I feel like we need to do a bit of explanation before you read Elder Summers' last letter so you have a better understanding of what he's referring to... We usually write Keegan on Sunday evening so he can get the latest update to read before he writes on his P-day. As many of you know his sister Xochitl is getting ready to go on a mission as well and this past Saturday she went to the temple for the first time. Instead of waiting around outside the temple like their cousin did, Xander and Kaden stayed at home and planned on meeting up with us for dinner after we left the temple. While we were away the telephone call (el telefonazo) came. Xander checked the number but it was really long and he didn't recognize it. Besides, the caller id said "unknown" so he let it roll to voicemail. But the same number dialed right back! The second time he answered it. After hearing an "Hola" he thought he could hear Keegan's voice in the background but quickly realized his limited Spanish skills weren't going to cut it. So, he called his little brother to the rescue. Kaden spoke with the caller for a few minutes, translated a bit for Xander, and got the message that Keegan was fine and happy and that they would call again.  A few hours later they caught up with us at the restaurant and passed along the message. My first thought was was there an earthquake, flood, or mudslide or something that we're not aware of? We even joked that maybe it was a ransom call and Keegan's voice was the proof of life. When I mentioned it to our bishop he wondered if Keegan had been bitten by a giant spider or maybe fallen off the tailgate of a truck or something... We just thought it was weird but weren't really too worried about it being something serious since the mission president hadn't tried to contact us again but it was a bit strange... So now you know... enjoy the latest update.
-Ryatt

Familia,
I'm not Dead. I'm not Dying. I'm having the time of my life. Mexico is awesome and I am learning a ton. First off that call that Kaden and Xander received was from a family in the rama (branch). They pressured me into letting them talk to you. They said that they like to talk to the missionaries' families and like telling them how the missionaries are doing. They said they've talked to the President and the President said it was fine but only that the missionaries can't talk to their families. We got talking and I told them that my Dad speaks Spanish and they started asking me if they could talk to you. I gave in and gave them the number. Sorry for the confusion. I wasn't thinking that you all would be scared for my life. The Family just thought it would be cool to speak with my family. They were very happy to know that there was a Spanish speaker home and Chepin said that Kaden spoke very good Spanish and that he understood what Kaden said. I thought it was pretty cool that Kaden knows Spanish and that he could understand a Spanish speaker that speaks really fast. Don't worry about them calling again on Saturday, we  are actually meeting with them on Thursday not Saturday and I'll tell
them not to call. Please let me know your thoughts on that.
 
Things have been going really well its really crazy to think that my first 12 weeks here in México are almost over. Just one week left of the 12 week training era. Elder Tucker is going home which is kind of a bummer because we get along really well but I know that the Lord knows what he's doing and what I
need in order to grow. I have a feeling that my next companion will be a native speaker, which I will receive next Monday, so that my Spanish will be able to develop more quickly. I am excited for a new Companion but am sad at the same time to lose my Dad, Elder Tucker.
 
The work is going better then usual. We found 3 new investigators in this last week and for about a month we haven't had any. They are really good people and I am excited to share the message of Jesus Christ with them. The people here are just really good people. I am continually amazed of how genuinely nice they are and how much they are willing to give up for the missionaries. They are always kind and always thinking about us. Its such a blessing. Thanks for all the prayers and just remember that no matter what your going through you can always lean on your Savior, Jesucristo, for help.
 
Love,
Elder Summers

Familia,
It's good to hear that things are going well at home! It's crazy that my  littlest big sister is turning 21... ¡Vaca Santa! (Holy cow!) Xander is starting his senior  year... Kaden is almost to the age where girls don't have cooties... and I'm living the dream here in Mexico. ¡Vaca Santa! I've got to agree with you Mother, its crazy  how fast everyone is growing up. It's weird to think that by the time I get home all of my millions of cousins will be two years older...  muy estraño (very strange).

Which it literally is just made out of rock. It's a really cool brick house that would even be considered nice in the standards of the United States. It's not like all the  other brick homes just made out of what ever they can find and  sloppily put on. ¡No! it's really nice and pretty. I would live there. It's on the outskirts of Tepatitlan so Hermano German drove Elder Tucker and I out there. It was a really good day. We just sat around in beautiful weather outside with  Mexican Cowboy Hermano Antonio and with Promista Hermano German. We talked and laughed and talked and laughed... it was such a good time.

