Post Mail Letter Sent Oct. 12, 2012

October 12, 2012

Dear Familia,

Wow, sorry I have not sent letters very often.  Here at the MTC they have every minute of your day planned.  It is a lot of fun here, but it is very frustrating at the same time.  It is crazy for me to think as I am writing this letter that I have 11 days until I’m going to Guatemala.  I don’t even know what the word Espanol means.  It’s pretty scary.  For real though, the Spanish is so hard and they do not go easy on you.  We had to start teaching an investigator as soon as we got here.  Do you know how much Spanish I knew?  Zero!!!  Talk about awkward silences.

Our district had a rough start too because our teacher has been sick a lot and we had Confrencia General so I think we are a little behind.  All the Spanish speaking missionaries are always jealous of the English speaking missionaries because every time we get to speak in English we can feel the Spirit and we feel peaceful.

We had our last lesson with Aurora (our first investigator) last night.  We tried hard for her to accept baptism.  By the way, she is Catholic so when we invited her to be baptized she said she had already been baptized by the Catholic Church.  So, with my limited Spanish I offended her pretty good.  After she said she had already been baptized.  I looked at my companero and I knew I was not going to be able to say this nicely.  I said, “Iglesia de Catolic tiene no poder de Dios.”  That’s not good.  It means, “The Catholic Church does not have the power of God.”  Anyway, she got mad but luckily we were able to smooth that over.  After that, the lesson went pretty well.

Also, I wanted to talk about District Leaders.  In the MTC it doesn’t mean too much.  All I do is conduct meetings, get mail 2 times a day, interview senior companions, make temporary companion changes and be an example.  It has been good for me because it keeps me in line, because even here at the MTC there are temptations.  Like during TALL time, which is a computer program for learning the language, some missionaries just go on YouTube and watch Mormon Messages.  It is tempting.  You are allowed to, but they do it at the wrong times.  But I do listen to Come Thou Fount over and over on LDS.org.  (Jakob's favorite hymn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPw7-QniaDQ) I really was blessed with an obedient district.

I have had some rough times though because often I don’t think I’m good enough.  I have learned that sometimes I go too hard on myself.  So, I just don’t pay attention anymore and I’m doing great.  My companion is great.  His name is Elder Mauter.  He is from Arizona.  He is swoll as they would say.  Swoll means buff/ripped.  He wrestled in school.  He is quiet, but he is a great Elder.    By the way, they have arm wrestling champs and there was an Elder that was the champ.  His name was Elder Moser.  Funny, huh?  But, he is about 5’2” or 5’3”, but last night Elder Mauter smoked him.

I can’t begin to explain to you what the residence halls are like after we are done for the days.  It is mayhem crazy.  Everyone has been in a really small classroom all day and they let it all out.  They set up tie marker and they are yelling and fighting but it is so funny!  We have an Elder in our district named Elder Barrett.  He is so funny.  He always lifts our spirits.

Our district is made up of 4 Elders going to Antofagasta Chile, 4 Elders going to Quetzaltenango, 2 Sisters going to Chile, and 2 Sisters going to Costa Rica.  We have so much fun.

Thanks so much for the package!!!  It was great.  (Package talk….)

I would love it if you sent me inspirational things and parts from that book, Mom.  Also, oh yeah, I didn’t tell you guys.  The first week we had Elder Bednar for my first speaker.  It was cool.  If you get the chance try to look up his talk named, “The Character of Christ.”  Oh my gosh.  It’s incredible.  It might be hard to find because it was given in the MTC on Christmas.  It is the coolest thing I have ever heard.  I am going to try to get it here.   (http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/transcripts/religionsymposium/2003_01_25_bednar.htm I think this is it.  I already forwarded to him.)

Tell everyone I love them.  Tell Peeps I love him and I miss him.  Tell Keech to keep it up and stay strong.  And Mom and Dad…love you guys so much.  Thanks for everything.

Elder Reinhold

 

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