Week 3 So Far
Date
August 20, 2016
Area
Missionary Training Center
Companion
Elder Brown
Week 3 So Far
Dear Dad Mom Sydney and Caleb,
This week has been good thus far. It has been a week of learning about Spanish, the gospel, and myself. Thank you for both packages that you sent me. I received both of them. The food is ok. It gives a lot of people gas. I usually eat the wraps because it is easier on my stomach. My former companion is going home until his stomach issues are resolved. Afterwards he is allowed to go straight to his Mission. If found that out Yesterday.
Sunday was pretty good. There wasn't anything special that happened. We sat and listened to talks in Spanish. I had to prepare one in Spanish as well because they randomly select people to speak. We also got to hear from our Bishopric. They are all awesome!! They are all former Mission Presidents. They all have such deep knowledge about the Gospel that is so interesting to hear about. They stressed the importance of becoming converted to the Gospel instead of having a testimony of it. It was awesome to hear from them.
Monday I spent my day not knowing what was going to happen with my companion. We both thought he was going to get transferred before we had to teach but we were wrong. We had to teach two lessons! That meant I carried the whole lesson while he tried to comprehend what they were going to say. It wasn't our best lesson but we got through them. It gave me experience in teaching the lessons and also practicing how to get to know people and use different Spanish vocabulary.
Tuesday was the day that he was transferred. They called us down so he could meet with the higher-ups. I waited about an hour and a half waiting for what the verdict was. When I saw him next he said he was keeping his same mission but instead was speaking English. He seemed so much happier once they told him this. It wasn't a pain to get him to talk to me anymore. He was his regular self! It was awesome to see. Our companionship inventory went so well. I was receptive and he was equally receptive. It was exactly how it should have been. I was reassigned to make a trio. I am now in a trio with Elder Brown from Montana and Elder Perrins from Guam. There is a lot of potential for us in this companionship. They both have a great vocabulary and can help me when I can't think of the right word to say. I pick up were they don't remember the vocabulary as well. It is awesome to see. We later heard from Bonnie Oscarson. She gave a great talk on humility. I learned that I have been put in my district to learn from them. There is not always a time where I need to be the "teacher". I can learn many things from them.
Wednesday was very productive. We taught two lessons for TRC which is a program setting us up with investigators of the church. Most of them are just volunteer members but it has been good practice. The lessons were very good. I could feel there was something that needed to be changed about them but I didn't know what. I started on Last Thursday to really devote every class block without a teacher to learning Spanish. My Spanish is progressing fast. I may not always be able to say the right phrase with the right conjugations, but I am getting better at understanding the people and recognizing my problems with the language and fixing them. I am definitely one of the best at the language in my district. I am not the fastest speaker but I am definitely the hardest worker in my district. I know the language will come as I continue to meet my goals and work hard. I have been taking walks with Elder Evans at night. We just talk about problems we are having, frustrations, gospel topics, past experiences and more. He is so Awesome! He definitely has a wild side but his great qualities outweigh anything else. He is such a great example of support, love and perseverance. He always helps me talk everything out that I need. He helps me so much! I offer my help often as well but he does a lot for me. He has such a strong spirit. He recognizes mine and I think we are friends because of it.
Thursday was very productive as well. I spent hours on hours studying the Spanish language. I am starting to conjugate better and speak without thinking as hard as before. The best part of Thursday was when we went outside of our classroom and sat on a hill trying to memorize the First Vision in Spanish. Once I had it memorized I looked up and the sun was directly shining upon me. I had an impression to recite it again so I did. "Vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol, directamente aribe de mi cabeza, y esta luz descendio hasta descansar sobre mi... Al reposar sobre mi la luz. Vi en el aire arribe de mi a dos personajes, cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripcion. Uno de ellos me hablo. Llamandome por mi nombre, senalando al otro, "Este es mi Hijo amado, Escucholo." As I recited it the spirit touched my heart and testified to me that Joseph saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove. The joy was indescribable.
Friday I spent most of my time learning the language and studying the scriptures. In 2 Nephi 11:4 it says "my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of coming [unto] Christ." I thought that this needs to be my vision. My soul needs to be overjoyed by coming unto Christ. This was awesome to read.
Today, we went through the temple. It was awesome again. I feel like I am receiving more knowledge about the temple then I would have not going on a mission. It so outstanding the things that we can learn. It is so cool. Now I am just hanging out with my Companions. The more I get to know them, the better they become. It is awesome to have righteous companions who have the same desires as me, to bring others to Christ. It is phenomenal. There is so much I can learn from them. Elder Brown is going to Peru Huancayo mission and Elder Perrins is going to Bolivia Cochabamba mission. I relate better to Elder Brown but Elder Perrins is still awesome.
