I can't believe how fast the time is going by now, its been 7 weeks now since I've been in the MTC and I leave here in 13 days. This last week was a super awesome week. The spirit has been so strong. We were able to do some work this week with real investigators. It has been pretty awesome. Last Tuesday the devotional was amazing. I remember exactly the things that were said and the way it impressed me. It was one of those moments when you are listening and thinking and the spirit is filling in the cracks and giving you impressions. I don't even really know how to describe it, but it was awesome and I could seriously feel the spirit telling me things and giving me revelation about the things that were being said about the atonement and about our role in the plan of Salvation as missionaries. It was just an awesome way to start out an awesome week.
The next day we found out that our TRC appointment for the week was going to be David. I don't know if I already told you what the TRC is, but it is our teaching at the end of each week to practice the things that we have been practicing. It's like the test at the end of the week at school. David is this inactive member of the church my teacher has been bringing for people to teach at the TRC. It was quite the experience being able to teach him. We got to plan and do activities and things specifically to the investigator, just like on the mission, and the lesson ending up going really well. David had started reading the Book of Mormon again because of a challenge given to him last week in the TRC. He had read 85 pages this last week. It was pretty amazing. During the lesson he was pointing out things he liked and things he didn't understand. David is well on his way, but I still don't really feel like he really understands how important it is to him. He knows that the church is good for him and can better his life, but I don't think he understands its real eternal worth. That is something that the other missionaries in our district are going to try to help him with this week, with a little of our help planning.
Also we had a couple of people we called from the Referral Center that are doing really great. We had this one girl, Angela, that lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is going to school there. We had been talking to her and found out she has been talking to a lot of other elders here too. We found out she has decided to be baptized and knows all of these things are true, but hasn't even met with the missionaries in San Antonio. She's just been talking to missionaries here in the training center via chat and calls and every other week with missionaries in her home town. We found all this out and we called her on Saturday and I got her to promise to go to church in San Antonio and meet with the Elders there and talk to them about getting baptized. When we called back to check on her on Monday it was so awesome. She just kept going off about how much she loved church, and how there were girls there her age, and she found out about institute and has started to go now. She is going to help out with a youth conference this weekend. She described how she could feel the spirit so strong during church and then when she left she could tell the difference, and she was excited because she met sister missionaries there and she was telling us and she said, "You know they have girl elders here?" She is so on track it is awesome. It was to be our last call, we were going to make sure she was set with the missionaries there and make it our last call so we could focus on other referrals. I told her we weren't going to call her back until the day before we leave here to tell her goodbye and she was so funny, she said, "Oh, don't worry, you can call me anytime that day, or anytime this week, or you can even call me everyday until you leave if you want." I reassured her and told her we would call again before we leave and made sure she would keep talking to the missionaries in San Antonio, so it was a pretty awesome call.
Then after that call we called a Spanish women living in NYC. She was one of the very first Spanish calls I made here calling to see if she got her DVD. She said she received a Bible but not the DVD she wanted. I told her I would re-send it and then call her again in about a week or two to check again. So I was calling to check again and she said she got it and was really receptive to all we had to say. She asked us what the difference between the Catholic Church and our church was and we went right into the first lesson about the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We ended up teaching the first lesson for the first time to a real investigator in Spanish and it was awesome. I really could only understand about 50-75% of what she was saying, but I could get the gist of everything and the spirit was definitely there. She was very receptive and we were actually able to send a Book of Mormon and the missionaries to her house so I think our first time went pretty well.
I'm just going to finish with my testimony, I know this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is true and I know this is the Lord's work. The spirit is just so strong in the things we do here I can't even begin to doubt what I am doing. I love my Savior and I can't wait to be able to share this joy with the people in Paraguay in 13 days. Yo sé que Jesucristo es mi Salvador.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Week 6 at the MTC
I've got another week down in the MTC, it is getting pretty crazy how fast the time goes by now. I have been here a while. The weeks are just flying now, and then I'll be flying to Paraguay. Less than 3 weeks from now. It is kind of cool to think about it because now I'm one of the elders that all of the new missionaries look up to because it seems like I have years worth of wisdom when really I was just in their shoes. I still remember when I got here how all the elders in my zone seemed like they were years older than me when they were all really my same age.
I'm super excited for tomorrow because new missionaries are coming in and that is always awesome. I get to host this time so its going to be pretty sweet.
