"Peace Out America"

Hello my lovely Family and Friends! How are you all doing? I'm assuming good, cause you are all the best! No joke!

So Many Hours Spent @This Desk!!

Wow, what a week! I will try to be concise!

We had the best Sunday devotional. It was a concert! Yes, that is right! The Nashville tribute band came and performed for us! It was sweeeet! They would bear testimony and tell stories and then jump right into a song. I got to sing back up for them (in the choir) on two songs. Listen to "John's Song" "Arising" and "I was born". You wont regret it!

This Sunday I also Got to play the cello for sacrament! Holy sweet that was awesome! Can't even tell you guys! I was super nervous but then I said a prayer and asked for help. And it went so flipping well. Probably one of my best performances, which is amazing considering I didn't practice very much. And the spirit was so strong! 

Sam & McKay Waters

Today I'm going to be packing for Argentina! AHHHH What? Is that even real life? I feel like I just barely got here. No joke time is the absolute weirdest thing in the MTC! I feel like I've lived my whole life here, and I just barely arrived! I can't even describe it. But I don't feel prepared to go into the field. But I know that I'm not going on my own! I have got Jesus Christ on my side! And that is all that matters!

A few things that I've really enjoyed this week. Ab work outs, missionary pull ups, and scripture study. Actually scripture study is way way better than the first two. It is awesome spending an hour getting to know my savior. 

I love you all very much! I'm going to miss America, a little bit, Mainly excited to get out there!! It'll be the bomb! Have a great week! And get to know your savior!

Love,
Elder Himes

Objective for the Next Two Years

MTC Pull Ups

Calculus is Fun

Grandma & Grandpa Olson sent ANOTHER Package!

Hello family and friends! Yes, sometimes I take breaks to try a calculus problem on the board. Don't judge me.

Two cool thoughts I had.

1 "God cannot guide your steps if you are sitting on your bum."

2 "The mission (or Life) Is not to just be completed. It is a two year work of art, and it can be beautiful if you work with the master painter."

Hello everyone! I love you all very much! I had and excellent week here again! I got called to be the district leader, that is a little weird! Its a little intimdating but Im going to work hard and try my best!

Spanish is going well! Im sounding less and less gringo every day, even though Im still super gringo! 

I practiced the Cello again! I think Im gooing to play the sunday before I go! That will be fun! 

Lets see not to much else to report on except... I got my travel plans YUSS! I'm so scared/pumped/nervous/ready/notready/excited/feellikeimgoingtothoughup to go to argentina It will be great!

Last thought! You all are childern of GOD! Never forget that God knows you! And remember the person on your right and left are his kids too. Try to treat everyon accordingly. Including yourself.

Love you all ver very much!!

Love,

Elder Himes

Another week in the Happiest Place on Earth

Grandma & Grandpa Olson sent a Package!

Everyone says that it's Disneyland. Not even true. It is the MTC

Hello Family and Friends! It’s so good to see you! Ha psych! not really. But it is really good to write you. Everyone I had an incredible week! AHH

First of all when I was in the choir this week guess who we sang for? President Nelson! Woah! He was our Tuesday night speaker! He was incredible!!! The spirit was so strong! He talked about how we can become epistles to the lord! I wish I had my notes with me so I could share! But it was a good time!!! When he was getting ready to leave I was so sad! It felt incredible to even be in the same room as him!

Sam found Spencer Sandburg in the Cafeteria

So I think I have made it with Spanish! Apparently  I woke up in the middle of the night, turned on my flash light and said "Papa, estoy aqui" and then went back to bed! My companion and I made a goal to only speak Spanish from when we leave the apartment to when we come back. It is really hard but I'm getting a little better each day!

Last night we watched a short film that takes place in Argentina. It was about ten minutes long. I understood give or take 15 words! Wow! This is going to be an adventure! I think that the next time I e-mail I will have my flight plans!

Spiritual thought of the e-mail. I have been thinking a lot about Charity. And I had a thought. If you are only being Christ like to the people that it is easy to be Christ like too, is that really Charity? I don't think so. I feel that Charity is love past it's breaking point, meaning loving someone even though they don't make it easy. This is why it is a gift from God. We need to be praying for it cada dia. (That is Espanol for every day). 

Family, Friends I love you all very much! Thank you all for your support! You are incredible! Remember to keep moving forward! Every day find some way to be the hands of Christ! Until next week! 

Love,

Elder Himes

P.S. Big shout out to my brother Benjamin. It was his birthday this week! Even if you don't know him message him on face book!

