Vina Del Mar, Chile

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

My first week, and welcome to it!

Buenas Dias!

This week has  been an incredible week!
I got here from the airport at about 5 or 6 o'clock on Wednesday and got placed into a zone, district, and companionship. I am in Zone 11, Branch B, and my companion is Elder Willardson (I'll get to him later). Then began the whole week. Everyday we wake up and have studies in language, gospel topics, and other events. Every day we have to prepare for "out night time" event which is when we teach an investigator in spanish! After that we return to our casa (house) where four of us share a room. Then the next day it begins all over again. It is incredible how much we get done, but our 16 hour days are pretty long.

Our investigator (a pretend one who will become our teacher soon) is Ana. We have taught her three lessons that were a half hour each completely in spanish. The first one was so nerve wracking that I'm sure Ana could smell our fear! But after that the lessons slowly became easier and easier. She has committed to be baptized and is working on keeping the commandments in order to do so. As I said, the lessons became easier to teach, and I know that it is because the gift of tongues is real and is so powerful. When I used to listen to spanish I would translate it all in  my head for it to make sense, which would cause me to miss the next phrase or sentence that was said. But now when I listen I don't translate it in my head and it just makes sense, it is incredible. I still have a long way to go, but the gift of tongues has truly blessed me while I am here.

My companion is Elder Willardson and he is awesome. He is from southern Texas and we are pretty identical. On more than one occasion we have said the same things and have told each other that we are basically the same person. He plays soccer too which makes picking the gym time activity every day much easier than it could be. He is really good and we dominate the court every time. We play on a caged basketball court that has soccer goals built in under the hoops (Gotta love Mexico). There are usually 3 or 4 teams who play  5 on 5 and it is golden goal (First goal wins) and King of the court so the winners get to stay on. The other day we stayed on for 8 games in a row! I've played against some of the best soccer players I ever have and I have played the best I ever have while here. My indoor shoes also work really well on the court because it is cement and not grass.

The food here is different in so many ways. It is actually pretty good and I enjoy almost all of it (except the fish). The serving sizes are alot smaller so the first couple days I thought I was going to starve, but after the first couple days your stomach shrinks and your body fills up so much easier. The food is good, but sometimes your stomach doesn't agree with your taste buds. The first week is known as the time when you start to become mexican, inside and out, but until it is over sometime you feel sick after eating. My goal was to not gain 5 pounds, but I'm pretty sure that I have already lost some weight just because you eat much less and feel full from it. I am eating all my fruits, vegitables, and dairy, just for you mom ;)

The Spanish learning is going well. I speak spanish in class and lots of the time with my companion. But luckily it isn't 24/7 Spanish. Even with only part of the day being Spanish I feel like I am really progressing quickly.

Just to answer a couple questions I have received really fast
Favorite moment:
My favorite moment was when we were playing soccer and my companion had 3 defenders on him so he kicked it up over there heads and I did a 360 degree turn and volleyed (kick the ball out of the air) into the goal and scored. It was easily the coolest thing I have ever done and people still talk about it.

Favorite food:
My favorite food has been the enchiladas, they are nothing like American enchiladas and taste super delicious.

Am I having fun:
Yes, I am having so much fun! Even though we study so much we still have time to make each other (everyone in the district) die laughing. I can honestly say I don't think I have laughed this much in my whole life and it is wonderful.

I think that is pretty much my first week, 
Until next week
Love,
Elder Nielson

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