Familia!
This week has been awesome! Lots of things to tell you and lots of experiences to share. First off I just wanted to say thank you for the Package! It was just what I needed and more! The Spanish Scripture Case is just perfect for my Bible, mi triple, some pamphlets and an extra Book of Mormon. The Books of Mormon that I carry around always get crushed from just being in my backpack but now I can store one in the Spanish case and it doesn't get ruined. The candy was awesome! Its great to know that my family still knows that I love the sour Gummie anything... and I really love the Trolli Sour Apples! Thank you so much! Thanks for the music, and thank you so much for the Nutella/Peanut butter. The picture of our family was perfect! The members here really wanted to see my family and it's nice to be able to remember what you all look like as well! The photo album that Chantelle gave me was great as well! It was really nice of you all and I really appreciate it (and so does Elder Hernandez).
Like I said this week was really cool. Its been different with out Elder Tucker here but its still the mission. One thing that is different is that we don't get harassed as much... for some reason people think its really funny to yell at white guys on the street. I am still getting harassed, due to the fact I am a missionary and I happen to be white, but not quite as much as when Elder Tucker was here.
Something weird that everyone does to me is come up to me, put their hand up, and say "How".... like what the heck? I think that everyone here has the image in their minds that this is how we greet each other back in the States. It's ... whatever.
My new companion is really just an awesome guy. Like I said, I call him El Gigante Espiritual (The Spiritual Giant). He is just a big guy but has an even bigger spirit about him. He's one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every night before we go to bed he askes me if there is anything that he can do for me, its just nice. He also is always trying to pay for things for me and is always just telling me "don't worry, be happy" in english. Hes a really cool guy. He is from Pechuca, México. He only has one brother who is about to finish his mission in Sonora, México. He is very proud of his family and loves to tell people that he is part of the 6th generation of his family that is in the church. Elder Hernandez is really just a nice and a really smart guy. He only has 3 months in his mission so we entered the Mission field at the same time. We are both pretty new. I was way excited when I heard I was going to be his companion because I knew him a little bit from going to the Visa Office with him. He is just a really cool and good-hearted guy.
One thing that is different right now is that everyone is talking to me a lot more. When Elder Tucker was here everyone pretty much just talked to him. But now they know me better than Elder Hernandez so I am usually the one more involved in the conversation. Also Elder Hernandez has a very soft voice, he doesn't speak a lot but he speaks with power. So with this combination of me being here longer and him being a little shy, I am being pushed into speaking more... its a really good thing for me and I feel
that my spanish is getting a little better... I still nod a lot and pretend I know exactly what everyone is talking about... but I really am getting better, things are clicking that didnt click before. I am responding a lot quicker without thinking. I say little phrases without thinking and also I say things in my head in spanish sometimes. Its getting harder to translate things from Spanish to English and now I find that a lot more things in spanish just make sense. It's weird. Im not saying Im fluent... its hard to tell long stories and such and sometimes I get lost in my own words. But now I can communicate with people! Its
still frustrating when I cant get my full point acrossed but it's coming. My spanish is coming.
We had a couple of cool experiences this week. First we got called to go and give a blessing to a menos activo (less-active) member. Her eyes were hurting and has been in a lot of pain the last couple weeks. So after about 3 hours of searching for her house we finally found it. She was laying down covering her eyes and her daughter (who is about 26) and her son (who is about 34). I thought we were just going to go in give the blessing and leave. But we sat and talked to them a little bit about how the priesthood works and blessings, we told them that a lot of it depends on their faith. Elder Hernandez then gave her a blessing and then her daughter asked for a blessing as well so he gave her a blessing tambien (too). I then asked if we could do anything else and her son mentioned that they don't feel safe in the house and that they have been having just really bad experiences lately. We said a prayer over the house and then I was a little bold with them. I asked if they were reading their scriptures, they said no. Saying your prayers? No. Going to church? No. I then told them that they've got to be doing this kind of stuff. What they are lacking in their life is the spirit. I then asked her son if he wanted a blessing as well. He said yes. I waited for Elder Hernandez to start the blessing... he didn't start... he just looked and me
and told me that I could do it. I was nervous because I wanted him to be able to fully understand what was said in the blessing... and my spanish isn't that great. But Elder Hernandez made it clear that it was my turn. So I put my hands on his head and gave him a blessing in my broken spanish. The Spirit was very strong and after the blessing he stood up and had tears in his eyes. We left telling them that all was fine and if they just do the little things the need to then they will recieve blessings they need in their life. It was a really neat experiance. I learned that it doesn't matter what language you speak, the language of the Spirit will always testify to people what they need to hear. Elder Hernandez put his faith in me... and I was able to give a blessing to this man of what he needed to hear and feel. This was a very sweet experience.
Some Loco taking a picture in a flooded street! (I lightened the picture up a little bit so you can see it better) This week has been awesome! Lots of things to tell you and lots of experiences to share. First off I just wanted to say thank you for the Package! It was just what I needed and more! The Spanish Scripture Case is just perfect for my Bible, mi triple, some pamphlets and an extra Book of Mormon. The Books of Mormon that I carry around always get crushed from just being in my backpack but now I can store one in the Spanish case and it doesn't get ruined. The candy was awesome! Its great to know that my family still knows that I love the sour Gummie anything... and I really love the Trolli Sour Apples! Thank you so much! Thanks for the music, and thank you so much for the Nutella/Peanut butter. The picture of our family was perfect! The members here really wanted to see my family and it's nice to be able to remember what you all look like as well! The photo album that Chantelle gave me was great as well! It was really nice of you all and I really appreciate it (and so does Elder Hernandez).
