>
> I might have spelled the greeting wrong but oh well. The Second week has been really great I got Two letters last thursday and two more today. I was so excited. Thank You for the letters and I will write you back. Also thank you for the E-mails it is awsome to here from you. By the way scott what day can I get Turkey legs? I can eat donoughts every day but am trying my best not to. It is very hard. The devotional yesterday was awsome. Douglas L. something (sorry) and his wife spoke. He spoke on Christ his Atonement and preaching of him. It was cool. Also we had it in the Gym which they just finished remodleing, so I got to sing in the choir. Aparantly one of the first shots of the elders was me and Aldste Perry. Pretty cool. I did not see it but everyone tells me it happend. Anyway we learned about school yesterday and started working on the first lesson in Swedish. the Volunteers at the TRC are awsome and teaching them is so cool, so much easier than teaching Sister Ronndahl our progressing investigator. Because she is our teacher she likes to challenge us. So, while she plays Jennifer, our investigator, she is well really hard to teach. We get to try and teach her again tomorrow. I hope it goes well. We have prepared a lot. The sit ups, well its not my sit ups it is P90X. I just heard of it here, but we do a whole bunch of different abb workouts in sets of 25. I like it though.
>
> I hope you get the stump cut up Dad. It is a big challange?
>
> Mom what is it like cooking for 4 people?
>
> It sounds like everyone is being busy. Oh yeah Maggie, All the Elders think your ties are the best. They would love to have some. Aldste Murry even said he would pay for some of them. But, as Aldste Hepburn found out there are no words allowed on ties. So, If you sent some ties Aldster (the elders, I think) would love it. So, If you are willing write back and I will tell them.
>
> Sandra, it sounds like a blast to be able to wash clothes by hand. I am so glad that you are doing well. In a Month you will be speaking great spanish and I will be in the MTC learning swedish.
>
> By the way I need Sandra's address to write some letters to her. I wish you all the best in your last 2 weeks of school and Scott I hope you don't crash on your bike. Thank you again for the letters and yes I will write back. What else do you do waiting for the laundry.
>
> hejda (with an o over the a, making an O-Ah dipthong sound.
>
> Your Aldste Grindstaff
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Hermana Grindstaff May 25
>
> Hola familia!
> Things are going great here in Uruguay. It is completely different then what I expected, but I love it. I was going to send a few pictures that I thought were especially cute, but this computer is not the best and is refusing to do it. Ah well... later I guess.
> My companion is great... she has made sure we stay busy and I love it.
> The people in this area where Im serving are really friendly. Most people live in tiny little cement homes with tin roofs and have very little furniture (if any) that is really tattered. But, the people are wonderful and we have found some great investigators. I am coming to know the people and I already love them. My companion does most of the teaching, but I do a lot of testifying and a little bit of teaching. I try to talk as much as I can with the people here and they are all very patient with me. In fact, they really seem to like it when I attempt to talk to them and Ive had some great complements from the members. I still dont understand everything, but its okay because I have a companion who does and she helps me out a lot.
> The branch is kind of small here, but very friendly. On Sunday I played the piano for them and had to bear my testimony (and ask for refferels) in sacrament meeting to introduce myself. It was a good experience and it made me feel very supported when I saw the members smiling at me. They know its not easy to learn a language and are doing their best to help me feel comfortable trying.
> The food here is pretty good also and members give us soooo much food its unbelievable. Our fridge is full of leftovers. Yesterday I ate at a part member families home and the woman who made the food kept plopping more food on my plate. I kept eating it because I didn´t want to be rude, but geesh. It was a lot. I have some funny stories about the food here and members, but I don´t have time to write anymore. I will write it in my letter home.
> Love you all!
>
> Hna. Grindstaff
>
> p.s. you can forward this to Aldste Grindstaff for me because I don´t have time to write him an e-mail. Thanks.
>
> p.s.s.
> keep letting me know how things are going there.
> Hola familia!
> Things are going great here in Uruguay. It is completely different then what I expected, but I love it. I was going to send a few pictures that I thought were especially cute, but this computer is not the best and is refusing to do it. Ah well... later I guess.
> My companion is great... she has made sure we stay busy and I love it.
