This week was tough, so let's start off with the bad stuff and get it out of the way, and then we talk a little about the good stuff.

Alright, so this week was a tough week for me emotionally. At the beginning of the week somehow we came up with a rule that since we were in our 5th week we wouldn't be able to speak any English. And if we did we would lose a life. We had 15 lives a day. I soon realized that it was a lot tougher than I thought. I became very frustrated very soon. At one point I wanted to express myself in English, so I started talking and one person in particular said 'Que? Like what I didn't understand that.' So I tried to say it in Spanish and they just laughed. So I'm like, 'I'm done with this stupid rule' and they said 'Que?'  So I just didn't wanna have it with anyone so I just stopped talking. Basically if you spoke English nobody was to respond to you. How stupid is that? 

So Hermana Sanchez pulled me aside once again and she asked me how I felt about it and I told her straight up.  I said, "I think this is the dumbest rule.  I can't express how I feel, and I'm getting punished for doing so." And she said, 'I agree' and then told our other teacher who made the rule that this wasn't going to be happening anymore. 

So I talked with Hermano Hernandez again (just because) in the middle of the week.  I felt I had literally no drive to do anything, mainly because of 'the rule'. So we talked for a bit and the guy knows what's up. Its crazy.

Alright--so to be honest, I'm a little frustrated that Mom and Dad got the car right as I left!  They know I've been craving that car for a couple years haha. Its all good--I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Just keep it so I can drag race it when I get home. 

Alright--so that's all the bad stuff. You know I shouldn't say bad--I should say 'challenging'. 

Let's talk about some really cool things that happened this week.

Yesterday the Hermanas asked for blessing in the morning. So of course I said yes and we went into a different room. If you've been to the CCM you know they mow lawns literally all day. So it was like 7:00 in the morning and we go to this small (what we thought would be quiet) room and to give the blessings. You won't believe what happened next. Keep in mind (no joke) the mowers are right by the windows and they are all open. Right as Hermana Thornton sat in the chair and I put my hands on her head the room and the mowers went completely silent. I didn't hear a single mower. I Kid you not. Amazing if you ask me. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways.

Here's a quote I really liked from the Tuesday devotional: "You can't help others till you help yourself"

"Each night ask for a do over and wake up the next day and do better than the day before"

"The smell of smoke and alcohol in sacrament meeting is a good smell"

Here's my question of the week: que mas hacer mejor misinario y persona?

Alright, so if you've been here, the first real day they bring all the new missionaries up to the TSM. and they have a class about how to teach an investigator the Restoration. So since I'm the new piano player for the branch I was practicing, and they heard me playing came in and asked, 'Can you be a missionary for us for the acting for the first day missionaries?'. And I said, 'Of course. So we go and I'm like, 'This is gonna be cool to show these missionaries my Spanish'. haha jk   They told me, 'Your gonna have to teach in English'.   I was like,  'Oh, that's gonna be so easy then'. I get in there with my companion and I literally was speaking more Spanish than English. I have no idea how. I invited the investigator to read the Book of Mormon and I said 'leera el libro de mormon' instead of 'Will you read the Book of Mormon'. And everyone was like, 'Uuhhhh...' And then I said it in Engliush and then he took it and said 'yes' and I said 'Gracias' hahahaha. It was so embarrassing. 

But you know that just taught me something. This week has been quite humbling. At the begging of the week I had probably the most difficult time since being here--people weren't talking to me because I made everyone mad, and I literally was like, 'Why am I even here?'  I was asking myself that question for three days--kid you not.  I was having a really hard time. But when I walked out of that lesson after not knowing how to speak my native language in English, I decided I wasn't gonna care what other people thought of me. I'm gonna keep being me and striving to better each day, but I cant change how much others like me. The mission isn't a popularity contest, Its about serving others and changing peoples' lives. I don't care if they talk about me behind my back, I have one more week left and I won't have to talk to these people ever again. I know that if I'm doing my best and striving to make Heavenly Father happy, He's going to make up the rest for me. This isn't about my friends--I left all my friends back in the US and I'm not focused on making friends. I'm focused on how I can help the people of Merida. My Spanish really isn't that bad, and I kinda have an accent (my teachers say) which is weird to think about.  I don't mind though because I love what I'm doing, and I really do love the people already. Its a weird transition. You know I didn't really talk to the Mexican people before my mission, but I wanna talk to every worker that works here at the MTC cause they're all so nice. I said 'beunas dias' at like 9 pm the other day, and the guy just carried on with the conversation. In America if you did that they would just look at you weird.. He corrected me but it was so nice how he went about it

Alright so then yesterday we taught Roberto (our investigator). We taught him about prayer because he won't pray with us. We aren't too sure if he prays. So I straight up called him out (and was trying to be nice about it) and trying to get my point across. Well I did that and I got him to open up to us and it was amazing. Usually in our lessons my companion basically talks the whole time and I leave it with my testimony every time. This time I was like, 'I'm getting to Roberto this time'. Like lessons before we couldn't get to him. This time I'm like, I'm getting to him this time'. So I did. He prayed for us and he wants to be better. He wants to be baptized and wants  his son to be baptized when he's 8.

Hey Brock--thanks for the letter. It was pretty nice to get that. Its always nice to get little notes to make my day brighter. So if you feel you wanna send me one send me one. I get it within one day. The website is dearelder.com--so ya. 

Pretty sweet that people are liking the Roadster-hoping you  guys are taking good care of it. Have you started on the bug yet? 

Well we just got done at lunch. We wanted to do some service, so we did dishes for the comedor and it was so much fun. 

Holy smoke dog, its  going by so fast. 

Oh side note--I'm getting so tan this is awesome. I've started to used the restroom and going solids again so that's good. I got a bug bite this morning. I think it might be as spider bite but the "doctor" (he ain't no doctor--maybe a costco perscription counter person for real)  said it was a mosquito bite. My finger is so swollen. Hope it goes down cause I cant bend my finger. Someone will say I'm sick with diarrhea and he'll just go get pills for every one! 

Oh my I feel so bad for Gordon Hayward. The Celtics will suck now--which kinda sucks--but its alright.  The Blazers are still healthy. 

Alright, so since I've been here I've gained 7 pounds and I feel so gross. So next week I'm going on a papaya and fruit diet in hopes of losing a couple lbs. 

Wow isn't it crazy to think that I'm almost done?  I have one more week and I'm outta here. I love it here but I wanna get out. I wanna teach real people. I wanna realize that my Spanish really isn't that good and I need to work hard. The time has flown by, and its crazy to think that in a week and a half I'll be in Merida talking to ordinary people

I love you guys and miss you all. We are only allowed an hour to email now which sucks. So be yourself, remember who you are, and love everyone around you. 

Come home at the end of the day and ask for a do ever and do better the next day. All we can do is try.

K-- love you guys and miss you. Be good. 

Peace out

Elder Hall