August 31, 2010

Mom and Dad,

Hey, yeah, so I’m fine. I sent you an email the first week that I could get on the computer and thought I would have had one the next week, but maybe it didn’t send or something. It’s ok. I’m here now. I have been getting everyone’s letters fine, and all of the packages got here too. I have been going up and down the halls every night just asking elders if they want some, and I still have a ton left I’m gonna have to leave behind. I’m just glad that they came. I would suggest not sending many to Peru or Ecuador, honestly. But thanks.

Um, I have no idea if it’s their or our time. It didn’t say on the thing. It just said that I fly out at like 8 and get there at 3. Sorry, and I don’t have the flight plan, but I’m pretty positive it doesn’t say. The other elders in my district said to but a calling card too, but I don’t really know now to use it. I guess I can find out. So I’ll just get one with like 2000 or something? I don’t know, probably that.

My debit card info is the same as everything else. ________ is the username and _______ is the password. Is that what you meant? And that’s good to know about Dana, but I don’t think I’ll be needing her anymore. If you can take on the carry on and the backpack and they don’t charge you, then I’ll have plenty of room and the weight shouldn’t go over. I was just worried that I couldn’t take two and then I wouldn’t have enough money and just have to stay back here. And I don’t really want that. Well, not really.

I gotta pack today, and it’s not as bad as I thought. There isn’t much stuff, it’s just about shoving it in. The only other thing is I have to do the 3 hours of studying at some time today, Tuesday is temple day. I gotta pack, AND write letters to like 9 people. It’s gonna be crazy. And it’s probably the last time I’ll get to speak English for the two years. Crazy.

And the MTC isn’t that bad. The first couple a weeks were just cuz I was just trying to figure stuff out, but now it’s better, I think. This last week has just disappeared and thing are starting to pick up faster. Class is still kinda long, but if they are starting to be somewhat fast, I think days in the field will be quite fast. It’ll be good. I know it.

So year, that’s good. I’ll call. If I call in Salt Lake, it’ll be way early and I don’t know if they’ll let me, or if we’ll even have enough time to do it. I can surely try though.

Well, I gotta go in a second, I’m running out of time on this thing, we only get 30 minutes a day for email, so it’s really hard to get everything written and across and what not. Tell Madison that I CAN read letters any day of the week that I want to, but they say you shouldn’t until the day before P-day so your mind isn’t wrapped up in what you’re going to say, but its ok.

I’ll send a letter out today too, and I think if you send the letter here to the MTC even though I won’t be here, they try to forward it to Peru, and same with the mission. Most missionaries try to forward it or something, so that’s good.

I miss everyone, and love everyone. Good luck this week with everything and I’ll hear from you soon, I suppose. I’m gonna try to save all letters from everyone, but I don’t know if I’ll have room. Again, I can surely try. Oh, PS, I my room somewhere is a letter from James from a while ago. Can you give me his address? I kinda wanna write him back. I wish I knew Gentry’s too, but I haven’t heard from him in a while. Lastly, tell Cody to write me a letter before he leaves. I never got his address, the jerk. I’ve gotten a letter from Kayle and I wrote one and got one back from Sam, so at least I haven’t been completely forgotten. Well, love you!

Love,

Elder Reber

Madison,

I can read the letters whevever. I can only write them on p-days. So yeah.

School is EASY! You just need to apply yourself. Cheat is you have to. That’s all I ever did, and I’m on a freakin mission now. Exactly. Boo-sha. Just keep going. It gets easier. Say hi to all the BA teachers for me.

And your friends ARE stupid. Except for Sierra. Who I never got to kiss. Tell her, “Why didn’t you just come to my house and let my brother kiss you”? Do it.

How’s work? School now? Family? Fun stuff? Let me know.

Ok, two favors:

1. Go on Facebook and change my address every time I transfer. Like, under my picture, you know? You know my password. So when you find it out, change it, and leave an update every now and again.

2. Talk to Aubree and get her address for me. I have some things I really wanna tell her. It’s important. Please?

3. Tell Cody to freakin write me! I don’t know his address.

4. If you ever go in to Fresh Market, get Nick’s address and email. Please?

5. Go on my Facebook messages and write down the email for: John Bryant Hitchens. I wanna forward emails to my friends, and he was the mish who inspired me.

OK, that’ s all. Love you! Have fun. Don’t do bad stuff with boys. Seriously.

Love,

Elder Jace Reber

Whitney,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I love you! Miss you! Have fun! Thank you for writing!

Love, Elder Reber

Dear Mom and Dad,

So, I already did that email today, so I figure that covered everything. But I just basically got packed. I’m gonna have to do the three bags - two checked, and 1 carry-on. Plus, the backpack, I’m really worried that it’s gonna be a big fee, and I’m not gonna ever have enough to cover it. Then what? I dunno. Just leave one, I guess. I’m just nervous. I’m gonna go talk to travel services, too, right after this, so hopefully that’ll take care of stuff.

Sorry, this is so short. Not much time to do stuff today. I’m gonna have to forsake a large portion of studies. That’s not good.

Wait! Just talked to Travel services, and they said 2 checked, 1 carry-on, and the backpack. Whew! Saved my life. It’s all good now.

Anyways, wish Whitney a happy birthday for me! Love you. I’ll be on my way to Peru in about 12 hours from now.

