August 22, 2011

Hey everyone:) How are all of you ? Well I'm all ready to fly out at 5:45 in the morning, blech I'm not excited to wake up that early. Oh well once I get to Ecuador there is no more flying till I come home:) I can't wait to get there and actually have people I care about and not just practice one time people. I loved your letters. Thank you so much for writing me. Thanks for the advice on the camera dad. I guess I didn't think about that ha. I'm also glad you liked my poem. I wrote that after several long days in class. Classes here drag so bad but we had our last one this morning. So before I forget, I have to tell you what I got told yesterday during exit interviews.... Ok so I go in and he asks me about the food and how my time was here and all those questions. He asked me what I did before the mission and what I wanna do after and I told him just work and go to school. He asked where I worked so I told him I loved working at the shop and he asked what I wanted to do for a career and I said, "well I really want to have my own shop but I can't in today's economy." He just looked at me and said "can u eat a cow?" I said, "well with time." He said, "Can you fly a plane." I said, "Sure with enough school." And he said ¨ok then, I want you to find me in a few years and I want to come and see your shop. I don't ever want to hear an excuse like that ever again." So everyone, if I still have a love for that stuff when I get back, which I think I will, I'm going to own my own shop. Thats my dream and I think I can do it. It stoked me up so much to hear him say that. Well I gotta go. I love you guys:) Love Elder Profaizer:)

  

These Hands

Sanding the primer from morning till night-
Some days it almost took all of my might.

These hands got banged up all rough and cracked-
Bleeding was normal, for these man’s hands were hacked.

These hands were used, hardened and calloused, never given time to heal-
Funny, I did this everyday all on my own will.

Never wearing gloves because I was always too proud-
The cracks in my hands spoke louder than words spoke out loud.

Proud of working hard and my check at weeks end-
Working almost double the hours of most old grown men.

Working diligently till “you can go” he was told-
His hands and fingers look all wrinkled and old.

Cars were his passion whether they were his or not-
Turning a wrench brings more satisfaction than anything he’s ever bought.

A boss that always screamed, cussed and yelled-
Yet I see him as a friend, he treated me so well.

I was taught to work hard by that slave driving fool-
Some days I felt like a work horse or mule.

Looking back, I miss it so much-
But now these hands have something new to touch.

Scriptures in hand don’t quite do the damage-
They slowly heal as he flips through the pages.

A different kind of work I’m doing these days-
Attempting to learn Spanish is a never ending maze.

Sitting in class at the Peru MTC-
Nothing quite like knowing, God is with me.

Seemingly helping me through every Espanio step-
He makes sure from me no knowledge is kept.



My boss is now my Father in Heaven-
He sure helps me through this different kind of livin.

These hands are healing and it sure makes me sad-
But I know in my heart, being here is not bad.

I took great pride in being hardened and tough-
It didn’t matter to God, he took me even though I was rough.

Like a pile of scrap that comes to the shop-
All rusted out, dirty and missing the top.

The rust sanded off, primed and sanded again-
With each step I get smooth, no matter the pain.

Before I am painted, I am scuffed one more time-
With all these steps, it makes my worth climb.

The finishing touches like chrome, trim and leather-
All of these things only make me look better.

I came to the mission all rusty and old-
But I know when I leave, my value will be worth more than gold.

The LDS Mission is certainly the refiners fire-
Who knew being brought down would only bring you higher.

These hands have a new calling that they need to uphold-
I plan on doing this till the day I get old.


Matthew Profaizer
August, 2011

Clarification

To clarify the earlier post of Dad's question to Matthew. When Matthew seen the broken down car, Dad wondered if Matthew would respond as a compassionate helpful missionary or would his teenage self come out and laugh at the guy's misfortune. Matthew first impulse was to be compassionate but when the guy started making out with the girl right in the middle of the road, the other side won over and he laughed his head off.

Flat Matt's Next Adventure

Flat Matt decided it was time to take a trip up to Idaho to spend some time with the Lovells. His new baby nephew was born August 14th at 11:29 PM weighing 6 lbs 3 oz, and 19 1/2 inches long. He was named Kolter Matthew Lovell (after his uncle Matthew). Flat Matt was such a great help as the Lovells were loading up the car to head home.

