25 January 2010

Heylo!


So this week, nothing really big happened. But it was our first week teaching the lesson in Spanish. It was honestly the best lesson we, as a companionship, have ever taught! The missionaries who were observing us thought I was totally fluent and pro at Spanish. Which is a lie, I'm good, but not good enough for the field, like they say. We got a new district in our zone this week. They are pretty cool, but pretty reserved. They aren't tight with our zone yet. Wow! Teaching in Spanish is so amazing. I am really enjoying it a lot!!! I love speaking Spanish, I speak it most the time we are in class. And people in the district think I'm like boasting because I do it, but then they ask me questions all the time. Its kind of funny. But, whatever.

I went to the dentist on Thursday and they told me I missed Colt and Dad by 24 hours! I was like, “wow!,” so many people I know. Those ladies were so nice. They bought Elder Simmonds and me Cafe Rio! It was so bomb. It was real food! Not the fattening stuff here that they plump me up with. I'm up to 17 lbs now!! My shirts shrunk – or I’m way fat! I'm gonna lose it all though. Just watch. Maybe??.....ha. Tanner, when I get back, you are going to be my trainer. Get me cut, ripped , and beautiful again.

But this week was a lot about Spanish and stuff. We taught a lot of lessons in Spanish. It’s a lot more spiritual teaching in Spanish. I like it a lot more. But it’s gonna be so much harder when I'm in the field!! But I'm ready for it. I'm sick of sitting in class all day! I wanna go save some souls!

We had a speaker last night that was just so awesome. He said work hard and don't look back. So I'm determined this week to finish the Book of Mormon, and to also perfect my Spanish as much as I can! The BOM has so much more to offer! It really is so amazing, and reading it in the temple, even better!

I got a haircut, they BUTCHERED IT! ahhh. They cut the sideburns like skiwampus. My neck is like a wave. The back of my hair has like waves of long and short hair, and the top is like an inch longer than everything else. So Elder Au, having clippers, just chopped off my hair! Its straight up buzzed! 3/4 inch. Its money in the bank. I love my hair short.

The snow was awesome! It’s always great seeing the snow when I go to the temple. I look out at the valley. I love it so much! I am going to miss the mountains so much! I really love Utah.

I love you all so much!!! Miss ya!!! Tell Mimi hi!!! Love you so much.

-BRAD

18 January 2010

So its civil rights day, right? And we get no mail. Which totally blows!! Because it throws me off, because I just reply to the letters that I get throughout the week. I usually get the bulk of them on Monday. Especially from you guys. OK, first off, it was so weird seeing Jess. It didn't really make me homesick at all. Nothing was affected. To be honest it was weird just because I haven't seen ya'll in a month, I've seen friends and stuff. But it was good to see ya sis! Elder Daley and Poulson said they taught you. That was pretty funny. Sorry I couldn't come and say more to you. I had class! but I'm glad I saw you. It reminded me of my end goal - to see you guys in that airport. ha.


So this week was really good, I learned so much Spanish this week. I learned a bunch about the gospel too. I really worked hard on paying attention in class and just speaking the language. Friday we spoke complete Spanish. NO one was allowed any English. Most my class was silent, but I was just talking my mouth off. My teacher pulled me aside and said, “let some other people talk so they can speak in Espanol.” Ha-ha. Just like all my life. Hey Rigby, shut up. That’s how I roll in school!!!

Nothing was really eventful Tuesday, except L. Tom Perry came and spoke to us again. He was really entertaining and I loved it. I love when the authorities come and talk to us. It really lifts the spirits here and brings me joy.

Wednesday, I went on another field trip! Elder Nelson had to go to the DMV, so I got in the Van and went to the Provo DMV – AKA, slowest place ever. Remember when we got my license there mum? It took forever. ya. Same thing. Elder Nelson's wallet got stolen. . . at the MTC. There are stupid kids that do that. Two Elders in the zone had wallets stolen, license, 200 bones, temple recommend, visa card, all of that gone. Just because someone made a wrong decision. But anyway, while at DMV I saw president Beck from our old stake. It was funny. I talked to him for a bit. Then I met this one Peruvian who was there. I sat next to him and talked to him for 2 hrs straight, in Spanish and English. He's a member, but he's not active, so I just talked to him about everything and shared a message with him. He really seemed happy that I was talking to him. He came up to me right before he left, and he said, “Thank you for talking to me, you are a great person, have a good mission!” So I hope he’ll decide to go back to church. We were there for 3 hrs. 

