Nick wrote his whole letter in Spanish. It was a punishment to me for sending a picture of our freshly grilled steaks with the caption "wish you were joining us for our parasite free steaks" Guess he thought that wasn't very funny. I sent it to a friend to translate it and Sydney did the same. Both translations are below. Choose which one you like.
Me da un buen de flojera para escribirles esta semana..
Okay, lo que pasó con los cambios... 6 semanas más aqui en Celayork, pero Elder Aposhian se va a Irapuato. Recibo E. Villacis. Es de Ecuador creo, tiene 5 meses en la mision. No lo conozco.
No puedo creer que tan rápido esta pasando el tiempo! Me falta que.. 4 meses. Y el ultima mes ni cuenta!
Esta semana... Me lo pasé bien. Allí en la ciudad de Güeros. Tuvimos experiencias bien padres. En 3 días encontramos 7 nuevos! Es lo más que he encontrado en tan pocito tiempo en todo mi misión.
Ahora entiendo porque todo el mundo odia las turistas. Son bien ridículos la verdad. Todos son groseros, y se creen mucho porque tienen dinero. A la goma.
Pero la verdad.... no llevamos a cabo mucho. toda la semana estaba lloviendo. Pero fuertisimo.... Y no tenia mi chamarra en San Miguel.
Creo que no hay nada peor que caminar todo día con calcetines mojados.
Que más...
Tenemos consejo de lideres en Querétaro esta semana.. ummm
Algo que he estado estudiando.
Me di cuenta que si las personas no tienen el deseo de aprender cosas espirituales, o si los deseos no son correctas, jamas lo sentirán.
Que Dios no se manifiesta a las personas que se sienten en la oscuridad. Sino que espera hasta que las personas empiezan a buscarle y tomar pasos de fe.
También el nivel del espíritu depende mucho de los deseos de las personas. (por eso no aprendí nada en semanario, nadie tiene ganas de aprender a las 6 en la mañana)
A donde voy con esto. Que muchos veces me siento que intento a convencer las personas a escucharnos. Pero no debe ser así. No puedo quitar el albedrío de las personas. Si ellos no quieren, no voy a perder mi tiempo. Lo que yo tengo es especial.
... es tan difícil a tener una conversación normal...
No sé como lo hice antes.
Mis zapatos están rompiendo. Pero ya ni modo, que se aguantan 4 meses.
Oh! Cuando estuvimos en San Miguel, un hombre vino a nosotros vendiendo estos mascaras. Preguntamos cuanto quería por ellas. La primera cosa que nos pregunta "Speak spanish or inglish"
"Español"
"ciento cuarenta entonces por hablar español, ¿ingles? two hundred"
y justamente llegó un americano que no hablaba español... y lo compró por 200 pesos.
Ya es todo.
Los amo.
Cuidanse mucho.
E. Arvanitas.
Translation 1
I'm just going to wing it writing you this week.
Okay, here is what happened with transfers...I''ll be here 6 more weeks in Celayork, but Elder Aposhian's going to Irapuato. I get Elder Villacis as my companion. He is from Ecuador, I think, and he's only been on his mission for 5 months. I've never met him.
I can't believe how fast time flies. I only have 4 more months, and the last month doesn't count!
This week went well out there in the city of Gueros. We had some good experiences. In just 3 days, we found 7 new investigators. That is the most I have found in such a short time, in my whole time as a missionary.
I understand now why everyone hates tourists. They are so ridiculous. All of them are rude and they think they have got it made, because of money. Ridiculous.
Actually, we didn't do very much because it rained all week, really hard, and I didn't have my rain coat in the city of San Miguel. I don't think there's anything worse than walking around all day with wet socks.
What else? We had leadership meetings in Queretaro this week.
Here is something I've been thinking about lately. I realized that if people don't have a desire to learn about spiritual things, or if their desires are not pure, they will never feel it. God doesn't appear to those who live in darkness. Instead, He waits until people begin to search for Him and begin to exercise their faith. Also, our spirituality depends so much on our own desires, which is why I didn't learn anything in Seminary. No one has any desire to learn at 6 o'clock in the morning.
Where am I going with this? Many times, I feel like I'm trying to convince people to listen to us, but it shouldn't be like that. I cannot erase the pride of others. If they do not want to listen, I'm not going to waste my time. What I have is special.
It's so hard to have a normal conversation. I don't know how I did it before.
My shoes are falling apart, but it doesn't really matter, because they only have to last for 4 more months.
Oh, when we were in San Miguel, a man came over to us selling some masks. We asked him how much he wanted for them. The first thing he asked us is if we spoke Spanish or English.
"Spanish."
"Okay, then it's 140 pesos for those who speak Spanish. If you speak English, then it's 200 pesos."
Then, it just so happened that an American tourist shows up that doesn't speak Spanish, and he bought it for 200 pesos.
That's all I got. I love you guys. Take care.
E. Arvanitas.
Translation 2
okay here it is.
I feel really lazy writing to you guys this week.
Okay, what happened with transfers. 6 more weeks here in Celayork, but Elder Aposhian went to Irapuato. My new companion is E. Villacis. He is from Ecuador I think and only has been in the mission for 5 months. I don't know him.
I can't BELIEVE how fast the time is going!!!!!!!!! I have... 4 MONTHS LEFT!!!!!!! And the last one doesn't count!!!!
This week went well here in the city of white people (gueros). We had really cool experiences. In three days we found 7 new investigators. This is more than I have found in this little time in my whole mission.
I now understand why the world hates tourists. The truth is they are ridiculous. They are rude and they believe they know everything because they have money.
But truth is we didn't get a lot done and all this week it was raining...but very strongly!!! And i didn't have my jacket in San Miguel.
I believe there is nothing worse than walking the whole day with wet socks.
What more,,,
We have leadership meeting in Queretaro this week...ummmmm
This is what I've been studying.
I learned that if people don't have the desire to learn spiritual things or their desires aren't right than they aren't going to feel anything.
God won't manifest himself to people that sit in the darkness. But only will wait until the people begin to look for him and take steps of faith.
Also the level of the spirit depends on the desires of the people. (for this I didn't learn anything in seminary. Nobody has the desire to learn at 6 in the morning) (emily comment: that part made me laugh a lot)
Where Im going with this is that many times I feel that I am trying to make people listen to us. But I shouldn't be like that. I can't take away their agency. If they don't want to listen, Im not going to waste my time. My time is what is very special to me.
...it's really diffilcult to have a normal conversation.....
I don't know how I did it before
My shoes are falling apart but I'll endure it for another 4 months.
Oh!!! When I was in San Miguel a man came up to us selling masks. He wanted to know how much we wanted for them. The first thing he asked us if we speak spanish or english.
"Spanish!!"
"140 for speaking Spanish. English 200 pesos"
Then arrived an american that didn't speak Spanish...and bought it for 200 pesos.
And that's all.
I love you!
Take care everybody!
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