Elder Kyle Reynolds: Semana 4--Two more weeks in the CCM!

I cant believe it is already Week 5 for me!! It is so crazy to think that. It seems like just yesterday I was getting on the plane and every night I go to bed I am like wow another day in the books. It is so true the way missionaries describe it. Weeks feel like days and days feel like weeks. I am so excited though that I technically still have like 2 years to be able to learn and preach about the gospel!!

New Years was like any other day out here. All days seem to blend because we usually do the same things. On Sunday, we have what we call Netflix haha. We watch a church video of some sort and they are always so uplifting. I don't know what it is about videos but they always get to me! We watched The Testaments this time. I haven't ever seen them so it was nice. It is about people in the Americas and in the Old Testament (people acting out the life of Christ) and Him appearing into the Americas. I would definitely recommend watching it.

This week I lost 10 pounds! I finally caught the Mexican food bug and straight diarrhea. It suuuuuucked. I was hoping not to get it but of course I did! I spent a lot of time in the bathroom studying haha. I think it was the food after fast Sunday.. so of course they serve Mexican food here but they decided to serve American food for the "break the fast" meal... Hamburgers and fries!! Ahh it was manna from heaven. But I think there is a reason they serve Mexican food here is because they don't quite know how to cook American food right? haha Because immediately after I ate, that is when it all started. Anyways besides that it was a good week.

Ahh funniest story ever! We were walking to class after gym time and obviously we get to shower so we were all nice and clean and Elder Duke (from Boise, Idaho straight redhead and white as ever. No joke he is the epitome of Boise Idaho) was in mid sentence when a bird pooped on his forehead!!!!!!! hahahaha He was like what the..... nooo no freakin way! Dripping from his forehead was a white and little brown milky poop! It was the funniest thing. He didn't go back home to shower he just went to the bathroom and washed his face like 10 times. Oh man... That was definitely the highlight of my week. It is so funny because the bird was red too.

My Spanish is getting better slowly but really the more you learn, the more you get confused and realize how much you do not know.... I didn't get a concept this week for straight 30 minutes while the teacher was holding up class talking directly to me. It was passive voice if anyone was wondering... Finally I got it and the whole class was just staring at me like really dude... ha. Some concepts just don't come to me as good as others. I am trying though! And that is all God asks of us. This week has been a faith builder for me because of the language barrier I have. They try to teach you to listen to the investigator and really love them and take no thought for what you are going to say. I am trying to do that but it is soooo scary. Even though it is a fake investigator I know God will help.

So in the Testaments video the part that always gets me is when Christ is suffering and then is being crucified. How easy would it have been if he would think one bad thought and feel bad for himself or one thing to say to the people who are literally spitting on him after he had been whipped? And one of the last things he says in this life is "Forgive them, for they know not what they do".... Man what a powerful phrase from the most perfect man ever. How often do we feel sorry for ourselves when a little thing happens to us? After the video our mission president stood up and quoted from Elder Bednar's talk about how the Savior is always turning outwards. When he gets bad stuff done to him or whatever he never thinks woe is me, he turns around and serves others. That is my goal for this week is when I am feeling sorry for myself to have the power to turn outwards and serve others.

Love you guys!

Elder Reynolds