Big news, we had Elder L. Tom Perry come to the MTC last week, it was pretty awesome, I love the spirit that an apostle can bring to the room, and the wisdom he was able to bring us was amazing. It is even more amazing the Lord has picked me to wear the same title as those amazing men. I want more than anything to be and stay worthy of this great calling of being a missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I got my second haircut. A little update on my weight gain, I didn't stop eating whatever I want (I'm only here 3 more weeks, why stop now) and it seems I have hit my peak. I actually lost 1 pound this week which puts me at a solid 8 pound gain and if I'm lucky, like its looking, I won't gain any more. I really think I'll be alright though, I exercise for 50 minutes a day 5 days a week. Once I get on my mission I don't think I'll have to worry at all about gaining weight, plus I want to enjoy having this much food while I've got it.
My companion I've had for what seems like forever now, is from upstate California, around the Bay area. He's the oldest in his family of 3 children and is an awesome missionary. Sometimes he likes to goof around a little bit, but you can tell he has a sincere desire to do this work and he has a strong testimony of this gospel. He and I are actually a lot alike and so we get along really well. He had a job this summer selling motorcycles in California and so he always has these awesome tips on how to ask questions and how to get people to like you which I'm super grateful for because I've been able to learn a lot from him. I'm even more grateful though for his example with how much he cares about people.
For a couple of weeks, we have been a threesome companionship. My second companion, the one who lost his passport and returned to the MTC is a cool guy from upstate Nevada who did a year at the University there before he came on his mission. He doesn't really talk all that much. Sometimes it is hard. He really thinks about things before he says things, which I admire him for. This week especially there have been a few times when he just didn't want to do what we were doing and would sit and read his scriptures without saying a word to us no matter what we ask him. That has been hard, but I think it is getting better. I have been praying for the Lord to help me find ways to connect with him and maybe catch a little bit of what he is thinking sometimes. Other times he can be really funny, sometimes at night when we are going around he says some of the funniest things and we all have a really good time. I hope he can get back to the Domincan on time and his mission will be awesome for him.
My Spanish is coming along really well. We did the coolest thing this week, we killed Spanish! I spent a couple nights this week making a coffin out of cardboard and duct tape, it was sweet. It looks pretty legit too. I shared I bought an English dictionary and we ripped it all up and put it in the coffin. I had everyone in our district write their doubts about Spanish on some paper and put those in there too. Now that English is dead we only speak Spanish. Every night now I go up to the Latinos that live in my building and talk to them in Spanish. It's pretty fun and I've made some really good friends. They are all trying to learn English and I'm learning Spanish so we go back and forth talking to each other. So I'm not really worrying too much about my language. I know my Spanish will be okay by the time I leave here, and I'm super excited to learn Guaraní. One of the Latinos that lives in my building is actually from my mission and just got here last week so he has been teaching me some Guarani too.
I want to bear my testimony, I know this work is real and I know Jesus is my Savior and I know He is right here with me, helping me preach this gospel.
I'm super excited for tomorrow because new missionaries are coming in and that is always awesome. I get to host this time so its going to be pretty sweet.
Big news, we had Elder L. Tom Perry come to the MTC last week, it was pretty awesome, I love the spirit that an apostle can bring to the room, and the wisdom he was able to bring us was amazing. It is even more amazing the Lord has picked me to wear the same title as those amazing men. I want more than anything to be and stay worthy of this great calling of being a missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I got my second haircut. A little update on my weight gain, I didn't stop eating whatever I want (I'm only here 3 more weeks, why stop now) and it seems I have hit my peak. I actually lost 1 pound this week which puts me at a solid 8 pound gain and if I'm lucky, like its looking, I won't gain any more. I really think I'll be alright though, I exercise for 50 minutes a day 5 days a week. Once I get on my mission I don't think I'll have to worry at all about gaining weight, plus I want to enjoy having this much food while I've got it.
My companion I've had for what seems like forever now, is from upstate California, around the Bay area. He's the oldest in his family of 3 children and is an awesome missionary. Sometimes he likes to goof around a little bit, but you can tell he has a sincere desire to do this work and he has a strong testimony of this gospel. He and I are actually a lot alike and so we get along really well. He had a job this summer selling motorcycles in California and so he always has these awesome tips on how to ask questions and how to get people to like you which I'm super grateful for because I've been able to learn a lot from him. I'm even more grateful though for his example with how much he cares about people.
