I bet I have more comps than you...

February 10, 2022

I bet I have more comps than you...

Hello!

I have been living in beautiful Mexico City since last Tuesday! I've been here for about 8 days and I love it. The CCM has not disappointed. The days are long and hard but the weeks are fast and rewarding. Here's some highlights from the week.

GOOD:

- My companion situation this week has been WILD. There is no other way to describe it. My original companion, Elder Steen, was unable to fly to Mexico with us on Tuesday the 1st because of his recent appendix surgery. So, when I arrived I was assigned to be physical companions with Elder Rahm and Elder Searle but told to continue to be virtual companions with Elder Steen. Sounds confusing right? Yeah it was. Essentially anytime it was possible to include Elder Steen via zoom or video chat (for example class or companion study) he was my companion. However, for anything that required a real companion (devotionals, meals, service activities, etc.) My companions were Elder Rahm and Elder Searle.

- The Latinos here are such nice humans. Speaking with them always puts a smile on my face, even if I only understand 50% of their words, they are SO cool. They have a hard time pronouncing our last names. One of my teachers calls me "Elder Bringham" and honestly it ain't that bad. Elder Searle is known as "Elder Cereal" and Elder Rahm always gets the line "Like the truck?!?" Haha honestly we love it, just some new nicknames I guess.

- Here at the CCM, there has been a little bit of a stomach bug going around. Luckily, I have not had any issues with it but Elder Miller and Elder Searle (2 Elders from my District) got super sick and spent all day Monday out of class by recommendation of the CCM Doctor. At this point in time, my district only had 5 Elders here in person and with two of them out sick, that left 3 of us to be assigned as a temporary trio. Thus, I was assigned to Elder Rahm and Elder Morden for a few days. That makes me a man of 4 companions within a time period of one week. Feeling pretty lucky though because I have gotten to know each and every elder in my district super well and it has really kept things interesting.

- We got to do some fun service projects around the CCM this week and I really enjoyed them. Sometimes the best thing you can do is help someone else.

- On Tuesday the 8th, around 7:00PM... Elder Steen arrived! It has been super good to have my official companion here in person the last two days and get to know him. No more zoom calls or video chat companion study and I could not be happier about it. He is super tall though... pictures will be included.

BETTER:

- We got to attend the Mexico City Temple this morning. It was AMAZING. Such a beautiful temple inside and out. The session was in Spanish and I decided to give it a go without the English translation headphones. It was an awesome experience. Not only getting to go through the temple but getting to go through and see the major improvements in my Spanish was exactly what I needed. I promise I am still really bad at speaking Spanish BUT I can comprehend when I read and I can understand when I listen... for the most part! Jajaja.

- In classes we practice teaching most every single day. It is hard but getting better every single day. The lessons are usually really bad. However, when it comes time to give testimony, things take a turn for the better. The Holy Ghost comes in and helps us because He knows that is the most important part of your lesson. No matter how rough it gets in the middle, you can always end strong by sharing humbly what you believe and what you know. And, in all seriousness the lessons get better every time and I know they will get to where they need to be.

- I hope you all know I am so happy. Mexico is beautiful and Heavenly Father loves all of His children. The CCM has such a wonderful spirit about it and I feel lucky to be one of the missionaries actually here.

BEST:

I have been thinking a lot about my purpose as a missionary. The conclusion that I have come to is that my mission is really not about me. Consider the idea of being an instrument in His Hands. When you go to watch a band perform, you are not running up to the instrument afterwards to congratulate them on their performance, you run to the performer, the person guiding the instrument. In this analogy the performer is our loving Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father gives each of us the opportunity of being an instrument that He uses to bring people back to Him, HOW COOL. Find one way this week to be an instrument, whatever that means to you.

I LOVE YOU ALL

"Work Hard, Keep the Commandments, Have a Positive Attitude and Show Gratitude"

-Elder Stringham