Estoy Animado,
in that time zone so I bet you can figure it out because I don't have my travel papers with me. We will call from Dallas because we have a long layover there. Hopefully you can figure it out. I will not be calling tomorrow, just from the airport. And the mailing address is in the blue book (I think you have it) and if not, I will send home a letter with the address - the blue book that my mission call came with.
I am soooo excited to enter the field. The part I am most excited for is to be sitting in a lesson and not know what is being said at all and them then looking at me like I am supposed to have something to say. I probably shouldn't be excited for this but I know it will take a while for me to get used to their Spanish so I won't understand most of what is being said. I can't wait...sure I will miss some Elders from the district here but it is going to be so exciting to be teaching for real.
This week has been a little odd because we are having to do some preparation stuff so there wasn't much that has happened so here we go.
Friday in class we read from Mosiah 2, the beginning of King Benjamin's address to his people and there was so much that I have missed. It was interesting to read that the fathers gathered their families to go to the temple to hear the prophet speak. It was a lot like General Conference. The prophet spoke and then so those who couldn't hear the words had an opportunity to know what he said, his words were written and distributed amongst the people. Can you say May and November Ensigns? Pretty cool.
On Saturday we watched a talk by Elder Holland from 2009 April General Conference. I'm sure you remember it. It is called “None Were with Him” (I think). If you get a chance watch it again because it is so powerful. It led perfectly into fast Sunday.
Sundays here are always great. We had mission conference and MTC President Gordon Brown gave a powerful talk. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to mission conference too much because the last one was hot and so it was difficult to pay attention but this one was spectacular. Then we had Sacrament Meeting and it was amazing. I wish everyone in the world could attend a fast and testimony meeting here because they are incredible. A missionary shared a poem that his grandma sent him that was written by another missionary called "He’s Been There Before". It is about a missionary who complains to God about everything and then he has a dream. It is awesome and I don't want to ruin it so please look it up and if you find it send me a copy. If you don't find it, I can tell you but I won't do as well as the missionary did. We finished with a fireside by Elder Merrill J. Bateman on faith that was intriguing.
On Monday we got to host Senior missionaries and it was a blast. They are probably the best people in the world. Some of them were going to places like Paris, DR-Congo, Kenya, and New Caledonia. One couple was from Arizona, Surprise North Stake, and it was fun to talk to them for a while. That night we had our final lesson by Hermano Wells because he would be getting married at 9 in the morning the next day. He has been an awesome teacher and a good example of what a missionary should be. We took pictures and had a testimony meeting. It was so uplifting.
On Tuesday we had to watch a health and safety video/test that was not as boring as it sounds. And then we went to the devotional. It was by President/Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, the President of BYU. It was shorter than normal but it was really powerful. The thing that stuck out the most to me was I need to be an example of a believer. I'm not sure I was always the best example before the mission; in fact, I know I wasn't, but it is something I am working on and can strive to become, especially as a missionary. Someone is always watching or listening to you so we are constantly showing what we believe.
Wednesday we had a sub, Hermano Jimenez from Veracruz, Mexico, who gave us some advice about entering the field. One of the things he told us was to speak sophisticated Spanish and not common or street Spanish, something that Troy told me before I left and something I will definitely do. He told us to be creative and have fun. He told us some more stuff but you probably wouldn't find it interesting.
Random thought - I trained my first missionary, kind of but not really. Elder Fowler is the new district leader of the new district our zone received and I had the responsibility of teaching him what to do. It is very easy to be a district leader in the MTC so I didn't have to tell him much but I hope I helped. Wow, so much to do in the next 3 days. Did I say I was excited to enter the field? The MTC
Les Amo,
Elder Coniam
He's Been There Before
| The alarm rings at 6:30; I stumble to my feet I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheet. A groan fills the room. It's already time to arise?" It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes. The morning activities follow: study, prayer and such. When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much. "We have a super day planned," my Companion says with a grin. I lowly utter a faithless breath, "Yea, if anyone lets us in." With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat. It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through. My companion and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought we'd do. We ride up to the mailbox hoping to receive a lot. Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "AIRBOX." We go up to our apartment; the day is now complete. the only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet. It's past 10:30 p.m., my companion is fast asleep. Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep. In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray; I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say. "Oh, Father," I begin, "What happened to us today? I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away. My hands, my aching hands worn, hurt and beat If our area was any smaller,we'd have knocked on every street." Why on missions are the days so much alike? The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike. Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me! I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes. It's very hard to see. Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough? People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff. Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack; I want to give them a Book Of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back." And what about my family? They don't have much to say. I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day. Oh, Father,why am I here? Am I just wasting my time? Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind. My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me? The way he rides his bicycle, I don't know if he can even see! Now you have it, I can't go on. I DON'T KNOW what to do! That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I leave you." My prayer now finished I stand up, then jump right into bed. I need my feet for tomorrow; we have another long day ahead. Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away. Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day. I'm standing alone on the hill, the view is very nice. A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ." Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet. "Arise he states, follow me to the shade, you and I need to speak." My attention towards my Saviour, total and complete He says, "Your Mission is similar of what happened to me. I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through; In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you. "Even know how you felt when no one listened to you At times I felt not quite sure what else that I could do. I know you don't like to ride a bicycle for a car would be sweet. Just remember the donkey I rode I was not equipped with 21 speed. I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something to hate. I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, Oh, the agony was great. I see you don't like your companion, you would rather have someone else. I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth. It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you. I remember when they put thorns in my head and called me King of the Jews. So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack. I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back." Your hands hurt from tracking and knocking on doors all day. I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ache in a similar way. It's hard not to hear from home when your family was not there to see. I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why has thou forsaken me?" We have a lot in common, but there is a difference between us you see. I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me." He embraced me with his arms, His light filled me with His love. With tears in my eyes, I watched as he went back to the Father above. I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head. I listened and heard the alarm, when I realized I was in my bed. My companion lets out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!" I sat up and said. "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!" No matter what we go through when we feel we can't take more, Just stop and think about Jesus Christ, He's been there before. |
| by Troy Whittle |
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