Week 1 - September 15, 2011

Hi everyone! 

Has it really only been a week? Each day is so packed that it seems like we accomplish two days worth of work in just 16 hours or so.

Moving into the Intermediate class has definitely been a tender mercy from God. My district is so amazing, and though it's hard sometimes to be spoken to in words that make absolutely no sense, I'm learning a lot, and we've really bonded. It's clear that not every district enjoys each other's company like we do. We always play sand volleyball up at the field across from the temple during gym time. We aren't good (it's bad if I'm one of the best athletes out there!), but we laugh a lot and get closer all the time.

I told you about Elder E, right? My companion? Well, he got bumped up from Beginning Spanish on day two. Now he's in Advanced Spanish because he's so good. He was born in Mexico, but raised in Canada, so his English and Spanish are both great. We miss seeing him since he's moved, but he's still in our Branch, so that's good. I'm companions with Elders G and M again. We all have different personalities, but manage to get by really well. G is from Centerville UT, just an hour north of here. He just graduated high school, so he's kind of a goober sometimes, but he works really hard because he's a lot slower at Spanish than most of the district. He's a lot of fun. Elder M is from north Phoenix (he went to Thunderbird HS, I've never heard of it). He's 6'5"!!! He is a little strange, but he's also working really hard to learn Spanish and be a good missionary. If their visas come in they'll leave me in 2 weeks for the MTC in the Dominican Republic. I don't know what they'd do with me after that, because I'll be the only one left in the room! There is one other Elder in our district going to the MTC down there too, so I'll probably be put with that Elder that gets left hanging.

We taught Victor 5 lessons in the first 7 days. It's amazing that you really start to love this person and want them to accept the truth the first time you visit them! I know Victor is just a character played by a BYU student, but all of the companionship's in our district really focused on how we could impact his life. Through our broken Spanish we tried our best to teach him the gospel and how him that we care about him. They always tell us here that we "teach people, not lessons," which is some of the best advice I think I've gotten. Ultimately we asked him to be baptized at the end of the last lesson. He said he wasn't ready to commit, but wants us to keep coming back. He also hasn't been to church yet, so that was a pretty realistic answer from our pretend investigator. Victor is actually our second teacher, and now that we've had 5 lessons with him, he and Hermano W, my other teacher, will be teaching us Spanish and Preach My Gospel from here on out.

We went to the temple today. The Provo temple is kind of weird... a bunch of the hallways are curved because they're along the outside wall, so you can't ever really see what's around the corner. I kind of got lost after my session today. Hahaha. But the Celestial room was wicked cool (no natural light though, which I thought was atypical). Seriously, it was so nice in there. I guess all Celestial rooms are nice, but still...

I'm learning a lot, and am having a good time. Things really couldn't have worked out any better than they have considering I'm leaving the nest for the first time to go out on this big adventure. None of that is my doing, either. The Spirit is always around this place, even if I don't realize it. I know the Holy Ghost has already directed my fake lessons with Victor, so I look forward to experiencing that more, and I've got 103 more weeks to let that happen!

You guys are the best. Thanks for everything! I love you!

Zac

Email from September 10, 2011

Hey everyone!
 

Well, today is my third full day. We have a half-Pday today, so we're doing laundry right now. Expect my letters to be on Thursdays, because that's when my real Pday is. Also, I wrote a letter to you guys the first night. I hope you get it today!

Anyway, things here are good! It's crazy being busy every single minute of every single day, but I think that's really good for kids that haven't ever lived away (I can't think too much about you guys because I'm so busy), but also because that's what real mission life is! The curbside Elder that helped me was so nice, and that immediately made me feel a lot better about being here. Also, that one suitcase with the bum wheels? So bad. So. Bad. But I don't know if it's worth getting a new one since the next time I use it I'll barely need to roll it anywhere.

So, the curbside Elder took me to my room and then to my classroom. I met my companion, Elder S. He's going to my mission! He's way cool, and I knew right away that I'd like him. However... my teachers thought that I was good enough at Spanish to move up to the Intermediate class from Beginning! Crazy! So I got new companions and moved rooms so I could be in Intermediate Spanish. My comps were Elders Mand G. They're nice. It's hard to do things in a group of 3 sometimes, but I wasn't companions with them for long, because another Elder, Elder E, moved up from Beginning too! Now he and I are companions, and the four of us share a room. This all happened by the beginning of the second day, so it was really a whirlwind for the first 18 hours or so (and 8 of those were sleeping!).

