Hello Family!!
It's good to hear from you, although I only got one letter from Shaina. Mom still hasn't figured out DearElder, Dad if you could help with that. That really is the best way to send, then I don't have to spend my 30 minutes reading and can spend it talking.
The singing is going so good! We are singing some amazing songs! Here are a few "Precious Savior Dear Redeemer" (New arrangement) "Jesus Once of Humble Birth" (New Arrangement) "This is the Christ" "Blessings" (Come thou fount arrangement) and a really cool arrangement of "Jospeh Smiths First Prayer" My favorite is "This is the Christ" The words are by James E. Faust and are Incredible! Don't worry I bought a little tape recorder and will send home a recording.
Story of the week happened yesterday. My companion woke up and said that his right eye felt like someone sliced it. He forgot to take his contacts out before he went to sleep. So we spent most the day in different waiting rooms, here at the MTC and they even had to shuttle us to a opthamalogist. So we got to see "The outside world" it wasn't very exciting. we have to go again friday and once a week til we leave.
As far as I know our departure date is still July 8. Doug comes in this week! I hope I can find him today, if not today definatley in the next two weeks. It's fun to see new missionaries come in and ask you for help, it reminds me of seven weeks ago.
All is well here, not as much swine flu as was before, there's even a rumor going around we can do contact sports like basketball and soccer next week. I hope so cause that includes using the gloves for softball! Allison Harmon is in the choir with me, a long with Anne Roper. It's fun to see them around, I also have seen Katie Cluff.
So Brindle has taught marley how to be an indecent cat and lay on its back. Good Girl! A lot of people ask about my dog when they see that picture, I love it!
Speaking of pictures, could you send some of the awesome and beautiful set I keep hearing about?! I'm glad the show is going great, Of course it's great they have the best people working on it!
Well can't write much more, only ask you to write more, letters are one of the best things I have to keep me working hard, it reminds me of how happy me and my family are with the gospel, and so my desire to share it grows.
It's so awesome to be here serving the lord, It's incredible the blessings I recive and how much my testimony grows. Right now I'm studying the four gospels and the life of Jesus Christ, I'm learning so much and that is definately something I reccommend.
I love you all and pray that you too can feel how I feel here, that you can have the spirit strong in your lives. I miss you but I know that you'll be blessed. Until next time,
Keep the faith,
Elder Groves
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Crazy weird week of June 17th!
There are so many things to write about in this letter. I'll start out with how the week started, then hopefully you'll see how it improved.
I started the week like any other, with study. All throughout my studies this week I've been reading and studying but it seems like the same fire I had before to study had dwindled. Sunday I became an official zone leader, that didn't help. Monday I kicked trash at our Spanish speaking game, that didn't help. Yesterday was the day of the week!It was RC day which rocked, and in the RC we're just about to leave, I had made one Spanish call sent her El Libro de Mormón. Anyway, we're about to leave and I get an incoming call, little did I know that that call would be from Joe and I would talk to him for the next 25 minutes! Joe had a lot of questions, what was really cool is i just did what our teachers had taught us and ask him questions so he can answer on his own. It was so cool to hear him find out what he needed to do, what he needed to pray about and be direct. He kept saying that he never thought of that before. Now I think he was a little odd in the head, but he really wanted some help and I'm glad I could offer that for him. That added a new log to my fire.
Experience number 2
We went to practice just like every tuesday, President Brenchly led us, it was great! The last five minutes of choir he read of 36 names. "If these people could meet me in the lobby right now" (My name and my companions Elder Welch were among the ones read, along with two sister from our district) We go to the lobby, we're handed a package with about four or five pieces of music in it. We sing some of the music, then President Brenchly tells us the reason we're there. "This choir will be singing next week for the General Authorities. You will be singing every morning to them while they are visiting the MTC. It's possible the first presidency will be there"... I'm just gonna let that soak in a little... ... ... Wow. We have practice every morning for an hour and we have to memorize all the songs by thursday. I have a lot of work to do, but there is a chance I can meet the Prophet of the Lord! A huge log was added to my fire, it's amazing how the Lord will always answer our prayers!
