Week #3- This week was crazy!

This week was crazy! We had an elder go home, because of problems at home, everyone has been getting really sick, and a lot of other things. They fumigated all of the rooms and they thought we would be fine to sleep in the building right after they did it, but after they did it everyone was coughing and it was hard to breathe, so everyone had to evacuate the building for about 40 minutes before we could go back in to go to sleep. Me and Elder Nielsen had an amazing experience this week though, we were randomly asked by one of the supervisors here to give a lesson to a less active member, and we were given about 10 minutes to prepare, I was extremely nervous, but we gave the lesson and the spirit was so strong I could understand most of what was being said and I was able to explain to her why I was on my mission and bear my testimony to her in Spanish. She said she would start going back to church and that she could really feel the spirit. We might be able to talk to her again sometime so I am really excited to hear from her. Everyone is getting really sick so they have told us that we are not allowed to shake hands anymore, and they have been testing the food and the water, but I still haven't gotten sick yet. We told the new group of elders that I am related to the prophet and they still believe it, It is really funny. We teach about 2 lessons a day to mock investigators and they are going really well, because my companion is extremely good at Spanish and they might move him to the latino group in a week or 2, so I might be put in a threesome companionship. It sucks, but it will be better for him, even if he doesn't want to. I am still terrible at spanish, I am the so bad even a couple of the new missionaries are better than me, it is very frustrating, but everyone says to just have patience and work hard. We play soccer pretty much everyday and it is really fun playing with all of the latinos.
- Elder Monson

A Few Pictures

MTC Grounds

Elder Monson at the Lima, Peru Temple

Elder M. & Elder Neilsen at the Temple 

Yay for missionary tags!!!

Elder Monson holding Elder Padilla
 

Week #2- so attached to people I could barely even talk to!

This week was awesome but kind of sad. The advanced group and all of the latinos left today. I never thought I could grow so attached to people I could barely even talk to. I bought two soccer jerseys today because I don't have any clean p day clothes. The language is so hard. It is extremely frustrating, i feel like I am the worst at spanish in the CCM, I spend all of my personal study time trying to learn Spanish, but I still am terrible. But i am doing my best to remain optomistic. It's my companions birthday today so we tried singing him happy birthday to him at lunch and the CCM President told us we couldn't! The rules here are like a jail! My teachers are so caring, one took me out of class to talk to me about learning the language and to not be frustrated. I have never washed my hands or used more hand sanitizer in my life. It is so hot here we take like 3 showers a day. We have the same food every day and its starting to be gross. I can't believe that it has already been 2 weeks its crazy! We are always busy and doing something the time goes by really fast! I ran out of chocolate cinnamon bears this week! I was so sad. I have never heard someone named meggie but its not terrible lol. A peruvian name would be something like Maria, so I dont think they would like that. I think I can get pictures, i have seen others get them. The only things I would really want in a package would be American food! I miss it so much. And maybe some basketball shorts and church socks, and a little fan, it is soooo hot here. I love you all!

Oh and I forgot to tell you we went proselyting on saturday in the lima north mission, where all of the poorer people live, there was stray dogs everywhere and only 1 in 3 houses had roofs. We taught one lesson in a ladys house, she was extremely nice, we taught here about the gospel of christ. I couldnt talk much but i bore my testimony in what was probably really bad spanish, and when we were done she told me that she was extremely glad i bore my testimony and she was proud that i was sacrificing 2 years of my life to be here in peru, she also told me that the spirit will help me with my spanish and to just work hard. All of the people here are so nice and will talk to you. We have 1 hour of physical activity every day so ya haha, I try to reuse my clothes if they dont stink, we have to wear our suits to the temple and when we get back to the ccm even our suits are wet with sweat and it is really nasty. The latinos pulled me into soccer, its crazy how popular it is here.

Week #1- I love the CCM!

I love the CCM!!! It is so awesome. Today we went through the temple for the first time, it was extremely small, but I've never felt the spirit more. It is extremely hot and humid here our room is set at 75 degrees and it feels amazing when we get back to the room. My companion is Elder Nielsen and he went to Weber High. He is really cool and helps me a lot with the spanish. I am having an extremely hard time with the spanish, i am the worst in our class, but everyone says i am getting a lot better and i know that i have definitely improved since I first got here. I took off my glasses the 2nd day we got here and have just been wearing my contacts, i know that there is a chance for infection but i really hate glasses. A few girls have told me i have really pretty eyes so i'm pretty much a stud here. A lot of the latinos here keep telling me that i am grande and some think i take steroids haha. We have 2 latinos in our room with 3 other "gringos" in our room. We eat amazing food, but its the same things everyday so i'm getting sick of it already. its always rice, some kind of meat, and some soup. I had to buy a few more hangers and will probably get some more p day clothes next p day. I hope everything is great at home. I love you all and i will email you next week.

The first Email!!

I am in Peru now, and everything went great. It is very hot and very humid, but its so awesome! Even though I am extremely tired I am loving it. I can´t find anything in my suitcases, when i need something, but ill figure it out. I don´t get very long to write so sorry this is so short. I love you all. My p day will be tuesdays!

-Elder Monson

Getting Ready to Serve

It's CRAZY knowing Taylor will be leaving in a little over two weeks! The people of Lima, Peru (East) are lucky to have him!! It seems like he got his call forever ago, and soon he will be off teaching the words of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are starting to pack and put together his stuff. There have even been a few tears already *cough* Mom *cough*- and we know these won't be the last of them! Taylor's parents met with the parents of an Elder that is already down there and asked them a whole bunch of questions last week, so they are prepared for the circumstances. I guess it is good that he will be able to know someone that is down there. Stay tuned... more exciting adventures to come through out the next two years! I am excited to post these and hopefully learn a lot!