Transfers

Hey everyone!! How is everything going back in Utah?! Getting cold I will bet!

About the most exciting thing that has happened this past week has been the upcoming transfer call information. Apart from that, it has been a really good week her in the WKM!

As far as transfers.................. My companion, Elder Abbott...has been called as a Zone Leader for the Walla Walla Zone, in Walla Walla. And I am staying here to receive another trainer and to head my area. Oo This was absolutely crazy news. As my companion said, it has been the craziest transfer as of yet.

The funny thing is that his father (trainer) stopped at District Leader. Now abbot said that he will stop at Zone Leader, an I will continue on as a Area President. We'll see how accurate that will go!

So I will be loosing my Companion this Wednesday.... Then I will get to take control over my area, and work with another companion who will be the new District Leader!! WHOOO!.......I'm going to go crazy!!! XD

I am defiantly nervous to get started. A lot of the investigators I have felt are moving into such a perfect position to get to where they need to be. I feel it just might take more time with a new companion taking the lead. But I know that Elder Larson (my new companion), will and is the person that I need to be with for this upcoming transfer!

More to come later on this matter. But defiantly some fun stuff that will be happening in the next little bit!!

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D I am so happy for this time of the year! Last night, We all got together and went caroling through our old Highlander apartments. I think that we made the life of one of the doors that we knocked! Song is defiantly an amazing thing that really can bring the spirit! That is one of the reasons that I love to share it with the world. And I just hope that I don't make other people's ears bleed.  

In this past week was also our Christmas Zone Conference. Where we got to hear some AWESOME speakers and songs and stories. As well as have an amazing lunch with our whole area. It was a lot of fun! And one of the highlights of the Christmas Zone Conferences is being able to watch a move. Like a real movie! Before they announced it, we thought that it was going to be Ephriam's rescue...but it wasn't! It happened to be Monsters University. Which was fun!

The language is still a pretty good-sized object in my way. Everyday, I am trying to read a bit in the Book of Mormon in Spanish. Some days it's hard, but the moment that I break my barrier, everything gets easier and faster.

I hope that everyone has the best Christmas!!! With Elder Abbott gone, it will be a little weird, but I am looking towards Elder Larson with excitement! And we have a lot of fun people to see on that day!! So defiantly going to be pretty fun!

I love you all! I pray for you all! I wish the best this holiday!

Con Amor,

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

 Glen with his first companion, Elder Abbott

First meal back in the US

Hello everyone!!!

It's not Christmas just yet but........MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was pretty fun! We actually had a pretty usual week for missionaries, nothing to apocalyptic happening during regular pros!

The thing that really made the week really crazy and fun was the Branch's Christmas Program that happened just this Saturday!!

Since I sang a song for the Thanksgiving program, and they liked it...I was put to sing about 3-4 songs. (I was at first working with a Hermana to sing the 4th, but last minute she got the confidence to do it herself). And to add to it, all of them were in Spanish...:p Some of them were pretty intense in English, now to add Spanish craziness to that!

So throughout the week, I was trying to find time here and there to get this stuff down. And some songs were practiced...and others...were more of a first time seeing them an hour before the program started. But that was more de to the fact that the piano part was pretty crazy, and the pianist was only available then.

The program went really well! All the missionaries were dressed in shepherd's clothing. Some given beards (had fun with those one's)!! And the activities director also pulled out the biggest donkey on wheels in the world!! It was super fun during and afterwards for pictures. (One of the Hermanas was Mary and my companion was Joseph...really funny to watch!!).

We sang (in Spanish): Mary did you know, His Hands, What Child is This, and No Greater Hero.

AWESOME!!!!

!!!!AND!!!!

After one of our normal days. We walked into our house (which is in the downstairs of a member's home), and we saw some boxes in the middle of the room. They bought us a CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!!! ...really made my day right there!! A Huge picture of Jesus on my desk and a awesome Christmas tree. things look and feel just a little more Christmas'y round here now!! 

the week has been pretty good! I dont have too much in the letter due to some things I have to have done this day. (My family will get to find that one out!!). But I love you all! Miss you!

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hola de kennewick Washington!!

How is everything going down there?! Everything is very good here in Kennewick! Lots have happened in the week, lots of fun and exciting things throughout the week.