I don't know what else to write after that... It's been a good last couple of days. I'm starting to teach in spanish now, that's hard. I can't believe I've been here for six weeks already. Three more and I'm outta here! I got the paper for your package but haven't picked it up yet. I hope all is going well at home. I'm grateful for your prayers and I love you all!
Elder Groves
P.S. I have a commitment to extend to those who have served a mission, Will you reflect on your mission and find what it was that pushed you through your hard times whether it be a talk a scipture a hymn, then tell three people that experience and how your prayers were answered.
I started the week like any other, with study. All throughout my studies this week I've been reading and studying but it seems like the same fire I had before to study had dwindled. Sunday I became an official zone leader, that didn't help. Monday I kicked trash at our Spanish speaking game, that didn't help. Yesterday was the day of the week!It was RC day which rocked, and in the RC we're just about to leave, I had made one Spanish call sent her El Libro de Mormón. Anyway, we're about to leave and I get an incoming call, little did I know that that call would be from Joe and I would talk to him for the next 25 minutes! Joe had a lot of questions, what was really cool is i just did what our teachers had taught us and ask him questions so he can answer on his own. It was so cool to hear him find out what he needed to do, what he needed to pray about and be direct. He kept saying that he never thought of that before. Now I think he was a little odd in the head, but he really wanted some help and I'm glad I could offer that for him. That added a new log to my fire.
Experience number 2
We went to practice just like every tuesday, President Brenchly led us, it was great! The last five minutes of choir he read of 36 names. "If these people could meet me in the lobby right now" (My name and my companions Elder Welch were among the ones read, along with two sister from our district) We go to the lobby, we're handed a package with about four or five pieces of music in it. We sing some of the music, then President Brenchly tells us the reason we're there. "This choir will be singing next week for the General Authorities. You will be singing every morning to them while they are visiting the MTC. It's possible the first presidency will be there"... I'm just gonna let that soak in a little... ... ... Wow. We have practice every morning for an hour and we have to memorize all the songs by thursday. I have a lot of work to do, but there is a chance I can meet the Prophet of the Lord! A huge log was added to my fire, it's amazing how the Lord will always answer our prayers!
I don't know what else to write after that... It's been a good last couple of days. I'm starting to teach in spanish now, that's hard. I can't believe I've been here for six weeks already. Three more and I'm outta here! I got the paper for your package but haven't picked it up yet. I hope all is going well at home. I'm grateful for your prayers and I love you all!
Elder Groves
P.S. I have a commitment to extend to those who have served a mission, Will you reflect on your mission and find what it was that pushed you through your hard times whether it be a talk a scipture a hymn, then tell three people that experience and how your prayers were answered.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
June 10
Hello all!
It's been another great week here at the training place of the Lords soldiers.
All our district is back together! YAY!! After almost a week of having a solo sister, and only two companionships of Elders it's nice to see the family together again. Our two quarantined pigs have returned and the ones sick and confined only to their rooms are feeling well enough to come out.
The highlight of the week is definately the talk yesterday given by none other than Elder David A. Bednar! I just love how easily he can connect with everyone especially missionaries. He talked about a question he always is asked, How can I tell if it's me or the Holy Ghost? He simple and profoundly said, Stop worrying, if your a good boy it won't matter, press forward with fast and keep a mind of Jesus Christ. AWESOME!!! He told a few stories about his mission and his call as a Stake President. I don't think I have time to tell you the complete story but look up President Packers talk called, THe 20 Mark note. It's awesome!
Sunday my companion got sick and we had to stay all day in our residence. That was hard, especially since I wasn't sick so I didn't get to sleep the whole time. I did get all my shoes polished and my shirts ironed.
