...yesterday I contacted people on the street. And I SURVIVED!

"It was kind of a reality check for my Spanish.  I came back never wanting to speak English again."

 "Before I came on my mission, in one of my classes with Dr. Marchant, I had a really strong feeling that my learning in special Ed had prepared me for my mission."

 

August 24  email

Hello Family

Thanks for your emails, Mom and Dad. I can receive Pouch mail.  I got two of your pouch letters last week, Mom.  They took a week to get here.  You must have sent them to SLC at just the right time.  I sent you a letter last week, and it left the MTC on Thursday, I beleive, so hopefully you'll get it soon.  Also, I´ll be sending a letter today.  I´ve already filled up a page.  Mom, thank you for activating my card.  If you get this email before 12:00, email me back if you know if I can use my debit card at the ATM.  Also, I need the address for the Indiana Indianapolis Mission.  If you don´t get this immeadiately, it´s no big deal.  Just email me the information for next week.  Also, I don´t remember what memory card I need.  I´ll let you know in the letter.  Also, I´m going to be emailing on Tuesday next week, I´m pretty sure.

Okay, now I´ll start on the real deal. 

Mom, I love the letter you sent by pouch.  Kevin, thanks for your Dear Elder.  Mary Katherine, thanks for your dear elder too.  I´m sending you a letter today to VA, so let me know what your new address is.  Also, can you tell me Regan Baker´s address?  Okay.  Kevin, congrats again on your paper.  I hope the presentation goes well in October (October right?)   Paul, congrats on the new job!  Dad, Happy birthday!  I hope it is a good one.  Mom I´m so glad that you are helping Sara Bingham.  I loved reading what you wrote in your letter.  It made em feel really good. Dad:  Eat off the red plate and imagine that I wrote something cool on your (rhubarb?) pie.  Mom, can you make sure to tell grandma my new address and also to thank her for her letters.  One other thing:  Can you send all my emails on to Mary Katherine and Grandma?  Gracias.   

       Well..... Some exciting things have happened.  Like yesterday I contacted people on the street.  And I SURVIVED!  Half the MTC (Our branch) went yesterday on a bus to a different part of the city.  It was actually in the Guatemala City South Mission, Kyle.  We all went with our Native companion and just talked to people on the street and got contact information.  Hra. Sanchez and I talked to lots of people.  She was very bold.  I didn´t talk very much, but I did talk one-on-one to this guy about the BoM or LdM.  It was hard to understand, but it´s amazing that I can understand enough to make it.  I can´t understand Hra Sanchez well at all.  There´s probably one other person that I understand less than she. Even when she tries to talk slow she doesn´t.  Haha.  Oh well.  :)   She´s been having some problems and that´s been difficult, especially since I can´t communicate with her.  I´ve been writing her notes and learning to say La Quiero Mucho.    Her Latina Companion, Hra. Sierra is really great.   Before I came on my mission, in one of my classes with Dr. Marchant, I had a really strong feeling that my learning in special Ed had prepared me for my mission.  I´ve definitely seen how helpful my classes have been.  I´ve been able to talk about touchy subjects in a tactful and kind way.  And I´ve learned how to write praise notes and give effective praise.  It was fun to ride on the bus.  There were so many people that when the bus was going up a hill it sounded like an airplane about to take off.  Except it was going about 7 mph.  It was fun to get out and talk and listen to people.  It was kind of a reality check for my Spanish.  I came back never wanting to speak English again. 

   Something cool happened this Sunday.   There were 6 talks and then a counselor in the Branch, Hro. Barrios, got up to talk.  He spoke about being focused and what could happen when we are focused.  He talked about three scriptures;  I´ll write about that in my letter.  Mom thanks for your note and the address.  I´m going to try to withdraw some money today  We´ll see if it works. Thanks for everything that you have done.  I love you all.  Please write me!   Sorry it´s short this week.  My letter talks about lots of things.  We´ve have had intense thunderstorms when the lights flicker and a few MINOR MINOR MINOR earthquakes.  You can barely notice them, but you feel the tremble.

Dad I like to hear a little politcial news.  Dad I love your letters about Minot and the stake and life in general.   Thanks for writing me.  I love you.