Like I said this week was really cool. Its been different with out Elder Tucker here but its still the mission. One thing that is different is that we don't get harassed as much... for some reason people think its really funny to yell at white guys on the street. I am still getting harassed, due to the fact I am a missionary and I happen to be white, but not quite as much as when Elder Tucker was here.
Something weird that everyone does to me is come up to me, put their hand up, and say "How".... like what the heck? I think that everyone here has the image in their minds that this is how we greet each other back in the States. It's ... whatever.
My new companion is really just an awesome guy. Like I said, I call him El Gigante Espiritual (The Spiritual Giant). He is just a big guy but has an even bigger spirit about him. He's one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every night before we go to bed he askes me if there is anything that he can do for me, its just nice. He also is always trying to pay for things for me and is always just telling me "don't worry, be happy" in english. Hes a really cool guy. He is from Pechuca, México. He only has one brother who is about to finish his mission in Sonora, México. He is very proud of his family and loves to tell people that he is part of the 6th generation of his family that is in the church. Elder Hernandez is really just a nice and a really smart guy. He only has 3 months in his mission so we entered the Mission field at the same time. We are both pretty new. I was way excited when I heard I was going to be his companion because I knew him a little bit from going to the Visa Office with him. He is just a really cool and good-hearted guy.
One thing that is different right now is that everyone is talking to me a lot more. When Elder Tucker was here everyone pretty much just talked to him. But now they know me better than Elder Hernandez so I am usually the one more involved in the conversation. Also Elder Hernandez has a very soft voice, he doesn't speak a lot but he speaks with power. So with this combination of me being here longer and him being a little shy, I am being pushed into speaking more... its a really good thing for me and I feel
that my spanish is getting a little better... I still nod a lot and pretend I know exactly what everyone is talking about... but I really am getting better, things are clicking that didnt click before. I am responding a lot quicker without thinking. I say little phrases without thinking and also I say things in my head in spanish sometimes. Its getting harder to translate things from Spanish to English and now I find that a lot more things in spanish just make sense. It's weird. Im not saying Im fluent... its hard to tell long stories and such and sometimes I get lost in my own words. But now I can communicate with people! Its
still frustrating when I cant get my full point acrossed but it's coming. My spanish is coming.
We had a couple of cool experiences this week. First we got called to go and give a blessing to a menos activo (less-active) member. Her eyes were hurting and has been in a lot of pain the last couple weeks. So after about 3 hours of searching for her house we finally found it. She was laying down covering her eyes and her daughter (who is about 26) and her son (who is about 34). I thought we were just going to go in give the blessing and leave. But we sat and talked to them a little bit about how the priesthood works and blessings, we told them that a lot of it depends on their faith. Elder Hernandez then gave her a blessing and then her daughter asked for a blessing as well so he gave her a blessing tambien (too). I then asked if we could do anything else and her son mentioned that they don't feel safe in the house and that they have been having just really bad experiences lately. We said a prayer over the house and then I was a little bold with them. I asked if they were reading their scriptures, they said no. Saying your prayers? No. Going to church? No. I then told them that they've got to be doing this kind of stuff. What they are lacking in their life is the spirit. I then asked her son if he wanted a blessing as well. He said yes. I waited for Elder Hernandez to start the blessing... he didn't start... he just looked and me
and told me that I could do it. I was nervous because I wanted him to be able to fully understand what was said in the blessing... and my spanish isn't that great. But Elder Hernandez made it clear that it was my turn. So I put my hands on his head and gave him a blessing in my broken spanish. The Spirit was very strong and after the blessing he stood up and had tears in his eyes. We left telling them that all was fine and if they just do the little things the need to then they will recieve blessings they need in their life. It was a really neat experiance. I learned that it doesn't matter what language you speak, the language of the Spirit will always testify to people what they need to hear. Elder Hernandez put his faith in me... and I was able to give a blessing to this man of what he needed to hear and feel. This was a very sweet experience.
We also had a neat service experience this week. It rained a ton this week and when we were walking home one night it was pouring super hard. We were a ways a way from home and were soaking wet. The streets were flooded and and it was super dark. But we were happy as could be, Elder Hernandez was just laughing the whole time and just happy. We walked by a street and I pointed down the street and said to my companion "Mira!" and there was a suburban completely flooded all the way to the tires and stuck at the bottom of a hill. Well Elder Hernandez just said that we should help them... we were soaking anyways so we went right into the water. It was cold and went up to our waists. I went and tapped on there window and asked if they needed help... they responded and said something I didn't understand... so I just started helping them anyway. A man got out of the car and started pushing it back to the main road, Elder Hernandez y yo started helping him, then another man off the street jumped in the water
and helped us push it back on the road. About two minutes later a tow truck came to get it out of the water only to find that we all ready did the work. It was cool. Then Elder Hernandez and I jumped back in the water to take pictures. The tow truckers asked if we needed help and Elder Hernandez just told them that we were just taking pictures and didn't need help... the tow trucker turned around and said, "son locos" (you're crazy). Haha! So funny! We got home a little late, drenched, but happy as could be.
This week was awesome and am really excited to see what other adventures that I will have with El Gigante Espiritual in these up coming weeks.
Keep doing the little things and everything will all work out!
Love,
Elder Summers
and helped us push it back on the road. About two minutes later a tow truck came to get it out of the water only to find that we all ready did the work. It was cool. Then Elder Hernandez and I jumped back in the water to take pictures. The tow truckers asked if we needed help and Elder Hernandez just told them that we were just taking pictures and didn't need help... the tow trucker turned around and said, "son locos" (you're crazy). Haha! So funny! We got home a little late, drenched, but happy as could be.
This week was awesome and am really excited to see what other adventures that I will have with El Gigante Espiritual in these up coming weeks.
Keep doing the little things and everything will all work out!
Love,
Elder Summers
Alma 37:6 Now ye may suppose that this is a foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.