YAY! Tuesdays are my new P-Day, so I will be emailing then! California is the best! It's so pretty here! And so much more warm than Utah! I never want to come back!... Just kidding. But, Cali is awesome. I have been here for a week now, and it really doesn't feel like it. My trainer's name is Elder Price, from Denver, Colorado, and he is super awesome. He has been out about a year and a half and he knows a lot of things about the mission, Spanish and Gospel terms. I am very excited to have him as my trainer. He has already taught me a lot. My mission president, President Cook, is super awesome too. He's not super strict, but he's not super laid back either. I think he will be a good president for the time I am here. And six months before I leave, he leaves and we will get a new mission president.
I am in the Mission Viejo Zone, and am living in Rancho Santa Margarita. It's in Orange County, and really nice here. We are full time car in this area, so I haven't had a chance to ride my bike. Our area is gigantic, because there aren't that many Spanish speakers here, so that's why we have a car and don't ride bikes. We have a super nice apartment, with its own washer and dryer! OMJ! Not many apartments have that, so I got super lucky.
Spanish here is NOT the same as in the MTC! The people here speak A LOT FASTER than in the MTC. And the people here speak with an accent that was NOT in the MTC. The first few days here, my brain was so overloaded from trying to translate everything. But, even though it has only been a week, my listening skills have gotten SO much better. I can understand most of what people say now. Speaking still needs a lot of work. In the MTC, they teach you how to speak Gospel Spanish, not regular Spanish. I don't know very many vocab words for anything else, besides Gospel terms. And, we haven't had much luck finding people to teach in our area. So, when we do speak Spanish, it's usually with the members we go an visit. I can understand a lot of what they are saying, based on context and what I do know, but I have a hard time speaking with my limited vocab. But, that's one of the things I am working on. I want to actually be able to speak with the people here and teach them and it's really difficult sometimes. But, it's possible!
The people here are AMAZING. They are all so kind and humble. As a missionary, the Lord softens your heart so that you can love the people more, and the people here are so loving already, that you just love them even more! They are all super awesome. And they aren't all from Mexico either. That's another good thing about going state side. There are Spanish speakers from lots of different countries. I have met people from Mexico, Bolivia, Spain and a lot of different countries. And another cool thing about that is they all have different types of food! The food I have had here so far is soooooooo good! Since we have lived in Utah for forever, I never realized how big of an impact members have in the missionary work. The members do a lot of things for missionaries and it's really awesome.
We have taught a few lessons so far. Not many though. It feels so awesome to be a part of that learning that takes place (even though I don't usually understand it haha). I hope we get more people to teach soon. We are trying really hard to find people, but there is just nobody interested... Yet! I know we will find someone eventually!
Tell Mark and Kristi congrats for me! That's so exciting they had their baby! I wonder about the Bauer part too, but that's really cool! How is their house coming along?
I hope Glen will be okay! And Dennis too! Jaxon too! (tell him to shave or I will beat him up) I will remember to have them in my prayers.
We get to go to Newport Beach temple sometime this month! I saw the San Diego temple driving to the mission home and it was HUGE. I can't wait to go there too!
I have been meaning to ask you about the plaque. That's awesome it's getting done. Luke 1:37 will definitely work! You will have to send me a picture when it's done.
If you haven't sent my watch yet, make sure you send it through USPS. If you send it another way, I won't be able to get it until the next transfer meeting. If you already sent it, that's okay. Just so you know.
How is Jimmer doing in basketball?! And how is basketball?!
I can't think of anything else to say or ask. I forgot my journal today, but I think I got mostly everything down. I get a hour of email now, so I will be able to write down a lot more things from now on. :) I hope everything is going well at home! I love you all!
Love, Elder Hunt
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