Elder Parker Spanbauer: Week 5 Santiago MTC

April 15, 2015

Hey Guys!!! Sorry I'm writing a little late this week. We have a ton of Elders and Hermanas here at the CCM (MTC) so we had to split up our Pdays. So first off, yes we got to listen to all of the sessions of conference!!! I honestly think that's the first time I've listened to every single session! We got home super late that day! (midnight) I absolutely loved the talks and I especially love Elder Holland! This week has been so much fun and stressful and then fun again and then stressful.... but in those moments i feel the most stress, I also feel the comfort of the lord the most. When people said it wasn't going to be easy, they weren't kidding!!! My Spanish is so much better than it was when i first got here but still pretty sloppy. I can hold a conversation with the Latino Elders and people on the street but sometimes its hard to understand them when they speak a billion miles an hour. There are so many people from so many different places here so its hard to understand some of them. There is one Elder from Peru that speaks very softly and I cant understand him to save my life. So yeah, my Spanish is ´´mejor´´ pero still sucks hahaha. I have had a ton of opportunities to teach ´´investigators´´ AKA my teachers acting as investigators from their missions. Its a lot of fun but really hard to do in Spanish. Yesterday we went to the temple again. It was a wonderful experience as usual. This time was special though because it is probably the last time ill get to go to the temple in a long time!!! I love to take the opportunity to pray in the celestial room after the endowment session. I know I am in Chile for a reason and I cant wait to start my real mission in Antofagasta!!! Today was our Pday so we got to go explore the city a little bit more. We went to another mall to get some things like envelopes, pens, sharpies...etc. After that we bought some Gatorade and a TON of candy hahah. As a missionary in the MTC, candy is a necessity. We went to Lider (walmart) and i bought some more shampoo and more candy hahaha. We also went to a little empanada store and got some fries and empanadas. Lastly, we went to an LDS distribution store and i bought some really cool Peruvian Ties! Today we didn't do a whole lot but we still had a good time. I cant believe it has only been a month and a week! I'm getting nervous because tomorrow we go contacting out on the street. Also, on Friday, we are going on missionary splits with the missionaries in the West Santiago Mission. So its just going to be me and most likely a Latino teaching real investigators. This makes me a little nervous, given my Spanish skill haha but im sure it will be an amazing experience. Sounds like things are going good at home. Regan, goodluck on Pace! Rylie, sounds like you resolved things with ya boy so that's good. I loved the photos you guys sent me!!! Tell Tori I love her!!! Anyway, I need time to send photos.... I love you all so much! If you guys ever send me a packaged, Send me more photos of you guys!

One more thing... So we have been challenging the Latinos every morning to futbol and yesterday we slaughtered them!!! They were so mad hahaha and they beat us today so tomorrow is the championship. Its funny to watch their faces when i school them hahah. #whitepower

(by the way, Elder Muir is still in our companionship and he is from California)

love you lots,
Elder Spanbauer