Letter dated 23Jan2012

Dear Family, This past weeks has seriously been one of the best weeks of my entire life! It´s weird that it´s already been one week. It feels like just yesterday I arrived here and also it feels like I've been here for a month already. Time is definitely being slowed down for me as I study the gospel and... español. Only kidding, my Spanish is progressing quite a bit and while I´m still getting comfortable with it, I learn new things every day. I just have to keep working hard at it, since it is the most difficult thing I've ever attempted to do in my life. Just yesterday evening, as we had our last session with our first investigator, I felt upset with myself for not knowing Spanish as well as I wish I would be able to. But as soon as I trusted in the spirit and got to talking to Hector (our investigator) I knew one of the many reasons why I am going to Spain, so that I may learn to trust in the Lord and rely on the Spirit to guide my thoughts and my words. It will also challenge me in ways that I've never been challenged before, which I know will affect my entire life and I´ll be a stronger person because of it. My two companions are awesome as I said before and our entire district is super awesome! We´re proggressing in the language very well and our teachers give us all praise. I only hope I can be a positve influence on the Elders I work and serve with and I know my prayers are being answered since I can see it everyday when we interact with each other. I enjoy getting letters whenever I can, and the easiest way is through DearElder. Thank you dad for sending me one almost every day, though some of them didn´´t come through. They are nice because I can get it during the week and read it in my free time rather than reading emails in my short half an hour time slot I´ve been getting for computer time here at the MTC. Oh, and see if you can get my friends to use Dear Elder. That would be sick! [Meaning good!] So I´ll let you know when I´m offically leaving, since I am still now sure but I´m thinking I´´ll be here until March before I fly out to the field. I will keep you up to date and let you know when I´m leaving though. With lots of love and maybe some sugar and spice and everything nice, Elder Schindler