Wednesday, October 30, 2013

¡Como estas everybody!!!!
 
This last week has been a blast here at the CCM!!! A lot has happened in just the last week. Everything just melts together and the time flies, but it is almost impossible to pick out and remember so much!
 
 
 
Spanish is going very well. I always learn many things each day, although it is getting harder now that the mission is looming closer as well as spending so much time here.
At the moment, we are really focusing of the weirder stuff (in my opinion). Irregular verbs and conjugations are evil and hard to get down...but I am trying my hardest to make every moment count! I´m not trunky as many others, but I feel that I need the field to help me learn the rest of my spanish. Classroom setting is a hard way to learn, but I am so thankful for the time that I have had here.
 
Entertainment isn´t hard to find here at the CCM, especially with missionaries that are learning a new language. I have had the opportunity to be an investigator for some, and sometimes it´s hard to hold back a broad smile or laughter. But just a heads up, especially during a lesson about baptism.... Getting the words culpa (guilt) and gozo (joy), are VERY different and important not to get mixed up with each other...especially while talking about baptism!! SO hard to go through the lesson...but a fun and great teaching and learning experience for the elders teaching! :D
 
It´s still hard to understand what people are saying. I still have to piece every part in my head to understand exactly what they are saying, but I have moments where my mind just clicks. So those will get more and more frequent as I live the language.
 
Here´s a fun little activity we decided to do one day. We went around the CCM and asked as many Hispanics as we could for their favorite joke (chiste) or tongue twister. The jokes were funny because we did them in funny accents, but they were so silly..... But here are four pretty good tongue twisters:
 
"Pata, Peta, Pita, y Pota
cuatro patas, con un
pato y dos patas cada una

cuatro patas cada pata con dos
patas y su pato, Pota, Pita, Peta,
y Pata."
 
"Si yo comó, como comó,
y tú comés como comés,
¿Como comés como comó?
Si yo comó como comó."
 
"Erre con erre ci garro
erre con erre barril
rapido rudan las ruedas
del ferrocarril."
 
"Pancha plancha con cuatro
planchas, con cuantas planchas
plancha pancha." 
 
We are able to do some really fun stuff. Many times we have just walked around talking to the natives that work around the CCM. It´s SO cool what and who you can find when you just open your mouth and talk. Every person has a tale to tell, reason for what they do, hopes, dreams, and just awesome or funny stories.
 
 
 
Everything is starting to end now that I am in the final week here at the CCM. A week from today, I will be on my way to Washington. It will be some really fun flights with the four of us that are going!!
I am super excited to see what´s ahead of me there in Washington. But I am definitely blessed to be returning to the USA (EUA). I have come to really love it here in Mexico, but I am equally excited to return. I am meant to be in a mission in America, and I will happily return!! :D I definitely will return with a new perspective on everything there!
I also have plans to sing some awesome musical songs with one of the Hermanas that knows all the awesome songs. One of them being "For Good." That one is for the day before we all leave.
 
 
 
 As Zone Leader, I choose who does sacrament, as well as help the Presidente choose speakers. I was chosen this time to speak, as well as give my musical number. I spoke on the Holy Ghost, then adding the song made everything just as good. I sang the song from the ending of 17 Miracles, "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." Which is an absolutely amazing piece!!!
 
 
 
 
Relationship with the companion.... I was always told that near the end of the transfer, the companionships really start working well together...... I hate how true that is!! just when we are about done with the CCM, and when we get to Washington there will be new companionships. We are getting along very well now. We teach with the spirit, and help each other where it is needed.
Another life quote here...pay attencion!!!: "DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY THAT NO ONE WOULD BE SILLY ENOUGH TO DO." At times, I have to fight with my companion to get ahead of him with this. XD And I am always telling my whole district, "to make a difference in the world, you have to be different than the world." The best way to throw somebody off is to smile...that's it. It´s amazing, and first hand experience here...what a simple smile can do for someone. Especially if they think, "what are they up to??" and maybe that can be changed to "what do they have that I don't?" And it will bring up conversation.
 
 
 
 
During our scripture and study times, our teacher would put on some really good music: MOTAB, CLASSICAL, PIANO. And just the past few days I learned that she LOVES Studio Gibly!!! Blasts to the past right there!!!!
 
