Speaking of Hillary, my district has started a joke about me being a democrat only because I'm from California. I'm not mad and it's actually pretty funny. It's kinda hard to explain but it's always a good time. Ekblad started it and most everyone else is pretty/ very conservative but they joke mostly. Ekblad started it but I can tell he knows what's up with government stuff so he's reasonable hahah
This week Hermana Barlow went to Nauvoo so we had to survive with out here. We all missed her like crazy. Hermano Moore and Hermano Ricks filled in and then Hermano Moore went on vacation and Ricks is going next week. We are CONVINCED that our teachers are trying to get away from us. We are a pretty rowdy class...
We are actually starting to learn real spanish now (which is good because I can remember how to conjugate still) so I'm ahead of a lot of the Elders in my district. I LOVE learning spanish it's great but at the end of the day my head is dead and I just want to speak in english. I pray in spanish only now and a lot of times I'll think of phrases to say in spanish first. It's so weird to think about. On Thursday we tried to do an "english fast" where we spent all day speaking only Espanol. We were supposed to last until dinner but it lasted until like lunch.
Oross left this week and you already know that my district was upset about it hahahh
OK THE TIE DRAFT:
This week's tie draft was INSANE on all levels. It was what you could call "LIT" especially for mission standards. Imagine all four years of Action put into a 20 minute event. This week the ties were especially bad too. The stakes were high. We were shouting so loudly. All of the sudden we hear "ELDERS" and I've never seen or heard anything go 100-0 so quickly. This older guy starts complaining that he could hear us from the bottom floor, and we are on the 4th. He leaves but we still respected him so instead we finish the intense tie draft in literal whispers. It was definitely strange but in a sense also pretty crazy. Ekblad and I always luck out with sweet looking ties.
This week our Zone leaders left so the David Archuleta tie was up for grabs. We all put our name tags in a bag and whoever's name was drawn could not win. One by one people were getting eliminated and unfortunately I was one of those poor souls. It got down to two people: Elder McCausland from our district, and Elder Nyman. We were still in a whisper this whole time but we agreed that whose ever name was called would be the loser and we would all have ONE SECOND OF PURE #HYPE and then run immediately to our rooms. We slowly drew our the name tag and it read...NYMAN!! In one second, there was never so much pure uproar of yelling and cheering and shouting and hype as all get out. In one second we dashed in different directions to our rooms. IT WAS MADNESS and so much fun. Elder McCausland pulled home the David Archuleta tie!!
Ekblad and I were planning for a lesson one day up the stairs in our building and we walk past a classroom with an Argentine flag. We stopped and asked if they were going there but the teacher said that he had served in Neuquen, just above ours. We told him we were going to Comodoro Rivadavia and he says "oh that's the mission of Men" but in spanish and Ekblad and I were like "Que?" and then he's like "ya that's the mission of Men. Only men get sent there. The Lord must have big things planned for you after your mission." Something along the lines of that. He told us that the wind is so strong that we will literally be lifted of the ground.
Ok so I've found my heaven here. Sometimes in the morning for breakfast they have cheese and jalapeno bagels and then I put on onion and chive cream cheese and its perfect. 10/10 would eat.
This week has been way nice weather-wise. Yesterday and today were like legit COLD! Like everyone kept joking that because im from California that this was the coldest I had been. Jokes on them because sometimes it gets this cold in january so I'm used to it.
Actually tho the gym is being redone this week so we have had to play beach volleyball at 6:30 in the morning before the sun is out and the sand is literally so cold that we just stand in place trying to keep our feet warm. It's impossible. The volleyball work is not progressing. Every step feels like stepping on frozen legos. It's cold stuff. I've been putting in WORK in the volleyball games though.. everyone recognizes my efforts and they named me MVP. Feels good tbh. Or everyone else is lagging...
Alright I guess I should talk about Gospel/church stuff now. Volleyball isn't progressing but the church is:
Teaching Hely, Trinidad, and Miguel Angel this week was AMAZING.
On Friday, the MTC made us the test pilots of a new program theyre trying. Like our zone is the only one to do it. On Fridays we get the opportunity to have a member present in our lesson with Hely. We had to meet Julietta, she's from Argentina (stoked because her spanish sounds SO cool!) teach her about what we were going to teach Hely, and then introduce Hely to her and teach a lesson. The lesson went so well! If Hely said something that went over mine and Ekblad's head, Julietta would help explain it to us. If Ekblad or I were struggling to describe something she could help us out. Then at the end Julietta bore a SOLID testimony that hit Hely in the heart. We asked Hely to pray and it was the most sincere prayer I've ever heard. The whole time shes bawling her eyes out. No joke after the prayer she took her glasses off and about a cup of water spilled on her legs. She was dripping in tears. I LOVE teaching with a member present. In every way.
