Hello family and friends!
These first few days in the MTC have been CRAZY. I have been constantly busy from the minute I walked in. After being dropped off and getting checked in, I was taken to my district's classroom where I met my companion, Elder Chappell. Our teacher, Hermana Larsen, immediately started talking to us in Spanish and I think my jaw hit the floor. I had no idea what she was saying. Ever since then we have been studying spanish really hard. By the end of Thursday we had learned how to bear our testimony and pray in Spanish. It is crazy how much information we have to take in. The Elders who have been here for a while say that the first week is really informative and slow, but after you get the first week over with time flies by and you learn much easier. I hope they're right!
My companion Elder Chappell is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He seems like a really cool guy so far! My district has 8 companionships (16 guys) who are all going to the Nicaragua, Managua South mission. There are also 3 Sister missionaries in our district who are going to Spain.
Yesterday was Friday, and every companionship had to teach a lesson to a progressing investigator Manuel. We were terrified because he didn't speak any English whatsoever. We watched a short video about him before we began where he explained that he was from Colombia and had to come to the United States for work. He also explained how he was divorced, had a 5 year old son, and was looking for peace from the mistakes he had made in his life. Elder Chappell and I taught him about Jesus Christ, how He is central to our Heavenly Fathers plan, and of His atonement. We taught about how we can receive forgiveness of our sins and feel peace when we repent. We read to him Alma 7:41. At this point in the lesson he hadn't said a whole lot, but after reading this scripture he began to ask us about the resurrection. He started asking us questions and we had NO IDEA what he was saying! Eventually through Spanglish, and drawing a few pictures on the white board, we figured out that he couldn't understand how we could overcome physical death. He understood the atonement, and the idea behind the resurrection, but he couldn't understand HOW it was possible. He kept saying, Como? Como? (How? How?)
Eventually through a spanish pamphlet we had about the plan of salvation, he understood that Christ's atonement, death on the cross, and resurrection made it possible for all of us to be resurrected when we die. It was a VERY tough first lesson! It was incredible how strong the spirit was, even when we barely understood each other! Everything is going great and I can't wait to progress and learn the spanish language!
Love, Elder Parrish
