Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Movie and feeling sick


 Hola! Yes! NEMS (the Middle school for our area) is awesome! Im glad Rebekah's loving it. There's no show choir in high school so maybe she could try for something else. Like the powder room! haha    Thats pretty awesome mom. I love those kind of stories. They help me realize the power of trusting in the Lord and asking for help. 

This week was good! There were some fun moments, but there deffinately were some tough ones. So our daily schedule is just waking up at 6:30 then studying before breakfast. Then studying and classed after breakfast. Then more classes studying and role playing after lunch. Then more classes and role play after dinner for 5 days out of 7 during the week. The first week was easy because everything was new. The people, my district, the place, the activities. It was just really exciting to be here. It still is but it has dwindeld a little bit. The first week I might have said "yeah Icould stay in the MTC forever forever forever forever" but now I just want to get out in the field.          

So this week we got to watch the Joseph Smith movie which was really good even though I've already seen it. I was able to feel the spirit during it and the gospel just makes sense. All the pieces really do go together. If I didnt know the church is true through the feelings of the spirit then just knowing the story of Joseph Smith is pretty convincing. The Book of Mormon, the miracles that took place, and just the things he endured yet he still pressed on. Its pretty interesting and humbling. He was tarred and feathered, beat up, laughed at, thrown in jail, etc yet he still formed the church and followed the directions of God. He was either insane, (which he wasn't) or he was a Prophet.

I was sick this past week. It was a hard time.  I just layed in my bed, withoutfalling asleep forever and thought about you guys. I had flue-like symptoms. My stomach really hasn't been the same since though. Its a little harder to eat. I'd like some advise as to what things I can do to reset my inerds. Gracias I love you guys!

and they confiscate everyone's  camera once they arrive so I can't take any pictures. I would like to send you some, but I cant.
 I love your guts.

 Elder Neifert

p.s. Sorry the keyboards are weird here so its hard to indent and make it look nice.

 Another e-mail:
I have four minutes left and I wanted to tell ya about what the MTC is
like. Three floors, small cafeteria. They serve lots of Hispanic
foods. There are building all around the MTC and there are pretty big
walls. It's just a small confined space. The temple is about 80 - 100
steps away from the MTC. and I can actually see it right now! My
district is just 4 people. Me, Elder Patterson, Elder Gneiting and
Hermana Powers. She has no companion. It's really sad. But we are
trying to help her be more happy.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

First week


Hola Familia! 
 
I love the MTC here! Its the BEST! I love the food, my
teachers, and it's just a really happy place! I just got to go the
temple this morning. Its a special place, that's for sure. I definitely
have felt the spirit and the the reality of being a representative of
Christ. Its probably the coolest feelings I've ever had in my vida (life). I
have two companions, Elder Patterson from Alpine, Utah. Elder
Gneiting from Pleasant Grove, Utah. And no, he doesn't know the Whatcott
name... it's a shame. I really like Elder Patterson. He's a really nice
guy and he is a good listener. He works hard and is a really good
example to me. He came to the MTC or CCM with no spanish. He works
pretty hard. Elder Gneiting knows a lot of Spanish. It's hard because
when we teach he talks a lot, because he knows what to say. Hopefully me
and Elder Patterson can catch up quickly. My district is super
tiny. Its just my companionship and one sister, Hermana Powers from
Roy Utah. I feel really bad for her because she doesn't really have a
companion. I cannot even imagine going through that. The food is
bueno! A lot of tacos, tortillas, cheese, beans but there are some
really good soups and juices. Lots of good fruits as well.
 
 This week I learned the difference between Huevos and Huesos. In a role play when
I was by myself as a missionary teaching some Latinos in the CCM, I was
bearing testimony about how the epiritu santo works and how we can
feel it. This was all in Spanish, however. I said "Usted puede sientir
in sus corazon y sus huevos." They started laughing really hard and I
had no idea until I remembered that huevos is eggs and huesos is
bones. It was pretty embarrassing, but I laughed about it.
 
 We watched a great talk by Elder Holland. He was speaking the MTC in Provo and his
talk is called "No Regrets". He talked about how the mission is
important. How really blessed the missionaries are to have the
opportunity to serve the Lord in his name, with His power and
authority. He stressed the importance of serving a mission in His way
because its His work. That's why the mission rules are important. Its
His work. The spirit has testified to me a lot since I've been here. I
probably already said this, but its the best thing in the world.
Serving a mission is what I need to do. I didn't really get a huge
personal confirmation that I was doing the right thing before I left.
But since I've been here I know its the right thing to do. 
 
I did get those thank you's mailed when I was at the Minneapolis airport. That
was a good idea mom, thank you. I love you guys! You are so supportive
of me and it touches my heart when I think about your prayers for me.
I know that Jesus cristo is real. I feel his love when I'm in the right
mindset. I know the this work is the most important in the world! All
the little problems and things that happen in life are nothing
compared to the importance of this work. 
 
He lives, the spirit is real, and Heavenly Father loves us all. 
 
En el nombre de Jesucristo amen. 
 
Elder Neifert
 
  

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Arrived in Guatemala

Dear Familia,
 
I made it! I met up with some Elders and Sisters in Los Angeles. Thank you for youre prayers, and for the list of emails. I did sit next to a young man on the way to Los Angeles and we talked for quite a while about what we believe as Mormons. He had some good questions. He did stump me a couple of times, but I think he took some good knowledge away from our conversation. He was a baptist who doesnt believe in baptism. We talked about Nicodemus and why batptism was necessary. And on the way to Guatemala I sat next to a latino man who asked me to say a prayer before we took off which was pretty neat. I dont have much time to write!
 
 We write home on different days during the week so don't worry if you don't get any emails on Monday. Just make sure to write on Sunday before the week begins. I love you guys!  It's good to be here! I'm excited to learn from the BEEESSSST!

Elder Neifert