Thanksgiving was great!! We had a lunchish dinner with the Branch President, President Hernandez. Both him and his family are really awesome and nice. And they really enjoy making both Hispanic food as well as American food, so we actually had a more American Thanksgiving, with a things here and there of Hispanic. So we had turkey, shepherds pie, potatoes, green beans...etc. Then you can add Tapatio and Valentina on anything and everything. XD We then played Apples to Apples with the Hermanas and the wife. ...not to brag or anything, but I destroyed with 25 cards..*cough cough*

We also had a very good branch Thanksgiving program. And now with that over, I thought that everything would be much easier and back to normal, but we are actually going to be doing the Christmas program as well. And now that they heard me sing my song for the last one, I'm now singing 4 songs for the Christmas program. One being "Mary did you Know," one of my all-time favorites!! So I'm always busy with the work, then with this program, but it will be a whole lot of fun! I really love singing! And the Branch is not yet sick of my voice, so it's a win win situation. XD

The language is still coming along. I'm able to get sentences a little better, but I still have a while to go. Both my companion and I are reading out loud the Book of Mormon. Which really helps with pronunciation as well as understanding and vocabulary. It will come!

The work is really growing here. The people are really amazing! Some are not at all open to hear a message, and others have been prepared. It still amazes me how amazing this work is! There are so many miracles that happen each day! Some in small ways, some in huge ways.

Filiberto is one of our progressing investigators. He has really grown a huge interest in what we discuss with him. When we knock on the door, he stops everything that he is doing and has a strong desire to learn more. Especially when friends are over, he stops like a movie, and introduces us, then voices out that they should really listen to us.

The other day, we taught the Plan of Salvation to him. He was really asking good questions and really understood the whole lesson. Questions and problems that we wanted to discuss were brought up by HIM after our lesson, (no coincidences) and many things were made clear for him. His friend then walked into his house. And Filiberto sat him down, introduced us, and started teaching the lesson we just taught him. (We had the little diagram of the plan of salvation laid out on the floor). Now through that lesson, we have another investigator!

Another thing happened last night while tracing. We were about to stop, when one of the last doors we knocked was an 18-year old by the name of Crystal. Who had many many questions about just about everything. She was more than open to have us return tomorrow to start teaching the Plan of Salvation as well. 8-o-clock miracles! Love em!

The work is going really well! I am really enjoying everything. The seasons are again changing. It hasent snowed yet, but it looks like it's on its way. I miss you all and pray for all of you each night! Thank you for helping me and supporting me as I do the Lord's work! 

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission

From Blessing to Breaking in!

Hey everybody!! Another fantastic week in the Tri-cities!! And as funny as it is, today marks 20 days in the actual mission field. And no, I'm NOT counting. I just know that I got here on the 5...and now it's the 25, crazy the math involved in that one...XD

Following the pattern of the past 20 days so far, I have not had a "normal" day for a missionary yet. But I guess that's what happens when you have a crazy District leader as a companion!!

First off, we had to move from our apartment into a members home. We are now living with the Blodgetts. A fantastic couple! The wife is an amazing artist, and has a studio in the room next to us. Really amazing works of art. One of her pieces is actually a 4ft X 3ft Jesus that's on my desk. So he always makes sure I'm doing my morning scripture studies in the morning!! XD

But funny thing with the house so far is that we have had to break into it two times!!! And amazing things happened each time!

The first time was at like 9:30pm, a pretty cold foggy night. When we found out that the bottom lock of the garage door would not accept the key. I don't know if it was cold, or what, but there was no way that it was working. So we said a prayer. Immediately after we closed it, I randomly and instinctively reached into my wallet, pulled out my Smilth's card, and started to pick the door. It really wasn't working, but something happened and the door just swung wide open. WHAAA!!!

The next morning we forgot the key in the room!! I feel bad for our Father in Heaven, he helped us the first time, only for us to lock ourselves out of another door. This time it was the second door in the garage to the house. And this one had a trim in front of the side crack of the door. With the bobby-pins not working, we said another prayer. When I looked up after it, I noticed a crack of light at the top of the door trim. I told my companion to find a thin sheet of metal, and we found behind us, a puddy knife. We moved the crack of light down over the door lock, pulled out my battered Smith's card again, and just slid it in, pushing the door open.

It's amazing stuff like that, that make this work so much fun!! And my companion is like a magnet for crazy stuff!!

This week was the week that we rotated into eating with the English members. I have heard that they were infamous for serving mainly pizza and funeral potatoes. But they were SO wrong!!

Don't get me wrong, I love the Mexican food here!! But I was really craving some American cooked meals. Just a little variety from the beans, rice, and tortillas. We had things from amazing potato soup, ham with the Ham family, and Korean Egg Drop soup. But after the week was over, it was great to go back to Mexican food. But yesterday, we actually had dinner with a Peruvian family. And they have the BEST food!! The father was experimenting with cooking home grown pork on a different type of wood charcoal. Really really really good!!

Our small Hispanic branch had their Thanksgiving activity just two nights ago. There was a great dinner and a really good program. I was able to sing with one of the Hermanas, singing "No Ordinary Man," both in English and Spanish. Then after the program, we pulled out a bunch of games, one of which was pictionary. And I have to say that these people were REALLY fun with pictionary! I have never seen that much competition and excitement for that game! The members here are just really amazing people!!