Hermano German mentioned something about how  President Pano ( President of the Branch) is kind of chubby. I then mentioned how he's kind of like Kung Foo Panda... and I went ahead and called him
Kung Foo Pano. Maybe not the most Christlike thing to call somebody but Hermano German laughed so hard. It was so funny! His laugh was just so deep and just funny and he couldnt stop laughing. The rest of us just kept laughing only because German was laughing so hard. It was just such a great day that really just made me realize how wonderful this life is. Doesn't matter where you are, or who you are with, you can always have a good time.
       
Something sad happened this week as well. The family of Ramoz left for California. Half the family
speaks english and half the family doesn't. We have visited them a lot since I have been here and it's really just been great to actually be able to communicate with people fully. Well Hermano Ramoz and Brian (18 year old getting ready for his mission) both left for California leaving the rest of their family back here in Tepatitlan. Hermano Ramoz is looking for a job up in the states and Brian is wanting to go back to his Hometown in California to submit his papers with his grandparents. The two that left
happen  to be the ones that speak english... we said goodbye this last week to them and wished them luck. They are just really cool people and really helped me feel at home here in Mexico, although I do wish that they could still be here in the rama (branch) I know that God will take care of them and all is well.

Spanish is coming better then usual. I really am understanding a lot more... not always perfectly but I do
understand more. For the most part when people speak I can pick out more words than I have before. It no longer just sounds like a long chain of blah blah blahs... I can actually hear words... and pick out the meaning of most of what they say. Also I had a time this week where I taught a lesson at church. Every week the Elders are in charge of the Gospels Principles class and for the most part I have just sat and listened and said a couple of things and that's it. But this week I prepared in the morning for the
class and taught the lesson by myself. It was about a 40 minute class and Elder Tucker just sat at the back of the class and let me go. I was surprised how well it went... they actually understood me and I actually understood most of all of their questions. It was pretty sweet. It turns out Heavenly Father is helping me out with the language better then I thought. No, I'm not close to fluent yet but I am on my way there!
 
Things are going really good here in Tepatitlan. Its crazy that Elder Tucker is leaving in for home in 2 weeks and I am just starting my  Journey. It's a little scary to think that once he's gone then I'm going to be the  one in charge... its going to be hard but I am very excited for the opportunity to learn more of how to become a better leader by being the Senior Companion.
 
Love You all,
Elder  Summers

Hola Familia! It's going good here in Tepatitlan Mexico. Its good to here about the family and about the family reunion. Sounded like you all had fun! Even with the drive from infierno. I do remember those tough, long, and tiring rides and that's one of the things I definitely don't miss about home! Although It's fun to hear that you are enjoying those at home! Despite the tough drive and tough day at work it sounds like you all had a good time... I do miss the Family Reunions! It's going to be weird within the next 8 years the Summers Family Reunion is going to be even bigger and there's going to be a ton of great grandkids running around. Seems like a long time until that happens but really it's not that far
away!

It was really neat and really spiritual. Despite my broken Spanish I shared a really neat experience about why the Plan of Salvation is important to me. I talked about Gramps and how great of a man he was. How I looked up to him so much and how he truly cared about his family. How much we all love him and how great of a Man he is. I shared about how gracias a la Plan de Salvacion, yo se que yo puedo vivir con el otra vez. I shared about how I was sad when my wonderful Gramps died but that I was happy that I had the knowledge that I would see him again. I also shared that I was super excited that I am able to live with my future wife and kids, not only through this life, but I can live with them through eternity. Of course as you probably could've guessed from knowing me, I was bawling like a baby... en mi feo llorando voz. So I told this story crying like a baby and in my not very good Spanish, but somehow the spirit still was very strong. After I shared this experience we all just sat in silence for about 20 seconds... the spirit set in so strong. Surprisingly this is the first time I've cried here in Mexico. It was a really neat experience and Monica is now an Investigator and she really does like learning about the church. Se que nosotros continuamos
trabajando con ella y la Familia Gonzalos recibira el Evangelio y llegar a ser un miembro de La Iglesia de Jesucristo. La Plan de Salvacion es algo que es muy especial acerca nuestro iglesia. Muchas personas piensen que nosotros solomente podemos estar con nuestras familias en esta vida pero este concepto es no cierto. Con el conocimiento de la Plan de Salvacion, Sabemos que no nesacitamos estar triste en este vida cuando alguien en nuestra familia es muerte. Gracias a el Evangelio yo puedo vivir en felicidad que estoy iendo a ver Gramps otra vez. The Plan of Salvation is a blessing that we take for granted. Millions, scratch that, billions of people around the earth don't know this. With this plan we know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going! Isn't that awesome!
 
