E-mail April 9, 2010

Well, after 5 weeks in the MTC, I feel pretty confident at teaching lesson 1 all in spanish. We had to teach in the TRC this last wednesday in only Spanish. At one point, I didn't understand what the native said and I was eating my imaginary pinaple when it was really sup[p[osed to be a drink. It was funny. But then I ended up having to teach about 90% of the lesson because my comp is struggling with the spanish. Things are going good. I am speaking a lot of spanish. I am trying to only speak spanish, but that is hard when you can't say everything and all of your vocabulary is gosple vocab. Thank you Sis. Key. I have appreciated your weekly letters and updates of your famly. That's great to hear about Doug. I was really worried if he was goi9ng to go or not. Well, come this wednesday, my district will be the oldest ones. It is crazy. One districe of missionaries are going to mexuico. Half of them left on Tuesday and the other half of them don't have thier visas yet but they are hoping for tuesday and they other district leaves on Tuesday for CA. I can believe that i only have 3.5 weeks left. That is crazy. I am really enjoying it. I have learned so much and I know I have so much still to learn, but I feel like I am on my way to being ready for the field. Conference was awesome. For those of you that were wondering, we all went to the guy where we have devotionals to watch every session of connferece. But, it was way good. I am actually able to read and mostly understand what I read in my spanish scriptures. Things are really awesome. The update on my weight is 3 pounds. Not too bad. I appreciate the letters from everyone. I am studying hard and learning spanish. I know the church is true. When I was teaching in the TRC in spanish on Wednesday, I was takling and teaching things that I knew, but I have no idea how I was speaking any of it. I didn't every really know what I was saying and when I got done I couldn't remember what I had said, but I know that becuase I had prepared and studied, the Spirit was able to help me and conveyed my message. It was a truely amazing experience for my. The spirit teaches, not me. It has been awesome here. It has been a real learing experience and I have truely enjoyed my time here. I know a lot of guys complain about all the rules and all the structure, but I know that it is all for our good and a profet ofGod has commanded it. I know that we have a very important message to share: THE CHURCH IT TRUE!!!

Elder Ashby