Almost gone

I marvel to know that a young man like Alex can learn an entire language, passably, in this short amount of time. He seems to me that he is ready to go. I read a letter he sent to his Grandparents and he said he is totally ready but he has not actually told me that yet. I am excited for him to go but that just means the time is going and he will be back soon. I also find it hard to believe that he is only a mile down the street and I haven't seen him once. I wonder if he is avoiding the field, changing the times he goes to the Temple, or if he just stays inside all the time? I know I am not supposed to see him but I truly thought that I would. NEVER in 7 weeks!!! And I drive up and down the road many times every day...

Okay. First, I did get the packages, up to the one with the pudding in it. I don't know if you know about that scarf grandma sent me... but holy cow. It's pretty ridiculous. It's like touching a cloud. Anyway, it's much appreciated. Issue, though : it seems I have smaller fingers than you thought. I really do understand that. They are ridiculously thin for my age. I would say one, maybe two sizes down? So should I send it back to you guys? Absolutely get that one again, though. It's dang cool, possibly the coolest one I've ever seen.

As for that annoying stuff I always seem to need, this week's is pretty tame. Could you type out how to but a button on, how to shine shoes, and how to sew up rippy pants in case it happens? I really just don't know, but all you'd have to do is type it on a dearelder letter and I'll just hang on to that one. Anything else you can think of is great. "I've got a sick sewing kit but I have no idea what to do with it." is a direct quote from five minutes ago.

We just learned something in spanish that may help you appreciate how insane this is. Have you ever heard of the Subjunctive mood? Dad may have from Danish or his English studies. It's a whole category of verb modifications you use if you think that the thing you are talking about is doubtful, emotional, or is your opinion. Ever sentence you have to think if what you are saying needs it or not. Saying "It's true that the church is true," which isn't subjunctive, and "It's important that the church is true," which is, use two different verbs for 'is' (es and sea, to be exact) Sounds confusing, doesn't it? It is.

However I talked to a Russian-speaker who said that in russian verbs change based on who does it and who recieves it. And a Latvian speaker who says there are no connecting words - to when you want to say 'to' or 'so that' you have to throw it onto the word. That may be worse.

In spite of that, we seem to be doing pretty well on the whole. I am at the stage of language learning called 'asynchronicity', wherein your brain has your primary and new languages sort of jammed together, so neither works particularly well, especially in writing. I make a spelling error or wierd grammar problem in every paragraph I can't edit afterward. I've already done a few, including mispelling 'languages' and 'asynchronicity', but Google saves me.

The teachers have frankly said that my missing classes and things was planned deliberately because I can deal with it. I don't believe it often, but they've said my grasp is fairly sophisticated and my accent is already very good. I, for one, am glad to hear that. I think the first few times you teach lessons in Spanish is intended to make you suffer a little so you'll study harder. I thought struggling through the lessons meant I was incompetent and I studied too little. Turns out everyone has that problem. But nowdays I can actually do it. Elder Allen hasn't learned much Spanish yet, so I talk about 95% of the time in lessons, which is good for me, really, so I can learn to not just bail when I go down a bad doctrinal tangent or get confused with what I'm saying. I have to just pick it up and try to get somewhere.

I think I'm about 75% excited to go to Chile, and 25% apprehensive. It was about the opposite before I got here, so that's something. There are days, especially after the temple, like right now, that I'd leave now, but there are days, often after teaching a lesson, that I'd almost take the Provo MTC mission. Okay, definitely not that. I don't know if I am super-excited to contact people, but teaching people, and studying for and answering their deepest questions, which I've only had a little experience doing, is fantastic, and I'm ready to do that for anyone that will listen.

Have I told you about that yet? Let me tell you that you have never studied until you have studied for someone else. Reading through the scriptures a few times each is definitely necessary, but that is how you will become someone who can help people. You should probably get Jake a Preach My Gospel (or the Predicad Mi Evangelio, as it were). Everything people will need to know comes out of there. Knowing the orbital period of Kolob (1000 years) is not really a useful thing for teaching. Endend'eis?

If you want details physically, say something. I feel like I'm pretty abstract, but that is how I think. If you want details, be specific enough for details. I mean, it took me the length of today to experience it.

Love

Elder Alex Crist

6 weeks in the MTC

I cannot believe how fast these last 6 weeks have gone. It still feels like yesterday when we dropped him off. But so much is different! He is that guy. The guy everyone looks to to make sure they have the right answer. He is so ready to go and I think he will be better prepared than some and certainly able to teach and love those in Chile.

It's now been 6 weeks, and, it's true, the English speakers are basically rabbits in the scheme of things. We've seen two generations of them and next wednesday is week three. But the really annoying ones are the italians. We have a few on our floor and they sing really loud in the shower and regularly destroy our toilets, if you know what I mean. It feels like it's been a long time, but also not. It's kind of like the day is 16 hours long, which is a long time, but at the end, you think about how long it's been, and it's not been that much. I suspect this only continues.

