Letter 11 - 5/11-12/10

May 11, 2010

Anyway. So I´m here in Guayaquil and this place is absolutely amazing. Humid, but not uncomfortable. I stayed the night on the temple grounds, which was really cool. The temple is absolutely gorgeous. This city is AWESOME! I love it. Imagine a cross between the city that Jason Bourne was in when he was in hiding and San Francisco that´s really dense, in the middle of the jungle and sprawls over these huge jungle hills, with all these jungle trees mixed into the city. It´s the best. Just so incredible. Also, there´s stores and food shops literally everywhere. The best part is that there are no street lines so you just freestyle while you drive. LA eat your heart out! You drive 45 mph down these little streets and dodge around other cars. I love this place.

When I got out of the airport and felt the air I was so pumped. It felt like the Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland when it´s super hot outside. Only.... there´s no Splash Mountain. I´m so excited and ready to get to work. This place is so cool, and before it was just another thing on the map. What a gem!

Ok, well It´s almost time for dinner with the President (such an awesome guy) and his wife (also extremely awesome) so I gotta run.

May 12, 2010

Well, here I am. This place is crazy. I´m at the very southern tip of Guayaquil. I´m pretty sure my companion, Elder Robinson, said it´s the poorest. I for sure believe it. I´m going through major culture shock still. It´s crazy to see what people are living in. Things like rusted aluminum siding, bamboo fences, cinder block houses, anything. Dogs roam everywhere and I just saw one covered in fungus, with no hair. The only way to describe how this place looks is like Jamaican-Queens (NY neighborhood), Detroit, and a splash of Camden all mixed in with a post-apocalyptic movie set. It´s crazy, but as soon as we get into the houses and start teaching I completely forget about everything and it´s great. Our house isn't bad. It´s pretty nice actually. It's just always hot. Seriously, I¨m always sweating. I was just in a phone booth and I was as wet as if I had just gotten out of the shower. The food isn't bad here. I just have to be really careful of what I eat. So because of that I´m eating a lot less than normal because I¨m pretty paranoid until I figure things out.

Anyway, I just met my comp last night. He´s a really cool guy.... elder. We've had a pretty good day today as far as I can tell. I think we´ll do some great work. We got someone to start coming back to church today. Now we have to go and get some new investigators for our goal today, so I gotta run. Bye!

PS- there´s this car going around with a mega-phone talking about these onions he´s trying to sell. Just thought it was funny.
O yeah and in the northern part of the city we saw a Peugeot , Porsche and BMW car shop. anywho. Gotta jet.

Letter 10 - 5/4/10

So last Tuesday who came to speak at our fireside? L. Tom Perry. Yeah, that's what's up. Two Apostles in my stay at the MTC. My favorite part was were he told a story about a man that worked for the Harris family. Martin Harris was a very old man at the time, and bore his testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and that he saw and handled the plates to this boy, Willy. Willy was then the man who related this testimony to L. Tom Perry's young men's group, and he then told it to us. What was crazy to think about was the testimony of only two people separated me from Martin Harris.

The next day, Wednesday, I hosted the new missionaries. It wasn't super cool, but it was kind of a trip to see where I was only a few weeks ago. It was also really weird to watch the "band-aid method" with the families, because they would watch their missionary walk away and their look on their face at times was like, "That's it?" I felt bad, but those missionaries are going to experience some awesome things. I only wish the families knew.

Also on Wednesday it was our first day with Hermano Hidalgo. Man he is so cool! The lessons he give are things I need so badly. The regular structured lessons are great, but he gives us stuff that I really need to hear. We were talking about getting the members to help out in the work, but many are very apprehensive because they don't want to offend their friends. I was in that same boat. I really wanted to share the gospel with my friends, but I didn't know how to teach or what to do. He just said, "Ask them to go make a friend. Invite them into their lives. Show those friends how the Gospel affects your life just by example, and at times invite them to activities like basketball or homemaking etc. And eventually, if they’re ready, invite them to a sacrament service. Let them be interested in the Gospel because of how you live, and just let the missionaries do the teaching." In essence, members don't need to proselyte, just fellowship. Leave the proselyting to the missionaries, It's their job. I really wish I had known that before. So much would've been different, but I guess I can just hope those opportunities are still around. So everyone, go make a friend and be an example.

