Happy 20th to Coco!!!!!!

August 29, 2009 -
Hey Unforgettable Family,
Happy Birthday to…ME!!! Can you believe it? It’s already my Birthday. I am turning 20 this week. Wow. I’m getting old… No, I’m just growing up a little bit. And today, I hit 10 Months. Time is just passing like crazy. I really don’t feel like I’m 20-years-old. I’ve been thinking about what I would like to get for my Birthday, and I think I already got it because… I GOT A PACKAGE THIS WEEK! !! :) I received it Monday while we were all here working, and I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to open it. Elder Rich told me to give all the birthday stuff to Sister Pérez and she will make the cake and get everything ready for a party. I am also way excited for whatever is in the package I can’t open until my 1-year mark. I can’t wait to find out what it is… Again, thank you so much for making my day… I have the best family on earth.
We didn’t show up late to the Talent Show. We showed up on time; it just started an hour-and-a-half late. It’s just the way things are down here in Peru…everything behind schedule, and a little slow… :) But I love it… We sang the EFY Medley in Spanish with some other Missionaries from our zone. I played the piano and I recorded it with my tape recorder. It didn’t turn out great, but I do have some evidence of what we tried to do… But, by far, my favorite part that I saw was the cute little Primary kids dancing. I filmed it, so you’ll get to see it as well…This week wasn’t a good week of getting out and teaching because my companion is broken. By that, I mean that I have to be with him, or we have to find two members, one that can stay with my companion, and another that can leave with me. And it’s really hard to find two members that can help us out during the daytime. But, when I am not able to leave, I just do my Personal Secretary stuff and I am improving a lot of things. Elder Rich told me yesterday that President complimented about me. He told Elder Rich that I have good motivation and am a hard worker, and that I am only wanting the best for the mission … That’s exactly what I want to do. I hope that’s all I do is improve and progress. In the Offices, there are four Secretaries and two Assistants to President. I am the Personal Secretary. My companion, Elder Sandoval, is the Supplies Secretary. Elder Doza is the Registry Secretary, Elder Steed is the Financial Secretary, and Elder Rich along with Elder Santiago are the Assistants. All six of us work here and we live together. The Offices are on the first floor, and our house in on the second floor. It is such a fun environment to be constantly surrounded by a good group of hard-working Missionaries. The time just flies by being able to talk the day away with them. We work hard, but we also have a ton of fun, and I am always happy. I absolutely love being here in the Offices…
Yesterday was the last day I got to talk with Doctor Drake and his sweet wife. They are finishing their mission this Tuesday. I took a picture with them and also wrote down their e-mail so that I can stay in contact with them. They say that they have Missionary reunions all of the time and love seeing their Missionaries. Sorry this e-mail is a little scattered and not as well-written as I usually write. Ms. Kinzer would be a little disappointed… :) Speaking of Ms. Kinzer, Chase, have a ton of fun in her class. She’s expecting a lot from you. Just keep the Quinn reputation high… :) I can’t believe school has already started. The time is going past even faster being busy with homework and after-school activities. We won’t even realize it and I’ll have been out a year. Chase, good luck with Les Mis and Senior Class Officer. You are already a Superstar!!! Dallis, have fun with baseball and being with Sra. Denney. You are such a Stud!!! Mom and Dad, good luck with finding the house. Just keep praying and we’ll find the perfect house… Thank you once again for the special Birthday package. Have an amazing week. I love you all and miss you so much. Love, Coco

"What a conversation it will be..."