I hit that point two days ago. I'm sure Dad knows about it. You have had about as much of the language as you can get in a classroom speaking English. There's isn't more teaching skills that are better practiced for other missionaries rather than real investigators. And you've got enough experience with the heightened level of Spirit we have here - all in all, you wake up one morning and say, "Yeah... it's time to go to Chile." I would go tomorrow if they'd let me. But not just so... this is going to be a long two weeks.

Pictures... yeah. They have a printing service. I'll be sure to get those out today, probably within thirty minutes or so. Be waiting for those. I think I'll send you the memory card with some slightly less exciting pictures when we've got ten days or so left for you to get off. But until then, real pictures it is.

I promise I have been doing the rotation like I'm supposed to. I wear all the ties, slacks, and suits, pants included, equally. Same with shoes. I shined them today, which reminds me, could Dad figure out the cool way to do that? The army way, if you will? Though in Chile, I'm told, in most train and bus stations there are shiners who work for a dollar or two, and they really know how to do it. So either way, I think I'll be good.

I actually play in the gymn these days. It's got a cushioned track and weights around it. And the actual gymn has a foursquare court in it - do you remember that I played that religiously at Ivy Hall? I do again, almost every day. It's a surprising workout when you play with adults. But, to make it really good, I also do push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, etc. every time I get out, which, as well as doing the BFL run a few days a week instead, hasn't affected my weight any, but my belt is maximally locked in. I started on the third smallest, and now I'm on the smallest. I don't know what to do about that. My pants are almost too big now... Oh boy. They also seem to be creeping upwards with respect to my feet... I think that that weird mission inch may be coming in my ankles (I always did have cankles). I hope not.

I may need you to track down Randy's address. I don't really have a way and I think he'd like to hear about these things, especially once I get to Chile. He sounds like he's figured things out, basically. We're going to be even more strange when we get back, but it's going to be awesome.

I'd just like to say to Kato : roof roof roof, rooof.

Anyway, what else... I can translate RM (teachers at the MTC) from Spanish as fast as they can speak out loud, and I can translate slow english speakers in to Spanish. That, to me, is insane. I was in the temple, translating the stuff into Spanish as fast as it was said. People are starting to look at me when they don't understand something a teacher says. I write speaker notes in Spanish. I'm actually doing some group practice-sessions for my district nowdays. But I boast not of myself - no human being can learn 50% of a language in six weeks. Our MTC president said a diligent missionary with no learning impairments will speak fluently with four months (two in MTC) training. No one believed him until now. I believe it.

I'm pretty much writing Kelsey, Grandparents, Gypsy, and you guys. I would like to write to Randy too, and I will. I haven't heard anything about Jadon. I'm sure to run into Andrew here, though. That should be interesting. Their lives seem to be moving in slow motion, honestly. Halloween (a nice pagan holiday) is sort of beginning to be here and stuff, but it seems that it's been longer than that by far. People write me about the same school project and I've changed companions and learned 10% of a language's grammar. No offense, observation.

Elder Allen goes in to see if he needs surgery thursday. It will pretty much decide whether he stays here or not. He may be here until after I am gone even if he doesn't need surgery. His attitude is improving, but he's now starting to try to avoid me.

Please love each other and read the book of mormon, okay?

Love,

Elder A. Conrad Crist

Week # 5

Sorry we are late getting this one out. Alex didn't write until late afternoon. I was gone from mid afternoon until late night and I just thought maybe he was too busy so didn't check until today. He seems so mature and his ability to handle everything is probably ten times what he was used to. He just seems to get the whole thing!

October 12, 2010

On the subject of pudding...maybe. I don't know how that would work, But yes.

I won't talk too much about my companion nowdays because I sent a letter about the situation on saturday. I was feeling a little trashed at that point, so it may be a little depressing. I mean, the situation is still depressing but I can feel something is going to change soon for him. It may not be that he stays.

Two Elders have been sent home from our district for emotional problems. You never expect it, and that's what makes it so hard when they call everyone together and tell them that tomorrow we;ll wake up and they;ll be gone. Twice now. And it it;s really hard on my companion because I think he wants to go home but his honor is keeping him here until someone tells him to go home. He cried all night both times it happened (within a week). But you;ll get plenty of that.

(Note, the companion I had first was moved to another Elder, and the companion of my current companion left to Guatemala CCM.)

I'm just going to move on.

Do you know how to learn a language? It;s not memorization. It's not flash cards. It's learning like a toddler. You read two-year old books, then five-year-old books, etc. The reason I think of this is everyone was making fun of me for buying a Spanish kid's Picture Dictionary. Sounds ridiculous, right? It is. I can barely stand the cover with a bunch of dorky smiling people on the front. I'm reminded of Richard Scary's Busytown, though. When you think about it, that is how you learn what a wire whisk or combine harvester is when you're a kid. There's so much stuff to be familiar with to know what people are talking about when your're a kid. So, you two who are studying a language , learn as if you're tow. Seriously look for some kid books(I don't know about Latin so much) and just fight through with a dictionary and maybe a little google translator. Again, I don't know why I thought of that.

What is seminary this year? D&C, right? Rough stuff. I really had a hard time with it. I just didn't find it that interesting in school. If you find that you're having trouble being interested in it, I'd suggest reading Our Heritage. It's a history, sure, but it rips through the D&C ten times faster than a teacher does and makes the important stuff obvious.

