Week #15 - 04/27/2015

So our apartment had almost nothing to cook with, not even a flat pan, so after going to goodwill, dollar tree, pilfering a bit from member's house, I got a pretty decent setup. I said last week how I went to town with that old cookbook, at it has been pretty cool. I never have all the ingredients that it says, but improvising has produced some interesting and pretty sweet results. 

I started baking a ton, I usually have a bit of time during lunch hour and breakfast. I don't even eat the stuff half the time (if I did, I would be going down a one way road to diabetes), just bring it to district meetings or youth activities. Bringing cookies or cake and stuff has been one of the only ways to get the youth or investigators to young men/young womens. Yea, on top of teaching Young mens, somehow we are also the people in charge of mutual (it is every week here). It aint bad, but we just don't have time ever to plan a whole lot or doing anything more for an activity than soccer and a lesson. 

This has been a pretty awesome week, though. The last couple weeks have been really hard, almost no success. Esteban, an investigator with a baptismal date, just dropped off the map, and we hadn't seen him for 3 weeks. Finally we got ahold of him this week. I wanted to just go in and ask him if he wanted to be baptized or not, and if yes, that he needed to start focusing and prepare, but the spirit told me to shutup and I just asked him why he started investigating in the first place, and how he felt. He said he had felt a change and happiness in his life he hadn't known before, and that he could definitely feel the difference again now that he had stopped trying. He then said "yea, I need to go back to church and focus." 

We were pretty nervous at church Sunday when he came, because the Branch President was teaching Gospel principles (A man who has no time limits). Sure enough, he took an hour and 45 minutes to teach the class, and we could just see Esteban's eyes glaze over as time went on. After priesthood, I saw him just sitting alone in the chapel, looking at the front picture of a Teachings of Ezera Taft Benson book. 

When I sat down by Esteban and asked how he was feeling he said (and I'm paraphrasing)

"I was feeling pretty tired, but as I was sitting here, I just felt that feeling again, that peace. I felt it tell me that if I keep doing this, I'll be a better man and my life and family will be happier than ever before. And I don't know, but you can just tell that this man was special, that this man was a prophet of God"  I'll tell you, we as missionaries do nothing. All we do is point them in the right direction, and the Lord takes over. We can't convince them, we can hardly teach them, but when they feel the spirit after a white and Puerto rican kids tell them some crazy new things about God, they want to change. Mission is hard at times, really hard at others, but moments like that make you forget everything else.  Love you guys.

Week 1 - 01/20/15

thought I lost this email so posted out of order:

Hey guys! Thanks for your emails! Spelling check is off because it only does spanish and I only got so much time, so bare with me. This has been one heck of a week. I have never worked harder in my life. The first few days are so overwhelming its insane. They had us teaching an investigator the second day, in spanish. We found out after that it was just a member pretending, but we were terrified. I memorized 68 words the first day. My spanish has more than tripled in this time. Mexico is something else. I don't know how to decribe it, its not bad, but it just smells like Mexico. All the juices and drinks are basically snow cone syrup, so we stick to water and milk. The rooms are way nicer than I thought. I expected like a barracs for us, but they are more like dorms. There are 4 people to room and 3 rooms per casa. My companion is a big corn fed ginger kid from Texas.  He's a really chill guy, even if he does get on my nerves sometimes because he never stops singing pop songs to himself, and sounds exactly like Beiber. The rest makes up for it. I never realized how "Californian" I talk until being around these people and being the only one who says "dude, bro, man". Ive also never met so many awesome guys, there is not a single on I dont like. We are from all over the country, my district is the only one not full of Utah people. We also all find it funny that we constantly see people who look almost exactly like people we know, but only slightly off. There really only are so many face types. Ryan M, my roomate looks exactly like a younger version of your dad. And Im not really suppose to talk about this or think about it, but Sweet Moses, I have never seen more absolute knockout babes in one place. There is not a single Sister Missionary who isn't a dime, and every single one CLASSY. I had no idea there was so many sister missionaries, they are like 40 percent of us. Ok, well enough of that, this has been unbelievable how much I can understand. We have been teaching lessons in nothing but spanish to members as practice, and I can actually understand them! Its amazing what the Lord can do. And its funny, I can only understand exactly what people say when I'm giving those lessons I can already pray in spanish. Everything is in spanish, lessons, talks we give, and prayers. They give you a spanish english dictionary, and Ive flipped through mine so much its already worn . I have never felt the spirit so much in my life than last Sunday. They sang in spanish, I think it was "Savior stay this night with me" abd then this other disrtict gave their goodbye talks. My own  district is amazing, and I'm such good friends with all of them so fast. There are only 10 of us, 6 elders and 4 girls. The district are the people you go to meetings with, learn with, and study with. We have a district lesson before Sacrament, and they all gave lessons but me and my companion, because we said the prayers. They all spoke of stories of their lives, and Im amazed how much they all know the gospel, and how behind I am compared to them. I thought I knew a lot of the gospel, but hholy cow, and on top of that,  Everyone seems to know more Spanish than me, and I have been working hard to catch up. One sister is already conversational because her parents both served spanish speaking missions. Its been discouraging because I never feel like I have enough time to study, and we are working every day from 7  in the morning to 930 at night. They tell you to just study all the standard works and your lessons first and the spanish will come, and I am going to have to trust that. Oh, and no, I found out you cant send stuff besides letters until Im out in the mission field. But holy cow, its so cheap here, everything! I got 300 flash cards, detergent, floss, a bible, and mentos for around 4 bucks. Thats like 55 pesos. I could own this country with 200 bucks. I started trying to translate the Spanish book of mormon back to english to help me learn and understand how the language works. Its so much more complex than I thought, but boy, I am learning. The other guys all joke that I will be saying things in spanish like "Where be est thou pencil," and " I went to the meeting and waxed very bored and weary". It is really hard and stressfull the first few days, they throw you into the fire right away. They mantra that the people who have been here longer tell us "just make it till the first Sunday". I made it, and they were not kidding. Getting into the rutt is good, and you realize you have more time than you thought, but only if you dont goof around, which we do constantly, though not too much.. Every person there is awesome. We all took pictures today, and they are gonna email me them, so you guys can have them. Seriously, so. much. work., But I dont think Ive ever been happier or felt more accomplished. Im still not sure I feel like a missionary, and but the name tag is cool. We have to wear them all the time. It was really hard the first few days getting up, but now Its funny, I dont get much sleep as im usually studying till 11, but I just have to muscle through when I get up at 630 and Im fine for the day. Its all how you spend your time. Its just awesome knowing you are the Lords servants, and there are so many promises for being one. I still have to remind myself I am here for 2 years, it feels like Im at camp or something, I got to go now, catch you all later. And Devin, if you get your mission call to spanish, study the ever loving heck out of it, bro. I wish I did. Love you guys