This mission has been getting quite a bit of attention lately! Just a week before I arrived into the field, the mission was visited by Elder Ballard. Then just this Martes (Tuesday), we had Elder Roberts, from the second quorum of the 70. His devotional and message was really good. And he also gave us challenges such as a baptism a week, different than our Mission President's baptism a month. I really feel that if we really push ourselves to just OYM'ing (open your mouth), the work will really grow. Because there are SO many people who are preparing or are prepared for the message, but they or we don't know if we don't open our mouths.

The work is really growing here in Washington! I love the work! It's crazy and exciting, with turns every day! About 128 of our investigators here are on date mission-wide. And each day, we work and pray to raise that number.

The Spanish is still tugging along. I am getting more and more comfortable speaking in the language, but it's still a very hard struggle. But my companion has gone through the same thing, and is helping me along the way!! I am determined to get this language down! And I'm excited to really start speaking it!!!!
 Thanksgiving is going to be pretty weird without all of you! ...and I thought that Halloween was weird in Mexico! Miss you all! And you all are in my prayers! Eat a piece of turkey for me!!

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

What a Week Working in Washington

Hey everybody!

Everything is fantastic here!! I have survived the next week here in the beautiful Washington Kennewick area!

This week has been CRAZY!! A lot has been happening!! I actually realize that I havent officially had a "Normal missionary day." Just an insane week. So much I will write, and others I'll hold for another time.

We have had the opportunity to do a lot of service through out the week. One everyday, fit somewhere here and there. I absolutely love service, and the people here love to offer their desire for it. We painted rooms, landscaped, sorted houses, and much more. My personal favorite was painting. Really enjoy that, and it was pretty fun. But we painted a whole Tagged room bright Yellow...then I heard that they painted two of the walls purple as well, to help hide the Tags. ...Purple and Yellow...some Hispanics have a pretty fun color scheme.

The work is really progressing here. The Hispanics are really prepared to hear the message. It's pretty amazing just how things fall into place.

We have been working a lot with members to help them grow and share the message by going to their home and teaching them how to use the different pamphlets. Then to invite them to go on splits with us. Almost every time, the member is able to connect with the investigator so well. Something the I have learned: No concordances!!

A small trial that we have had to go through has been the anti-churches. Many would set up situations with the members and missionaries to bash with them, but we have avoided anything like that so far. But one of the churches got a Ward Directory and sent out anti-material. One of our relatively new converts was one that was targeted. The stuff that that pamphlet made her go through and feel was horrendous. But we met with her and blew all of it out of the water. It's just so hard to see a church do that to other people's faith. But with that member, her testimony and knowledge was strengthened to amazing heights.

My companion is still super awesome! We have gotten along famously so far, and he is helping me a lot to be the missionary that I need to be.

With all the amazing Mexican food that we eat, we really have to take advantage of the hour of exercise that we have in the morning. My companion was on the BYU track team before he came here, and is determined to get right back into it when he returns, so he's pushing out 700 push-ups or so every other morning. Then all different types of other stuff every other day.

I figured that while I have two years, why not improve in a bunch of areas! So we are both working for the companion 8-pack! SO ready for that!! XD

I am so grateful for this gospel, I do know it is true with all my heart! I am having the time of my life! and wouldn't trade it for the world!! I am grateful for all the support that I feel and read from back home! Love you all!!

Sorry for no pictures yet.... My camera isn't working at the moment. And the funny thing is that the exact same camera I have is the same as another hermana that had the same exact problem with it in the CCM....:P

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission

Week 1 in Washington

WHAAA!!!!!!!!!

Hey everybody!!!

Today marks my first full week here in the mission field! What an exciting time that it has been!

The first half of the first day was filled with meetings and an interview with the Mission President, who is one of the funnest people to be around! But then I met my companion.

Elder Abbott. Really awesome guy!! He's a runner for BYU, so he's constantly trying to remain in shape to ensure a spot on the team when he gets back. So the morning workout sessions are full of 700 plus push-ups and whatnot. So he's pretty confident that we will get some rad companion 8-pack, WHAT NOW!! XD

We shopped, dropped my stuff at the apartment, then bounced (left to go teach). We had a number of investigators to meet with. One being an awesome old couple. We had a really good lesson on the Plan of Salvation, then we got on the subject of Halloween and pumpkins. They then offered us this sugared pumpkin. Both the texture and taste did horror to my gag-reflex. I felt bad because I was trying to hide it and fight it. It wasn't too bad....XD

The work here is amazing! We are in the city Kennewick, in the only branch found there. And the work is growing pretty well. Just this last week, the spanish missionaries had about 17 new investigators. The branch is small...at the moment! And we have plans to help build it to be a ward and individual zone.