> The people in this area where Im serving are really friendly. Most people live in tiny little cement homes with tin roofs and have very little furniture (if any) that is really tattered. But, the people are wonderful and we have found some great investigators. I am coming to know the people and I already love them. My companion does most of the teaching, but I do a lot of testifying and a little bit of teaching. I try to talk as much as I can with the people here and they are all very patient with me. In fact, they really seem to like it when I attempt to talk to them and Ive had some great complements from the members. I still dont understand everything, but its okay because I have a companion who does and she helps me out a lot.
> The branch is kind of small here, but very friendly. On Sunday I played the piano for them and had to bear my testimony (and ask for refferels) in sacrament meeting to introduce myself. It was a good experience and it made me feel very supported when I saw the members smiling at me. They know its not easy to learn a language and are doing their best to help me feel comfortable trying.
> The food here is pretty good also and members give us soooo much food its unbelievable. Our fridge is full of leftovers. Yesterday I ate at a part member families home and the woman who made the food kept plopping more food on my plate. I kept eating it because I didn´t want to be rude, but geesh. It was a lot. I have some funny stories about the food here and members, but I don´t have time to write anymore. I will write it in my letter home.
> Love you all!
>
> Hna. Grindstaff
>
> p.s. you can forward this to Aldste Grindstaff for me because I don´t have time to write him an e-mail. Thanks.
>
> p.s.s.
> keep letting me know how things are going there.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Isaac is in the MTC now 5/20/09
I have half an hour to write this so please forward it to Sandra. I forgot to bring her E-mail address with me to the computer room. Swedish is going fine. My companion is Elder Perry and is from California. I am the senior companion and he is the district leader. My roomates are Elder Hepburn from Canada and Elder Clarke from Southern Utah. My teachers are Bro. Neilson and Sis. Ronndahl. Sis. Ronndahl is a native from Sweden and it is fun to here how she speaks the language different than Bro. Neilson. Swedish is awsome. I can bear my testimony and pray in swedish now. We just started the noun conjugation for past, presant,futer and supine. I also now know the word for cookie smakaka (it has an o over the first a and is pronounced smoahkahka) cool right? Anyway the whole duck and spirit "anden" thing is a Norway thing. (Our Zone leaders are going to Norway). I love the MTC the food is pretty good and I think I eat too much. they have doughnuts every morning for breakfast and it is hard not to eat them every day. When they have ice cream I eat it because it is awsome Ice cream. Sunday we had a devotional about our purpose inviting others to come unto Christ. Yesterday we had a devotional about letting the Lords light shine though us and working hard to get the most out of our mission. (Elder Neuenschwander from the seventy and his wife) The Question that Elder Neuenschwander asked was "Will I do the work the Lord sent me to do or not?" So, if we answer yes we will follow the rules and if not we won't. The point is that we have to make that decision to do the work. He said, what we persist in is what we become. I hope I can become a tool in the Lords hand and I hope you all will be too.
>
> Back to Mtc life. Laundry is today and we get to go to the temple. we get 5 days a week for Gym and Elder Murrey (also going to sweden the next room over) has us do a abb work out every other day. There are 2 swedish districts one is mine with me and my roommates and the sisters (all 3 of them). The other District has 6 Elders. They have one class and we have another. Sis. Ronndahl alternates between them because they have three and not four Swedish teachers. I have learned a lot and have learned which showers are the warm ones. My first Shower was ice cold. Since then I try to get the other showers. Time is almost up. How is life going? Aaron what is going on? Anita how is band going? Dad I hope the priests are being good? Mom keep them awake in Seminary. I have to get up every day. Thank you for being great examples to me and helping me out. Vi ses (see you later)
>
> Love Aldste Grindstaff
>
> ps. I will probably repeat all this in my letter today but will try to expound on it
>
> Back to Mtc life. Laundry is today and we get to go to the temple. we get 5 days a week for Gym and Elder Murrey (also going to sweden the next room over) has us do a abb work out every other day. There are 2 swedish districts one is mine with me and my roommates and the sisters (all 3 of them). The other District has 6 Elders. They have one class and we have another. Sis. Ronndahl alternates between them because they have three and not four Swedish teachers. I have learned a lot and have learned which showers are the warm ones. My first Shower was ice cold. Since then I try to get the other showers. Time is almost up. How is life going? Aaron what is going on? Anita how is band going? Dad I hope the priests are being good? Mom keep them awake in Seminary. I have to get up every day. Thank you for being great examples to me and helping me out. Vi ses (see you later)
>
> Love Aldste Grindstaff
>
> ps. I will probably repeat all this in my letter today but will try to expound on it
Sandra is in Uruguary 5/20/09
Hola family!