Thursday, we had a day full of class and at night we had a little testimony meeting about the Holy Ghost. Of course, everyone talks for like 5 minutes. Then I get up there and tell stories of my past and how I learned it was good to listen for the Spirit and hearken unto its words. I think I grew a lot from those past experiences. I wouldn't do some of them again, but they helped me along a little bit.

Then Friday was a blur. I really don't remember it much. Half the days are like that. They say at phrase here, “The days seem like weeks and the weeks seem like days.” Its so true.

Then Saturday, saw Jess! We taught our lesson. I was quiet this week for the lesson part. Elder D talks a bunch - he blabs on a lot, but its good. He brings the Spirit in. I also wanted Elder N to talk more, he's still a little bit quiet in the lessons. But during the Spanish portion, I'm just a chatterbox. I love the language and I love talking to people who know it more, because it may seem like I don't know a lot, but just listening to the language really helps me!

Sunday was very long too! I went on another field trip! Elder Au sprained his ankle severely, and he's 400 lbs. So Elder Simmonds asked me to come along with them just in case anything happened. Also my Branch President asked me to go. So we went to the InstaCare on Bulldog and State. I saw the doctor that worked on my elbow and shoulder at football games last year. So I talked to him. No one was there, so I didn't really have a chance to talk to a lot of people. Then we came back and had normal Sunday.

Mom and Dad, I love you. Attend the temple as much as possible. Jess, Tanner, and Colton too. The temple will bless your lives so much. It truly is the Lord’s house, and when we attend it regularly, He will bless us throughout the week. I love you all so very much and miss you so terribly much. Bye, bye.

Love you.

11 January 2010

Hey!

So I've been here a month on Wednesday? It went by so fast. It seems like I've been here a couple weeks!

So Jordan told me about his mish! That’s cool. I wish I could go foreign kind of....but ha. Oh well. Downing and I will have a more difficult time being bilingual all the time. It takes smarter people to stay here and speak dos idiomas!! Ha-ha.

I have seen Risa so much! We see each other at least two or three times a day, and we just chat.

So this week was probably my worst week here. So all my good buddies - well the ones I got acquainted with - left on Monday! It was sad and weird to not have them here. Tuesday, we got a new schedule. Everything changed. I have meals at different times, and gym is either early in the morning or late at night. We aren't divided up as much. We just have straight class....and like no break between at all besides meals.  We also have two new teachers. Hermano West y Hermana Olander. They are really cool! But I still miss Bro. Nevers. He helped me so much. I see him all the time and we still talk, so it’s good. We also switched buildings! I have to walk twice as far to class now! - Which is good for my fat body, but no bueno at 7 in the morning! We got a new district in our Zone on Wednesday, they are all weird. They really keep to themselves a lot. When I first got here I was a chatterbox....that’s what I do. But they are still silent and it’s Monday!! But all is well. Thursday, Elders Turley and Deans left....so that sucked even more! Our district is down to 8! Elder Turley will be missed a lot by me. He is the most fluent in Spanish besides me, so I have no one to talk to in Spanish when my companeros are buggin' me. That’s what we'd do. Just talk in Spanish about the stress, thankfully I have been blessed with the gift of making people smile and brightening people's days. Things have been better!!

An Elder threw a huge temper tantrum this week. Ii was asking him to move his desk so we could all see, and he didn't. So I asked again, nothing, third time, nothing, so I started forcing him to move with my flabby muscles (yet still strong), and he slammed the desk against the wall and flipped out. This is where you'll be proud of me....you know how usually I'm an arguer, and I always win an argument. Yeah, I killed him with kindness! I just said "Elder, is that how a missionary should be acting? You just took the Spirit away from this classroom with that act of anger." Then I walked out and talked to zone leaders. But don't think I wasn't thinking of chewing him out in my mind, because it was there, but I had a feeling that I shouldn't. So I took the high road! And that’s hard for me, because I love winning an argument. The spirit can change you so much; always pay attention to the small enticings of the spirit because they will help you!!

FYI all is well in the companionship, we addressed some problems that have risen and it’s all fixed.

Friday was boring....nothing huge went on. We got taught all day!!! It was good because I felt like I learned so so so so so much, but yet it was kind of boring! But it was good! I have learned so much, and I love speaking Spanish, Its fun!!! It really is fun knowing a language. I urge you guys to learn some sort of language because it really makes you feel smarter!