For a couple of weeks, we have been a threesome companionship. My second companion, the one who lost his passport and returned to the MTC is a cool guy from upstate Nevada who did a year at the University there before he came on his mission. He doesn't really talk all that much. Sometimes it is hard. He really thinks about things before he says things, which I admire him for. This week especially there have been a few times when he just didn't want to do what we were doing and would sit and read his scriptures without saying a word to us no matter what we ask him. That has been hard, but I think it is getting better. I have been praying for the Lord to help me find ways to connect with him and maybe catch a little bit of what he is thinking sometimes. Other times he can be really funny, sometimes at night when we are going around he says some of the funniest things and we all have a really good time. I hope he can get back to the Domincan on time and his mission will be awesome for him.
My Spanish is coming along really well. We did the coolest thing this week, we killed Spanish! I spent a couple nights this week making a coffin out of cardboard and duct tape, it was sweet. It looks pretty legit too. I shared I bought an English dictionary and we ripped it all up and put it in the coffin. I had everyone in our district write their doubts about Spanish on some paper and put those in there too. Now that English is dead we only speak Spanish. Every night now I go up to the Latinos that live in my building and talk to them in Spanish. It's pretty fun and I've made some really good friends. They are all trying to learn English and I'm learning Spanish so we go back and forth talking to each other. So I'm not really worrying too much about my language. I know my Spanish will be okay by the time I leave here, and I'm super excited to learn Guaraní. One of the Latinos that lives in my building is actually from my mission and just got here last week so he has been teaching me some Guarani too.
I want to bear my testimony, I know this work is real and I know Jesus is my Savior and I know He is right here with me, helping me preach this gospel.
Week 5 at the MTC
This was the fastest week ever. First off, I've been weighing myself here in the MTC because of all the stories of how you gain tons of weight here, and I've just about gained 10 pounds since I got here and honestly I don't even know where it is. I don't feel or look (well at least I don't think I look) any different than when I left, but when I came I weighed in at 153.7 and I'm now 162.3, so at this pace I'll be over 170 by the time I leave here... I really don't look any different. I'm pretty positive once I get down to Paraguay and actually start moving more than just 50 min for 5 days a week I'll lose the weight again, hopefully not any more than I've gained but you never know.
This week is our first week teaching full lessons in Spanish, and it is pretty intense. We've tried it before but this week we have to do it in the TRC, which is the big test here at the end of the week with the real fake investigator they give us. Our class is going to have a funeral for English, I'm pretty excited about that, but at the same time it is going to be pretty intense. I bought a little cheap English dictionary for the ceremony and everything, but really it'll be a lot of help to really shift the focus to Spanish. We are supposed to now speak as much Spanish as we can, but it is going to be pretty intense to try to not speak English at all. I'm pretty sure we can do it.
A cool thing happened in class this week. Last Saturday my teacher, Bro. Alder, was sharing with us the Christlike attribute we should work on for next week. The attribute is patience. He told us about some of his own personal experiences he was having right now and it was just so cool how what he was saying applied so much to what we as a district needed to do and even cooler was how it applied to me personally. These past couple weeks have been a little frustrating for me because I really felt like I could be doing better than I was and that I wasn't really progressing much, I felt as though I had been really honestly trying as hard as I could and it seemed as though I was dormant and really not reaching where I knew I could be. When Bro. Alder talked about his experiences he was having and how studying patience had helped him it was like it was exactly what I needed and the Spirit was just so strong. I could tell he was being inspired and his life was even being directed in a way that he could personally relate to us. The story gets better, the next day was Sunday and in Priesthood our branch President was teaching us about all different things and then he pulled out his Preach My Gospel and said that he felt like something we really needed to work on and study, he said in his words that we need to "tear it apart studing it," is the section in Preach My Gospel on patience, and it was just so powerful, a second confirmation of what I had already received a witness of. Then in sacrament meeting one of the members of the Branch Presidency talked about Faith in Jesus Christ relating his talk to the talk given in the April General Conference about the 6 destructive D's. On Monday, in Bro. Alders class, we watched the talk in Spanish and really outlined the talk with an emphasis on how our faith in Jesus Christ can keep us out of pattern of the 6destructive D's. It was such a powerful lesson that again just really applied to how I felt and what I needed. I even asked Bro. Alder how often he talks to our presidency and he said he talks to them now and again but he hadn't seen them for a couple weeks and he never goes over lesson plans with them. I know the Lord is watching over us, he knows all of us individually and really is aware and cares about our needs. I see miracles happen all the time in this work, though they be small I cannot deny the presence of them here and I am forever grateful for the Spirit they bring. I know Jesus Christ is real and He is my power, my only hope in bringing souls back to the Father, including my own. I will put my entire trust in Him so I can do the work I have been called to do, because I can't do it without Him.
