Well I finally get to email you guys. This week has been quite the
adventure!
First off my companion is really quiet, but we get
along great. He's had some neat experiences and he is similar to me in a
lot of ways. However, he is really struggling with homesickness. The
first night we got here was really hard for him, and the second night he
broke down in tears. He is really close with his family. I fasted for
him on Sunday, and I hope you will all keep him in your prayers. He has a
strong testimony and the people of Colombia need to hear it, so please
keep him in your prayers.
The MTC is great but it looks like a prison. We
have a big gate around it, security guards, and all sorts of cool stuff. We only get an hour a day for exercise, and it really feels like I'm in
prison because there's only pull-up bars and a basketball court. No one
plays basketball here though, its all about soccer. I even scored a goal
though!!! It was the most victorious moment of my life because my roommates are
crazy soccer players. They are from Colombia, Peru, and Mexico.
There are two other Nortes (English speakers) in our room too from Utah and Colorado. They
are super nice. The Latinos though always talk. They talk all night. The
president even talked to them and they didn't stop. They are so funny. I love them!
Here is a funny story for you all. So our roommate from Mexico
loves rap music and his girlfriend more than anything. His P- day clothes
are all rapper outfits, and I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed. He knows
all the English rap songs, but he barely speaks English!?!? Anyways, he
would stay up all night with his flashlight and read his love notes from
his girlfriend, when the other night we heard a loud crackling sound
and he was laughing. We realized his flashlight is also a taser, and he
kept making jokes about tazing people. It was so funny because the
other Nortes were so mad. We told him he can't use his taser anymore
though or we are going to talk to president. (See his flashlight!! :0)
The classes at the MTC are
insanely tough. We aren't supposed to speak English ever! That's tough
for me. Also we have to plan every night. I hate it, but I do it. I had an
interesting experience with the rules. The rules here are strict. We can't have gum, we can't eat out of the cafeteria, we can't go
to the bathroom without our companion, we can't listen to music, and I can't wear my flower tie!! At first I got in trouble for everything because I didn't know, and I was a little upset. But as I prayed and listened to
a devotional by Elder Cook I realized that its more important to be
obedient. I have never been good at that, but I know the Lord will bless
me as I try my best.
Elder Amick and I are already teaching Spanish
lessons, and it's hard. I don't even know what I'm saying half the time,
and understanding the Latinos is impossible, but we are going to invite
our pretend investigator to be baptized tomorrow. We will see how that
goes. All my teachers are Latino, and they speak broken English. Somehow we
get our message across, and my Spanish has tripled from what I learned
in high school!!
I've got tons of stories from this week, but I don't have
time to write them all,and these keyboards are in Spanish so its really frustrating typing in English. The food here isn't too bad. We eat a lot of
soup and rice. they don't have Mt Dew but I've converted to 7-Up because that's all they have.
Today we got to go to the temple. It
was so cool. It was all in Spanish, but I have never felt the spirit
stronger in the temple than I did today. I also got outside the fence
for the bus ride. Bogota is crazy, the driving here is worst than the Dominican Republic.!! I think we might have killed some bikers on the way
to the temple.
Other than that, I hope all is well with everyone back
home. I love you all and pray for you every day. I can't wait to write
you all next week.
Love, Elder Donaldson.
P.S. Sorry my grammar is bad everything is underlined
in red and the buttons are different on the Spanish key boards.
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