The language is coming. It's hard because now we have to start speaking a few days in only spanish. I don't have a big enough vocabulary yet to express myself the way I want, and I have to go about some pretty strange ways to get my points across. But it helps so much just to SYL= HSI= Speak Your Language = Hablar Su Idioma. Four days this week I have to speak in only spanish. Ayi Ayi Ayi!! Muy Dificil!
I did begin spanish calls at the RC, but the only person that answered the phone actually spoke english so I don't know how much we learned, maybe next week.
Love you all, hope everything is going well, I can't believe that next week we may be the oldest district in our zone. Wierd! Anyway, good luck with the show and with life.
Carpe Diem!!
Love, Elder Groves
It's been another great week here at the training place of the Lords soldiers.
All our district is back together! YAY!! After almost a week of having a solo sister, and only two companionships of Elders it's nice to see the family together again. Our two quarantined pigs have returned and the ones sick and confined only to their rooms are feeling well enough to come out.
The highlight of the week is definately the talk yesterday given by none other than Elder David A. Bednar! I just love how easily he can connect with everyone especially missionaries. He talked about a question he always is asked, How can I tell if it's me or the Holy Ghost? He simple and profoundly said, Stop worrying, if your a good boy it won't matter, press forward with fast and keep a mind of Jesus Christ. AWESOME!!! He told a few stories about his mission and his call as a Stake President. I don't think I have time to tell you the complete story but look up President Packers talk called, THe 20 Mark note. It's awesome!
Sunday my companion got sick and we had to stay all day in our residence. That was hard, especially since I wasn't sick so I didn't get to sleep the whole time. I did get all my shoes polished and my shirts ironed.
The language is coming. It's hard because now we have to start speaking a few days in only spanish. I don't have a big enough vocabulary yet to express myself the way I want, and I have to go about some pretty strange ways to get my points across. But it helps so much just to SYL= HSI= Speak Your Language = Hablar Su Idioma. Four days this week I have to speak in only spanish. Ayi Ayi Ayi!! Muy Dificil!
I did begin spanish calls at the RC, but the only person that answered the phone actually spoke english so I don't know how much we learned, maybe next week.
Love you all, hope everything is going well, I can't believe that next week we may be the oldest district in our zone. Wierd! Anyway, good luck with the show and with life.
Carpe Diem!!
Love, Elder Groves
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
June 3rd!?
I don't have swine flu. What you've heard from the church news is true, about there be three cases confirmed here and 17 Edlers quarintined. They are being oh so strict with the rules regarding health now. If you feel any kind of sickness your asked to stay in your room, call the front desk so they can set up an appointment with the helath clinic. A fever and chills gets you quarantined. We have two Elders from our zone in quarantine right now, and four more staying in there rooms all day. Crazy sauce!
On other news. President Nelson (my branch president) called me and my companion in for an interview on sunday... boom! New zone leaders!! We definatley did not see that coming. Technically we're ZLIT Zone Leaders In Training until the old one leave, or until June 14. Since that's more likely cause they are delaying all missionaries a week. So, yeah in training, we have to do the new Edler orientation for the Elders we'll get today. I just hope our zone leaders get helathy fast, (they're in there rooms) so we don't have to go completely by the spirit for that orientation.
Another week another TA. This one was not as good as the last one. The spanish task was to follow up on commitments while taking them to church. We didn't have enough people to be investigators so they had to go ask a couple Elders who were a few weeks ahead of us to fill in. I think Edler Welch and I knew more spanish then he did. He would give us much of any kind of answer when we asked him a question. He did commit to baptism though, I was just frustrated with the fact that we had prepared so much for the type of investigator we were told to have, then we got our large Tongan friend who forgot what the background storie was. Oh well, it was good practice none the less.
I'm singing in the choir now, way fun to be in a large choir again. We sing at the Tuesday devotionals. I sang on sunday too, a duet with my companion. It went really well, a sister in my district wants to form a quartet and audition for the special musical numbers, I'm totally game!
