This week FLEW by and I feel like I am oddly comfortable teaching in Spanish now!
Wednesday- Today we woke up to do laundry at 5:45. After we did our cleaning and laundry, the other Elders and I in my apartment all crashed the couch. We have two couches that seat three people. All four of us fell asleep on them for about two hours. We woke up and went to the temple. On the way out, we met this lady that was from Bolivia. She started talking to us in Spanish. Come to find out, she only spoke Spanish and she had a question. Through broken Spanish, I told her that I could help her to the best of my ability. She told us that she had an international call card and she couldn't figure out how to use it because it was all in English. So we translated the important information on the call card into Spanish and then told her how to use it and what buttons to press on her phone. I had to explain it twice because she didn't understand my three week experience of Spanish. I am actually really happy that took Spanish in high school because just knowing how to conjugate verbs really helps. That was an amazing experience.
Thursday- Last night, we pulled all of our mattresses into the family room and had an apartment sleepover. We ended up talking for about an hour before we went to bed. Another weird thing that missionaries do to have some fun. We taught our investigator Marisol and the lesson went pretty well, although we should have applied it more to her and her life.
Friday- Today was the first time that we went to the TRC. The TRC is an opportunity that we have to teach members just a short 25 minute lesson. The people that come are all volunteers and they all speak our language that we are learning. Our first lesson was with a couple that were about 80 years old. They were very kind. He served his mission in Guatemala and she didn't speak Spanish so we would have to teach the brother and he would explain to his wife what we were teaching. We had an awesome experience with them and they were very helpful with grammar. Besides that we had a pretty calm day. I was a ball of energy at gym. All the Elders in my district think I am crazy because I have so much energy. I think they are right. Elder Baggett, my companion, got his ten points today. We are the first two to receive all ten points and we are a companionship... Not to say that we are the best or anything. Elder Baggett and I do work really well together. We split the lessons very well and we are both well experienced with Spanish. I feel very blessed. I also counted how many times I prayed today. Final result: 25 times in one day. That is pretty insane but that just ensures that I always have the Spirit with me and that I keep in touch with my Father in Heaven so he can help me.
Saturday- Today we taught a new investigator, Marco. We had a really really good lesson but his feedback was really good for us after the lesson. We were the last companionship to teach and he said we were the only ones that really included him and taught according to his needs. I also got chewed out by our building supervisor because I was laying on the table before class started, reciting the first vision in Spanish. The funny part of the story is that he was chewing me out in Spanish. He was talking so fast and I couldn't even understand him. It was actually pretty funny. He came and apologized later and told me he was having a rough day and I guess I was the lucky one that got to hear about it and get his anger out on.
Sunday- Today was pretty normal We went to Priesthood meeting, where I got to play the piano. It was pretty cool but I was super nervous. In sacrament meeting, Elder Baggett, Elder Orme, Elder Naea, and I had the opportunity of doing the musical number. Elder Baggett played the piano while the other three of us sang 'I stand all amazed.' The first verse was with the piano and then the third verse was acapella. I felt like the weak link in the group because Elder Naea and Orme are both really involved with choir but a lot of people told me that I did really well. I sang the melody, Elder Naea sang harmony to me and Elder Orme sang bass. It was awesome. Sister Cannon said over the pulpit during her talk, "we have had some good and bad musical numbers from Elders but that was absolutely stellar." After church, we went back to the apartment and took a nap, which was AMAZING.
Monday- Elder Baggett didn't feel very good today. We spent the first couple hours in the apartment after going to the nurse so Elder Baggett could sleep longer. Meanwhile, I decided to clean and rearrange some furniture in the apartment. He felt a little bit better after his nap so the rest of the day was our normal routine. We also played a prank on the Elders from our district in the other apartment. We stuck and alarm clock in their vent and set it for 3:30.
Tuesday- I usually have a day every now and then that REALLY helps me build my testimony of this gospel. Today was one of those days. One of the Elders was having trouble and he heard news that he will have to join us in Uruguay in about four months from now. We had an amazing bonding time. We started by going around and all saying something nice about this specific Elder. He returned the favor for each of us. He also asked us to give him a blessing. It was amazing to see all these men that are 18-21 years old that have only known each other for three weeks all participate in this blessing. The spirit was so strong during the blessing and every single person in the room shed tears. Some of the Elders even mentioned how they didn't cry when their parents dropped them off at the MTC but how crazy it was that they were crying so hard when we had only known each other for less than three weeks. We sang 'God be with you til we meet again' just before bed. I don't know why we sing that song because it is so sad and it always ends up making people cry.
We also had very fine success with the alarm prank. They woke up at 3:30 and had to find and unscrew the vent that had the alarm clock in it. That was pretty funny. We also had an amazing lesson with our investigator Mario!
That is about all for this week! I am missing Texas and especially warm weather right now. I really miss football too... It's hard to study for 10-12 hours a day on Saturday when you know so many good games are on and see BYU fans walking up to the stadium for the game. I know what I am doing is the right thing though and I know that it will end up being what matters most.
"Successful people are not happy, happy people are successful." I heard that quote and I loved it. I thought I would share it. All is well! Halfway done with my experience at the MTC!
