Elder Braxton Shoemaker: WEEK 7: Braxton's first week in Uruguay

¡Primera semana en Uruguay!

How is it goin everybody? Hope yall are doing great. Uruguay has been a blast so far! We got here early last Tuesday morning and were greeted by President and Hermana Olsen and a few of the missionaries. President and Hermana Olsen are the coolest people ever. I am a lucky missionary to have them as a mission president and wife.

The first day we just kinda hung out a little and then the next day we found out our trainers and areas. It was so fun! We all had our eyes closed and sang "Called To Serve" and when we opened our eyes our trainers were standing right there!! I got lucky with my trainer, I got Elder Smyers, He is 21 and from a small town in Arizona. He has about 15 months in the mission and is a stud missionary. He works me hard and has helped me so much. Our area that we are assigned is called Delta Del Tigre! It is one of the Montevideo zones. It is a small town and more of countryside town. I really am starting to love it there. Haha! We get to see some random horses just strolling around, and the occasional cow, oh and I cant forget about the dogs. Dogs are everywhere. Every house we go to contact there are usually 3-5 dogs just in the front yard. I really loved dogs before getting here, but they are for sure testing my patience now! Ha! They really seem to get a kick out of just barking at us and going crazy when they see us. But overall, the area is awesome.

We cross a bridge everyday to get to the main part of our area and it is beautiful. We cross a big river where there are always people out fishing and what not. The people are really nice here, for the most part. We have about 20-25 active members or so in our branch and they all have been so kind to me and told me they are impressed with my spanish, although I think that might just be them trying to be nice to me haha. But I can for sure testify of the reality of the Gift of Tounges. I feel it in my life everday has a missionary. There are times when I say something or hear something that I should not know, but somehow it all just comes out and I can understand it or say it. It is an awesome experience each time that happens. We have some people we are teaching right now that are just awesome. The experiences I am already having are changing my life. There are 2 teenage guys we are teaching that just started coming to church and the activities, we didn't even contact them! They are absolute studs. They told us last night they're going to seminary now. We're hoping they will be baptized very soon and we are so excited for them.

Being a missionary is definitely not an easy thing to do, but it is definitly worth it. I am coming to understand that my mission really isn' about me. It is the people I get to serve and teach everyday and life is a lot happier when you start to worry about others before you worry about yourself. Well this will be the first of many emails I will send from Uruguay and I am very excited for it all. Adios!!

Pictures from the MTC: