Week # 7 @ el CCM

 

HOLA mi FAMILIA!!   Mom, I DIDN'T FORGET YOUR BIRTHDAY!!! FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!!!   Como estan? I have been out in the field long enough for 1 transfer! 6 weeks. this also means I have made it through 1 planner! and I just started a new moleskin journal. There is also a completely new cirriculum here at the MTC that is cool. They changed the TRC all around, we now teach people as they are instead of them as role actors. It seems more real. It's harder to teach because we have no idea what we are going to teach the people who sign up- we just show up, get to know them, and teach whatever the spirit prompts us to teach, whatever they need to come closer to Christ. We have to prepare to teach everything. Its alot of fun and I actually like it alot better. Also, we have a new identity ourselves and other people in my district teach us like we are the investigator 3-4 times a week. Its a great new system brand new this week.   I am back to a 2-some companionship, I love it! I have been in a 3-some ever since Elder Thomson left the first week. Teaching is going a lot better with just 2.  I feel I can teach better when it's not crowded with 3 people and it easier to stay unified with your companion that way, So I am stoked. An elder in an older district had surgery on his leg so he moved into our room and is Elder Oborn's companion, and my companion is my first again, Elder Shipley.   Story of the Week; We stayed up until about 2am on Sunday night because the oldest district was leaving at 6 the next morning, so we just chatted......(I'm pretty much obedient in every other way.. :)  ....anyways, a security guard came and knocked on our door at like 1, we thought he was gonna be mad, but he just came in, understood our situation, and sat down with us and told us some of his craziest mission stories for like a half hour. He served in Ukraine and he is 33, is married and has a few kids. It was awesome! He was such a G.   Story of the Day: Wow!  It has been a busy P-day, I'm sorry I am writing later than usual. I just got back from the temple and gotta go eat really quick before class at 6.  P-days are getting more and more  busy. We got 2 new districts in our zone this week, and a new elder that lives a few doors down from me was my roommate on Heritage Tours last summer!! haha it was so random, and its cool!   We had an amazing DEVO on Tuesday about faith. I think the biggest thing I am going to miss about the MTC are the devos/firesides- they are the bomb. They should broadcast them so people in the field can watch them. Anyways, faith is not an event, it is a process. Exercising  faith is a process, and then LEARNING by faith is the result. There are 2 preconditions of faith, hear the word (know the promises/covenants) and having a soft heart. Once you have those, then begins the 3 step process. 1. you have the hope and desire for something. 2. your hope and desire must lead to action- faith without works is dead (James 2:17 I think?), and step 3) you now have the witness that faith will work, aka proof, confirmation, evidence, testimony. You can,t however act of the witness, you can only act on the hope and desire. YA GOTTA WANNA!!! haha   Alright, now I thought a few more things, -Mom I still need my shaver charger, its the same as dad's so get one like his and send it -shaver for cutting my hair, make sure there is a 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch clip, only ones really important -Ryan Erickson's address- dad I know you have his phone number, call him and get it, and send it! -also mom, can you go to Walmart and get me a jump rope? not an expensive one, but just make sure its light weight.   Thanks for the Vosens, the Flag and the Mexico Map!!!! You all rock!   Mom, I completely forgot about the missionary newsletter post, I will have to write it to write it to you tomorrow, I'm not prepared!       So i gotta go... and got about 10 minutes to eat before class! love you all, you da BEST!!   -Elder Connolly