First off, can I have a list of everyone's birthdays? Including extended family?
OK seriously, I can write a novel about just one day here at the CCM (MTC), but there is no way to jam a whole week in.
I love and miss all of you, but the CCM is great! Within 15 minutes of me arriving, I was put in class and set to work. I'm part of the Intermediate Spanish Class (one of 2 in the CCM right now....or at least I believe so). Everything is in Spanish! I love it! It's incredible. My teacher as well as my investigators are so easy to communicate with. I believe it's because I read the BoM in Spanish; that must have helped because this Spanish is really coming along well! :)
I've actually lost weight here! bahahah! It's hilarious! I've never eaten so healthy in my life! It's so easy when the fruits and veggies are all ready for us to eat. I have them every meal, along with yogurt. :) I'm also working out every day. I do cardio and then weight lift. I'm hoping to make my twigger body all MUSCULAR!!! HAHAHA
Anyways, my companion is a very faithful Elder. He lives in Spanish Fork, and none of his family is active, except for his dad, who is half-active. He has gone through struggles that I will never have to face, and that makes him stronger than me.
My district is very cool! It has 13 missionaries in it. 11 elders, and we have 2 hermana’s, Herman Dudley (going to Canada, Spanish-speaking) and Hermana Washburn (going to my mission. Also, she is the Jazz dancer, but nowhere near as beautiful as you know who ; ) and don't worry, I've got my mission goggles on. The Elders are me, my companion, and then a bunch of others that I'm too lazy to write. But we're all extremely close, and I love working with them. Most of the missionaries are going to Resistencia.... like 15 of us (there's another Argentina district next door) and the others are in Rosario, Posadas, Buenos Aires North, and Chile and Canada. Our whole zone is Argentina except for one Chilean and Canadian.
After one day of being here, I taught a 45min lesson only in Spanish. The "investigator" was named Aldo. The lesson went great, we got him to pray, read the BoM, and come to Church! Haha. Super fun and seriously made me so happy! :) We have taught him 4 times now and we are going to baptize him! Haha funny story, he said that he was at BYU studying film, but he didn't know the commandments or anything. We asked him about the Honor Code, and he just paused and started laughing. Bah! we caught a flaw in his story!
So for my CCM experience, when we got to our rooms the first night, none of my roommates had mattresses, except for me. The other older missionaries thought it would be funny to steal mattress from the noobs. but my roommates got them back later on that night.
I definitely learned the value of obedience this week. Nearly every talk was about it. :) Last night Bro. and Sis. Kendrick spoke at our Tues devotional. Sis Kendrick said something I really liked. "Obedience tells what kind of integrity someone has." And that is completely true. We are here to be missionaries. "We're here serving the Lord, not time." "Obedience brings success." As I serve the Lord, and am completely obedient to the rules. The Lord will "bless me with power and safety." "Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles!!" Obedience is the highest law of God. I know this, and I will forever obey and serve God, for Christ died for me and Christ is the Way, I will forever heed His word.
Also at the devotional Bro. Kendrick talked about personal revelation in prayer. He said "The depth of our desires [prayer] determines the revelation." And with that prayer, we need to ACT!! I must know all of the doctrines and study them diligently. If I show my faithfulness, God will bless me.
This place is so cool! I wish you could all see it! I LOVE IT HERE!!! BAHAHAHA JOY!
Also, if people would like to write me, please do it through the mail or dearelder (they print them for free here and deliver them). It is seriously impossible to email everyone in one sitting. Don’t' be offended if I don't write you back, I’m here to serve the Lord, not time. :)
Oh, I forgot to mention about the 4th of July! The CCM (MTC) allowed us to watch a movie and watch the fireworks from the
stadium of fire! We stayed up until about 11:30!! How crazy is that! I'll
probably never be allowed to do that again!! Bahaha, 2nd day and I already get to break
the mission rules! It was super cool! I got some pictures, but can't send them yet. Love and miss you, but I love it here! :D
