Email Dated 10-23-07

Week 3

I'm most distressed this week that my good friends will leave my district to go to the Dominican Republic MTC this next week. Elder Adair is among them, and he is my Democrat from California who is a Shepherd at heart and he also likes the X-Files. He called me Fox Mulder this morning when we went to the Temple because of my trench coat, and that just shows that not only is he cool, but I look awesome! It's okay that he is going, because my companion Elder Braithwaite is also a sane Democrat and I know we were supposed to be companions. So the point is, Dad, there is still hope for the world.

Spanish is coming better now. We are officially in practice of "Habla su idioma" which means speak your language. In order to speak english, I have to ask permission in Spanish. "Me permite habla en Ingles?" But we're discouraged from making that our excuse to talk english a lot. I try to speak Spanish all day, and it's getting easier now that I've learned preterite(past), future, imperfect, and of course present tenses, and have mastered with my companion over 200 verbs. We're on a roll trying to learn Spanish. It's amazing how quickly you can learn a language if you're immersed in it and you HAVE to speak it. Even so, there are Elders that are really struggling. It's typically the ones who don't practice "Habla Su Idioma". If you don't speak it, you can't learn it. I feel especially bad for an Elder in my district who was home schooled all his life, and he's not used to the school-like environment ALL DAY. He has to go to the Dominican next week and he is really struggling. I pray for him and try to help him as much as I possibly can. Yesterday somebody stole my jacket. I went to the bathroom before lunch and hung my jacket up on the coat rack. Someone else who was going grabbed mine when he left. I don't know how long it took him to realize that he was Elder Shepherd, but I knew his name cause it was on the jacket that was left for me. So I went into the cafeteria just praying he'd be there and screamed his name out. His head popped up, startled that someone was calling for him, and I went to him and showed him that he had my jacket. He thought they looked the same, but I must disagree. Mine is brown with blue and grey pin stripes, and his is brown with only blue pin stripes. I don't know what he was thinking. But I was glad to get it resolved for a few reasons: firstly I wanted my wallet back and I still wonder how he got into the lunch room with my wallet and card without noticing, and secondly: his jacket had dandruff all over the shoulders. SICK!

I'm gonna start taking some pictures with my camera this week so I can get you some pics of my MTC experience. I can get them burned onto a CD in the bookstore and mailed home. The computers here are so restricted. It's pretty rough stuff.

I learned something this week. Even though they have all these rules, we still are free to choose. It just so happens that I choose to obey the rules/guidelines set out for missionaries. But there are plenty of Elders who can listen to inappropriate music (I've heard some music that I wouldn't have listened to BEFORE coming to the MTC), and they can stay up til' midnight if they want, etc... And they aren't getting in trouble. But they're also tired the next day, they're the missionaries who are struggling the most with Spanish and teaching the gospel, and it's because they don't have the spirit as much. If you don't buy that theory, than it's because they have the kind of personality that they aren't taking this as seriously and so therefore they aren't as focused. Either way, it's all my choice. I still have agency here. There is a letter and the spirit of the law. I follow the Lord to the best of my abilities and the way I choose to use my time is the way I feel inclined to. I just pray, and it's interesting to say pray because prayer really is the way by which we bring our will in accordance to the will of the Father's, anyway: I just pray I'm using my time the way He would want me to. The Savior said "I would that thou would remove this cup from me...Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." He brought his will in accordance to the the will of the Father, and that's my perfect example and I strive to be like that. I love my Savior Jesus Christ so much for his teachings, his example, but most importantly for his Atoning sacrifice that I may be forgiven of my sins.

I am still here in Provo until December 10th. At first time was going SO slow, but that lasted only a few days. The last 2 weeks have flown by as I've gotten into a rhythm and learned the meaning of losing myself in the work. I've really focused on what I'm doing, making myself study, and thereby time has seemed to just pass me by without notice. My companion and I both have a healthy study plan. When we study Spanish, we have flashcards and we walk laps up and down and around the floors of the building while quizzing each other until we know the verbs and their conjugations. We can do this for 4 hours, and did so last Saturday night. Good advice from Matt, "don't waste time on the computers, just study with your companion and you'll learn more". I've done that and it works. That gives us both good exercise and we learn a ton. That is how we know over 200 verbs right now and a lot of vocab. That is how we are able to practice "Habla Su Idioma". I'm getting used to the fact that when I say "Me llamo" I am supposed to say "Me zshamo". In Uruguay they have a weird accent like that. I'm sure Matt will make fun of me when I get home for it.

I'm running out of time. The clock is flashing 1 minute. I love you all so much. I pray for you every day. I love the work and I'm grateful for all your support and letters/email. Please write back. Proverbs 25:25. It helps, it really does! Adios! I love you!!

Sincerely,
Andy