Words from Orson

Mi Familia!

Today is day nine of being a missionary.  I can't believe it already.  My first official P-day!

So life at the CCM has been great.  Sunday was the turning point for sure.  Since then time has been flying by...I can hardly handle it.  I'm feeling so much more confident with my language and teaching the lessons in Spanish.  My disttict is just the best, they're always so supportive of the gringo.  Of the 14 of us 11 are native speakers, 1 lived in Paraguay for three years and 1 is a Latin studies major, and then there is me.  So I'm keeping up for the most part!

Sunday was awesome.  Since I'm here and it's a great opportunity Elder Gonzalez and I went to choir practice on Sunday in preparation for the Tuesday evening devotional.  We sang a great arrangement of Jesus Once of Humble Birth with about 400 other missionaries.   It was pretty powerful.  For an opening hymn we sang Praise to the Man and with the voices of that many called servants of the Lord it was amazing.  I'm noticing that I'm becoming more sensitive to the Spriit especially with music.  I love the hymns.  (Fun fact: Called to Serve in Spanish has 4 verses). 

The theory that I have about the prettiest Sister Missionaries going to Temple Square is confirmed but in reality pretty much all of the Sisters here are remarkably beautiful and they're on fire for the Lord which is awesome.  Dannee and Katri - Sister missionaries rock. 

Every day we have gym time and whether we're inside or outiside our district is always playing volleyball.  Es lo mejor!  We love it so much.  It is such a great time to release our wiggles.  Actually one day during a prayer before gym one foolish Elder actually said in the prayer, "And help us all to release our wiggles."

So Tuesday I became the offical expert at waking up in the A.M. we have an assigned service hour every week and this week it was at 6:00 a.m.  Ay yay yay!  Actually yesterday was the day that marked me officially not being a rookie anymore! There were about 400 new missionaries that arrived yesterday.  And news:  next week is Mission President Training week and there will be 10 of the 12 Apostles aqui al CCM.  And one of them is going to speak at a devotional! (Tenemos los devotionales los domingos y los martes).

Another exciting thing that happened on Tuesday, actually after getting back from the proyecto de servicio, Elder Gonzalez y yo vimos un globo de aire caliente outside our window! (hot air balloon).  Don't worry Mommy, I'm taking pictures! 

One thing that I've found I like much better about Spanish than in English is how the scriptures talk about the Holy Ghost.  In English we find "the still small voice" but in Spanish, it's often "la voz apacible y delicada." I think it's much more accurate of a description. 

So be proud of me:  We set goals of stuff we're going to do each week and one thing is memorizing scriptures.  I've already memorized 12/13 Articulos de Fe since Sabado!  It does help a little bit that I already knew then in English but I'm still loving memorizing in Spanish.  The next escritura: D y C 4.

At the CCM hay muchisimos misioneros que estan aqui de muchos partes del mundo y tienen muchos different backgrounds.  There are some from part member families, only member in their family, inactive families, full member families, college, work, high school, brilliant, less brilliamt, hard working, or not but we're all here to do the same thing.  It is powerful to be here!  We had a great devotional Tuesday from President Wixom of the Primary General Presidency and she told us that we stand as witnesses of Christ with our name tags but we are witnesses with his name on our hearts.  I love being surrounded by the missionaries.  They come from all over the world and most contribute something great to the work. 

Just so you guys know, those homeade cards rock! I love them.  They make me laugh every time!

 

Elder Gonzalez and I are already teaching better, with the spirit and more unified.  It is great to see our progress and we love walking around the CCM looking for people to talk to and "preach to." 

Last night something EPIC happened.  We were wrestling in our room (Found out it's against the rules..) and a massive Tongan missionary came by and asked what we were doing.  One incredibly foolish Elder in our district challenged him to wrestle.  It was a short round.  He was a big Elder.  Whoa. 

Today we went to the Temple.  The gardens are so beautiful.  I love the flowers.  Also I auditioned for a musical number for some CCM events.  I got accepted and I'll be doing solo piano, "A Child's Prayer" and I'm accompaning someone for "I Heard Him Come."  Also I'm playing in sacrament meeting Sunday, "Nearer My God To Thee."

Don't worry. I'll send pictures, they computers here don't let us upload....

Ok. Love you guys lots!!!!

Elder Clay

News:  The check didn't get here

Today I bought a "Momma's Boys: Stripling Warriors" shirt

There are about 55 languages spoken here at the CCM. 

Has Jimmer been drafted yet?

Green Pest Guys Report?

You can write me long emails because we have a trick to print them without taking time off so I can read them during the day and in the afternoon write back

Dad - can you send me the Line of Authority in an email (no attachment)?

Dannee and Katri you guys rock for the letters love you!

Danielle: I saw Elder Biggs, and Brady

Britta - Thanks for writing. I'm writing back!