?Hola mi familia, como estan?! Soy muy bien!
How is everyone? Anything happening at home? I can't imagine anything happening. With me gone and all... haha just kidding. Anyway, everything I said about my companion last email, erase all of that from your minds. He and I could not be more different people cut from a more different patterned cloth. It has been such a struggle. We are just complete opposites in everything besides us both liking sports, and both of us being missionaries. This week has been the biggest roller coaster of my life. I feel so bipolar. I feel like I am on top of the world, then I am on bottom being crushed by it. This is the best experience of my life so far. It feels so unreal that I am actually a missionary. I have sung and thought about it all of my life, but now it is finally here. What a wonderful thing.
The food is okay. Depends on the day... Some days I want to throw up, other days I can't eat enough. That has only happened three meals though. No bueno. Anyway, I think that I am losing weight. And if any of you want to know the best way to stay fit but not do much, do 50 pushups every morning and night. It does wonders. I don't think I will recognize myself after my mission just because I look in the mirror and my face has changed. I actually look different than before I was a missionary. Isn't that the craziest thing you have ever heard in your life?? It came from me.
The language is so hard. I have learned so much, believe me, but I think that the Lord called me to a Spanish mission to tell me how I am nothing and can't do a thing without him. I don't know how I would ever learn a language without him. Honestly, if I didn't have to learn a language, I would be out in the field right now. I would be out there, ready to teach, but the language fills that barrier which makes it impossible for me to go out now. But we have already taught 3 lessons. And on the third lesson, I asked Sister Olsen (our investigator) to be baptized. Twice. Ya, dos tiempos. Si mi familia. I love teaching but it is so hard without the language in my brain. But I pretty much prepare all of the lessons while my companion talks to the other Elders, but the other Elders have already prepared theirs. There is so much pressure on me. It frustrates me so much. Honestly, I thought that I was going to chasten my companion on everything about him on Tuesday morning. But Tuesday night we went to a devotional and Elder Bednar talked. And it softened my heart. I have decided to serve my companion in every way that I can, and love him with the same love the Savior has for me. I'm sure I bug him as much as my companion bugs me, So I have decided to show him the same love that Christ shows me. How patient he is with me. My mistakes, my vices. Everything, yet he makes them better. He still forgives me. This has helped me so much even though I wanted to already have a transfer.
We played soccer one of the days for GYM and it was our district (a bunch of white Americans) against a bunch of Mexicans (a bunch of Mexicanos). Can you imagine how this went down? Yes, I scored two goals and Elder Sumpter, the other elder that is going to Panama, scored the other two, even though he isn't that athletic. Anyway he is good:) he's kinda a goofy kid. But I scored the game winning goal. IT was so sick. We started to chant USA. I think that that was too far, but the Mexicans chanted Mexico first, so I guess it wasn't bad. But we shouldn't have kept score anyway. But it is hard when it is so awesome. Elder Seargant is the other elder going to Panama. I love that kid, how I wish he was my companion. He is so amazing.
There was a devotional on Sunday given by Elder Scott and honestly, I never thought something was more meant for me. It helped me so much.. I love devotionals because they help me in my momento of need. I need your prayers. Every single one. With the language, and.... other things haha. but honestly, This is amazing and I would never compromise my mission or a few weeks just because of a companion that I don't get along with. My responsibility is to share what I know, so I will.
One of the elders, I won't say who haha, brought a deck of face cards. You can imagine the panic that went through my whole body when he said that everyone should play SPOONS sometime. They all did. Except me. And another elder that came into my room after a while. I am so glad I have someone who will obey the rules with me. It feels so good when you are united in purpose with at least someone. I hate it when elders just want to spend all of their time in the house. I mean, COME ON ELDER. If you are like this in the MTC you will be like it in the field. SO flip. But I guess the only thing to do is love them. I just want exact obedience to always be my motto. With every single companion.
I love this time in my life even though it is the hardest time I have ever had. I was able to share my testimony with my district. I love sharing my testimony. I challenge anybody who reads this to bear your testimony OFTEN. Next fast Sunday. This Sunday. As much as you can. Share what you know to be true! IT is a form of missionary work. So DO IT. You have power. Your power is what you know. Share your power with other people who need strength. I know that this chruch is true without a doubt in my mind. I love it. I know GOD loves us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. Without a doubt in my mind. It is divine. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and he restored this gospel. Even the gospel of Jesu Cristo. He loves us so much that he sent his only begotten Son, and prepared a way for us to return to our heavenly home. This church is true, spread your testimony, oh what can I say more?
