1 More week at the MTC!

How's the computer? Have you encountered any problems with it? I'm not really going to give advice or whatever, but are there passwords or small issues?
This weeks has been nuts. More nuts than ever/usual. Elder Allen was sent home Friday last. Saturday I was in a trio with my good friends Elderes Madsen y Clark. The Branch Presidency came over to our class on Sunday before Priesthood and thanked me for what I did for Elder Allen, which I didn't get; I thought I was the most incorrectly placed person in the MTC for him. The branch president said there aren't many missionaries that could have stayed around him that long and remained productive and not snapped. Several missionaries had said that before, but I only believe leadership. (Haha.) But then he asked me to be a Zone Leader with my original companion, Elder Hassler, and the companion of one of the Elderes who was sent home. That's six districts of about eight that I'm helping to manage now. I went immediately to where we have Priesthood and taught the ordinance of Baptism to the assembled Elderes with those two others.
I don't feel like I'm where my first Zone Leaders where when I arrived. They were the best speakers I had heard beside teachers until that time. They had everything figured out, including some very important 'secrets of the pros', such as how to avoid the stingy lunch workers, the importance of shower flip-flops, and how to remove collar stain. Thing is, though, we're doing the same things they were, including teaching lessons in Spanish to random pretend investigators, not only to those who want the normal lesson, but to those who have problems that make us change our plans. There are times where the words will come out as fast as I say them in English and it's really just plain amazing. I've learned every major grammar principle in Spanish in two months. No one just does that. I haven't said an English word intentionally (besides in the temple) for several days. I can tell stories (using the infamous dual past tenses Spanish has) and ask legitimate questions. I can pray and bless the sacrament. I can even sing. One of my new favorite hymns is a Spanish-exclusive one called "Placentero nos es trabajar," meaning something like "To work, to us, is comforting." That's the key. You don't feel bad at the MTC until you stop working. I've had a drop-off in letters, but I don't care. At first I was all about world updates and stuff, things I'd miss out on. But there's really not much. I thought it was ridiculous that we could only study from the four missionary books, the Standard Works, church publications, and General Conference. What else is there, though?
That doesn't mean I'm not interested in what you (this is a plural 'you') (by the way, in Spanish, there is a plural 'you' and it's rather handy) are doing. That stuff is just downright fun to hear about. Nothing is too small to write about. I would be more ridiculous with the details if I had time. I have thirty minutes. It's kind of not very much.
This is about one-twelfth of my mission done - oh, wait, hold that thought We got our travel plans! We leave sometime in the morning next monday, the eighth. What does that mean? That means my next email to you (plural) will be from Santiago, Chile, following an approximately 12 hour flight. We go to Ft. Worth/Dallas first, then that's it. I need you to make sure there's a sufficient (>150 or 200 dollars) amount in there for emergencies, as a side note. We be there drinking milk out of bags and using p'days in less than a week! Sound dizzying to you? More for me, I promise.

So, yeah - one-twelfth done. That doesn't sound like the time that's passed. I've grown up about a year, I think, since I came in. I have to shave every day now, for real, which is proof.
What can I say? No more geographical comfort. Be ready for a call monday, I think.

Vayan con Dios.

Love and stuff,

Elder A Conrad Crist