All in all it's been a pretty tough week, I have had to remind myself alot to "forget yourself and go to work" I've been trying my best and I know that's what the lord expects of me. The Spanish is getting hard but I'm pushing through it.
I don't really know what else to tell you about this week. Just keep writing, and to let you know, I do e-mail in the morning between 7:30-10:30 while I wait for my laundry. So if you send me a letter tueday, I won't get to writing you til next week, However if you send me a letter any other time of the week, I'll write back wednesday! I haven't got a letter from anyone for a week, (except mom's e-mail this morning) I hope all is well at home. Love you!
Love, Elder Groves
On other news. President Nelson (my branch president) called me and my companion in for an interview on sunday... boom! New zone leaders!! We definatley did not see that coming. Technically we're ZLIT Zone Leaders In Training until the old one leave, or until June 14. Since that's more likely cause they are delaying all missionaries a week. So, yeah in training, we have to do the new Edler orientation for the Elders we'll get today. I just hope our zone leaders get helathy fast, (they're in there rooms) so we don't have to go completely by the spirit for that orientation.
Another week another TA. This one was not as good as the last one. The spanish task was to follow up on commitments while taking them to church. We didn't have enough people to be investigators so they had to go ask a couple Elders who were a few weeks ahead of us to fill in. I think Edler Welch and I knew more spanish then he did. He would give us much of any kind of answer when we asked him a question. He did commit to baptism though, I was just frustrated with the fact that we had prepared so much for the type of investigator we were told to have, then we got our large Tongan friend who forgot what the background storie was. Oh well, it was good practice none the less.
I'm singing in the choir now, way fun to be in a large choir again. We sing at the Tuesday devotionals. I sang on sunday too, a duet with my companion. It went really well, a sister in my district wants to form a quartet and audition for the special musical numbers, I'm totally game!
All in all it's been a pretty tough week, I have had to remind myself alot to "forget yourself and go to work" I've been trying my best and I know that's what the lord expects of me. The Spanish is getting hard but I'm pushing through it.
I don't really know what else to tell you about this week. Just keep writing, and to let you know, I do e-mail in the morning between 7:30-10:30 while I wait for my laundry. So if you send me a letter tueday, I won't get to writing you til next week, However if you send me a letter any other time of the week, I'll write back wednesday! I haven't got a letter from anyone for a week, (except mom's e-mail this morning) I hope all is well at home. Love you!
Love, Elder Groves
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Week 3
It's P-Day!!
This week has been quite the adventure, where do I begin?
Elder Welch and I have been spending some good time in the Refferel Center this week and have talked to some pretty interesting people. First off, we talked to a guy who wanted to know why we know God exists and he's not something made up like Santa Clause. We never did convince him all we could do was testify, some people just can't understand the idea of faith.
Another interesting thing that happened at the RC happened yesterday. We ended up talking with a guy named Tyron. He's said he is about to get baptised but has some questions about the church and wanted to get a second opinion (rather then the Elders hes learning from) So he had a lot of good questions, questions about blacks and the curse, questions about homosexuality, and questions about sin. We talked with him for about 45 minutes just answering his questions. He wanted to learn more but we had to go. So we did what any missionary would do... set up a next appointment! That will be friday, hopefully we can help he better understand the importance of baptism.
We had our TA on saturday, this time we taught a young man named David. We first contacted him and got to know him in Spanish, then taught him the first lesson in English.
At first he couldn't understand the importance of families. We spent a lot of time on it, then finally my companion asked him what was important to him, he said hanging out with friends and being happy, my companion took that and turned it right back toward families and then it finally "clicked" for him.
The rest of the lesson was AWESOME! Elder Welch and I both agree it was probably one of the best we've taught.
We also have a "progressive Investigator" which means it's a teacher pretending to be an investigator and we wll teach her all up until we've "baptized" her. We didn't even finish the first lesson with Rachel, but we like having someone to plan a lesson around during companionship study. We'll teach her the rest of the first lesson tomorrow.
We finally had choir yesterday. YAY! Thanks for having Bro. Brenchely call me out... yeah...