I know you will not like how a lot of this is typed up Mom, just because of all of the chaos in wording and capitalizing. But I can't help it, I haven't typed in so long.
I don't feel homesick at all. Not to say that I don't miss home. But I feel like this is exactly where I NEED to be. I only get a little homesick when I look at the pictures of our family, but never a lot :) It feels so good to put on this nametag. I feel so unworthy to be a representative of Jesus Christ. It is hard to take in. But it is okay.
Please ask whatever you want to know, and don't worry about me. I can use all of your prayers though. Thank you so much, I love you all:)
Elder Bitter
And there are a few other things I want to say.
And there are a few other things I want to say.
The rain down here is amazing. It rains about every day at about 5 o'clock or so.. sometimes later. But it rained so much yesterday that the streets looked like rivers, literally. haha It was so awesome. I can't wait to go to Panama. And I am the first one up and in the shower every day. I always have to wake my companion up at about 6:45 to 6:50. He doesn't shower in the mornings so he just puts his clothes on and we go to breakfast.
And I just wanted to say that some elders came out here to have a good time. I don't know why you would come out here to be yourself. That's what one of the elders dads told him. He said just always be yourself, and you will have fun.. The WORST advice to ever give someone coming on a mission. We come on a mission not to have fun, the fun comes with it. But we come out here to serve the Lord, and to be a representative of Jesus Christ. I didn't come out here to play card games, or only obey when I have to or when others see me. I am here to serve the Lord, become like Jesus Christ, and obey exactly.
I love you all and can't wait to write you next week about everything. Remember to ask questions at the beginning of your emails and to ask what you want to know. It is beautiful here. But the work is more beautiful. Love you all.
And I just wanted to say that some elders came out here to have a good time. I don't know why you would come out here to be yourself. That's what one of the elders dads told him. He said just always be yourself, and you will have fun.. The WORST advice to ever give someone coming on a mission. We come on a mission not to have fun, the fun comes with it. But we come out here to serve the Lord, and to be a representative of Jesus Christ. I didn't come out here to play card games, or only obey when I have to or when others see me. I am here to serve the Lord, become like Jesus Christ, and obey exactly.
I love you all and can't wait to write you next week about everything. Remember to ask questions at the beginning of your emails and to ask what you want to know. It is beautiful here. But the work is more beautiful. Love you all.
Elder Bitter
Tell everyone that I am sorry that I can't write them all and many details, but next week will be so much better. This week I kind of just wrote them all into one.
Tell everyone that I am sorry that I can't write them all and many details, but next week will be so much better. This week I kind of just wrote them all into one.
But I have been studying the Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ. I love these two books. I started in 1 Nephi again and I am in chapter 10. Let's just say I wish I was like Nephi. Nephi and Lehi had to have such great faith in those first chapters. Their testimonies were born and unshaken. I love them. I love this MTC too. I am so focused on the work and what I need to do that I don't know what else to say... Other than be exactly obedient and see miracles in your life. Be just obedient, and you'll see a couple blessings, but be EXACT and you will be golden. Literally.
I wish that I could sing in English. It is so hard to sing Praise to the Man, or Called to Serve in a language that I don't understand. I hope that everything is okay... This is my P-day and I will usually be on from 10-3. I know that that is a big buffer, but I just don't know because we haven't had a full P-day yet. The Mexico City Temple is amazing. Mexico City is crazy. Crazier than New York City if you can believe it. Let's just say we almost died 3 times today.
Well, I am glad I placed my FIRST BOOK OF MORMON before I came to the MTC. That would be cool if she was converted and I didn't know it and after this life I saw her and because of my Book of Mormon that I gave her she became converted. Anyway, I think too much.
Tell me all of your questions about everything. I need your prayers. I love you all. Elder Bitter has a burning and unshaken testimony of this work and of this church and the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and... well, you get the picture. Oh ya! and I will either send you pictures today or next week. Ya? Remember, if you want to know anything, ask me questions. And I loved reading every one of your emails, Charise, Alisha and Brian, Cam's, Mom and Dad's, and everyone else's. See you all in two years and I will write you in a week :)
Elder Bitter
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