Monday, October 26, 2015

#9

Hola,

This week has been a pretty awesome week. On Friday, we set up this
awesome dinner date for Vanessa and Salvador. We put lights up in the
relief society room and made it look all nice. We made these awesome
steaks and potatoes too. It was so great. The best part is that
Salvador proposed to Vanessa. The only bad part is that he told her
not to answer and she could think about it. It was a little
frustrating, but they are awesome and we like them a lot. We went by
their apartment last night and told them we need an answer by this
Thursday or we can't keep visiting them. It's hard because we like
them and want to help them but there is not much we can do since they
are not married.

Anyways, we also had a trunk or treat the other night and it was so
fun! Our trunk was the best trunk in the whole ward. We had all these
scary decorations and the best part was that we bought dry ice, so
there was like smoke coming out of the back of our car. It was
amazing. We have another trunk or treat this week which should be just
as good.

I think I am really starting to gain a love for all the people here in
Portland. I really have the desire to help them. It is awesome. I just
want them all to find the joys of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is
something I wish I had before I left. I think back on all the people
from school and various other places that really could've benefited
from this gospel. I know how hard it can be to share the gospel with
friends, but I now know more fully the blessings that come from living
the gospel. Don't be afraid to share the things that make you happy
because I know that this gospel can help everyone. Thank you everyone
for your support and love! Have a great week this week! Adios!

Elder Navarro

Monday, October 19, 2015

#8

Hello again everybody!

We have had a pretty great week this week. It is really nice to
actually be a little settled in here. It's starting to actually feel
like home and I don't think that is because I am not too far from
home. Anyways, this week we have been pretty busy. We have been
visiting this couple named Vanessa and Salvador who have two kids and
want to be baptized. The only problem is that they are not married and
they are not sure if they want to get married right now. I think we
have convinced Salvador to propose this week though. We are setting up
a super nice dinner date for them this week and Salvador said he would
propose there! Haha it should be really fun.

Every week, we go to this senior home and play board games with them
for service. It is a lot of fun. This week, though, this lady brought
in her pet alligator named Seymour and I got to hold him! It was
pretty much the coolest thing ever!

I also had the opportunity to go on an exchange with our district
leader, Elder Norris. It was a lot of fun except I learned how rude
the white people are. We got a few doors slammed in our faces haha. I
though it was pretty funny. The Hispanics don't usually slam the door,
they just respectfully say they are not interested! Thank goodness I'm
not an English missionary haha just kidding. The English missionaries
are super cool. There is also a chance that I get changed to an
English missionary at some point during my mission. It happens to
quite a few Spanish elders but we will see.

Anyways, I hope everyone is doing good. Have a great week! Don't
forget to read your scriptures this week! Adios!

Elder Navarro


Monday, October 12, 2015

#7

Sounds like things are going really well down in Idaho.

Anyways, things are going pretty great here even though this week has been crazy. We haven't had too much time to teach a lot of lessons because we have had a lot of new missionary meetings and training stuff to do, but we did teach a little bit. Something that is really hard here is learning Spanish. We barely speak any Spanish at all. Since there are no Spanish districts or zones everything is combined with the English which makes it hard because all of our meetings and stuff are in English. We have only really taught one lesson that has been in only Spanish.

Not too many crazy things have happened here so far. I am still waiting to get my ipad though. I finished the online course on Thursday and I still haven't gotten it. Rumor has it though that I will get it today but I don't know. It has been kinda hard not to have it since pretty much everything is on them like our agenda, the area book, and everything else we could need.

The dinners have been awesome so far. The members really feed us good. We are in the Beaverton ward so we eat with white people which is nice but not nice for learning Spanish. In our ward there is just a Spanish group that meets in the relief society room. It is tiny! There are four missionaries that are part of the group and then yesterday there were like 7 or 8 other people in it. It was definitely a new experience. We are working on getting it bigger but the work is pretty hard here especially for us Spanish missionaries. It is really hard to find Hispanics around here. It is definitely a lot of fun though. The days go by way faster here than they did in the MTC. I think it is because we aren't sitting in classes all day everyday and we are actually doing something haha.

But things are really great here. I am really liking the area. Today we are going to downtown with some other missionaries to salt and straw ice cream. I have heard good things about it so I am pretty excited. Also, I am going on exchanges with our district leader, Elder Norris, on Wednesday which should be pretty fun. Im a little scared to teach the "mean" white people as people say, but it should be fun. When I get my ipad I will be able to email all day as long as I have wifi so if I get that sometime today, I will probably email again. Also I will be able to read emails throughout the week so don't be afraid to email if something cool happens. Well, I hope you guys have a good week this week. I love you and keep me updated. Time to go get a haircut!

Adios!


 

Monday, October 5, 2015

#6

Hello friends and family,

This week has already probably been the craziest week of my mission so far. Yesterday, we had to get up at 1 in the morning to catch a bus that took us to the airport. Our flight wasn't until 630 so we had to wait for quite a while at the airport. Then, we flew to Dallas and had a two hour layover there. Then, we flew to Portland and got there at about 3pm.

When we got to Portland we were picked up and headed over to the stake center where the transfer meeting was being held. On the way, we got to stop by the temple and go through the visitors center. We didn't get to go inside or anything but it was definitely nice to see. Then, we headed over to the stake center. We got to meet all the other new missionaries that had already been there since yesterday morning because they went to the Provo MTC. Elder White and I were the only ones that had gone to Mexico. Then, President Ballard put us with our trainers. My companion's name is Elder Keith. He has been out for almost ten months. He is really cool and I think we are going to get along pretty well.

I am going to be getting an ipad pretty soon which will be super cool. I just have to take an online class before I can get it. I will also be on facebook here pretty soon which I am excited for.

Anyways, it has been weird to be out in the open world and not be surrounded by other missionaries 24/7. It has been such a cool experience to be out in the field so far. The mission is starting to feel so real and I have already felt that we are doing the Lord's work out here in Portland. I know I haven't really done a whole lot since I only got here yesterday, but it has been a real blessing to get to know the people that I have already met so far. Have a good week everyone! I love you all and I will talk to you later!


Elder Navarro
Me and Elder White

Thursday, October 1, 2015

#5

Well it is almost time to leave the CCM. We only have about 4 days remaining here until we are out in the field. It is almost unreal. The time has really gone by. It still feels like we just got here. I am really excited to be able to get to Portland though.

This week has been pretty much like all the rest. We study, go to class, eat, and sleep. That is pretty much what our daily schedule looks like. We have our last night of class tonight which is awesome. Tomorrow, we have in field orientation all day which is just like a bunch of meetings and stuff. To be honest, I am not too excited for that. Then this weekend, we are just watching general conference which everyone is really excited for.
 
We also just got back from the temple which was way awesome. We had the opportunity to do a session at the Mexico City temple. That temple is really big too. The temple is such a nice place to go. It is a place where you can feel truly peaceful. There are no outside worries or temptations. I would encourage everyone to try to go to the temple this week if you can.
 
Spanish is coming along pretty good. I always feel confident when we are talking to our teachers because they talk slow but then when we try to talk to some of the natives, they talk super fast. Also, they usually laugh when we start talking to them haha. It is especially annoying because a lot of them think I am a native too haha.
 
Anyways, our time here at the MTC is coming to a close. The next time I email, I will be in Portland. I hope everyone is doing good. Have a fantastic week this week!

Elder Navarro

 
District 15C at our temple trip today!