November 11, 2013

Mama,

 

Pues la obra misíonal es bien. Nuestros investagadore Miriam tiene un fecha a ser bautizado por 7 de Deciembre. Entonces tenemos muchas cosas a hacer antes eso fecha de bautismo. Lo siento cuando estoy escribiendo mi español es mayor y cuando estoy hablando a investagadores miembros o personas in la calle... es horrible. Élder Fausett dice, estoy apriendo muy rappido pero no se sobre eso...

 

Ok I speak Spanish all freaking day so here´s some good old English for everyone. First off to answer your questions Segovia is a ways North of Villalba but I haven't seen a map for a good long while so I'm not entirely sure. We took three buses to get there and it took around 2 and a half hours if not more. Then the next morning we took a train all the way back and that was a little over an hour but it was by train so ten times cooler and more convienent. And Miriam is absolutely fantastic. She is the nicest lady you have ever met. We were finally able to get her to come to church and when we taught her the Saturday before she brought all of the missionaries food entonces she's now our best friend and she wants to feed us again this Saturday. She's not sure about being dunked right now but we know that by the time December rolls around she will be more than ready! The lessons are going well and she really likes all of the missionaries and a member family who attend lessons with us. Speaking of my ward I definitely have one of the better if not the best ward in Spain. We have a solid congregation of around 140 people every Sunday including members and non members. The members here are mainly South American and our investagators tambien. I feel like I'm in little Europe in South America... Anyways our ward is really great we're getting fed 8 times this week which is more than most areas get in a transfer so I'm EXTREMELY grateful for that. They are also pretty new members so they are all active in missionary work and as long as we call a day or two we can get members to almost all of our lessons. Ok and as for Jason my main advice is to read Chapter 13 in Preach My Gospel, watch the District about working with the Ward Mission Leader, and to just be himself and work hard because the ward will see that and so will the missionaries. My guess for Jen is a BOY there's no way we can go 0-7 so I'm feeling pretty confident about this one! Oh and to everyone who hasn't read Kylan's talk it's really good and I think we can all learn something from it! Myles Collins (Reggie's little bro.) is in the Phillipine's and Will Pham just left to Vietnam.

 

This week has been very routine. We get up at 7, work out (not as much as I want), shower, eat/get ready, then from 8:30 to 9:30 we have personal study. Then from9:30 to 10:30 we have comp. study where we usually go over (in spanish) what our lessons are for the day. Then I have half an hour of Estudio Idioma, an hour of extra greenie study, then we're out in the street contacting. We contact until 2 then we either head to a members for Medio Día or go back to the piso. We don't go out until 4 because nothing opens and nobody is out until around 5ish. I love the people here but they are freaking lazy. Eleven o'clock church is early for them and they come home for three hours to eat and sleep! However I love them and am doing my best! We come back to our piso around 9:30 unless we have a lesson or a dinner appointment then it's 10. Then we plan for the morrow, work out if we didn't in the morning, translate Jesus the Christ a little if we have time then go to sweet bed. Get up and repeat. We have a few weekly activities at the church that all of the missionaries attend. Every Wednesday and Saturday night from 7-8 we have Clases de Ingles where either Elder Good (greenie #2) or I teach a few people basic English and the more advanced go to Hermana Schoen. That class has made me very grateful that English is my first language because learning English would be miserable. Every Thursday from 8-9:30ish we have Noche de Hogar which is family night for the ward and who ever else comes. So usually an investagator or two and then like three ward families.

 

Well as for the important stuff we've found another two families this week to teach and we're super stoked for them. I may have already told you about Aida but she's an older lady from the Dominican Republic and really poor. She has a son named Jose and they are both really open to the church and what we teach them. I hope we can at least help them because they're super nice and she needs a better job and so we're trying to make them happy by being good company and sharing with her the best thing we have, the gospel. Miriam's progressing and I've already given my brief on her.

 

This Wednesday we had the opportunity of going to the temple which was fantastic. I'm learning that it takes the church about three to four months to translate all of their VIDEOS and other things like that. Haha it was fun because all of the other missionaries were seeing it for the first time and I mainly watched them and their reactions throughout our session. Afterwards we had Zone Meeting and practiced for a massive Christmas concert we're doing on Dec. 16. yayy... :( Yes I saw Elder Dunn and gave him the biggest crash hug I've ever given! He's in Barrio 2 and that area with one of my buddies from the CCM with me.

 

I love you all and THE CHURCH IS TRUE. (crap I'm sounding like every other missionary two months out...) Keep doing what you're doing family and I'm excited to hear from you in 7 short days!

 

Mucho amor,

Élder Hawks el Español

 

P.s. Don´t be shy with letters or packages. Anything and everything is appreciated... :)