The news about Dad is the best news I´ve heard here. It sounds crazy that Dad even needed a surgery. I´ve been thinking of how much has changed within the time I´ve been here. I hear of how the Lord blesses our family, 4 thousand miles away (approx.). I love p-days, because I get to hear how my family is doing. And it sounds like your all doing great. I love the emails I recieve from all of you. I can´t wait till I can send pictures through emails. I´ve been waiting for the opportunity to do that.
I´m starting to forget how America is like. I forgot what it´s like to just blend in with everyone else. There is no way to blend here. Where the quality of things are better. Like milk, candy, peanut butter and the roads. I miss real candy and real Milk. But I love it here, of course. It´s just very very different.
Right now it´s cold again. Real cold because of the humidity. It´s about 50 to 40 degrees right now and it´s raining. We are getting our haircuts in a half hour for a Zone Conference. President Arnold will be here Friday. Like I said this is the first time he´ll be in Paraguay south mission. He has no idea what it´s like here. He´ll be in for a shocker. I know Sister Callan doesn´t go out much of the mission home. They got into an accident in Ciudad del Este. And she said," I can´t believe they didn´t stop and fill out a accident report". Well... Welcome to Paraguay. But she is awesome, so is President Callan. They have been called here and set apart by an Apostle. President just barely raised the bar for lessons and goals. We are going to be working a lot harder now.
Love ELDER GRISHAM.

Che "I", Elder Grisham Aam really really happy for Dad. He sounds like he is doing awesome. I hope that there are no complications. It sounds like you still keep busy all the time, Dad. I miss working on the yard. You´ll have to have some hard labor for me to do when I get back. I forgot how much I like working. But as for here I have done some service. Like cutting branches grass and weeds with a machete. And helping some members move to a different house.
I am also glad to hear of Spencer and Bergan. Its weird that they´d had been married for 1 year and half (approx.) by the time I get home. Wow, that´s so crazy to think about. There might be a baby on the way, "wink, wink" when I return. I know one thing that is really cool is that we know the Hansens are an awesome family. I really like them. -So, their thinking of living in Jordan Landing or what? It will just be Jackie at the house now, huh? That will be weird for her.
-I still remember when all of our family was at home. That was years ago. But that is what happens. We grow up, we change, we find love and heartache. We make mistakes, we learn of how to live life on our own. We move forward because we cannot stay. But that doesn´t mean that we always want to, we will always want to return to a home righteousness. Because that is where we came from and where we will always belong. Home is the place where our values are built and fortified. And I am truly grateful for our home. I see more and more of how important it was and is to have a home of righteousness. For that, I will always be grateful for being in our family. I will forever be grateful for where God placed me, both when and where He placed me.
-I like a weekly email, but I like letters because, like I said before, they are physical. Dear Elders are Free, so they are the best way. But, Hand written letters are the best. Plus, you can sent pictures with it too. -It would be nice to get a little extra money, just for sending letters. I can send 7 letters with 20 dollars. I write to others here too. I wrote to Faith, Laine Bueno, My first companion Connor Phelps, and I´ll be sending letters to President Baer, my previous MTC Teachers. And I´ll write to anyone else that would like to write me. I only write my letters on P-day and I feel it is a great way to share more.
-I Gave a talk yesterday. It was about Faith and Hope. And how they go hand in hand. Here are some parts of what I said. "When you have faith, you have hope... I have hope for this area... when you exercise your faith you will have hope for the future and when you have that, you´ll realize that other things don´t really matter." and then I shared the scripture D&C 6: 33-36.
I really enjoyed hearing from all of you.
p.s. Thanks for your letter Jolene. You sent it about 5 minutes ago. Sounds Exciting :)
CHAO, mi familia y amigos y amigas y enemigos y otros personas.