Hey, the keyboard is spanish so bear with me. It has been so fun, met so many awesome guys and girls. Only have a few minutes for this. So many changes, so cool! Got my nametag. We all look super dope. We have nice digs, too! We all get our own appartment type places to take care of. You have no idea how cool this is. Already making tons of friends, they are all funnier than anything. later 

Week #14 - 4/20/15

As you start to love these people, the branch, and your investigators, they become your family, a huge family full of the most lost and messed up people you can imagine, and it is my job to constantly be worrying about how I can help them, what to teach them, how to know what to do. Just trust in God, satan is going to do all he can to keep you from going to church, from doing all that you should. I beg you, don't give up. And if you can, pay all your tithing, and go every sunday. I am a kid, so I still don't understand so much, But God does, and he has promised and said "and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts." 

God has literally said to "prove me!". If you have doubts, just make sure you continue doing everything in your power to follow all that he asks, he will give you more than you can hold. I promise you this, and so does God. Keep pushing on, 

I have a total of a minute and a half to write this email. 

Quick recap:

I found I love cooking. I found an old cookbook from the 80s in my apartment, got some old pans and pots from goodwill, and went to town. Don't have much time to do it, but when I do, its cool.

My apartment seems to be breaking piece by piece. The toilet handle broke so I rigged up a wire hanger as a handle to pull the bobber. 

One day it is hailing, the next is a monsoon, and the next is sunny as summer. 

I have been teaching the young men's class for the last 8 weeks (what happens when you are in a branch) and have been getting pretty good at it. It is weird sharing life experiences and wisdom to kids 3 or 4 years younger than me

I love you guys, have a fantastic week!

Week #13 - 04/13/15

I am learning so much, just about the gospel, and about how important things are. As you start teaching and seeing everyone's problems, from members in the ward to less active people and investigators, and as we seek to help all these struggling people,  you start to see where all their problems come from. The commandments are there for a reason, and I am realizing that like I never have before.

God has given us the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the power to work miracles in his name, and how to grow, love, have fantastic families, and live with our Heavenly father again, but it is all taken so casually, and I was one of the worst ones. People have strong testimonies, but it all starts with not coming to church, not reading, and not praying. You miss a few days, get out of habit, miss a few more, and the church starts becoming less and less important. You stop craving that love and peace, or worse yet, forget it, and being a member of the church fades into the background of your life. Pretty soon, everything seems easy to let slide. 

We need to make being a member of Christ's only true church the thing that defines us, that drives us, the greatest and most important thing in our lives. Yea, we need to work, have families, and we have friends and live life like a normal human, but we need to make keeping the all the commandments a part of us.  

I had no idea how much the commandments are there to protect us! God knows all the devil's tricks, and there really is a reason for each one. 

