Hola Familia,
This week has been a hard one. Man I never thought learning Spanish would be so hard, but it's ok. We are making progress. We have taught 5 lessons in Spanish now and we will just say there has been a lot of silence and a lot of my companion and I conversing in English, but we are working hard and we know that if we continue to work hard and pray for the Spirit that we will be fluent someday.
Its weird to think that we leave for Guatemala in 6 days!!! Its scary, but good thing our travel leader is good in Spanish. For our devotional last week we had the opportunity to hear from Elder David Bednar. It was an incredible experience. I sat about 30 Feet away from an Apostle of Christ. Wow! As soon as he walked in the spirit was incredible.
Our district is great. I can't express how much love I have for all of them. I was able to attach pictures this time. The picture of all the Elders folding their arms is great. That is most of our district.
The one with 4 elders in normal clothes, those were our first roommates. They are now in the Dominican Republic MTC.
(I am going to assume this is his companion, Elder Mauter from Arizona.)
(Elder Reinhold happily studying!)
This week I have had a couple funny stories. One day we were sitting outside our residence halls on a picnic table waiting for the rest of our district. As I was sitting there I heard something that was stuck in the rain gutter next to me. When the rest of the Elders came out I said that I knew there was a bird in there. They were all like, "Elder Reinhold, you're crazy." I told them to go lift it up a couple of inches and see. One Elder took me up on my offer. He went over and lifted it up and sure enough a bird flew out. They were all puzzled. About an hour later one of the Elders asked me (as if it was bugging him) how I knew there was a bird in there. I just told him that I was listening to the Spirit. They still are puzzled.
Life here at the MTC is great but at the same time I am so excited to get to Guatemala. WE LEAVE IN 6 DAYS!!! WOW! I have a lot of work to do. Anyways, thank you so much for all the support and hope you enjoy the pictures. Also, tell Kyler and Ashton to study Preach My Gospel. Especially chapter 3 and 10 or just all of it. I want you guys to know that I have learned a lot - not just Spanish. This has been one of the toughest and best times of my life. It's easy to get discouraged but you just have to remember who is on your side. Remember "many are called but few are chosen" and that the Lord qualifies those whom He calls. I know that to be true. Please read your scriptures daily and pray always. It is so great. Also watch Joseph Smith movie if you can it is incredible. I know that the church is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know that this work is aided by the Spirit and that we all have the opportunity to feel it. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen. Love You All!!!
Love,
Elder Reinhold
Message from the blog editor also known as Jake's mom: I wanted to share an experience I had before traveling to a foreign country where I was hoping to care for a people I love. I didn't have much time to learn and couldn't have language lessons everyday and when I did study, it wasn't sticking. One day though, when I was studying it seemed effortless. My mind was clear and I was retaining a lot more of it. I was trying to figure out what the difference was, then I wondered if my tutor was praying for me. He was a former missionary to Russia, a religious person, and very invested in my desire to learn at least some of this language as he had taught missionaries Russian in the MTC and it was an experience very dear to his heart. Later that night at my lesson with him he said that he was in the temple that morning praying for me and trying to figure out the best way to teach me to speak some Russian. (That is when you know it is near hopeless, when your teacher starts praying!) It never was that effortless again. So it turns out that in my experience, the best way for someone to learn a language is when prayer is involved. I can hear in Jake's letters that the language is his struggle. Nine weeks to learn a foreign language is a lot to ask of anyone...and they are all feeling that pressure. So, I am asking that you include these missionaries in your prayers. Specifically please pray that they will be blessed to learn quickly. That is all from me.
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