August 17, 2011

Hey everyone:) I'm so happy to hear about my new baby nephew:) Thank you for sending those pictures, I really enjoy seeing them and all that's going on. I miss ya all so much haha. I love hearing from all of you. First off, before I forget I am going to answer dad's question if we felt bad or if we just laughed and I'm ashamed to say, yes we laughed but only because the guy it happened to was a white guy- not American- and he had his girl friend with him and even though that just happened they just started smackin on the side of the road like that just makes everything better haha. Well we went proselyting on Saturday and it was not that successful but I did contribute in teaching a lesson. I'm learning gospel Spanish but I have no idea how to talk just normal talk haha. But I will learn that with time:) Well everyone, I sure miss you all a lot!!!! but I'm doing much better home-sickness wise. I went and talked to the President this morning about my issues with leaving behind work and money and all that and just talking about it helped me so much and he gave me some good advice and I'm over it now. I'm ready to serve even more then before. It's only 2 years then I'm right back and it's been 2 months all ready so I'm set:) I love it out here and I have such great friends and elders around me that help with anything and we are all so tight and talk about everything. This is the best place I could ever be right now in my life. I sent mom and dad a letter today through pouch mail with my whole memory card in it. Please email me as soon as you get it and don't send me one back till I'm already in Ecuador because I wont get it in time before I leave. The count down has started. I have like 5 more days here then it's off to the races I've been training for 2 months and it's time to compete. I am so ready!!!!! I love u all so much:)

****Maybe Dad could comment about what his question was?

August 10, 2011

August 10, 2011 Photos
Temple in Lima from 500 B.C.


Coast of Peru...Gorgeous!

Coast of Peru

The bus with no first gear
A very happy missionary


The President's house


My man cave where is it dark and I can bask in my own gas:) (Matthew's own words)


Hola Familia-
Hey Everyone!!!!! First off, I about pooped when I seen my truck painted girly blue and flowers -on it please never do that. Please. I know I was criticizing your paint job too because you didn't fix the wheel well rust:) So this week has been great, it is my first week with my new companion Elder Hoyos. He is from Lima South Peru. He is getting cooler the more I get to know him. I am in a room with 5 Latinos -no Americans. I guess God wants me to learn Spanish... well I guess it's 4 Latinos now because one got sent home yesterday. It's really sad and I pray for those that go home every day. I realize the courage it takes to do that. I know it couldn't be easy. I am still praying for Elder Barton, I hope he sticks with the church. Every day I learn more and more how great it is and I love it here. Days are hard but weeks are easy. This last week has gone by very quickly, I can't believe it's P-day already. I look forward to it all week so I can write you all. Ok so remember the tour bus we were going on last P-day? Well we were on the tour and we were coming up the coast and up a big hill and we hear a BANG and I just said "well he just blew first gear" and guess what? When we got off the bus, because we were stuck on a hill, he put it in first gear and guess what.... ZERO first gear! Yeah, I called it haha, so we all had to get off and wait for another bus. While we were sitting there waiting a small car drives by and their back left wheel just broke off haha. It was so funny and they kept driving about 100 yards hahaha. It was so funny- no rim- nothing, just bragin on the hub. I got a pic of it I'll send it to you. I got lots of pics for you guys. I should be leaving this MTC, Tuesday of not next but the next week so 13 days if everything goes to plan! I AM SO STOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh I'm excited. So I have to tell you about my gift of tongues experience. So all the Latinos in my room are so loud and stay up so late every night so 2 nights ago I prepared a lesson and a scripture and sat them all down. I said a prayer before they all came into the room that they would understand me and when they came in I sat them down and asked one of them to say a prayer and then I began teaching. I first started with the white handbook about the rule of bed at 10:30 and then pulled out D&C 88:124. We closed in a prayer after talking about it and they thanked me and they have been in bed around 10:30 that night and last. The Spirit was with me definitely I am learning sooooo much Spanish I can teach lessons. I love it!!!! Well I'm going to say goodbye and send you guys some pics so I love you all and I'll write you all later!!:) I love you!
Love Elder Profaizer


Letter to Jen:

Hello sister:) Well I'm back on for a second because I got nothing to do and we got the whole place to ourselves haha. So the Spanish translators don't always translate correctly haha. English is so much different then Spanish the way they say things and the orders haha. I'm very glad you didn't really paint it (the truck). I knew you didn't though haha. I'm pretty bright. You forget I worked in an auto-body shop for 3 years:) The Spanish is coming slowly but much better then it was 7 weeks ago. I can't wait til Tuesday in 2 weeks then I'm outta here!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO! I never thought I would make it. I'm like 8% of the way though my mission- 2 months haha. This is crazy! Before I know it the mission will be over and I will come back all weird and outta the loop hopefully. I'm not too weird. I doubt I will be though but there is always that chance. I can't wait to see everyone. I miss you all so so so much but this is a good place and I have good friends here that makes the days go by better- not faster just better. The days here really do drag on though, it sucks sometimes. I got kinda sick the last couple of days. I don't know what I ate but I was poopin' alot haha. Oh well, I think I'm OK now:) I have managed to keep it in the toilet and not in my pants so far haha. You would think after 4 weeks here I would be use to the food. Just rice and meet everyday, it gets so so so old. Well I have to go:) love u lots:) Elder Profaizer

August 3, 2011 Letter and Photos

Huge bottles of pop that are 3 liters, they are massive and they have a pop down here called Inca cola- it's so good.
My good friends and that's on one of the Foosball tables in the court yard. Foosball is our thing after all meals. Haha it's great, we get some intense games going.