Until Next time!
Elder Smith
This week has been good thus far. It has been a week of learning about Spanish, the gospel, and myself. Thank you for both packages that you sent me. I received both of them. The food is ok. It gives a lot of people gas. I usually eat the wraps because it is easier on my stomach. My former companion is going home until his stomach issues are resolved. Afterwards he is allowed to go straight to his Mission. If found that out Yesterday.
Sunday was pretty good. There wasn't anything special that happened. We sat and listened to talks in Spanish. I had to prepare one in Spanish as well because they randomly select people to speak. We also got to hear from our Bishopric. They are all awesome!! They are all former Mission Presidents. They all have such deep knowledge about the Gospel that is so interesting to hear about. They stressed the importance of becoming converted to the Gospel instead of having a testimony of it. It was awesome to hear from them.
Monday I spent my day not knowing what was going to happen with my companion. We both thought he was going to get transferred before we had to teach but we were wrong. We had to teach two lessons! That meant I carried the whole lesson while he tried to comprehend what they were going to say. It wasn't our best lesson but we got through them. It gave me experience in teaching the lessons and also practicing how to get to know people and use different Spanish vocabulary.
Tuesday was the day that he was transferred. They called us down so he could meet with the higher-ups. I waited about an hour and a half waiting for what the verdict was. When I saw him next he said he was keeping his same mission but instead was speaking English. He seemed so much happier once they told him this. It wasn't a pain to get him to talk to me anymore. He was his regular self! It was awesome to see. Our companionship inventory went so well. I was receptive and he was equally receptive. It was exactly how it should have been. I was reassigned to make a trio. I am now in a trio with Elder Brown from Montana and Elder Perrins from Guam. There is a lot of potential for us in this companionship. They both have a great vocabulary and can help me when I can't think of the right word to say. I pick up were they don't remember the vocabulary as well. It is awesome to see. We later heard from Bonnie Oscarson. She gave a great talk on humility. I learned that I have been put in my district to learn from them. There is not always a time where I need to be the "teacher". I can learn many things from them.
Wednesday was very productive. We taught two lessons for TRC which is a program setting us up with investigators of the church. Most of them are just volunteer members but it has been good practice. The lessons were very good. I could feel there was something that needed to be changed about them but I didn't know what. I started on Last Thursday to really devote every class block without a teacher to learning Spanish. My Spanish is progressing fast. I may not always be able to say the right phrase with the right conjugations, but I am getting better at understanding the people and recognizing my problems with the language and fixing them. I am definitely one of the best at the language in my district. I am not the fastest speaker but I am definitely the hardest worker in my district. I know the language will come as I continue to meet my goals and work hard. I have been taking walks with Elder Evans at night. We just talk about problems we are having, frustrations, gospel topics, past experiences and more. He is so Awesome! He definitely has a wild side but his great qualities outweigh anything else. He is such a great example of support, love and perseverance. He always helps me talk everything out that I need. He helps me so much! I offer my help often as well but he does a lot for me. He has such a strong spirit. He recognizes mine and I think we are friends because of it.
Thursday was very productive as well. I spent hours on hours studying the Spanish language. I am starting to conjugate better and speak without thinking as hard as before. The best part of Thursday was when we went outside of our classroom and sat on a hill trying to memorize the First Vision in Spanish. Once I had it memorized I looked up and the sun was directly shining upon me. I had an impression to recite it again so I did. "Vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol, directamente aribe de mi cabeza, y esta luz descendio hasta descansar sobre mi... Al reposar sobre mi la luz. Vi en el aire arribe de mi a dos personajes, cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripcion. Uno de ellos me hablo. Llamandome por mi nombre, senalando al otro, "Este es mi Hijo amado, Escucholo." As I recited it the spirit touched my heart and testified to me that Joseph saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove. The joy was indescribable.
Friday I spent most of my time learning the language and studying the scriptures. In 2 Nephi 11:4 it says "my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of coming [unto] Christ." I thought that this needs to be my vision. My soul needs to be overjoyed by coming unto Christ. This was awesome to read.
Today, we went through the temple. It was awesome again. I feel like I am receiving more knowledge about the temple then I would have not going on a mission. It so outstanding the things that we can learn. It is so cool. Now I am just hanging out with my Companions. The more I get to know them, the better they become. It is awesome to have righteous companions who have the same desires as me, to bring others to Christ. It is phenomenal. There is so much I can learn from them. Elder Brown is going to Peru Huancayo mission and Elder Perrins is going to Bolivia Cochabamba mission. I relate better to Elder Brown but Elder Perrins is still awesome.
Until Next time!
Elder Smith
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