Love,

Elder Reber

August 27, 2010

Mom and Dad,

I thought that might be it. The two pieces, one carry-on, and the backpack. I’m just nervous that they’ll charge me a ton, and I don’t want and definitely don’t need it. But if it’s ok, then ok. I can fit some stuff from the big one in to the little one, or even my backpack. The big one was only 57, so it’s ok and in range. Only need to take out seven pounds. I can do that easy.

Anways, thanks for letting me know. I’m breaking the rules sending out a letter today, but it’s ok, cuz it’s a big deal. He’ll, God will, forgive me. Anyway, thanks. I’ll write one before I leave.

Oh, by the way, I’m allowed to call on Wednesday, in the layover from Atlanta to Peru. It’ll be at like three or so. So yeah. I can call, or not. If no one’s home, I can just leave a message or something. Another thing, I need to probably get a minimum of another 100 off my debit card, so can you get on my account and add it, and I’ll just get some off the ATM here? Thanks, but let me know first. Hopefully this comes before Sunday. Love you! Again, I’ll write Tuesday.

Love,

Elder Jace Reber

P.S. I sent an e-mail the very first Tuesday I was here. breber@q.com, right? Anyways, pray for me! Love You!

Provo MTC pics

August 24, 2010

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thanks for the package. I had to give tons away though. There was a lot. And still is a lot. But thanks. Thanks for the encouragement too.

Um, the MTC is very dull. Class is so long. And the fact that the teachers speak only in Spanish make it that much worse. I need to get some skills fast, especially for Peru next week. Yeah, I’m going. I’m not excited that much. Yet am very to just get away from here. There are supposedly only one or two hundred missionaries there, which would be rock-in. Oh, by the was, there’s some rules.

So, with bags, it’s TWO bags and 1 carry-on. The guy that talked to us said “make it a backpack”. Not a backpack and a carry-on. Only one. I know. So I need to get the other carry on home, unless I should just leave it, but its an entire suitcase! So I went up to the front and asked if there was a way I could have Dana just get it, and she said someone comes and gets packages and delivers them to four places. That’s what the slip is for. Call Dana and ask if she can get it at one of these spots. Which means, I gotta send a lot home, not only from lack of room, but weight. On Delta Airlines, it’s a fee of $50 for bags 50-71 pounds. And I go to Georgia on one plane, then to Peru. So that’s 300 bucks just to get to the MTC. Then from there to Ecuador will be another $50. We’re not paying 500 dollars in fees. So I gotta pick about 20 pounds of stuff I don’t need. I know I need these: shirts, pants, shoes, boots, jacket, bug stuff, sheets, garments, socks, scriptures, and that’s it. Look through the book and tell me what I should send home. It’s gonna be hard, but I got no other choice. So just ask Dana which of these she can go to. Maybe call the numbers and ask about how it works. I’m gonna talk to travel services tomorrow and find out some stuff too. Whoo, alright, that’s over.

Oh, and he said sometimes, that is, the district president guy, said that sometimes you can only bring one bag on some transfers and have to leave the other in the mission office, probably in Quito. Which means it’ll be INSANELY hard. Call Parker and ask about that. About all of it. Please? The sooner I can hear, the better.

So my district is really cool. Everyone is fun, I laugh, and it’s good. They all understand way more, but I’m a better speaker than a lot of them. Weird how that works. We have started teaching, and it’s hard. I don’t know much, like scripture wise. It’s kinda overwhelming. I don’t know, like, the most effective was to study of anything. It’s hard sometimes, but I pray a lot. Like a lot, a lot. I hope it gets easier.

So what’s new? Like, with everything or everyone. Any fun stuff? School? Work? Family events? Anything?

Well, pray for me. I’m gonna need all the help I can get. I’m nervous all the time in class that I’m gonna have to teach or do something in Spanish that I can’t or is really uncomfortable. Sometimes, I feel like I should come home. But I gotta tough it out. So yeah, just pray for me. I love all of you and will send you one next week, probably right before I leave. I never knew you could only send letters on p-day, I do now.

Oh, what’s your email? I sent one last week, but I dunno if you got it. Just curious. Thanks again. Miss you. Love you.

Love, Your son,

Elder Reber

Madison,

Don’t drive the car hard, and don’t do anything stupid. Don’t let your dumb friend eat in it. Seriously. Anyway, have fun in school. Tell Monty I thanked him in my farewell, and want cash. Tell Mrs. Duncan Spanish is way harder here, and that’s it. Have fun. Love you. Tell me some stuff that’s o-ccured.

Love,

Elder Jace Reber

-Like, how’s work and school and stuff.

Dear Hunter,

Hey buddy! How’s school? I’m glad your teacher is nice! I hope you have tons of fun. Don’t play so much Nintendo! Ride your bike, it’s way fun. And play soccer and anything else you want to. I miss you and love you! Thanks for the picture!

Love, Your Brother,

Jace

Whitney,

I miss you too. Have fun in school. Don’t argue with Brooklyn, and do your best. Listen to mom and dad, and be nice to people. I love you and miss you. Have a lot of fun with what you do!

Love, Your Brother,

Jace

Brooklyn,

Hey turn in your stuff! All the time! School is way important. Follow my excellent example. Oh, and maybe Madison’s. Nah, just mine. Have fun with stuff. Keep trying your best, and don’t fight with Whitney. My companion is named Elder Claybaugh. He’s pretty cool. He kinda annoys me sometimes, but that’s ok. Anyway, enjoy yourself.

Love, your Brother,

Jace