Thank you for that awesome letter, there were some things in there that I really needed to hear, and I´m grateful for your encouragement and support. I love you guys so much! I would love to say that I really missed you this week, but I´m afraid I haven´t had any time for that! Kidding of course, I miss you guys a lot, but we have been so busy this week.
I am absolutely loving life here in the CCM. I was hesitant the first day upon arrival in Mexico, but I feel absolutely at home. First I must apologize for saying anything negative about the city. I realize as a representative of Jesus Christ, I need to do my best to be uplifting in all my words and actions. I was nervous when I got here, but after a week my perspective has completely changed. The city (especially the CCM) is absolutely beautiful! It´s crazy busy outside these walls, but the city has a unique personality all of it´s own that I love. I expected a more deserty mountainous region, but it feels more like the garden of eden. The plants, trees, and birds are all so beautiful and amazing. I´m very impressed with how well the people manage the foilage and use it to beautify here. Not just in the CCM, but all over the city. Hopefully I can send you some pictures, it´s amazing here!
Every day here has been super busy and packed full of classes and meetings. I am absolutely loving speaking spanish with the maestras, and learning a little bit more every day. I don´t think I´ve ever felt so frustrated or so happy all in the same day, and it´s like that every day. The spirit is so strong here, and everyone is so uplifting and encouraging. We work so hard everyday, that each day feels like a week. Now after my first week is over, I look back and feel like I just got here yesterday. I have improved so much in so many areas personally, and I thank the Lord for his help and guidance.
It has been good for me to have a companion. His name is Elder Chamberlain, and we get along great. We have very similar personalities, and it´s been fun. It has, however, been an experience of growth for me. I get frusturated and upset a lot, and back at home I would just deal with my feelings by playing the piano for hours or doing something to distract myself. It´s very hard for me to talk about how I really feel. There have been times in the last week that I just wanted to be alone for a few hours and hide, but that is not an option. It is pushing me far out of my comfort zone, but I know that is the only way to progress and grow. Sometimes it can be hard, but there is a reason the Lord organizes the mission this way, and it´s a very good one. I have felt him helping me and encouraging me all week, and I´m so grateful for him.
My district is comprised of all Elders, but I think we just might have the best district in all of the CCM. All of the elders are very obedient and humble, and we all get along great as friends. Nobody has had a negative attitude towards one another, and all of our testimonies have worked like leaven to help boost and buffer eachother. Spanish has been very humbling for all of us, but I think we need that humility in our time here because if we didn´t have it; none of this would even feel like work. It´s so much fun!
We started teaching an investigator as companionships, sólo Español, the third day we got here. That was extremely hard and humbling to say the least. None of us speak Spanish very well, and the investigator didn´t speak english. It was also our first time preparing and teaching a gospel centered lesson, so all of us were nervous as could be. We survived it somehow, and are still teaching him this week. Our second lesson on saturday was really hard too, but yesterday´s was different. I decided not to prepare a real set doctrinal lesson, and just tried to listen to what Hermano León needed. I didn´t use notes or any Spanish help, and we had a really special visit. I learned about his life and tied my lesson into what questions and worries he was facing in his life. It wasn´t the best Spanish ever, but for the first time I was able to put meaning into the words I was saying. It was so neat, and I could feel the spirit helping my to understand his Spanish and remember what I had been studying.
Today we got the amazing opportunity to visit the Temple visitor center! I will not be able to visit the temple while I´m here, but I´m glad I got to go today. I met Hermano y Hermana Zapato and they told me that Brandon asked them to watch out for me just before he left. They totally found me, and I think they sent a pic of us all to the kanabjensons email. They weren´t even supposed to work today, they were just filling in for another couple that was gone, so it´s a total miracle that they found me on my temple day! Brandon definitely made his mark in the memories of those people!
I love you guys so much, and hope to hear from you next week again! In the meantime I will be absolutely loving life in Mexico City! Oh, by the way, I looked up Chilango in the spanish dictionary and it literally means "someone from Mexico City". The Chilangos here that teach us are awesome! They all have amazing spirits and personalities. Anyway, I´m in good hands down here and I know the Lord is watching out for you all up there. Thanks for your love and support!
Con Amor,
Elder Jenson
No comments:
Post a Comment