I'm Here!!!!!!

Hey guys!! Im here at the Guatamala MTC and i am having the GREATEST time of my life! I dont even know where to start! But I guess I can start with the plane ride here. Once we said our goodbyes it was pretty sad of course, but I prayed for comfort, next thing you know minutes later a former missionary president sits in front of me at the airport and we start talking alot about what im about to go through. I was the only missionary in the Phoenix airport. So we board the plane and i ended up sitting towards the back with still no missionaries around. But then i can see some shuffling of seats up ahead and then some people move around and this guy sits by me, a Returned Missionary!! So i was just amazed how im already receiving answers to my prayers! We go to Salt Lake airport, then LA, along the way picking up other missionaries, and we all became a big family! Even until this day, we still look after each other, we call each other El Squadron!lol From the LA airport to Guatemala City airport was really long! and at one in the morning... but the friends i made are awesome! One even came from Arizona and wrestled! He was one of Ryan Allreds main compitetion (only Arizona wrestlers would understand) So Im teaching spanish to all of my friends the planeride here and a lot of gospel related words, and one of the elders was like, well i want to see you put the words into action, I have an extra book of Mormon in my backpack, i DARE you to place your first book to the passenger by you, who was spanish speaking only. I took on the challenge and he was SUPER interested! it was awesome, i acted like i fell asleep and he started reading it for a while! So things were looking good so far! 

     The MTC treats us soo well! Theres about half "gringos" and half other elders from all around! All learning spanish, there are 6 weekers and 2 weekers, at first i was really worried that i was put into the 2 weeks... i was with all the native speakers and it was hard to keep up... but will lots of praying and practicing on my own, ive been getting a bunch of compliments on my spanish! Around here, Im known as THAT gringo thats fluent in spanish haha I love it! I sit in the middle of the table and from both ends of both sides people keep yelling at me "Madero!! Como se dice ____," or "How do I say___". And you guys know me, I dont mind it all ;) Ive been speaking nothing but spanish and now my thoughts are in spanish too! its wierd lol writing this is actually really difficult because i forget how to spell some words in english! 

     The training here is pretty intense, every 30 minutes is planned out, but nothing i cant handle. I got sooo lucky, kinda... My districto got a teacher named Elder Hernandez, and he the hardest teacher here! and hes not afraid to say that. But i couldnt be any more happier. He is determined to make is LITERALLY the BEST missionaries possible. He is teaching so much doctrine, teaching skills, and so many inspiring experiences that he went through. Ive learned alot! We also do a lot of ACTUALY teaching with investigators and other missionaries so we keep getting better. He has alot of really good, odd points in his lessions... one of my favorites: El libro de tu mision te dice que traigas un buen par de zapatos para caminar mucho en el mission, pero yo no creo que eso es sierto, si tus zapatos esta gastados, no estas enseñando, tus pantalones deben de estar gastados por estar sentadado mucho y enseñando" haha he always say stuff like that, but its making us grow!

     The MTC in general is one big family, on top of El Squadron haha, we are always messing around and having a good time. I found out that alotttt of the gringos here all wrestlers! Ive found about 8, and mostly all state placers in arizona, utah, and idaho! So during our free time we go to the gym, and we have all of these native little guys are just blown away by what we do as a sport haha its so funny! Well show them some of moves that we do and they all have their jaws dropped, one time they were doing pullups (about 3 or 5) and it was a competition, before they knew i was "fit"... and I asked them how much i can do, they thought about it but then they decided with 6-8, so i get on the bar and rep out 18 solid pullups! it was the on the best moments ever because after that they are all like "Ayyyy Maderrro!" and then they start flexing haha 

     So my birthday just passed and I was a lttle worried because of the traditions that they do, so i kept it on the downlow, but somehow the Presidents wife found out and she made everyone sing happy birthday en espanol and the cafeteria was LOUD! it was awesome! And all of the Elders would tell me throughtout that whole day..."your lucky we dont have any eggs" hahaha (They crack eggs on the birthday persons head) theyre so loving huh? ;) Im trying to write everything that I can about the MTC but there is literally WAY to much and im limited in time... Im grown so much spiritually and emotiontly, and of course.. physically (Flexing emoji) lol 

     I miss you guys! family, friends, and just american people in gerenal! But Im adapting really fast, im helping others out alot when i should be helping myself, but it feels good. The MTC President Cox loves me because he was looking out for me after i told him i was worried about my spanish and the two weeks, but now he keeps calling me up to say or read stuff every time we have a devotional! The only thing im struggling with is using the conext of Uested instead of talking with Tu. But ill get it! I talked to some gringos that have some inside information and hes says that the people that leave to Tegucigalpa are going to be leaving on the plane next Tuesday at 3 in the morning, which is good...but bad. I may not be able to type next week because Pdays are on monday in the field, and tuesdays in the MTC.I cant upload photos here, so youll have to wait! But dont worry about me, im growing so much! I have a family here and were all helping each other grow. The teachers and trainers are amazing. The food is awesome! I miss you guys!

This is when we just got to the MTC in Guatemala.  LOTS OF GREAT TIMES!!

We went to our mission presidents house.... and this was my favorite room!!!

MTC!!!  

MY GUATEMALA FAMILY!!!