Elder Mitchel Cordy
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Week Three - Halfway Done with the Mission Training Center
This week FLEW by and I feel like I am oddly comfortable teaching in Spanish now!
Wednesday- Today we woke up to do laundry at 5:45. After we did our cleaning and laundry, the other Elders and I in my apartment all crashed the couch. We have two couches that seat three people. All four of us fell asleep on them for about two hours. We woke up and went to the temple. On the way out, we met this lady that was from Bolivia. She started talking to us in Spanish. Come to find out, she only spoke Spanish and she had a question. Through broken Spanish, I told her that I could help her to the best of my ability. She told us that she had an international call card and she couldn't figure out how to use it because it was all in English. So we translated the important information on the call card into Spanish and then told her how to use it and what buttons to press on her phone. I had to explain it twice because she didn't understand my three week experience of Spanish. I am actually really happy that took Spanish in high school because just knowing how to conjugate verbs really helps. That was an amazing experience.
Thursday- Last night, we pulled all of our mattresses into the family room and had an apartment sleepover. We ended up talking for about an hour before we went to bed. Another weird thing that missionaries do to have some fun. We taught our investigator Marisol and the lesson went pretty well, although we should have applied it more to her and her life.
Friday- Today was the first time that we went to the TRC. The TRC is an opportunity that we have to teach members just a short 25 minute lesson. The people that come are all volunteers and they all speak our language that we are learning. Our first lesson was with a couple that were about 80 years old. They were very kind. He served his mission in Guatemala and she didn't speak Spanish so we would have to teach the brother and he would explain to his wife what we were teaching. We had an awesome experience with them and they were very helpful with grammar. Besides that we had a pretty calm day. I was a ball of energy at gym. All the Elders in my district think I am crazy because I have so much energy. I think they are right. Elder Baggett, my companion, got his ten points today. We are the first two to receive all ten points and we are a companionship... Not to say that we are the best or anything. Elder Baggett and I do work really well together. We split the lessons very well and we are both well experienced with Spanish. I feel very blessed. I also counted how many times I prayed today. Final result: 25 times in one day. That is pretty insane but that just ensures that I always have the Spirit with me and that I keep in touch with my Father in Heaven so he can help me.
Saturday- Today we taught a new investigator, Marco. We had a really really good lesson but his feedback was really good for us after the lesson. We were the last companionship to teach and he said we were the only ones that really included him and taught according to his needs. I also got chewed out by our building supervisor because I was laying on the table before class started, reciting the first vision in Spanish. The funny part of the story is that he was chewing me out in Spanish. He was talking so fast and I couldn't even understand him. It was actually pretty funny. He came and apologized later and told me he was having a rough day and I guess I was the lucky one that got to hear about it and get his anger out on.
Sunday- Today was pretty normal We went to Priesthood meeting, where I got to play the piano. It was pretty cool but I was super nervous. In sacrament meeting, Elder Baggett, Elder Orme, Elder Naea, and I had the opportunity of doing the musical number. Elder Baggett played the piano while the other three of us sang 'I stand all amazed.' The first verse was with the piano and then the third verse was acapella. I felt like the weak link in the group because Elder Naea and Orme are both really involved with choir but a lot of people told me that I did really well. I sang the melody, Elder Naea sang harmony to me and Elder Orme sang bass. It was awesome. Sister Cannon said over the pulpit during her talk, "we have had some good and bad musical numbers from Elders but that was absolutely stellar." After church, we went back to the apartment and took a nap, which was AMAZING.
Monday- Elder Baggett didn't feel very good today. We spent the first couple hours in the apartment after going to the nurse so Elder Baggett could sleep longer. Meanwhile, I decided to clean and rearrange some furniture in the apartment. He felt a little bit better after his nap so the rest of the day was our normal routine. We also played a prank on the Elders from our district in the other apartment. We stuck and alarm clock in their vent and set it for 3:30.
Tuesday- I usually have a day every now and then that REALLY helps me build my testimony of this gospel. Today was one of those days. One of the Elders was having trouble and he heard news that he will have to join us in Uruguay in about four months from now. We had an amazing bonding time. We started by going around and all saying something nice about this specific Elder. He returned the favor for each of us. He also asked us to give him a blessing. It was amazing to see all these men that are 18-21 years old that have only known each other for three weeks all participate in this blessing. The spirit was so strong during the blessing and every single person in the room shed tears. Some of the Elders even mentioned how they didn't cry when their parents dropped them off at the MTC but how crazy it was that they were crying so hard when we had only known each other for less than three weeks. We sang 'God be with you til we meet again' just before bed. I don't know why we sing that song because it is so sad and it always ends up making people cry.
We also had very fine success with the alarm prank. They woke up at 3:30 and had to find and unscrew the vent that had the alarm clock in it. That was pretty funny. We also had an amazing lesson with our investigator Mario!
That is about all for this week! I am missing Texas and especially warm weather right now. I really miss football too... It's hard to study for 10-12 hours a day on Saturday when you know so many good games are on and see BYU fans walking up to the stadium for the game. I know what I am doing is the right thing though and I know that it will end up being what matters most.
"Successful people are not happy, happy people are successful." I heard that quote and I loved it. I thought I would share it. All is well! Halfway done with my experience at the MTC!
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