February 25 @ MTC

   I survived the first month!

   Well it wasn't that bad, but I must be honest, I feel like a champ making it for a whole month out here.  Sometimes things get really difficult, and in the beginning, time was going soooooooo slow.  But now, things are really moving, and I am absolutely LOVING being a MISSIONARY!!!  It is so much fun! I have so much to tell you all, and not nearly enough time, so I'll try to get in as much as I can.

   So the word 'car' in Spanish is coche, (and I guess that actually refers to an older car, so now they call cars 'carro', but coche sounds better) so my nickname is Elder Coche.  It's really fun, cause all the Elders in my district call me Elder Coche, and besides 'Dusty', this is the first nickname that I've liked. 




Walk Walking @ MTC.  How is it done??

 

   We started a game out here in order to learn Spanish quicker.  It's called El Nativo (the native).  Basically, each day, 2 elders in our district are the Natives (random drawn from cards in a cup)  and that whole day, they can only speak spanish.  At the end of the day, we all vote to see who the Natives were.  If you get it right, you get an extra point for yourself, and the Natives get points from whoever votes for them.  Plus, even if you aren't the Native, you can speak spanish all day like to try and convince others that you are the Native so they will vote for you.  It's pretty fun, and basically it just gets us to speak more Spanish, which is tough, but it helps alot when we are trying to speak it all day.  By the way, the spanish is getting really tough, I'm hanging in there, but it is just getting be so much.  Next week, we start practice teaching in only Spanish!  So it's time to really stress my Spanish studying.

   Oh and the food here isn't so bad, I mean, it's cafeteria food, but I figured out the best meal.  They have a wraps bar here, so I started having them make wraps, but I didn't like all the meat cold, so I do it Pita Pit style.  Basically, I have them load my up with meat and cheese and such, I take it to a microwave and melt it down, and then I go add the sauce and veggies myself. It's awesome, it's like the best meal here!  haha.

   We met with Daniel Limon again this week, and long story short, it was so great! I loved it.  I can't wait to get to bring the Book of Mormon to our Heavenly Father's children in Mexico.  I'm so excited for the opportunity I have to help them open the door to an eternity of blessings.

   Things are getting really REAL here.  We met with a new investigator/actor this week, only he's not an LDS member like the others.  He is legitimately a Baptist that is here on their new pilot program for us to get the most real experience.  Now I realize how beautiful and wonderful this opportunity is that I to teach someone who isn't already a part of the church.  I LOVE being a missionary.

   Well I gotta run, but know that I am doing sooooo good.  I love you all! take care!

Elder Carr

PS:  Looks like I might get reassigned to somewhere in the States for a while before going to Mexixo.  Bascially, only about 1 out of every 12 elders are getting their visas on time.  I sure wouldn't mind it, though.

New Way to Send Mail to Dusty

A great day at Mail Call.

You can use DearElder.com and he gets your letter delivered the next day, hard copy.  No charge while he is at the MTC, nor in the mission field if you select "Pouch."                  

Pictured: Results not typical.

February 18 @ MTC

iHOLA! iAnother great week here in the MTC!

  Hey first off, thanks for all the letters this week, they are so helpful and uplifting, and it's great to finally hear from my family.  Amber, thanks so much for the pictures/letter, those were so cute and so hilarious. I was bragging to all the elders in my district and when I read Megan and Mikayla's letters to them, we were all laughing so hard; I sure do love those girls. 
  Mom and Dad, thanks for my glasses and the see's suckers, those were great!  hey did you ever get my pictures that I sent a week ago?  I'm sending more this next week, so hopefully you'll get them.  Gosh mom, your school gets crazier every day, like that was just ridiculous about the kid drawing blood from you, and the other kids fighting.  I told the elders in my district how they are all hispanic children....so those are the kinds of dangers that we will face for the next 2 years, haha. 
  And thanks for your letter Josh, I was shocked to hear Bridget is getting her first tooth!  She's already growing up too fast!  That's awesome that you got to go to the leadership broadcast.  Thanks for telling me about it, cause we don't get to watch it and we don't have anytime to read up about it.