Hey everyone, I am on one this great humid rainy morning at the Peru MTC. All our Latino comps left yesterday cuz they are only here for 3 weeks so last night there were no Latinos, all our new ones come in today. I have to say it was really nice. I'm not really a fan of them, they always wait till exactly 10:30 to come into the room and then they were always so loud and we could never get to sleep on time. So last night I would have had my own room so I went and slept in the room with a couple of my friends so I wasn't alone cuz that's against the rules haha. But we still broke the rules and we were up talking till 1 in the morning and doing our laundry so we didn't have to do it today. Later today, because there is like 30 people here in the whole mtc because we are waiting for the rest to get here they are taking us on a tour of Peru. It will be so sweet. I'm super stoked. This last week has went fantastic really, my Spanish is improving slowly but I feel like I had a major break through this week. A Latino came in and started speaking and without even thinking I replied and after he left I was like "wow I didn't even have to translate that to English first in my head." So I am definitely making progress. We went out prostiliting- I know that's spelled wrong but I'm on the clock so I gotta rush. But we taught several lessons and this one lady was SO interested. I was so excited I just contributed as much as I could and I had to tell her "dispasio por favor" which means speak slowly please and I was able to contribute to the lesson. I loved it. Thank you for the pictures of the funeral it made me feel better. Those were really nice. I like the one with all the pallbearers. I wish iIcould have been there. Oh well, this place is better and I know God helped me through it all very good. We watched the Joseph Smith movie Sunday night and wow, I've never seen a whole room of men cry b4. I'm sad today I wasn't one of them but I've never really been much of a emotional crier type. But I sure did feel the spirit. Of course the 3 sister missionaries were bawling their eyes out but we won't go there haha, that's just normal. So the naked guy story: so 2 Saturdays ago we went out proselyting and Elder Whitney looks out the side and there is just a dude sitting on the side of the road and naked basically with his man business all hanging out haha. Nasty I know but we went to the temple after and felt the Spirit. I'm bummed we don't get to go to the temple today though oh well. at 10:00 all the North Americans are playing a massive game of soccer. Monday we played a game, the 10 people in my district played against 22 people in 2 other districts and we won, haha. We are awesome. We play what we call "man ball," cuz we don't tackle but come really close and get a little crazy. It is so much fun without Latinos cuz they are such wimps and if you even touch them they yell "falta falta" which is foul and they are just babies. It makes us Americans soooo mad cuz we get hurt too but we don't complain. Anyway, haha I better go, times almost up. I might get on later and send some pictures I'm not sure yet though haha Love you guys:) Love Elder Profaizer!!!

Second Letter for the day:
Hello, I'm on for second:) So when you told me about the article in the Ensign it reminded me to tell you about this article I read in the Liahona, in the September 2010 issue on page 18 there is an article that is titled Our Senior Missionaries. Go and read it, the Liahona is in English because I got one so find it if you can, it's really good and O think after I get back and you guys are more settled down think about a mission because as I watch my president and momma Whetten, they are just like you guys and you guys would be awesome. I am loving the mission some days but others I hate it I'm not going to lie- sometimes when O feel like I haven't learned much one day I just question what I'm doing but I know that's the devil and I'm strong. For heavens sake, I worked for Kirby Rhodes, this is cake compared to that. I totally got this mission covered. With Gods help and all you guys' prayers, I can do this and be successful. I'm learning to love the scriptures. I just read the Book of Mormon every day during personal study and I pray before so I can get something out of it for future investigators. I always am reading after that and a verse comes up and I just know it when I see it that that's the one I need for a future person. And if they don't help people, they always help me. I sent some pics, I don't know if you got them or not. If you didn't, tell me cuz the computers here are kinda weird and don't always work.

