7-6-12

Hola mi familia! Ojala que estan haciendo bien y que su semana es magnifico! This week has been crazy for me. Because of the 4th of July, the MTC made us stay up past 10:30 to watch fireworks, but they didn't change our wake-up time. Wasn't that nice of them? ;) haha. The devotional for the holiday was really great though and everyone got a little crazier than usual, which was fun. Also, my companion and I are Zone Leaders now so that has been taking up all my other free time. I'm excited though because the Zone Leaders we're replacing are such great examples of what missionaries should be, so I hope that my companion and I will be greatly improved by the experience.

Spanish is still coming along! In our role-playing investigator discussion with our teacher, we managed to get her to actually speak English, which is a huge deal. Before she was actually our teacher, she was an investigator named Mariana. And after a week of teaching Mariana, she started teaching our class. Then, we taught her as another investigator named Marisela (she must have a split personality disorder or something--haha). The whole time we've known her, she has only spoke Spanish to us besides the occasional English word. But yesterday, she asked in our discussion with her if the Great Apostasy meant that the Catholic church didn't have authority from God. I really couldn't figure out how to say anything else except for yes, which created a hilarious awkward moment where we all just cracked. My companion asked our teacher if she could just explain her thoughts to us in English because we've never had any feedback from her in a way we could truly internalize. Hearing her actually speak to us rather than at us was the most wonderful experience I've had so far at the MTC. It really got me feeling like I'm making so much progress with teaching with the Spirit and with Spanish, because I've improved SO much in speaking with people from even just one week ago. I'm taking less time to think about how I'm going to say something in Spanish and conjugations are starting to feel a little more natural. I have an insanely long way to go but it's exciting all the same.

Here's what happened when I met Elder Holland. My two companions and I were still in a trio companionship and we were going to dinner. Right before we step into the cafeteria, I saw an older couple walking down the hall and my brain must have made a connection I didn't understand yet because I kept watching them. Then it hit me that it was Elder Holland and his wife walking to a room nearby. No one else was in the hall so I figured that they maybe timed that moment so that they wouldn't be attacked by missionaries when the hall was more full. Because of that I didn't want to bother them, but one of my companions kind of freaked out and walked over to him haha. So my other comp and I followed and we shook his hand, told him we were going to Santiago, and Elder Holland replied that that was "the only true mission." We were pretty psyched about that one-on-one experience with him. Then, on Tuesday, I went to a devotional where there was 10 of the 12 Apostles! Elder Perry gave this presentation about what the next ad campaign thing for the Church will be. It is kind of like that paper in my room that has all those statistics about Mormons. It was a good presentation.

I have loved receiving letters from everybody! I'm sorry I haven't sent out letters, it's just so busy here. I'm working hard though so don't worry about me. I received the package you sent and I love it! Thank you so much! I'll let you know when I need something else okay? Also, I can't access my pictures from computers here so I can't send pictures until I'm in the mission field. Bummer! But you'll have a fun party when I send a ton home :)

A scripture I really like and might be good for my plaque is Mosiah 15:14-18, but if you have anything better, feel free to use your own! I have to go, but I love you all so much!
I'm glad you all are well.  I love you!!!!!!!

Elder Hill