September 23, 2016
Hello Everyone,
So there's this super cliché saying about missions that the days are long but the weeks are short. I totally get it now. I lay down on my rock every night (I mean bed. Stupid auto correct.) and it always feels like it had been two weeks since I had laid there last, but all of a sudden it's Sunday again and we're going to church, or it's Tuesday again and we get a new wave of missionaries, or it's Friday again and I'm sitting at a computer trying to write an email that's worth reading. It's been a month since I've left my family, my friends, my job, my home, my childhood, my sanity, the capacity to be awake and not be exhausted all the time. Ok, so I'm only 1/24 of the way through my mission; that's only 4.167%. It's nothing, really. But in my 31 days as a missionary, I've learned more than I ever could've learned had I stayed home or gone to school. I've been thrown into a culture I don't know and a language I don't speak, and I've come to love, and MIRACULOUSLY come to understand them. Then, 10 days from now, I'll leave The Wall, our little protected CCM bubble and I'll realize how little I really do know. But what I will know is that I love the people, the culture, and the language, and I know that it will be extremely difficult, but the Lord's name is on my heart, and He is on my side, and eventually I'll be able to talk to these people.
My whole life I've kind of just put my head down and worked. I like to work, which is a good quality to have, I don't really like to have help, and I really like things to be my idea. Well, things work a little differently on a mission. I've been assigned a companion, who for some weird reason has an opinion, too (Ridiculous, right?), and missionary work isn't about just getting the job done and writing down numbers, it's about teaching and serving people; individuals who deserve to be loved and understood and helped as the Savior loves, understands, and helps them. Working with other people, the way other people want me to do it is a bit of a stretch for me, but I'm learning so much.
On Saturday, some one had the BRILLIANT idea to stick my companion and I in a room with someone from outside The Wall. They call it TRC (nobody knows what TRC stands for. Not the missionaries, not the teachers, not the people who volunteer for TRC.) and our job is to evaluate the needs of the person we've been assigned and teach a lesson accordingly, in Spanish, of course. Our guy was Eduardo. He's 17 years old and is already a member, but is less active and told us to our faces that he was literally only there because apparently they pay the TRC volunteers. So after we talked to him a bit, we gave a really good lesson on prayer. Our Spanish was broken, but he understood us and we understood him. It was pretty cool and I actually gave me hope that maybe my Spanish isn't so bad after all.
On Sunday I was called up by out branch president to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting. I spoke about Caridad y Amor (Charity and Love). I'm still planning revenge against the branch president for calling me out, it went really well. I had a few people tell me how much they liked it, branch president included. It's a good sign when other people can actually understand what you're saying. But I still don't like talking, let alone in Spanish.
We went on another temple trip last P-day
Shoutout to my mom! She sent me Krispy Kreme! Dounuts are definitely the way to my heart. Especially glazed ones. (wink, wink) #missionarypackagemx
Ok, it's story time. So at our weekly Tuesday devotional, I saw this guy that I KNEW that I knew, but I couldn't quite remember how. So this kid ends up being in the new district in our zone, so I see him all the time. Well, yesterday, I got a glimpse of his name tag and it says Elder Edwards, and I realized that it was Daniel Edwards. We were in Los Prados ward together and did playgroup and preschool together. We're talking WAY back, like I haven't seen this kid in probably 12 years. I know, it's weird that I remember someone from that long ago, but trust me. We were buds. Ok but here's the awkward part of the story: he didn't remember who I was, and I made him take a picture with me anyways. He was pretty weirded out and it was super awkward because I kind of think he doesn't believe me. Oh well. Maybe his mom will see this and it'll make her happy. Haha!
It rains all the time, which is awesome because I love the rain. LOVE THE RAIN. And it makes for a good adventure because I don't have an umbrella. I broke it. No shame.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: being a missionary is the greatest thing I have ever experienced. I love every moment here, even, and sometimes especially, the frustrating and stressful moments. Thanks for the love, support, prayers, and donuts.
¡Hasta luego, amigos!
-Elder Tyler Steven Aldrich
P.S. For those who care: Next week my P-Day will be on Wednesday, not Friday, because Friday is when they cram everything we haven't learned but need to know, down our throats.