Family- I wasn't going to write you guys on Friday about Grandpa because I just wanted to go on and forget about it and just focus on the work but I had an impression to send you a letter not for me but for you guys. I hope that it helped a little. I love you all so much and I know that your prayers are helping me tremendously. I'm really sorry for my spelling, I figure if you guys know what I'm talking about that's all that matters because then I can type much faster and say more to all of you. How is the truck and the Buick? Are they still kickin? I miss driving so much, I haven't been behind the wheel of a car for over a month and I hate it, I love driving. I hope when I get home I can be financially stable enough to pick up on a sweet GTO with the LS2 so I can make up for all the car I missed in two years with a man car like a GTO . Haha, silly I know, but gosh I sure want one of those cars. That would be sweet. I'm still me and I don't think my love for them will ever die. I look around and see junk foreign pieces of poo everywhere and I just would love to see a good of Chevelle or Kirby's Challenger. Something hard-core American. Anyway enough about that stuff, I just thought that that would assure You I'm still me family:) I love you all so so so much. I can't wait till Ecuador in 3 weeks, I'm almost there:) I'm growing to love the Peru MTC more and more every day. We just find the little things that keep us going:) Thank you for that word search, its super sweet at 3 in the morning sitting on the toilet:) Haha. Well it's lunch time and after that time for the tour. Love you all bunches:) Tell the children I love them sooooooooo much and would love hugs and kisses from them all:) Talk to you later:) Love Elder Profaizer!!:)!!:)

Third letter for the day to Jen
Hey Jen:) I snuck back on tonight cuz we got the night off tonight, haha but tell dad thank you for not letting you guys take the truck. I love that thing too much. Haha. Take good care of my car haha. Peru is so crazy, I have to tell you. The people SUCK at driving and they just are so crazy haha. We went to the center of the city today and there is sooooo many people everywhere. Some of the buildings are pretty like the Presidents house (peruvian white house:) but it is just straight up ghetto. They don't have Diet Coke down here and I really don't like regular Coke so i got Pepsi and plus its was cheaper then Coke haha. I gotta go, we are doing a sick game of night soccer and I'm not suppose to be on anyway but send this one to everyone haha. I just want everyone to stay in the loop cuz i really can not include everything that is going on its sooo hard. I'm trying my best though. I love u lots!!! Love Elder Profaizer!!:)

Eternal Perspective

July 28 was a very important day for our family. I am including this on Matthew's blog because he has many wonderful memories and love for Grandpa Hendricks. Grandpa passed away from this life and moved to his new mission on July 28. A couple of weeks before Matthew left on his mission, he went with Dad and I to spend the night with Grandpa. I hope this can be a very special memory for him. There is something about the still of the night that allows the veil to be very thin and the spirit to be felt more intensely. I hope Matthew felt this. Grandpa was a great man and he loved all his children and grandchildren fiercely. When he died, Jenifer was able to make contact with the Peru MTC. The President called Matthew in his office and told him the news. He was allowed to make e-mail contact with us and these are his thoughts and feelings. I did so appreciate the strength that it gave me as I prepared my talk for Dad's funeral.

Hey guys
How are u doing? The President let me get on my email for a little bit to write you all about Grandpa. Don't reply to this email he let me get on my gmail cuz my ldsmail account is messed up right now so please reply to my ldsmail so I can write u back on my p-day.
So yesterday President called me in and my stomach dropped, I was thinkin district leader or something it didnt even cross my mind that this was the news. He told me what happened and gave me the option to write but I said no. I decided in the night I don't need to write for me but I need to write for you guys. I'm doing fine, yesterday was pretty hard but I got 3 of my closest guys here to give me a blessing last night and now I feel good as new, ready to start the day but I have a few things to say to all of you.
First off I love you all so much and I know that this is hard for you all especially mom, you are stronger then you think. Remember that song I showed you about when I pass on let it be a happy time. should be more of a celebration then a sad thing. Grandpa Hendricks is going to heaven, without a doubt in my mind we will all see him again and when we see him he will look good as new in a great spirt countenance. He will not be in his broken down fallen apart fragile spirt body when u see him. This is a glorious gospel and I know that we will see him again.
When the President told me it didn't really hit me till a few miniuts later. I was really sad all day and had to go to my room and think and be alone couple times then it dawned on me the positve aspect to this whole thing. No more suffering no more sadness. He is being a missionary up in heaven and converting and doing much more good up there then he was up there. Just look at it like he is going on a mission and he is leaving his family to go do some good up there. It's like me when I left, I'm just going to convert people so they can be with there familys forever he is doing the same thing.
Well I don't know if you guys will read this for a few days but I hope u do. If one of you read this soon please tell mom so she can. I think it might help her. I love u all so much and mine and my districts prayers are with you. I love you
Love Elder Profaizer