Note: Words in brackets [ ] are translations by Dad.
Hello my wonderful Family!
Hello my wonderful Family!
Let me just say to start off that last night's phone call was so wonderful. I so much enjoyed talking last night. But, we were sooo excited and talked so much that I forgot to express my gratitude for all that I received besides the Reeces for Christmas. So, in order to get to the fun stuff I'd like to share in this letter, I'm just going to say THANKS FOR EVERYTHING. Yep, that should cover it. :) But seriously. I love it all. And I'm wearing the tie Nathan gave me today. Thanks Nathan!
Ok, now for the fun story I didn't tell you last night because I was saving it for today...
Remember how a while ago (probably about a month and a half by now) I ran into Leonicio in the grocery store and talked at him in English until I realized he had no idea what I had just said and that I needed to speak Spanish? Well, I had a similarish experience.... Almost sort of. Well, it was similar in that it happened at a grocery store.
On Pday, Christmas Eve, us missionaries went grocery shopping (a weekly occurring happenstance). So, all 4 of us, myself, Elder Ingram, Elder Russel, and Elder Crane, were driving to the grocery store and just having a good time talking about all the things our families were probably doing without us for Christmas eve...(it sounds depressing, but in truth, it was lots of fun). As we pulled into the parking lot, I, being the driver, had to proceed with caution on account of all the people making their Christmas Eve rush on the grocery store. And then, I recognized a face in the multitude of people. (You like that scriptural word? "multitude")
I must be becoming detached slightly from what types of actions are considered "socially" acceptable and not, because without even thinking about it, I began calling out, "Salvador! Hey! Salvador!" as I was rolling down the window and pulling the car slightly more out of the way than I would have been if I had simply stopped in the middle of the parking lot.... But for all intents of purposes, I was stopped in the middle of the parking lot (I think pulling the 6-inches to the right just made me feel better about it). Anyway, Salvador, one of the people we are teaching who we haven't been able to find in the past few weeks started looking around to find out who had been calling out to him. And then, I saw his look of recognition as he saw the car full of us missionaries with the funny white boy, me, waving to him.
He hurried over to the car and I asked, "Esta aqui para comprar comida?"[Are you here to buy food?] (yea, I know its a stupid question, but my conversational Spanish isn't all that great yet. So I just make up for my lack of brilliant conversational starting skills by asking questions that I already know the answers to and being super excited to see people) When he answered, "Si!" I replied, "Oh Bueno Bueno mi Amigo! Nosotros Tambien!" [Oh, Good Good my friend! So are we!"]
We had a rushed conversation about how we haven't seen him in a while and how he has lots of food to buy for his fiesta de la Navidad [Christmas celebration]. But suddenly, I clicked back into reality and realized I was stopped in the middle of a parking lot and that every second I lingered longer, I was at risk of getting some busy shoppers upset at the delay. So, I quickly paused the conversation 'til later by Saying, "Pues, Salvador, Hay muchas personas en la calle! Tengo estacionar! Nos Vemos mui pronto en la Tienda... ok?" [Well, Salvador, there's a lot of people in the street! I go park! We'll see you very soon inside the store]. And with that, we said goodbye as I went off to park the car. We talked with him again in the store and set up a time to come see him. I have decided that Grocery stores are great places to meet up with people you know. It was a ton of fun.
But even funner was having my fellow Elders tease me for how ridiculous the whole situation was... (parking lot contact/ crappy Spanish/ etc...) "Oh Elder Ostler," they said, "You sure are a different one."
Yes... I guess I am a different one... But I'd like to believe a good type of different ;). I'm loving this mission thing. It's a fun life.
Well, I love you all. No mas tiempo [No more time].
Your Son, and Brother,
Elder Ostler
