I feel like this week went by super fast, I don't what you're talking about mom :p haha but seriously the time here is flying by and I'm already halfway done at the MTC here. I feel like I've been here so long sometimes, I forget that I am actually going to Mexico afterward and not staying here forever haha.
So I guess the first big thing to tell you is that I went to Vegas Thursday and got my Visa from the Mexican consulate, so that was fun I guess. I took a bunch of pics but IDK which ones got to you or not. I was there with 8 other missionaries, but I didn't know any of them. Made some friends though. A couple other people took pics of the whole group on their camera so they might send them to me I don't know. Anyway Vegas is awful. I mean it's awful as a place in general, but even worse for a missionary haha. I forgot just how awful the outside world is for a few weeks... We step off the plane and there's just slot machines buzzing away stealing peoples money, borderline pornographic stuff every where you look. It's safest just to look at your shoes the whole time. That's why the title of this letter is that quote "A ship at harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." I wrote that down in my journal but not who said it or where I read it so I can't remember but I love it. It has so many missionary applications haha. But in Vegas I just felt like I was "a ship out of harbor" and it's just an awful place, but once you get past all that, I had a lot of great missionary experiences.
While we were waiting in the SLC airport we saw a couple that was speaking in Spanish so me and a Sister went over and started talking to them in Spanish. Turns out they're members already but the man was a English/Spanish translator for work so we spoke in a bit of both and I think it really helped my Spanish a lot. I could actually understand him really well and could usually get my point across when I was speaking, so that was a fun experience. He was from Peru and she was from Torreon, Mexico and she knew where Tampico was and said that I am going to love it, but I'll be very hot. So not much different than what I've heard haha. On the plane I sat next to this guy named Jeremy. He asked me a little bit about my mission but I noticed he was trying to keep the topic off of religion so I just talked to him about his life and stuff like that. He travels all over the world for work, went to all 50 states before he was 18, lived in Dubai for 3 years, and all kinds of stuff. He has a wife but they can't have kids, but he has nieces and nephews so we talked about our nieces and nephews and stuff but never really the church much. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it and figured it's better to just be somebodys friend and give them a good image of the church and stuff than to start shoving the Book of Mormon down their throats like I overheard other missionaries doing.
While we were waiting in the Vegas airport for our flight this man came up to us and said "Are you Mormons? I was in Hawaii a while ago and I started reading the Book of Mormon that was in my hotel room and I was really intrigued and was wondering if you could tell me how to get one." So I pulled my spare that I brought to try and place and gave it to him right there. He started reading it right away (I took a picture) and we gave him a pass along card and some other info so that was really cool.
When we landed in Vegas we got picked up by this old service missionary who took us to the UNLV institute building and we stayed there for 3 1/2 hours just killing time and he talked to us about what to know before we go to Mexico (He served in Mexico City with his wife a few years ago) and some foods and stuff that we can eat that will help adjust and all that so it was good information, but it would be easier if he just typed it all up and gave us a packet to read on the flight or something. It was a long 3 hours. Once we finally left for the consulate we got there and they took our fingerprints and a picture and then we waited for a bit and then they gave us back our passports and we got to have a "2 minute love affair" with our Visas before he took them back haha. It only lasts for 6 months and they file for an extension. It makes it go a lot faster that way. So after that we just went back and sat in the Vegas airport for a few hours. Oh yah we also left our California Pizza Kitchen waiter with a pass along card so I'm pretty sure I have two baptisms now, right ;)
I left at 4:30 in the AM and didn't get back til 10:30 so I was so tired the next day. Funny story actually the next morning we had study time and I was just reading at my desk fighting to stay awake. I lost that fight haha but after like 10 minutes my desk just started falling forward and I fell on the ground. My district thought that was pretty funny. It was pretty funny, but not at the time haha.
So every week we have to prepare a talk in Spanish on a topic and then the Branch President calls on someone to give it on Sunday. The first Sunday was fast Sunday and the one after that we had a district president there so this week was the first time we were in jeopardy of giving a talk haha. I got called on and so did Elder White. It wasn't as hard as I thought but if you think it's nerve wracking giving a talk, try giving it in a language you don't speak! It went well though. Next Sunday Elder Merling and I are singing Come Thou Fount in sacrament meeting so that should be interesting haha. IDK how I got roped into that, but I love that song and Merling is a good singer so hopefully it will go well. We invited one of our "investigators" (He's our teacher) to be baptized the other day and he said yes so that was kinda cool. Even though it's not real it still feels really good.
We started teaching our TRC (Teaching resource center I think) investigators and some of them are supposedly non-members, but I doubt it. Mine is named Cynthia and we actually Skyped with her our first lesson which was really strange. Yesterday when we taught her she was actually here though and it went well. It's harder teaching someone who isn't your teacher though. But the spirit there is definitely real. At the beginning of our lesson she said that she was telling her "member friend" about the missionaries who taught her and told her our names and apparently she recognized mine and her friend is married to one of Brads mission companions from Ohio. She couldn't remember his name though and this is all in Spanish so I don't know if I even have the story right, but she definitely said something about one of my brother who served in Ohio and his companion. So that was weird.
Yesterday M. Russell Ballard was here for devotional and that was really good. He talked about how when we leave the MTC and go out into the world we are going to see a lot of anti stuff and hear about the church in the news and stuff and just to stand strong and not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Even when what we are doing isn't currently "Politically Correct", that the world is not our judge, history is not our judge, but God is our judge. Made me think of a qoute I wrote down i think from PMG and it says "Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand." It was a good talk but it made us all wonder what's going on on the outside or what's gonna happen soon or something so keep me updated I guess?
Oh yah devotional on Sunday was Sheri Dew and that was good too. She said something that kinda helped me and I'm sure a lot of other missionaries as well. "The Savior rarely removes the mountains in front of you, but he will always help you climb over them." That is so true. We are all here to learn and grow from our trials and we can't do that if all of our obstacles are just taken away from us. We have to learn how to overcome them, but we will always have someone to help us.
One more thing, there is an Elder here who is getting ready to go to Greece I think but he is from Tampico! So I've talked to him a little but. He said it's super hot and super wet, no surprises there, and that the work is good but the church attendance is low. He said that in the main city around the mission home and the temple and stuff is pretty safe and Americanized with McDonald's and Wal-Mart and all that.
Alright I can't think of anything else to say so I'll just send this. I have till 1:53 so if you have quick questions let me know. Love you!
Love,
Elder Skalla
PS can you try and find Brother Palmer's email address? I can't remember it... You can message him from my Facebook if you want.
PSS I got your package, it was perfect! Thanks! My zone thanks you for that air freshener too haha.
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