This week is our first week teaching full lessons in Spanish, and it is pretty intense. We've tried it before but this week we have to do it in the TRC, which is the big test here at the end of the week with the real fake investigator they give us. Our class is going to have a funeral for English, I'm pretty excited about that, but at the same time it is going to be pretty intense. I bought a little cheap English dictionary for the ceremony and everything, but really it'll be a lot of help to really shift the focus to Spanish. We are supposed to now speak as much Spanish as we can, but it is going to be pretty intense to try to not speak English at all. I'm pretty sure we can do it.
A cool thing happened in class this week. Last Saturday my teacher, Bro. Alder, was sharing with us the Christlike attribute we should work on for next week. The attribute is patience. He told us about some of his own personal experiences he was having right now and it was just so cool how what he was saying applied so much to what we as a district needed to do and even cooler was how it applied to me personally. These past couple weeks have been a little frustrating for me because I really felt like I could be doing better than I was and that I wasn't really progressing much, I felt as though I had been really honestly trying as hard as I could and it seemed as though I was dormant and really not reaching where I knew I could be. When Bro. Alder talked about his experiences he was having and how studying patience had helped him it was like it was exactly what I needed and the Spirit was just so strong. I could tell he was being inspired and his life was even being directed in a way that he could personally relate to us. The story gets better, the next day was Sunday and in Priesthood our branch President was teaching us about all different things and then he pulled out his Preach My Gospel and said that he felt like something we really needed to work on and study, he said in his words that we need to "tear it apart studing it," is the section in Preach My Gospel on patience, and it was just so powerful, a second confirmation of what I had already received a witness of. Then in sacrament meeting one of the members of the Branch Presidency talked about Faith in Jesus Christ relating his talk to the talk given in the April General Conference about the 6 destructive D's. On Monday, in Bro. Alders class, we watched the talk in Spanish and really outlined the talk with an emphasis on how our faith in Jesus Christ can keep us out of pattern of the 6destructive D's. It was such a powerful lesson that again just really applied to how I felt and what I needed. I even asked Bro. Alder how often he talks to our presidency and he said he talks to them now and again but he hadn't seen them for a couple weeks and he never goes over lesson plans with them. I know the Lord is watching over us, he knows all of us individually and really is aware and cares about our needs. I see miracles happen all the time in this work, though they be small I cannot deny the presence of them here and I am forever grateful for the Spirit they bring. I know Jesus Christ is real and He is my power, my only hope in bringing souls back to the Father, including my own. I will put my entire trust in Him so I can do the work I have been called to do, because I can't do it without Him.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
So the big news this week was that half of our district left to go to the MTC in the Dominican Republic this week, we had a big testimony meeting in class the day the left and it was just so awesome. I know they are going to be awesome missionaries because of the testimonies they have in this gospel, I miss all of them already, but we're still having fun. One of them lost there passport on the way down there, made it to Puerto Rico, and had to come back, and guess what, he was assigned to our companionship. I'm in a three missionary companionship now. It's been pretty crazy, its a lot harder with three people. My companion and I have already left him in the cafeteria twice now, which I feel really bad about because of everything he went through. He ended up having to live in Puerto Rico for two days before the Church could get him some flights back, and he still doesn't have his luggage now, because that made it to the MTC in the Domincan. I'll make sure to tell you more about how that is going next week after we've all tried to teach together.
So more big news, I started making calls in the Referral Center in Spanish this week, and it is intense. I had one really nice lady from NYC that I called I was talking to and she started saying something super fast and I told her "Estoy tratando aprender Español pero no hablo muy bien, pueda halbar más despacio por favór?" and she replied back "do you want me to speak Spanish or English?" It was really funny, anyway, I told her to speak Spanish so I could practice and we had a really nice conversation and she wants me to call her back, man I just love Spanish people. Anyway, so things have been going really well.
So more big news, I started making calls in the Referral Center in Spanish this week, and it is intense. I had one really nice lady from NYC that I called I was talking to and she started saying something super fast and I told her "Estoy tratando aprender Español pero no hablo muy bien, pueda halbar más despacio por favór?" and she replied back "do you want me to speak Spanish or English?" It was really funny, anyway, I told her to speak Spanish so I could practice and we had a really nice conversation and she wants me to call her back, man I just love Spanish people. Anyway, so things have been going really well.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Week 3 at the MTC
I am in a new zone and district and all my MTC box has changed, my address is still all the same but it is box # 86 now instead of 294, so send stuff to box #86, and I love letters, just throwing that in there.