It is so easy to slip away, to go back to old habbits, to get lazier and lazier. Sweet moses, we are so flawed. I used to always think the Nephites were crazy loosers for always falling away so fast after being saved by miracles, but we do the same thing! We just don't let ourselves realize we do, or how far we have actually gotten. You think you got things figured out, you think you are still a good guy, a good Mormon, right? But as time goes on and life moves, you find yourself in a place you would have sworn, when you were twelve and a bright, happy deacon, that you would never get close to. But that is exactly how satan works at you, bit by bit, getting you to accept more and more of the world and further from Christ without you even noticing, making you think everything is still alright, that "I only don't follow the commandments that aren't a big deal". But pretty soon, every commandments isn't a big deal. That is why it is so dangerous, why we must never let our guard down. The watch is long, and at times wearing, but if we pray and hold fast, and follow with exactness, God will give us strength not only not to sleep or rest, but to rejoice in it and love it.  

I used to always think that The parable of the Wise man with the house on rock and the foolish man with the house on sand was about two different types of people, a member and a nonmember. The Member had the foundation and was solid in life, the foolish man was washed down to hell and whatnot cause he didn't have the gospel. But I was wrong. 

They are both members. They both already have a testimony of the gospel, their houses. They both place their testimonies on two different kinds of ground. The wise man holds his testimony with a sure foundation of reading the scriptures, praying daily, going to church and following all the other commandments. The foolish man holds his testimony on sand, he may go to church, maybe even often, but doesn't secure it with the rock that the wise man has. When the temptations of satan, the persecutions and the laziness beat on their testimonies like wind, rain, hail, and floods, the wise man still has a strong testimony, ever firm in faith in Christ and the Church. The foolish guy has his testimony washed away, lost and forgotten about.  The reason we have been hearing "pray and read the scriptures" since we could understand English is because it is actually so important. 

We all have doubts and weaknesses, and especially in the mission field, when people are calling you cultists, trying to say you are liars, that we don't actually know the truth, you start to wonder if you have actually felt the spirit, and if you actually can say without doubt that Joseph smith was a prophet and that this is Christ's one true church. But every day, as I pray to know the truth, and I read my scriptures with actual effort, I feel the spirit testify that the words I read are true so that I can say, without a doubt, Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God, we have the true authority of Christ; the Priesthood. God gives direct revelation and guidance to his church through the modern day prophet, Thomas Monson, and that the book of Mormon is a word of God. And I would not only die on this testimony, I would live for it, and I literally pray to God every day that I will never lose it. I actually understand a bit of what the old prophets said, that they were filled with joy more than they could hold for knowing these things, and how great and loving our God really is. I love all you guys, and I only wish you guys could know all these things too, and that I could have know them sooner myself. 

Week #12 - 04/06/15

Man, conference was awesome. It is crazy how six months ago I could barley sit through a session and now it is like watching the super bowl mixed with the Oscars. I learn so much, and everything we need to hear is worded so perfectly, and exactly what we need to hear, I had no idea how important conference is, and no I feel like I wasted so much time in the past only watching sunday conference. I feel so stupid, because it is all so awesome. Easter here was cool. 

No one but one family showed up to the church for the Saturday session, which was good because we couldn't find out how to turn the satellite from English, so we watched it on the computer hooked up to a tv. Sunday was a different story. A lot of people come Sunday. 

No one else can understand the English satellite instructions in our ward, so it was somehow our job to set up the broad cast of general conference, and after 2 hours of waiting the Lords time I finally got it to German! They don't exactly show us how those things work in the mtc. 5 minutes before conference was suppose to start, I finally noticed the help number printed on the satellite, and Salt Lake just fixed it to Spanish in 20 seconds. After the first session, we all ate an awesome potluck lunch, and then we watched the second one. After that we went a'teachen, but didn't have time to eat until we came home at 9, and my Easter dinner was a can of beans and chicken nuggets. I didn't even taste it, I was so exhausted. 

It has been a bit of a hard week, not gonna lie, with appointments falling off the map to forgetting the phone in a town 40 minutes away (not my fault, just saying). One thing I have learned is the unbelievable importance of members. Missionary work really can't find success without them. You guys are the examples, the anchors to show investigators how to apply the things we teach about, how we can even find people who need the gospel. Please, do all you can to help the elders in your ward, they need it. Set time to go out with appointments with them, fellowship the investigators as much as you can, strengthen them, invite the investigators to dinner.  We teach them the gospel, its up to you guys after that to keep them in the ward and included. We are only in an area for a few months. if you do this, i swear you will see your ward grow. And don't ever be afraid to share the gospel. it is so easy, just share one of the church videos, I had no idea how many awesome church videos there are, about every subject! Here is one they made for easter! 

 becausehelives.mormon.org Wacth it, share it, discuss with friends. Love you guys, spread the word of God. "the field is white and ready to harvest." D and C 4:4.

Week #11 - 03/30/15

I don't have much time at all, but this week was another one of work and uplifting experiences.  . We had to drop the young couple with the drug addictions, and that was kind of a blow. We had done everything we could for them, they just didn't want it enough. Also, one of our other promising investigators (Casimero) is moving back to Mexico, but we had an amazing lesson with him about faith when he just happened to be at a members house when we were teaching family home evening. It is amazing how when you are just doing what you should, the lord puts those who need to hear the message in your path. And I found myself in my first bible bash this week. Don't worry, we weren't looking for it. We were getting ready to leave an investigators house after teaching him and his friend (a fairly weak member and new member) when they came to the door. The other church missionaries saw us and immediately started their rant and threw a number of scriptures at us, blocking the doorway to leave.

