Familia,
I am going crazy! I am so ready to go out and work. It has been a very long week. The doctor has given the okay for my companion to go back to work this Wednesday but even then to play it smart. It's been really nice having study time... I love the Book of Mormon, New Testament, and Jesus the Christ. I seem to have grown spiritually in this last week but now I just want to go out and work. Something that has been kind of tough for me is serving my companion. I have always served him and I really do love serving but something that has been hard is that he wasn't really showing gratitude. I was serving him for a long time every single day and didn't ever hear a "Gracias". I know its super tough for him, but it's been hard just because I'm the only one there for him to take his anger out on. He is far away from home, new to the misionary life, and just had surgery. Obviously he might be a little emotionally unbalanced... and I have been the one there to have him take it out on. It's been tough... but I have kept my temper and just keep serving. It reminds me of before the mission when I would just get super angry at something and then I would be rude to everyone else around me. It's dumb. I don't know why I didn't realize that it makes the other people feel terrible. Things have been getting a lot better and Elder Francisco says thanks and really has told me he has appreciated what I am doing... but honestly that isn't what I should look for when serving. That is never, ever, ever what we should look for while serving other people. It should be because we love them and we shouldn't expect anything back. President Camarillo explained that to me very directly in this last letter he wrote me. A lot of the time we get all caught up with trying to measure the good deeds with other people... it's a trap. Don't do it.... it will just end up hurting you and the person you should be serving. That is something that I am learning on the mission... service without expecting anything back. Just think about what Christ did... He served everyone all of the time. He suffered everything for us. Even though He knew that the Jews were going to torture and kill Him... He served them all the way to His death... He suffered for all of their sins knowing that they were going to kill Him the next day... that is service!
General Conference was good. I got to see all of the sessions and I absolutely love General Conference. I enjoyed the Priesthood Session a whole bunch this session. For one thing, I got to hear it in English and the rest of the sessions were in Spanish. Although I understand Spanish, It makes conference so much better when you can actually hear the actual voice of the prophets rather than the monotone of the translator's voice.
This we had a couple visit the ward from the U.S. named Hermano and Hermana Brant. They live in Chicago but came down to visit family here in Guadalajara. Even though they don't even live here they have been helping out with the work. They gave us a reference and Hermano Brant is going to go with us tonight to teach the reference about the Gospel. They are a great example to us that we should always look for opportunities to share the gospel. They also gave me that tie :D
I am going crazy! I am so ready to go out and work. It has been a very long week. The doctor has given the okay for my companion to go back to work this Wednesday but even then to play it smart. It's been really nice having study time... I love the Book of Mormon, New Testament, and Jesus the Christ. I seem to have grown spiritually in this last week but now I just want to go out and work. Something that has been kind of tough for me is serving my companion. I have always served him and I really do love serving but something that has been hard is that he wasn't really showing gratitude. I was serving him for a long time every single day and didn't ever hear a "Gracias". I know its super tough for him, but it's been hard just because I'm the only one there for him to take his anger out on. He is far away from home, new to the misionary life, and just had surgery. Obviously he might be a little emotionally unbalanced... and I have been the one there to have him take it out on. It's been tough... but I have kept my temper and just keep serving. It reminds me of before the mission when I would just get super angry at something and then I would be rude to everyone else around me. It's dumb. I don't know why I didn't realize that it makes the other people feel terrible. Things have been getting a lot better and Elder Francisco says thanks and really has told me he has appreciated what I am doing... but honestly that isn't what I should look for when serving. That is never, ever, ever what we should look for while serving other people. It should be because we love them and we shouldn't expect anything back. President Camarillo explained that to me very directly in this last letter he wrote me. A lot of the time we get all caught up with trying to measure the good deeds with other people... it's a trap. Don't do it.... it will just end up hurting you and the person you should be serving. That is something that I am learning on the mission... service without expecting anything back. Just think about what Christ did... He served everyone all of the time. He suffered everything for us. Even though He knew that the Jews were going to torture and kill Him... He served them all the way to His death... He suffered for all of their sins knowing that they were going to kill Him the next day... that is service!
General Conference was good. I got to see all of the sessions and I absolutely love General Conference. I enjoyed the Priesthood Session a whole bunch this session. For one thing, I got to hear it in English and the rest of the sessions were in Spanish. Although I understand Spanish, It makes conference so much better when you can actually hear the actual voice of the prophets rather than the monotone of the translator's voice.
This we had a couple visit the ward from the U.S. named Hermano and Hermana Brant. They live in Chicago but came down to visit family here in Guadalajara. Even though they don't even live here they have been helping out with the work. They gave us a reference and Hermano Brant is going to go with us tonight to teach the reference about the Gospel. They are a great example to us that we should always look for opportunities to share the gospel. They also gave me that tie :D
We made some good food for lunch today. Papas, lechuga, salchicha, chile de arbol, cebolla, y queso... que rico! And the trash in the background... the garbage man hasn't passed in a while, so just calm down... we'll get it taken care of :)
You asked about how often we get to go to the temple but the Guadalajara temple is actually out of our mission so we aren't authorized to go. We have only gone there for special conferences because it has the biggest chapel in Guadalajara. And the temple in Guadalajara is super tiny too - probably similar to the Monticello temple.
Love you all,
Elder Summers
P.S. Will Xander just get those papers in already!? Just a reminder, I received my call December 4th and didn't leave until May 1st. The faster he gets them in, the faster he will get out - especially if he wants to leave by July 1st. He's got to get those taken care of soon (If you couldn't tell I am also excited to hear where he will be serving)
You asked about how often we get to go to the temple but the Guadalajara temple is actually out of our mission so we aren't authorized to go. We have only gone there for special conferences because it has the biggest chapel in Guadalajara. And the temple in Guadalajara is super tiny too - probably similar to the Monticello temple.
Love you all,
Elder Summers
P.S. Will Xander just get those papers in already!? Just a reminder, I received my call December 4th and didn't leave until May 1st. The faster he gets them in, the faster he will get out - especially if he wants to leave by July 1st. He's got to get those taken care of soon (If you couldn't tell I am also excited to hear where he will be serving)