Saturday, we had our lesson that we teach. We taught on the plan of salvation. All was so good! Our investigator asked a lot of questions that we're hard, but the Spirit was strong and through the Spirit we taught that lesson. We didn't get as much feedback as usual, but I thought we did a great job. And I expressed that to my comps because they thought they did badly.

Sunday was good, just really relaxing actually. We learned about teaching investigators more plainly and loving them even more. I think that’s my best thing though. Showing them I care for them. I have always cared about people who are close to me and in the MTC my eyes have been opened up a lot more! This really is such a great experience for me and all who go on a mission!

Today was way fun! We went to the temple, did laundry, wrote letters, and chilled and studied! It was a really good day!!! I really enjoyed it!! Thanks for all your love and support you give me! I really love reading about your lives and hearing about things!!! I love you all so much and I miss you all so much!!!

Love you forever,

Elder Rigby

ps. No hair cut mom, yeah, they butcher them here.....hahaha

04 January 2010

HOLAA!!!!

So I just got your package and all your letters from this week. Dad, they gave us scriptures in Spanish and a Himno! So I will be sending those back so you can get your money back! Sorry! Thanks for the thought though! You guys are so awesome!!! I love everything you get me. I'm good on food now. I'm already getting fat enough. I've gained 9 lbs. ha-ha. I'm a fatty now. Caleb Loveland has gained 17. Ha-ha. We 5th ward kids are fat!

Elder Sacco left, that sucked, but I still had Benke and Baldemero, my two good buds!! We had devotional on Tues. I fell asleep. I'm so tired. But Wednesday was hilarious! All the newbie's are so funny to watch. Benke and I made fun of them by going and saying, “hi”, and then we acted like we were new as well. We got no new districts. We just had class all week. Nothing really all that special. Thursday night (New Year’s Eve) we stayed up until 12. Me, Bink, Baldemero, Simmonds, and Au. It was fun. We just told stories about our background!! It is interesting to hear all our stories and stuff. I could see myself hanging with Baldemero and Benke after the mish!! They are way cool!!!

So I'm not sick at all, just cough and such, But I'm better now, but my whole district was sick. So we had to rotate staying back at the dorms watching the person who was sick. So we all missed a couple classes. It stinks. It’s so boring just sitting and reading for 4 hours by yourself.

The real story is Saturday, so we have this TA (teaching appointment), where we knock doors and talk to volunteers. And this time, I decided I'd just not say anything and make my comps do the work - because they are silent in Espanol and Ingles. It kind of worked, but when it was awkward, Bro. Nevers would just look at me and I would do my part. I love Bro. Nevers, we always talk. I don't have him anymore after this week though. :( The semester changes and our schedule changes. But Saturday, was going well all day, I taught the investigator, he said I was awesome. Then after dinner, I'm getting interviewed and I find out Elder Nelson just barfed all over the floor!!! So we took him to the front desk and they gave him a pill and we went back to the dorm. Then he projectiled his barf into the trash from our room!! Crazy. So we took him to the front desk again and they told him to go to sleep. Then he throws up a third time. So, finally, we go to the ER in Provo! I got off campus!! yeeeeeaaaah! Elder Simmonds came along to keep me company because Elder Dewitt was already asleep. So Simmonds and I just talked to everyone at the hospital!!! It was great. We were there until 3 am! It was so much fun! We just read and chilled with all the nurses there and stuff. Great time. The only thing is that I got no sleep. So we just made him stay in the dorm all day on Sunday, and we took turns rotating who stayed with him. It was alright. His twin came over, so we could go on our Sunday temple walk. It was a pretty good day! Then we said goodbye to Benke and Baldemero's district. That stunk. I hung with them until around 12. We just talked to them all night. We got to be good friends. Their district is so awesome - all of them are like me. So it’s weird that they are gone. We are still going to talk to each other over email. Baldemero is talking about coming to BYU with me! He's from Hawaii! He's way cool. You'll see in my pics when I send them home sometime. We had a fun week!!! Just full of sickness and weird happenings! The off campus car ride was sweet. It was weird though. I was like, car?? Ha ha. Weird. I saw P.H.S., Taco Bell, etc. I was like, oh yeah, I used to be here a lot....weird.

I'm glad you all had a great New Years minus the other stuff!! I love you all and miss you all!!!!! Be happy and be positive! Family is the bombest!!

Love,

Brad