To Mom - This is the Hardest thing I have ever done.

Brian had a couple opportunities to email today.  As a mom it is really hard to concentrate on work when you get emails from your son that you haven't seen in two weeks.  It's distracting but the best part of the week.

Brian has been in the Mexico MTC (or CCM) for a little over two weeks of his six weeks of training.  While his hometown is experiencing weather in the teens to high 30s, Mexico city has been in the 50s to 70s.  Culture shock as well as weather shock.

Here are some portions of his emails:

Hey mom, I seriously miss you. This is the longest I have ever been without you guys but you're with me in spirit.  I am having the time of my life here.  I am sprinting and wrestling all the time. My district really connects with others. I definitely  know that I was specifically placed in this district at this time. They all have beautiful testimonies and are so fun to be around.  (Many in his district are from Idaho or live near Brian's family in Arizona .  Small world).

It was such an awesome experience last night when we had personal study.  I played some music while we studying. A lot of people were in the hall but i was working on Spanish on the white board when the song the Armies of Helaman ("We'll Bring the World His Truth") came on.  We all  kept studying but we were all singing. The spirit was present and so powerful.  I think it meant a lot to my district when that happened because it showed us our purpose for being out all with the words of a simple primary song. Music es muy powerful. 

Mom, i am really scared, this is the hardest thing i have ever done. I feel like I am trying my hardest learning Spanish.  Two days ago I went into a lesson totally relying on the spirit and I didnt say much but i could ask important question and i was satisfied on how it went. But yesterday we went into another lesson and i had nothing to say. I felt like I lost everything I had obtained. I was scared and frustrated. Still am. Its just hard because everyone expects you to know it. So that's frustrating but Esta Bien. I can do this. Absolutly can.

In a previous email I asked how it was working and living with the native Spanish speakers and how Church was at the MTC.  Um yes all the hermanas are from the US. This MTC doesnt have a lot of people in it. But we just got some natives in right next door but we dont see them very often. Yea the CCM is like our own personal America. I am not submerged as much as I thought I would be. Sunday is good we dont have any leanring classes. We go to preisthood and then sacrament with our zone. Then we have some devotionals with everyone and then they usually play a church movie. Like last sunday we watched when Christ came to the Americas. It was like a hour and a half long movie. So thats cool. Then just retire to our casa´s and bed. Its a pretty chill day.
 

This week unfortunately our father district left to the mission field.  My friend Forrest and Hermana Weller left on monday and then Elder Mckenzie from Mountain Home Idaho left Tuesday with the rest of his super cool district. I can tell you this though, its would have been super uber hard without them. We got in our new district yesterday.  Now we are the father district. I am just hoping that we can be even more help than the father district before was to us. But Esta Bien. 

But I want you to know that I am serving the lord and that I love you. Mom I love you so much and I thought it would be easier being away from you guys. I had a rude awakening. Basically mom I want you to know that I am good and happy, struggling but happy. I am still confident.

I love you mom.

Elder Luke