We are also working hard to help the members work to having more opportunities to share a gospel message. So we teach them the topic out of for example, the pamphlets, then help them understand how they can share. The work is just exploding on both sides of the callings. "Every Member a Missionary." Never is that more true than now. And it's still progressing.

The food is absolutely amazing! The people just love to eat and help others eat. When we are finished clearing a pan of BBQ carne, another full pan comes out. :P

At the moment, the language is SUPER hard. But I feel that I have really improved. Some of the lessons, I'm pretty quiet. It's hard to hear and understand what is being said, but that will come the more that I practice. I have though, started translating the Book of Mormon from Spanish to English, which has REALLY helped me!!

SO much has happened, so hard to say it all. The spirit is strong here, no matter how hard the moment may be. I have the strongest desire to help as many people as I can to find what they may be looking for. I just know that this gospel can bless their lives in so many ways. "Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, our tool is language."

Thank you all for the love and support that you all give to me. Moments may be hard, but I absolutely love my mission!!! You all are in my prayers!

--

Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

¡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!

  

Week 4 at CCM

¡Buenos Dias amigos y famalia!

 

Everything here in Mexico are fantastic! A lot has happened in the past week, both sad and happy.

 

 

The week has just flown by. Each day feels super long, but it feels like an instant at the end of the day and week. Every minute is still packed to the brim!

 

We have started to get into a lot more spanish. We have to constantly be up and ahead of everything or we are so far behind! Our classes are a Spanish-only zone now, and I even try to carry that out of the classroom as much as I can. I am really starting to pick up the language, but there is so much more to learn! We have also been going around the CCM to just talk with as many of the native workers as we can. That has been a really fun experience! So many people here have the coolest stories to tell, but no one really talkes too much to them to know. The majority of them are LDS, but we have found some who aren´t. So far, we have been able to invite them to our sacrament services, and giving the missionaries in the assigned area their information. There is always places even here to speak and spread a message.

 

Our teachers are absolutely amazing!! I´ve talked about Hermano Arevalo, who acted as our first investigator. We always have just an amazing experience talking and learning from him. Before his class though, we have a few hours to study the gospel then the language. Then he would pop in and join our discussion of the language. One of the days, we were all in a circle taking of conjugating past verbs and stuff when he walked in and sat on the other side of the room. So all of us started to get him to get into the middle of the circle, but he wouldn´t budge! Elder Helzer, one of the guys in our district was the first...and last to speak. "¡Hermano! ¡Nesisitamos su Expiacion"! (meaning to say: "Nesistamos su inspiracion."...big difference). So we were all on the floor laughing with that.

 

The food is still just as good as ever. I really enjoy the native real mexican food, and the amazing staff there just love to cook for us! Some of the food still has a weird taste to it, but I´m getting used to that a little bit. Especially after taking polls of what the missionaries like, the staff have started making American foods, but they always still have a twist of mexican still in them. Along with the food, they always have breads or pastrys...but I guess the culture for them is making them hard. So I´m starting to miss soft bread. Real bread...not the Bimbo brand card board slices they use for the nutella sandwich bread...that doesn't count. XD

 Everyday we are giving about an hour for exercise and gym time. For the first half here at the CCM, we have played basketball, which I have improved, but I feel not too much. We have just discovered a group that play Ultimate Frizbee every day!! Now one of my favorite sports!! Although I´m not the best at the moment at throwing the frizbee, I am a master at catching. So I´m always found running to the inzone jumping and catching all sorts of crazy stuff! You feel like you´ve accomplished something when you have like four people playing defense around you, then you still score! WOOT!!!

It´s such a good way to get exercise as well as relax from the stress of the schedule. Cause that´s one of the larger problems here, is managing stress. Some take it very well, but others can have severe problems.

 

 

Our district is super strong. One of the greatest that I will ever have. Elder Barth, Moore, Myler, Helzer, Walker, Widmer, Hermana Sellers, and Jett. It almost seems by what we as a district are working to achieve and our relationship with each other. The adversary is doing everything in its power to prevent us from doing what we need to do. We are by far the district with the most visits to the clinica (CCM Doctors). All of us at one time or another have found ourselves there...some more severe than others...XD But after this past week, we are now one Elder short. Elder Dialogue. Due to a severe health reaction to either the stress or something, he was sent home back to Utah. Watching him leave was super hard. This district has been able to do SO much in just four weeks, and I am overjoyed that four (WILL be five when Dialogue returns) will be joining me to labor in Washington. But all of us will definately be staying in contact with each other.