> I have made it to Uruguay and I love it! So far I have had my blood taken and took a bus to Progresso, my new area, with my trainer. My trainers name is hermana Blocker and she is just wonderful. This is her last transfer before she leaves, so she is really experienced and knows a whole bunch. So, she will be taking me to all our appointments that we have this week and I guess I´ll just be learning as we go.
> My new home is really small and I learned that we do all our laundry in a little bucket outside and then hang our clothes up to dry. I can hardly wait to wash all my clothes with my own hands. :) It should be pretty exciting.
> We have a baptism on Saturday apparently, so that is pretty exciting (I have no idea who the person is, but I´m happy about it anyway). We also have a few teaching appointments and I have a feeling that my companion will be doing most of the teaching.
> My new P-day is Monday, so I will be writing you again then.
> I Love you!
>
> Hna. Grindstaff
>
> p.s. remember to forward Isaac´s e-mails to me and get me his e-mail address.
> p.s.s Since the pouch system is so picky about letters it would be better to send them to the mission home through regular mail.
> I have made it to Uruguay and I love it! So far I have had my blood taken and took a bus to Progresso, my new area, with my trainer. My trainers name is hermana Blocker and she is just wonderful. This is her last transfer before she leaves, so she is really experienced and knows a whole bunch. So, she will be taking me to all our appointments that we have this week and I guess I´ll just be learning as we go.
> My new home is really small and I learned that we do all our laundry in a little bucket outside and then hang our clothes up to dry. I can hardly wait to wash all my clothes with my own hands. :) It should be pretty exciting.
> We have a baptism on Saturday apparently, so that is pretty exciting (I have no idea who the person is, but I´m happy about it anyway). We also have a few teaching appointments and I have a feeling that my companion will be doing most of the teaching.
> My new P-day is Monday, so I will be writing you again then.
> I Love you!
>
> Hna. Grindstaff
>
> p.s. remember to forward Isaac´s e-mails to me and get me his e-mail address.
> p.s.s Since the pouch system is so picky about letters it would be better to send them to the mission home through regular mail.
Sandra's last MTC letter
Hola!
> yep, I´m the know it all at the MTC. :) ...actually I don´t feel like I know all that much, especially since there are so many natives here that speak so quickly. Ah well, today I leave for Uruguay and I am so excited. I have worked hard to learn as much as I could here at the CCM and now it´s finally time to leave my sheltered life here. It´s a little scary, but exciting at the same time. One of my favorite things about the CCM here is the opportunity I´ve had to go tracting for 7-8 hours every Saturday. I started out not even knowing how to ring the doorbells here and now I can hold little conversations with people and share my testimony of the restoration. Since I don´t have much time to write, I´m just going to tell one story... Last Saturday I was with my two companions and we were about to end a good day of tracting and head back to the meeting point. As me and Hna Denzer were knocking at one of the doors, Hna. Bailey stopped a woman coming down the street (which we have become pretty skilled at doing now). This woman ended up being the best contact we had all day. I understood just about every word she said (she spoke slowly and clearly) and I felt really comfortable talking with her (even in my broken spanish). Since I still get nervous speaking spanish, it was miracle that I felt completely comfortable speaking with her and sharing the gospel. I had other experiences the same day that I had talked to people, but every other time I still had those feelings of being very limited in my ability to speak. it was nice to get to know this woman a little bit and I feel like she was really ready to hear the gospel. Other missionaries will get to teach her (since I will be in Uruguay as of tonight), but it will all turn out alright.
> Thank you for all your e-mails. I´m so excited to have a new little niece named Kylie and also to have a younger brother serving the Lord on a mission. It´s fun to imagine Isaac in the MTC right now sitting in class all day, especially since I´ve just finished that part in my mission.
>
> I love the gospel. I know that this is the true church, that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that Jesus Christ lives and is the head of this church.
>
> Keep writing me letters and e-mails. I enjoy reading them even if I don´t get to respond to everything that I read about. It´s nice to hear about your lives.