We kindly bore our testimonies, said we respect them, and tried to leave, when one of the more zealous ones stopped us in the door and started preaching how all our feelings of the spirit were of the devil, and how the only way to know the truth was to study the bible, not these made up "feelings". I wanted to leave, but had a pretty amazing experience. I felt exactly how Ammon described, being filled with the spirit and just spoke, the words just coming out, just skipping my brain. I started testifying, fairly bluntly and powerfully, how it was sad they didn't believe that God loves his children enough to talk to us, how we do not trust in the teachings of men, but of God, and how the spirit shows the truth to us. That just made them really mad, and clearly didn't change their minds, and at the time I really wondered why the spirit would have me speak these things to people who were so hard hearted. I actually felt pretty bad, because we actually aren't every suppose to call them out like that, just leave. But after they left, the weak, recent member bore his testimony to the investigator, how the confusion of those people who just came is why we need a prophet of God to guide us, because we can't trust in our own interpretations, that is why we need the direction of the prophet and faith in God. The spirit had me say those things for the member, not for the angry bible bashers. Now I am not going to try in the slightest to bible bash, but it was a really amazing spiritual experience, and further confirmation that this is the one true church of Jesus Christ.  it was just a really cool experience for me. The work is going good down here, and we are improving every day.  

I love you guys, and know this church is true without a shadow of a doubt. Man, I love this mission.

Week #10 - 03/23/15

So it is 32 degrees here right now after a week of b-e-a-utiful 55 degree weather. The Midwest is cruel, and she gives us a vision of paradise before pulling it away again. Not much time, love you all. 

I honestly never thought I could love random strangers like this, people who by all means have nothing going for them, people that just 3 months ago I would have criticized for their life choices, but you start to learn how much God Loves all his children. I know I mentioned this last week, but It continues to astound me. and I am amazed at how utterly pathetic I am in trying to do any of this work. Every single time we have a breakthrough with an investigator, or bump into a new person he is ready for the gospel, I have been doing nothing. I mean, I have been doing my job, or trying to as much as I could, but it is never what I say or do that brings people, its just a feeling of the spirit the softens their heart enough to suddenly make them want to find out for themselves, or that We happen to be going the same way we go every day and find someone who has been searching for the truth. it is amazing. 

We come into people's own homes as a 19 and 21 year old kids, and then tell people to change almost ever aspect of their lives with the testimony of a 14 year old boy asked a question, some story about a golden book and Jesus visiting America, and how all these things are the direct works of someone who talked to the almighty God and Jesus Christ himself. The simple fact that we are not run out of their houses right there is proof that God is behind us, but I can feel his presence with everywhere. He gives me just enough push to keep me going when I am about to give up, or fall asleep, or collapse, and then just a bit more, until I have learned a bit that day and can learn a little more the next. 

I would not give up the last 2 and a half months for anything on this planet, not even a 61 Cadillac. That's how you know I am serious. And i wouldn't give up the next 21 months for anything either. I have learned so much about what it is to love God and your fellow man, and I still have an eternity to go, I cherish that I still have most of my time left. I love you guys, I will catch you next week. 

Week #9 - 03/16/15

(Its a long one, so fellow missionaries, don't feel bad if you don't have time) Man, I don't even know where to begin. It all kinda blends together sometimes of work, teach, miracle, work more, sleep, study, study, work, exhaustion, teach, work, miracle. 

I did have a pretty cool week, though. We had training meeting in Iowa city 3 hours away, and we headed up to Marshel town about halfway to spend the night with some elders there and ride up the rest of the way with them to save miles. Turns out it was my old companions apartment, Elder Merrel, and it was awesome just getting to goof off and swap stories again like old times. I love my companion now, but he doesnt understand 90 percent of my jokes or any of my references, so it was nice to talk to someone who had a million inside jokes. At the meeting I was able to meet all the other people from my mtc ditrict that came to Iowa with me, and that was a blast. Forgot how much I missed all of them. It also reminded me of my old friends back home. Miss you guys. I actually get to see them again tomorrow at a huge zone meeting in Des Moines. 

Like I said, it has been a lot of work, and a lot of miracles.

President Jensen said it best," You will find that most of the miracles of healing God does today are not of the body, but of peoples souls." It is crazy true. People who are so broken, so lost, so messed up can be repaired and built up through the atonement of Christ. It is amazing to witness the love of God, who he truly does love everyone, and how much he does, that he doesn't give up on anyone, even if we as missionaries want to sometimes. As a missionary, if you are doing it right, you began to see everyone with a little bit of the same love God does. You worry about talking to them less, what they will think, or even judging and being afraid in the slightest of different people. Even people who have made some really messed up decisions. You know you have a message to share, the most important one ever told, the message that can bring them more happiness than we can even comprehend, and you are exited ever day to share it. And why wouldn't you be? it is so cool being a servant of Christ. 

