Speaking Spanish With a Cold - October 24, 2016

Hola Todos!

I hope everyone’s week went well. Mine was pretty great! Just living the missionary life! Lots of teaching, contacting, and walking. 

The rain soaked streets of Masaya

This week was kind of weird because it got cold. Probably not really cold, but around the 70's. My sense of how cold and hot it is, is warped. But anyways it was more cold at the beginning of this week, so I got a cold. Which made me sound like Darth Vader. And it turns out nobody can understand my Spanish when I have a cold. It was funny and frustrating for me to talk and then after I finished for the person we were teaching to look over at Elder Martinez because they had no idea what I said. But I am doing a lot better now so don’t worry (mom). But now it is hot again. They say that it gets cool in December but I don’t know if I believe them. 

Fun things for the week. I met some Australian who is backpacking the world and needed directions. It turns out that he is a member, so that was entertaining. I only have three more weeks left in my training which is just crazy. Life is just awesome here. Sometimes I will think, "Whoa! I am in Nicaragua." I don’t hear or speak English almost all day. I have to do a reality check some times. 

Nicaragua's active volcano at night.

They started celebrating Halloween here I think. Which means fireworks all day and all night. They really like to party here. 

The teaching is going well and we are trying to find new investigators right now. All is well. As they say here, puda vida! Thank you all for your prayers and support! Have a good week!

Elder Erickson 

Elder Erickson at a member's home.  He has been cooking with her to help her learn some new meals.

Cooking omelettes for the family.

First Baptism - October 17, 2016

Hola todos!

I hope all of you had a good week! Again time just flew by! But we will get right to all the good stuff. First thing is I had my first baptism this week! Her name is Joseline, and her husband Enoc was baptized in August. It was so awesome to see someone I helped teach get to baptism. Everything is great and I think that she will continue to be strong in the gospel! I also had the opportunity to baptize her which was super cool and a huge honor!

Life is still wild here. Thursday apparently we had an earthquake in the night, nothing too big, I slept through it, but in the morning apparently it did something to our house. because one spot on the floor next to my desk the tile broke and caved upward and stuff.  Oh well. Just living life. It’s what you get when you wake up every morning and look out to see an active volcano smoking. I decided I needed more than one meal a day so I have started cooking breakfast. it has been exciting to try to cook with one electric burner and a microwave. But it is good and the other missionaries in the house like it.

Like normal lots of contacting and teaching this week. Life is good here. I love it here, and especially the opportunities to study! The scriptures are so awesome and bring the spirit so strongly. Look for answers in the scriptures and you will find them! I know that the Savior lives! I know that His gospel and His church are on the earth! Thank you all for everything! Until next Monday!

Love, 

Elder Erickson

Normal Life in Nicaragua - October 10, 2016

Hola todos!

I hope you all are doing great! Life is just rolling on here! The work is good and I just can’t get enough. I love walking around and people calling me chele ( mismo de gringo ) ! This week was cambios (transfers) and I am staying here in Masaya. I really love it here! Life is just crazy awesome. 

This Saturday I will have my first baptism! I am super excited for our investigator, because her husband got baptized in August and now they will be able to progress together! This week nothing much different happened just more teaching and contacting. Spanish is really coming along. Before the mission and even in the MTC a little I was worried about learning Spanish! But that was before the gift of tongues! In just this short amount of time, I can understand almost everything, and I can express my thoughts well enough! I still have so much to learn! But I am so grateful for divine help! I actually am having trouble speaking English occasionally. A member family asked me to pray in English and during the prayer I kept switching to Spanish accidently. It was super hard to stay in English. I am so grateful for divine help, because there is no way I could do any of this! 

I love it out here, and I am learning so much! I know that the Savior lives and that His gospel in on the Earth today! I hope you all are doing great, thank you for everything! 

Love, 

Elder Erickson