Transfers!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

HOLA!

TRANSFER MEETING DUM DUM DUM!!!

This week was un poco hard. The weather was terrible and my companion has been sick- but we're still upbeat and working hard!! I'm with Elder Richardson for another cycle here in Olmstead! It's kinda morbid... He's going home at the end of this cycle- 6 weeks away. Mission Lingo for going home is "Dying" and if you are the one who's companion is going home, it's called "Killing your companion." Even more morbid, the Lingo for a Trainer is "father".... HENCE, and the end of this cycle I'll be "Killing my Father..." Bahahahaha!!! So dark. :P

Last P-Day we went to the BRONX ZOO!! IT WAS... well kinda... a bust. Bahaha no it was great- it's just that we got ourselves WAY worked up that morning.... "We're going to the ZOO! We're going to the ZOOOO!!".... and then when we got there...! It was still just a zoo. Ahem. But it was a good relaxing day. PLUS I saw King Julian in the Madagascar exhibit- which MAY have made my entire Mission worth it. ;)

Bahaha just a few FYI points I'd like to make:

1) I have OFFICIALLY lost the excess pounds I gained at the first of the cycle... I'm startin to slim up again finally hahaha

2) I've been Bronxed. My English is terrible- it might not sound too bad on the computer but my Engish Grammar that I've learned my whole life- is GONE.

3) Bronx in the Spring. Sheer AWESOMENESS. HUNDREDS of kids playing in the streets, all the fire hydrants open- blasting water everywhere as little kids run through the streams, Music PUMPING out of every open window, little Hispanic vendors on every open spot of sidewalk- I LOVE IT. I can't help but smile as I walk down the street and feela part of my home-away-from-home. I don't even hear the sirens or the subways anymore- I'm officially a New Yorker!

We had one of the most incredible experiences a few days ago with the Lopez Family- Leidy and her Sisters and Mother. All in all, it was Elder Richardson and I, Leidy (member), Sobeidra (member) and 8 nonmembers, all of which consisted of the two sister's family.2 of the 8 were younger than 8 yrs old (girls) and the rest were (guessing) 9, 14, 19, 23, 25, and their grandmother. We all crammed into a small living room in a small apartment. I opened up the lesson and introduced the Restoration and gave a brief history and bore my testimony about it- then we watched "The Restoration" (20 Min DVD, 2004 intellectual reserve). At the end of the video nobody spoke a word. I said "Como se sienten?" (how do you feel?)

Nobody said anything for about 15 seconds- then the 14 yr old boy said very quietly "Paz."(Peace). Several of the people there (me included) got emotional and Leidy bore her testimony to her family. It was SO intense- the Spirit we could feel was literally tangible and incredible. We gave Hermana Lopez (the grandmother) a blessing for her health-she has been sick for about 2 months with fatigue and throat problems. After the blessing she just sat there with her eyes closed- and nobody in the whole room said a word. She stayed silent for about 5 minutes- then she stood up and said in Spanish "This is True." It was SO cool- we're going back tomorrow to set baptismal dates for her and the other 5 in her family- we're so excited!

Last week I baptized a woman named Soledad! I hope you got the pictures!!

All the Spanish Members of the Ward speak.. well.. Spanish- but a lot of their really young kids (primary age) speak both Spanish and English. These 3 kids from the Almonte family were trying to tell me that I played the piano well, but the Engilsh verbs "To play (as in a musical instrument)" and "to touch (as in... uhhh... I want to touch you??) are both translated into the Spanish Verb "tocar." So all the kids, learning Spanish first and then English from their schoolmates told me "Hey Elder Hellberg, you touch the Piano really well!" hahaha Now all my District asks me to "touch the piano for our meetings" instead of "play." Baha :)

It's hard- I miss you all SO bad! But i heard something AWESOME the other day that really touched me- "I'm leaving MY family for 2 years, so OTHER families can be together for Eternity." Pretty cool huh? I love it :)

Guys!! I love you all SO uber much! You're always in my prayers and in my heart!

B safe! B happy! B heathly!

Always and forever,

Elder Brandon Hellberg