Two of the people I am most exited about are Louis and Crystal, the young couple. We took them to the church for a tour yesterday, and the spirit was so strong. Luis still isn't sure about being baptized, says he wants to be sure, but they can feel this spirit. And it is always a little annoying when people say they want to be sure but are not yet, because whenever you ask them if they have prayed and asked God yet, they say no. It really is so easy, its unbelievable. Its like the story of the jews in the wilderness who kept getting bitten by snakes. All they had to do was look up at the Golden serpent thing Moses had made, and they would be fine, but so many didn't! And all people have to do to know if the church is true, the One True Church of Christ, is to ask God with sincere heart and true intention, and he will tell them! He wants them to know the truth, he wants them to follow him, but so many people don't. I have to have more patience sometimes. A lot of people have never even prayed to God before, or only said the same rehearsed prayer their whole lives. 

Its funny, getting people off drugs isn't the hardest part, its getting them just to pray to God daily. To have a relationship with him and rely on him, expressing all your doubts and fears, and asking for help. well, I have to go, times up. Love all of you, by. 

RYAN'S ADDRESS

Elder Ryan Viel
C/O Iowa Des Moines Mission
8515 Douglas Ave., Ste. 19
Urbandale, IA 50322-2924

Week #8 - 03/09/15

Well, this week has been pretty awesome. My Spanish has catapulted into mediocrity finally. I can actually kinda understand these people! Oh, and I have been broken down and built up 4 times over by God's refining fire just this week alone. A mission is such a humbling experience, you face every single one of your flaws, but that's how you get better.

 We had an awesome experience this week.We had been praying hard to be able to find more people to teach that God has prepared.  We were feeling pretty beat up that every single one of our teaching appointments feel through, and all our efforts to find more people were coming up empty. We get an hour each week other than emails to use the computers to look up conference talks or other teaching stuff we might need for a lesson, and my companion suggested we just take it early this week as nothing else seemed to be effective. When we went to the library, we ran into an old investigator that Marte and the other missionary had taught. He still wasn't interested, but happily gave us 7 new references! The man even used google maps to show us their addresses. We went right away and the first 2 families we talked two were very interested and we set return appointments to teach them.  One was a newly married couple and the other was a man with a wife and 3 kids. The man in the newly married couple had all these questions about the bible and why there are so many churches, and we were able to answer all of them! And the wife had taken lessons from sister missionaries way back in 09, and wanted to be baptized, but her father didn't like the missionaries and sent them away, but she is really exited to learn now with her husband. 

I have never been so exhausted but so exited for the next day. Doing God's work is so awesome, you feel him and the Savior helping you every step of the way, and just when you have about given up for the day, he sends a miracle. 

It is getting warmer, right now it is almost 43 degrees! We are wearing just our white shirts right now, and believe it or not, it feels warm. 

Week #7 - 03/02/15

So it is utterly freezing here. I thought I would love the cold but I grew to hate it in a day. My first area is called Hampton, and is in the northern part of the state. My area for the spanish mission is utterly massive, it takes about 3 hours to drive from one end to the other. And that is just the area I cover currently, for this transfer. We have a truck for our mission car! A 4 wheel drive Nissan Frontier, and we need it. Hampton is so crazy tiny, only 4,000 people, but a lot are spanish speaking. Most of the buildings are very old, like at least 90 years. Our apartment is near the main street, above a bunch of old shops. It is a little warn down, the paint is old and peeling, and the faucets leak, but is super warm and pretty cozy. Missionaries have been living there for 20 years, so its been well kept for a building I am told (by a 90 year old woman next door) that it is over a hundred years old. Half of the houses here seem like they used to be big, beautiful homes 60 years ago, but were turned into make-shift apartment buildings and the people all live like squatters in their own homes. Its kinda depressing. We meet a lot of people like that. They all work with the pigs or animals in nearby farms. All the middle class people live in new homes that are pretty nice. Oh, and the people are so much nicer here. Its insane. You can literally go up to almost anyone and have a conversation about Jesus, and even if they dont want you to come to their home and teach them later, they are still nice and politely decline. No one here is threatened by some random person trying to talk to them. Its awesome. And a lot of people are actually very interested when we say we can come to their homes and teach them more about Jesus Christ. I was actually really nervous about that at first, but it is easy. I feel bad for the Elders where we live.

Oh, and my companion is from Puerto Rico, and knows only a bit more english than I do spanish, so i am learning spanish insanely fast. If I didnt, Id have even less of a clue as to what is going on, and I would go insane.When I talk in spanish, a lot of the times I just think in it, only for simple things, though. Its still hard to understand. People here talk so fast, I have to concentrate so hard. It is really easy to just tone it out and chalk it up to gibberish. We have a spanish branch here. There are only about 50 to 60 active members, but we have our own building. It is just like a normal church building, but the chapel is much smaller and not nearly as many rooms, but its impressive. The people here all love the missionaries because basically all the adults are converts. They feed us every night, fantastic Mexican food. There are so many little kids. In 20 years the ward will double in size just because they all have so many kids. Mexicans.