We had a funny experience last week. We were just walking to an appointment and this car pulled over with 4 girls, lets just say to the common man they looked very appealing. Anyways they asked us if we knew where a certain street was (which were certain that they made up), we told them no and that were from the United States. They laughed and drove off. About 2 hours later we were heading home and this care pulled up again with the same girls in it. They started telling us to come with them and that we were guapos and the like. We tried to explain to them that we are missionaries and that we couldn't go with them. One of them said "were missionaries too just come with us." another one said in English "Come with us!" They said some other things but they probably weren't very appropriate. We kindly declined their offer and headed home. It was actually pretty funny. But for reals I swear that Satan is just throwing pretty girls at us every day just because he can. But its what ever, Satan can keep throwing these bellas at me, he can't stop me or the work of the Lord! Now if you pretty latinas want to learn about the gospel that's something I can help you with, but please just understand I'm a Missionary and can't salir until despues mi dos años.
 
It's been a good week and yes my Spanish is improving, slowly but surely. As long as I keep working hard the Spanish will come. Nos vemos la semana proxima.
  
Con Amor,
Elder Summers

Summers' Summer Home, Some are Home and Some are Not!

I happen not to be home. I'm living the Dream in Mexico! It's always good to hear from the family and what everyone's doing! Its been kind of tough down here. I'm loving my time here but its been hard because we don't have any investigators to teach. We aren't allowed to knock doors here in Mexico and we can't contact on the street (there's half of what we practiced in the MTC) so our primary source is to work through the members. Its tough working through the Members when we just have a little branch. We've just been visiting families in the ward and trying to work with menos activos. I want to go out and teach people! That's what I'm here for, to invite people to come unto Christ through the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know we will receive more investigators through prayer, fasting, obedience, and patience.

Spanish is tough but its still coming... slowly but still coming. I know that I just have to be patient and it will come. I can have like little conversations with people if I try really hard and if they are patient with me but other then that Elder Tucker does most of the talking. It's fun to hear him just have full on conversations with people and them actually understanding him and him not having to pause to think about what they said. It's just natural. It gets me excited for the time when I'll be able to speak fluently like him... and I just got to keep telling myself that that time will come.

One cool experience that I had this week was through service. Our Ward Mission Leader was moving houses from one side of Tepatitlan to the other side of Tepatitlan. He didn't have a lot of stuff to move
but it was a lot of big things. We went to his house and waited for Hermano Antonio to come with his truck. Once he came we started getting the big stuff and stacking it on the truck... and when I say stacking... it was like we were playing Jenga. We moved a Fridge, two couches, two beds, a stove, a couple
different cupboards, a night stand, a work out machine, and some other stuff. It took a little while to put it all in Antonio's old bright blue Ford Truck (looked the same as Mitch's Truck) but we fit it all in. The only problem was that Hermano German (our ward mission leader) only had one rope to tie all of this stuff down. So guess what he decided to use for the other ropes...

if you guessed two gringos you guessed correctly! Elder Tucker got in the bed of the truck with a little space to move and held down a dresser with his hands. And I (pulling the short end of the stick) sat on the tailgate with one hand holding on and the other hand up against a huge cupboard, behind everything, so in other words if something came loose I was going to die. So in these positions we were
driving from one side of the city and the other side of the city. In Mexico Traffic. I knew that If I was supposed to die on my mission this was the time it was going to happen. We hit different bumps and I legit got air, you'd think someone would drive slow with a load like we had but Hermano Antonio was confident I guess and drove just like everyone else... super fast.  But even through all of these different elements that could've killed me, somehow I got there in safety. I guess I'm not supposed to die out here on my mission.


Service is wonderful, it really was a good experience and fun helping out someone else that really did need the help. My missions great it'll be good to hear from you all next week!

Elder Summers

Mitch and Megan : I'm super excited for you two and I know this is a big step and it's awesome!

Gramma, Happy Birthday! Gramma, you better be using these next couple years to be practicing your scrabble skills... because you better believe that when I return home we're going to be playing! Hey and we could even play Spanish Scrabble when I get home :D