum to visit less active families and invite them to our stake conference. We met some great families and had a great time! :) If you guys have any questions hit me up!

Elder Tidwell

So there was this today at Chick-fil-a!! Takes me right back to my childhood!

I totally saw this today! Oregon plates!

Caught in a rainstorm...

On exchange with Elder Williams...

English class...those are my drawings...I know...they are legit!

Yes...we did go get some jean shorts...rocking the 90's gear!

Treated to a meal!!

Week 45 - Happy New Year

Hey guys!!

Happy New Years! On Tuesday, we went on exchanges with the zone leaders and that went pretty good! We got to meet this guy named Joe and the lesson we had with him was so powerful it was so amazing! We went to the zone leader’s bishop’s house and met his family and it was so much fun haha! His family and wife were so funny!  Wednesday we exchanged back and then had a few lessons and all that good stuff! Then Thursday which was New Year’s Eve, we went over to the English elder’s apartment and hung out with them for the night. It was so crazy! All night long they had those really big fireworks going on and then when midnight hit it was like a war zone!! It was so loud but it was just awesome! :) We took a video but I'll have to try and find it hah. Friday we had district meeting and played some fun games and just had a really awesome lesson!! Saturday we played soccer!! We had been playing for a little bit and then Curtis kicked the ball to me and I went to be all cool and like kick it in the air… but when I did that, it spun off my leg and hit me in the face :p! It sucked but was super funny!! Hahah Sunday we went to church and had some super awesome lessons and just had a great day!

I hope you guys had an awesome year and are excited for the one to come!

Love ~ Elder Tidwell

Got myself a new haircut! 

Just a couple of G's...Rockin the sweater vest haha.

503...

Sweater game to strong...

Pday hangout with the Sisters...

Barbecuing!!

BBQ master...haha

Doing my thing

Me and my comp...hanging with the sisters and ready to eat some BBQ!!