11/25/2016
Thanksgiving Week

Hola otra vez mi familia! Only a little  more than a week left until I get sent out into the field to preach the gospel.  It's crazy to think that it's already been a month here!  It feels like the days are weeks and the weeks are days, cause it's really slow in the moment, but then when it's gone it's like it flew by.  Also I'm doing great, I haven't had too many problems since I've been out here and my Spanish is really improving everyday. 

I got to see all the pictures of Thanksgiving, and it looks like you guys are having lot of fun!  We also had a great Thanksgiving, because we got to have a Thanksgiving devotional from Neil L Anderson which was really good.  Also the comedor (cafeteria) fed us a Thanksgiving meal which I didn't think they were going to do because Thanksgiving is an American holiday!  Also if you guys don't tell anyone, one of the districts brought a football (which apparently isn't allowed) and we played some two hand touch, until one of the CCM workers got mad at us and we had to stop haha.  After we went to class and taught our "investigators" and had language study, until about 9:00.  Then we invited the whole zone into our district and had a potluck type thing where everyone brought food and drinks and we had a little fiesta.  Anyways it was really fun and we got to meet the other district members a little better.  We all had a good time, and it was a perfect end to the Thanksgiving holiday.  

Earlier in the week, my companion and I went to the ATM to withdraw some money, but when I put my debit card in it got stuck.  I tried to get it out, but I couldn't so I asked for some assistance.  They asked me if I had the information for the card, and I couldn't remember all of it, so they just had me call home like it wasn't even a big deal.  I thought that was probably the craziest thing that happened the whole week.  The card is still stuck, but the bank guys are coming today so I'm going to see if I can get it from them, so wish me luck haha.  

We have 2 new "investigators" this week, which is good, because it gives me a feel of what it's going to be like as a missionary with a lot of investigators.  It takes up a lot of time, and it is really hard to remember all the things you've taught and what still needs to be taught.  Although I think Elder Butcher and I are doing really well with each of them.  We've been working hard and studying, but also having lots of fun.  I just can't wait to get out there and help the people even though I will miss my district a lot.  They are all really fun, and they have taught me a lot since I've been here.

We have a certain time called Book Of Mormon study, and we just choose a good chapter in the Book of Mormon and read it/ comment about it. Anyways one of the Elders in our district shared his testimony during Book Of Mormon study.  We were reading about how when we die if we are faithful and are charitable we will have eternal happiness.  Anyways Elder Henry shared that while we are on this earth through the spirit we only feel a small sliver of an amount of happiness as we will obtain.  He said the spirit is like a Costco sample of happiness haha!  I just wanted to share that, and it's actually really true that if we are faithful and endure to the end we will have more happiness than we ever felt on Earth.

Anyways I love you guys all very much and I hope you are doing well too.  I can feel all your love and prayers everyday, and it gives me lots of strength and comfort.  I will talk to you guys again next Wednesday, because they are switching our P-day next week!  LES AMO! (someone who speaks Spanish tell me if that's correct haha)

  Con Amor (With Love), 

                                   Elder Hirschi

Answers:

How did your Thanksgiving go?  Did they do anything there at the MTC?  Did you get any letters or packages?

1. Thanksgiving was great one of the best days in the entire CCM, yeah they had turkey and pumpkin pie.  Also yes I did get all the letters and packages and I finally got the written letters that were sent the day before I left.

 What has the weather been like there?  Do you go to the temple every P-day or just some P-days?

2. The weather here doesn't really ever change is what they tell me, and it seems like everyday is freezing in the morning, then really warm in the day, and then cool in the night.  We only went to the temple twice, but we might go again

  Did you get your debit card figured out?  Do you need us to send you more socks?

3. Nope I haven't got my debit card figured out, but I'm going to try today and I think I got enough socks now.

Is your camera working ok?  Do they only let you use it on P-days?

4. My camera is great, I just forget to bring it with me a lot, and we can only use it on P-days

Do you sing the hymns there at the MTC in Spanish?  Did they give you a Spanish Hymn book?

5. Yeah we only sing hymns in Spanish, which is kind of annoying to me not to be mean.  It's just doesn't sound quite right when you switch from English to Spanish.  Although you can still really feel the spirit, and when we have live devotionals from the MTC in Provo we can sing them in English.  I bought a small Spanish Hymn book at the Tienda (store)

Have you been reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish yet?  If so, where have you gotten to?

6. Haha yeah right!  I've tried to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish.  Really though I try to read it a lot and it's surprising how much I can actually understand.

Do a lot of people that work at the MTC speak English? Have you met some new fun missionaries there?

7. Most of the workers here are Latinos, and many of them speak a little bit of English, but I have yet to find a person who works here (besides the presidency) whose first language is English.  Yeah all the missionaries in my district are awesome and the other districts in our zone are cool too.