Sister Chen, I met her in the MTC!!! I kid you not, I found out she was going to Chicago! I told her about Amanda.
Well, I sent some pictures today, yeah! All taken today, don't you love the haircut exchange we did after some pushups this morning? I was so scared but he did a descent job.
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| Elder Hinojosa giving Elder Ostler a buzzzz! |
BRADEN! I'm in the same cyber, english music and subway, lots of people, and when I read that he's flying out today, I pumped both fists in the air and stood up. I am so incredibly happy right now. And Saydi's awesome emails helped. She sounds like she's doing good. I bet in 2 months she will be loving it!
Yes, I know some of the Elders, Elder Hogland is awesome. No he wasn't an ap, he's in my district and just awesome awesome. He's like my second dad, after Elder Cabranes. He's great and really likes me. Alright that's all I got time for. Later . . . . . . .
Just kidding, I'm sending this now and starting a new email. I just want to make sure the pictures send, I still got 45 minutes to type. O, but reading about Amanda was awesome! So so great! So so great! I wish I could go on splits with her in Chicago. Dang.
(2nd Email) Did I have a rough Tuesday and Wednesday! They were awful, if I remember right. And then I realized that I wasn't really praying, and hadn't been for a few days. So Wednesday siesta, I got on my knees at a quiet time and asked for help. I really prayed, and since then I have done way better, and life has got way better. Other than those first 2 days, the smiles and laughs really picked up.
I did divisions with a native on Thursday! He is a way awesome Elder from Buenos Aries, Elder Martinez. He came to my area so I was in charge! My spanish was tested and proven that day because I had to start the lessons with investigators and talk to him about the area and investigators and just everything. It was awesome and I held my own and did a real nice job. It was a great experience and I learned a lot.
Right when divisions started we were walking from the bus stop back to the pench and we saw these funky looking things, animals. They had a big body and the tiniest little neck and a pea sized head. As we walked, they started following us. Then they started running and when they caught up to us I had to start running too because they were sticking their heads out and trying to bite my ankles! Elder Martinez thought that was just the funniest thing.
My spanish has really jumped this week I feel. It climbed. I am understanding and speaking more and more. I love it! The one thing is that I am talking more in lessons now, not thinking about conjugating verbs and things, but just going for it. And when I am sincere and really trying, the spirit does the rest! There have been times where I know that people shouldn't have understood me, but because of the spirit, they do. I know that. Dad gave me a great paragraph today. Loved it dad, thanks. You are truly my hero.
So yesterday we were just being missionaries like always and we got in this one house. We sat down, me at one end of the table with this guy and Elder Hinojosa at the other end with this way old grandma. And we just started talking. Me with him, and Elder Hinojosa with her. For 20 minutes without any help from my comp, I taught and talked to this man! Wow, it was aaaammmmaaazzziiiinnngggg! Because he had changed his life 8 years ago and is an evangelist we talked about the restoration. But wow, I felt like, how am I going to get out of this sometimes during the lesson. My focus was on the priesthood and how it disappeared after the apostles and Christ died. And I would say something like, and I know there is a prophet on the earth today, and he would say, well sure there is (not meaning Monson) and somehow I was able to keep going and I can't really explain it. But it was so cool. Just that I had the ability through the spirit and gift of tongues to do that. I loved it. It was just a big booster.
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Me with an Agulia bird. Pretty sure it's an Argentine bird. And who knew I was actually in the African jungle serving with that elephant in the background! |
The investigator pool is a descent size but no one is home. We go by this week and can honestly find no one home. And no one was at church even though we went to 3 houses to try to pick people up. So that was discouraging. But Elder Hinojosa just kept singing and smiling, so so did I. But this week we are going to rock it. Especially with Elder Hinojosa and mine, our new commitment to be exactly obedient, like not waking up at 6:35 or 6:40, but right at 6:30. I find that days I wake up on time are so much better. And also, if you don't really pray as a missionary, your life is going to blow, no success and no fun. Learned that this week.
Yes, I bear my testimony every testimony meeting. There is a scripture that talks about hiding your talent. The talent God has given each missionary is Testimony. So my goal is to bear my testimony each testimony meeting. So far I have, 2 in the MTC and 2 in good ole' Argentina. And this time was so good. I got up and I just could feel everyone smiling at me. And I did alright. With the spanish. Like I said, it's getting there.
I can't find my watch. I know it's in the pench, I had it during exercises and 2 hours later after comp study I couldn't find it. No one stole it. But please send me a cheap 2 peso watch please, so I can use when needed. And if it is possible, I would love my own ensign.
Oh my, the priesthood session was incredible! Corbridge gave the prayer. So did Elder Aidudaitis, not much to say about him, O wait, yes there is. He's coming to the mission this week!!!!! And because I live close to the offices, he may come to look at our pench! He's doing a zone conference, actually 3, and my day is Thursday. Bummer I won't see Elder Allen or Elder Huntington, they have it Wednesday and Friday. Gosh!
I killed my first cockroach. I really wish I could develop a love for them. So when I see them, I don't scrunch up my face, but I smile. I talk to it for a second and just appreciate it before I kill it. Yes the bug was big and it was in the pench. Yay!
We got a new Elder in the pench! And he rocks. The mini missionary we had for 2 weeks went away, he was awesome, and now Elder Crosa from Uruguay is training. Elder Gonzalez is from Vegas and was only in the MTC for 3 weeks because he already knows spanish! But his spanish is o so so so different. I honestly can't understand him, hardly at all. He's got mexican spanish. So different. But he is amazing. That's him in the back of one of those pictures I sent. Yeah, he likes working out. He is great, reminds me of Alex Avila.
I read Our Search for Happiness this week. LOVED IT!! Wow Elder Ballard. And then I listened to his father son talk and yeah, I appreciated it a little more than hearing it for the first time in the marriot center with all my buddies. Dang, I realized what a gem you are dad. So many good memories we have. I thought of this one, the 50 miler, and up to steamboat lake when we stopped, just the 2 of us, and moved a bunch of rocks to help out a stream. And then we found that frog! Remember? O, just so many good memories with my good dad. I love you dad.
We always still have lessons with the familia avilia, 2 a week maybe. This week brother avilia looked at me and said "Ostler, do you know that Monson is a prophet?" I was able to answer "Yes, yes I do." And it was wonderful! I am so thankful for my testimony.
The avilia family expected more I think, from general conference. Like a big prophetic booming voice, but we explained it usually wasn't that way. Then I just had the idea and compared their testimony's unto a seed, as Alma did and I even thought of Alma 32 as I spoke, in spanish of course, then as I was talking, franco got up and in a minute came back. He was holding a worksheet he just got from institute and it was about Alma 32! It was amazing and I felt amazing. I was inspired to talk about the seed because then with the paper he had the scriptures of Alma 32 and pictures of seeds in their growth process and then the tree at the end. It was awesome.
Everything with Elder Hinojosa is good. We had a woman yesterday call us out. She was nice enough, but for 30 minutes she called us out because we and the church wasn't there when she needed us. Her son at 22 was admitted to the psycho ward because he just stopped marijuana and alcohol and can't live life normally now. Anyway, she was crying and the whole bit. And later, Elder Hinojosa told me all week he knew we needed to visit, but we didn't. It was, well, it was alright. The crazy things that happen daily.
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| The zoo today was sweet! |
That's all folks. Just so you know, when I read your emails my eyes can't get close enough to the screen.
Had some piano experiences this week, I regretted more than ever that I neglected that. . . . . boys, practice your piano and don't miss a day!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love you all
Elder Ostler