This week has gone by so fast, it seems like it was just P-day and I was just sending an email. The language has been coming along really well, the intermediate class is really hard, the teachers only speak in Spanish to us, all the time, but it is really helping. Yesterday my companion and I taught our first lesson in Spanish. We managed to go the whole day only speaking in Spanish, that was really fun. We made a goal in our district to make Monday el día del español and it really helps. Every time we would talk to anyone that doesn't speak Spanish one of us had to say what we wanted in Spanish and the other one would translate. It really helps speaking and comprehension too. I've tried to learn some Guaraní also, but I'm really just focusing on Spanish right now. I'm going to need it but the only way to learn Guaraní is to speak Spanish so I think I am going to leave that mostly until I get there. Guarani is fun to learn though, it is a nasil language. The words are kind of weird to pronounce, and really hard, but it is so fun. The only thing I really know how to say right now is how are you, which is Mbe'échapa (pronounced em-by-eh-sha-pa), but I am trying to learn more. The Hermana here that is from my mission I told you about gave me a whole list of words I've been trying to use, but I think I'm just mostly sticking to Spanish now, once I master that Guaraní will be a whole lot easier.
This week has been a super spiritual uplifting week for me, we were able to go to the referal center a lot this week and make calls, and that is always fun. I actually had one really cool experience, I got three outgoing calls in a row calling to see if they received their Book of Mormons they ordered. All three people pretty much blasted me with how I would be condemned because of the things I was going to teach. I remembered many scriptures I learned in seminary but I didn't use any of them, all I did was bear a solemn testimony of the things I personally know to be true. All of them seemed pretty impressed with how open-minded I was with them and willing to listen. At the end of the conversations none of them wanted to change but there was definately mutual respect. Through all of this I was kind of getting discouraged, yet these people without even knowing were strenghtening my testimony. I found it so amazing how much truth they knew, and how much good they believed in, and how stubborn they were over one specific issue, and it seemed like the same for all of them, that Jesus couldn't be the son of God because only a sacrifice of a god would be good enough to save mankind. It was really hard to see such, what seemed like to me, good people so close to the truth and pushing so hard against it. It was frustrating. So I kept making calls and was just about to leave (most of the time people just don't pick up, this seemed to happen a lot after all this) and right when it was time to go I decided to call one more person. I called to see if he had got his Book of Mormon and he said he had and I just started to bear my testimony to him about the power the Book has and the peace we receive from it. The very first thing he said back was, "Don't worry, I think we are both on the same page, just give me a little time to read it." I was so excited, I just had person after person tell me how bad I am and was going to give up. Now I have an investigator I am going to call back at the end of this week to see how it went, and how he felt when he prayed. I am just so amazed by this work, at how real it is and the power it brings to me in teaching it. I wouldn't give this experience away for anything and I know without a doubt I am doing what is right. Teaching this gospel already has brought me closer to it and I can't wait to see the joy it will bring to others.
This week has gone by so fast, it seems like it was just P-day and I was just sending an email. The language has been coming along really well, the intermediate class is really hard, the teachers only speak in Spanish to us, all the time, but it is really helping. Yesterday my companion and I taught our first lesson in Spanish. We managed to go the whole day only speaking in Spanish, that was really fun. We made a goal in our district to make Monday el día del español and it really helps. Every time we would talk to anyone that doesn't speak Spanish one of us had to say what we wanted in Spanish and the other one would translate. It really helps speaking and comprehension too. I've tried to learn some Guaraní also, but I'm really just focusing on Spanish right now. I'm going to need it but the only way to learn Guaraní is to speak Spanish so I think I am going to leave that mostly until I get there. Guarani is fun to learn though, it is a nasil language. The words are kind of weird to pronounce, and really hard, but it is so fun. The only thing I really know how to say right now is how are you, which is Mbe'échapa (pronounced em-by-eh-sha-pa), but I am trying to learn more. The Hermana here that is from my mission I told you about gave me a whole list of words I've been trying to use, but I think I'm just mostly sticking to Spanish now, once I master that Guaraní will be a whole lot easier.
