April 14, 2011 - Email to Family

Hey Family!!

How is everyone?

How are things?

The MTC is still great I love it!  But the Spanish really gets me down sometimes.  I have had a couple of rough days this week!  The teachers are really starting to beat us up and teaching the Plan of Salvation in Spanish is pretty hard.  My major accomplishment this week consists of finally memorizing the first vision in Spanish and teaching the plan of salvation much better.  I still have to use some of my notes but it´s all good.  So Elder Hunt and I have had a new companion this week his name is Elder Grossman from Vegas.  But he has been serving in Russia for a year and nine months and had to come here to renew his visa.  Let me tell you, I am super glad I don´t have to speak Russian.  They have upside down N´s and letters and capital B and lower case b "Bb".  Anyway I can´t believe Jerame learned that language.  They Lord is real!!! I need to have more faith in Him and my Savior.  So Elder Grossman was sent here to help me I swear.  He is such a sweetheart and helped me a lot.  I was extremely frustrated and upset with my Spanish the other night.  Grossman gave me his scriptures and told me to read D&C 6:33-37 walked out of the room and it was exactly what I needed to hear.  Fear not!! I also got like two personal revelations in the temple today.  One was in the prayer circle during the prayer.  It was just amazing and the prayer was so strong!  I need to have the Holy Ghost and stop being selfish about my horrible Spanish and let the spirit guide me.  They other revelation I won’t share! 

Elder Grossman and Cody in front of the King's Palace

So I haven´t really taken any pics this week yet but we are going into the city today and I will make sure to take pictures and get one with Elder Grossman.  So Elder Blanch is here....but it is okay I think he knows not to bother me anymore because we aren´t companions.  People struggle with him because he is self righteous.  But it´s okay because we have seniority here and we are kinda the top dogs now it´s cool.  I think I leave this place in 12 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crazy!!!! I cannot wait to be out of the MTC.  I don´t care if I can´t speak Spanish I will let the Holy Ghost guide me and use it!  I hope I get a sweet trainer.  I heard down in Málaga people can get fluent in 2 months.  There are kids here that speak worse than me and they are only two weeks behind me.  But still I knew more than they did two weeks ago.  So I am blessed!!! 

How is the family? I heard everyone is good. Oh I guessed Damon’s email so now we are writing each other.  He wrote me some in Spanish go look at it, I can understand all of it, I think haha.  My teachers do teach in Spanish a lot, but they can also speak English.  They teacher the grammar principle in English so we understand it in Spanish.  Our teachers are awesome; I will get pictures of them the last week I am here.  So yeah we still go to the park I have 2 times left.  I did pretty good last week, I was paired with Elder Manning and we did fairly well.  I asked a guy if he had a Book of Mormon because he was reading The Bible.  We bore testimony of the B of M and gave him a Restoration Pamphlet.  It was good!  I am understanding people better...but not really I still feel like I haven´t improved in understanding them.  I need to listen better.  I can understand the missionaries when we speak Spanish.  But it´s okay I have faith.  So if I have time today I will send pictures again that I am gonna take today.  Spain is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love it here.  If you have more questions right now and read this soon and email and in about 4 hours I can write again.  Cool?

The King's Palace

I love you all!

PS.  Tell me when Josh gets his call please!!! Have Brady ask or something!

Peter and Cody

Hey thanks mom.  You guys need to come pick me up in two years!!!!!!!!!! this place is awesome.  I just got back from the city and I could understand people talking.  So I saw a missionary yesterday that just finished his mission in Málaga.  He said you can pick up the language in two months.  I have also heard all the missionaries are leaving, so in like 2 months you are a senior companion and have to be top dog.  So that will be good for me!  So I am excited about that.  It´s so hot here and it isn´t even humid!  It is 77 degrees!  I love you, thanks for your prayers and your faith! I will send like 5 new pictures right now.  I love you! Tell the fam I love them!

A Plaza where the filmed Vantage Point

Elder Baby Cody