Week #4 Time flies in the CCM

Everything's going well here at the CCM! Learning is going great, I'm learning so much and so fast. Every week the Spanish gets better and better. I can understand Spanish really well and I can have conversations. It is definitely getting easier as the weeks go on but I know when I get to Chile it will be completely different. I can do pretty much everything in Spanish that I need to do. I can pray, share testimony, and teach lessons. But there is still sooo much that I still need to learn though, still a lot of words to learn and a ton of grammar. The gift of tongues is definitely real, but I have learned it isn't a gift that happens all the time when you want it to. You have to prepare yourself and do all that you can then that is when the Holy Ghost steps in and helps.

It doesn't feel like the CCM is that ginormous. Everything is pretty close to where we sleep except for out casa is the furthest casa away from absolutely everything. It is in the back corner of the CCM. But there isn't a ton of walking and the shoes are fine. I've been just wearing my slip on shoes because it is more work to tie my shoes. 

Geez Golden State is on there way to beating the Bulls amazing record. That would be awesome if they did. That's awesome that the Thunder are also doing really well. Hopefully they'll keep it up and maybe take that championship away from the Warriors. Wow I'm surprised that the Jazz still suck, I thought they would be doing better than the Warriors haha. That's cool that Denver made it to the super bowl, has Manning been playing? Should be a good game. 

I haven't gotten your care package yet from you guys. It will probably be here tomorrow or by the latest Monday because they are closed on the weekends. Also Grandma N sent me an email saying that she ordered me some things as well. Thanks!

I really don't know what I want. The only thing that I'm wishing that I brought was a sweatshirt because it is pretty cold today in Mexico City and I only have shorts and short sleeve shirts. But I'll probably just buy a cool one once I get to Chile. 

So actually Esteban sent us the pictures that I think he posted on his Instagram so I'll be sending those to you guys. But his Instagram is Estebannava if you want to look at his Instagram. 

Elder Newkirk's district and Esteban Nava

Elder Newkirk's district and Esteban Nava

There are so many spiritual experience that happen here all the time. This is the perfect place to grow your testimony and learn so much to be ready for the field. Sunday's are definitely the best spiritual days here at the CCM. There are many different devotional and classes which are all super amazing. Sunday's are like the spiritual paycheck for the week. Like this Sunday we listened to a devotional given by Elder Holland at the Provo MTC a few years ago. He talked about how much you need to know as a missionary and how much you need to prepare. It made me want to just sit and read scriptures and stuff all day, but there just isn't time. His talk made me want to work even harder as a missionary and to do all that I can to be ready to help any investigator that I meet. Also throughout the CCM I have been reading the Book of Mormon. I started reading it a couple weeks ago and I'm already in 3 Nephi. This has been the fastest the I have read the scriptures and I absolutely love reading the scriptures now. Almost every spare opportunity of studying that I get I am reading the Book of Mormon. We also heard a devotional given by Elder Bednar a couple weeks ago in which he challenged us to get a simple paperback Book of Mormon and read it with one question in your mind. As you read it you mark scriptures that apply to your question that you have. He said that if you start doing this now by the time that we are his age that we will have a bookshelf full of just Book of Mormons that have been marked for specific questions. After I have finished reading just normally I'm going to try and start doing this. I already and a paperback Book of Mormon ready to go. But I have learned so much here and am constantly learning more each and every day. I love it here but I'm also just ready to leave and go out to the field.

It's so crazy how fast time flys. This is my second to last P-day here at the CCM. I only have one more full week before I leave to Chile. I can't wait to get out there and actually become a missionary and teach people. It seriously has felt like I haven't even been here that long but when I think about last week or something it felt like forever ago. Like last week I went to the temple but when I think back to it, it felt like I went a month ago. Time here is crazy and makes no sense. But I absolutely love every second of it!

Yo se que la Iglesia es verdadero. Se que José Smith fue una profeta de Dios. Se que el Libro de Mormón es la palabra de Dios. I would keep going but I am almost out of time and I have to send pictures and email a couple people back. Love you guys so much!

Love

Elder Newkirk

Week #3 Visit to the Mexico City Temple

Haha nice Spanish. Definitely not like being in it day in and day out. It's kind of been getting easier but still pretty hard. Once I get to Chile Ill have to pretty much relearn the Spanish and adapt to how they speak. 

I was able to go to the temple today! It is such a beautiful temple and the rooms inside were huge. All of the temple stuff is free for missionaries so that was nice. We were able to listen to the session in English but after the video it was all in Spanish, which was pretty hard but really cool to do. No matter what temple you go to, you get the same feeling every time. It was really cool being able to actually leave the MTC. The temple in only like 10 miles away but takes like an hour to get there because of all the cars and traffic. I got some really good pictures while at the temple though.

I also got a haircut at the haircut place today. The haircuts are free but you dont have any choice with you hair. You walk in sit down and they start cutting your hair to mission standards. I was nervous at first because you know how I am with my hair, but  it was actually really good. Not going to lie probably one of the best haircuts that Ive gotten. The lady that did my hair did a really good job and definitely knows how to cut hair. 