This week has been a super spiritual uplifting week for me, we were able to go to the referal center a lot this week and make calls, and that is always fun. I actually had one really cool experience, I got three outgoing calls in a row calling to see if they received their Book of Mormons they ordered. All three people pretty much blasted me with how I would be condemned because of the things I was going to teach. I remembered many scriptures I learned in seminary but I didn't use any of them, all I did was bear a solemn testimony of the things I personally know to be true. All of them seemed pretty impressed with how open-minded I was with them and willing to listen. At the end of the conversations none of them wanted to change but there was definately mutual respect. Through all of this I was kind of getting discouraged, yet these people without even knowing were strenghtening my testimony. I found it so amazing how much truth they knew, and how much good they believed in, and how stubborn they were over one specific issue, and it seemed like the same for all of them, that Jesus couldn't be the son of God because only a sacrifice of a god would be good enough to save mankind. It was really hard to see such, what seemed like to me, good people so close to the truth and pushing so hard against it. It was frustrating. So I kept making calls and was just about to leave (most of the time people just don't pick up, this seemed to happen a lot after all this) and right when it was time to go I decided to call one more person. I called to see if he had got his Book of Mormon and he said he had and I just started to bear my testimony to him about the power the Book has and the peace we receive from it. The very first thing he said back was, "Don't worry, I think we are both on the same page, just give me a little time to read it." I was so excited, I just had person after person tell me how bad I am and was going to give up. Now I have an investigator I am going to call back at the end of this week to see how it went, and how he felt when he prayed. I am just so amazed by this work, at how real it is and the power it brings to me in teaching it. I wouldn't give this experience away for anything and I know without a doubt I am doing what is right. Teaching this gospel already has brought me closer to it and I can't wait to see the joy it will bring to others.
Week 2 at the MTC
Everything here has been so great. I had such a full week last week I don't even know where to start. My companion was having a really hard time here. Well it ended up being more than that and everything has just worked out so perfectly there is no way to explain it but to say that the Lord has been watching over us, but before I can fully explain that story, I need to tell another one...
The first Friday here, my teacher pulled me and another missionary in our zone out of class, we thought for sure he was mad at us or something. I couldn't understand why he would pull me out, I mean the other guy sure, but not me. It turns out he thought we were both way too good at Spanish to be in the beginner class so he had us both tested to test out and go to the intermediate class. He was super impressed because I used the future tense in class one day. We didn't hear anything for a long time so we just figured we didn't pass the test and were stuck in beginner Spanish, but then last Thursday the guy over all the Spanish pulled us out and told us that we were definately intermediate Spanish level. The reason he waited so long was because the class was already so big he was trying to figure out how to make room for us. To make a long story short, because I have very little time, I was put with this other missionary and we are both now in intermediate Spanish, we moved up last Friday.
I am totally convinced that the Lord was completely had His hand in my not moving up for that long for a reason. As I said, my first companion was having a super hard time here. Every night he would get super sad and I would have to help him and console him. I don't want to get into the details, but he would be so up and then down. I would just have to pick him up. Last Friday, the same day I was moved and switched companions, he was scheduled to see a doctor because they think he has a medical issue that is making him super sad sometimes. Anyway, the reason I tell the story is that I know that the Lord wanted me to be with him until someone could figure out what was going on with him. At the very same time as when he was in an interveiw scheduling to see the doctor, my soon to be companion was picking up our new schedules. The more I think about it, the more I can see how the Lord was involved. I knew I should have passed the test. I took the same test here as I did on the phone and I passed easily here. I really know that the Lord just was looking out for my first companion and me at the same time, so he put off what I needed just for about 10 days so that he could give my first companion what he needed. I am just so grateful I was able to help. It was pretty hard to leave our old district to go to the new class, but I know it was what was right and I know that the Lord is looking over all of us, all the time, even when we don't think about it.
So my new companion is pretty cool, we were in the same district before so I already knew him so it hasn't been too hard. He's from California and went to BYU last year and is a lot like me, so we get along really well. We're actually in this little competition to see who can get more mail, and he is definately crushing me, so I could use a little help with that if that is okay... oh, and you are allowed to send me as many letters as you want mom, don't think you have to stop at one, I laughed when you asked that question...
Anyway, General Conference was so awesome, it was so nice to just relax for a little while, and it was crazy how much what the speakers were talking about was wrapped around what I am doing. We have been focusing so much on God's love for everyone and the importance of showing the investegator how to feel the Spirit and the importance of it. It seemed as though everyone said something about that, so that was just awesome how it applied so much to me.