 

 

In the Hispanic culture, fireworks are HUGE. They light them off for birthdays, to mourn the dead, holidays, etc. you name it. For the longest time, we thought that they were cannons or some other weapon (being surrounded by the more getto part of Mexico City). I came up and spread around that we were all part of the Hunger Games (or missionary games or something). Each of us are in districts; we are surrounded and encased in a 13ft wall; and our casa is right next to the cornacopia (four large monuments with tubes on the top of them). When each cannon would go off, we´d be like:"Must have been that kid in the white shirt and tie from district 14A." Then at night, there is music playing, must be the mexican hunger games theme...we are inside, so we just cant see the logo in the sky. But I have seen spot lights, so the logo must just be blurry.

But still a lot of fireworks even at night. Might even hear a bunch of hispanics whooping after each explosion. Dia de los muertos is coming up too.........see how that night goes. XD  

I have found that I absolutely love MOTAB! They have some of the COOLEST and greatest songs out there. I continually think and feel that I need to try to get into it later in life. Then I can make funny or awesome faces and be shown would-wide! Best of both worlds right there!!!

 

 

A large large inpore of greenies came just this last Wednesday. Our Zone really grew due to that fact. And so far, being a Zone Leader is really fun!

But its fun to see how these greenies act the first few days. It´s hard to even start to imagine if we were that crazy our first week. From almost dancing and taking pictures on stage before or devos, to playing kingdom of hearts on the piano. But I know that they will be true missionaries by the time they are through the CCM, or the mission.

 

In the evenings of the day, we have scheduled TALL. Which stands for Technology Assisted Language Learning. Which is a program through BYU. But every time that I log off, the goodbye loading screen is a beautiful animated picture of Mt. Timpanogous. Such a beautiful view!!! It´s got to be SO beautiful down there!!

 

 

Less than two week left here. Everything is really starting to come together. I feel really prepared. My whole view on missionary work has dramatically changed in the time that I have been here. For example, on my way to the hanger in the Georgia airport, I was sitting right next to another man who started asking small stuff like "you guys laywers?" But then after telling him a little about us, he said that he was not interested and "past saving." I think that I could have made an amazing experience to just talk with him a little more. But now I feel a strong desire to really share the message with everyone who I can and will listen.

 

 

 

I do also have to say that the Tienda (store) is a magical place. The prices are fantastic, and we are given a balance card with a little on it to fit our needs here. They also have a large variety of ties for about 35 pesos, really really good price. So we all have gotten at least one or two "tienda ties." Another thing that they just started is a real mexican custom football (soccer) jerzy, complete with custom name and number. Not thinking of a good 2-digit number, I chose just to see what they would do "24601." I´m pretty sure that it wont work, because if it did, the world might just explode out of sheer awesomeness!!!

I also juat want to thank all of you who are able to be amazing examples in my life. Learning so much here has made me realize just how blessed I am to be able to have each and every one of you in my life. My companero is going through some hard hard things with his family. A fact that he may not be welcome home when he returns.... All of us here are praying for him and finding ways to help him, but I also wish at least a few prayers for my companero.

And I thank all of you for being the example to me, and helping me be who I am today.

 

 

I am really excited to see how this week will be! So much has happened and I am excited to see what two more weeks will be able to do for me. I have been able to hear the amazing words of Elder Holland about two times. And each time has left me absolutely loving this work. Some of his quotes:

 

"Throughout all the history of the world, the Lord on many accounts has chosen teens, and this time he has chosen you."

"You are commanded, I command you to have at least one convert, and it had better be you!"

"Moroni said that he saw us and our day. He saw one of us, we don't know who, but he saw us. ´Juses showed you unto me´"

"Just like Alma and his Angel, go out there and Astonish people! ...but don't lay them out flat for three days...you delay lessons that way."

 

Love and miss you all!

 

 

Elder Glen Wright

 

  

¡Hola Everybody! ¿Como Estan?

Yo estoy fantastico aqui en la CCM!

 

 

It´s hard to think that I´m already half-way though the CCM, and the weeks have really started to fly!

 

The language is still a large barrier, but each day I feel that I am improving more and more. I am still pretty bad at listening and understanding what some of the natives are saying, especially when some of the natives speak SUPER fast!! At first, I didn't understand any of it, then I was able to pick the main details and guess what the subject of the sentence or question was, but I am really starting to understand the full sentences as well as thinking in the language. This week especially, I have caught myself speaking almost fluently about the plan of salvation into the restoration with a practice investigator. On multiple accounts, the teachers would come and join in to listen to my lessions. It´s a really cool and fun experience!

 

I hear that a lot of you people are getting to be pretty busy!! It´s fun to hear all the awesome stuff that´s happening!!

Every minute is packed to the brim over here!!!! just about every second is planned out each day, well, all except for P-Day, except that is still packed with fun and stuff that´s needed to be done!

