Field Trip

Hey guys! So turns out I do get to write today. They switched p-day for us, but only for this week. Mom, I got your package last night. Thanks a ton! Our investigator José is not our investigator anymore, but we have referred him to the missionaries in this mission. He is a great guy. Anyways, at one point this week, I had 11 mosquito bites. ELEVEN. I sleep on the bottom bunk, so I rigged a blanket to drape down and create a ghetto mosquito net type contraption for my bed. No new bites so far. It has been kind of cold here lately. I have no idea why, but the weather is pretty inconsistent. Rain some days, blistering heat others. But always beautiful. This week, our teachers became our new 'investigators' and we have been teaching them. We are teaching completely in Spanish, without written scripts. It is pretty cool. Yesterday we got to leave the CCM!! The CCM needed to be completely cleaned out, so we went to a big 3D relief map of Guatemala. Presidente Nicolayson talked about different aspects of Book of Mormon history and how Guatemala very well could be the place where a lot of it took place. As I pondered my knowledge of the Book of Mormon stories, the Spirit testified strongly to me that this is the place, and that the descendents of those ancient people are here waiting to have the gospel preached to them. After the relief map, we went to an underground market that is 3 stories deep. Presidente and his wife simply told us to always make sure that the hermanas are with at least 2 elders (for safety) and they told us that we needed to be at Wendy's in a few hours and then they left!  So we walked through this huge market, which had hundreds of little shops, similar to the vendors in Kenya. I walked around just to look, but a couple of the hermanas wanted to buy a few things. Because I speak the most Spanish, I helped them barter for stuff, which was really cool. I have done that before, but always with my family, and always in English. Then we got to eat at Wendy's. I got a spicy chicken sandwich and a coke zero. When we were finished, Presidente let us walk around the town square and talk to people. And I placed my first Book of Mormon, in Spanish!! It was a pretty cool experience just talking to people. I wrote my testimony in the front of the copy of the Book of Mormon and I hope that something good comes of that. Other than that, everything is pretty much the same here. A new batch of Nortes came in today. 30 of them, 14 Elders. I am going to miss being one of only 4 Norte elders here in the CCM, but they seem like a good group. My spanish is improving every day, and I am just wanting so bad to be fluent already. But I do have 4 more weeks. There was a chance that I would get pulled up into an 'older' district this week and leave 2 weeks early, but a few reasons (such as me being district leader and the El Salvador transfers not lining up right) made it so that I will stay here until we ship out. I love my district. They are all such great people, and we have learned and grown a lot together. Many days, we laugh for 10 minutes or so because we are just having so much fun. The last 2 weeks have really flown by. It is crazy! And I'm loving (pretty much) every minute of it.

If you want to send any more packages, you probably have to send them this week. If you could buy me a Spanish verb book (with english definitions and all conjugations) that would be GREAT. I have wanted one for the past week, but I can't get one here, and I am dying to have one. But I guess I can wait the 3 or so weeks it will take to get here in the mail. How is everything at home?? Dad, nice work with the diet progress. I myself am keeping in pretty good shape by riding a stationary bike and reading the BOM in Spanish. You'll have no problem memorizing your script. Mom, I want you to know that I am in really great hands. the CCM president is an amazing man. Every time he speaks i just want to hug him. My teacher Hermana Garrido is awesome too. She is about 5 feet tall, and we call her Hermana Madre. Also my district is awesome. We help each other keep in good spirits. And on top of all of that, I am in the Lord's hands. And I have already seen how he takes care of His missionaries. I love you all and I hope that you have a great week. I know I will!!
Lots of love. Elder Briggs Andreasen