Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Mom,

OK, so I haven't gotten my new companion yet, I'm guessing he gets here tonight or tomorrow, but I did get to go on a tour of the city and we took this little cable car to the top of this mountain and may I just say Bogota is huge. Never in my life have I seen a city so massive. Starting at the base of the mountain and reaching to the farthest mountains on the horizon. We could see two different missions from the top of the mountain, Bogota South and Bogota North. It was incredible! 

At the top there was a small market like the one in downtown San Antonio where I bought a long sleeve white Colombian soccer jersey. Then as I walked through the market some of the other elders called me over to a small shop where they were talking to an older lady. They were trying to explain to her why we don't drink coffee, but couldn't do it very well so I listened again to her question, thought for a second and then proceeded to teach her in Spanish. Words just flowed out of my mouth until I ran out of words that I knew how to say. When I stopped, she kind of stood in silence, smiled and said thank you and that was that. It was so cool to just speak. I probably sounded like a cave man to her but I felt the spirit in what I said. I don't remember exactly what I said but it seemed to leave an impact. As we walked away the other elders explained that when they tried to teach her she just bluntly and repeatedly asked why to anything they said. It was a cool moment to feel the spirit with a real person in the real world doing what I'm here to do. 

I love my mission. I love being in Columbia. Being in the CCM can be like prison, but it has taught me so much! I'm glad to be serving the Lord and in a place such as this, I can't wait till I actually get to Ecuador. I know it will be amazing. 

I am not sure if video works for me but if you get the chance send a video, and pics. I miss everyone back home, but so glad to be here and wouldn't trade it for the world!

-Elder Gonzalez

Dad,

Wow, I bet it was really nice to get back to Maine and to see Uncle Josh and Aunt Brangwyn.  I hope the trip to Colorado is a ton of fun too.  I'm sure it will be really cool. 

Maya was telling me how great EFY was for her. It sounds like she had an awesome spiritual experience.  Both her and Elias are growing up and are going to do great things.

I taught a short real lesson today with a native. I wrote the full story to Mom's email. It was such a cool experience and really made my day. It's so nice when Spanish just flows for me. It's crazy to think that in one month I know as much Spanish as I do. I can't wait till I get back so I can actually hold conversations with you in Spanish.  I'm sure I'll have a different accent, but it'll be cool to do that. 

It's really amazing being here in the CCM. I can not believe how much I learn and I can't imagine how else I could learn so much in so little time than on the Lord's errand.  I'm exhausted every night and every morning but the days are amazing. I should be getting my Latino companion tonight or tomorrow.  I'm super nervous, but I know it will be good. 

I hope everything is well back home and tell everyone I love them and miss them. 

                                                                                                                              -Elder Gonzalez

                                                                                           

This isn't a great picture, but this is Elder Arenguden, and he was in the most recent group of Latinos to leave. He touched my heart. Before he left, he told me, "I am going to miss you brother" and I told him he was a great missionary and a great example and he began to cry because he was going to miss me. His goal is to learn English and then move to Utah and then visit me in Texas after the mission, he is a great Missionary!

Elder Berret, Elder Momberger, Elder Woodmansee and I

So, this fly was the size of a dime and covered in these thick black hairs.

          

Maya, 

EFY is a great experience! It is something you will never forget. The people, the classes, the teachers. its amazing! I'm glad you had a blast! 

I totally miss you. I wish you could see Columbia, it's amazing. It's a concrete jungle with a crazy population! So many people and there are no driving laws, it's ridiculous. People don't stop at intersections they just force their way through its very interesting. But soooo cool too. It's always 69 degrees, like seriously, I don't think it ever changes. The mountains are like crazy steep. It's so pretty and wild and different but I still don't yet feel like I'm in Columbia, or South America. 

I get a Latino companion either tonight or tomorrow who is going to the same mission as me and is from Columbia. I'm pretty excited.

   

I hope you are doing great and I hope your summer has been awesome so far. Tell Sarah and Mari I miss them and hope they are well too. 

                                                                                             -Elder Gonzalez

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Hey Dad,

I miss you a ton. I really wish I could have gone on that High Adventure trip with you. I'm so jealous.  You have no idea, but Bogota is amazing. I love it here. Spanish is a great language, not easy, but great. 

My companions are amazing! Teaching in a trio is hard, but we do a good job. Tomorrow we get to go contacting for 3 hours, which is a blessing because most of the time we are cooped up in this tiny MTC. And it is TINY. It holds max 109 missionaries and we currently have 70. Latinos are great. Different, but great. 

I've had some hard days, wondering if I'll ever actually get this language and be able to actually teach in it, but I'll say for being here only three weeks my spanish is pretty dang good. I can read and understand most everything. The scriptures are harder, but still I understand and get the basic ideas. My speaking is mas o menos perro yo penso.  I will get it sooner than later. 

I just want you to know how awesome of a dad you are and how awesome of a mom mom is. I miss you guys. I haven't been too home sick, because I won't let myself be, but i recognize how great of people you are. I am truly blessed to have parents like you two. I look at general authorities and the area 70 and even my CCM president and I can't help but recognize the same presence of God in them that I see in you. I'm sure being stake president isn't easy and probably not always your favorite thing but I'm glad that you are because by watching your example I see how important this gospel is to you. I love you and I miss you.

                                                                                                          -Elder Gonzalez

Mom,

I'm proud of all of them for making it to the top, that's awesome!!! I bet that will be something they will never forget! Elias is a tough kid and a good one too. Tell everyone I miss them.

There is not much new, getting better at spanish and teaching better to. We have a new group of Latinos, but they leave on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we get Latino companions so our trio will be splitting up. Sad, but exciting too. It's crazy to think I only have two more weeks in the MTC. It's mindblowing that they trust me with as little spanish as I know to go teach the people of Ecuador. The gift of tongues is real. The church is true. This is the restored gospel and Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.

                                                                                                          - Elder Gonzalez

I'll be able to write again next Tuesday.

Bogota, Colombia Temple

President and Sister Duval with Elder Samuel Gonzalez at the Bogota, Colombia Temple

Elder Samuel Gonzalez is in the middle of the back row.

Elder Samuel Gonzalez is in the middle of the back row.

This is my view out my window at night. There is a park and people are always playing basketball or futbol and sometimes even racing these super fast RC cars.