Week of Conferences

October 7, 2013

(Editors note:  We are assuming that Zack is thinking more in Spanish due to some of the bad English found in this letter...at least we are hoping that is the reason!)

Hola familia,

Tal vez yo quiero a escribir total mi carta en Español.  Pero no pienso que ustedes les gustaría eso mucho, entonces, ingles. (No...we don't understand what he's saying here...)

Sounds like everything is going well at home.  I am so proud of Lexi!  First place dance trio at the Shakespeare Festival...that’s awesome.  My years in competitions were solid 2nds, so that’s pretty impressive.  Fall break sounds awesome too!  It is comforting just to hear that everyone is ok. 

Before I forget, um, My companion keeps on asking me to ask you to send him sunglasses like mine. Don’t send them, I'm only asking so I can tell him that I asked.  He also asks me to present him a gringa, so…ladies...the offer is out, check and check.  I can pass both those off with him.

This week was good.  

One highlight was my improvement in teaching!  I actually really taught this week and I am excited to work more on that.  I really liked it actually.  

It's been super busy, but everything is going smoothly.  I have basically adjusted now, after 6 weeks, and I am doing well.  

Zack with Elder Michael Smith...from Alpine

The highlight this week was definitely going to Piura for a 5 week training with all of the newbies.  We went on Wednesday and it was so wonderful to see all of my MTC buds.  I sent one pic with Michael Smith.  All of my friends are doing well, and it was fun to see their progress in Spanish as well as everything else.  Everyone had a kind of “what just happened” look on their face.  Everyone talked a little quieter, and everyone was just so full of stories and pictures.  It was just wonderful.  I loved it.  

Zack's MTC group gathered for 5-week training

We also had a Zone Conference the next day, which was fun.  There is a lot of “less active” work here, and were starting a new type of program to help with that.  My zone is pretty awesome and I love to spend some time with them.  

We also had General Conference this weekend and we watched it LIVE.  Same time as you guys!  We were in Talara both days...all day...so it was super exhausting.  I watched the first session in English, and then the rest in Spanish.  I didn’t really get too much out of that part conference, which is kind of a bummer, but I did learn some. 

One thing that I learned is the importance of member missionary work.  I don’t really like the phrase “full-time  missionary.”  In reality, God has 15,000,000 “full time missionaries” and 80,000 two-year devoted missionaries.  We have all been so blessed with this gospel, and part of this gospel and our baptismal covenant is to share it.  It might be kinda hard in Alpine, but always, we can spread it! 

Things with my companion are doing good now.  Sometimes I still get “zack-thrashed”.  He tells me that I don’t know anything, or offends me pretty bad lots, but I have learned to push it aside.  Everyday is a rollercoaster, but for the most part...we're good.  Today we are buying matching ties, so I'm thinking that’s a good sign.  I pray for patience everyday, and then I hope that I don’t run out. We are starting to become friends, tell stories, and joke more.  Transfers are today and tomorrow.  It’s a twelve week training thing, so I am half way done!  Both of us are staying in this area, and its all good.  I think I can do one more.  I think I will be here until Christmas.  My companion will leave this area in November.  It's pretty sure that this will happen, but we will see.

Omar family? 

They are wonderful!  We did a family night with them, and Omar bore a really strong testimony of the Gospel which made me happy.  I took over some Swedish fish and they loved them!  This week, they attended conference with us (Sunday morning)...and everything went perfectly.  Members came and sat by them, the talks were exactly what they needed, and it was great.  Only, they kept on falling asleep. Jaja.  We have a baptismal date with them on the 20^th of Octubre, but they need to marry first... (no one here is married, Chastity is a HUGE problem).  So I think their baptism may come a little later.  They are doing wonderful.

Most spiritual time of the week?

Omar's testimony, Elder Uchtdorf's talk Saturday morning (I listened in English), and the last song at conference (Tis eventide).  I don’t know, I just felt the Spirit so strongly.  I thought about you guys lots this weekend and all the fun memories we have had on conference weekend.

Best time of the week? 

5 week training

mail? 

Not this week!

Learn anything from Conference?

I loved Elder Dubes talk about looking forward.  That’s a big help for me right now.

Are transfers next week...isn't training a 12 week program?  

I'm staying here.  I'll finish my training and probably have one more transfer here.  I like my area most of the time. 

Zack likes his area 'most of the time'.

Keeping your room clean?

As clean as Peru can be.

P day fun stuff? 

Going to play a little bit of soccer with the ZL's...and buy matching ties.

I loved writing you guys!  I love you so much and hope that everything is going good there.  Tenga una semana muy Buena!

Love Elder Bradshaw!

...I always hate closing the email window