I am soo excited to learn the Indian language in Paraguay, Guarani. There is this sister missionary here that is from my mission going to Salt Lake on hers, so she speaks English to me and I speak Spanish to her so we can both practice, and she has been teaching me some Guarani. I already know how to say some things like, How are you? and such.
The first Friday here, my teacher pulled me and another missionary in our zone out of class, we thought for sure he was mad at us or something. I couldn't understand why he would pull me out, I mean the other guy sure, but not me. It turns out he thought we were both way too good at Spanish to be in the beginner class so he had us both tested to test out and go to the intermediate class. He was super impressed because I used the future tense in class one day. We didn't hear anything for a long time so we just figured we didn't pass the test and were stuck in beginner Spanish, but then last Thursday the guy over all the Spanish pulled us out and told us that we were definately intermediate Spanish level. The reason he waited so long was because the class was already so big he was trying to figure out how to make room for us. To make a long story short, because I have very little time, I was put with this other missionary and we are both now in intermediate Spanish, we moved up last Friday.
I am totally convinced that the Lord was completely had His hand in my not moving up for that long for a reason. As I said, my first companion was having a super hard time here. Every night he would get super sad and I would have to help him and console him. I don't want to get into the details, but he would be so up and then down. I would just have to pick him up. Last Friday, the same day I was moved and switched companions, he was scheduled to see a doctor because they think he has a medical issue that is making him super sad sometimes. Anyway, the reason I tell the story is that I know that the Lord wanted me to be with him until someone could figure out what was going on with him. At the very same time as when he was in an interveiw scheduling to see the doctor, my soon to be companion was picking up our new schedules. The more I think about it, the more I can see how the Lord was involved. I knew I should have passed the test. I took the same test here as I did on the phone and I passed easily here. I really know that the Lord just was looking out for my first companion and me at the same time, so he put off what I needed just for about 10 days so that he could give my first companion what he needed. I am just so grateful I was able to help. It was pretty hard to leave our old district to go to the new class, but I know it was what was right and I know that the Lord is looking over all of us, all the time, even when we don't think about it.
So my new companion is pretty cool, we were in the same district before so I already knew him so it hasn't been too hard. He's from California and went to BYU last year and is a lot like me, so we get along really well. We're actually in this little competition to see who can get more mail, and he is definately crushing me, so I could use a little help with that if that is okay... oh, and you are allowed to send me as many letters as you want mom, don't think you have to stop at one, I laughed when you asked that question...
Anyway, General Conference was so awesome, it was so nice to just relax for a little while, and it was crazy how much what the speakers were talking about was wrapped around what I am doing. We have been focusing so much on God's love for everyone and the importance of showing the investegator how to feel the Spirit and the importance of it. It seemed as though everyone said something about that, so that was just awesome how it applied so much to me.
I am soo excited to learn the Indian language in Paraguay, Guarani. There is this sister missionary here that is from my mission going to Salt Lake on hers, so she speaks English to me and I speak Spanish to her so we can both practice, and she has been teaching me some Guarani. I already know how to say some things like, How are you? and such.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Elder Adamson's First Letter September 29, 2009
Hello! This is Elder Adamson V,
(Must explain the Elder Adamson V, Ryan is our fifth son and our fifth to serve a mission. He was preceded by David, Chile Santiago North; Robert, Puerto Rico, San Juan: Joseph, Spain, Canary Islands; Gary, Argentina, Buenos Aires.)
I've been here now for just about 6 days and I am loving it here. It is pretty hard, but it is so much fun to be here. I just love all the people I am with. My companion is pretty awesome, he's an Oklahoma boy, a 6' 4" and a solid 265 pounds Oklahoma boy! He is solid, he played rugby for BYU last year, so he is pretty big and solid. It is so awesome being with him....
So get this, yesterday I had a conversation outside the main enterance with Elder Scott, yeah, Richard G. Scott, in Spanish, and I didn't even recognize who he was. We were walking outside bearing our testimonies to other missionaries in Spanish and he walked by and asked in Spanish if we spoke often in our mission language. I explained to him that we had only been here 5 days but we were trying hard to speak as much as we could, he complimented us and then walked into the building. Everything he said to me was in Spanish, I guess he comes to the MTC to learn more languages, and that's why he was here. He is already fluent in Spanish. We were walking away and the man we were with told us that it was Elder Scott, and it was so obvious to me I couldn't even believe I didn't recognize him.
