Santiago Chile

Santiago Chile

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Subject: Gooooaaaaallllllll


hola familia!

I can't believe I have already been out for two weeks. Its crazy! Im really starting to enjoy the MTC. the more time I spend here, the more time I realize how wonderful a mission can be. this week we are finishing up meeting with our progressing investigators. their names are Carla and Pedro. they are teachers from the MTC that act like investigators from their missions. it really helps us to practing teaching in spanish. One of the most important things to understand when you are in a lesson is that even though you can't speak spanish, you can still speak by the spirit. Im so thankful for the spirit.

Last night we had an assesment where our teacher picked a couple of elders from our class to teach a lesson in front of the whole class. he picked Elder Smith and Elder Horlacher. they are both awesome missionaries, but Elder Smith believes he has a hard time speaking spanish, and because of that he doesn't consider himself a good missionary (he tells us that frequently). they started the lesson, they got to know the person, and then there was a moment of silence. after that pause elder Smith opened his mouth and asked "what would you think if I told you families could be together forever". I have seldom felt the spirit that strong,  and because of that question, elder Smith and elder Horlacher were able to teach a man about how he could be with his family forever, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ could strengthen his family. 

I know Im only in the MTC and that the people we are teaching here are just teachers pretending to be investigators, but the Lord knows that we need the practice, and he is merciful enough to give us the spirit to help us teach our lessons. Miracles happen here in the MTC. I know it.

Ok let me tell you more about what has been happening here. recently there has been an increase in the amount of chilean bread provided to us at meals. it is now placed on the tables fresh and warm out of the oven. as a result our will power to resist the main source of weight gain for the members of the chile MTC has taken a major hit. I haven't gained any weight yet, and I will try to stay strong. I like talking about the food here at the MTC because lets face it. the free time that we do have is with meals. for breakfast there is lots of warm bread and there is cereal with yogurt. chileans don't really believe in cold milk either. its almost always hot. for lunch and dinner its a lot of potatoes, pasta, fish, and pig. Im not sure how to say pork or ham in spanish so when the lunch ladies ask us what we want we usually just say "oink oink". also, all the desserts here are the same. they are always some type of jello of pudding.

Today we said goodbye to the latino elders that arrived with us. the latinos only stay for two weeks. last night we took some pictures with them and said goodbye. there was also a great devotional that was given sunday night by the mission president of Sanitago south. I understood about 75% so I was pretty proud of myself. Elder Swan, Elder Stephens y yo said goodbye to our roommates Elder Torres and Elder Ore. they are both very funny and we will miss them a lot. 

because the latinos are leaving, we have been playing something called gringo ball. every morning we play soccer, but now that the latinos are gone, the gringos actually have a chance to hold onto the ball. we ran over to a nearby park and played on a court there, and I actually scored a goal! scoring a goal in soccer has been one of the goals in my planner for the past week and a half, so it was nice to check that one off the list.

sorry that the Pday schedule is a little crazy, but my Pdays should either be on tuesdays or Wednesdays here at the MTC. today we are planning on going to a new mall in santiago where it is rumored that a McDonalds is located there. my companions are craving big macs so we decided we should go. 

Im so thankful to be here at the MTC. Im thankful that I get to be a missionary, a representative of Jesus Christ. I didn't really understand what that meant when I left, but I am beginning to understand that my role here is to act like Christ, to love the people of Chile like Christ, to teach and lead the way Christ taught and led. All I want is to practice and learn as much as I can here, so that when I enter the field, I will be able to share with the people of Chile the way to have joy in this life, that same way being our path back to our Heavenly Father,
 
love, 

Elder Williams




Picture 1: Left to right. Elder Williams, Elder Stephens, Elder Swan
Picture 3: left to right. elder torres and elder ore
last Picture: us saying goodbye to elder torres and elder ore

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