FIRST WE HEARD!!!

Hola!! Wow, the MTC is crazy! I love it here. It was so hard for me to leave because I was leaving loved ones behind. But once i got here, i was overcome by a sense of peace that i can truly say i've never felt before. the new missionaries wear red dots on their name tags so the first two days i was here i wore the dot and EVERYONE greeted me, it was awesome. The spirit here is different. Wherever i go, the spirit is there. I love it so much. I am in a room with 3 other elders. first is my companion, Elder Ochoa. He was born in LA but he lives Durango,  Mexico. He is going to the same mission as me so we are leaving together! Next is Elder Fernandez, he's from Houston, Lives in Utah and is head to the Mexico, Leon Mission. And finally is Elder Arana, From Florida- headed to the Mexico, Torreon Mission. and the Coolest thing is that todos ya hablamos espanol! Creo que en estos ultimos 3 dias aqui a hablado mas espanol que e hablado en el ultimo ano entero. Pero enserio! Me encanta hablar espanol con mis companeros y los otros misioneros de nuestro distrito. Aun que suene raro, creo que el espanol ya me esta mejorando! Hicimos una regla en nuestro cuarto que el que hable ingles adentro del cuarto tiene que dormir en el piso jaja pero hasta ahorita nadie lo a hecho. Mi cama es muy chiquita, es muy dificil dormirme, pero no nomas porque la cama esta chiquita. Estoy acostumbrado a dormirme a las 2 o 3 de la manana, y aqui nos tenemos que dormir a las 10:30. Y tambien ya soy buen amigode mis companeros del cuarto, asi que is muy facil quedarnos despiertos hablando de la vida.

There's 10 missionaries in my district. 7 elders and 3 sisters. We all came in the same day as advanced spanish speakers, so we are all going to leave the MTC on the same day. And it's awesome because even though we're new, we're assigned to help the other missionaries who have already been here a couple of weeks so they can learn spanish better. Plus, our district is easily the loudest, most animated group here. Siempre nos estamos riendo y hablando y saludando a los otros misioneros y misioneras. Its so fun.

Yesterday we taught a lesson to an "investigator." Aun que nomas ere nuestra maestra, todavia me llegaban los niervos. pero yo y el elder Ochoa tocamos la puerta y hicimos lo mejor que pudiamos. Creo que nos fue bien! It was so hard for me to leave home, but teaching and sharing my testimony and listening to other elders' testimonies... I can say it's already changed my life. and i can honestly say that right now there's nowhere else i'd rather be. The missionaries in my room have had really rough lives. Elder Ochoa (mi compa) lived in durango, and he said it's really dangerous there. he has always been a member, but he used to drink and smoke and go to the club and party and whatever else.. but he told us how his friend was killed and how that opened his eyes and so he went back to the church.. and now he's here to better himself. and his testimony is strong. Elder fernandez used to be in a gang. he has some southside tattoos. his older brother used to be the leader of the "clique" he rolled with. He would also drink and smoke and party and fight. But he told us how one day he had a fun pointed to his head and how he told the guy that if he was going to kill him to just do it already. but the other guy let him go. So elder fernandez realized that he didn't want to live that life anymore, especially because he had a baby brother he needed to take care of. so he returned to the church, so he's here to be the best example he can be to his little brother. Elder arana has had the hardest life. his dad made them live in a shack, move to mexico, to utah, to arizona, back to mexico, to utah. they've lived on a dirt floor. his aunts practiced witchcraft. then his dad left their family when he was 15. 2 years later, his mom left him. so he moved to florida by himself. he hasnt seen his parents in years. yet through all that, his faith never faltered. he has a strong testimony and knows the scriptures very well.

All of that just made me so much more grateful that i have the life that i do. my life was so easy compared to theirs, but they're still here.

well my time is out, so i have to go, but email or write me back!

Los quiero mucho a todos! cuidense mucho,

Love,

Elder Zazueta.

He's doing great, folks!