So now to help with Spanish, we speak it 24/7. We weren't extremely good at it at the start when the rule first came out, but with a couple of days we are a lot better. One of us can be an English translator, so if we see other missionaries that are English or we are talking to someone other than who we are teaching that speaks English, we still speak Spanish with a translator.
Sooooo.... ELDER NEIL L. ANDERSON TALKED TO US FOR MISSION CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY!!! It was awesome! He stayed for a stake conference too I think. But like in February or somewhere around there our mission also had Elder Bednar come to talk to us. It is usually pretty rare to have that happen to get two apostles in that short of time I think. Elder Anderson said he was a mission president in France but not in Paris. He said that all the apostles went to Paris instead of his mission. He said Orlando is kind of like the Paris of Florida and Tampa Bay is like wherever he was mission president of. It went something like that haha. He was really funny. He talked to us about what to say when people tell us that we are a cult. We smile no matter what and just make sure they know that Jesus Christ is the center of our religion. Cults have someone other than Jesus Christ at the center of their religion. He explained to us to not just look as your mission as baptisms. Else you will be discouraged. Have a broader view of your calling. He said not everyone is going to let us in and that if we could just help strengthen their testimony of Jesus Christ in our talking with him, that that would be great. He then talked about not comparing our self to others. he talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was just a really nice spiritual meeting as you could probably guess. It was a great time and I learned a lot.
On Sunday a mission leader of the stake of something talked to us. He talked about 5 false myths to member missionary work. I can't remember them all but I just want to share the biggest 2 that I remember.
-You don't have to be friends with someone to share the gospel with them. It's not how many friends you have, but how many people you share the gospel with.
-Don't judge people on their circumstances. Give everyone a chance to hear "something beautiful". don't just look at someone and decide that they wouldn't accept the gospel.
This week was a great week and really fun (like always). I still am not a huge fan of 6:30 am-7 am, but I don't think many are. I love studying though. It is really cool to just learn from the scriptures and from each other for 3 hours everyday. (We have 2 hours of companionship study our first 12 weeks). And Spanish is getting better and better. We study that for another hour every day. So we don't even finish studies until 12, but I don't mind it. At first companionship study was really difficult for 2 hours, but it is a lot more fun with 3 people doing role playing teachings and there is just a lot more input. 3 is more fun that 2 I think. We don't get on each others nerves as much and the teaching has to be more in tune with the spirit. But the house is harder to keep clean.
I love it out here! There is no where I would rather be. It's not easy, but it never was easy for our Saviour. He love is real! I feel it every day. I'm so glad to be in the true church of Jesus Christ. I know that it is the only true church in the world. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet today. I know that the Book of Mormon has a power in it that can help us with any aspect of our lives. I know Jesus Christ lives and that we have a loving Father in Heaven. I know that miracles come from prayers even though we don't always see them.
I love you all and am grateful for all you do for me. I am grateful for your examples and prayers!
Love Elder Christiansen!
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