August 22, 2009 - I saw the photo of Davey and Nathan. They both look great. Davey is such a stud. He looks like such a good Missionary. He looks like he is just filled with Mission experience and stories. You know, he’s going to be home before we know it… I can’t wait to be able to talk with him about our Missions when I get home. What a conversation it will be…Nothing really big happened this week, but there is some surprising news. My companion, Elder Sandoval, and I left a little late from an appointment on Tuesday night. We ran to the main street where we always hop on a bus to get taken home, but there weren’t any buses coming. So, my companion told me it would be better if we ran because we could arrive in the same amount of time. I agreed, and off we went. We crossed the street and headed for the MegaPlaza, a huge American Mall close to our house (The Offices.) As we were passing MegaPlaza, the pavement changed to small rocks and dirt. I was in front of my companion running, and suddenly I heard, “Compi…Compi…” I turned around and found my companion helping himself to the ground. He had twisted his ankle really bad and it was hurting him. He couldn’t walk so we called a taxi, hopped in, and were brought to The Offices. He called President and got permission to go to the hospital. And off we went again. I was in a Peruvian hospital. I know it’s weird, but it was actually nice. Anyway, they had to take x-rays of my companion, and come to find out, he had fractured his foot. Yes, that’s right; my companion is currently in his bed with a cast on his right foot… We were in the hospital until 1:00 in the morning… But everything is okay. I am perfectly fine because I have hand-eye-and-foot coordination… :) But my companion could use some prayers to help the bone to seal well and fast so that he can get back to work like normal. It’s harder to get out because I have to wait for two members everyday to come to pick me up and bring me home, one with me, and one to be with Elder Sandoval…Good news… President invited us to lunch on Thursday… He invited us to pizza, but not just any pizza… Papa John’s Pizza… That’s right, Papa John’s… It was so good and delicious. I honestly loved just sitting around as The Office Crew eating Papa John’s Pizza and drinking Coca-Cola with President Pérez. I am loving the Mission and enjoying every moment that passes. Life is good here in the Field.
Later that night on Thursday, Elder Rich and I got in a stamp fight. He being a wrestler, obviously overtook me, and I left with black ink all over my face. I took some pictures and recorded a video of the aftermath… I know that when you guys see it, you are just going to think what a weird kid Colyn is, but I had fun… Life is to enjoy… I have decided to enjoy it to the maximum… I have a billion plans already in action for when I get home… We are going to enjoy life as a family.
Family, I honestly know that we are in the only True Church of God. I am so thankful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and Eternal Families. I love it because it means we are going to be together FOREVER!!! There are not four other people I would rather spend Eternity with than my two studly Brothers, my tender-hearted Dad, and my gorgeous Mom. I love you guys so much and you already know that I miss you so much… We are all doing great. Let’s just keep going… I love you. Take care until next week.Love, Coco

"Just having a terrific day"

August 15, 2009 -
Hey Perfect Family, How’s everybody doing? I think that everything sounds like it’s basically perfect; you’re just missing one member of the family at home… :) I’m so glad that you all enjoyed Elder Nemelka’s Homecoming. The pictures look great. And Mom, yes, that hug was from me to you. I knew that Elder Nemelka would give it to you with the greatest amount of love that anyone could. I absolutely love the photo of you guys with Elder Nemelka and the other one with the other families and Returned Missionaries. I have to say that we are a family full of studs and a one amazingly beautiful Mom. Dad, well, let’s just say that you haven’t changed a bit… :) I’m just kidding, you look really good. Mom, holy cow, you look great. You look so happy and perfect. I was so glad to see a huge, laughing smile on your face. Oh, how I can’t wait to see you in person… :) Chase, my new look-a-like… :) I don’t know about that, but bud you look great... Dallis, how tall are you? I can’t believe it. I love seeing you guys. It helps me know that you are happy and still going on with life. What a perfect family I have. I love you guys so much.
As The Office Crew, we get a lot more privileges. Today was an awesome day. We had the awesome opportunity of hanging out with President Pérez and his daughter Carolina in their house. That’s right, the house on the 21st floor of the building next to the golf course in the pretty part of Lima, Miraflores (San Isidro), right by the ocean. It is such a good place for President to live. We went there and he made us a delicious lunch: roast beef, mashed potatoes, salad, bratwurst, BBQ sauce, Coca-Cola, spaghetti, and brownie ice-cream to finish the meal. We were also able to watch Madagascar 2 with him, and we laughed throughout the whole show. I absolutely loved being with President. He is such a humble, knowledgeable, and kind person. He is really like my Uruguayan and Peruvian Dad. He takes such good care of me and I love him to death. I would spend all day, every day with him if I could. I really enjoy the moments when he is around. He knows so much about the Gospel and shares so much with us. You would also love to meet him… On Monday this week, President invited The Office Crew to lunch, and you’ll never guess where we went… CHILI’S… that’s right. There is a Chili’s in Peru and it was so good. But that wasn’t even the best part. President knows that I love High School Musical, and that I played the part of Troy in it with Whitley last year. He teased the waitress, telling her that I was Troy Bolton from High School Musical and that at the end of my meal, I should receive some cake and ice-cream like they give for free when you have a birthday. She got a kick out of it. I ordered the good quesadillas they have there with a frozen lemonade. It was delicious. Then, the funniest part of the meal… President tells me to sign a napkin as Troy Bolton. I signed my signature that I signed on all of the programs last year with “Elder Quinn” written beneath it. President then took the napkin and put it with his credit card to pay for the meal. It was so funny. I didn’t get any cake or ice-cream, but I thought it was way funny that President picked me out of the group to help tease the waitress. He is such a funny person and has me laughing all of the time. I really have such a good friendship with him and am so excited for the time I have to spend with him.Today was also a great day because we had a BAPTISM… My companion, Elder Sandoval, baptized Carmen Ermilia Teran Taco. She is an awesome older, single lady, who is very smart and gained a testimony really fast. We had some conflicts involving her sister Luzy, but she survived through it and was baptized in less than three weeks. She is so great and I can’t wait to form an even better relationship with her. Her sister America, and her niece Sarah, are lined up to get baptized next week. Pray for us to help these baptisms turn out. They are all three awesome people and I will update you next Saturday about how their baptisms went. The baptism tonight is also another reason why I am writing so late. We got home from President’s house and then had to leave right to the baptism. That’s why I am writing you right now, but know that I am perfectly fine, and was just having a terrific day.

