Hello my family!
So first things first, my email time is limited. I saw I had some pretty long emails from you. I would love to read them, but I want to make sure that I get to utilize my email time that I do have. I will try to print out the emails before I leave the library so I can see them. But we will figure out a system that works as far as communication on the mission goes.
As far as my mailing address goes though, all mail goes to the mission office. They then forward it to us. I'm not sure why this is, but its a rule. So I will follow it. It adds a tad bit of time to when I receive the mail, but esta bien.
I learned on my first night in the apartment, that elder Markham is from Argentina and doesn't speak any English. At first I totally didn't believe this because he looks like he is from Utah... white.....not like pictures of Argentinians I have seen. But when I called them out on their joke, I was told about an area in Argentina full of white people. That was enough for me. And besides, the opportunity to learn how to communicate with a native was awesome to me! So I began trying to talk in my best Spanish with Elder Markham. When I was struggling, my companion and Elder Lerma would help me get my words out in a way that this fluent Argentine would actually be able to understand. But for the most part I didn't need a lot of help (partially because I was only conversing within my comfort zone). Anyways, this experience talking with a native really helped me gain some confidence in my language skills. And, it also helped me set my goals high. I want to be able to speak fluent Spanish with Elder Markham by the end of the transfer! Its a lofty goal. But better to set my goals high than low, right?
That night before we went to bed, Elder Lerma informed me that every night, we pray for Elder Markham in his goal to learn English. He has been trying to learn English for the entire year he has been here in America. So, in faith, I prayed for Elder Markham.
The next morning, after personal study, Elder Markam comes walking into Elder Ingram's and my study room and says in jumbled/painful English, "I .... want share something I ......learned in study today"
Cool I thought! I'm gonna get to hear how good he is at English!
But then, Elder Markam pumps his arms in the air and yells in perfect English, "Oh my gosh! Your prayers worked! I can speak English!!!!"
Yea I got totally owned. It was hilarious. Elder Markam is really from Colorado. But I still have a goal to be able to speak to him totally in Spanish by the end of the transfer.
Anyways, that was my first morning in the field. And this was the best day ever. Elder Ingram and I went out to meet some potential investigators we had, and find people he had taught in the past with his trainer. The entire day was just so amazing. I really don't know how to describe it except for in this way.
In the MTC, we were always told that there are people that are being prepared for me, and me individually to be able to help. This idea really rang through crystal clear on my first day in the field. It was absolutely amazing. I'm on a mission and I'm here to share the gospel with those who are ready to hear it.
The coolest experience of the day was when we knocked on a families door and got in to teach them about our message. We learned in the first couple of minutes that the parents don't speak any English, and the children speak very little Spanish. (Crazy thought huh? How are they supposed to communicate with each other?) Anyways, for the first little bit, I just sat there letting my companion do most of the work... pretty much feeling totally lost. But then I realized. Wait! I can do this! I am teaching half in English, and half in Spanish! Awesome! So, I would teach a part of the restoration of the gospel in English to the children, and then teach the same thing to the parents in Spanish! The act of being able to teach it first in English helped my brain click more fluently over into how I would describe the same idea in Spanish. It was awesome. And in those moments with that family, I truly realized that I am on a mission serving the people that are ready to hear the message of the gospel from me. A truly wonderful experience. God knows I'm not perfect in Spanish yet. So he gave me a family that doesn't need perfection in the Spanish language. Wow. What a wonderful blessing.
Well, I don't have much time, but let me just say that the rest of our day went amazing! My companion says that in his 3 months he has had in the field, he has not had a day that was even near to as wonderful as our first day was. I'm so glad that Heavenly Father allowed me to have a dream day in the mission to start things off. I will always know what the goal is for the rest of the mission. I will always aim to have a day as amazing as that one.
My next day, while still a good day was not nearly as impressive as the first day. So this was a rude awakening to me. But like I said, I'm grateful I had that first day to know what I must aim for.
My fourth day, we actually struck out all day long as far as finding people home whom we had set appointments with. But once again, I'm grateful the Lord knew he needed to give me the dream day to start things out so I would know what to always shoot for.
I will try to write another quick letter home later today via the snail mail. But for now, Adios!
I love you all!
I'm doing great!
Elder Ostler