I don't have my notes, can you tell?

Do you actually want pictures? I can get some printed here for suprisingly little, if you want me to.

I have about 40 seconds left. I´m doing good, okay

I'd like to address the readers and stuff (if that's how these are posted).

You're probably good at some subject in school. There may be a few, or just one. Maybe you're good at something outside of school instead. All things considered, there is going to be something you are above-average at doing. Make no mistake - that thing is a gift from God. He has sent you equipped to combat any trial that could be contrived for you. He has seen the end from the beginning and has given you well enough the tools you will need. Have you ever seen Paycheck? Those who have know what I mean.

For example, Ben Affleck is sorting out these things he's been given with the evil future-police on his tail. He had just escaped said police with glasses that allowed him to see through smoke that was created by a cigarette he was also given, that just happened to be a smoke bomb. One of the things he pulls out is a nice woman's wedding band. A teenager falls over him, but in reality steals the ring and runs off the bus. Ben Affleck chases him - not catching him - but it leads him to the place he needed to go next, as the police were just about board the bus and capture him. He lost the ring! It was a bad thing. It could have been a nice job. I could have been some solid investments. It was lost for a reason you can't even realize yet. But there is a reason. There's always a reason.

Love,

Élder Alex C Crist

Half-way there!!

I have to tell you, I miss him!! Probably a little more than I thought I would. I am happy he has taken a liking to making his bed though. He is growing more than I thought possible in a month and that is a wonderful thing!



I think you'd be surprised at what I enjoy these days. Without actual entertainment it's surprising what you wind up enjoying after the withdrawal fades away. (It's worse for some people.) Just walking around while it's raining or making a lot of wind (that's a spanish expression, I can't think of how else to say that). Also, cleaning the bathrooms - let me just say that Dad was rather right about that. Almost all the others are vying constantly to get out of doing the toilets and sinks because it's 'gross' or whatever. That's one of the best activities. You end up in class a lot, as you may know. Getting out of it for any reason is spectacular, and if that thing happens to be surprisingly physical, so be it.

I took gym easy at first, but once I understood how much not-activity there would be in each day, I started doing the BFL 20-minute satan run and I've lost five pounds from it. Some missionaries in lunch lines or what have you say not to lose too much because you'll lose at least 15 in South America just walking around and being afraid of the food.

I even do my sheets right. It looks pretty good when you do it perfectly right. I may not be nuts about how long it takes, but I get it more now than I used to.

I have to shift gears because my notes are kind of disjointed. So here we go:

One of my pants got stuck on a metal thing and ripped (seam) under the pocket. It's not bad and is only thread, but I don't really know how to deal with it. It seems like the dry cleaner-alteration people could do it. I think that's what I'll do. What would you do?

Did you look throught Missionary Pal? Fantastic, isn't it? It wasn't printed for a long time because it almost encourages Bible-bashing, but it's still useful as heck. We have an investigator who doesn't understand the need for baptism, and I'm all ready to show him on wednesday. Maybe I can get a commitment out of him? That'd be cool.

On that note, if you were here, you'd realize that you have to be pushier than is comfortable. People don't want to change, even if they see the truth and feel it for themselves. It takes a little incisiveness to get anywhere. You'd think you'd just throw baptism in at the end of the last lesson and they'd just do it - not so. It's not terribly rare to ask at the first lesson, and you'd always mention it then in passing at least. It almost seems too fast, and it would be. If this were the wrong church. But since we know they need it, we don't feel bad about commiting them early. Turns out they don't have to know everything to be baptized.

It seems like I always am asking for something. Here we go again. CTR ring? They just look so official on missionaries. Come to think of it, I just realized I have no idea what size my finger is. I thought ten, but I'm not sure at all. However, since that was what my message was based on, here it goes anyway: Choose the Right. It translates a little differently in Spanish: Haz lo Justo. I think it's a little more meaningful this way. 'Haz' means do, but also make. Make the right? It's not just choosing. Sometimes it's making, too. This is a work of building. Not so much for us, but for others. If you want to study the Book of Mormon, study for someone else. Think about what could help them out of what you read. Reading to get through the book to say that you read it again for yourself is good, but what's better? What's best?

I'm getting acquainted with how loving those you teach and talk to and actually caring about them personally is most of missionary work. People know instinctively when you want to sell them something. No matter how fun it is to say missionary work is sales, or marketing, or a pyramid scheme or whatever, that's just not true. There's a tiny bit of that on the outset, such as looking and acting professional, but that's the beginning. That can get you through the gate, but you can still have a door slammed in your face. You have to be there because you care about them, not your church. When you listen to them and address their concerns like you would to a good friend, they take whatever you give them. What does this mean to you, though? Everything. When you talk to people, any people for any reason, realize that they are doing the best they can. Care.

Elder A Conrad Crist

Is the Pursuit of Happiness Making Us Miserable? - Petrea King

I finally figured out how to get the video on Happiness to work on here. So, now if you were wondering what he wanted "us" to watch, you can watch too!!