"WOW"

August 8, 2009 -
Hey Best Family on Earth,
All I can say is “Wow.” Did you even feel this week go by? I cannot believe how fast this week went by. I am still shocked that it is already Saturday and I am writing home again. I almost feel like I don’t have anything to tell you because this week went by so fast. Working here in The Offices is so much fun. I love spending the day here with six Missionaries and at times President Pérez.I absolutely love my work here. I work with all of the Missionaries, and I am sure that I will have every single one of their names and faces down by the time I leave The Offices. I also work with the Doctor of the Area, Doctor Drake. Like Mom would say, “He is a darling man.” He really is. He and his sweet wife are so fun to talk with and they take such good care of the Missionaries. They have served four missions together. Dr. Drake has been Area Doctor of three missions, and was President of the Reno Nevada Temple. They are finishing their mission here in Peru this change, and are already ready to hand in their papers to go out again on another mission. They say that they miss seeing the kids and the grandkids, but they know that they receive many more blessings by serving the Lord. They are an awesome couple. I could honestly just sit down all day and talk with them and never get bored. I hope one day to meet with them again.I think we were all in awe that the house sold so fast. What a good neighborhood the new family is moving into. Are they members? It’s okay if they’re not...we’ll just have to convert them… Just kidding. But it really would be a blessing to have members move in and keep that ward going… Mom, what a sweet story of Sister Homer and Sister Mickelsen. We have too many terrific friends there, but don’t worry; we will all be living together again in the Celestial Kingdom for Eternity. This is what I have to tell all of my converts when I leave an area, and I cry every time that I say it because I am so close to them. I have to tell them that if by chance we are not able to meet again, we will be seeing each other in the Eternities because they have been baptized in the only true Church of God. It tugs at my heart strings to have to say this to them, but when the Lord says it’s time to leave an area, you have to obey. The hardest person to say this to so far was Yolanda from Iquitos. She is so sweet and loving that I cannot explain it to you guys through an e-mail. I have to tell it to you in words, and I cannot wait for you to meet her. I have adopted her as another grandma. I call her “abuelita” and she calls me “nietito,” or grandson. I am absolutely in love with her and her family. You will all fall instantly in love with her when you meet her; I’m sure of it. Oh, I cannot wait until we come to Peru as a family. I am hoping that in a year I am able to go to the Temple with her to receive her endowments. Her husband died about a year-and-a-half ago, and I want to do the work for him so that Yolanda can be sealed to him in the Temple. It would be an awesome experience. Maybe she won’t do it until we all come back to Peru and we could all help her with her Temple work. That would be awesome. I am perfectly fine… Keep me updated on the Missionaries that are returning and leaving. I love hearing where they are. Never forget that we have the most amazing family on earth. I love you guys so much and cannot wait to be with you. I love you all so much.
Love you forever, Coco

"What a blessing it is to find yourself in that room"

