August 25, 2011

Hola!!!

 This week has been one of the coolest weeks here at the CCM so far so strap yourselves in!!! Monday the awesomeness began with my purchase of a pocket protector. You know, the little plastic sleeve you stick in your shirt pocket so pens won't leak and stain your shirt? The cool part is I didn't even buy it as a joke but because I actually have a legitimate concern for my shirts. So Monday was the day of the pocket protector and I have vowed to never look back to the dark days when I did not have a true knowledge of the awesomeness that therein lie. Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet with the Argentine Consulate. He is this Argentinean guy from Buenos Aires who comes and meets with each of us individually as a part of the visa process. Argentinean law requires individual meetings with the consulate in order to obtain a visa. So I got a little interview in Spanish and he signed away on my visa and I think that means I'm pretty much in, but I guess I'll have to wait and see. It was super cool just being able to meet face to face with a real live Porteño!! He was really cool and I learned a lot from him! This week we got a new Branch President or Ecclesiastical leader. He is a great man and really teaches us a lot about how to really feast on the word of God. Not just read or study, but to feast. He is an incredible man. Thursday was quite possibly the best soccer game I've ever played in my life. I got drilled in the face with the ball four separate times, jammed three of my toes and got my hand stepped on. Needless to say, I don't think I’ll be playing goalie anymore. It turns out that being goalie is not as fun as some people make it sound.

I've had a really hard week with my study though. I have been struggling with being able to find in my studies answers to my investigator Gloria's questions. She posed the question to Elder Martino and I, "Why do bad things happen to good people." It really got me thinking. I believe with all my heart, in fact I know, that our Father in Heaven is a loving and Compassionate God. And as such it seems contrary that we should have so much pain and hurt in our lives. In my studies I came across 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7.

 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

This scripture for me was the answer. We are partakers in tribulation with Christ. We have to grow through hard times and bad times in order to love more as he does. Christ suffered all and therefore has a perfect love for us. As we suffer we are able to develop empathy for those that are in similar situations. We are able to reach out with a more Christlike understanding love, a more perfect love, and bring others to the Messiah as we love as he does. We suffer so that we may become more like our Savior-more loving, more understanding, and more full of hope.

This week I got a postcard from my pseudo older sister but really she is my older sister Masa Kat Ferrin who is on a mission in Latvia right now. It was so awesome to hear from her. It was just another confirmation that I am where I need to be, and that the harder I work and the more effort I put in, the greater missionary I will become. She is an incredible example to me and I hope to become as effective a missionary as she is.

Some chistos from this week:

 My companion Elder Martino is from Texas (which means that he is always wrong but always thinks he is right and will fight anything to the death).  It is so awesome! I love Texans! So easy to ruffle their feathers! So we were sitting in our room before bed and he was reading a letter from his Dad. He looked up and said "If it stays above 100 degrees for the rest of this week in my home town, it will set the WORLD record for the hottest it has ever been in TEXAS!" Apparently if it beats a record in Texas, it beats it in the entire rest of the world too! I never knew that! :) Funny how the world revolves around Texas! (Insert sarcasm here).

 Another funny is that everyone in my district is getting sick, including myself, and as I was studying some flash cards this week, I was standing facing the wall and leaned forward resting my head on the wall. After about two minutes I fell asleep standing up, with my face smashed into the wall! You know you are working hard when.... :)

My Spanish is coming along great and I am loving it here! I am growing more and more confident in my speaking every day!! The gospel is so true in Spanish!!! Favorite Spanish word for the week: misericordiosamente. It means mercifully. So awesome! Who knew a word could be so long!!

Pues, I love you all and I hope you are doing well. The gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing! I encourage you all to study it and share what you study! The sharing will bless your life more than you can imagine!!!! I Know that this is true!!!

 The Church is true, the book is blue, see you in two!

 Adios!

Élder Anderson