Yesterday we taught Hely again and it went well but we did't have Julietta with us. Ekblad ended up teaching a lot of the lesson and half way through Hely turns to me and notices I haven't been saying much. She said that on Friday Julietta bore her super strong testimony and today Ekblad had been teaching most of it so she asked me if I had even believed in what we were teaching. Honestly that came out of nowhere and was kind of a slap to the face because I had been trying to talk with her. I don't even know why she asked that. I guess I need to be more bold with all of the lessons. I don't even know. Anyways I had to convince her that I DO believe in the church and bore my testimony like 100x. Even Ekblad got in on it and told her that my testimony was stronger than his LOL. Anyways I challenged her to get baptized super boldly after that and she said she would like to but has to ask her Husband first. It was a good lesson overall and I learned that I can't be quiet and expect others to know what I believe in. Better learn here than in the field. And of course Hely knew I believed it and she LOVES Ekblad and I so that's always great.
Even the lesson with Trini went well. I think Hmo Moore was going easy on us but he actually listened this time. We took the advice of Preach My Gospel on how to invite the spirit into a lesson and we did everything it asked us to do. And it worked! Yo sé que Predicad Mi Evangelio es verdadero.
*Temple Break*
Alright I just got back from the Provo temple!! The temple is such a cool place. It's not my favorite temple but its always a good time. Speaking of temples, look up the Sapporo Japan temple. Its on LDS.org homepage and Ekblad and I are already making plans to go. Its insanely cool.
I've also been pumping through the Book of Mormon. I'm already in Alma 15, a day ahead of schedule. It's some seriously good stuff. I've been reading like an hour or more each day and it's some serious work. It's weird because before the mish I was less than stellar at my "daily reading" but now that I'm a missionary it's all I look forward to. Like we all agreed as a district that it's weird how much the scriptures are better on missions. I think it's because the scriptures are like the only things in english and we love to read in our native language but anyway the scriptures are sick!
This letter has been kinda all over the place but it's what has happened.Hope it made sense.
Life is so good. Ok love everyone SO much. Keep sending emails, DearElders, and don't forget to send pictures :))
ya Boi Elder Ross
PS
I really like dear elder letters. Tell rachel and daddy and even my other friends to send them. I like the physical copies so I can highlight them and re read them and stuff.
Ok I forgot to write this in the main letter so I guess I'll send it to you..
We FINALLY got our spanish book of mormons and D&Cs. We haven't had them until now so we had to make do without them.
Things I've said this week:
while reciting the 1st vision: "este es mi Hijo Helado, 'Escuchalo'" (to be fair we just had reviewed the word for ice cream)
"La iglesia is verdura" Yep the church is a vegetable. Luckily I didn't say either of these while in a real lesson. just practicing.
Things to do this week:
Watch Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration. I had seen it a couple times before I left but we watched it on sundaynight and its just such a super good film in all aspects. Like you cant watch it and not have 1000x more respect and love for not only Joseph Smith but for Brigham Young and Hyrum and all the other pioneers. such good stuff. Joseph is THEE man. "the Lord called him in his weakness, but the Lord qualified him for the work". also the same actor thats Alma in the Testaments film is the Dad of Joseph Smith Jr. so now we call Ekblad "EkDAD" because hes the dad to the Joseph and Emma of Amelia and I and to Jacob and that Lamanite girl.
We showed Hely the "mountains to climb" mormon message but in spanish and its quite excellent. she really enjoyed it and so did Ekblad and I.
pps ok I forgot to add more spiritual stuff to this too!!!
--The things I miss about California can be found in 2nd Nephi 13:21
21 The rings, and nose jewels;
here are some real verses that I just really liked enough to send to you all. I figure if you can send some I can send some
--Mosiah 4:11-12
11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
--Mosiah 28:3 is kinda like me in Argentina
3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
--I really really like Alma 7:23-24
23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.
--Alma 10:4 is ME
4 And behold, I am also a man of no small reputationamong all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry.
--Ok and D&C 122:7-9 is really nice. I figure this verse will help me when im in Argentina and "fierce winds beome my enemy"
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
I finally got a hold of Kaden when we walked to the Temple.
I moved to the top bunk across from E. Ekblad and then I crawled over the dresser to surprise him. it was a good time.
I'm gonna start a photo series called "what is my companion doing?"
We took Father and Son pictures at the temple. (Look at my google drive for the full engagment photos)
Ok so the pic of McCausland is also a highlight of the week. We took Kimberlings glasses and put them on everybody and his pic turned out the best out of like anyone's. We were all laughing so hard.
The continuation of my "what is my companion doing?" series
A wild Elder Ross in his natural habitat
McCausland with THEE david Archuleta Tie!!!!! He was feeling pretty cool in the moment
Here's a sample outline of el plan de savlacion to Hely.
A cool pic of the valley, the temple, and the clouds. I get to see this view every day and its so nice to be able to play volleyball and see angel moroni from the courts
Elder Swagner and I had matching ties and we just happened to wear them on the same day!! Miracles do happen
Eklad and I with our Branch President Price. He was a convert to the church at 17 after his mom commited suicide. He was an MMA fighter and is insanely cool and spiritual and just chill and all around great.
Ok THE LORD BLESSES MISSIONARIES! I legit think I've had more chick fil a here at the MTC than I have back at home. We've only had it twice now but each time I get two sandwiches. It seriously made our entire week seeing that chick fil a was on the menu
No comments:
Post a Comment