Haha mom you have not changed one bit. Yelling at the other moms to get a life and stop worrying! And nope I wasn’t hurt (earthquake) I actually laughed at that! So if you haven’t sent the package yet I need a watch. My Guatemalan one broke, haha story for another day. And I don’t want to buy another Guatemalan one so send just a cheap waterproof digital (or whatever;) and if not no worries I can get one here. Also don’t move the email from wainer lahdfkajhdkfjh (some long Spanish name) out of my email, that is the link to writing president. And also tell Kate I sent Preston a letter. So not to expect an email with his email.
Well today was another lazy p day. There are 4 different types of p days, lazy where you do absolutely nothing. I slept and read and wrote 5 letters! And then a Fatty p day, which is where you (usually with other gringos) go and drop 100 Q´s at McDonalds or Dominos and you don’t regret it. Another is an active one where you play futbol all day long. And a traveling one, usually when you go to the capital for a conference or temple. So I have done nothing today and loved every second of it!
So a little about this week Tuesday we helped a member with some yard work. Only thing is yard work is different here than in the states. Here we use machetes which are literally swords of the modern day. They are awesome! So we took out the wall of green in her backyard, then she said she has 3 beehives she wants to get rid of. My first thought was “haha ya right I remember what happens when you try to get rid of bee´s… and there is no way you can get me to make the bees mad"… then the Missionary side of me said “ya sure thing.” So she gave us gas and fire and then she went inside. Holy cow how fun! I love burning beehives they are so flammable! And the bee´s here are stupid they don’t attack you! So that wasn’t a problem at all.
So learning Spanish has destroyed my English, I realized this in my letter I wrote to Nana today. I spelled prophet "profet" so tell her sorry for that when she gets it. Also I realized I don’t know Spanish, when some boys came to our door and said we are collecting things for the victims of the earthquake. (By the way was a lie) but my comp told me to go answer the door. And he spoke very fast I might add. And so I only caught a couple words. (my Zone leader the first day said when you don’t understand what is being said, gather the words you did understand and then make an educated guess from there) so I did just that, I heard “help and want.” So I gathered they said “do you want help?” or something of that manner. But in reality they said “we need help we are collecting things for victims of the earthquake that need help.” So I said “no it’s all good we don’t need help.” haha they didn’t know what to do so they just walked away and my comp was laughing. So I can’t claim to know Spanish, and I can’t claim to know English anymore therefore I don’t know any language right now!
Also this week I learned how to use child safety scissors! I honestly never knew how to use them. I thought they were cheap because they wouldn’t cut, so I always used the big ones. But I picked some up this week and figured out if you press the two handles together they actually cut!! I was stoked to say the least.
OK one more story then on to spiritual matters. While eating my peach rings Elder Arce through a choking voice says translated… these aren’t for niños are they? I said why? He said because they will choke to death, apparently he didn’t know to bite them in half before you eat them or else you will choke... We learn something new every day.
Oh actually while we were teaching a lesson outside with a less active, lightning struck literally within 100 feet, it was so loud and scared the crap out of me! That was the closest I have ever seen lightning strike in my life, reminded me of you hiking a couple weeks ago (see I do read the emails).. :D
Well during conference we got to watch it live, and the same time as you guys, AND in English!! I was stoked to say the least. This has definitely been the best conference by far as far as understanding and listening, idk if it is because I have a new appreciation of things or a new understanding but it was amazing! I learned so much and am so stoked for the print edition in a month so I can study them some more.
Elder Oaks looks so much like Uncle Alan and Uncle Jay. And my cousin spoke, NBD, although I have never met him I was proud to have the Curtis name at the pulpit, and he gave a way good talk!
I kept thinking about you guys during it, thinking it’s weird we are watching the same thing but are so far away. And during priesthood with the hymn, I thought Dad is standing and singing the same hymn as me and that made me super stoked to think about!!
One of the Latinos who is about to go home joined us for the English sessions and after the first talk we asked him if he understood Elder Scott´s talk about the scriptures. And in his accented English he said “Yes it was about scriptures” then I said what are you talking about it was about temples?!?! That got him a little frazzled but he´s awesome, I go on divisions with him tomorrow to help him with his English because he is taking an English test for BYU at the end of this month.
So I was reading in true to the faith about adversity, and how we face it. And I loved what it said. It is basically attitude! And I thought of dad trying to change how he reacts to things. They gave the story of Lehi with his family in the wilderness and their bows broke. So they could have no food. And (I’m paraphrasing to the max) how they reacted differently...We can react to adversity 2 different ways. The first is like Laman and Lemuel and even Lehi. They began to murmur a little, when people are like them they ask such questions as why does this have to happen to me now? What have I done to deserve this? Why do I have to suffer this? They view life as unfair and are constantly negative and complaining. But then Nephi instantly went to work to build another bow. (I’m assuming it’s not easy) But the other type react like Nephi they first review the circumstances and then ask what am I to do? How can I learn from this? And how can I remember all the other blessing God has given me? They are positive as they face challenge head on. There is a scripture I love and it is when Joseph Smith is in Jail and he asks why does this have to happen and the lord gave to him in a revelation in D&C 121 the last scripture in that section I think. So for this week think about which type of person you will be when you are faced with adversity and to face it with a good happy attitude. Well I love you guys! Elder Call
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