So we have Estebans instagram but it is currently in the casa so Ill have to send it to you guys in a little in a separate email but ill get it to you. So what I think that Esteban does it just find a new group of missionaries to be friends with when his old missionary friends leave and we just happened to be that new group of missionaries. But hes been gone most of this week for some reason so he hasnt really made anything for us but its all good.

Sucks to hear that the Seahawks lost last week. I have one question about the sports world. How are the Warriors doing? When I left they were like 20 something-1 so how are they doing now? Still destroying the league?

I definitely enjoyed those Krispy Kremes that you sent me and was able to share them. I took a picture of the box because it was pretty cool and send it to you guys. But I dont have a picture of me "enjoying" them. If I did I would totally send it.

We are in class like all day long. about 12 hours every single day except P days and Sundays. Our schedule is packed every hour of every day as well, so constant work. Just the same old same old sports. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, whatever. We have actually been playing some soccer with the Latinos which has been a ton of fun. They actually left this Monday though so we havent played this week with any Latinos but I did get a picture with them that Ill be sending as well. But we sometimes play some sports with the Hermanas it just has to be non contact sports, but it doesnt happen a lot. And yeah we do pretty much everything as a district which is pretty cool.

Good luck this weekend with cheer Hailey! Hopefully you and your team will do well, and by do well I mean take first place. Have fun this weekend, wish I was there with you guys or I was there so I could watch Calvin.

Anyways love and miss you all as well.

Love 

Elder Newkirk

Playing soccer with the Latinos! Looks fun!

Box of Krispy Kreme's we ordered for Jordan

Mexico City Temple

Elder Newkirk in front of Mexico City Temple

Angel Moroni with the plates

Elder Newkirk, Elder Wild and Elder Jennings

Elder Newkirk and his district

Week #2

Yeah I got your guys carepackage. Thanks for the beef jerky! It was gone by the end of the day though. Things are still going good, the language is getting there. I can understand Spanish really well but speaking it is still hard, it's hard to think of words on the spot. We got 2 new "investigators" this week that we have been teaching and they have been going well. I still use notes while teaching but it is definitely getting better.

Sounds like I am missing out on some good football games. Wish I could watch them. Hopefully the Seahawks win this weekend. Go Hawks!

Companionship is going good, Elder Wild is crazy good at Spanish and totally carries the lessons. We mess around a lot and have a lot of fun. In our casa there are a ton of other Elders that we always hang out with at night. They were thinking of moving all the mattresses out in the living room area but hopefully that doesn't happen.

Haha funny thing that you asked about Esteban. Yesterday during dinner he told us to save some room. After we ate he took us back in the kitchen and gave us some snicker doodles with strawberry ice cream in the middle, which was amazing. Esteban wants to take a picture with me and my companions and post it to his instagram so I will have to learn what his instagram is and tell you guys.

The blog is perfectly fine, I saw it and it looks good to me. 

So I am not totally sure when I leave the MTC. I know I either leave Feburary 8, 9, or 10th. I dont think we learn our flight schedule until like the week before we leave or something like that. I am thinking that I leave on the 9th but im not 100% sure. Im pretty sure that we fly to Santiago first, which is like an 11 hour flight, then we fly to Antofagasta. We go to Santiago first to apply for those temporary visa. I wouldnt send anything to the MTC down here because it takes way too long and I dont want the package to show up when I have already left. It has happened multiple times where the missionary leaves and the package shows up like the next day. But that one service is really good and works, I got your package on Monday and I got the letter on Tuesday. 

Getting up in the morning hasnt been a problem at all, there hasnt been one morning where ive struggled to get up. But we listen to that alarm clock song every single morning which is getting annoying but its funny. But yeah getting up has been really easy and good. The only thing is, is that we have to be ready and out the door by 7 which doesnt give us a lot of time to get ready.

The devotional this Tuesday was actually a live broadcast from the Provo MTC. Elder Anderson of the 12 spoke to us which was really cool. He talked about how missionaries need to teach the doctrine of Christ and how important it is to remember that you represent Christ. It was a really good talk but I don't have my notes on me. And yes I have been writing in my journal every night, dont worry.

So the other night I had one of the most crazy experiences and will probably be the best experience here at the MTC. So some backstory first. So on Sunday after one of our meetings we were on our way to class. One of the old Elders was driving by in his Golf Cart, Im not sure if he was called to serve in the MTC or if he is a missionary or what. But he offered us a ride along with 2 other missionaries. It was really funny and cool he drove us right on the sidewalks, right to our classroom. Then we didnt really think of it much. But this Tuesday one of the missionaries that rode with us (Elder Howard) in the golf cart had to stay with us for the night because the rest of his district left and he left on Wednesday. So while we were moving his luggage from the Dorms all the way to our casa the same Elder offered us a ride in his golf cart with the luggage. When we got to our casa he asked if he could come in and share something with us. So we went in and sat in the living room area. He said that he felt the impression to give us a ride and share some stories with us. He shared three stories and a scripture with us. Everything tied together so well and the Spirit was so strong. I dont have time to share all the three stories but the scripture that he shared with us was D&C 84 (colon, cant figure out where the colon is on a spanish keyboard) 88. The scripture talks about how the Lord will always be with us on our right side, on our left, and in our heart and angels all around you. While he was speaking I felt these angels and it was something that Ive never felt before. The feeling that I had is so hard to explain but it was really cool. I know that the Lord is always with me and angels are all around me at all times and that I will always be protected. But what are the odds of us running into him again in his golf cart and with the same missionaries that he gave a ride on Sunday.

