Friday, October 14, 2011

If I were serving time...menos de tres semanas mas!

Hola!

Looking back on this week I guess I have to say that it has been pretty good! 

On Saturday, we found out something very interesting about our progressive investigator Ernesto.  We were teaching him the last commandment before he could be given the green light for baptism the following Monday, which was Obeying the Law of the Land.  At that point Ernesto confessed to us that he was an illegal immigrant...not really knowing what to do, I just tried to make it sound like he could still be baptized, even though I didn't think he could, and told him that he would have a meeting with the mission president an hour or two before his baptismt the following Monday.  We weren't able to talk to anyone who knew the answer to if an illegal immigrant from Mexico could be baptized so we just waited to see if he got baptized.  It turns out that the church's stand on that is that they can get baptized.  I never knew that.  But I am going to count that as my first baptism--even though it wasn't 100% real. 

For this weeks Tuesday Night Devotional we had the awesome opportunity to hear from the General Relief Society President Julie B. Beck.  She is a really cool person who brought a spirit with her when she spoke.  Her topic was the importance of families and temples.  She also talked a bit about her childhood and how she lived in Brazil for a time because her Dad was a mission president.  She talked a bit about the church and missionary work in Brazil and it was cool (<--- I need to get some better descriptive words in my vocab don't I?) to hear that.  She also talked about how we relate some of the things we teach to what most people care about the most, Families.  The Creation makes it possible for God's family to be on Earth.  The Fall makes it possible for the multiplication of families.  The Atonement makes it possible so that families can be sealed and have the opportunity to be like God.  She also taught that the 3 most important lessons I can learn on my mission work around one word: Love.
1) Love your Companion
2) Love the People
3) Love your President
It may be hard for us to love some people that just do not seem loveable.  Our Heavenly Father doesn't have that same feeling about his children.

Another big thing that happened this week was a random mandatory move from residence halls.  So for about 4 hours yesterday morning, we spent moving furniture and our own stuff into a new building.  I went from being nice and comfortable in a room with just my companion and I to a room filled with 6 beds and 5 other elders.  Que malo!  But at least the showers are pretty nice in the new building.  The showers in the old building were mucho cold! 

I also found out this week that my departure date has been moved up a few days so now it is on 11/3...which believe it or not is now less than tres semanas!  Santa Vaca!  Times sure flies here in the CCM when you look back.

I am starting to see myself progress in Espanol tambien.  This week I have been able to read almost fluently from the Libro de Mormon.  Only rarely do I have to go and look up a word that I don't quite understand.  It is really cool to read the book in a language other that English also because sometimes it is worded differently and can produce new insights and look at things from a different perspective.

I think that is just about all that I have time for today.  My time is almost up.  The Weekly Spiritual Message is a bit out of order today.  You can just look at the Tuesday Night Devo parrafo for this week.

The Frase of the Week is: "Que'es arriba?"  Simple, but straight to the point and English contraction style.  What's up?

Adios por Ahora!

Con Amor,

Elder Larisch