August 1, 2009 - Hey Family, How’s everything going? Sounds like we all had a busy week. I love working in the Offices because I kind of feel like I am at Dad’s work… Everyone has their office; there is a meeting room; we all have lunch together. I am like the person found at the front desk. I love it… This week was changes. As Personal Secretary, I am in charge of getting all the Missionaries where they need to go. Tuesday night I sent all of the Missionaries who finished their missions to their homes. Wednesday was change day and I had people flying off to the jungle in the morning and then had to receive the Missionaries arriving from the jungle. I was in charge of getting lunch to all the Missionaries, taking care of their suitcases, making sure everyone had their new companion and knew where they were supposed to go, and keeping everything in order. Then Thursday was the Zone Leader Conference here in the Offices. As Secretaries, we were invited to sit in the Conference as well and learn. By the time we leave the Offices, President Pérez wants us to be prepared to be Zone Leaders. It was a very spiritual conference that lasted all day long. I had a short time given to me to share a powerpoint I made about the things that I need the Zone Leaders to do for me. It was such a busy week, and I am thankful for that. Our goal this month of August is to have 6 baptisms for each companionship. To achieve this goal, the Assistants came up with the idea of each companion putting 3 rocks in their pocket. As we walk, we feel the weight and uncomfortableness of the rocks… a constant reminder of our goal for August. In the Zone Conference, President Pérez asked me to say the prayer, which the whole Mission did at noon that day. I was shocked that he would ask me, and also a little afraid because I was in front of the leaders of the Mission. But I did it, and was very grateful for that chance. I asked that Heavenly Father would just watch over us and keep us going, and help us stay focused on our goal. With each baptism, we are allowed to take out one of the rocks and put it in a jar that each zone has. We are praying to have the success we want. I really like the relationship that I have with President and I feel like it is getting even better. I learn so much from him because he has a great knowledge of the Gospel. I am so glad to hear that everything is going great at home. I’m glad that everything went great with the move. What a cool opportunity you all had to go to new Oquirrh Mountain Temple. We are so blessed to have Temples so close to us. Here, it is a little bit of travel to get to the Temple, and even longer if you are in the jungle. The people that live there are lucky if they get to go to the Temple once every year, and it is a huge sacrifice to be able to go. I think that the Temple is a huge symbol of sacrifice. Dallis and Chase, you probably don’t understand the importance of the Celestial Room, but just know what a blessing it is to find yourself in that room. I love going to the Temple and just being able to sit in the Celestial Room. I always say a prayer asking for special blessings for my awesome family, and it is a great place to feel the love that God has for each one of us. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and that he wants the best for us. He has honestly blessed our family so much. We are and always will be an Eternal Family, linked in bonds here on earth and in Heaven. This knowledge always reminds me that even though I am so far away from home, I am still so close because we will never be separated. We are going to live together forever. I love you guys so much and miss you as well. Never forget the reality that we are a Celestial Family. I love you. Take care until next week… Love, Colyn

"Everything is going absolutely fantastic!!!"

July 25, 2009 - Hey Amazing Family, What a terrifically fast week this was! I can’t believe that it is already Saturday. This week passed by so fast. You sold the house!!! Are you kidding me? I am fine with the decision you made to sell the house, and I am even happier that it sold so fast. :) I know that Heavenly Father is taking such good care of us… I’m glad that you all liked my BIG NEWS.I am loving my work here in the Offices. I am excited to get up in the morning, go downstairs and get to work. I am really enjoying everything that I do. It is a big job and sometimes can be a little stressful. I am busy all day long...and I LOVE IT!!! I am so spoiled here in the Offices and we get a lot more privileges. This week, President Pérez just randomly invited us to lunch, and let me tell you, it was so good. We went to a place called Rustica and I ordered a delicious Italian pasta and we all had frozen lemonade. Just one of the fun perks we have being close to President. I LOVE IT!!!... I also receive packages and letters the second they get here, which I love as well… I can’t believe how hot it is there in Utah… I came from Iquitos to Lima, and I wake up freezing cold every morning and put on a hoodie and sweatpants… We do have a heater in our room, but I still wake up cold… I also have a shower with hot water… The whole time I was in Iquitos, I was showering every morning in freezing cold water… I don’t know how I survived it. I would get in the shower and just start shaking because I knew what was coming… It’s like getting shots; you already know the pain that’s coming and so you expect it… But, I am loving my hot showers now… Always remember that we are so blessed to live in the USA, where we always have the choice of what temperature of water we want… Everything is going absolutely fantastic!!! I couldn’t be better. Just know that I am not worried about anything and you don’t need to worry about me… I am great. I hope this week goes great and that we start finding a place to live and make a home… Happy 9 Months this week. I can’t believe it. The time is passing so fast. I will be home in no time. I love you guys so much. I miss you too, but what can we do. Don’t ever forget that we have the BEST Family on earth. I love you so much. Take care. Love, Colyn