Elder Brigham Blake: Week three

What?!? I've already been in the crazy country for three weeks? Insane. I know I haven't hit the field yet but I felt like I just wrote home yesterday! Oh how I miss you all and the cold chilly New England fall. There is two types of weather here, blisteringly hot and sunny or blisteringly (is this a word?) hot and raining buckets.

Okay lemme take you through week three:

Spiritual highlights of this week have to be finishing the Book or Mormon, going to the temple this morning and contacting at the university on Friday.

I started reading el libro de Mormon the Wednesday I left and just finished it this morning. I could feel the Spirit so strongly when I read Moroni 10 3-5 and even though I already knew with all my heart that it is true, the confirmation of the Spirit was so strong. I especially loved reading this week in late Alma about Captain Moroni and the Stripling Warriors, but also Ether and the brother of Jared. (I'll probably name one of my kids Mohonri Moriancomer or however you spell it if my wife is down.) All of these men from the BofM are the greatest examples of spiritual savages and I pray daily to be more like them. As my Patriarchal blessing states, the BoM will be a great friend throughout my life. I seriously am so excited to wake up every day and dive in to this fountain of knowledge. I finished in English and gonna start it in Spanish tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Oh man, contacting at the university on Friday was insane! I was so nervous. We shared a brief message about the restoration and handed out pamphlets. The first woman we talked to was about 25 and asked us to sit down and she was sooo nice. Maybe it was our American charm, but she seemed seriously interested. About half way through it started dumping buckets and my companion and I were stuck inside a building with about 30 Dominicans haha we talked to all of them about the restoration! The best contact we had was with a woman we had inside the building. She spoke English and after we introduced ourselves she asked if we could just speak in English haha. Anyways, she believed in God and prayed but didn't feel the need to go to church (basically every Dominican) but wanted to know more about our church. I can't remember exactly what she asked but I felt prompted to tell her that the answer to any question she has would be in the Book of Mormon. I whipped one out and gave it to her and she promised she'd read it and call the mission office. DOPE! I didn't want to leave.

And Lastly this morning the temple was insanely spiritual. I got to see the film with Dallyn Bayles as Jesus and I freaking loved it. My mission has put my eternal worth into perspective and the desire to share what I know is true with everyone. I can't really explain why I felt the Spirit so strongly this morning but I don't really care haha.

Okay lemme take you through some other highlights from this week. The phrases and things I say at home and with everyone have really caught on here in the CCM, its freaking awesome. Everyone is saying "My Boar!" "Farting" and answering phone calls from inanimate objects. Just imagine a district of 8 missionaries all yelling my boar before bed, its nuts. Another phrase I have coined here, thanks to 781 local rap sensation Cam Meekins is "Lamping" which basically just means chilling. The 45 minutes we have between lunch and class and from dinner and class are dedicated "lamp" sessions where me and my roomies (Elder Lester, Thayler and Oldroyd) will just chill and tell funny stories. They absolutely love Coach Tracy stories and I am considered the "funny" elder in my district. It's not true. Everyone is my district is just lame and not funny haha. But don't get the impression that we're always goofing off! When I'm in my classroom I am 100% dialed in and working my butt off. This week all my lamping will be in Spanish. As a district we have challenged each other to only speak Spanish this week. Spanish is going well and I can teach without a script but I know that this will help so much, and I know that Heavenly Father will bless us as we diligently work to better ourselves and the idioma!

Next, I have officially decided that the food here is gross! Elder Tippets confirmed yesterday that he has a tape worm, or some weird, sketchy kind of worm that he got from the meat we eat everyday. It's so boney and tastes off so that I kinda stopped eating it about a week ago, but this freaking sealed the deal. What's really scary though is that this is the CCM food! Probably the most sanitary food I am going to eat on my mission! So thankful for the trail mix and jerky I brought from home!

Since Monday the three guys in my room and Elder Holbrook and tried to devise a plan on how to get to the McDonalds down the street. We thought up a prison break style escape and Holbrook was "planning" to go yesterday during gym time. Haha it was all hypothetical but then we asked this savage Meastro (teacher). "Jeac" this Haitian if he'd go and buy us food. He said "Clado!" (Dominican way of saying of course) and putting those oreos in my satchel was probably the closest we'll ever get to the feeling of buying drugs haha. None of our other teachers would get us stuff, but Jeac pulled through.

Okay before I sign off for the week I want to finish with an other great spiritual experience I had yesterday. I was sooo frustrated with the language lesson we were learning about "direct object pronouns" and my companion and I weren't getting it whatsoever. I guess I was visually frustrated and my favorite teacher Nuñez after class gave me a little paper star. He told me to go to my room, kneel down and pray and then open up the star. I did as he said and written on the paper was Joshua 1:9, I wish I had my scrips right now but the spirit hit me like a wall. To summarize I think the scrip says to fear not because Dios is with thee. I shed a tear or two as I read that in my bed. Mom and Dad when you come to pick me up in two years you're going to meet Nuñez.

I'd love updates on everyone in the family. I'm so glad you're all doing well; I pray that you can feel my love every morning, meal and night. Continue to let the light of Christ shine. I regret not reading my scriptures more and not being a better example of Christ and challenge Anna and Noah to read in the BoM for 30 minutes a day. You'll thank me some day I promise!

Anyways I love you all so much. Thank you for your kind letters. I'd love pictures of any and everything! Also hand written letters (find Mother Mary stamps because the people here are superstitious and there will be a better chance I get the letter haha. Shout out to Maddi Bishoff for the dope idea).

Until next week!

Love, Elder Blake #52

Our bunk bed is so loud that this week we decided that elder Lester will sleep on the ground. We move his bed down every night before we pray and move it back every morning before breakfast. I was tired and layed up there for some reason, not sure why.