We went to the house of the branch mission leader for coordination. He is a really cool guy, only a convert for 3 years, but is super strong. he was so happy that he and his wife were married in the temple, he has pictures of it all over his house, which isnt saying much, to be honest. He has a little girl and another kid on the way, but his entire house is basically the size of my room plus the kitchen. Its smaller than our apartment, but his wife keeps it pristine. The people here are really humble. Apparently people do a lot of baptisms in my mission. We already have one scheduled by the last Elder that was here, and we just found 2 really promising investigators yesterday. We went to check up on a former investigator, and met this one guy getting home from work. I didnt want to talk to him because he looked tired and I assumed he would be annoyed with us, but My companion just walked right up to him. He is from Honduras and is working here, but his family is still down in Honduras. We just asked if he wanted to learn about Jesus Christ more, and he was all for it. We started teaching him, and his roommate came in and we taught both of them. They are both very interested to learn more, and when we taught (well, my companion did 95 percent of the talking) you could feel the spirit so strongly, and they did too. My companion's name is Elder Marte, and he taught better than I feel I could hope for. The guy's roommate cant read, or at least not well, so its going to be a little hard to get him to read the Book of Mormon, but we are going to get a cd for him or something.

I also gave a blessing to an inactive member that was feeling really depressed about his family being in Mexico and his wife being sick. I did it in english and Elder Marte translated as best as he could. It was amazing, I felt God's love for this man so much and the Spirit so strongly as it spoke through me. I was amazed. I hope to have the same love for these people eventually. My companion really loves them and feels really frustrated for them and sad when they don't follow their commitments and come to church, but right now Im still kinda apathetic about some of them that dont seem interested. Anyway, I am having a great time, I feel the Lord guiding me and his hand in my life so much right now. I still have so far to go to be an effective missionary and servant of Christ, but God will help me get there. Love you guys. 

Week #6 - 02/24/15

It is so strange only having one day left here. Elder Truman, Reed, and Klingler and Herman Olson already left yesterday to Chile and Colodrado. It is so strange not having them here for just one day. Out of the whole Casa that originally houses 20, there is only Merrel, Eveskige and me. These guys have become my brothers, they are all so awesome, I cant wait for you guys to meet them when we get off our missions. You would love them. They are some of the funniest people I have ever met. I dont mean to be mean, and the Hermanas in our district are awesome, but we'd all trade all three of the Hermanas that are going to Des Moines with us for just one of the other Elders. We are all so pupmed to leave, but man, I love the MTC. This place really is Paradise. Almost every devotional almost makes me cry.  You feel the Holy Spirit so strongly here, constantly guiding and helping you, and you feel God's Love. Not to mention how fun it is here with all the guys I have come to know. I really wish I had the time to just tell you all about them. And I have never worked so hard in my life, but I have never felt more accomplished. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH! 

And sorry about last week, I couldnt find time to tell you what I needed. Mom, it would be awesome If you could send my flanel and more button up shirts and tshirts, I have been wearing the same 3 shirts for gym for the last 6 weeks. And could you get me the Elder's email? And If you could, you think you could get me the emails of those elders from way back in Elizabeth, Elder Wallas and Holland or something, I forget. Oh, and my card didnt work. I tried to pull out 100 pesos (around 8 bucks), and it declined it at the atm here. I dont know if it is just the mexican atm, it has been messing up a lot for people, or something, just making sure everything is good for when I get to Des Moines, cuz I am gonna have to buy a heavier coat and a lot of thermals. The high is only gonna be 20 tomorrow and its gonna be snowing. 

I am so exited to go out and actually serve the lord, and bring more people to Christ. Its So Awesome! I got some pictures to come that are kinda old, but we just got onto the computer.

Week #5 - 02/17/15

So this week has been uterlly fantastic. I was kinda bummed about the whole restrictions thing, but the teachers all let up when they actually looked into the allegations. It is weird being a zone leader. We have a lot of responsibilities, but in the end, the district leaders do all the real work. We are like the officers that just pass the reports from the sergeants on up. We dont have to do much serious work, because the district leaders have been handling most of the problems in their districts on their own. We trained the new district that came in, and they are all pretty cool. 

My brithday was so awesome. I wasnt expecting anything, I didnt even care about it, and the only time my district asked me what I wanted to do I said dont worry about it. They got me so good, though. Before lunch, I was busy studying and not paying attention to what was going on, and one of the sisters said "Pay attention, Viel, you are gonna lead the closing hym." so I grabbed my hymm book and everyone was ready with their books open, but right when I started they all sang happy brithday and brought out a cake. They got a teacher to buy one for us, and it was awesome. That alone was super cool, and was more than I ever expected. 

