I have made it one month! 23 mas! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. This week had quite a few interesting things happen.
Spanish
Language is a slow process as always, but I definitely see a difference from the first week to this week. I am by no means good yet, but I do feel a tad bit more confident. HOWEVER. This week we started learning subjunctive form. The actual rules for using these tenses are not super difficult, but the problem is it doesn't exist in English (for reals spanish?)...so there is no way to really translate it. It's used for commands, uncertainty, unknown concepts, etc. I hope I can get it down eventually, but with God all things are possible! I am constantly reminded that Spanish is nothing compared to some others. Mad respect to those learning harder languages.
President Mills, the director of international MTCs, came and spoke to us on Sunday. He did a fantastic job! It was way fun to see pictures of all the MTCs all over the world. He told us that the CCM here in Mexico is the largest one in the world in terms of land. Not that the others are bad, but I am super grateful to be here after seeing all the others!
Even cooler though, was during his talk he had a slide show up with all the pictures of missionaries at various MTCs around the world. Then randomly a picture of my companion and I showed up! We were teaching an investigator outside under one of the giant palm trees. Apparently he snapped a picture of us and put it into his slide show. We were kind of famous around here for like a day. I wonder how many missionaries will see us now... Haha! But his message was really cool. He talked about that even though we only see a little bit of the work, it is continuing onward throughout the world.We are all on the Lord's team. One MTC is even training missionaries that are being sent to Pakistan. Hear that?? PAKISTAN. I get chills thinking about how the work is even entering into Middle Eastern countries. I AM SO PUMPED.
He also did segment on the before and after photos of investigators and missionaries. I loved seeing the difference in their face.
We also watched Meet The Mormons for video night on Sunday. STRENGTH. It had a little different twist as a missionary. The gospel is for every person on this earth. Especially the story about the convert mother at the end. Her life and countless others were changed for eternity because 2 sisters were able to teach her the gospel.
On a slightly different note...
There has however...
been an incident...
THE OUTBREAK
They need to rename the CCM acronym to mean "Caminando Con Muerte" Walking With Death...because it is a zombie field here.
With the new wave a missionaries that came in, somebody was carrying a very strange virus...Let me tell you IT HAS RIPPED THIS PLACE APART!
At first it was just a few missionaries here and there getting sick, but yesterday it went full throttle. They say the numbers have entered triple digits of infected missionaries. Currently 1 out of every 4 people has it, and they expect it may grow. The doctors called it an epidemic and have run out of a lot of medical supplies! D: Most are on house arrest, but some are kept at the infirmary with IVs for fluids and others have been hospitalized. A girl in my district had a fever of 104+ yesterday. And a 25% of my casa is down and out. Symptoms include fevers, headaches, pains, shivers, and the famous double dragon (both ends spit fire if you catch my drift). Needless to say it is nasty stuff! We have quarantined some rooms for sleeping and as of now my companion and I have been able to avoid it somehow, so I am very grateful for that.
Some pretty funny jokes have come from this as well..Every now and again there are always huge bangs from outside the walls (usually construction or fireworks exploding). Every time this happens somebody would whistle the hunger games tune and we´d say something like "District 8C. Elder Porter." like the movies.(':
Really though there is no need to worry. The medical staff is fantastic and there have been many prayers. We will be just fine.
One really cool thing has come from this though. The girl in my district with the crazy high fever, my companion and I were able to give her a priesthood blessing. It was my first time ever doing an anointing so I was a little nervous, but the spirit was so powerful there on the concrete porch. The priesthood is such a huge blessing from God and I am so happy God can use me to help other people.
Until Next Week!
Mucho Amor,
Elder Regis
Spanish
Language is a slow process as always, but I definitely see a difference from the first week to this week. I am by no means good yet, but I do feel a tad bit more confident. HOWEVER. This week we started learning subjunctive form. The actual rules for using these tenses are not super difficult, but the problem is it doesn't exist in English (for reals spanish?)...so there is no way to really translate it. It's used for commands, uncertainty, unknown concepts, etc. I hope I can get it down eventually, but with God all things are possible! I am constantly reminded that Spanish is nothing compared to some others. Mad respect to those learning harder languages.
President Mills, the director of international MTCs, came and spoke to us on Sunday. He did a fantastic job! It was way fun to see pictures of all the MTCs all over the world. He told us that the CCM here in Mexico is the largest one in the world in terms of land. Not that the others are bad, but I am super grateful to be here after seeing all the others!
Even cooler though, was during his talk he had a slide show up with all the pictures of missionaries at various MTCs around the world. Then randomly a picture of my companion and I showed up! We were teaching an investigator outside under one of the giant palm trees. Apparently he snapped a picture of us and put it into his slide show. We were kind of famous around here for like a day. I wonder how many missionaries will see us now... Haha! But his message was really cool. He talked about that even though we only see a little bit of the work, it is continuing onward throughout the world.We are all on the Lord's team. One MTC is even training missionaries that are being sent to Pakistan. Hear that?? PAKISTAN. I get chills thinking about how the work is even entering into Middle Eastern countries. I AM SO PUMPED.
He also did segment on the before and after photos of investigators and missionaries. I loved seeing the difference in their face.
We also watched Meet The Mormons for video night on Sunday. STRENGTH. It had a little different twist as a missionary. The gospel is for every person on this earth. Especially the story about the convert mother at the end. Her life and countless others were changed for eternity because 2 sisters were able to teach her the gospel.
On a slightly different note...
There has however...
been an incident...
THE OUTBREAK
They need to rename the CCM acronym to mean "Caminando Con Muerte" Walking With Death...because it is a zombie field here.
With the new wave a missionaries that came in, somebody was carrying a very strange virus...Let me tell you IT HAS RIPPED THIS PLACE APART!
At first it was just a few missionaries here and there getting sick, but yesterday it went full throttle. They say the numbers have entered triple digits of infected missionaries. Currently 1 out of every 4 people has it, and they expect it may grow. The doctors called it an epidemic and have run out of a lot of medical supplies! D: Most are on house arrest, but some are kept at the infirmary with IVs for fluids and others have been hospitalized. A girl in my district had a fever of 104+ yesterday. And a 25% of my casa is down and out. Symptoms include fevers, headaches, pains, shivers, and the famous double dragon (both ends spit fire if you catch my drift). Needless to say it is nasty stuff! We have quarantined some rooms for sleeping and as of now my companion and I have been able to avoid it somehow, so I am very grateful for that.
Some pretty funny jokes have come from this as well..Every now and again there are always huge bangs from outside the walls (usually construction or fireworks exploding). Every time this happens somebody would whistle the hunger games tune and we´d say something like "District 8C. Elder Porter." like the movies.(':
Really though there is no need to worry. The medical staff is fantastic and there have been many prayers. We will be just fine.
One really cool thing has come from this though. The girl in my district with the crazy high fever, my companion and I were able to give her a priesthood blessing. It was my first time ever doing an anointing so I was a little nervous, but the spirit was so powerful there on the concrete porch. The priesthood is such a huge blessing from God and I am so happy God can use me to help other people.
Until Next Week!
Mucho Amor,
Elder Regis