Friday, August 22, 2014

07/31/2014 - Halfway There

Well I can´t believe that I am halfway through the CCM. I am so ready to get to the field even though I know very little spanish. So it was an interesing week. Friday I got really Sick. I had the frog croak voice, soar throat and coughing and sneezing 24/7. Then on Sunday I was called up to speak in Sacrament meeting. The whole time I was coughing and sneezing and the frog voice. The entire time I was saying lo siento. I finally got really sick of being sick that I went to the doctor that day with Elder Raney who was also sick. We both had some Mexican Virus that has been going around the CCM. We got some medicine and were ordered to go straight to the Casa to rest but our district leader only let us go back at 830. It was so nice to get that extra hour of rest after being sick and working really hard. Monday my frog voice was gone and on Tuesday I felt better, but Elder Raney is still very sick and he his companions with the district leader who won´t even let hime go back to the casa to get more tissues. I am so grateful I had those hankies that mom bought me.

Anyway other than that it has actually been a very good week. My companion and I have been able to give our lessons without a written out lesson in spanish. We know enough words that we can give it with a little note card with a couple of phrases we dont know. We found out our first investigator was our second teacher we have in the afternoon, Hermano Hernandez. Now we teach both teachers everyday and they act out a person. The other day I got to be an investigator and had to act out someone. It is really fun to teach them especially when they say the most off color thing during the lesson. Hermano Hernadez is a very fun teacher. He jokes with us all the time so it is a fun class. His birthday is saturday so he said he would bring us Krispy Kreames. REAL AMERICAN FOOD!!!!! I have been dying for som of Mom´s food. Hermano Hernandez is a really smart for only being 23. He has chapters in both the Book of Mormon and Bible memorized. Or district decided that he would be a good American and would contribute greatly to our economy so we are trying to convert him to be an American. One of the Elders in our district has an American Flag so right when Hermano Hernadez started class, we stood upp and recited the Pledge of Alligence. It really freaked him out because he didn´t know what it was and he thought we were maki8ng some kind of blood oath with our hand over our heart. Then for our opening hymn he though we were going to sing Que firmes Cientos but we ended up singing the Star Spangle Banner. Now he nows that at the start of class we say the pledge of Alligencew and a patriotic hymn but he his still a little freaked out about the hand over the heart. We must be close to converting him to American because he talks about how corrupt the government is here. He says the cartel has some control over the government and that the president is illiterate and has never read a book. Mexico reminds me of the Hunger Games because when we flew in, we flew right by the downtown area and I have never seen such great architecture. The buildings were different shapes and sizes with all kinds of different colors, however, when you get out of the downtown area the buildings are nothing but slabs of concrete. I am so grateful for living in American and for the opportunity we have to do an be what we want to be no matter what circumstances we come from.

Nothing to major has happened this week. We only have heard two drive-bys so nothing to biggy. It usually is sunny all day and rains in the evening. However yesterday it rained really really hard. I have never seen anything like it. The streets were flooded. Everyone was wishing they had a tube to go tubing. Our class room is just a little uphill from the raod to the pathway was like a water slide so we kept sliding on our feet down it. It took off my shoes but my companion didn´t so his shoes were full of water. One picture we toook was just me and 2 of the hermanas, we were just smiling and then lighting struck and crack,le of thunder and we screamed right as the picture was being taken. It was so cool. It was thundering every second during the storm and as you looked up you would see lighting in the clouds the whole time. It was amazing. It has been really nice not knowing the news. However yesterday a rumor was going around that Kobe Bryant was shot so everyone was really freaking out especially the Californians but then we heard it wasn´t true.

Now on to the spiritual experiences. I save the best for last. I have really seen the Lords hand as I have learned the language: Now that my companion and I can teach a lesson without nots, I can really feel the spirit more. I have learned that it doesnt matter how well you teach because I am sure we have4 been using broken Spanish but it only matters if they can feel the spirit and know that God loves them and is with them everystep of the way and that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he suffered for their pains afllictions and sins so that though him they may walk back to the presence of the almighty Father to recieve eternal like and exaltation and be with their families forever. It is wonderful to give them that knowlege. It is extremly important that they know the Book of Mormon is true and if they k now that then they know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God and that God still speaks. Mi objectivo es a invitar a las personas a venir a cristo a ayudarlas a que reciban el evangelio resaurdo mediante la Fe en Jesucristo y su expacion, el arrepenimento, el bautismo, el reception del don del espiritu Santo y el preservera hast el fin. I have been able to memorize the first vision, mose 1 39, the bautismal comittment, and James 1 5 in spanish.

On Sunday we watched a broadcast devotional by Jeffery R Holland. He talked about how we have to be the best missionaries the church has ever had and that we cannot teach without the spirit with 21st century problems. He also said that Moroni, Jeremiah, and all the apostles knew they would fail but knew they could go on because we would succeed. He talked how to many missionaries come home thinking there mission is done after they come home, but he said it should never be done. He talked about how we need to at least have one convert and that convert better be us. It made me rally grateful through the atonement we can be better missionaries. On Tuesday Elder Miguel Reyes of the 4th quorum of the seventy spoke to us how we are representatives of  Jesus Christ and the greatness of our calling. I am so greatful for this opportunity to be a missionary and serve the almighty God and Jesus Christ.

One of the hermanas in my district was telling me that she worked in the San Diego Temple for a month before she left on her mission. She was telling me about the amazing experiences she had. I though you had to be old to do that. She was telling me they are very flexible with the hours. As she was telling me this I recieved a prompting that is what I needed to do when I get home from my mission. I hope I will be able to find the time to serve in the Ogden Temple. I am so excited that it will be dedicated soon and the role you have in it.

Love Elder Richardson

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