You need to stop having so much fun when I'm not there! If I didn't have such a sweet week I would be so T.O.'d. Everything you described to me sounds so cool. I can't believe Lindsay orchestrated this amazing LDS cadet choir composition and I had no idea that it was even going to happen?! Lindsay come thou font is my favorite song right now. I bump to come thou fount in my 2011 Chevy Malibu all around the streets of Eagle Pass. I sincerely hope that there is a recording of it.
As I fester in envy ... a giant thank you to Mom, I got so many packages this week. I'm a whole new person. My running shoes had lost all traction since soccer season senior year, going through off season training, and then track, and then the summer runs and 1-4 miles every day on the mission. Everything you sent me was perfect, and much needed. I'm really excited to start using the voice recorder so I can listen to Spanish recordings of the Book of Mormon and then compare my own voice and ideally sound like less of a guerro (it's a moderately derogatory term for a white person that everyone calls the missionaries) as I make adjustments.This week was also awesome because we found 14 new investigators! And then 3 more last night! And hopefully a new family every day! "A" works in Walmart and after sitting down with her once she came to church and we've since had a lesson and are planning on another tomorrow. She has LDS family in Utah and said she would like to know how to find out which church is true... That is sweet chorus bells (which I hear Lindsay knows a little about) to my ears. We also started teaching "Darrel's" mom "Patty" and they both came to church yesterday. His brother and father still won't talk to us. The last lesson we had was pretty different, we invited a newly married, fresh off the mission, couple to come with us and as we taught "Darrell" in English, our friend just translated everything into Spanish to the mom. He's a native speaker so I felt no shame in letting him take over.
I speak ... well enough. I can understand without any serious problems, and I can respond to them at a lessened speed with a white guy accent. I'd still say not fluent ... I'll give it another 18 months. I study all the time, but I'd say the biggest challenge in learning is how often I'm around people that are speaking in English. Elder Warren and I are pretty good at only talking to each other in Spanish, but the zone leaders we live with are 2 transfers out from their plane home so they're not really pushing the Spanish learning any more (that's called "trunky"). I study the scriptures in Spanish, I study while I eat breakfast and before I go to sleep, I carry a dictionary and a little notebook for new words and phrases that I learn throughout the day and trying to use the language with Elder Warren as much as possible. Still, we do talk to a lot of people in English. That's one of the challenges of serving state-side I suppose.
We're teaching an older couple, "John" and "Linda". He's had cataracts in both eyes that have severely impeded his ability to see. He was basically blind. She reads the Book of Mormon to him. They let us come by last week and take a weed whacker to the forest that has grown in their front yard and acted as a filter for the wind that carried the neighborhood's trash. Their yard looked right spiffy after we finished with it and then we gave "John" a blessing as he prepared to go into eye surgery. They had saved up enough money to get one eye fixed and the results are ... he can see! I love little miracles like that.
I was impressed while I was reading the scriptures this week by Mosiah 4 and 5 and the things that we must do to fully take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. First of all by the covenant of baptism so his name can be written on our hearts and we may be identified as a son or daughter of Christ by the spirit of adoption. Then by keeping in check our thoughts, actions and desires we prevent that name from being erased and thus will prepare ourselves to be called and identified by the name of Christ and not by any other name when he comes to claim his people.
As I've pushed myself to work harder and more diligently... I have in turn become more tired, although I have seen how my prayers have been answered and how I've been supported to keep up with the demands of the Lords service. As I strive to do more, I rely on and recognize the Lord's hand more acutely in my life. This allowed me to see with clearer eyes the message in Mosiah 4, that all we have, our bodies, minds, energy, material things are given to us from the Lord, and done so accordingly for the fulfillment his purposes.
Thank you so much for the prayers on my behalf. I can feel them, and know the great blesings I've seen are not a result of only my meager pleads. I sincerely hope that I can stay in your thoughts, along with the people that are all around me, and the ones that are all around you.
Salvation is a personal thing, but exaltation is a family affair. I love you my family. I can't do anything without you and your support in this world or the next. If there's anything that I can do for you while I'm here be sure to make it known.
I love you very much!
I hope you're are salty as the Lord knows you can be!
Stop having fun when I'm not there!!!
Elder Tyler Meidell
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