July 26, 2012 5 days and counting!

Hello everyone!

I've had a great week, as I hope you all have as well! This morning we got to go to the temple for the last time, it opened back up. It was a great experience. I really had a opportunity to think about the bigger picture there. We always should in that environment, and I just felt so, comfortable about my situation- that is, my service as a missionary and such. It frequently can be more difficult to make the long term decision (remember somebody's talk about the toddlers and the marshmallows? Those who had perspective and patientce, were much better off). The temple is great, I didn't realized how I'd missed it in those 3 weeks, while it was closed. I also ate some quiche. Yay! I really want to apply this in those first hard times coming up in Chile, and maintain perspective. D&C 121.

Well, I leave for Chile obviously in 4ish days! just over! I'm pretty excited, I really am. I really enjoy communication, that is talking with and meeting people. Although I'm not the best at spanish, nor am I the worst, I think part of my excitement/confidence comes from Spanish! I'm excited to speak it down there! Although, give me a week, and we'll see how I feel then, ha. And obviously when you're on the lord's errand, you really can't go wrong, and he'll support you, so that's a big confidence booster as well.

Well this week was fun. We've had a lot of variety in our teaching, and so we've got to teach a lot of new investigators, which is good! I'm still working most on listening, applying and catering specifically to them, and asking good, inspired questions. And I'm getting better. We taught Carlos yesterday and honestly I felt really good about it too. Also feelings! We focus a lot on feelings as teachers and as missionaries. Which points back to faith really, as feelings aren't really a quantifiable sense, but that's what it all comes down to. Maybe I'm not making much sense. Anyhow, our investigators are really coming along. Last night, we had the opportunity to demonstrate how to begin teachers to the new missionaries who came in! It was loads of fun, and It emphasized the above important things. I've got my work cut out for me before I leave!

I got a letter from Elder Smith's sister, that was funny. And thanks for writing Grandmas Debbie, and Susie! Thanks so much for the package and D. Elder! Please pass on my thanks to them! Hope you're all doing well! Sounds like lagoon was fun, love you all Abuelos!

Well, I've got to go get a hep. 2 shot, and do my laundry, my clothes smell real bad. Thanks for the package and food and stuff last week! And Elder Dan.'s as well! He's serving in Rochester right now!

Cya and love ya,

Elder Spencer Tasso

July 19, 2012

Pues, como estan todos?!

K great! Well It was good to hear from all of you, thanks for the emails and such.

Well, I had a good week as well! I've pretty much been going on week long companion spuradic comp. exchanges because Elder Watson has been slightly out of commision for a while. But it's been a lot of fun. Well, I leave for Chile in just under 11 days now! Should be an adventure. And Dad, you're completely right. My experience in the field will be my experience in la CCM, magnified. The first week, month, etc. will be really hard. Good and crazy, diffierent, but hard. But I'll catch on quickly, I really will, and I'm not worried, right now at least. Then as I catch on of course, it'll be infintiely better than anything here. So I guess it comes down to it that ya, I'm pretty excited. We should get our travel plans this afternoon of tomorrow, I'll update you eventually, with info.

Yay!

    Entonces, We had a great week here! It's been awesome. Played some futbol, same old same old. Food is food. I've been drinking the Organic soy milk here instead of the cow stuff, gee whiz is it great. Thanks mom! Also I've been using your essential oils periodically thourgouht the last week here and actually, they've been awesome! 4ish nights ago I used them and it felt like I had a fire in my estomach! Wow! They're great, thanks! I diluted like 6 of the 8 in water, it tasted soooo crazy, but felt really good. So, I'll remember to periodically put those to good use.

   Our investigators, Ricardo and Pati and Margherti are all getting baptized!!!!!! The 21st, the 27th, and the 28th! We set those last two dates yesterday as well, so we really got those in last minute. It was terriffic though. We've gotten a lot better at teaching, but of course still have a ways to go. It was a really neat experience for both of them, and us. We've been working on 1. listening 2. Inspired questions. and 3 pauses. Tyler I remember you said how important listening was for you in your mission. Just getting down to the root of the issue, and having people say what's really the issue. And then just listening. I think you said that people evenutlaly generally solve their own problems, they really just want someone to listen. Inspired Q's. This helps us really address the investigadore's doubts and concerns, and how THEY can solve them. Because as missionaries, are job is only to INVITE people. They have to do the rest, obviously we can't do more. And Pauses. Pauses, and silecne in the lesson, we've realized, helps both us and the inv. listen to the spirit. Well good stuff.

    The language is coming. For the MTC, I'm essentially fluent, although it does take me longer than I'd like to say some sentences. I"m always gettting bettter though. Honestly, spanish isn't that hard. Not that we don't have the best help in the world.... But Chile be completely different. They speak really quckly, with astrong accent, and obviously my vocab is a bit limited. Should be a good time though. So, for the CCM, I'm more or less fluent. For the real world...? Should be fun.

Well, I think that's it! I'm sure I'm forgetting something, I always am! 

Love ya lots, thanks for everything! I'm really happy here, this is the most consistently happy I've ever been! I'll send home pics, probably today.

     Sincerely,

        Elder Spencer Tasso

  

Ps. I made un Chiste, the other week. I haven't gained 19 pounds. Like 4 though. Got ya, eh?

Pps. Watches are sweet. I like them now. 

July 12, 2012 Salutations!

HOLA!

Hey there everyone, how goes the world? How's everyone doing? Eaten any watermelon of late? Well that's terribly excited. Barbeques? Etc? Mas? Que bien!

Well that's terrific sounds like you're all doing lovely, work hard, keep it up.