My typical day here kinda goes like this:

6:30am -- Wake up get ready for the day

7:00am -- In classrooms reading scriptures/PMG for personal study

7:45am -- Eat an amazing breakfast!!! ....lots of beans for every meal...:p

8:25am -- Gym ....There are probably three things that I know I will be good at after I leave the CCM: Ping Pong, Basketball, and Frizbee

9:15am -- Clean up and prepare for the day

9:45am -- We teach our first investigator. It alternates each day between our four investigators

10:45am -- Language/Gospel study/etc

12:45 -- Lunch

1:30 -- Study for our investigators

3:15 -- Teach our other investigator

4:15 -- More language study

5:15 -- coaching on how we are doing on gospel principals in the mission language

6:15 -- Dinner

7:00 -- Study for our investigator

7:30 -- Personal scripture study

8:00 -- TALL: Technology Assisted Language Learning

9:00 -- Personal Scripture Study

10:30 -- Lights out

 

¡¡¡REPEAT!!!! WHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

 

I absolutely love the CCM!!! Just a great experience! Every day feels like it an eternity, but every week feels like it just flys by!

 

My roommates and companero are fun to be around, most of the time. My companero is right out of the army reserve, so after the first day I got used to the 10 or so death threats...XD Has that kind of dry weird humor. But I am trying my hardest to keep him going. He´s having difficulty with the language, after studying german for most of his life. He has a joy in saying phrases to everyone in german, his favorite is I love you, which dosen't sound as happy and nice in german. XD This week has been especially hard for building up my relationship. Each gringo kinda goes through an adjustment period with the food/surrounding/etc. And this week was his turn, especially for allergies. A teacher sent us to the doctor to check him out, and he gave him boxes of allergy medication as well as steroids...which I personally don't think will help his overall attitude. XD Nah, I´m having fun learning new things with him! We has really learned to work with each other during our lessions, and that´s why we are here at the CCM, to learn!

 

Sundays are just as good as P-Days! The meetings are really great! But we have to make ourselves sit through them. Everyone is a little on edge during sacrament though for the fact that the president chooses random people to talk. During our last meeting, the president asked my companero and myself to go to his office, fearing a talk was coming on, we slowly followed. It actually came to us being called as Zone leaders. A really cool opportunity to learn! But everyone is joking that due to that, we have a definite spot as PA´s in the mission field. XD

 

Today was another temple p-day trip for our district. I absolutely LOVE the Mexico City Temple!!!!! Looks kinda like a Myan Temple or something like that! But the best part happens inside. It really brings great comfort to know that it dosen't matter if the cultures or languages are different. This gospel is the SAME inside and out! Nosotros somos sus hijos con Dios y Dios esta Padre Celestial! No matter where you are in the world. The temple is a place that I can really feel his loving presence in my life.

 

I have found that my voice has been a great blessing to both myself as well a those around me. Each night, our district gathers around the flag pole in the center of the CCM (found in the picture). There I was able to express my feelings as well as sing "song of testimony" and its meaning in my life (As well as every day singing either Les Miserables or something awesome!!). The president has also asked me to sing a solo the last Sunday before the fast Sunday we leave. I cant recall the name of the song at the present moment, but it is really amazing!!! I thank all of you who have helped me grow this talent that brings so much joy to both myself and those who hear!!!!

 

One of the most spiritual experiences so far at the CCM happened this last Friday. My companero and I received another practice-investigator. The couple hours before, I had the impression to teach him the Plan of Salvation. The lession I made I felt was really good, but withing the first minute of talking with this investigator, the whole lession plan was thrown out. We talked for a long time, listening to the problems and stories that this investigator had. A very hard life. But I had this scripture constantly itching at the back of my mind. If didn't know where it was, until I opened D&C right to the scripture. After our investigator was through, I simply asked him to read the verse, a long silence followed him finishing the last verse. He then looked up with eyes teary eyes, really the only words to come out were: "Esta verdad" (it´s true). We then were able to give him the Book of Mormon, Pamphlets, and the knowledge of how to pray.

Waking up to the gospel every day is the best thing that a person can do. Our life on this Earth is a time to prepare to meet and return to God. That is my purpose in this life. I know that I will be able to do so through this gospel, it has blessed my life in so many ways. This time in my life is to invite others to come to the same knowledge that I cherish so close in my life and heart. For them to first come unto christ A través fe, arrepentimiento, el bautizmo, Recipcion del don del espitítu santo, y preseverar hace el fin. Then, enter into the temple and come unto the father.

 

 

Thank you ALL for helping me be where I am today! I am so excited to be here as a representitive of Jesus Christ. There is nothing better in this life than to get lost in the work. We are here to gain knowledge and experiance, and nowhere is better than by serving a mission. You all are in my daily prayers!

 

Elder Glen Wright

  

October 8, 2013

Hola Everybody!