The Gym opened yesterday which means a weight room and treadmills. Maybe I won't get fat here afterall. They do nothing but feed you then have you sit the whole day.
My companion is great! We do get into some arguments now and then, but it's about mainly how we handle things differently in certain situations. Like our non god beleiving friend. I wanted to be more offensive when he questions J.S. he wanted to be more Defensive. I actually like it, it shows he will voice his feelings and wont just let me run over them. He does say I talk a lot... oops.
I'm having a blast here, we had two missionaries from chile, and one from the DR join our floor last night. We wanted them to only talk to us in spanish, they only wanted to talk english. Even though their english is so much better then our spanish.
We also got a few missionaries from Hong Kong join us. They are here learning english, one of them kept asking us spanish words, saying he wants to learn spanish too! Ha ha, funny chinese missionaries.
I'm glad everything is good there, I hope everyone had a great memorial day. Way to read a poem dad! Tell everyone I love them and I'm having a great time. Everything they teach us, every speaker who talks to us, every time we teach, just gets us more and more eager to go to the field!
I was reading about peter denying christ thrice this week and came across a talk by president Hinckely. You should read it, it's so great!
anyway my time is almost gone, send more letters! I love hearing from you and sometimes can't wait til wednesday! ha ha.
Love you, miss you, pray for you.
Elder Groves
This week has been quite the adventure, where do I begin?
Elder Welch and I have been spending some good time in the Refferel Center this week and have talked to some pretty interesting people. First off, we talked to a guy who wanted to know why we know God exists and he's not something made up like Santa Clause. We never did convince him all we could do was testify, some people just can't understand the idea of faith.
Another interesting thing that happened at the RC happened yesterday. We ended up talking with a guy named Tyron. He's said he is about to get baptised but has some questions about the church and wanted to get a second opinion (rather then the Elders hes learning from) So he had a lot of good questions, questions about blacks and the curse, questions about homosexuality, and questions about sin. We talked with him for about 45 minutes just answering his questions. He wanted to learn more but we had to go. So we did what any missionary would do... set up a next appointment! That will be friday, hopefully we can help he better understand the importance of baptism.
We had our TA on saturday, this time we taught a young man named David. We first contacted him and got to know him in Spanish, then taught him the first lesson in English.
At first he couldn't understand the importance of families. We spent a lot of time on it, then finally my companion asked him what was important to him, he said hanging out with friends and being happy, my companion took that and turned it right back toward families and then it finally "clicked" for him.
The rest of the lesson was AWESOME! Elder Welch and I both agree it was probably one of the best we've taught.
We also have a "progressive Investigator" which means it's a teacher pretending to be an investigator and we wll teach her all up until we've "baptized" her. We didn't even finish the first lesson with Rachel, but we like having someone to plan a lesson around during companionship study. We'll teach her the rest of the first lesson tomorrow.
We finally had choir yesterday. YAY! Thanks for having Bro. Brenchely call me out... yeah...
The Gym opened yesterday which means a weight room and treadmills. Maybe I won't get fat here afterall. They do nothing but feed you then have you sit the whole day.
My companion is great! We do get into some arguments now and then, but it's about mainly how we handle things differently in certain situations. Like our non god beleiving friend. I wanted to be more offensive when he questions J.S. he wanted to be more Defensive. I actually like it, it shows he will voice his feelings and wont just let me run over them. He does say I talk a lot... oops.
I'm having a blast here, we had two missionaries from chile, and one from the DR join our floor last night. We wanted them to only talk to us in spanish, they only wanted to talk english. Even though their english is so much better then our spanish.
We also got a few missionaries from Hong Kong join us. They are here learning english, one of them kept asking us spanish words, saying he wants to learn spanish too! Ha ha, funny chinese missionaries.
I'm glad everything is good there, I hope everyone had a great memorial day. Way to read a poem dad! Tell everyone I love them and I'm having a great time. Everything they teach us, every speaker who talks to us, every time we teach, just gets us more and more eager to go to the field!