Thursday I got my flight plans!!!! AH! I'm so CVNEONroSJefuIDHFO-ing excited! (Note: Mom has no idea what this means. Adam sent no translation.) It was seriously the most exciting day yet. Ecuador feels so close now! O man, it was so great. I was so excited that I seriously yelled in the mail room because I couldn't hold it in. Then when my district got back to our room we all freaked out. O man, such a good day. I leave on Monday morning at 5, and my first flight takes off at 8:15. I have two lay-overs though. One in Dallas and on in Miami.

Hey fun fact. I found out they actually do have missionaries placed out in the Galapagos. That's be so sweet to be sent there.

Ok, so there's this thing that's kind of started in our district. One day my comp, Elder Poepelmeier, and I were walking to class and just to mess around I cut him off and yelled "Koreaned!" In reference to the dirty Korean speed skaters in the winter Olympics. Well it eventually turned into a district wide thing that we'll cut someone off going up stairs or something and yell "you got Koreaned!" or my personal favorite "Consider yourself Koreaned!" But I try and go for a clean pass which we call "Onos" and say "Oh No! You just got Ono-ed!" So Monday, yesterday, I koreaned Elder Anderson on the way back to the room and was going for a pass on Elder Eastburn. Right as we get off the stairs there are these double doors that are open during the day but closed at night. So Elder Eastburn is running through the doorway and tries to shut the doors behind him. I was still hunched a bit because I wasn't fully out of my stairwell running stance. So I was sprinting with all of my body weight forward as the door just suddenly showed up in my way. I heard a loud BOOM and it took me a second to wonder why I went from forward velocity to (literally) flying backwards, feet way in the air. So I'm laying on the ground, clutching my face, wondering if my face is open, but still laughing because I literally ran into a door. Elder Anderson walked up just as I was flying and thought I was just playing around so he walked right by me, haha. It hit my jaw just beneath the temple of my forehead, so luckily for that, but I have a fat knot. I'll see if I can get good pictures of it. Then throughout the day I was quoting Tommy Boy. "Hey do I have a mark on my face?" It doesn't hurt here. Not so much up here, but right here." Haha! good times.

So randomly on Sunday I started collecting ways to say "I believe in Christ" in different languages. I have maybe 10 right now, I'm going to see how many I can get before I leave. It's so awesome! I'm probably going to study languages the rest of my life.

So the scripture I want to share is more of an activity. So read 2 Nephi 4: 17-19 and think of all the things that bring you down in life, or feeling that you don't want anymore. Then read, out loud, verses 20-23 and 27-30 of the same chapter and think of the difference in casting off those feelings, and especially giving no place for the "enemy of your soul" and find the peace that we all deserve. It's a really powerful scripture.

Letter 09 - 4/27/10

Hellooo!

This week was interesting. It went by crazy fast. For the record, I leave two weeks from yesterday. Yikes..... I should get my flight plans anytime this week, and Wednesday I'm hosting the newbies. So It'll be awesome to see what I looked like SEVEN WEEKS AGO! yeesh.

So I saw this talk on following the spirit by Elder Bednar sometime last week or maybe the week before. I never know anymore. But he shared this story about how he felt like he should take this dad, who was at a priesthood meeting, to his son's basketball tournament where Elder (at the time Stake President) Bednar's son was also playing. They all had a great time and all was well. Elder Bednar got a call sometime later, I think five months, saying that the man's son had died. He was so grateful because that was the only time he ever would've had to see his son play. And it was a cherished memory for the father. Bednar said he didn't know it at first, but after the call he was sure that it had been a prompting from the Spirit. He told us that as long as we are doing our best to be "good boys, and good girls" we will have the Spirit with us and we will be guided and not know how or why. That was really important for me to hear. The Spirit is THE most important thing to have with me. Not even just now as a missionary. So everyone: be good, and good things will happen.

Last Tuesday was a really good devotional. Elder Pearson of the Seventy came and spoke about our Identity. He showed how our identity sets a chain reaction that determines our actions. And because we have free agency to make choices, those choices set off a chain reaction that decides our fate. It was something I really needed to hear. He said we can't just teach people about the Gospel. In order for them to want to change the way they live, they must understand, believe, and their identity must be that they are literal children of God, and are heirs to the Kingdom of that God and all that he has. We are all his children, and are all entitled to that birthright. We only need to live in that manner. Also, he said that we, as missionaries, can no longer be "Adam Vuinovic with a missionary tag on." I have to be "A disciple of Christ". Realizing this, I look at myself as a missionary sharing the gospel to God's children, and not Adam from Galt who's going to Ecuador (the coolest place ever). It was something that helped me immensely to "become a missionary".