Thanks for the pictures and letters. That is really good to hear that you were able to talk with Elder Butcher´s Padres. I hear that they are good people. I would like someday to meet them. -The pictures you sent (Jackie and Spencer) are awsome. I really enjoyed looking at the Jeeping pictures. It reminds me of when I would take the pictures for you and our friends. And as for you Jackie, you are getting good at taking pictures. Just practice alot and your pictures will be amazing. (a side note)- I remember when you played the piano. I now want to be as good as you. I never had much of a desire until now. I now have a drive to do things that are hard to do, but have a much desired outcome.
The things that I learned from being here that have changed me forever. The first is that the language is just a step. It is not the thing that makes a mission hard. Sure I am limited, but that is not the hardest thing here. The hardest thing that I understand to be is right now is, seeing others that fall away from the truth. Because they do know what is right, but they don´t take the courage or take action to do what is right, but I´m on my way to help them. One lesson at a time.
Wow, I understand more and more each day. Not only the Language, but the gospel and how much these people need the gospel here. I bore my testimony again. It was easier, even though I had a cold and my voice went down an octive. But I said what I wanted to say. I told everyone that the reason there are fallin miembros is because they never read the El Libro de Mormón. It is so easy to read people here. " ... It is with charity, you comfort their very soul. You let the spirit calm their heart with your words of tenderness. As if they were spoken by the same manner of the Savior." -Love one another as I have loved you. By this shall men KNOW that ye are my Discipules, IF ye have love one unto another.
One word of advice for all that are reaing this right now. Read Jesus The Christ and I promise you that you will have more of a respect and love for our Savior that will strengthen you more then you thought possible. I am finding my desire to teach more and to teach better. I Need to go now.
LOVE all of you, forever!

Spencers´ getting Married! It´s about time. And Dad got a new truck and is going to get work this Fall! Please send pictures through emailand mail. I want to see Dad´s new truck and the Wedding pictures. A lot has happened since I´ve been gone. I just realized that I´ve been gone since April 13 and it is now August 1. Time is going by rediculously fast. I still remember the last day I saw all you at the setting apart.
Well, I just got news that E´Butcher´s Mom is going to contact Mom and Dad. Because Sister Callan (President Callan´s wife) is in Farmington for her Daughter´s wedding. So if you want to meet her, there you go. Hopefully she contacts one of you.
Well I bought a card reader here, but it looks like it doesn´t work properly. I was hoping that it would work so that I could sent pictures through email but not today. So, I´ll need a real card reader or the cord from my nikon camera. Either one will work. I want to share what is going on more, but I need one of those to do that.
As for the package, you can just put alot of different stuff. I know I don´t need any razors. I only went through about 5 or 6 razors since the beginning of the MTC. And I have enough shaving cream to last till at least March. The somethings you can put in a package either now or in the future. Peanut butter, money, LDS music cds and a flashdrive (Just like I wrote before), chocolate (different kinds of candy is good), toothpaste. That is all I can think of right now. I know I´ll need more mulitivitamins in two months.
I guess it´s about time to tell you some things that I ate here since I´ve been here.
1. Cabeza de Vaca- Cow Head
2. Salads- containing onions, beets and tomatoes and that´s it
3. Mandioca- Boiled Tree Root, no joke
4. Pollo y Carne- Chicken and beef
5. Corn on the Cob- with no butter!
6. A lot of Rice
7. Fideos- Noodles
8. Pan- Bread. Lots and lots of bread
9. Beju- Flour that is mixed with milk and deep fried
10. Sopa- corn bread that doesn´t have flavor and has onions in it
-Saturday w are eating capibarra. Oh yeah!
Bye for now!

In the town of Hernandarias (zona 3), Cuidad del Este, Paraguay (Where I reside). Which is considered "country and not city". A young man is writing, it reads... That is cool that you had a bomb fire, I see one everyday. They burn their garbage out in the street. so HA! jk And you had the family over and La. I actually know La a little. I`ve met her a couple times. I heard that the laws for fireworks are not as strict now, that`s cool. Because Elder Butcher got a email about it from his family. Did his Mom or Family contacted you? Did my first companion contact any of you? Has anyone asked for me to write them or who wants to write me? How does it feel when someone asks Where`s your son, Cory. Or to say, "my son (or brother, friend, cousin,enemy, fri-enemy, etc.) is in Paraguay right now"? Is it still weird with Family prays, because it feels like someone is missing?

