Week #2 in the MTC!! (Aug 6, 2014)

Week two in the MTC! This week was great! I think I am finally getting the hang of it here. One thing I have realized is positive change can seem very hard and counter-productive at times, but one thing I have also come to understand is that change is always difficult no matter how good it is. It's only with time that we can learn to adjust. It keeps life fresh and new. One thing a very smart man told me (you know who you are) was that this mission teaches how to invite change into one's life. Life is full of changes and you can't possibly keep it the same no matter how hard you try. This mission teaches you how to embrace situations you wouldn't dare to embrace anywhere else in Life. It's like a book I read about Lance Armstrong before I came on my mission. He said the reason he could go through so much pain, experience so much, be so consistent and seven years in a row, win The Tour De France, was because he knew that no matter how much pain he would have to go through on the bike, it would never match the pain he felt while he was battling cancer. Some of you may say it was the drugs, but no matter how many drugs you're on, it takes a will of a champion to win 7 Tour De France's in a row. The same is like the mission in a less dramatic sense. It puts you in stressful, and quite honestly, fun situations where you have to adapt quickly, but after you learn, every other situation seems to be easy. 

For devotional this week, we had two people come. 1st the President of BYU came and spoke and then John Groberg and Jane Groberg from the movie "The Other Side Of Heaven" (The story about the missionary who goes to Tonga who leaves his girlfriend behind (now wife) to serve the people). It was quite an amazing experience hearing about the stories in the movie, but in person from the man himself. It was humbling to see their perspectives now that they are wise and in their old age. For those who haven't seen that movie, or even if you have, maybe go watch it! It's a great movie and it really shows what missionary work is all about (loving the people). 

We have a sister in our district (my district has 6 Elders and 3 Sisters - 5 going to Mexico, one going to Texas, and 2 going to NY) who is from Quebec in Canada and speaks fluent French. It's funny walking around with her because a lot of the words that are considered "bad" here aren't in Canada, so she walks around saying the most offensive things, but she doesn't even know that they are offensive. It goes two ways though because a lot of the things I say are considered offensive where she lives, so we are teaching each other how to be polite in both countries. Well, anyway, we were walking around the Main Campus here, and I saw her staring at this Elder, and I said to her "Hermana stop staring at that Elder! You're going to get struck by lightning if you stare at him that long as a missionary!". And what she said to me was hilarious. She stopped, looked me in the eyes and was like "my heart is locked but I can still appreciate the beauty of life". I thought it was very hilarious. It's very funny watching someone try to adapt to the American way of life.

Another fun story. Yesterday before our Tuesday devotional, I found Dakota and Lu again, and we went into a big room, got two pianos back to back right against each other and we played duels. We played our duets in a duel form. It was fun. People love music here so much because we don't listen to any music so when someone is playing music, people automatically flock. An Elder in my district sings really well so him and I are going to sing a duet together. It's going to be awesome. 

Anyways, everyone here is so happy. You can see it in their eyes. Everyone just seems to have a light in their eyes and it doesn't come from them. It comes from something bigger than them. I want you to all ask yourselves (as I have done the same this week), and ponder on this: What ideally would make you the happiest the longest? Ponder about this simple question, and once you get your answer, go after it, and achieve it. Change your ways, no matter how hard it will be to change. In the end, if you are truly happy eternally, then you will never regret the change of life.

I love you all. Keep working hard in life. Remain humble. Be humble enough to change. That's one thing I have learned one must do in order to progress in life - to see the changes they need to make to better themselves. Missionary work isn't about teaching people lessons. It's about growing to love people - the same way Christ loves us. He accepts us for our mistakes but he expects nothing but our best. Love is the answer to everything. That's why I love missionary work. You love people and grow to care for them in a way you can't understand anywhere else. 

I forgot one more thing! This week, at church, they called me up to give a prayer and bare a testimony all in Spanish! It was quite stressful but it was awesome! 

That's all.

Have a great week!!!! :]

From Heaven,

- Elder Celaya