After dinner,  my district was in charge of helping all the new Hermanas and Elders to their rooms and keeping track of them, and then Elder Merrel "Lost" his notebook, so We had to spend forever tying to find it, so we didnt get back to the class untill late. I could tell he was just messing with me trying to f"find" his notebook, but thought it was some stupid prank. When I got back in the class, they flipped on the lights and popped off twisted water bottles like party poppers and threw a torn up plastic rain poncho for confettie. They got me a crazy ammount of junk food from the MTC store, an awesome called to serve tie clip, and a set of scripture pencils I desperatly needed. It was awesome. I love these guys so much, it really sucks that I wont be able to see half of them for two years, they are my family. 

I can not believe I only have a week left in the MTC, I feel like I need 4 more. Its still amazing, I have learned more than I could ever have in 3 years of spanish. A third of the MTC is native spanish speakers that are only hear for 2 weeks. When me and Elder Merrel were helping some mexican Sisters to their house, I was so surprised to find myself holding a conversation and talking about my home and what it is like in the MTC. God is helping me so much, I feel it like crazy. I need the extra help more than most,  I still feel so far behind, somehow I can speak better than I hear, you tell me how that works. All the words seem to blend together when they speak, and so many frases sound the same, I dont know if something is otra vez or a través. Cant imagine how hard it must be for people learning our language, though. Oh, yea, we played this amazing prank on Elder Merrel this week. He is on a computer right behind me, so Ill tell ya later. Sunday was amazing. Every devotional or talk seems to be just for me and helping me with what my problems are. And mom, I am gonna need a few things sent to me. Ill tell you possibly later, and send some pictures, but I have to go now, my companion has to practice for a musical number sunday. He is playing the piano to accompany sister Olson as she sings Abide with me, tis eventide. 

Oh, and we all feel so stupid looking at english words, now. Even the kids that aree geniuses are having trouble spelling in english now because the words are all so wierd, you can imagine how I am doing. I had my first dream in spanish last night. I said hello and this soup is good, but Im told it means I am fluent, haha. Love you all. 

Week #4 - 02/10/15

Not much to report this week. Still learning, still studying like crazy. The second I think I am starting to get a grip on the language, I turn the corner and see the vast path I still have ahead of me, but its going well. We got a new district in our zone and so we have had to show them around and train them, since we are zone leaders. Some of these guys know more spanish than I do now. I feel so stupid sometimes, but I know ill get there. Its weird turning 19 tomorrow, its absolutely just another day. The sisters want to do something, but I honestly dont care. I feel so old.

Oh yea, my district got in huge trouble this week, and they assigned us a night teacher to watch us. Some tools came into our classroom after we left and threw food on the ceiling and on the floor or something. The teachers came in in the morning and gave us this huge speach in rapid spanish, and we were all so confused because we had no idea what they were talking about a "Secret Fiesta", and the fact that it was in crazy fast spanish didnt help.  All the teachers of our zone made a meeting with Elder and sister zone leaders, and they took away a lot of our control. Its kinda wierd, because we are all given assignments by our branch president and we are in a branch council as leaders, and we are suppose to be governing ourselves like adults, but the teachers work seperately and dont trust us, so we dont have any real power anymore. My branch president got an email from one of the teachers that our zone was doing all sorts of things, and the Elders are having underground wrestling matches as an initiation and other stuff like that, but it said it was in a dorm that wasnt even near us, and was in an only sisters dorm to boot. He burst out laughing when he read it to us at ward council. My branch president said that he knows we didnt do anything and had no idea where the reports were coming from, but said to not worry about it and let the teachers do their thing. Now we always joke about wrestling in casa 6.  I dont really care much, gives me more time to study anyway, but it does kinda suck being blamed and not trusted for something we never even heard of.  We just laugh it off. 

 Love you, and catch you next week. 

Week # 3 - 02/03/15

Hey guys, so I made it to week 3! Only a ton to go. Thank you guys all for your emails. I dont have the time to respond, but I read them all.  This week has been awesome. Every day is daunting to see how much work we have to do, but at the end of each the day, I have learned so much. It is really humbling to see how little I knew when I came here.

 We are all already really exited to get out into the field. We all joke about how we can't wait for that first, fat paycheck once we get in the field. The whole 120 dollars. Thats why I'm here. Its still just been a whole lot of learning and studying, but I am having so much fun. We went to the Mexico city temple today. It is closed for remodeling, but we were able to go through the visiters center. A Sister Missionary who taught there could speak 5 languages! Russian, English, Spanish, portaguese, and one other one I cant remember. Kinda made everyone there feel like an idiot for strugling to learn one. I can almost read the scritpures in spanish, its awesome. I'll tell ya, Mexico city is HUGE. We past a bunch of cops, and all of them were armed to the teeth. The busdriver warned us not to take pictures or they would stop us. They waved, and seemed nice enough. Its funny, a lot of the Mexicans kinda treat us like priests. They bow their head and great us as 'Elderes". 

