Greetings from the CLAM!

We all made it here!  My trainer is Elder C. from Garland, Utah.  I have had several awesome meals here already, so don't worry about me not being fed!  I spent $21.35 on groceries today, which is right on my budget.  Laundry is free because the C. family lets us do it at their home.  The manager of our complex is the Bomba.  He is helping me raise my desk so I can actually fit my knees under it.

We don't tract much here; I guess it is discouraged a bit.  We work mostly on reactivation and strengthening new converts.  We have four investigators now, too. Today being Halloween, we need to be inside by 8:00 p.m.  I guess it can get pretty crazy around here!

I loved attending the Spanish ward yesterday.  We (the missionaries) sang in sacrament and it was great to look out in the congregation and see those I know and have begun to love already.  Five of the people we've been working with came to church -- we were SO happy!  I get to practice my Spanish pretty often and I'm learning a lot.  I actually understood almost ALL the Gospel Principles class today (Principios del Evangelio).

On Saturday night we had a ward Trunk-or-Treat party at the church.  It was really cool.  I loved the egg salad sandwiches -- they were like a piece of home.  Elder C. also won a cake and we finished it off earlier today with some other missionaries.  The other day I bought some of that Manzana soda we had in Mexico and that was like going back in time!  Most families here drink soda and I usually take it, but if they ask me what I want, I request water.  Otherwise I might come home looking like my Aunt Roberta . . .!!

Greenies Galore!

These are the 14 new missionaries who arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday.  What a big group!  You might get the idea that the work is booming there!  Thanks to President & Sister Baker for posting these on the Cala mission blog.

Airport Phone Call

Elder Bham called this morning at 7:15 from the SLC airport; it was nice to talk to him.  He is traveling with a group of 14 missionaries, 12 elders and 2 sisters, who are all going to L.A.  He sounded excited!  By now he's been in Los Angeles for nearly 12 hours.  Hopefully we'll hear soon about his first assignment and his first companion!

Last Preparation Day

Santa Vaca!  We only have six days left in the MTC!  Today was our last P-day and it was insanely crazy!  Elder R and I went off campus twice (for doctor's appointments) and we felt the awkwardness of the real world -- seeing people without name tags and hearing music in waiting rooms.  It was way weird.

Last night we got to teach the new missionary experience (for the new missionaries) and it was cool.  The first investigator we taught was pretty good and we felt the Spirit a lot.  The second, however, was kind of spastic.  She would ask a question and then ask another before we could finish answering the first -- like "Do you eat pork?" or something like that, just randomly thrown in there.  It was fun to see Julia there.

Elder Scott spoke to us on Tuesday night.  It was awesome!  My favorite part was when he said "The power in this room cannot be DENIED!"  We have been incredibly blessed here at the MTC; I can't believe time has gone so fast!  We leave the MTC at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday (Oct 26) and our plane takes off just before 9:00 a.m.  In less than six days we will be in Los Angeles!  Woot!  Time to serve and talk to everyone!

Curb Duty

Well, look who Elder Bham and Elder R. welcomed to the MTC today!

Solomente Dos Semanas

Still super busy here at the MTC!  This last week had a lot of changes for us here, but we keep moving forward (name that movie) and pressing onward.  Por ejemplo, we now have a 3rd bunk bed in our room and three Mandarin-speaking Elders have moved in.  Their former residence hall is in the beginning stages of renovation.  Yes, I did use some of my phrases on them.  I asked them who their daddy was, to which they responded "Heavenly Father."  It is really fun to pick up phrases from other languages!  I know a little German, Spanish (he, he), Portuguese, Tongan, Romanian and Mandarin.  I think my favorite saying is Tongan: "Faka tomala honga hala."  It means "repent sinner."

On Tuesday night for devotional we heard from Sister Julie B. Beck and it was way cool!  She spoke a lot about loving the people you serve and those that you serve with.

Our district made a sweet awesome goal last Saturday.  We are only allowed to speak English in la residencia, el gymnasio, y en los Domingos.  Every other place is Espanol!  It really helps a lot.  We decided that since our investigators will be real in 2 weeks, we need to man-up and learn as much as we can.  The hard part is that, after I write in English or listen to someone in English, I tend to forget the rule.  Every time we mess up, we must do 5 lagartijas (push ups).  This way we also work out a bit (emphasis on the BIT).

Another piece of exciting news is that we will receive our travel plans this afternoon!  We're really excited to get some evidence that we really will be leaving.  With all the construction and winter coming, it will be nice to leave.  These next two weeks will be review weeks, where we will try to hone our Spanish skills.  There is still a LOT left to do!

Just to make you smile, I had a few goof-ups a while ago.  In one lesson I switched the tenses and told an investigator that if he prayed and I studied, then he would receive an answer from the Lord.  I also told an investigator that I had four children instead of four nieces and nephews.

This past week we received 15 new missionaries in our branch.  With the 17 we received last week, we have doubled our normal size.  One of our districts also left, making our district the oldie moldies of Branch 48.

I hope all is well!  Buenas suerte con todos haremos!

Conference Weekend

This last week was la bomba!  I think my favorite talk was Sister Dalton's talk.  I also loved Elder Neil A. Anderson's talk as well.

 This last week Elder R and I checked out 4 districts and, as of next week, will be los viejos en nuestra rama.  Our district started out with 10 and we are now down to five, with three weeks to go!  We have all become extremely close and the best part is that most of us will be at BYU together after our missions.

The MTC will be adding another bunk bed to every residence room on the first two floors [of each building?].  This means that every room on our floor will have 6 missionaries in it, instead of only four.  Crazy!  [This is to accommodate for the renovations going on at the MTC.]

We baptized our two investigators here at the MTC (M and R), and have begun teaching P.  Our second lesson with him went really well.  We tried to explain that the Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible, but provides a second witness.  They both teach the same doctrine.  We challenged him to read Matthew 3 and 2 Nephi 32, and compare their messages.

The work is abounding and I love being a part of it.  It is an incredible honor.  As Sister Dalton says, "Be loyal to the ROYAL in you!"  And as Elder Uchtdorf says, "Strength comes not from frantic activity, but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light.  It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most."