October 1-7, 2014

Oct 1, 2014

Yes, I take my vitamins every day. I leave Monday morning. My flight leaves at 10 a.m. for Panama and then we connect to a flight to Bolivia. We'll get to Bolivia about at about 10 P.M. It's crazy to think that I'm almost out of the MTC already! It's been going by so fast! That's awesome that you've been able to visit Ally and will see Mark and Tana in two months. I probably won't write you too much this week. Usually I just take the highlights out of my journal to share them with you, but my bag, with my journal in it, was stolen last week.  I accidentally left it in the computer lab after I emailed you last week. I went back to look  for it 2 hours later and it was already gone. I've checked the lost and found and reception every day but nobodies turned it in yet. It had my Jesus the Christ book, journal, Spanish hymn book, spanish dictionary and 10 pens in it. i know it's kind of a long shot but if you could pray for me to find it that would be great. It was my blue fanny pack bag. Luckily you sent me an extra Spanish himnos, but if you could send me Jesus the Christ and my farewell talk in your package to Bolivia that would be amazing. 

We watched a movie about Joseph Smith on Sunday. It was amazing! I think it might have been my favorite movie of all time. I realized that I didn't really have a huge testimony in Joseph Smith. I've always known he was a true prophet and that everything about him was true. But I don't think I fully respected him or understood everything that he went through until I watched that movie. My testimony about him is so much stronger and emotional now! We also watched to past devotionals that were given by Elder Bednar. Our mission president  loves him! We watch at least one or two talks by him every week. One was about the natural man, Christmas and the cookie monster, the other was about taking notes for conference. They were both pretty good. 

Our night teacher left this week for BYU. It was kind of sad cause he was a really good teacher.  I'm so ready to leave and start teaching. Yo estoy muy animado a llevar en el campo. I can't wait to see what Bolivia's like! It's gonna be awesome!! I'm also really excited to talk to natives on the plane. My conversational Spanish isn't the greatest but it's definitely good enough to have a conversation. I know all the grammar and tenses but I have a hard time remembering them and using them split second. Especially the subjunctive tenses! They're killer. Either way though, it's gonna be super fun. 

Love you both mas que mi lengua puede hablar. 

Elder Bell

October7,  2014

Hi, mom. I was just given a quick email session to email you my travel info. I leave tomorrow at 10 to Panama and then Bolivia. I think I already told you.

This week has been so amazing. The day I emailed you, My district played soccer and its a rule you that you cant play contact sports with watches on. I left mine with some other peoples next to the court and when we were done, mine was gone. Just mine. I was really mad and I didnt know why I was losing so much stuff. I bought a new watch for 200 pesos, that night. According to my luck, that watch stopped working two hours later and the tienda has a no return policy. At this point, I just didnt know what to think. Maybe I was doomed to never had a watch. Maybe they dont actually follow time in Bolivia. I didnt know, why this was happening.The next morning as I was reading my scriptures, I found what I needed to change in my life and that my lost possessions had been to humble me. Last night my watch magically appeared in the reception. There was no account of it ever getting turned in, but yet it was there. What a miracle.

This morning we had a class about asking God for specific things through very specific ways. There was a story just like mine about a missionary that lost his bag and asked God if he would return it at a specific time, date, and place. It happened. Likewise, I made my prayer to find my bag this afternoon as specific as possible. I gave it a 15 minute window where I would wait at reception for my bag to be turned. At the end of the 15 minutes, no one had come. I waited an extra 5 minutes when I decided to ask reception about my bag again. The lady said she didn-t have my bag. Right as I was about to leave, She stopped me and said that she felt like she needed to give me some things. She gave me a Jesus the Christ book, himnos, dictionary and some pens. I knew it was an answer to my prayer although it wasnt exactly what I was looking for. The only thing Im really missing now is my journal.

I was also able to buy a bag from the tienda that should work great. It was amazing because it was the first time theyve had them in months. Miracle. 

As Ive been watching conference, It has filled me with love and home sickness. I love and hate the pictures of Salt Lake and I cant help but think of you. I remembered times we went to the conference center or temple square, things we did as a family, or priesthood sessions I attended with Dad o mis hermanos. Secretly in my heart, I longed to be watching it with you guys, yet it was definitely the most productive conference Ive had. I took 15 pages of notes. I wish I could send them to you, but Im out of time. Love you all!!!!!

Elder Bell