Elder Stone

Hola Madre y Padre (y mi familia)
Don't worry, I'm not good enough to do it all in Spanish yet. But it will be coming one of these days! You'll have to use google translate or something to keep up. Dad, you're going to need to write me a letter in all Spanish! The language really is coming in so fast. I was thinking back on how long it took to get one concept down in Spanish class. I feel like I've already learned more Spanish in the almost 3 weeks I've been here than 2 years of Spanish at school! I was about to say I don't know what it is but I know exactly what it is. It's the Spirit! Also, it's weird how when I am focused on the needs of the investigators we have the language just comes a lot easier. It's starting to make a little bit of sense on how when we lose our selves we find ourselves. Our lessons are still a little bit difficult considering we aren't yet fluent in Spanish but when we teach with the Spirit the lesson goes a lot stronger. In truth, the days that we don't go into our lessons with the Spirit as our guide turn into train wrecks. It was explained to us that going without the Spirit is like going into an important sporting game without using your star player. No real conversion comes without the Holy Ghost. It's amazing how I have felt the Holy Ghost prompt our lessons to go a way that we hadn't really planned. We are now up to three investigators that we go in between every day. We jump from Argentina to Chile and back to Utah within 5 minutes! I think I already mentioned this but the investigators that our teachers are playing are people that they have taught the Gospel to on their missions so they really get into the role of their investigator. It's weird because you start to develop a love for this person when it is just a teacher acting. After our lessons they come in and teach us and then I realize that hey! They actually already know the Gospel. I love my teachers.
Well I can't believe I have been here for almost 3 weeks now! I feel like I have either been here for my whole life or I have been here for just a few days. Some days I will look back on the time I've been here and think wait! It is going by way too fast! I hope my mission doesn't go that fast. There have been times when I have gotten a little bit homesick but it hasn't lasted too long. On Tuesday every body was having a little bit of a hard time and one of our branch presidency came in and talked to us. He seemed to notice that we were having a hard time and he talked about how when we are having our hard times we need to turn to the Lord. He was talking about how every hard time we have is an opportunity to bring us closer to the Lord. This week has been a week that I have been able to do that a little more. There have been songs that have been sung and Mormon messages that I've watched and devotionals that I have listened to that have just brought me to tears. I'm glad our district is a bunch of cry babies because I fit right in!
Yesterday I had to say goodbye to McKenzi. That was hard. It has been such a huge blessing to have her here at the MTC with me. There will be days where I am having a little bit of a rough time and then I see her and it brightens my day. We have been able to go to some of the same devotionals and talks and have been able to visit for a little bit. People always give us weird looks when we hug each other goodbye. We always have to tell people that hey, we're related! But honestly, I am so glad that we were able to be in the MTC at the same time. I am really going to miss looking for her at devotionals and being able to see her at random times. Could you please send me her address? I thought I had brought one of her pictures with me but I guess I didn't.
Well I probably better get off and finish up my laundry so that we can get go to breakfast and get ready for the temple. Really quick, I love the Orem Temple! I think I might have mentioned this but the temple is so beautiful! I have gained an even stronger appreciation for the temple since coming up here. Sorry, that was a quick tangent. Well I love you so much and I'm muy animado (very excited) to hear about everything! I hope that all is well. I pray for you every day and every night! I love you.
Love, Elder Stone