Going along with identity, we also spoke about the importance of it in priesthood meeting this Sunday. After the French Revolution they took King Louis' son and in order to disgrace the family they tried to corrupt him by exposing him to the vilest of things and surrounding him with lustful women and things like that. After six months he hadn't broken in the slightest. They asked why not. He replied, "I cannot do the things you ask. For I was born to be a king." That totally rocked my brain. If everyone only knew who they really were, their true eternal value, life would be so much easier because we would know of the inheritance that awaits us from our Heavenly Father. Most importantly, the Adversary would have no power over us because we would have no desire to sin. It's one of his greatest tools to make you forget who you are, because then it is so much easier to get you to do what you would have otherwise refrained from.

I love you. Have a great week!

Elder Vuinovic

Letter 08 - 4/20/10

Hello again!
Just so you know the church is true and I love you guys.

The song this week has for sure been “Affinity” by red car wire, but we’ve been trying to keep focused on missionary work. So we’ll take songs and change the words so they’re in accordance with missionary work. For example the Pokemon theme song: “Gotta baptize them all, GENTILES!!!” Its pretty sweet. We’re totally brill.

The MTC has these pictures from missions ALL over the world. Every hallway has a few. And I’m the only person that I know who hasn't seen a pic from his mission…until Wednesday. Hermana Ampuño took us on a surprise tour. We went all the way to the top floor of this main building and she just stopped in front of a picture. I looked at it closely and saw it said Ecuador in the corner. I was SO STOKED!! Almost all the houses were made out of aluminum scrap metal and random pieces of wood. The missionary was standing next to this guy who barely had a shirt on and was holding a MONKEY! AHH! I’m so stoked…Ecuador!!! All the poverty, borrachos (drunks), and monkeys. O yeah, it’s gunna be awesome.

Thursday I had the chance to help out in the TRC for the first time. The TRC is where people go and do these tasks that missionaries do for real out in the field. So I was pretending to be a store owner they were inviting to teach. These guys had a week on me So I was a little nervous about helping them. But no. My Spanish was just as good or better the day before I came to the MTC. Seriously, I felt bad for the guys because they’ll be in the field soon, but it really gave me a confidence boost knowing that I’m pretty far ahead. I can understand natives for the most part now. I was at the referral center again, but this time I had to do calls in Spanish. Totally scared the pants off of me. But it was all good. I can’t understand every word, but I understand the jist of what they’re saying, so I can at least communicate. Btw, totally placed my first Book of Mormon. In Spanish!! On my first call!! Wahoo! Now she probably would have accepted it from anyone just because she was really interested already, but it felt awesome doing it then bearing my testimony of it. All in Spanish.

Sunday Stephen B. Allen spoke again for our fireside and talked seriously about our need to be obedient to the white handbook (missionary rulebook) and how we must be obedient for our safety and the safety of our companions. He gave two stories about missionaries who went to jail because they didn’t follow the rules. One set of missionaries didn’t follow the rules and ended up being REALLY stupid and made a bomb. The other just wasn’t thinking and got left alone with kids and was accused and sentenced for child molestation. It really shook me. I’m for sure going to be completely obedient. Man those were some crazy stories.

Last Tuesday Glen L. Pace from the Seventy came and spoke at our devotional. He wanted to speak about how much God loves us. But he went about it in a way I haven't really heard before. He spoke of the glory of heaven and how happy we will be when we are there. I got a LOT out of it. It was as though the air was thicker with the spirit as he was talking. He didn't just keep saying how much God loves us, over and over again. He brought the Spirit and we felt the love of God, and I personally felt so close to Him. It was a crazy experience. He also shared a personal experience about the other side. He asked that the devotional not be recorded because of the personal nature of the experiences, so I'm not going relay the stories. But the were incredible. Heaven is real.

I know a lot of people are going through some tough times right now. There’s this awesome scripture that talks about how God gives us our trials and afflictions for a purpose and how shouldn’t fight against his chastisement. (not a bad chastisement necessarily) It’s Proverbs 3:11.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction

Enjoy!
I love you all.

Elder Vuinovic

Adam’s “break up” letter with English

Dear Beloved English,

You’ve been there my entire life, and I thank you for that, but you always break the rules. As soon as I learn one rule, next thing I know you’ve gone off and changed your mind. You’re never reliable. We’ve had some good times, like all those awesome karaoke nights. It’s just too much now. I need stability. I met this new language. Her name is Spanish, and she’s really sweet. She’s simple, but I know she’ll be constant and will be there to support me. You’ve been the only one my entire life, and that’s what makes this so hard, but it’s time. I’m sure you’ll find someone better for you. It’s not you. It’s me.

