Taught word of wisdom in the streets

June 8, 2015

So, let's think. First of all, sorry for not writing much for last week. I was a little frustrated with some things in Internet, and I was trying to convert a dumb video so that I could watch it in my room on the DVD player. It didn't work.  So, let's recap on a few points that I failed to mention.

Last week:

Monday - That evening, Elder Hernandez had a freaking migraine. We didn't do much. He was freaking dying. That night, I was starting to get one, too when I went to sleep.

Tuesday. First off, worst night of my mission so far. There was no blanket and no pillow. I woke up at 2. WITH THE CRAZIEST MIGRAINE THAT I HAD EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! I woke up, and could not for the life of me find a painless position. I got up and went into the bathroom, which was flooded because of a dumb leak in their toilet (the tank not the bowl don't worry). I went in there and freaking cried (silently). Seriously the worst headache of my life. Ugh. I finally was able to go back to sleep at like 4:30. I woke up again at 6:30, and asked to sleep some more. I got up at 10! UGH. I was a little mad at myself, and the dumb headache was still there. I asked for meds, and it went away eventually. After that, it was a good day, with some lessons, some news, and it was a good time.

Wednesday- Uh yeah nothing.

Thursday- Weekly planning, and more nothing.

Friday- Divisions I talked about that last week.

Saturday- No pasa nada

Sunday- Otra vez, no pasa nada.

That was last week. So, the only thing that happened was that dumb migrane.

This week.

Lunes: Boring. We had family night with Fam Narva. It was great. we talked about prayer.  The are super awesome. But the day in general was meh. MUY meh. Like, it sucked. I got so frustrated in Internet. UGH.  SO FRUSTRATED. I was soo frustrated, that it was difficult to re-focus until later that evening, partway into the family night. But I was better by the night, because Fam Narva is awesome.

Martes:  Zone leaders this week were super.... uh.... confusing. We got a text (?) from them saying that we needed to be at the stake for receipts of the pension, laundry, and rent that we payed the day before. So, we get there at 10:30 like they said in the text (?), and there was absolutely nobody. We called the district leader (Elder Verdugo) and he said there was nothing. So, we wasted a morning. :P  After that it was kinda boring. Ward council, and yeah.

Miércoles: District meeting.  Normal. Elder Rivera (ZL) sat in. It was a'ight.  Then it was a no pasa nada day.

Thursday: We had a capacitación with Presidente (The new missionaries from the group of February) My last training with my group. I saw Elder Watkins and Elder Cluff from the CCM. It was chill, but it lasted until 6pm. Literally all day. Oh, and Zone leaders told me it was in the zone Los Olivos (about 45 min away from my area) at 9am. We arrive at 8:30 on time exactly, and there was nobody. I called them, they said, yeah, los olivos.  But I called the assistants, and guess what. IT'S IN LAS PALMERAS. OH MY GOODNESS, ZONE LEADERS, GET IT TOGETHER. So, we went to las palmeras, 40 min away. We arrived late, and we were last. I sit down. Now, stands up Elder Larson, the gringo assistant (this is his last transfer.) He walks to me and says, "You are giving your testimony next."  In every training, a few people go up to bear testimony. And I walk in JUST in time to give mine.  So I go up, and first, I explain why I was late (in Spanish, obviously) and I turned to presidente who was sitting behind me at the pulpit, and said "Lo siento" Haha. Everybody laughed. (*clears throat almost pridefully*)  I gave my testimony in understandable Spanish, and sat down. We had Pizza Hut for lunch. It isn't very good here...  After the training, we did a tour of the church, and we got some futures that actually live in our area. that's a first. and then, nothing.  Oh, President gave us a new goal. To get every convert to the temple for baptisms for the dead within the first month, if not the first week. he was super serious about it. And now I have new ganas para bautizar. 

Friday: Guess what.  ZONE CONFERENCE! So now we have to move planning until Saturday.  It was good, and one of my zone leaders is going home this transfer. Elder Avery lives in Utah. His last zone conference. yeah. It ran late, like 2:30. So, we had very little time again. We did a way of contacting (with the book of mormon) and got very little success. But it was alright. Haha. But then, in the night, we had Familia Narva. Haha. We were going to teach the word of wisdom. They are ready. He drinks. Haha. We didn't practice, because of the dumb zone conference. So, Elder Mendoza made a joke. "Vamos a practicar con las personas en la calle."  "Haha, es chistoso." "Qué es?" "Usted es." "Oh, no es una broma..." "Cómo?" (google translation: We will practice with people on the street. " " Haha , it's funny . " " What is ? " " You are . " " Oh , it's not a joke ... " " How ? ")

Then, he goes, and he stops a person in the street, and STARTS TEACHING HIM THE WORD OF WISDOM. Holy crap. So, we taught it really fast, and I was like "Ya hicimos. Qué freaking fue eso?" "Necesita hablar más."

