Hola mi familia! Espero ustedes estan bien! Hago disfrutado su cartas y su packages!
Wow I can't believe another week has gone by! Tuesday through Friday cruises by and then its Saturday, next thing you know its Sunday, then its P-day! I heard from one of the teachers that being in the MTC is the longest part of your mission. That's crazy because it just barely felt like I got here. Time is very precious here. There is some much stuff to do and stuff to study that I wonder how it is going to get all done. I find it so interesting when I set a goal to do something for a day that may seem pretty ambiguous, I work as hard as I can and next thing you know I accomplished that goal. I have no doubt in my mind our Heavenly Father has been helping me and been helping everyone of the missionaries here and in the field. I saw Elder Gray and Elder Willey here this week. They are doing awesome!! Wow that's cool about Elder Holland, that must have been so nerve racking for Caden, but I'm sure he did great. I am happy to hear everything is going well back at home. That's cool that Christian got home. One of the teachers here knew Christian on his mission. Here name is Hermana Larsen. It's crazy that I leave in 2 weeks. Hunter Tolbert left today. We got a new district this week. It's been pretty interesting watching them get adjusted to everything. Showing up here is quite the shock to the system. They have been coming to me and my companion, since we're the new zone leaders, asking for direction. It's so weird because it feels like I just figured out what's going on here in the MTC. But it's been awesome being able to talk with them and help them.
We taught 10 lessons this week. We have a total of 5 investigators. For Andres and Guadalupe, they are having law of Chastity problems so we gave them the law of Chastity lessons. Its been really cool, because we have stopped teaching lessons and have focused more on helping the investigators. The love I feel for them is unreal. You want to help them so bad, to the point that you would do anything for them. Guadalupe has 2 kids and lives with her boyfriend, she accepted the baptism invitation but she needs to do some things before she can be baptized, the biggest one being marriage. We got in there and taught her the importance of keeping the law of Chastity and the blessing that can come from it. She looked at us and told us her boyfriend doesn't like her at all, in fact is in an abusive relationship, and the only reason he is staying around is for the kids. Then she asked how do you know, you're not married. I then gave a very simple testimony that I couldn't help but cry. I talked about how I have never experienced any of these things but I have seen them in some of my family's lives. It was amazing to see her whole demeanor change from being attacking to being understanding, all from a little testimony of broken Spanish. It is very cool, when you feel like you should ask a question or say something and your companion says the exact thing you were thinking about. That has happened so much when we have been in lessons, its been amazing. I also learned something very interesting. I have been so focused on learning Spanish for myself rather than to bless the lives of my investigators. We had a teacher the other day, talk about how he was 6 months in to his mission in Alabama Birmingham when he got switched from a English missionary to a Spanish missionary. He told us that many missionaries focus on learning Spanish rather than focusing on the investigators and letting the Spirit do the talking. Our teaching plan has completely switched from giving some presentation to impress the teachers or show off our Spanish to focusing on their needs and their relationship with our Heavenly Father. I have learned that if you constantly focus on building up others that your problems or challenges are less difficult to go through. I tend to be a very prideful person, self centered, and very demanding. So its been pretty hard to quit worrying about myself, but I have noticed that I just need to take that step and just stop worrying and go forward and things work out. Things just work out. It's amazing. I learned the importance of a smile. Since I have been here I have been so focused on learning and studying that I haven't been lightening up. I learned that lightening up and being able to smile is a critical piece to enduring hard things. Endure hard things with a smile. That was what the difference was between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel. You can always find reasons to not have fun or to be unhappy, likewise you can always find reasons to be happy and have fun. That's my goal, to focus on the positive things. It has really been changing my perception on things. Have a positive attitude, it will make all the difference. Last thing, quit worrying about yourself. I watched a video by Elder Bednar last night titled, "recognizing the Spirit" he emphasised that we just need to be good boys and girls, keep and honor our covenants, and go forward having faith in Christ. He said that every decision he makes doesn't come in some amazing way but rather a thought that he has to act on and sometime a long way down the road he sees the reason. Quit worrying about things and just do them.I find it interesting how I have been praying for help and then I go watch that talk and suddenly I realize that my prayers have been answered, it was really cool.
I got a letter from Elder Cranney saying that he is going to be training this next change, so there is a possibility that he could be my trainer. Wouldn't that be cool! The district is doing awesome, and everyone is getting excited because we get our travel plans this week. Everytime someone leaves or a district, we sing "God be with you till we meet again" in Spanish. I'll send you a video when we leave. It is so cool! Thanks for all of the packages! It's crazy how much food we get here. It's probably going to be pretty hard when I get in the mission field because every 4 hours they feed us here. And the scariest part, I am starving every 4 hours! The food here really doesn't leave, so I'm not sure if I am gaining weight or where the food is going. But whatever, I lose it all one I drink the water in Honduras:)
I am going to write a letter this afternoon so you probably should get in on Wednesday. Let me know if you want to know anything, I have about 15 mins left on my email. Good luck on the Spudman!! I'll be praying for you guys. You'll do great!! I hope you liked the pictures!
Anyways, I love you guys and I am so grateful to be blessed with such a great family. The support, advice, and comfort you have provided me has been answers to prayers. I pray for you guys and I hope you all are growing and becoming closer to the Savior. This is so real! I can't begin to tell you how real and important this work is! I love you guys.
Thanks again for everything and making sacrifices for me to be here.
Love
Elder Neuberger
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