WEEK 4: PERU MTC

October 30, 2018
Today was a weird day for sure. All of the Elders except about 26 of us were gone and we were the only ones here in the entire CCM. Elder Bravo and Elder Condori left this morning and it was muy sad, but they were pretty happy to leave. We went to the temple today and it was so nice to sit and do nothing for a while and to feel the Spirit. The Lima Temple is so nice and it is super small compared to Payson, but the Celestial Room is the prettiest thing ever. It was so nice to be at the temple and to talk to members here in Espanol because they're so friendly. I forgot to tell yall it was my P-day today, so sorry mom. I love you and I hope you are all doing ok. The rest of the day was pretty boring. I sound like a nerd, but I love reading my scriptures all of a sudden, ahahahaha. I wish I could have like 4 hours to read my scriptures because it helps me so much with this mission. Also, we have 2 new elders in our room, both from Mexico, which is cool because they understand some of the Mexican words like undele, and mande and stuff that Kim taught me. Love you all and I love this mission. 

October 31, 2018

Today was Halloween, and we all forgot it was Halloween until it was time to go to bed. We have been so busy with so many things, and we have no time to stop studying because we need to learn a lot of Spanish. The new gringo missionaries came in today and holy, they are so weird. They seem like they're all 14 years old and they are all so pale white. Well, today marks three weeks at the CCM, and so much has happened since then. I have learned enough Spanish to be able to have full conversations with the Latino Elders, and I have grown to love the scriptures way more than I ever have. The CCM seems like it is taking forever, but it also feels like I haven't been here for that long. Elder Merritt was pretty sick today, so he slept instead of going to physical activity. He's feeling way better now, though. I love this work, but I feel like I have been here for a year. It's going to be a long time before I get home to you all. I love being here but I wanna talk to my brothers and stay up until 5:30 in the morning gaming out and play some real dang football. I at least want to do more weightlifting than push ups and situps ahahahahhaha. I'm good, ahahahaha I promise, and I love you all.  

November 1, 2018

Today was a really good day. I measure my success in learning Spanish by seeing how many words I can use to communicate with the Latino Elders. If I can use the right grammar and the right verbs to talk to the elders, then I am doing a good job. Mom, thanks so much for the Halloween candy, I don't thinkI  said thank you that much, I loved it and I was the only person in the entire CCM that got a package. I'm starting to love Peruvian candy already and that stuff was really good. So, thank you so much. I love hanging with Latinos because they are so diligent in every rule, they are such a good example for me, because I'm not the best at following rules. The 2 new Elders in our room are Elder Gomez and Elder Castillo. Elder Gomez is from Mexico, but he lived in Utah for 3 years and he speaks really good English. Elder Castillo is from Venuezuela and he speaks pretty good English too. We try to speak only Espanol, so Elder Merritt and I can learn, but they help us out a lot. The food is really good here, and I think its getting a lot better every day. I love this langauge and I love this people. The scriptures have so many anwers in them that I never saw before my mission, yeah my brukkas I know I sound like a huge nerd, but its all way true, and I know this gospel is true.

November 2, 2018

Today was a good day, I'm kinda running out of things to write at the CCM, but everything is good here. I am getting the langauge, but its gonna be a long time until I have the Grammar right. I feel the Spirit every day here, and sometimes the days feel like weeks. I've really been out here for 46 years already because time doesn't move in the CCM. I'm really missing music right about now, and I keep getting regular songs stuck in my mind all the time. Buff baby is on my mind all the time. And yo Blake and Gabe remember when we played Rocket League until 5 in the morning listening to that dope radio playlist.. that was so sick. And Sam, remember when we played sea of thieves for literally 10,098,374 years one night. I be missing that stuff. But I love the work. Gn yall.

November 4, 2018

Today was one of the most spiritual days in my life, for real. We started our 24 hour fast last night after dinner, and we fasted all day until dinner today. All the other elders were taking it pretty hard, but it was wayyyy easy for me, props to Bishop Siufanua. It was testimony meeting today, and every single testimony was crazy good from all the Elders and Hermanas. I bore my testimony and I cried like always. Fasting made the entire day 40 times more spiritual. I dont know how the Lord does it, but everything that everyone said today was focused on how we are weak, and how we can be stronger than we are with the help of God, and by becoming more like Christ through His atonement. Basically, we need to be humble and obey His rules and we will be strengthened in all things, so much more than we can ever strengthen ourselves. I have seen this in the past with Football and Rugby, and even school and college classes, that the Lord can make us excel and succeed in everything we do if we stay with him, and love the people around us, and follow the simple rules. 

I'm weak, and I hate saying that I am, but I am. I don't know Spanish, and I know most of the Stories in the Book of Mormon, but I don't know how to teach other people the pure doctrine of Christ. But what I do know is that if I do what I am supposed to, I study and I wake up on time, and I love my companion and the people I'm teaching--if I do all of those things, the Lord will give me the Language and he will put words in my mouth and tell me where to go to find the right people to teach. I know that God will keep my family safe, and that my life is in good hands if I do what I'm supposed to. There is no one better to put your life in the hands of, than God. Love you all, Gn