September 9, 2014

Hola Hola!

First off...I am forgetting how to spell words and format sentences in English so cut me some slack! Not to mention I am typing 1,000 miles/hour on a Spanish Keyboard...so just take it easy! haha! Thanks!

This week has honestly flown by! I can not believe that I have already been out here for a month and that I will be in Ecuador in less than 2 weeks! I could not be more stoked. The CCM is legit...but there just is not a whole lot of life within these walls. STUDY STUDY STUDY!

Holy smokes...we had two ´´SOLO ESPAÑOL´´ days. Translation: ONLY SPANISH. I do not know how I am still living right now. It was unreal. But somehow I made it through the day. It really is crazy how much the language has come though! There is no doubt in my mind that The Lord blesses me immensely day by day. Especially in regards to the Gift of Tongues. We have three upcoming ´´SOLO ESPAÑOL´´ days this week...so wish me luck!:)

Our District is still sooooo awesome! And each day we grow closer and closer! Especially during our Abdominal Parties! ;) HAHA! We all gather in our room as a District at night to do my Dad´s LEGENDARY Ab workout! Way fun!

Elder S is the coolest Compañero EVER! He reminded me of someone for the longest time and I could  not figure it out. But I FINALLY figured it out. He reminds me of my older brother, Ryan. In other words, he is one of the most Christlike, funniest, most awesome dudes I  have ever met. I definitely feel blessed. I have not seen my brother in two years...and it will end up being four! So that has been really hard for me. And I am convinced that the Lord knew that. That is why I am with Elder S!

Mexican Independence Day is this week! I am super pumped! The streets have been ever more crazy because of it! Still falling asleep to sirens, loud booms, and Mexican Folklore. I LOVE IT!

We get to go to the temple a week from today! I am getting out of here, Ladies and Gentlemen! Hallelujah! haha! Only for a couple of hours...but I am still really excited.

Anyway...a week filled with rain, getting attacked by a devil bird/butterfly/bat thingy, and progress made up for a great week!

I have grown so much this week and felt the spirit so strongly that it is pretty difficult to narrow my spiritual message down to just one though! I do feel prompted to just simply testify of our Savior and His infinite love.

I know...with every ounce of my spirit and every portion of my soul...that Jesus is the Christ and that He is the Only Begotten Son of God. I know that He is our Brother, our Shepard, our Savior, and the perfect example to all mankind. I know,that in the Garden of Gethsemene, He suffered for you and for me. I know that our Brother experienced more pain, agony, and struggle during His Atonement than we can ever possibly imagine or comprehend. And I know that He endured this sacrifice because he loves you. Our Savior took upon himself ever single pain, affliction, and sorrow that the world would ever feel...and He did it for you. He was thinking of you when He bled from ever pore. He was thinking of you when He was whipped and beat. He was thinking of you when He was crowned with thorns. When He carried His own cross to His death, while being ridiculed and despised, He was thinking of you. When His hands, wrists, and feet were nailed to the cross, you were on His mind. When His spirit left His physical body and ascended to our Heavenly Father...you were on His mind. He did ALL of this with you in mind because He loves you. I know that through His Atonement He turns sorrow into joy. Sadness into happiness. Stress and confusion into peace. Through His Atonement He comforts the weak, qualifies the unqualified, gives life to the dead, and gives hope to ALL that will come unto Him. He was born. He taught. He healed. He loved. He Atoned. He Sacrificed. He died. He lived. He still lives. And He loves you more than you can possibly imagine. He will strengthen you in your weakest moments of despair and will rejoice with you in your moments of glory and happiness. It is through Him that we are capable of living in the presence of our Heavenly Father with the ones we love the most. Because of Him our potential is endless.

I testify of this in the Sacred name of Jesucristu, Amen.

Love you all!

Elder Noll