Thursday, September 5, 2013

First week in the Argentina MTC

¡Hola familia! ¿Qué tal? So Thursday is my p-day here for future reference, so that's when I will write! And I found out that I can write anybody, Noah, friends, anybody! I could even go on facebook if I wanted to but I don't think that I will.
 
So to answer the first questions, I flew solo to altanta, sat next to the cutest little boy ever and was making faces at him the whole time while he yelled, "Airplane!" Yes son, we are on an airplane. Haha it was funny. I guess the family next to me was LDS... so no baptisms yet. ;p I got to atlanta and had to rush to the next flight, bought some apple jacks on the way there. I got to the terminal and there was a hoard of 20 something missionaries waiting for the next flight. I guess the all took an earlier flight or something? No sé. (I don't know). On the way out of Utah I looked out the window and saw the little B on the mountain and the School and even our house I think! Goodbye mountains! No mountains here!

Anyways on my long flight I slept maybe 2 hours real sleep until the screaming baby next to me had a contest of keeping me awake with the karate kid behind me! Haha it was fun though. There was movies going on the whole time we were on the plane, so I was trying not to watch. I think one was great gatsby. I just took my glasses off. But I think I was more tempted by the little girl behind me watching Dora. Haha just kidding. Do do do doot do Dora!
 
That morning on the flight there was an INCRIDIBLE sunrise!! Oh bonita. Most beautiful thing ever. Yeah, you bet God loves us.
There's and Elder here going to Uruguay named Elder Miller. I went to school with him, he graduated a year before me! Cool stuff. And my companion is Elder Degn who knows Noah. Like they were way good friends I guess. Elder Degn is the district leader too. There is also and Elder Boyer who ran track with Nate I guess. He says I sound like him. Small world.
 
So the first 2 days felt like a week each. SOOOO long. It's speeding up again though, like a normal day. Met with Presidente Openshaw and his wife, they are super nice. There are lots of classes. All day long. But its ok! Our district is super fun and its a daily occurance that we all end up crying because we are laughing so hard. Yesterday it was cuz this one Elder was talking like batman and saying stuff like, "Read the Book or Mormom" and it was funny. That and the Minnesota accents. Oh my its funny.
 
FOOD
I know you are are wondering if I am eating anything. No I have been on a weeklong fast. Just kidding! The food it soooo good. I bet I eat healthier here than at home. Like 5 fruits a day, bananas, pears, apples, etc. 3 or 4 veggies, potatoes, corn, peas. There is ALWAYS bread out. Its hard but good. And there is always meat. Always. Its so good. The other day for dinner we had mashed potatoes and roast beef and I just about died. SOOO good. The only foods I don't really like is breakfast, the cereal. It's like whatever cereal you want, frosted flakes, fruit loops, cocoa puffs, but with 1/10 the sugar. Its not good. But I eat it anyways! Oh and I drink soooo much water. Like 7 bottles a day. Its great. It keeps you awake in class.
 
It's so funny to hear everyone speak in English and have latino accents on some words haha! Like California. Can't say it normal anymore. It's funny, cuz last night it was getting late and Elder Degn (Dane) and I were rushing to say a compañero prayer so I just said it in english, but it was hard! I just said it in spanish because I am so used to spanish praying now. I couldnt think of the english words as fast as the spanish. Sorta funny. Don't think I am all good at spanish or nothing, just in praying.
 
I am learning spanish very fast though! I am starting to be able to have a little conversation with the native elders here! It's just hard to understand them. Working! Lemme tell ya, the Gift of Tongues is a very real thing. Even just the first day I remembered almost all me spanish I had ever learned and could make sentences. Crazy stuffs.
 
Oh, all the Latinos love my name. Elder Simpson. They keep asking me if I am yellow. Haha! I guess its a big deal down here.
 
Fast sunday was great, but long cuz we didnt eat til dinner. Usually I give in before that but you know, there was no food to give into. Anyways I love Sundays. They are so relaxing here. And so powerful. Such a strong Spirit. They give us free time for an hour or two in the afternoon to just relax and nap if we want. But I don't nap, I never can! I am sleeping super well though! All 8 hours.
 