Love,

Elder Vuinovic

P.S. I hope you’re not jealous, but me and Spanish are going to Ecuador for 2 years. I really feel like she’s the one.

Letter 06 - 4/13/10

MTC food: I went to pour milk into my cereal one day and what came out of the dispenser was the early stages of cheese. Needless to say I have a much smaller appetite nowadays.

This week we had our English funeral, where we no longer speak in English in our classes. It was pretty funny. Hermana Ampuno had us write a letter to English about how we'll miss them or whatever, so I just made it a break up note. I'll see if I can find it and send it home. It was pretty funny. But what wasn't funny was how hard my brain hurt after that day. Seriously! I was trying so hard to think in Spanish that when I was allowed to speak in English I couldn't remember how for a while. My brain was shot. I couldn't even think. I sat there confused wondering what it was like to have thoughts. And then this giant bunny came up out of no where...... no. Just kidding. But seriously, it was bad.

Hermana Ampuno went straight native on us and I could barely catch stuff for the first half of class. It's gotten a lot better though. I really feel my self growing even more. To be honest I haven't wanted to do most of the stuff that we do here. Every time I had to do stuff I would just think, "Man. This is retarded. I should just be in Ecuador and actually do this for real." Then one time Hermano Frampton made us all commit to memorize this fatty scripture that has 13 verses. I hate memorizing things just because, and for some really stupid reason I found myself REALLY unwilling to do it, just because of my own comfort. I didn't tell him no, but in my mind I had to really force myself to say I'd do it. After that and a similar experience about having to do a teaching "simulation" I realized, "Wow. I'm really doing a crappy job at this whole becoming a missionary thing. I need a change of heart."

Elder Maxwelll said that the only thing that we can sacrifice to our Savior that already isn't his, is our will. I knew I needed to set aside my will and begin to want to do His. So I started to pray for this change of heart. Then Saturday I felt really good about the work that we had to do. Spanish felt like it was SO much easier and I wasn't having to think as much when I tried to speak it. I know that the Lord aids us in all our righteous desires. I've felt so much help in becoming a missionary and a better person. It's awesome.

I also really need to give a lot of credit to my teachers. Hermano Frampton has stretched me more than any other teacher I think I've had. And of course we lose them in a week, but life goes on.

Funny Spanish story. This girl was giving a talk in sacrament meeting and instead of saying "pero" which means "but", she kept saying "pedo" because she couldn't roll her R which means "fart!" haha. It was an awesome talk though.

Fun Fact: Joseph Smith's grandfather said in his journal that he felt impressed on his soul that one of his descendants will change the world of religious thought. CRAZY! The quote isn't exact so check it out so you know for sure, but when I heard that I was shocked, and I kinda had to chuckle because I don't think he had any idea how big of an impact it would be.

Once again I'm almost out of time. This week I really want people to read Moroni chapter 10 and not just verses 3-4. Read out loud, especially, the part where he bares testimony and says "I lie not". I did that this week and it was really powerful.

I love you all and have an amazing week!

Letter 05 - 4/11/10

Our district met after the Tuesday night devotional and it was so awesomely spiritual. We had a great discussion on our testimonies and how the Spirit works with us. It was great to feel so much unity in our district. Something I learned from Elder Eastburn in that meeting really helped me with being completely obedient here. He said, "As I left the devotional I thought,'If I'm not going to be 100% obedient, why am I here?'" I found that so true. There's been a lot of really stupid rules that I follow, but begrudgingly. After his comment I realized that I'm willing to be obedient enough to be here, so now I'm going to be willing with all of the things that come with being here, or else I just go home...which I have no intention of doing.

Also, I met a Vuinovic relative! It was so crazy. She said that her line comes from Serbia, but they've traced it back to Croatia! And there's some other relatives her mom has found in Milwaukee. It was so awesome. I never thought I'd meet a Vuinovic relative. Our common ancestor goes back a long way, but still, it was way too cool! Also! At the temple today one of the temple workers was asking about my name. So I told him the original spelling and pronunciation. Turns out our name means "warrior"! How kick-aspirin is that!? I can't believe I went all through high school not knowing that my name rocks! For all I knew a 2 year old played on a keyboard and made our name. Just kidding, but seriously, how awesome!