Oh, and I cant believe I didnt mention this before, but we all quote Nacho Libre and Hot Rod 24 7. We translated all the quotes to spanish because we are not suppose to speak english anymore. My district is so awesome, we are already like a family. Oh yea, And Elder Merrell and I were called to be Zone leaders. We are somehow in charge of 4 districts. Were both surprised, condering how far I feel I still need to go. Elder Merrell knows a lot more spanish than I do before he even came here, and wont let me forget it, but Im catching up on the son of a gun. We all want to leave already, but we are also pretty sad to realize that we only have 3 more weeks before we split for 2 years. Only Merrel, Eveskcige, and I are gonna be headed to Des moines. The rest are headed to Chile, and one is going to Colorado. There are also 3 sisters going to Des Moines, but we most likely wont see them much, the mission is actually pretty huge. But All these guys are my brothers now. 

The Nauvoo Temple is in our mission. That should be cool. And I thought I was the only one who had to wait tons for my mission call, but almost every guy here was in the same boat as me. All didnt take a semester of school because they thought they were just going to leave in September. Well, I am not sure what else new there is. I love you guys, and wish you all well. I am having a blast here, and Devin, you are gonna love it when you come. And email me, you lazy bum, you are the only one who hasnt. 

Week #2 - 01/27/15

Well, I made it to week 2! It is so awesome being here, I can not describe. My spanish is improving so much. Its funny, I can almost teach a lesson in spanish, but basic street spanish is still really hard. You never feel like you have enough time to study everything. I've been reading the Bible a lot lately, studying it. Ive forgotten how amazing Jesus's ministry was. Heres a few things of report I guess. There has been a plane flying over day and night blasting a recorded ad for a circus coming, and the sirens around here never stop, but cops here just leave them on when they are chilling. No one knows how to drive, but no one cares. People sell food in the middle of the highways and drive on sidewalks. Its funny, no one cares about the cops either. They are stuck in traffic just like the rest, nomatter how much they try to get past. 

There are these cookies in the store that are called "Chokis" and are like chips ahoy, but the best thing ever. They cant keep them on the shelves, and are used as currency among us. We also have huge things call tie trades, where a bunch of people will show up at one of the houses after curfew and we trade things from ties, to watches, to shoes. I got a pretty awesome blue and black one myself. 

What else. Well, Elder Eveskige knocked down the florescent light cover in our classroom with a meter stick. We just gathered the peices and left a note on top of the pile saying "Lo Siento" . They really leave you on your own most of the time, its up to you to do your work. They just give your district a classroom. Its funny being actually treated like an adult, because I still feel so far from one. Oh, and The first week they really stress that your job as a companion is to protect your companion from physical and spiritual danger, so we joke around a lot. Whenever someone sees an elder talking to a Sister, they rush forward yelling "PAGE 33", brandishing the handbook that states we are not allowed to flirt or be alone with Sisters, and pull them back yelling "I'll protect you!" or "Back, Ye temptess!" Its funnier than it sounds, I swear. We kept giving this sister a hard time because she accidentally touched my shoulder while we were talking. Its all a joke, but to be honest, you have to watch yourself. You'll be just talking to a Sister and realize you are hardcore flirting, and that isnt why we are here. But enough of that. 

Beyond my spanish, my knowledge of the Gospel is growing ten times my Spanish. I thought I was good, but just my understanding of Christ and the atonement are exploding. And just when I think Ive gotten better, I see just how much more I have to learn. I said this before, But I have never felt the Holy Ghost so strongly in all my life. Each new Sunday is the day I have felt the spirit more than ever before. Its already funny to write the Holy Ghost and not Espiritu Santo. I'm still astounded by the knowledge everyone has. There is an Elder in a room across from us that has studied the old testament so thoroughly he has placed them in chronological order and the years they were written, and knows everything about not only our doctrine, but ancient jewish traditions and all sorts of things about deep doctrine. There is an Elder who is probably the most jacked dude I have ever met, and he seems super intense and hyped up at first, but one of the coolest and most spiritual guys you'll meet. Devin, Imagine a super religious Brucie. I love talking to all of these guys here, they all have so many hilarious stories about their life or their dad's or relatives mission. And thank you guys all so much for writing me, I don't have much more time. And mom, I love you, but if you post this to facebook I'm not coming home. I am finally getting the hang of typing. On the mexican keyboards, everything and all the symbols are in different places and you hit different buttons or hold them down for certain seconds to get the correct symbol. It took me so long just to figure out how to make a '. 

I love you guys. And mom, send this to Ryan Matrineze, Ryan Bergquest, and Ben can get the email out to the rest of the boys at church., I'm sure whoever cares will get it. 

I have never known the truth of this Church so strongly before In my life. I've found myself just crying in the middle of class while writing in my journal because I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly testify of its truth. Its utterly awesome, I never want to leave this place. Its paradise. I'll catch you guys all next week.

Day 1 - 1/14/2015

Hey, the keyboard is spanish so bear with me. It has been so fun, met so many awesome guys and girls. Only have a few minutes for this. So many changes, so cool! Got my nametag. We all look super dope. We have nice digs, too! We all get our own appartment type places to take care of. You have no idea how cool this is. Already making tons of friends, they are all funnier than anything. later