Craziness

Time keeps moving faster and faster here!  The last time I wrote seems like yesterday.

I have come to appreciate lds.org and all the tools it offers.  I especially love the Mormon Messages.  This past week I watched one called "The Small Things That Matter Most."  It has slow-moving images and quotes throughout the entirety.  It's based on Elder Uchtdor's talk from October 2010, I believe.  There is a quote by Elder Maxwell in it that I LOVE!  He said, "Moments are the molecules that make up eternity."  So treasure up those moments and record them in your hearts.  Record them in a journal or photo album!

God loves us!  I know without a doubt that this Church has been restored by the power of God.  Jesus Christ suffered the sins of his brothers and sisters so we can live with Him again.  Two years of my life is a small price to pay in return!  Not to mention the changes (in me) that will come about from these years of service.

Busy Week

Hey!! The week was crazy busy!  Three missionaries from our district left for Peru yesterday morning and will soon finish their first full day in the country!  With only six elders left in our district, we'll probably get a lot closer.  With so few missionaries left in class, we teach every day now -- sometimes twice a day!  It's great practice!

We had a lesson with R about five days ago and it was a great experience.  Elder R and I kept to the basics.  We shared el Plan de Salvacion in simple sentences -- I loved it!  When we keep to the point, the Spirit is able to direct everything freely and testify in plainness. 

Our other investigator, M, threw us a curve ball the other day.  I learned from this experience that it's sometimes okay if you don't cover anything you had planned to.  We scrapped the plan and taught specifically what she needed at that time.  It was a little hard but I kind of enjoyed being guided on the spot like that.  At the end, as I prayed for the things she needed, my Spanish came very easily.  Mi espanol fue muy bien y hable como un nativo!  Fue increible!  Prayer is one thing I want to do well.  I want to be able to express my gratitude fully, instead of being limited by my knowledge of words.

On Saturday evening I prepared a talk for Sacrament meeting; it was on enduring to the end.  This was an awesome experience!  I learned so much more as I read my sources in English and tried to think about how to say it in Spanish.  One quote from President Eyring that I loved was: "Every time you feel the Spirit, you KNOW the Atonement is working in your life."  I'd never thought of this before.  Even when we're not repenting of our sins, the Atonement is at work in our lives.

I don't want to kill you with quotes, but Elder Holland had another good one: "Missionary work is not easy because salvation is not cheap.  How can it be easy for us if it was never, ever easy for Him?"

Leaving My Mark On Eternity

Hullo!  This week has been incredible.  I've had a blast with our teachers -- Maestro R. and Hermana J. have become our best friends.  We have also revamped our teaching style.  We plan our lesson in simple but powerful phrases, then switch off teaching and testifying.

There is a Mormon message we watched the other day, about Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt when she turned back to face Sodom and Gomorrah.  The quote was: "Lot's wife probably didn't consider that her future could be better than her past."  What I take from this is that what God has planned for me is bigger and better than whatever I have going on right now.  So don't look back!

The past fireside with President Wilkins was awesome.  He spoke about seizing the day.  On my mission there are no problems -- only opportunities.  These opportunities may include service, friendship, tracting, and/or working out problems with my companion.  Whatever the opportunity, "IT'S MY TURN TO LEAVE MY MARK ON ETERNITY!"  I was so pumped!

To make it even better, Elder Russell M Nelson came and spoke on Tuesday night.  He spoke about the Book of Mormon and its importance in conversion.  He also told us that our job is very similar to his -- we are all called to devote our lives 24/7 to the Lord.  I'm honored to be in that category -- a servant of the Lord!

I was selected to speak on Sunday.  My talk was about faith; it was hard to prepare in Spanish.  (Now I really appreciate English talks and lessons!)  I was half-way through it when I realized I was not nervous at all, and my Spanish kept coming!

Week Two

Olo!!! I cannot believe how much time has gone by already!  I only have 7 weeks left until I leave the MTC.  I have a hard time keeping the days straight; I feel kind of like I'm at the Lotus Hotel (Percy Jackson allusion) . . . but in a really awesome way!

Three elders from our district are leaving on Tuesday and Wednesday to the Peru MTC and our district will be down to six elders and a solo hermana.  I am really not looking forward to this because we are very close.  Some might say "Ajustado com un vaso!"

 
I love the language and hope to start speaking Spanish all of the time.

Our lessons with our investigators are going very well.  Our last lesson with R was quite amazing, but the lesson with M was INCREDIBLE!  Elder R and I were both so amazed at how well it went.  Neither of us had notes with us (we have learned to avoid that crutch) and we had all of our points in the right order!  Both he and I were transitioning into each others parts of the lesson and Elder R repeated the whole First Vision from memory!  I then tried committing M to baptism after the first lesson, but she said she needed to think about it more.  I told her that we were here for her and that we'd try to answer all her questions.

I feel for the first time that I am really being led by the Spirit while teaching.  Maybe it's because I'm worrying less about the language and more about the investigator.  As they say here, we teach people -- not lessons.

I have also come to appreciate how tired Dad was when he was bishop.  I get back to the residence hall at the end of the day and just yearn to sleep.  I remember all the times I saw Dad passed out on the couch after dinner on Sunday and I smile to myself.  Now I'm in those shoes a bit.  The Spirit and the work really do drain a missionary, but hey, they don't call it missionary WORK for nothing!!!!

First Week

 Love and thanks from the MTC!

My first week here was awesome!  I arrived at my residence hall and discovered that I knew half the people on my floor, basically.  It has been awesome having friendly faces wherever I go.  My companion is Elder R from Colorado.  We work well together and have a good time laughing with each other.  He is also going to LA!  I have met a lot of missionaries going to southern California.  Probably the thing I love the most is the comradery and automatic love I feel for everyone here.  I am so excited for all of us . . . for this amazing honor and opportunity to represent Jesus Christ and spread joy to the entire face of the earth!

We taught our first lesson in Spanish on the Friday after we arrived, and since then we have taught four more times.  The first lesson was really rough, but the second and third were amazing!  The biggest improvement I have seen thus far in the language is that I'm getting the rhythm, and I get on a roll sometimes.  Sometimes I can understand a lot and other times I'm completely lost!  I'm just happy to be here and to understand a little bit.  I have started to be able to express my love for the gospel in Spanish, though.  Elder M also told me that last night, I tried to get him to commit to being baptized in Spanish, while I was asleep!  How come I can speak it in my sleep, but not when I'm awake! 

Elder Holland came and spoke to us Tuesday night and blew everyone away.  I hope you saw me in the choir Mom, cause J got the camera right in my face!  I love you all!