I was reading about peter denying christ thrice this week and came across a talk by president Hinckely. You should read it, it's so great!
anyway my time is almost gone, send more letters! I love hearing from you and sometimes can't wait til wednesday! ha ha.
Love you, miss you, pray for you.
Elder Groves
Thursday, May 21, 2009
May 20th
Two weeks?! I've been here two weeks already? wow, the other Elders were right when they said the first three days are really slow, then the time flys!
Wow, this week has been awesome, a lot of cool teaching experiences and a lot of studying. We had our first TA (Teaching Appointment) which is when we teach an "Investigator" or really a member just pretending to be an investigator. It's really cool though because they aren't wearing a name tag so it's a lor different then teaching fellow missionaries. This time they feel more like potential converts. Anyway, for this one we had to do a door approach in Spanish to three different people then the last one, we taught them the first lesson in English. This was so much fun, we learned a lot. I felt the lesson went well and we did almost everything we should have. The only things we really messed up on were asking informitive questions. So more than just a yes and no question but a question that can let us know if they are understanding what we're teaching them. The other thing we messed up on were the commitments. We kinda asked all three in one question so we couldn't know which one she was saying yes to. Oh well, that's why were here to learn and to grow. aprender y progreso.
Spanish is coming well, I'm suprised to know how much I do right now. It will be fun to talk to the new district of Elders who come in our zone today, in Spanish to confuse and excite them.
I hope everything is going well at home, Mom I hope your show is going great! I'm sorry to hear about your brannegin. You seem to have bad luck like that with shows! Chiste. (Kidding) I can't wait to hear opening night! So how's is the home life Dad? What stupid things has marley done now? I love you very much and think about everyone all the time. All the Elders here want to write Elise, I just tell them they can... but she has a boyfriend they have to write to too.
Love you all! Thank you for the suppport and send more letters!! :)
Elder Groves
" The mission is not a sacrifice but an investment in the future"
Elder Nuenschwander of the Seventies.
Wow, this week has been awesome, a lot of cool teaching experiences and a lot of studying. We had our first TA (Teaching Appointment) which is when we teach an "Investigator" or really a member just pretending to be an investigator. It's really cool though because they aren't wearing a name tag so it's a lor different then teaching fellow missionaries. This time they feel more like potential converts. Anyway, for this one we had to do a door approach in Spanish to three different people then the last one, we taught them the first lesson in English. This was so much fun, we learned a lot. I felt the lesson went well and we did almost everything we should have. The only things we really messed up on were asking informitive questions. So more than just a yes and no question but a question that can let us know if they are understanding what we're teaching them. The other thing we messed up on were the commitments. We kinda asked all three in one question so we couldn't know which one she was saying yes to. Oh well, that's why were here to learn and to grow. aprender y progreso.
Spanish is coming well, I'm suprised to know how much I do right now. It will be fun to talk to the new district of Elders who come in our zone today, in Spanish to confuse and excite them.
I hope everything is going well at home, Mom I hope your show is going great! I'm sorry to hear about your brannegin. You seem to have bad luck like that with shows! Chiste. (Kidding) I can't wait to hear opening night! So how's is the home life Dad? What stupid things has marley done now? I love you very much and think about everyone all the time. All the Elders here want to write Elise, I just tell them they can... but she has a boyfriend they have to write to too.
Love you all! Thank you for the suppport and send more letters!! :)
Elder Groves
" The mission is not a sacrifice but an investment in the future"
Elder Nuenschwander of the Seventies.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
One week down!
I'm here! I'm actually here! This place is so exciting frustrating and spirirtual all at the same time! My companion is Elder Welch from Cody, Wyoming. He has a little sister named Riley and constantly points it out to me. He's a really cool kid, we get along great.
The language is coming... yeah. I know how to pray and how to bear my testimony and that's about it. I'm supposed to be able to contact someone and invite them to recieve our message by the end of the week.