EVERYONE SEND ME MAIL!!!! through dearelder.com. (Be sure to check on Provo MTC on the left---My Mailbox is #294, Mission code PAR-ASUN, and leave date 1123.)
DearElder.com is pretty much the coolest thing I have ever seen. You go online to dearelder.com and then find me and you can write me a letter and they will print it and give it to me here. It's so awesome because I get it the same day and you don't have to pay anything, its free. And its better than email because I don't have to take any of my email time to read letters. I only have a half an hour to write emails. So put it up on my blog or something, dearelder.com, its completely free and so convenient for me, and I'm pretty sure you can do it my whole mission, when I leave here they can print them out at my mission office. I would love to get mail!.... Tell everyone about dearelder, and tell my brothers and sisters to use it too and leave their email in the letter so I can write them back that way. Oh, and if you could send me stamps, I only get 6 dollars on my card a week and stamps are pretty expensive, that would be awesome. (Stamps have been sent)
I love all of you and I hope everyone is doing alright, I know I am where I am supposed to be and even now I can see the work moving forward through my efforts. Last night I was chatting with a 16 year old boy online in the referal center for 50 minutes about Jesus Christ and the atonement and how He loves us, and he committed to pray last night to know if what we talked about was true, it was kind of sad though, because I ran out of time right after I told him we could have missionaries visit him or he could call me back and the chat disconnected, but I know he felt the spirit of what I was telling him and that he will come in his own time. I love my Savior, it is so real what he has done for us, and I can't wait to help more lives come to that knowledge. I love and miss you all, but I will see you soon,
Love, Elder Adamson V
(Must explain the Elder Adamson V, Ryan is our fifth son and our fifth to serve a mission. He was preceded by David, Chile Santiago North; Robert, Puerto Rico, San Juan: Joseph, Spain, Canary Islands; Gary, Argentina, Buenos Aires.)
I've been here now for just about 6 days and I am loving it here. It is pretty hard, but it is so much fun to be here. I just love all the people I am with. My companion is pretty awesome, he's an Oklahoma boy, a 6' 4" and a solid 265 pounds Oklahoma boy! He is solid, he played rugby for BYU last year, so he is pretty big and solid. It is so awesome being with him....
So get this, yesterday I had a conversation outside the main enterance with Elder Scott, yeah, Richard G. Scott, in Spanish, and I didn't even recognize who he was. We were walking outside bearing our testimonies to other missionaries in Spanish and he walked by and asked in Spanish if we spoke often in our mission language. I explained to him that we had only been here 5 days but we were trying hard to speak as much as we could, he complimented us and then walked into the building. Everything he said to me was in Spanish, I guess he comes to the MTC to learn more languages, and that's why he was here. He is already fluent in Spanish. We were walking away and the man we were with told us that it was Elder Scott, and it was so obvious to me I couldn't even believe I didn't recognize him.
EVERYONE SEND ME MAIL!!!! through dearelder.com. (Be sure to check on Provo MTC on the left---My Mailbox is #294, Mission code PAR-ASUN, and leave date 1123.)
DearElder.com is pretty much the coolest thing I have ever seen. You go online to dearelder.com and then find me and you can write me a letter and they will print it and give it to me here. It's so awesome because I get it the same day and you don't have to pay anything, its free. And its better than email because I don't have to take any of my email time to read letters. I only have a half an hour to write emails. So put it up on my blog or something, dearelder.com, its completely free and so convenient for me, and I'm pretty sure you can do it my whole mission, when I leave here they can print them out at my mission office. I would love to get mail!.... Tell everyone about dearelder, and tell my brothers and sisters to use it too and leave their email in the letter so I can write them back that way. Oh, and if you could send me stamps, I only get 6 dollars on my card a week and stamps are pretty expensive, that would be awesome. (Stamps have been sent)
I love all of you and I hope everyone is doing alright, I know I am where I am supposed to be and even now I can see the work moving forward through my efforts. Last night I was chatting with a 16 year old boy online in the referal center for 50 minutes about Jesus Christ and the atonement and how He loves us, and he committed to pray last night to know if what we talked about was true, it was kind of sad though, because I ran out of time right after I told him we could have missionaries visit him or he could call me back and the chat disconnected, but I know he felt the spirit of what I was telling him and that he will come in his own time. I love my Savior, it is so real what he has done for us, and I can't wait to help more lives come to that knowledge. I love and miss you all, but I will see you soon,
Love, Elder Adamson V
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