Week # 5 - I Still Can't Roll My R's Elder Clements Told Me Just To Growl

 Hello everybody, Max here again.

This week has been pretty solid. If I had to say anything it's probably been the hardest MTC week so far at least. I only have one left so hopefully it's not worse haha. At the start of this week we completely switched schedules. For the first 4 weeks I had class during the afternoon and the night, so I got done with everything around 9:30. We switched this week to a morning and afternoon class, so instead of having a bunch of time before my classes, I have time after now. I still fit in all the studies I need to but it's been kinda weird having nights open after getting used to a night class. Maybe it was the classes, or the changed schedule, or just the reality that the days I have left is getting smaller and smaller. Dang that kinda sounds really terrible haha. The days I have left in the MTC, we'll go with that. I think it's a combination of all of these things. I've done a lot of thinking over the past week, over the past month really and I'm getting to know more of why missions are hard. I’m sure I haven't fully realized the difficulty of a mission. I'm not even in the field yet. I haven't even left my home to learn Spanish and the gospel in the MTC. I still sleep in my own bed, but I know that this is what I need to be doing right now in my life. I am constantly reminiscing about the past. The good, the bad, all of it seems like more fun and a seemingly better life than what I’m living now. I'm not saying that it is, I'm saying it seems like that. They say the grass is always greener on the other side. I've never found it too difficult to be happy or to count my blessings no matter how small. The experiences I've had no matter what the result was, made me into who I am today. That's God's plan for me, I am right where he wants me to be in my life right now. I want to believe that. I'm not sure but I think Satan is really trying to get at me before I go to the temple on Thursday. I know that even if I'm scared to go to the temple, which is wild to me because I don't think I've been genuinely scared of a lot of things in my life, that's what I need to do. Even if wearing garments seems like an unrealistic thing for me to want to do, that's what I need to do. The blessings I know are there if I am obedient, is not worth any amount of worldly clout or fashion I could have. Ngl I will definitely miss wearing shorter shorts on a day to day basis, but I’m sure it'll be worth it. I know that my life is the sub-result of the choices I make. I think Dumbledore said something along the lines of, "It is our choices that show what we truly are, farrrrrr moooore than our abilities."  I really liked that quote until I saw it on Campbell’s wall. Then I was like dang ya hate to see it.  It's still a great quote nevertheless. Haha I just used nevertheless in my email, that's crazy, look how much of a missionary I am. Anyways, I am the result of all the choices I have made in my life. The way I’ve reacted or not reacted to all sorts of situations has determined who I am. I think everyone has daydreamed about going back and changing a cringy decision or something they regret.  As I found myself doing this, this week I found myself not regretting my choices. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of cringy that could definitely have gone different ways, but all my choices served a purpose in my life one way or another. That's life. These things have become more evident to me in my life, I've gained a greater perspective on my life as a missionary. I remember a conversation I had in the back of a car with some friends and elder Todd. We talked about a lot of things, but the one that stayed with me was talking about the way ridge lives his life. To sum it up quickly, he tries not to have any regrets as he knows that god has a plan for him and that's where he needs to be good or bad. As I look to the future I know that I can choose any outcome that I want. It's just a matter of putting my mind and hard work towards that goal. I can choose to block out my sacred, or negative thoughts, and focus on the good in my life, and the good I can do for others.

Elder Todd is an amazing individual and I don't think I show my gratitude for him, or anyone for that matter, nearly enough. He is very conscientious about all those around him, he looks to others before himself. He contains so much of the love of Christ so I genuinely seek to become more like him in many ways. The past week I've been finding more of Christ in those who are in my life and those I've been lucky enough to share some of my life and experiences with. I believe that I will become more like the people that I surround myself with. I want to surround myself with Christ. As I’ve been finding and writing down the little magical moments this week I’ve thought about that a lot. It isn't really reflected in the things I wrote down but I just thought I would let you all know. Here's my list for this week:

Music, Naps, Time, a really cool way to write the letter A, a swish, Pakistan, magnets, siblings, Dreams, 2nd chances, loyalty, consistency, backflips, jokes, signatures, human psychology, Spanish music, Kevin, Beer batter fries, Cars, air conditioning.

I did some cool things this week, like go to Anika’s mission call opening!! She got called to Toronto, Canada Spanish speaking!! I wish the best when that time comes for her. Other things I did are locking my soccer balls in Trevor’s trunk, so that was epic! We made an absolutely awful song as an activity in one of my classes. I'm trying to get my teacher to send us the recording so stay tuned for that potentially!! I forgot about a Creamie, it melted, I refroze it and ate it later!  I wrote down some letters for people, and drew this really cool arm reaching out, and there's some magic coming out of the hand, and then there is fire coming out of the magic. I hope you all imagine that as like this amazing drawing, because that is absolutely, most definitely what it looks like. Ok so maybe it's really little but i still think its dope. On p-day i had to go shopping with my family for like 2 years I swear, but it was all good. We then went to Taggart's grill with Nedra! Nedra is awesome, and Taggart’s are awesome so that was really fun! I also played soccer after that, as well as a bunch of time throughout the week, which is often the highlight of my week. I'm really grateful for the guys who make time to come out and lace up with me every week. It means a lot!!

I'm still super grateful for those of you that write to me and tell me how your week went or just a little message telling me that you're doing well. Keep it up. I also promised to write my testimony in Spanish this week so here we go, this is mostly just off the top of my head so it might be really really bad. Also I already forgot to write this e-mail on Saturday so just add that little bit of spicy stress to it as well. It's really basic but so is my Spanish jajaja.

Yo quiero compartir mi testimonio . Yo se que jesucristo es nusestro Salcador. Su expiacion es un testimonio del amor que tiene pro nosotros y yo indicidualmente, Estoy agradecido por el amor de nuestro padre celestial y jesucristo. Estoy agradacido por de el plan de salvation y se que viviremos con nuestras familas en el cielo. Yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero y contiene la plenitud del evangelio. Estoy agradecido por este la opportunidad servir un mision. estoy agradecido por este concimiento. Gracias a este testimonio puedo vivir feliz y confiar en dios y superar desafios. en el nobre de jesucristo. Amen

If I shared my testimony in English I think it would be the same, but also a lot different than that. I also probably spelled things really wrong, but I've always been bad at spelling so there's that. I want to compare my testimony at the start and the end of my mission to see how much of Spanish I actually learn, and how my testimony develops along the way.

I love you all, stay the amazing individuals that you are!!

te amo

-Max