Mi Primero Semana

(My first week)  Wow.  This week has been the most eventful week of my life.  I got to Bolivia and realized that they speak a totally different language than I  was taught in the MTC.  But i'm just praying that I'll pick up the language as quick as possible.  The people here are really awesome from what I can see. I can't really communicate with them very well, but they seem really loving.  Hahaha.  I love it here though.  The members are very kind and loving.  We have a mama and papa here that feed us every day for lunch.  I'm not always sure what it is, but most of the time it's actually really good!  

My first companion is Elder Talaverano.  He's from Peru and speaks 0 English.  A few words here and there, but definitely not enough to talk about anything.  All I can really do right now is bear my testimony and share bits and pieces of lessons, but if they ask a question, it's all on my companion.  Which is hard, because I feel bad, I really want to communicate with the people and tell them everything I know, but it doesn't work like that.  All I can do for now is learn.  My companion really tries to help me though and is very loving and I'm very thankful for that.  I'm doing awesome here though.  I'm adjusting to the life here.  It will be easy and so much more fun when I can communicate.  That's the rundown for this week.  No baptisms yet, but we have a sister, Hermana Parada that is scheduled to get baptized next Friday so hopefully she continues to have that desire.  Love you all!  I hope you all have a great week!

LAST WEEK IN THE MTC

The last week.  Holy cow.  I can´t believe it.  So much has happened here, yet it feels like it has flown by.  Although, at the same time, I´m ready to go out into the field.  The MTC has started to feel like home for me in certain ways, but my home for the next little while is waiting for me.  AND I CAN´T WAIT.  I leave this Monday at Noon and fly to Lima, Peru.  I then get on another plane to fly to La Paz, Bolivia.  After that, at 3:40 am on Tuesday, I get on my last plane to fly to Santa Cruz.  It´ll be a long day, but I´m really excited.  My life for the next (almost) two years will start.  It´s such a sweet feeling.  Everything but my Spanish is ready, but I know that it´ll come.  Considering I have no other choice of language besides Spanish for a while.

   I´ve been thinking a little bit and getting a little nervous to leave, but there´s a scripture that I love that should be able to help any of you out too. Especially those of you with friends or family on missions.  It´s found in 3 Nephi 21:10, it reads:

   "But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them.  Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil."  

   I promise that the Lord watches over those who preach his gospel. I love each and every one of you and I know that God does too.  I love what I´m doing with my life right now and it is already becoming to me, "The Best Two Years".  I love this gospel and from being in the MTC, I´ve learned even more about the gospel, scriptures, and prayer, as I have a foreign language.  I´m thankful for this opportunity to help the people of Bolivia receive His Truth.  Love you guys.  Talk to you when I´m in Bolivia.  I´m not sure what day that´ll be, but I will email as soon as I can.  

   Para siempre Dios este con vos.

"My  Awesome teacher!"

¿Que Pasa?

Hey everyone!  This week was awesome!  I mean, not much happened in the MTC, but it was great because I´m just about a week and a half from being out in the field.  I think everything but my Spanish is ready to be out in the field.  The MTC has started to kind of feel like home.  We have a very busy routine everyday, so the days go by pretty fast.  My Branch President, Presidente Suarez, pulled my companion and I aside today and told us that he wanted to call my companion and I as Zone Leaders.  It´s definitely a jump from being District Leader because now in the classroom, the District Leader makes sure we´re doing well and outside of the classroom, Elder Hall and I make sure all of the districts in our zone are doing well.  We don´t have to go pick up the mail though anymore, so that´ll be nice.  I´m very excited to see how this new calling will go over the next week of being here.  It´s a little scary being called to zone leader because I am barely 18 and I have to make sure all of these people that are age 19-23 are doing okay.  But I know that I will have this calling the last week for a reason so all that I can do is do my best.  

In John 14: 16-18 it reads:

  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever.

  Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I love this scripture because I needed to hear this after I was called to this new calling.  I know that I won´t be left comfortless, and neither will you.  I love you guys and I hope you´re all doing well.  I´ll talk to you next week.

"These two are also going to Bolivia with myself and Elder Hall"

"My good friend from Logan!  Elder Bushman"

"Elder Moon!  Layton represent!"

"This is our dorm"

"P day"

Hola familia y amigos,

     This week flew by.  Some of the kids that we have started to meet during our time in the MTC are all starting to leave into the field and it's so weird that in two weeks i'll be doing the same.  This place is feeling more and more like home and the teachers make us all feel so loved.  Some of the food is a little difficult to get down but for the most part, it's pretty good.  

     My companion, Elder Hall and I are really close.  We get along super well, we tease each other a lot, we're staying obedient and we're doing our best to keep the Spirit with us at all times.   I can definitely feel it.  They've told us while in the MTC that "Obedience brings blessings, but EXACT obedience brings miracles"  And I've thought while I've been here that I'm not here, learning a language for me to receive blessings.  I'm out here, on my mission, waking up at 6:30 every morning, studying more than I ever have before to learn a new language, because I want miracles.  I want to be able to speak to the people of Bolivia in THEIR native tongue.  That is a miracle in itself. That is what I'm doing it for.  Miracles.

     The coordinator of our MTC, Nicolas Castañeda, was our devotional speaker of the week on Tuesday.  He brought up something that I haven't really put into much consideration until then.  He said that, "Millions of prayers are offered every day for your success as missionaries.  At temples, by parents, grandparents, and even little children, kneeling down every night for you to be successful."  He then went on to tell us not to disappoint them.  It opened my eyes to such a new extent.  It's amazing how I can already feel the prayers helping me.  I know that God blesses missionaries.  I have already seen it in my life.  Never in any one's life, will they be closer to God than while serving a mission.  I love what I'm doing here, and I love being a servant for my Heavenly Father.  I hope you are all doing well and that you all have an awesome week.  You're in my prayers as well.

"The view from our apartment"

"♥♥♥"

"My companion Elder Hall"

"Your boy after is fresh new haircut."