7-9-09 Email-Subject: Spanish & Fireworks

Well well well
Lets think.. is there anything new that has happened... Um k here we go. So this whole past week has been preparatory for teaching Lesson 1 in Spanish in the TRC (the place we teach every week). That was on Tuesday and it went really well. All my conjugations for the past tenses, present, future, conditional, progressives, and stuff all seemed to be right to me, and I didn't have to pause to think about them. My companion is still struggling hard when he speaks. For that TRC visit though we had to also do our 'task' so that we don't only know gospel Spanish. Our task this week was to talk about foods as if we were eating at a restaurant with an investigator. It went really well for me. Communication seems to be alright as long as the person Im talking to isnt talking a million miles an hour. So yeah, that was nice to get over with. That was on the 7th.
Now backtracking in time to the 4th.. They (the MTC presidency I presume) palnned a 'play' of sorts about Lesson 1 for our entertainment on the 4th. I think they told us it was going to be a play so that we wouldnt stay in our rooms and sleep instead.. It was terrible. It was a combo of Lesson 1, reformation, and American/European history. And it wasn't a play at all. They videotaped 'actors' pretending to be Saul/Paul, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. But the horrible thing is that these actors were in awful costumes and wigs in front of a green screen, AND they tried to make it look like they were looking at the camera and talking to us, but it was obvious that they were reading from line cards off to the side. So instead of making them look like they were tlaking to us, it seemed like they hired blind actors who had googly eyes and couldn't look straight. About every 20 minutes (after each 'actor' finished their monotone dialogue)there would be a roar of laughter from all the 2000 or however many missionaries in the gym becuase of how ridiculous the costumes and wigs were on the next actor. Every time it seemed to get worse. What killed me even more than that is that they started this whole [public] play thing out with a video of oceans, volcanoes, mountains, rivers, plants, fish, and animals.. with a deep harmonic voice reading the story of the creation from Moses in the background. Sound familiar? It was a really uncomfortable 3 hours. At least I got to laugh I guess. And sorry for making you read all that, I just couldn't keep something like that in, wish ya coulda been there to share it.
They made up for their horrid play by letting us watch fireworks that night from Stadium of Fire. Very cool. They started at like 10:20 and our bedtime is 10:30. We got to stay out til like 11:10! I think I got to sleep like at 11:30. It felt like rebellion even though it was allowed.. Oh yeah! Our district is all about obedience though. It really makes a difference too. Makes you really wish all missionaries at the MTC could grow up and get rid of their 'too cool' attitudes and obey. There are a lot of those here it seems. Goof offs with little respect. What can ya do..
What else. Im not district leader anymore! Woot. My four weeks was up so we switched. Such a relief. Um. The two older district both have their flight plans. Crazy crazy. Can't wait to get mine haha.> My life here is pretty boring. Sorry ya'll. I'm making the most of it though. I already told yas but we go to the Referral Center to take live chats and phone calls and yesterday a woman named Linda came onto a chat taht I accepted. She is incredible. She is not a very happy person and hates her job, but is Christian and just needed some help. So I gave her my whole schpeal about how this Gospel and the Book of Mormon can help families, bring peace, through Christ we can get help in any time of trial, etc.. But she was totally receptive. It's awesome and bittersweet to see how God humbles people to make them come to him. I shared Ether 12:27-28 with her and she said she "really needed that". I also taught her to pray and told her that it was literally communication between her and Heavenly Father and that she should let Him know of all the things in the life that she is grateful for and that she loves. I told her to talk to him, to let Him know that she is having a tough time with confidence, with her job, etc. and tell Him that she wants and needs his help. I told her that he really wants her to pray to him every day - every time she feels grateful or feels she needs help with anything. She seemed super grateful.
She was really awesome. I need to email her to get a return appoinment and chat again. She'll be ready for baptism soon :P. There is such great joy in sharing the gospel though.. knowing that I am giving someone something that I know without any doubt will bring them lasting happiness and hope. Love it.
I chilled with Elder Casey Hartle a bit yesterday during my language study hour. We talked a bit in Spanish and I gave him a short testimony. It's awesome seeing so many bro's around this place.
I dont think I have much else to say.
I'll give ya'lls a sample of my personal testimony en Español.
Estoy agradecido por mí Salvador, Jesucristo, y muy agradedico por la oportunidad tengo a servir una misión. Se qué el Libro de Mormón es verdadero y es la palabras de Dios. Lo amo. Amo leerlo y orar sobre las cosas que aprendo. Se qué José Smith fue un profeta y que él restauró el Evangelio y Iglesia que Jesucrito establicó en su vida en la tierra. Se qué el sacerdocio, la autoridad y poder de Dios, está en la tierro hoy. Se qué poseo esta autoridad. Se, sin dudas, qué Jesucristo sufrió en el jardín de Getsemané, y en la cruz por la salvación de la mundo. Etsoy agradecido por Él en mí vida. No se qué donde estaría sin mí Salvador. Amo el Espíritu Santo. Tan mucho ayuda ha venido mediante el Espíritu aquí en la CCM (MTC). Amo mí familia. Madre y Padre, y hermanos, primos, tiós, tias, abuelos y abuelas. Gracas por su tiempo en mí vida. No se si este testimonio fue en grammatica perfecta, pero Yo se qué todos los cosas aquí es verdad. Comparto estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, nuestras Salvador, Amen.
Love you all. This gospel is true.
-Harrison
Fam- sorry, that was a long letter. um but i love you. thanks for everything. write me some dear elders, i think i only got two this week, one from tay and one from mom? correct? and i didnt get any from my friends! gosh. hopefully its jut the USPS sucking like usual, instead of my friends being dumb.
well i love ya'll so much I miss you all.