So we had an unusually tall district. There are 8 elders and 2 hermanas in our district, and I think 6 of the elders are my height or taller. Tallest at 6' 7". Its crazy. One of the hermanas, hermana Saunders did some sort of taichi or crazy fighting thing, so we try not to make her mad, she could kill us. Haha but we have so many funny moments in our district! I love it. Everyone gets along. Its like having class with 9 close friends. Its very fun.
 
On Sunday we watched a Fireside from Provo in like January, from Elder Holland. It was sooo powerful! He was like yelling at us with a voice of thunder and its just like, Yes sir! He said he can't even deal with the fact that Missionaries come home and become inactive. He said itll be a successful mission if we have one convert. Us! It was inspiring. Here are a few funny quotes. You can watch it if you can find it, its funny.
"Don't find me in the back alley! I go crazy!" (about inactive RMs)
"Sometimes I just wish I could revoke agency. (He then proceeds to make sure there is no lightning coming down)"
 
So I think that Presidente Openshaw looks like the bad guy from Now You See It, that magic Disney show, I think the guys name in it is Max. Not sure. But he looks like him. Just thought I would say that.
 
I am using my journal to remember what to write, so on dia 5, monday I think, we taught Esteban, our "investigator" about El plan del Salvación. My spanish just flowed better than it ever has! It was great. Gift of Tongues, better believe it.
 
So I am trying not to say phrases like, sweet or dang, etc. I am finding Spanish substitutes. Just kidding is Estoy bromiando! I am joking! Yeah... It's fun. So for actividad física (physical activity) we play volleyball a lot, and it is super fun! Elder Degn this one time just turned around, ducked down like he was gonna hike it, and served it backwards through his legs. Funniest thing ever. He can hit it over every time! Crazy.
 
Ok, funny story, we were doing this class teaching us about stress control and our teacher, Hermano Fioramanti (funny guy) tells us to run downstairs, from the third floor mind you, run outside, run around the courts twice then come back up, first companionship up gets a treat. So me and Elder Degn were totally winning and I was running back inside and totally wipe out on  the volleyball string holding up the net. I get up and we win anyways but I got a nice grass stain on my shoulder! I got it out when we did laundry though, no worries mom.
 
Oh by the way, don't send packages here, they wont get here in time. If you have packages send them to my mission home in Paraguay.
 
And por favor it is much easier to write faster when you all write in one email, easier to read. I only have an hour in here, so I will try to get everything!
 
So this actividad in class I had to pretend to be an investigator for someone to teach, and they said use someone you know so you dont have to make up a story, so I pretended to be Kevin. It was great. Sorry Kev, I wasnt as funny as you. It was weird being a Korean in North America speaking Spanish. Yeah you can see why. By the way, don't ever say you are an American to someone from southamerica, cuz they will get mad and say they are Americans too! so say you are a norteamericano or a gringo to make fun of yourself.
 
Last night there was a devo from Elder Scott broadcasted from Tuesday in the MTC. There was such a strong spirit! He felt the Spirit to say that by his Apostalic Authority he promised us the Gift of Tongues. Super cool!
 
So just about the only thing out here that is hard is planning. You all know me, I just kinda go and do it. Not plan. Eh, I guess I will work on it.
 
Oh there is a Baday? here. I want to try it sooo bad. I will before I leave.
 
Here's a bit of a different spin on a doctrine,
"Endure to the end, the end of each day. Every day endure to the end." Cool huh?
 
Anyways, I love it out here, I love those pictures I took, they all make me smile. I am not really homesick at all, I hope that doesn't make anyone sad or anything, there is just no place I would rather be!
 
Yo sé que la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos en los últimos diás es la verdad. Yo sé que jesucristo sufrido por nosotros y por medio de Su Expiación podemos vivir con nuestra familias por eternidad. Le amo mi familia mucho. José Smith fue un profeta verdadero.
 
Love you all. Until next week, it will be shorter next week.
Love you all, remember that you are Sons and Daughters of our loving Heavenly Father!

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