Dear home!
I have officially been a Missionary... for 356 days (on Thursday)!!!!
It's mind-blowing. Time is very messed up right now... part of me thinks that it's been YEARS since I left my home in Salt Lake... and part of me thinks that I've only been in the Big Apple for a few weeks! Either way, my calender doesn't lie and I only have 1 year left- cranking up the pressure notch! I feel accomplished thus far, but I have much more than 1 year worth of stuff left to do- better get DOING it!
I'm SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS! It's truly the happiest time of the year. There are big light-displays and set-ups all over the city, big trees in all the stores and in many of the apartments... it's crisp outside and Spirit of Christmas approaches! We have started handing out the "Regocijaos, Jesus Nacio!" pass along cards! (Rejoice, Christ was Born!) I love it here in winter- it's cold, but everybody's hearts are a little warmer. People Smile and sing and all the crazy rap music is slowly becoming Christmas Music!
Elder Mitchell and I get along great! He's such a cool guy. He's 23 from Michigan, and is of African-American descent... making me, once again, the only white guy in the city! Haha! He's hilarious and we work together great. He already knows Spanish pretty well- but we have some good Spanish studies planned to help us both!
I gave a TALK in Spanish in Sacrament meeting on sunday! It was a little nerve-wracking at first... but it went okay!
WE'RE MOVING.............AGAIN!! BAHAH!! But this time... We're MOving.... to the HEART of LITTLE ITALY!! YAY!! Every morning at about 9 and every night about the same time- you throw open your window and in comes the fresh and wonderful smell of Italian Bread!! They have so many bakeries down there, that it makes a billow of warm bread air that blankets the area! It's so great! PLUS we live a block away from Palombos famous Italian pastry house! Cannolis and hot chocolate- and GELATO! (Dad, they have Caramel... Not quite as good as Asisi, but ALMOST!!) It's Mah-velous. We're moving into a remodeled basement apartment, with a big patio! And we even have a secret entrance to get in! You can't enter through the normal building entrance- there is a secret tunnel!!
We have a fun service project we do on Friday mornings! We play pool at an old-folks home for abooot a half-hour, then serve all of them food! Our district gets in these hilarious aprons and hats and gloves and we run around with hot plates of food for an hour. Afterwards, we sing to them! It's so fun! Last week, we sang Called to Serve and Somewhere over the Rainbow!
As far as teaching goes, all is going well! We're still working with many incredible people. Gabino, Roberto, Gloria, Inez, Jorge, Nelson, Hector, Flor, Sandra, Rosario, Marcela, Angie, Nancy and others- all of which are getting closer and closer to baptism. Many have told us of their desires to be baptized- and many are progressing and excited about the Gospel. It's such a blessing to be a Missionary and feel so attached and have such a great love for these people, and see them commit to following the Savior.
I love you all!
The Church is TRUE!
B safe. B happy! B REGOCIJANDO!
It's mind-blowing. Time is very messed up right now... part of me thinks that it's been YEARS since I left my home in Salt Lake... and part of me thinks that I've only been in the Big Apple for a few weeks! Either way, my calender doesn't lie and I only have 1 year left- cranking up the pressure notch! I feel accomplished thus far, but I have much more than 1 year worth of stuff left to do- better get DOING it!
I'm SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS! It's truly the happiest time of the year. There are big light-displays and set-ups all over the city, big trees in all the stores and in many of the apartments... it's crisp outside and Spirit of Christmas approaches! We have started handing out the "Regocijaos, Jesus Nacio!" pass along cards! (Rejoice, Christ was Born!) I love it here in winter- it's cold, but everybody's hearts are a little warmer. People Smile and sing and all the crazy rap music is slowly becoming Christmas Music!
Elder Mitchell and I get along great! He's such a cool guy. He's 23 from Michigan, and is of African-American descent... making me, once again, the only white guy in the city! Haha! He's hilarious and we work together great. He already knows Spanish pretty well- but we have some good Spanish studies planned to help us both!
I gave a TALK in Spanish in Sacrament meeting on sunday! It was a little nerve-wracking at first... but it went okay!
WE'RE MOVING.............AGAIN!! BAHAH!! But this time... We're MOving.... to the HEART of LITTLE ITALY!! YAY!! Every morning at about 9 and every night about the same time- you throw open your window and in comes the fresh and wonderful smell of Italian Bread!! They have so many bakeries down there, that it makes a billow of warm bread air that blankets the area! It's so great! PLUS we live a block away from Palombos famous Italian pastry house! Cannolis and hot chocolate- and GELATO! (Dad, they have Caramel... Not quite as good as Asisi, but ALMOST!!) It's Mah-velous. We're moving into a remodeled basement apartment, with a big patio! And we even have a secret entrance to get in! You can't enter through the normal building entrance- there is a secret tunnel!!
We have a fun service project we do on Friday mornings! We play pool at an old-folks home for abooot a half-hour, then serve all of them food! Our district gets in these hilarious aprons and hats and gloves and we run around with hot plates of food for an hour. Afterwards, we sing to them! It's so fun! Last week, we sang Called to Serve and Somewhere over the Rainbow!
As far as teaching goes, all is going well! We're still working with many incredible people. Gabino, Roberto, Gloria, Inez, Jorge, Nelson, Hector, Flor, Sandra, Rosario, Marcela, Angie, Nancy and others- all of which are getting closer and closer to baptism. Many have told us of their desires to be baptized- and many are progressing and excited about the Gospel. It's such a blessing to be a Missionary and feel so attached and have such a great love for these people, and see them commit to following the Savior.
I love you all!
The Church is TRUE!
B safe. B happy! B REGOCIJANDO!
Elder Hellberg
No comments:
Post a Comment