Dearest Family and Friends:
Well, of course it's been another great week here at the CCM. It can always be a good week if you let it be
one!!!! I think this is the first week I haven't had a whole lot to say, but
somehow I think it will be a long letter anyway. :)
Sean Cates - This guy is the President of the CCM. He is the president over non-spiritual
things. He's the one that hires people to work here and basically runs the
facility. President Tenorio is the
president of missionaries. Anyway, I was eating dinner with Hermano Cates, and
asked him about his family vacation. He
said he went to visit Orem. I was like, "no way!!! I"M FROM
OREM!!!" So that was fun. Apparently he is from Orem as well. His parents live there and he went to
Northridge Elementary. Huh. That was a fun night.
TRC - I don't know what it stands for. Sorry. I feel like I should
learn that. Anyway, we did it again on Saturday, and it was the BEST - again.
:) Hermana Kivett and I taught 3 people. We taught a sweet old lady who just
wanted to talk and talk and talk, so that was fun. Then we taught a mom with
her daughter who just got back from Peru on her mission. That was so sweet! We
all just shared our testimonies. The spirit was so strong! And it's great
practice to talk with members. They can help you with your Spanish. And boy do
I need help. Then we taught a YW president, and SHE BROUGHT A REAL
INVESTIGATOR!!! So we taught someone who wasn't a member, but was interested.
She was probably about 15 or 16. It was the COOLEST experience here so far. I
just love TRC. I really do. Ask any missionary who has ever done it and they
will confirm it. :)
Sunday - I finally got to
give a talk on Sunday. We are supposed to prepare one every week, and they call
on you in Sacrament meeting. So I'll have 5 talks by the end of my time here,
so that's nice. But I will only have given one. So I was called on for the
Repentance topic. It was SO incredible. I talked really slowly, and everyone
could understand me! President Call and his wife were there that Sunday...no
pressure ;) It was a great experience. All the Hermanas sang Oración de un
niño, or A Child's prayer. I got to play for it. The spirit was so strong!!
This last Sunday was by far the BEST one yet.
Brother Mills. - We had a
really special guest here this last week. Brother Mills is the President of all
international MTC's. So basically 14 of
the 15 MTC's he is in charge of. Apparently Mexico is the biggest. It holds
1400, but it's on a 95 acre plot. BOOM. Take that Provo! Just kidding. Provo is
awesome. But the CCM is better ;) Anyway, he came and talked to us this last
week. It was a lot of fun. He talked about how missionaries change on a
mission. He showed before and after pictures of missionaries. Even some of the
ones who's "before" picture was nice and pretty, there was still a
noticeable change when they came back. I really hope people notice a change in
me. :)
Lesson - I had the best lesson of my whole lesson experience period
this last week. Our nighttime teacher's "investigator" role was kind
of a scary one. So Hermana Kivett and I decided to just read through the story
of Alma the younger with him, and explain it as we went. We applied it to him
to let him know that he could change, and that God loved him. In Mosiah 27
verse 17? I think it talks about how Alma's father and many people prayed that
Alma the younger would know the truth, and that their prayers of love were
answered when the angel came. Our investigator read that, and he understood it,
but he told us that he felt like no one prayed for him. I looked him straight
in the face with tears in my eyes and said. "Nosotros estamos orando por
usted. Nosotros amamos usted." Who knows if the grammar was right, or
what. But I told him "We are praying for you, and we love you." The
spirit was so strong. It was amazing to see how the Book of Mormon could touch
his life, and apply to him in such a personal way. It was also just nice to
teach about a Book of Mormon story, instead of a set lesson plan that we teach
often. It was just a great experience.
The plague - This last generation of missionaries brought death with
them. They brought a nasty virus, and 40% of the CCM got hit with it overnight.
It was awful. Just awful. It was a horrible fever, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea,
chills, and all sorts of bad stuff. My companion got sick, and so did at least
every other person's companion. So we were all on splits. It was nice that it
was rare to have an entire companionship hit. It was usually just one of the 2.
Boy. This was a bad week. EVERYONE was sick. It was terrible. The hospital was
flooded with people. I can't even begin to describe how empty it felt. It was
hard because I was constantly changing companions and constantly changing
classrooms, teachers, and investigators. I didn't have a solid place for 2
days. I'm so grateful that I didn't get sick though. It was just awful - just
awful. Ugh. So, this week was no bueno.
Well, that's honestly all I have for this week. I love you all SOOO
much. Thank you for the letters, packages, prayers, and support. I love you
all!
Prestos todos prestos!!!
Love,
Hermana Bringhurst
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