 
 
 
 One of the awesome things about the CCM is the Tienda (store). it is filled to the brim with everything that one would need. Missionary wise and snack wise....:) But a highlight of the tienda are the tienda ties as well as the football jersys. The tienda ties here are really nice and only about $45 pesos (about $4 american). Then the Jersys are custom mexican jerzies, really cool things!! I ordered last week a black and gold jersy. With "WRIGHT" as the name, and for the number (really couldn't think up one two digit number) so I chose for humor wise "24601." I got it Friday with "WRIGHT" and "246." Still one number more than I thought that they would put on it.... But i sent it back in yesterday for them to fix that mistake and add the two more numbers under 246....you cant just go halfway with that number!!!!! All or nothing with that my friends! ...personally, I think that they were just making precausions with that number on a mexican football jersy. That much awesomeness might cause an explosion. XD
 
 The CCM is really a special place, especially for me. There is no better atmosphere to live the gospel. I have learned SO much about myself as well as this wonderful gospel!
 
 
 
"When you´re through changing, you´re through."
--anonymous
 
Every day, everybody goes through experiences that change what they do, what they think, and who they are. And no one can really fathom just how fast someone can change. But one of the coolest things in the world as well as a huge comfort to me is the fact that this gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ has, is, and will forever be the same. No matter where you are, who you are, or when you are. In an ever changing world, we defiantly need something to hold fast to. And it never ceases to amaze me how the gospel is able to help and changes peoples lives.
In one of my favorite paintings, it has Jesus Christ knocking on a door at night. Inspecting the painting closer, we notice that it doesn't have a knob on the outside, but has a window on the door. As you note the facial emotion in Christ´s face, I know that he is carrying a very happy message. Through the soft knocking on the door, are we going to be able to hear it? Will we want to hear it? We will know who is knocking, but will we open the door, letting him into our lives, especially because the way that we live tells everything about who we are inside and out.
 
Personally for me, being able to wake up to the gospel, live the gospel the whole day every day, then to continue knowing that my father is watching over my sleep. Preparing me for the next day. Without the hand of the Lord, I know that I wouldn´t have lasted anything near the time so far. And in this short time here at the CCM, I have been able to change. Each day, my testimony of this gospel has grown so much, but I know that it´s just starting to grow.
Especially before I left for my mission, I really don't know where my testimony was. I didn't share it as much as I know I should have, I didn´t always express how I felt about the gospel to everyone. One of the best ways I did share what I felt was though song. "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart, yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me."
With this being the beginning of the last week here at the CCM, it is the last will being together as a District. In my district I have: Elder Widmer (comanero), Helzer, Walker, Myler, Barth, Moore, and Hermana Jett, and Hermana Sellers. Just in the 6 weeks, together, we have grown to be strong friends and a family. Something I will greatly miss, especially when we all have spent 12 plus hours together every day!
 Last night, I was able to share my feelings with them.
I really didn't know what I was going to say, but with the spirit, I was able to share with them my feelings for 30 minutes.
Throughout the time here at the CCM, we have taught many many investigators. but I shared with them that they had one more, me. I have grown so much from the examples that my district have made. I have learned and saw many many examples being set of what to do....and as well as what NOT to do...XD But I have learned so much from each person!
My first week here, I shared with them my favorite song: "Song of Testimony." Last night I shared that same song with them again. But instead of singing it to them as Elder Wright, I sang it to them as their investigator. Just as Gil (our first investigator, and then teacher) shared his testimony and thoughts before he started teaching, so had I.
And another thing with the gospel changing people. I almost never cried, but I lost it there. I had to take a moment before I started singing...:p haha
 
"A man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." Isn´t there something within us all that wish to come unto and follow Christ? There is something within us that longs for the truth. The Book of Mormon is the key to that. As Joseph Smith stated that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. if you gain a testimony of the truthfulness of the book, then everything in the gospel falls into place. The only way to gain that testimony, is to read the Book of Mormon. If you have read it already, read it again! :) Then with book in hand, do as Moroni councils: found in "Moroni 10:4-6"
 
I know that this is the true church. I know that the Book of Mormon is another true testament that Jesus Christ is the son of our loving Father in Heaven. We need his help, and he wants to help us, there is no better knowledge than that. I have received the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, and I rejoice in sharing the message. Why would I travel all the way to the middle of Mexico, away from my family for two years, if I didn´t believe with all my heart that it was true.
 
 
 
I miss all of you! Know that all of you are in my prayers! I don´t know when I will have the time this upcoming week to send out another Email, so if I´m not able, I will when I´m settled in Kennewick, safe back in the USA. I´m pretty sure though that I will be sending out an email on monday though....
 
 
Wish all of you the best this upcoming week!
  

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