November 2, 2010
Dear Mom, Dad and Friends,
The Mission Field is bumpin Amazing!!!!
I have loved every minute of the past 2 day’s haha. Well I have so much to say and I can probably say it now because we have more than 30 minutes to email unlike at the MTC. So I will start out with what happened my final week of the MTC and what I did.
Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke at a devotional and it blew my mind! It was so great listening to an apostle of the Lord and feeling of the Spirit that he brought to the room. It was amazing as he shared spiritual experiences he has had throughout his life with us. Everyone received a paper that he was giving out that had about 30 different quotes or advice on how to live your life and stuff, it was great! He extended many blessings to us that I know will bless me while I'm out in the field. He ended his talk and said, “I know Jesus Christ’s lives and then after a pause he said “I Know Jesus Christ." Then he walked away from the pulpit after he said those things. That was so amazing to hear, there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ lives and I am reminded of it every day I am out here. Richard G. Scott is a G!
After that talk my District and I had a long district meeting about how awesome it was. Anyway, the MTC was a good time and around Saturday I started to pack up. I had my last day of Gym time were I balled on the Courts. My Spanish has improved so much and I know the only reason it has is because I have received so much help from my Heavenly Father. I taught my class a lesson about humility and it went really well. I said goodbye to all my teachers and got pictures with them. I’m going to miss them a lot since they taught me so much during these 9 weeks.
Sunday was my last day at the MTC and it was amazing. My district sang Placentero Nos Trabajar in Sacrament meeting and it sounded really good. After Sacrament meeting I got a bunch of pictures with my friends that I am going to miss that are going to different missions. It was kind of sad but a good thing at the same time as we know we are all moving on to bigger and better things than the MTC. That night I sang with my district for a final time and said goodbye to the Hermanas and it was sad. I’m going to miss them. Then some of my boys came to my class and took pictures with me and it was good to feel loved. Then I went to the room were my friend Elder Boyack opened up his bottle of Sparkling Cider and we toasted to the Good times in the MTC. Then all my friends came and said goodbye to me and I got a video of them. My camera is so full of pictures and videos; I think I already have over 500 pictures! Anyway ill send the card home soon since I just bought another memory card!
I mentioned on our phone call Monday that I didn’t have enough room in my bags for all of my stuff, so I had to ask Elder Sainsbury and Elder Olsen, “The Scroungers”, and they lived up to their name by giving me a nice carry on suit case to pack the rest of my things. Anyway, my companions in the MTC were so great! Elder Riches and Elder Larson really helped me to learn and grow. Elder Riches is so awesome, check out what he did for me. While all my friends were coming up and saying goodbye to me, Elder Riches packed the rest of my stuff into my luggage and weighed it for me! When I was done getting pictures and saying goodbye to everyone I came back to find that all of my stuff was packed and ready to go! Elder Riches really had my back and I’m going to miss that G! After all that, Elder Smith, Sainsbury, Boyack and Olsen all gave me ties! They were all sweet ties and I’m wearing one right now from Elder Boyack.
I woke up in the morning and got ready for the flight to Portland. On the flight I was sitting next to another missionary that was trying to talk to this girl from Portland. This girl was totally just arguing and you could tell that she didn’t want to listen. Well the other missionary just kept talking and it was pretty lame. When I run into anyone that just wants to argue I will try to remember this situation and just share my testimony and leave.
The Field is truly white and already to harvest! After I met my new companion and trainer, Elder Hansen, who is a true G, we went to go eat at a local member’s house. We are serving in Keizer, Oregon and it is amazing. It’s really crazy because this place is basically just like Mexico. Everyone around here is Hispanic and I won’t have any trouble speaking Spanish all the time! My companions Spanish is amazing and he is helping me to improve tons. After dinner, we went and taught Filomeno y Ema and the lesson was so powerful! I bore my testimony and shared some messages with them. We challenged Ema to be baptized and she accepted! We are having the baptism in 2 weeks. Filomeno has a problem with the word of wisdom and smoking but we will help him with it so he can be baptized too. I have been so humbled since I have gotten here. After that we went and taught a guy named Enrique, the lesson went really well and we will return and see him again this week. It’s only been a day but it has been amazing! I can’t wait to see how the next two years turns out!
Well, I have to go to a dinner appointment but I’ll talk to you next week!
I love you and keep it real!
PEACE OUT!
Nathan