 

Another week at a close and moving on to week three here at the CCM! Everything here is going very well. The language is still a barrier I fight through each day, but I feel that I´m slowly understanding and speaking more easily. I believe that my body is now slowly adjusting to the different foods. Although I had extremely bad intestine and stomach problems last week...

 

(For those who haven't been informed yet) I have had my first investigator, Gil (some at the CCM are instructors and some are real). I have really found what missionaries talk about with really finding love and a strong desire to teach and help others come unto Christ. Language was a huge battle, but the Spirit speaks universally, all of us were able to teach by and feel the Spirit as we taught the truths of the gospel. We had the week to teach him, so Friday was our last day. We felt that we should speak of baptism and the next step towards his struggle to find more faith in Christ. The conversations didn't start the way we planned, but he walked right into our topic, at the close, he accepted the challenge to be baptized November 2, (the Saturday before we left for the field). Later that evening in our evening language classes, Gil walked in and revealed that he was our next teacher! Never before have I had an amazing relationship with a teacher. All of us have learned SO much from him!

 

The food here is very good. And yes....plenty of beans for and in every meal. Some meals are traditional mexican foods, and others and mexicanized american foods. The one meal that always stays the same is Pizza night. Every Tuesday night, they get boxes upon boxes of Costco pizza (there´s a Walmart and Costco next to us somewhere). And for those who cant take good mexican food, there is a nutella-sandwich bar for breakfast and dinner. It is unreal to see just how many people are seen over there, as well as how many huge containers of nutella they go through each meal. The guys in my district have found space in their stomach to stuff a couple rounds of food, then run and make a huge nutella-peanut butter-coco pebbles sandwich. They have a shooken agreement that tonight or the last Tuesday pizza night, they will put a slab of costco pizza in-between the sandwich they made. I will stick to my PB&J once every few weeks....

 

General Conference has been a major blessing here at the CCM. I have never before listened intently and hung to every phrase each speaker had said. The talks went by almost too quickly. I wanted them to just go on and on! One of my favorite phrases was from Uchdorf: "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." As well as the insert of "Les Miserables" and the Mexico CCM (Presidente Pratt had to calm the cheering auditorium of missionaries then). My district was very excited as well when they heard about Les Miserables. They are well aware that I love that musical! One of the Hermanas in our district is always found singing "all alone." And if I am ever in a mood to talk about teching and theatre, Elder Myler is a huge gunky as well. He kinda reminds me of Daniel, a little more quiet, but has moments where we both just are on the same wavelength.

 

Last Wednesday, Elder Moore landed like a ballerina while we were playing basketball, dislocating and having the joint of his foot and leg touch the ground. Tearing a bunch of stuff. For the past 5 days, all the doctors could say was use crutches and hope for the best. Presidente Pratt during conference break talked with us and him. He asked where he was going and then answered "maybe." And just the day earlier, one of the elders did something to their hand, was sent home. That has been on our minds all week, this morning was when we would find out. The doctors were almost dumbfounded that they couldn't find any huge damage to the foot, and Elder Moore walked out of there perfectly fine. Granted, he wont be playing Basketball for the rest of the time here.

 

I never thought that I would be playing basketball everyday. I might even be decent by the time I´m out of here! That and ping-pong. Did that for about an hour today, I didn't want to change to workout clothes, and my companero didn't want to do anything too exhausting. They don't really like us using the gym on p-day anyway. They just don't want us to be overly competitive on p-day.

 

How is everybody doing back at home?! I am excited to hear of all the excitement and exciting things that are going on! The play should be showing pretty soon now. WOW! I am also really happy for the news on the house! It looked amazing when I left, I cant wait to see pictures and the actual house for myself!! Really really depressed that I cant be there to do all the tiling and fun stuff like that! :D How has Reynold´s taken his poster?? How are all the family and friends?! Probably just as busy.

 

I have absolutely loved my experience here so far!! Everything here is an amazing experiance. Life in Utah has turned into something so far in the past it feels like. And I miss it, but I feel like I wouldn´t belong there if I returned. I know that right now, this is exactly what I need to be doing! I have a stronger and stronger feeling each day to make myself better! It has made me think of Thomas S Monson´s "W" theory: "Work Will Win When Wishy-Whashy Wishing Wont."

 

One of the other missionaries borrowed my camera cable, so I will send pictures when I have hunted him down! I will get them later today!!!

 LOVE YOU ALL!!! You are all in my daily prayers and in my heart. Thank you for all the examples you have set for me!

 

 

Elder Glen Wright 

Pictures from Mexico!

Pictures from Mexico!

 
The CCM (Mexico MTC)

Temple Trips

October 1st 2013

¡HOLA!

 

That´s all the Spanish I want to do at the moment!! haha....