Guys in Really Blue Ties

  So Monday was Valentine's Day.  Sure was an interesting day. I mean, it was nice, like in the evening I got a package from Chelsie, so that was really fun (THANK YOU!), but it's just weird... it wasn't exactly the most..."loveable" day.  But I guess that's part of being a missionary, and that's something I have to learn to deal with.

  Thanks for keeping me updated on Egypt, Dad.  I was thrilled when we talked about it and turned to the scriptures, cause we found that some of Isaiah's prophesies are coming to pass right now!  Look up Isaiah 19 (I think just the first half of the chapter), and then go to 2 Nephi 21:11-12.  They fortell what is happening right now with Egypt.  I think it's absolutely fascinating, and VERY exciting for the church to have the possibility of sending missionaries to the Middle East.  Next is China!  haha.

  Elder Stevenson and I met Daniel Limon (an actor/investigator) 3 more times this week.  It was such an amazing experience.  I know it was just a practice, but it felt so real.  When we left I expressed to Elder Stevenson how great that felt, and how that is what I want to feel for the next 2 years.

  Well I gotta run, but know that I'm doing great here.  Spanish is getting tough, but I'm pulling through.

Love you all!

Elder Carr

February 11 @ MTC

2 Weeks down and time is starting to roll smoothly.

  Well after the first week I thought I would spend a lifetime here, but now that things have settled down, I'm able to enjoy all my time here, and time is moving faster.  I'm loving ever part of every day!  I've been having a lot of fun with my companion and my district.  My companion, Elder Stevenson, is such a great missionary.  We never have problems, ever.  And we always uplift each other and work together to learn as much as possible each day/week.  I seriously have been blessed SO MUCH to have him as my first companion.

Study, study, study...

Study some more...

Recharge.

 

  That's crazy about what's going on in Egypt, but awesome at the same time.  I'm so glad they are fighting for their freedom in a peacful way, but gosh it just fills me with gratitude for the freedom we have here in America. 

  Everyone here thought it was way cool that Aaron Rodgers is from my home town.  And it was really funny cause I could care less about the super bowl, or any sports.

  OK, so this week we had a REALLY awesome experience.  We get to sign up to teach people who are acting as investigators, and many of then are really good.  We've taught a few so far, and they are progressing investigators, so we will continue to teach them in the direction of baptism, and then through the new member lessons and such.  Anyways, we signed up for the hardest investigator ever, Daniel Limon.  We were a little nervous, especially cause so many people fail with him, but we went forward with confidence and faith and we rocked it!

  Well I gotta run!

Love you all!

Elder Carr

MTC week number 2 begins!

MTC week number 2 begins!

  So this Wednesday marked one week for my district and me being here.  It's crazy how long it feels, and yet we look back and see how much we have learned!  Everyone was right, too, when they said, "Make it to Sunday and you're golden."  Getting to Sunday seemed pretty difficult; just adjusting to the routine of things here - spending all the time from 6:30am - 10:30pm busy as ever - but this week we have really gotten into the swing of things.  My district is awesome, we are really growing close and working together in every way.  We make sure to be as productive as possible, while still allowing time for fun and laughter, which is much needed sometimes.

Men in Black Tags

  We live by a saying here - Speak Your Language.  And so wherever we are, we are trying to speak as much Spanish as possible, and it always ended up being Spanglish, haha.  It's so funny listening to us pray in Spanish or just try to talk for a full hour in Spanish;  we butcher the language so bad, haha.  But we're working really hard and learning tons every day.  For instance, this last week, I memorized Joseph Smith's First Vision, My Purpose as a Missionary, and The Baptisimal Challenge in Spanish, so basically, I'm ready for the field ; )

  Today we got to go to the temple, and that was just amazing.  I love the temple so much, and it is wonderful to feel the Spirit so strong there.  Also, this last Sunday, we got to watch The Church's newest Joseph Smith movie.  I would highly recommend it to everyone, it was a HUGE testimony builder.

  Well I gotta run, but know that I am doing well, and I am doing my best here.  I love being a missionary and I look forward to the day I get to serve in Mexico.

  I love you all! 

Elder Carr