I don`t have much time but Today was a wierd day because it was the first time being in normal clothes in the streets of Paraguay. We (my district) played basketball for the first time. It is against the rules to play with anyone else, because some Missionaires abused that rule. We played for about 2 hours because one Elder is going home and the other is being transfered. After we walked in the streets and everyone stares at us even more.

I really enjoyed today because we got what we had to do, done. The end of the first change is this Tuesday:Wednesday. I have about November or January till I move out of this area. My trainer will be moving out of here in September and I`ll be the one to know this area. I can`t believe how fast time is going by. The longest I`ve been away from the family was 6 days.
Sunday, there was a big game Uraguay vs Paraguay. Paraguay lost. It was so funny because they are so prideful. They were playing their paraguayo music and honking their horns. Getting beer for the celebration, buying their food for the game, etc. And then they lose. The thing that makes this country rediculous is that they were fine with 2nd place. They settle for less. Last night was nice and quite. I`m glad they lost because we got a good nights rest. People still have their flags on their cars, buildings, houses, etc. I just don`t get these people.

Last Tuesday I recieved a Dear Elder from you, Dad. Thank you. Oh and by the way we don`t contact drunk people, it`s more like they contact us. We can`t avoid them sometimes. I would like to show you what my area looks like but I need a card reader. Did you sent it in the package? If not you can send another one. Oh and If you could, get me some church music (CDs). I have a music player that I can put a flash drive in. Or better yet, have a flash drive with mp3 music on it. Jackie can figure it out. You just need to convert them to mp3 using a converter on the Mac. Those are the only two things I would need.

Thank you for all your letters, the dear Elders are really good to have because they are in my hand and I don`t have to use a computer. I can read it whenever.

Right now there is a girl playing a video game behind me. these people do alot of working, watch TV, Futbol, and video games and other stuff. They are just content with their lives. Living in their little bubble. The people are very alike here. meaning there is hardly any individuality here. They don`t express themselves very much, not in food, art, writing or sewing (some do but they just copy what they see). Even their music is the same over and over and over and over, etc. I feel bad for them because they have no idea what is out of here. With every person that have seen the real world, they leave and never return.

One more thing too, Jackie, if you want to do this for me. Is to find a poem that goes, "one bright day in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight. back to back they faced each other...". And to sent it through a dear Elder. That would be awesome!

Love all of you that are reading this right now. ¡Chao!

WOW, that is really good to here that Dad and Uncle Noel are alright. It´s crazy that all that stuff happened. I´m glad that they are okay. I am praying for all of you each day. I like hearing that we are a close family.

Well, that´s awesome that you are going to sent a package real soon. Even though it will take a month to get here. Oh, they have salt here but not pepper. I wouldn´t need that. But they don´t have garlic here. Not good garlic anyways. But they do have soy sauce here. That made me happy.

-You probably will get my first written letter, this week or the next. I will write an email and a hand written letter each week. I like writing on P-days´ because it is sort of a relief from the stress of the work. I walk about 5-7 miles a day, depending on who we teach. But I enjoy everyday. I expected this to be hard. Elder Holland said, "Missions have to be hard. It never was easy and never will be easy... Salvation is not a cheap experience and does not come with not working your absolute hardest". I see an outcome now (of my first area). I see partially of why I´m in Hernandarias as my first area. -Every 2nd week is for the missionaries to give talks in sacrement meeting. I wasn´t told this until the friday before. I didn´t have anytime to prepare a talk. So I ended up giving a 15 min testimony. I want to share something that I said, "(in Spanish) You can always return to Christ, you can always return on the path of good. Jesucristo is my Savior and your Savior, please return on the path when you faltar... y mi compasión por ustedes aumentar cada día(my compassion for all of you increases everyday). Please, strenthen your faith...( And I wanted to say, ...because your the ones that will be the ones that will retain the new converts)". This is why I´m here. God wanted me here because He saw something in me that I do not yet see. I have something that will strengthen this area. That is how I know why that I am here. Because God knew I would be the one to strengthen it. And if God Knows that I can do it, then I know that I can. Because I know God cannot lie and that to every single thing in our path has purpose.

