And So It Begins

It has been a rollercoaster ride! That is definitely an understatement. I miss you guys so much. It is mostly just the thought that I won’t be able to see you in a long time but I know that what I am doing is the only thing I should be doing right now.

The first day we got here we got no sleep and after a 12 hour travel day with about a total of 4 hours of sleep we had no break but went right on into everything. My comp is Elder A. 20 years old and going to be a chemist. He has so much wisdom; he is about 5feet6 in and he is skinny as a twig.

The lady on the plane needed oxygen to breath so we landed in Mexico and did not get off the plane but sat in it for an extra two hours.

The ccm has about 160 missionaries. There are about the same white people as there are Latinos. The Latinos are my favorite. In my district and out of all of the elders that came with me on the same day there are 4 of us who can remotely speak Spanish. We are actually very good. My comp is one of them but we are all progressing so much. I feel a lot of the other missionaries are becoming discouraged as they don’t see a bunch of improvement. I have been trying to share a lot of what I know with them to help them progress.

I love sharing things but I need to do it more because I feel that I have become shy and being critical of every decision I make. And that is what I cannot do and what you mom have told me not to do. It is hard because I have done that my whole life. But every day I work to be able to have more confidence. It is finding the confidence but being humble. Totally humble and charitable. It is hard. But over this week I have prayed and strived sooooooooo hard to be charitable and not judging of others but to be their friend.

I felt that yesterday as we taught the third lesson to our investigator Pablo. He is our teacher, Hermano B but is acting as one of his real investigators that he had on his mission. Elder A and I were teaching him and I was trying to put some of my learning this week to the test. I was trying to focus on him, not focus on what I was gonna say or if my Spanish was good or if I needed to be more vigilant of other things, but I tried to focus on him as a REAL person. Not as my teacher acting out as an investigator. At that moment I was able to feel that true love and charity of Christ. I felt it so real and strong. My teaching and Spanish still weren't the best but I was able to ask some better inspired questions to help him. It was very neat and I felt in that moment that I was starting to progress in my search for charity. Though like I said it is a roller coaster all week long.

The first day was longer than any day I have ever lived in my life, just like you said it would be harry. I read that note you left me mom that night and cried. I mixed feelings of excitement for the mtc and feelings of sleep deprivation and feelings of a longing to be with the fam. I have come to know better this week the importance of family. I love you guys. When I sat down to email and I read an email from Jonah, I started to cry and I just kept crying through your letter mom and dad and Saydi’s and man it felt good but I am even more excited.

This week I have also come to know my true purpose as a missionary. I read the fourth missionary and was very hard on my self when I first read it and became discouraged just a little and it was hard to get out of that rut for a day and be able to overcome satans thoughts in my head. I was able to understand that Christ wants all of the immature and unfocused missionaries here to realize their true reason and goal. I don’t want to sound like I am being self righteous to think that all the other missionaries are bad because they are all fantastic and trying their best to learn Spanish and teach but you can tell who the focused ones are. So yeah, I feel I have a big responsibility to love and serve God, to love the people of Central America.

I am very scared sometimes to stand up to elders and say to them that they need to stop being obsessed over tie trading or whatever it may be. It is incredible. Every night some elders come down to trade ties. Elders pres me to trade them. It gets kind of annoying every night. But they do need a way to unwind I guess so yeah. I just think a lot of the elders aren't focused. I love them to death but wish they could just see why they are out here. But its okay.

Elder Garry is here and Elder Anderson as well. Elder Garrys district came with my district to the temple this morning at 6:20. There are like 5 sessions that can go on at once and ours was in English!!! Booya and our ccm pres was directing it. Super cool. We go every Tuesday morning!!!!! The best!!!

President COX is THE BEST MISSION OR CCM PRES EVER. He is a rules man to the t. He is so pumped and so excited to get us out in the field. He knows how to teach. He knows how we should teach and how we can have success. He has so much love. He is the best. If you obey you love him. If you don’t you think he is the worst. Our new DL is Elder Mcfarland. He knows me through the Matheson family, not Christian Matheson. He is so awesome and knows why he is here and is so sensitive to the spirit. Our new ZL is Elder Harris and he is sooooo loving. He is so funny. He is just one of those guys that is humble and loving and just wants everyone to be happy and he can make you laugh by saying anything. He kind of reminds me of Tyler Ostler. The best.

Every day we have an hour for gym time. There are two courts outside that one has a volleyball net on. I play and eat and hang with the Latinos all the time and know most of their names. One is from Chile and he is my height and we are best buds. His name is Elder P and he is legit. We talk in Spanish all the time and they teach me so much Spanish, it is the best. Elder A and I sit with them every meal and speak espanola and I know a couple tongue twisters in Spanish! Way fun!

The food is great. We have had burritos tacos and pancakes and waffles and chicken and steak and ice cream and donuts and spaghetti and tonnnnnss of fruit that’s the bestest!! love it. It has been a filled week.

My district is probably the tightest district there. We have a blast. Most of the elders that flew here with me are from Utah. Like 24 out of the 34. The rest are from California and Nevada and Washington. My morning teacher is Hermana C and she is awesome as well as Hermano B. They are the coolest. It is hard because I already know ALL of the Spanish they are teaching and it is slow. But the week started to go faster as it went on! I am just sooo excited to get into the field.

It has been a great week in retrospect because I have seen my growth in testimony, in Spanish and as a disciple and servant of Christ. I love the name tag. I felt the power and authority so strong when I was set apart. I’m excited to see what the mission has in store for me! I have an hour every Tuesday to email. I felt like this one was good. We get to go to the plaza today sometime I think, which is real close. The ccm is three stories tall in the shape of an L and the property covers is a total space of half a football field or smaller. It feels like America!! hahaha. All the teachers are native. There are one sixth of the sisters as there are elders. So yeah, a great week and I can't wait to email you next week! The bunk beds are way squeaky, and its hot.

I took pictures on the way here. Like a lot of them but the computer won’t show that I plugged anything in so I’ll try next week to send some!! The mtc is really nice. It just got renovated so yeah! I am going to love it. This first week has been a roller coaster of emotion. I love you so much and am glad I am serving! And yes you can and should send letters to me while I am in the ccm. I’m sending 2 today!

Love, Elder Ostler