(" We already did . What freaking was that? " " You need to talk more . )

Then he contacts another guy in the street, and we taught again the word of wisdom. wow.  But, we were able to teach it really well to the family.  And they are awesome. Making jokes to each other the whole time, but in a way that showd their awesomeness. They all committed to live it. Haha when we mentioned fruits and vegetables, they all turned to Antonela, the 10-year-old girl and were all "You gotta eat them see? It's a commandment." And we were all "seriously, if you want to be strong like Elder Mendoza, you gotta do it." haha it was fun.

Saturday: We Planned. Fun stuff. Successful and effective though. And then a really boring day trying to find news.  No success.

Sunday: So, the family has 3 attendances each now, except for the oldest son, who has 1. They need 3 to be baptized. And the 21st is the temple dedication, so Bill (the son) can't be baptized in June. He is 19 years old (I almost wrote he has 19 years, stupid Spánish :P) so, if the family is ok with it, he can be baptized later than the family. This isn't ideal, but the dedication is super kool, and they can go if they are baptized this week. Zone leaders are ok with it, even encouraging it, only because of the dedication.  So, we will see. And then, other than that, a boring day. We got no news. A terrible week in that sense. But, looking back, this week was super spiritual. I was relying on God a lot this week.  I was stressed about some things this week (don't ask me what, please. I am better, and I don't want to think about it...), and I was relying heavily on fast and prayer. The lessons we had were really good, and I felt the Spirit this week a lot. I learned how to share thoughts and feelings in Spanish, and am improving rapidly in my language, although, I am starting to forget words and phrases every now and then, and I speak Spanglish with the Gringos, on accident. I try to speak English, but it doesn't work. Elder Huish told me once that there was a point that he felt like he couldn't speak English or Spanish very well, like if he could take his knowledge of one, and turn it into the knowledge of the other, he would know just that language perfectly. Or in other words, where he lacked in English, he made up for in Spanish, not good at either one enough to really have conversations in one language by itself.  I am at that point.  But I am improving a lot.  People talk to me a lot asking how I got "so good so fast". It's like, What the flip are you talking about? But I am complemented a lot. Someone in my zone said today that when I came, and progressed so fast in the language, he felt like "What a boss, just shows that our missionaries our kool." Something to that effect.

So today was boring.  Zone P-Day. Soccer. I got bored and sat out after like 10 min. I talked to Elder Hernandez about music in English. He is learning, and I want to help him. He is really good at it. Almost as good as I am with Spanish. Good, but still struggles.

Sin embargo, esta semana fue mucho mejor que la semana pasada. He sentido el espíritu muy fuerte, y mi testimonio ha crecido bastante.  Gracias por sus oraciones. Siento el poder de ellas. Testifico de los dones del Espíritu. Son reales. Si no tenía el Espíritu, so tendría ninguna habilidad en mi nuevo idioma. Estoy aquí para servir. A todos. Primeramente, Dios, luego, la gente del Perú, luego, mi futura familia, luego, mi familia ahora, y luego, mis amigos. Quiero ser un ejemplo. quiero seguir un ejemplo, y quiero ayudar a otros a venir a este ejemplo, nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo. Mi hermano mayor. Su hermano mayor, quien nos quiere mucho.  Oren por mi, por favor, que yo pueda tener la caridad, y habilidad de mejorar. Yo voy a hacer todo posible para ser mejor. Mi papá me dijo una vez (voy a traducir a Español) "Tú puedes hacer cualquier cosa en que fijes tu mente." Mi mente es fijado, y yo puedo hacerlo.

 

Translation: (However , this week was much better than last week. I felt a very strong spirit , 

and my testimony has grown considerably . Thank you for your prayers. I feel the 

power of them. I testify of the gifts of the Spirit. They are real. If you do not

 have the Spirit , I so would have no skill in my new language. I'm here to serve.

 To everyone. First God, then , the people of Peru , then , my future family , 

then my family now and then, my friends. I want to be an example. I want to follow

 an example , and I want to help others come to this example , our Savior , 

Jesus Christ. My older brother. His older brother , who loves us very much . 

Pray for me, please , that I may have charity, and ability to improve . I will do

 everything possible to endure more. My dad once told me ( I will translate to 

Spanish ) "You can do anything you fix your mind. " My mind is fixed , and I can

 do it.)

I don't know for sure if the family will be baptized this week. But, I will send pictures if they do. I forgot my camera again, discúlpeme. I will send pictures next week.

I love you guys. All of you. Thank you for being kool people.

Cuídense Muchísimo, enserio.

El Élder Riley Jacob Olsen