>
> Mom- Yes, that girl needs to be taught by the missionaries pronto! :)
> Oh, and be sure not to let the missionaries hang out too long at our house. They are missionaries and need to be doing the Lord´s work. (remember they are on the Lord´s time)
>
> I love you all so much. I don´t know when my next P-day is, but I will definitely write some letters and a few e-mails to keep you updated.
>
> Oh, happy birthday to Tavian, Abbie, Sherrie, Aaron, Scott, Kylie, and anyone else who recently had a birthday!
>
> hna. Grindstaff
> yep, I´m the know it all at the MTC. :) ...actually I don´t feel like I know all that much, especially since there are so many natives here that speak so quickly. Ah well, today I leave for Uruguay and I am so excited. I have worked hard to learn as much as I could here at the CCM and now it´s finally time to leave my sheltered life here. It´s a little scary, but exciting at the same time. One of my favorite things about the CCM here is the opportunity I´ve had to go tracting for 7-8 hours every Saturday. I started out not even knowing how to ring the doorbells here and now I can hold little conversations with people and share my testimony of the restoration. Since I don´t have much time to write, I´m just going to tell one story... Last Saturday I was with my two companions and we were about to end a good day of tracting and head back to the meeting point. As me and Hna Denzer were knocking at one of the doors, Hna. Bailey stopped a woman coming down the street (which we have become pretty skilled at doing now). This woman ended up being the best contact we had all day. I understood just about every word she said (she spoke slowly and clearly) and I felt really comfortable talking with her (even in my broken spanish). Since I still get nervous speaking spanish, it was miracle that I felt completely comfortable speaking with her and sharing the gospel. I had other experiences the same day that I had talked to people, but every other time I still had those feelings of being very limited in my ability to speak. it was nice to get to know this woman a little bit and I feel like she was really ready to hear the gospel. Other missionaries will get to teach her (since I will be in Uruguay as of tonight), but it will all turn out alright.
> Thank you for all your e-mails. I´m so excited to have a new little niece named Kylie and also to have a younger brother serving the Lord on a mission. It´s fun to imagine Isaac in the MTC right now sitting in class all day, especially since I´ve just finished that part in my mission.
>
> I love the gospel. I know that this is the true church, that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that Jesus Christ lives and is the head of this church.
>
> Keep writing me letters and e-mails. I enjoy reading them even if I don´t get to respond to everything that I read about. It´s nice to hear about your lives.
>
> Mom- Yes, that girl needs to be taught by the missionaries pronto! :)
> Oh, and be sure not to let the missionaries hang out too long at our house. They are missionaries and need to be doing the Lord´s work. (remember they are on the Lord´s time)
>
> I love you all so much. I don´t know when my next P-day is, but I will definitely write some letters and a few e-mails to keep you updated.
>
> Oh, happy birthday to Tavian, Abbie, Sherrie, Aaron, Scott, Kylie, and anyone else who recently had a birthday!
>
> hna. Grindstaff
Thursday, May 7, 2009
5/7/09
> Hola!> Happy Mother´s Day mom! I´m so sad that I don´t get to call you. I leave for Uruguay in a week and a half, so I barely missed it. chagos!> This last week has been just so much fun. I´ve been having an english fast for most of it, but even that isn´t as bad as it usually is. next week will be the real killer though because one of my teachers (hno. Melerio) has bribed us as a district into having a weeklong english fast. I personally don´t think the bribe of cheesecake was worth the suffering, but it will be good for me. Speaking more of this crazy language is what I need to be doing. my MTC Pres. said that speaking spanish will invite the spirit to help us, so I´m going to trust his word´s. Actually, there is a worker here, who doesn´t speak english, who came into my district´s class this week and completely complemented our district on our spanish. He told us we understand more then most missionaries do after they´ve been out in the field for 2 months. That was really comforting for me because it is tough to learn a language (especially in two months). having so many natives around is one of the biggest helps because they don´t speak english and to communicate we have to speak spanish.> Last Saturday I went tracting and it was really great. me and my 2 companions (I got 2nd companion last week) sang to a few of our contacts and it was so powerfull. I´ll have to write about my experiences in a letter because I have just run out of my e-mail time. ah well...> I love you all and am so gratefull for all of you. > keep writing me letters because I love them... :)> > hna. Grindstaff> > p.s. Good luck (again) Isaac. remember to write me, or else!!! (death glare)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