Spanish is good. It's really intense, and the first day gave me a crazy panic attack. Like, I wanted to go back to beginner, I wanted to go somewhere English speaking, everything. But I'm pushing through, and it's really getting so much better, even with one day of studying and some encouragement from my companion, district, and my Patriarchal blessing.

We try really hard to only speak the language (which doesn't really happen... ever.). My teacher knows a lot about Espanol, and he served in Peru and Bolivia (two countries because of visa complications). We have already taught our progressing investigator, Victor, twice. He is very nice, and he and his wife are expecting their first kid. We taught him about the Apostasy and Restoration, as well as extended and invitation to read and pray about José Smith to know if all of it is good and true. The Spanish with him is rough, but he is so nice when we ask him, "mas despacio, por favor." (More slowly, please.)

The Spirit really helps direct my Spanish and makes me feel comfortable(ish) as we talk in class and with Victor. It's exciting to be around people that are enthusiastic about the Gospel and about Spanish. My district is really great, and I'm having a lot of fun getting to know them. We're from all over, a lot of us are going to different places. There are four of us in the district that are going somewhere inside the US. Two to Vegas East, and one to Albuquerque. Three are going to the Dominican Republic, and they leave in 3 weeks for the MTC in that country. That would be kinda scary!

I've run into Ali Hayes, from the Institute, and Brette Hoyt. It was really fun to see faces I knew! I haven't seen Shane yet, so I think I might have to get his address from you guys and send it on to him, since he leaves next week.

It's still a tiny bit overwhelming but I'm getting campus, my Spanish is progressing, and I already really want to help Victor find what's missing in his life!

God is so good. He's helping me feel comfortable here, and is helping me learn more and more all the time. I'm excited to keep becoming a better person and a better missionary. I was reading the White Handbook today, and it referenced Doctrine and Covenants, section 11. It made me really excited about everything. :)

I appreciate all of your love! Getting 6 cards was super tender, even if it made me look like a Mama's Boy. Hahahaha. I loved it though. Keep the letters coming! I already love getting mail, and I haven't even gotten that much!

You guys are the best! I love you!

Zac
(aka, Elder Baker)

The Beginnings

Zac made it to the MTC this week.  He flew up a day early with Mom and Dad and spent some time in Salt Lake City.  They were able to attend a session in the Salt Lake Temple, visit the Visitors Center, and tour the Conference Center.

Mom and Dad just received their first letter and wanted to share part of it.

09/07/2011

"Things here are good.  I got checked into my class.  I met my comp, Elder S, and he's going to my mission!  But... my Spanish teacher thought my Spanish was too good for the Beginning class.  I had a quick conversation with a language coordinator in Spanish and he bumped me up to Intermediate!  Scary!  But really cool too.  I got a new room assignment and companions.  They are Elders G and M.  They're cool.

Things here run like clockwork.  How is it that the church is so good at organization?  It's unreal.  We've had some orientations, some teaching seminars, a good dinner, etc.  So much, so fast.  But everyone that's been here for a while makes it look so easy, so there's hope for me.  After all, it was just the first day."

Gila Valley Temple

Now Elder Baker

Made it to Salt Lake City

 

Temple Square

Almost There

It's sort of weird to think about my last trip to Costco, my last movie, my last party... It's a little sad. Okay, a lot sad. Dropping what was your normal life for upwards of 19 years is a little intense. But I was thinking about it tonight, and I'm about to have a whole lot of firsts.

For the first time I am: moving out, becoming bilingual, experiencing a different part of the country, doing something that can impact the lives of others, and giving my life over to God. When you think about it that way, it's amazingly refreshing. I try not to think about it in too much detail, just because it can get a little overwhelming, but I am so excited to go do something better with my life.

This is what God wants, and I like to think that pushing through all of these minor panic attacks I'm having will show him that I'm willing to do this if I can get a little help along the way. Knowing Him, I'll get more than enough help.