How Time Flies . . .

Monday, December 13, 2010

Hola!

Wow, comin up on 4 weeks here.... how times flies!

This week I have realized how blessed I have been here at the MTC with my teachers, branch presidency, and learning program. Like I've said before, I'm one of the first districts in the new Pilot Program where we teach, teach, and teach some more (en espanol, claro que si), and learn Spanish at a faster pace. It's awesome. I have easily the coolest teacher in the enitre MTC, Hermana Whitlock. She reminds me a lot of my amiga Alyssa back at home. She is great and I am learning so much from her in both Spanish, and the gospel. Hermano Hepworth is my other teacher, and he is a nice guy as well and I've learned a lot from him. And I can't say enough about my Branch President, Pres. Watkins. I look up to him in every way. He is my president, advisor, and friend. Man, I have been blessed beyond measure.

Elder Zwick of the Seventy spoke on Tues. at the fireside...Incredible speaker. He talked about his mission in Arg. and Bolivia and it made me really excited to get to S. America.

Spanish is coming along great, taught at TRC in 100% Spanish, and my companion is doing his best as well. Its cool because as missionaries we are supposed to give the investigators "milk" instead of "steak" when we first teach, and since we don't know much more than "milk" in spanish, its working out perfectly!

We lost Elder Barth (from Brighton) and his district to Mexico, another GREAT Hasta Ver. We also received a new district into the zone, going to Columbia this week. They are kinda shy and don't talk much, but that's how we were at first too. I was hoping we'd get a new district this Wednesday, so that Shaun could possibly be in our zone. However, I was informed that we will not be receiving a new district...too bad but I'll see my buddy around definitely!

Funny Story this week, teaching at the TRC (Teaching Resource Center), another companionship in my district was teaching, and was trying to have his investigator read Ephesians 4:3-5 (which is the One God, One Faith scripture), but instead, asked him to read Ephesians 5:3-5... Please find your Bible and read those scriptures... Up there with the best missionary mistakes ever! After asking him to read it he asked "Que piensa?" (what do you think) and the investigator basically told him that he thought he was a horrible person ha ha. It was great.

Our room is all Christmas decorated with snowflakes, and a tree we made out of hangers. If you want to send me a Christmas gift, I'd love some old fashioned, skinnier ties from the DI, really cheap ones that are smaller. They are way cooler that these fancy ties I brought here haha but you definitely don't need to send anything.

Thanks for the letters and everything I can't say enough about how much I appreciate hearing from everyone from home. If you send me an email, please remember to put your address so I can write you back. Keep the letters coming I love it.

Hno. Hepworth told us that that his mission president in Peru told him that if he would read in El Libro de Mormon for 10 minutes a day (en espanol, por supuesto) that he would have the gift of tongues. Pretty great promise. So, he has asked us to do the same. I've noticed that since I've been spending least 10 minutes a day in spanish in The Book of Mormon, I've been able to speak better spanish and remember/say what needs to be said in my lessons.

Estoy muy agradecido por la oportunidad a servir un mission por Dios, y la habilidad estar aqui en el CCM. Yo se que Dios nos ama y nos ayunda con nuestros pecados, problemas, y todas las cosas nosotros necisitamos. Yo testifico que Jesus es el Cristo, y tambien que El sufrio en Gethsemani, y murio por todos. Yo estoy animado a ir a Paraguay, y servir nuestro Dios. Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios, y El restauro la verdad a la tierra, y Presidente Thomas S. Monson es un profeta viviente. El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios, y es otro testomonio de Jesucristo, para hoy y ahora.

Yo amo mi familia, mis amigos, mi district/zona, y mi companero. Yo tengo un testimonio que esta Iglesia es verdadera, y que yo puedo traer muchas personas a saber la verdad, y yo puedo ayudar las personas en Paraguay saber como volver y vivir con Dios y familias eterno.
Gracias por todo, Yo amo todos ustedes!

- Elder Babcock