Elder D!
Subject: How is time going by so fast?! ... Ummmm, since time never stops genius!
Hello!
So to answer a few of your questions. My companion and I are super busy trying to get less-actives to go to church. We are trying to be more creative. For our members lessons we are using handcuffs and 2 Nephi 2:27, while discussing how you can be like the devil or you can choose eternal life through the atonement. We also use a broomstick and the scripture Jacob 4:14, I will let you read it, but it is about missing the mark. One silly idea is Stop, Drop & Pray! With Enos as the example, we need to stop and ask for forgiveness and to be thankful as well. At times we sin and ask for forgiveness. Since we fires are as damaging as sin. Sin damages us spiritually and makes things hard for us. So we need to Stop, Drop & Pray so that we can have a more spiritual experience. These are some of the things we are working on to help inactive members since we are not teaching any investigators right now. We are trying to find ways to show the members we love them and how we are good teachers.
Also, guess what? I am also growing and I have grown about 2 inches in the last 3 to 4 months. And I am going to be honest not many of my slacks fit, they are a little too short!
Well the rain is starting to begin and it was pouring yesterday! Not even kidding! It reminded me of when I was biking in the rain for the scouting trip! So I was on memory lane all day it was just great! Hahahahahahah, Just kidding! ... But seriously! Oh and I was FINDING, TEACHING, BAPTIZING AND RETAINING all week long for you DAD! We had interviews with my mission president, President Y-----. They were super cool. We had stations and they were super engaging. I enjoyed it. I learned a lot!
Well, I love ya, miss ya and yes I shall FIND, TEACH, BAPTIZE, RETAIN! Until next time!
I am so grateful for all you do and I am grateful for the LOVE that I feel. I wish I had more time to write you, but this is all I can write for now! Until then....
Love!
Elder Christian James Delis
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Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: A little bit of the nonsense of mish life you don't really hear about...
Hi, fam! Como estan? Espero que todo este bien. :)
Pues...I am sad because I know I don't have enough time to read all your letters today, so I am going to be writing before reading them all. Man! I am sorry. But, I will read them today and hopefully have time to respond later in the next letter or something. A ver.:)
Okay. Well, I thought today you would maybe want to hear some of the usual, funny, weird things about mission life. And some things I am learning. Cosas asi. You don't normally get to hear the weird stuff that goes on, the usual kind of things. Entonces, aqui son algunas:
1. Weird companionship unity: The other day Hna W--- and I were planning for the coming day, and I go, "Hey hermana, do you remember those apartments we knocked the other day?" She answers, "Uhh, oh, those ones on that one street?" I answer: "Yeah!" Now, we knock multiple doors every day, multiple apartment complexes. Ha, I kid you not, we knew exactly what the other one was talking about. We paused after the conversation for like a minute, and just laughed hard. Our brains are molding together...so weird!
2. Phone calls: I used to absolutely dread phone calls. They are so hard in Spanish! They are still hard. BUT! I love them because of the messages we get. Yesterday we got two great ones. First, EVERYTIME we call Hno V------, He picks up, and answers in english with the most dull voice possible (he's this little old Mexican man who works like mad): "hello." Y digo yo, "Hola, Hermano! Somos las misioneras!" And immediately he says (in Spanish) "OH SISTERS! HI! HOW ARE YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WANT TO COME EAT WITH ME?" Haha, kills me every time. I love it! Y Hna M----- yesterday left us a way cute message: She goes (in Spanish) : "Hola Hermana Day-lee, Soy M----. I am calling to tell you that it will not be possible to have an appointment with you today! I am so sorry that I came back from work so late! PLEASE call me back so that we can meet maybe on Saturday? Yes, that is good because I have to got the dentist tomorrow. Okay, call me back! May God bless yous!" I love this woman SO MUCH. AH!
3. Omelets galore: I eat an omelet at least five times a week. ha. It's so easy.
4. My brain functions in "Spanglish": I can't think in just English any more. I am constantly translating things people say either to Spanish or English, and now it comes out while I am speaking in English to people. I say "Pues..." or "y" when I want to say "and" and I start sentences in Spanish when I want to be speaking English, and I ALWAYS want to bare my testimony in Spanish. It is so odd, ha. But it just comes out like that. It is embarrassing sometimes, but sometimes I love that it happens. I love Spanish. I really am starting to feel like that I am learning it, that I am understanding it better. AH. I love it.
5. Goats, corn, meat, meat, meat, and more more more: I eat weird food. One time we went to a members house to have a barbaque, and there was a cooked goat on the table. Like, you could tell it was a goat--I had some of the meat near the skull. Also, semi-funny: there were goats like running around in the field behind us. The one I ate was named Franky! Haha, okay, that wasn't true. His name wasn't Franky. :) But there were for real goats running around and our member just killed and cooked a goat for us to eat. Well, his daughter in-law. YUM! :) Also, ELOTES (n): Hispanic style corn. Please watch Nacho Libre and look at the corn on the stick that they eat. I eat it too, now! It's called "elotes" ha. It kills me: Corn on the cob, mayonnaise, parmasian cheese, chili pepper, all on a stick. Hahaaa...sounds gross. Kind of is. AND in all Hispanic households you are expected to eat GALORE. Lots of meat, lots of food. Again, kills me, ha. It is fun, though. The members that feed us love us. :)
6. Mistakes rock: I make mistakes in Spanish literally daily. The other day I told a less active in a message on the phone that "I will be the food provided at the women's conference." False information.
7. The scriptures are not just words: I love that scriptures are just coming alive to me. I love it. It is not just a story, just something someone decided to write down. You can know that the scriptures are sacred and still believe that they are just stories. But how much you miss if that is all you see! They are words patterned to fit your life. They will change you if you just let them. I'm studying the chapters in 3 Nefi when Cristo vino a las americas, y me encantan. In PMG it talks about how understanding the doctrine of Christ will do more to help members share the gospel than anything else. If you understand the gospel, YOU WILL LIVE IT. It is the pattern by which you will undoubtedly succeed. You are patterned for success and the scriptures will guide you. I know it.
8. We become: The mission is a miracle not because the gospel molds to fit our lives better. If you REALLY serve a mission, YOU mold to become better fit to serve the Lord. YOU let yourself change. You begin to see yourself as God sees you. The mission is an awesome environment to do so. Perfect environment probably. Exactly where I need to be, that is for sure. But I submit that this process is not dependent on the mission, rather the missionary, or the member for that matter. The gospel allows us to BECOME. Where ever we are, whatever we are doing, WE CAN BECOME. That is the miracle of the gospel. It was made for us, because it was created by one who loves us. It hurts to "become" sometimes. But throughout the hurt, I see miracles in me. Can you believe that? Someone loves me enough that He lets ME see miracles in ME. I am not alone. This gospel changes us if we just LET it. Let go of fear, of pride, of guilt. Just let it GO. And we become. It is a miracle. I am so grateful to be apart of the miracles that happen here.
Well, I love this gospel, and I love to be here in Woodstock. I pray for you daily, and I hope all is great. :) Sorry I didn't read your letters yet today, but I will! And I am excited to do so. Please pray for the branch here and for my companion! :) I love you all very much!
Hna Delis
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