Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Most importantly, Happy Mother's Day Mom! We weren't allowed to call from the MTC, but I want to tell you that I've learned everything I know and am using out here from you and Dad and I thank you so much for your amazing Christ like example for me! I love YOU!

Karyl I met or rather taught someone who knew you from your mission. Her name is Sister Jones and she was born a few months I think she said before you, and by the way, it was a fantastic lesson. Also I need about 300 in my account and don't freak out about how much I'm spending. I think that's it. I just have to pay for dry cleaning, some clothes and the last thing is a water bottle that the church officially recommends to us, so I got that too.

Exciting News I got my flight plans! So I head out to Argentina Monday! So one more update from the MTC after today. I fly out of Salt Lake at like 12:00. I won't get to detailed today; I'll send more details on Thursday. I get to Dallas at around 3:30 their time (I think). I have about a three hour layover there and then straight down to Buenos Aires. I Leave the US at about 7:30 (again, I think) and arrive in Argentina at about 7:30 in the morning their time. So a very long flight. I decided I'm just going to read the whole time. I can't sleep on a plane. I'm hoping I'll get to go to the temple down there before we head to Bahia Blanca.

Thanks so much for the letter Brother Borders! I really enjoyed it. It's awesome that you're now going on calls and such.

Hold on I have to go be right back...

Ok sorry about that. I had to change rooms. Ok, were was I? Oh ya, Karyl, can you send me some pictures of you and of the family please. I realized that I don't have any except for one that Shiloh sent me.

As for the calling at the airport I do have time now. So I think I get in at about 3:30, Dallas time on Monday. So if you could maybe get Sebring and Acea home by then and somehow get Karyl on the line or I'll just call her separately, so give me her number that would be easier. I'll call at 4:15 Dallas time. How about that? That should be good enough. Acea might have to get out a little early, but that should work. After that I'm just going to go and pass out, pass-along-cards and BOM's hahaha passing out BOM's in an airport funny. Ok continuing on...

Barb thanks for the letter. It doesn't seem like very long at all, but it's been two months as of Monday. And for anyone who writes me I'll send something back whether it is through the blog or by letter as soon as I'm able, so don't worry about that. I'll get the mission address on here for Thursday too.

Well I'm not as ready for Argentina as I would like to be, but I'm ready to leave here for sure. The breakfasts for example are all the same and starting to get a little boring, the other food however I'll miss.

So we've been, well I've been, playing beach volleyball in gym because they're updating the gym and it is so much fun. I found out something, I'm a really good digger and my setting is alright but I can't spike at all. What's really funny though is that I'm always the one with the dramatic dives into the sand (arana in Spanish) and so everyone is calling me Elder Arana is in the arana again hahaha. So apparently I'm going to be called Elder Arana a lot down there according to my teachers, so some Elders in the Zone call me that all of the time now. It's a little weird but I'm starting to answer to it too now.

It's amazing how much we have to rely on the spirit as missionaries and as I rely more on my faith and in the spirit, I really teach to the needs of the investigator. Whenever I do that, things go so much better. However, sometimes I'll find a scripture, for example, that will work really well for something, but I'll get a little too attached to it and want to use it for everyone. I have to then remember that what I'm learning may not be for everyone, it is just another tool that the spirit can tell me to use when appropriate. That is something that a lot of missionaries don't seem to realize. They just want to teach the lessons as outlined exactly in "Preach My Gospel" and that's not the best way. It shows a lack of faith in the Lord and how he will help us as we do those things that are required for his help (D&C 82:10). So we need to let go of our will and follow his (Prov. 3:5-6).

Thank you all for your support and love!

Love Elder Sands