Yesterday was probably one of the worst and one of the best. I say one of the worst because one of our Elders in our district decided to go home. I don't know if he was really home sick or if he felt unworthy, either way we were all sad to see him go. Our branch president said that he will be coming back, just not to our district.
However, yesterday was awesome because we had a tuesday night devotional!! YAY! ok ok, so what's so big about a devotional? well we usually have at least a member of the seventy come and talk to us. every once in awhile we will get an apostle, but they had one last week so... we got.... Elder Russel M. Nelson. Everyone was suprised that we got two apostles right in a row.
I felt the spirit intensify the moment he walked in! He talked about how we need to be alert, and how we can share our message in just four words (three in spanish) "We Follow Jesus Christ". Segimos a Jesucristo.
They feed us really well here... almost too well. I have to watch myself and make sure I don't eat too much. They do give us Gym time, which helps a little... until my ankle gets bruised when I try and catch a softball with it, I guess I'll just have to use my mit next time.
I love it so much here and I am having a blast, the days seem like weeks but the weeks seem like days. Something that happened this morning seems like it happend last week, but something that happened last week seems like it happened yesterday. They keep us so busy and so occupied here. We plan out every hour of our day, and they make sure we have very detailed plans for every hour.
I'm a little dissapointed cause they are re-doing the floor of the gym. That means no basketball or choir til June. Oh well at least I'll get to use it sometime while I'm here.
I'm so excited to learn more and to be able to teach the good people of California. I love this place but I can't wait to leave and go preach the word! I love all of you and hope all your days are as exciting and full of the spirit. There's nothing better for a missionary here, then to recieve letters, so please write! You have to use DearElder.com though, cause we only get 30 min. on e-mail every day and DearElder delivers your letter the same day. Sorry you didn't get my letter til late, I hope you enjoyed it. I love all of you and I'm excited to hear from you.
Love. Elder Groves.
The language is coming... yeah. I know how to pray and how to bear my testimony and that's about it. I'm supposed to be able to contact someone and invite them to recieve our message by the end of the week.
Yesterday was probably one of the worst and one of the best. I say one of the worst because one of our Elders in our district decided to go home. I don't know if he was really home sick or if he felt unworthy, either way we were all sad to see him go. Our branch president said that he will be coming back, just not to our district.
However, yesterday was awesome because we had a tuesday night devotional!! YAY! ok ok, so what's so big about a devotional? well we usually have at least a member of the seventy come and talk to us. every once in awhile we will get an apostle, but they had one last week so... we got.... Elder Russel M. Nelson. Everyone was suprised that we got two apostles right in a row.
I felt the spirit intensify the moment he walked in! He talked about how we need to be alert, and how we can share our message in just four words (three in spanish) "We Follow Jesus Christ". Segimos a Jesucristo.
They feed us really well here... almost too well. I have to watch myself and make sure I don't eat too much. They do give us Gym time, which helps a little... until my ankle gets bruised when I try and catch a softball with it, I guess I'll just have to use my mit next time.
I love it so much here and I am having a blast, the days seem like weeks but the weeks seem like days. Something that happened this morning seems like it happend last week, but something that happened last week seems like it happened yesterday. They keep us so busy and so occupied here. We plan out every hour of our day, and they make sure we have very detailed plans for every hour.
I'm a little dissapointed cause they are re-doing the floor of the gym. That means no basketball or choir til June. Oh well at least I'll get to use it sometime while I'm here.
I'm so excited to learn more and to be able to teach the good people of California. I love this place but I can't wait to leave and go preach the word! I love all of you and hope all your days are as exciting and full of the spirit. There's nothing better for a missionary here, then to recieve letters, so please write! You have to use DearElder.com though, cause we only get 30 min. on e-mail every day and DearElder delivers your letter the same day. Sorry you didn't get my letter til late, I hope you enjoyed it. I love all of you and I'm excited to hear from you.
Love. Elder Groves.
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