Well I had an adventuresome week, it was a lot of fun. I'm at app. my 2 and 1/2 week mark, meaning I leave for Chile in 17 days. Great ya? I'm really quite excited, although it is an interesting hybrid between fear and excitment, although almost always the lattter. Es lo que es, no? Well, our investigadores are doing terrific! Both Ricardo and Margherita are progressing incredibly quickly, as is Pati. Margherti gets bap. on the 22, Ricardo should have a date shortly as well. We're teaching them, lessons 4 and 5 now, the gospel and the commandments. We also have Chris and Sam, who are really members of our district. They're doing well also, but a little slower. We also haven't had much of an opportunity to teach them this week, see below for reasons.

Puuesss, Elder watson had an exciting week, so we were playing soccer 4ish weeks ago, and I juked him out. They don't let us wear cleats, entonces he slipped and twisted his knee a little bit with a *pop*. But we assumed it would be fine, and it more or less, to our knowledge was, 2/3 weeks later, it didn't feel a whole lot better. We went to THE REAL WORLD, this past friday, utah out patient in provo, for a bit. almost 5 hours later, with an MRI, he has a complete tear of his ACL, a partial tear of the MCL and a slight minicsus strain. Well that means, that right now, he's getting surgery. His parents picked him up this morning and brought him over there, but he's not going home, he will be recurperating here. Which is a very good thing! So he should be okay, aunque he will be delayed a bit, they said likely 6 weeks, so he'll be about a month behind the rest of us, arriving in Chile. So, please keep him in your prayers and such. It's interesting how it happened, because he could walk fine. His knee would get sore some times, and hurt decently others, but usually it felt pretty alright. But the ACL provides that juking motion or cutting, so he really couldn't be super active. Its a really common injury here, kinda nuts eh? On one hand they don't want us to wear cleats so we don't step on eachother, on the other we slip around a bit. It's crazy. It was intersting too, because he's played soccer his whole life, never really gotten hurt, and now, in the good ol' mtc it hits.

Well he'll be alright. While I waited for him on friday, I chilled in the waiting rooms and talked to loads of people! It was awkward being in the real world for about the first half hour, but then it super bomb diggity. I talked to some people from springville, a couple from highland and cedar hills and alpine, and some others. I also played toys with a 4 year old! All in all, it was loads of fun, and I'm very exicited to go hang out with real people in Chile. Well Elders Danielson and Musselman seem to be killin' it! It's fun to see them everynow and again. E.D. leaves in like 12 days or something, crazy!

My spanish is really progressing, both with speed, and grammar. It's frustrating because our district isn't always the best at SYL, I try to motivate them, and be an example, I'm usually in spanish but I think they care less. But we all learn differently, some of us work harder than others, but some of the others learn just as quickly or quicker. Languages are different for everyone.

We've had some terrifc devotionals. A brief excerpt: Richard Heaton told a story of a Missionary in Japan who couldn't speak the lang, but was happy, smiling, saying hi to everyone, and spreading the spirit. he didn't know a lot, but he knew enough, and he responded and listened to the spirit. Through his faith, enthusiathm, work, and love he was an effective missionary. That'll be me in Chile, for the first bit at least. They do speak really quickly, But I am not to be deterred. It should come rather quickly. The scriptures are awesome. Dad, I'm started using the footnotes much more, they're dandy terrific. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for all you all do for me! Keep progressing while I'm gone, Do at least one thing to strengthen yourself and those around you everyday- to build faith, to spread love and the spriit, and to serve! I know this church is true, it's so great. Someitmes it's hard to do something, but I know the lord strenghtens us after our trials, we have to show that initial faith/work. Ether 12:6.

Oh and Ps, I got a newsletter from Josh Millheim's mom, it was soooo awesome!! If you can email her and tell her thanks! Go Statler Josh and Ben! Thanks for the letters Wendy and Grandmas Debbie and Susie! You're the best!

Love you all,

Elder Spencer Tasso

July 5, 2012

Que ornda carrnel! Well howdy, how's it all coming?

Sounds like it's been an exciting week! I just learned how to do emoticons in here. Nifty. Glad to hear you're all doing well. Got your pics, thanks a bunch, it was fun to see eric and the boys in the ward havin' a grand old time. I'm excited to see him and billy today!  Well awesome.

Que tal en Alpine? El Fuego es loco eh? Lo debe mejor ahora, porque el llovar! Mucho oraciones influincido este llovar. Este manana, porque el templo es cerrado, limpiamos el templo. Muy animado! Pero, el templo abrira por tres mas semanas, pero, es lo que es no eh Pues, bueno. Entonces, no mucho animado por este semana. Es dificil ensenar, pero, Estoy despacio llegando a ser mejor. Nuestros maestros son maravilloso! Estoy agradecido por el idea a leer con mas sinceridad, el LDM, y mira a el footnotes, honestlemente, yo nunca, enotnonces gracias. Pues estoy animado por Chile, yo solamente tengo tres y media semanas mas in aqui! Ay caramba! Por ayer, el cuarto de julio, miriamos el fireworks! Pero, es no mucho animado porque ellos tiempado a raro, y el arboles fue grande, y no miriamos arriba ellos. Y yo no se porque, pero ayer, yo fue muy cansado! Mas de la dia! Que bueno. Entonces, yo tenia aprenda a como cuido y amor mi investigadoers, y realamente applicar la lecciones a ellos. Es dificil. Pero, Yo recordo algo Tyler dije, personas quire personas a eschuchan a ellos. Es muy importante a hablar, sinceridad, como holding a conversation, con su investigadores, no acaba de dar ellos muchos informaciones.

No tengo alguna mas a hablar.

Anna, hyrum, benny, stevey! How are ya! Hows soccer? My lack of punctuation is because i changed the keyboard to spanish, and so I don´t know where the punctuation is, if that makes sense at all. How´s soccer? Hows ralphie?

Love you all! Quires Les!

Adios,

Elder Tasso!