I’m basically fluent now

Cream Soda Tree

Actually, I'm not. Sorry I shouldn't lie as a missionary. Well actually no one should lie ever. Ok. I'm not actually fluent now. But here goes another WEEKLY E-MAIL

Hello my beloved family and friends. You are all awesome!! I am loving the MTC! This week I discovered a tree that smells like cream soda. Me and my companion usually go smell it before we go to class. It smells really good. 

Classes are really long! It’s pretty cool though ‘cause I can pretty much understand everything the teachers say. I just can't speak on my own. Haha That’s ok though it will come! 

These past few weeks I was in the MTC Choir! That was awesome! I really enjoyed it. Last week we sang A Child’s Prayer. It was a good time. The choir director talked a lot about how we are all God's children. It made me so pumped to go help out my literal brothers and sisters in Argentina. There have been a few times this week were I am just incredible fired up to go share the gospel!!

I really like the devotionals here at the MTC They are really powerful. The spirit is always really strong. After the Sunday night devotional we get to watch a movie. Last week we watched Meet the Mormons. It was weird watching the missionary. I thought “wait a minute! I already know what that is like. That's crazy."

This week I had a very special experience! I got to play the cello!!!! They have two of them here in the MTC! I checked out some music and gave it a try! It was so relaxing to be able to play again. I might try and play during a sacrament meeting. Plus the cello was really pretty! I love playing the cello, but I don't know how many opportunities I will have down at the end of the world, so I'm going to get it in now!

Last thought. Prayer works. Thursday is the hardest day in the MTC. You have to wake up at 6 and there is a 4 hour class block. Usually you are the most tired that day. I prayed that I would have the strength and diligence to work hard, and I made it! I wasn't even that tired! Pray! God wants to hear from you!

Alright I love you all very much! Peace out!!

Love,

Elder Himes

Latinos

Hey friends and Family! Another week down in the MTC! I have loved it soo much! It's hard, and I'm always busy, but there is no place I would rather be! I know that I am doing the right thing when I am here. 

Brother Garcia - Spanish Teacher

I love how much I can feel the spirit here! I feel so happy being around other people that have chosen to serve the Lord. I love how everything is focused on others! Everything we do here, we do so we can better help people come unto Christ! It is the greatest! 

Spanish Class

Spanish is coming along. Kind of :) We got a new teacher named Hermano Garcia. He doesn't speak much English. Sometimes he calls us Mexicans. I 
really like it when he does that. But he is a powerful teacher. Even in dumbed down Spanish he teaches with the spirit. I want to be a teacher like him while I’m out. 

Ok I have to go! I’m going to the barber shop now. I want to stop looking like a punk kid!

I love you all very much! Have an excellent week and study your scriptures!!!

Love,

Elder Himes

And So It Begins

Companion: Elder Chandler Cullum
from Chino Hills California

Hello family and Friends! AHHHHHHHH I am a missionary now! That is so awesome! I have loved the MTC so much and I have only been here for 4 days! The spirit is so strong here! And I am learning a lot!

 I got here and met my companion. Elder Cullem, he is a stud! He has been playing soccer since he was 5 years old and is going to surprise all of the Latinos down in Argentina!

From Day one our teacher has only been speaking to us in Spanish! At first it was hard to understand everything but yesterday was way better. Our teacher hermano Garcia talked to us in very simple Spanish about our purpose as missionaries. I felt the spirit so strongly. I learned two things from that lesson. One, the gift of tongues is real and the lord blesses His servants. Two, in a very simple lesson, when it centered around Christ the spirit can speak very clearly to us. It is good to know that I can teach by the spirit even in very simple Spanish. 

Temple Visit on P-Day

Spanish is my life! For about an hour last night I couldn't fall asleep because I was just thinking of Spanish vocab words. It’s awesome! The food is really good here at the MTC. But I'm always hungry. Well not always, buts usually the time from one hour after I eat to the next time I eat. 

Oh man! I am so excited to be here! It really is awesome here! I love my district so much! One guy in my room watched Fantastic Mr. Fox as his last movie too! Also they listen to cool music (but not on their missions) and play volleyball. 

Yup I love it here! I love my family! I love my fellow elders! I love the gospel! I love life! I feel like I have been in the MTC for my whole life right now! You guys are awesome! Keep up the good work. Also, read the purpose of a missionary on page one of preach my gospel! It's awesome! Love you all very much!

Love, 

Elder Himes