Ive actually heard some things about my new mission president that will be coming in this June. I have heard that he is awesome and a really cool guy. So I cant wait to meet him as well as meeting the Daltons.

If so me and Trenton might be leaving out to the field about the same week or really close which is awesome. But ill definitely have to email him.

Well I love you guys so much and miss all of you! 

Love,

Elder Newkirk

Note by Jason --

**** If you would like to send a care package that will usually get delivered next day to Jordan, this is the service we've used and it's great! Also you can send letters through this site as well.

http://www.mtcmexicocarepackage.com/home.html

Here are his photos from this week as well. We are anxious to learn about the box on his head...lol

Week #1 -- Landed safely in Mexico City!

Did you not get my email from last week when I arrived? I was able to send a quick email to you guys to let you know that I arrived safely and that my P day is on Thursdays so every Thurdays I'll be able to email. I have an hour to email you guys on my P day but I can split it up into different sessions. So I'll probably be on later if you send me another message soon. But everything is going really well and I'm missing you guys too. I am learning a ton of Spanish but it is pretty hard, I can't really express myself in Spanish yet and have to teach with notes (which is really annoying). I think the second day we were here we had to start teaching which was really bad. If it were a real investigator he probably would have been driven away from the Church. The Spanish is getting a little easier but it is still really hard, there is so many things to memorize and learn about. I actually have 2 other companions, so there are 3 of us. We are like the only trio companionship here except for one other. It's actually pretty cool to have 2 companions. Their names are Elder Wild and Elder Jennings. Elder Wild is from Colorado and Elder Jennings is from Las Vegas. They are pretty cool companions.

It is pretty crazy here, a lot of noise outside the wall all day and all night. I think I heard a train horn last night. I've gotten used to all of the noise that it isn't that bad anymore though. But the MTC is kind of close to a sewer so sometimes if it is windy we will get a nice whiff. I was actually able to fly with like 35 other missionaries going to the Mexico MTC which was pretty cool. When we arrived we hopped in a bus and then we drove to like the other side of the city. The drivers here are insane, they have no lanes here and ride right next to other cars. They also drive over the meadians if they have to haha. 

The food here is also amazing, I think there was only one meal that I didn't like but other than that it's really good. Me, my companions and district made friends with the cook and he's made certain food for us. The other day he made us some really good cheesecake and he is always asking us what we want him to make next. So if I had any advice if anyone goes to the Mexico MTC is to make friends with Esteban.

 

Send Calvin my love and I also love and miss you guys a lot. I will be on later around 4 to email again if you send me another email so hopefully I will hear from you guys by then. Once again I love and miss you guys. Everything is going great here! I feel like I am missing a lot of things to talk about so if you have any questions about something that I left out just let me know! 

Love,

Elder Newkirk

This is my district, it's not that great of a picture I wasn't able to take it. Me and my companions are going to Antofagasta Chile along with one of the Hermana companions. The other Elders are going to San Fran/Oakland area. And the other Hermanas are going to Concepcion South mission in Chile. 

This is Jordan's afternoon letter:

Well they have a store here at the MTC where they sell pretty much anything that I will need as well has a ton of candy. We get 100 pesos a week in our MTC accounts to spend on anything that we want from the store. But at the store I was able to find a SD card adapter to put into the computer so I can actually send you guys some pictures of my room, bathroom, some funny things outside the walls, and just some cool pictures. But I can buy any snacks at the store whenever I want and everything here is super cheap. I have pretty much all of my pesos, I had to use some to buy this adapter but it was still only like 2.50 USD. The flight actually went really well, and I took your challenge and talked to a lady who sat next to me on the plane. Turns out she is LDS and used to live in Layton but lives in Sparks now. Her husband actually went to Santiago Chile. The sleeping conditions are actually pretty good and we get new sheets every Monday. The only thing is that it is super loud. There really are not too many bugs down here, at least that I havent noticed. I have played everything from soccer, basketball, ultimate freesby, volleyball, ping pong, lifting weights and so much more. Everyday we have a gym time where we can do whatever we want. Like today we played soccer and basketball for like 3 hours. I think I should have enough clothes I might buy another shirt or something but I should be fine. About the temple we will have a chance to go at least once or twice. We actually might be able to go next P day but we will see. But it will be cool to be able to go through the temple in Spanish. The temple is actually like an hour away from the MTC but it is good, when I go ill have to take some pictures. Sundays are really good, more relaxing then other days and we have devotionals on Tuesdays. Like this Tuesday we had a member of the 70 talk with us which was really cool. The pictures take forever to upload and send so ill try to get as many as I can sent before I run out of time. Once again love you guys and miss you!

Love,

Elder Newkirk