One Month In!

Hello Everybody!

As of today I am a month in on my mission! Also I am halfway done with my MTC experience. It has been great.

Earlier this week I had two meetings about my visa for Argentina. The first one we just signed a couple of papers that were all in Spanish and they took every single fingerprint I have. It was just incredible (not really but i did feel like I did pretty good because I am a pretty good finger painter) The meeting on Tuesday was with the consulate from Argentina. He flew to the MTC from LA instead of us going to LA.... sad i know. But it was really great because he gave us about an hour and a half to ask him questions about Argentina (he was born in Buenos Aires). He said there would be two things that we would love: the people, and the food. So, I am looking forward to that. Also he said the postal system is terrible and that nothing valuable or of food would make it to us. The best way for packages would be through fed ex or ups depending on whats there he said. I asked him what he thought about Bahia Blanca. and he said he didn't like it because there isn't much tradition there. But that's fine with me! He said its set up around the military base and that there is incredible fishing (after my mission!) and we could run into some penguins. Overall, I got extremely excited about going to Argentina and I really can't wait.

Valentine's day at the MTC was basically incredible! ha. The cafeteria had Valentine cookies.... what could a guy need more. Its been pretty nice weather here this week with the exception of a freak snow storm. I am still four-squaring it up and will probably join a four-square league when I get home. I've also gotten letters from lots of friends this week from BYU and high school so it was really fun to hear from them.

Today I am going to get a haircut; my hair has gotten really long so I am really excited to get rid of most of it. Then i will do some laundry and write some letters! Days just don't seem to be long enough here at the MTC.

Yesterday, we had our teaching opportunity. We spent about 20 minutes talking in Spanish to investigators about their families and we left a message with them about prayer and the steps of prayer. ex. primero, nos dirigimos nuestro Padre Celestial. Segundo le agredecimos por bendiciones y Su ayuda. Luego le pedimos bendiciones y estas cosas que nececitamos. Finalmente, terminamos en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen. That's basically the steps for prayer en español. Sorry for those that speak Spanish... still not that great at writing it! Anyways, Elder Flamm and I were thinking yesterday about how we have learned more Spanish in four weeks here at the MTC than throughout two years of high school. Its crazy how much Heavenly Father helps me out with learning the language.

I hope to get a dear elder, letter, or even package from all of you ;) Ha just kidding but i do love hearing from each of you!

Con amor,

Elder Vaterlaus