I am not used to the humidity or all the culture yet. It is really different here. The people here are really easy going. They just don´t care about the house they live in or their clothes. They can have tons of holes in their shirt and pants and not give it another thought. This is their winter right now and it is about 87 degree out right now (Feels like 97), with the sun shining. And I can tell that the summer is going to be miserable... I mean miserable fun :)

Well, it´s time to write my president a letter. I really like my Mission President, he is strict, but that is just what we need. I see this area as being where it is supposed to do. I want this area to be strong and I want to be part of it in becoming stronger.

I love all of you, stay strong and do good.

It´s so good to hear from you, monday is the only day where I think the most about home. It sounds like everyone is enjoying life as you should. -Mom, I would like peprika, cinnimon, pepper and what ever kind of spice that would be useful. That would be great, thank you. I think the kind of recipes that would be good would be like, dough, pancake, etc. That would be great to have.

I am learning really fast, I love reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish each day. I will stop speaking english this Wednesday. My Comp. will no longer speak any english. I am glad for that, because I´ll learn alot more faster. But I will still write in english in my Journal, so I would have to translate it for others to read.

I being here so much. I just want to be able to say what is in my heart but it is so hard to express all that I want to share. But I know I need to have patience and I do. I know that the most important thing to do is to open my mouth. -Being on a mission, I don´t ever want to regret one thing, such as," Dang it, I needed to talk to that man but I was afraid". That is not going to happen to me. I am not going to let that happen to me. I will not be shy with this conmission. And you will see when I get back that I am not shy. But I am quite when I need to be. I want my reputation to be as a fearless missionary. I feel that the only thing to hold me back is the language. But even still, that is no excuse. This truly is the greatest thing ever. Even when not one will listen, I will know that I did my absolute best. But I know that there will be others that are fully ready and will stay faithful and presever until the end. Those are the ones I want to find. I know that I will be guided to them, when the time is right.

The 4 of July, It is really weird to miss it for the first time in my life. And Mom, your 55 now. I show the picture of you at my setting apart and they say,"She´s 54, are you sure?". Yep, I just wish I had more pictures. Oh and speaking of pictures, I wrote you a letter about how I can send pictures through email. I need a card reader. Like the one that you can put 19 or more different cards... ergo SD card, microcard, SD Slim card, etc. with the cord of course. Then I can share more of what I see.
Spencer went Jeeping in Moab, huh? I hope he finds a way to edit/put them on the computer alright. Jackie knows, if she remembers. It was to bad Spencer didn´t have me to film for him, jk but not really.
I started on a list of "stuff" I´ve eaten here. But you wouldn´t know all of it, until it is finished. The other day, we ate a brazilian familys house. The are weathy. They gave a full meal for lunch and it was really good. That never happens, ever. My Companion said it was the first time that he was invited into their house. And he has been going there every week for 4 months or so. "That´s what happens when you have Blue eyes and blonde hair here. You get invited into peoples houses and get to eat like a king"- Elder Butcher.

Well, I am starving, we just bought some food for the week and I want to eat it. I will working really hard this week. To make up for all the Travel that we did, these past three weeks. Which adds up to more than 34 hours in Taxi´s and busses. I´ll actually get in a normal work week this week. I LOVE ALL Y`ALL. All my friends that are reading this too. And those whom I don´t know. I love all of you. Peace out

From the frontlines, fighting against Satan,

ELDER CORY NOEL GRISHAM