Family and Friends,
So, this week has been interesting. To start out, I'll tell you a story. Wednesday (two days ago), Elder Cox got called out of class, and consequently I did too. The following is a passage from my journal, so that you get all the emotion and all of this story:
"...we got called to room A104 in 1M during class. So, we headed over there, only to find out that is was the office of the MTC President--President Gordon B. Brown. Long story short, one of Elder Cox's friends wants to get baptized, but wants to wait for Elder Cox to get home so he can be the one to do it. So, we were just talking about how to approach the situation... But, the President kept me behind for a moment. He asked me where I was from; so of course we got to talking about the tragedy that is Penn State and Joe Paterno. Then, after complimenting my "Italian Curls", he told me to get a haircut." Whoops. "He mentioned that there were many ethnic groups in the area around the university. (Wearing white shirts every day really accentuates my darker olive skin tone.) After that I told him I was in fact, of English descent, and after remembering my name was 'Elder Andrews' he agreed I was English. After a bit more discussion he thought that I had attended Penn State and was a football player for them. And then he asked me if I was a convert." I was amazed that he got virtually every aspect of my life wrong. Anyway, I'm getting my haircut on Monday (so don't worry, Mom). Its the Italian side of our family that you need to thank that my hair grows so fast. It was an awkward encounter, but the MTC President is a good guy.
Also, you should be please to know (I know I was) that we have stopped talking about Math at our meals. We have now converted to Starcraft. Starcraft sounds even cooler when you talk about it in Spanish too. So, yeah.
Another interesting thing that happens here in the MTC is that when you are showering, all of a sudden you remember nothing about music except Hymns. You can't sing pop culture music because you simply can't remember the songs, and if you can, you can't remember the words. But, I have been able to fight it a little bit and our District has been harmonizing to music we remember from Anastasia. Unfortunately, our tone-deafness from singing in Spanish carries over now when we try to sing in English.
One of the hardest things at this stage in your stay at the MTC is forgetting a word in Spanish and English. It has happened to me a few times and it can get pretty rough. But, we find ways to get around these little obstacles. Another thing that keeps popping up in my head is the (kind of peaceful but triumphant) music of the movie Pearl Habor. Which reminds me that I love the name 'Evelyn'. So, dearest siblings, I will be really mad at you if you name any of your kids Evelyn. Dibs.
Anyway, on the more spiritual side of things, I have two investigators right now, Ana and Junior. (They are really our teachers). Junior's brother has cancer, so we are trying to help him cope with that and find purpose in his life and Ana is a single mother of two young kids (these people really exist, but they are from our Teachers' missions). So, Junior (Hermano Walton) never smiles and just stares off into space lately. So, I took him some Tootsie Rolls and he smiled for the first time. Also, Hermana Casares had he first Tootsie Roll yesterday (she was born in Mexico), so thank you for your help, Mother.
Your challenge this week comes from a challenge I got too. But yours will be much more simple. This week, please read The Living Christ. I received a letter from my mission president telling me to memorize it, and I'm about halfway done (almost). But, I've always thought of Jesus as a great example and obviously all the normal things you would think about Jesus. But, after reading The Living Christ, there is no question in my mind that Jesus is the Christ, that he suffered for our sins that we might be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. Jesus is our Redeemer and He lives!
Take care and know that I love you all,
Elder Caleb Andrews
P.S. If you want to share your thoughts and feelings about The Living Christ, that'd be cool too.
Translations:
Hermano = brother
Hermana = sister
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