 

P-day is Tuesdays. Which I have found are an amazing blessing to us here at the CCM (MTC in Spanish) On alternating P-days, we have the amazing blessing of attending the temple. Which is just beautiful!!! Although everything was done in Spanish, the workers were amazing and helped us all the way!

 

 

It has been a little crazy here the first week. Lots that we do, our schedules are completely full and planed out. I know exactly where I will be and when for the full 6 weeks.

The CCM is and isn't full immersion in the language. But it also is.... All the workers, teachers, etc are all Hispanic, so we almost always are speaking Spanish.

 

The language is hard at times. In class, we are only speaking Spanish. Sometimes I understand the teacher, but other times I have no idea what they are saying. I think that I´m the only one with that problem, but everyone voices after, the same problem. I am grateful for at least taking two years of Spanish...which is slowly coming back. At moments, I am extremely frustrated and find that I can´t learn any more for that day. But when I open my scriptures the next morning, I find a hidden and spontaneous joy and excitement to learn the language. The gospel is true in no matter what language, but I have found it very difficult to teach by the spirit when I am chained to a small list of vocabulary terms. All will come in time though!

 

My companero is a fun and interesting guy. Elder Witmer. About the same stature as me, but he whent through basic training with the army. At first, we really didn't get along as well as I wanted to, but then we found something fun in common. We just got back from a safety meeting. The president of the CCM stressed to close and lock your closets to ensure that the cleaning crew isn't tempted to steal anything. When we walked into the room, Elder Helzer´s (other companion sharing the room) left his closet wide open. So we moved everything of his into the room next to us. We also left some chocolate on the pillows and cleaned the room so it would look like they came! (I was also I guess pulling a prank on Witmer to actually clean not just his stuff, but the whole room!!) Fun stuff.....

 

I absolutely love to be able to leave the world behind to serve the Lord. There is just something amazing about the fact of waking up every day to study the gospel, until the moment we hit our beds. I have found great comfort in the fact that this gospel is true. Not just there in Utah, or in the United States, or in English, but all over the world! Attending the Mexico Temple helped me so much, especially with that fact.

 

We also have our first investigator, Gin (some investigators here are real and some are staff). He´s really fun to be around, just an awesome spirit. We have been able to teach him lesson three from preach my gospel (God sent book right there!). Especially the topic of Fe, or Faith. A fun fact that has helped me during my pondering and study. Fe is faith in Spanish, but it is also the representation of "Iron" in the periodic table of elements. Having faith in Jesucristo needs to be strong like Iron, as well as like the Iron Rod, point directly to God and his gospel.

 

Snow.... That´s CRAZY. I am starting to miss snow, or anything really cold for that matter. After the first few days, the sun shown, but then the heat and humidity really hit. The smell isn´t as bad as you made it though. The only thing that has really gotten me is the heat at night and the mosquitos. It´s not as bad as it was, but they are still there. I am finding new bites everywhere, including up my arms, which are covered by TWO layers all the time!!!!!

 

I really miss you all, especially when I attended the temple today! I felt the spirit very strong there. It´s always good to be busy. We are always swamped with things to do, but this gospel is one where I could and would be happy to spend every waking hour dedicated to every aspect of it.

 

 

Just giving the CCM address if you want to use it and spread it around.

 

Carr. Tenayuca-Chalmita No. 828,

Col. Zona Escolar, Deleg. G.A. Madero,

C.P. 07230, México, D.F.; México.

 

 

 

Throughout the week, I had a whole list of things that I wanted to say and talk about, but I didn´t write them down. I will carry another notepad around from now on though. I will probably also start writing some letters to a bunch of people.

 

 

Love you!

 

Elder Glen Wright

 

Las Inglesia de

Jesucristo

de los Santos

de los Últimos Dias

 

Arrival At the MTC (CCM in Mexico)

First Day Out!  September 25th, 2013

I had no time to contact you once I landed at Mexico. But during my orientation, I am able to email people.

 

The flight to Mexico was very good. I opened up the package that the girls gave me. Read some of the letters, and left some others for later. They did allow the snacks and candy through customs, bairly. It kinda came as a surprise.... I had already justified the fact that if they had to be thrown away, the Lord was sending me a message that he really didn't want me to gain a bunch of pounds. I guess its the opposite now. :)

 

Mexico...Oo

I have realized just how blessed to be living in the United States. I was on edge the whole time (especially with our driver) until we made it to the MTC...this place is one heck of a stronghold! Once inside the MTC compound, Mexico became very beautiful.

 

I'm not noticing the bad smell all that much. It kinda flips between open garbage, taco stands, and exhaust.

 

At the moment, I have said all that is on my mind. In the next day, I know that a lot of fun things will be coming!!!

 

Love you lots!!

 

Elder Glen Wright