FAMILY. Hey.
Whew, there goes week 2. It definitely was a really tough week for me. That was probably the hardest week yet. Last week, even though I didnt understand anyone, it was kinda okay because it was my first week. But we do a program called the First 12 Weeks, and I was obligated to have to talk a lot more this week, and it was really hard and stressful. Im starting to understand people better, but I still cant really understand what people are saying to me and replying back is even harder! haha. The language is for sure a killer. When you get your call and you get called to a foreign language speaking mission, you never really think about how hard and discouraging learning the language is, you just think that when you´ll get to your mission, youl already know the language. Its definitely not the case, its super hard, but im working the hardest I can, using all my time wisely to study spanish, and I know that im on the right track to one day becoming effictive at the lanuage. For now its hard, but im learning a lot everday, and ill get there soon!
I forgot to tell you guys in my email last week. I AM THE TALLEST PERSON HERE!!!!!! WOOOO!!! Its weird! But awesome! Ive only met one other guy that was taller than me. Besides all the other american missionaries here.
So this week, we found a new investigator, Enrique, and committed him to baptism for the 27th of September. He is super excited and really into learning and living the gospel, so we are really excited for him. We also have another promising investigator, Walter, who we really think is going to progress a lot this week, we hope.
In response to some questions, I want to tell you more about what its like here. So we dont knock doors, we clap doors. We stand outside the gate of the persons house, and we clap loud like 10 times, and the people always hear. The walls on the houses aren´t very thick, because there mostly just sheets of metal, and most houses dont have windows, so people always hear. And for the first couple of weeks, that is all we have been doing all day every day. Walking around our area clapping houses. Its super exhausting, and for me its really difficult because I dont feel like I contribute at all in the conversations we have because I cant understand yet what people are saying really. I feel like im going to love tracking though once I can start speaking the language comfortably.
The food here is basically the same, at least the food we eat! I have cold cereal every morning, and we usually go to a members house everyday, and the food us noodles or meat or something yummy, and then for dinner when we return back to our apartment at 9 pm, our next door neighbors usually make us something really nice. So we are so very thankful for our awesome neighbors, they are super good cooks. The only thing thats hard for me is that we eat a ton of fish, and fish makes me want to gag, but I usually manage to get it down.
My companion, Elder Nava, is still great. Its just hard for both of us because I really want to learn the language, so I ask him questions all day long, and I think he gets inpatient with me asking questions all the time, which is understandable.
In the MTC, I met another Elder Miles going to the Resistencia mission, Craig Miles, and sure enough, we both are in the same district. Haha. So all the people during church on sundays are like,´Wait, there´s two Elder Miles´s?! Him and I are super good friends, I think we´ll definitely hang out after the mission. Hes from like north utah. But hes great, every sunday and district meeting, him and I get together for a minute and talk to each other in english about how hard everything is for both of us right now and how much at times we hate it. haha. Its one of my favorite times of the week.
Sunday is definitely the day of the week where everything turns around for me. During the week, each day gets harder and harder, until sunday, I get super spiritual and physical recharged. I love sacrament meeting. I dont understand all thats being said, but during sacrament meeting I feel the Spirit so strongly and I konw that everything is going to be okay and I just need to be patient. Its definitely what gets me through the week.
All our laundry is done by hand, it takes a long time but I actually dont mind it, Im able to get all the stains in the collars of my shirts out better than if I were to wash it in a machine. The dishes are all washed by hand too.
Momma, pops, I know you guys have looked at Resistencia on google maps, but you guys looked at where the mission home is located, which is in the heart of downtown Resistencia. I am the field, farmland, in a city on the outskirts of Resistencia called Barranquerras. Its a lot less nice. haha.
Well, thats basically my week. It was super tough, the language is super discouraging and difficult, but im taking it one day at a time. I know im on the right path to one day speaking the language comfortable. Im relying on the Spirit most of all though to communicate the message, because he is the one that brings the message to the people´s hearts, we are just the ones that say the words. Im definitely seeing much the power of prayer and the Spirit here, I pray so super hard everyday for the Lord to help me with the language, and ive seen a lot of progress. Prayer for me now is a lot more than what it was before, I have a deep relationship with my heavenly father, I know that he really is our father for everybody. I hope you guys are all doing well, have a good week!
Love, Elder Miles
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