Dallin wrote to us on Thursday (9-18-14) (which, I assume is his preparation day or P-day but he didn't specify) and had the following to say:
So the first week here at the CCM (pronounced seh seh emeh) has been awesome! I am learning so much about the language and the gospel of Jesus Christ! ...I ended up coming (9-12-14 instead of 9-11-14) a day late and was completely by myself for the entire flight. When I arrived in Buenos Aires I looked around for anybody that looked even remotely like a missionary... I felt completely lost. Finally, I found a guy who was holding a sign that read "La Iglesia de Jesucristo De Los Santos De los Ultimos Dias" when I approached him, he asked me in broken English "Elder Dufort?" I said, "yes" and began asking him questions. He just gave me a blank stare. He didn't speak English at all!
When I got to the CCM, I was relieved to find people that did in fact speak English. While waiting for directions to my room and my companion etc. I was taken to a conference room to wait... As I looked around the room, I saw on the wall a picture of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It was such a relief to see physical evidence that no matter where you are in the world, the Church is still exactly the same. I felt... the Lord was watching over me ...providing some comfort to a slightly confused and overwhelmed missionary. I was then escorted into a room where a lot of white missionaries were. I sat down in the corner of the room. The man giving the lesson paused at the end of his thought and said. "Elders and Hermanas, Elder Dufort has arrived!" apparently I was really missed during the first day! I was then introduced to my companion, Elder Schaefermeyer! (now if that isn't a mouthful I don't know what is hahaha!)
Over the past week... I have come to realize how blessed I am to have him as my companion. He is a very spiritually minded and a hardworking missionary who seems to have read every book on economics you can lay your hands on! he pointed out the fact that yesterday (sept 17th) was constitution day! He is so awesome I can't even begin to write it out.
Now a little bit about the CCM. It is a 3 story building with enough rooms and beds to board a maximum of about 90 missionaries. We are currently at about 75, so we are pushing full capacity. In fact that is why my call was pushed back 2 weeks! They didn't have enough room for all of us! I asked the other elders in my room and most of them had their calls pushed back 2 weeks too. Roughly 40 or so of the missionaries here are US kids, and the rest are Latinos. In fact, there are 2 Latinos in my room! Elder Correa and Elder Acampo. Elder Correa is like a Latino version of Cameron Dayton
I kid you not haha :)
I am on the bottom bunk. Its kind of funny because on the slats above my head are signatures of all the other missionaries that have slept in my bed before me, along with their names and the missions they are serving in. Its so cool to be a part of the Missionary ranks!! OH! a small highlight that made my day occurred during lunch time, a bunch of elders sat at some tables outside, and we had a movie quote competition! I don't even want to try and count all the Nacho Libre quotes I have heard this past week haaha :)
As for the food (for all the men that are interested). Due to the small size of the CCM, the food is AMAZING! My first day here for lunch we had ribs, pork roast, and steak. The other meals since then have all been incredible! I can only think of one meal where I didn't feel satisfied (and mom, there is also a salad bar. Every lunch and dinner I eat 2 hard boiled eggs, a pile of tomatoes, and some cucumbers. I promise I am still eating healthy haha)
My Spanish is improving dramatically too! I think I will be able to hold a decent conversation by next Saturday when we go out proselyting. I have been able to get by with the Investigator lessons we have taught so far.
Overall its been the best week of my life so far. Although some of it has been hard, I know it is all to help me learn and grow to be the best missionary I can be!
Until the next update...
So the first week here at the CCM (pronounced seh seh emeh) has been awesome! I am learning so much about the language and the gospel of Jesus Christ! ...I ended up coming (9-12-14 instead of 9-11-14) a day late and was completely by myself for the entire flight. When I arrived in Buenos Aires I looked around for anybody that looked even remotely like a missionary... I felt completely lost. Finally, I found a guy who was holding a sign that read "La Iglesia de Jesucristo De Los Santos De los Ultimos Dias" when I approached him, he asked me in broken English "Elder Dufort?" I said, "yes" and began asking him questions. He just gave me a blank stare. He didn't speak English at all!
When I got to the CCM, I was relieved to find people that did in fact speak English. While waiting for directions to my room and my companion etc. I was taken to a conference room to wait... As I looked around the room, I saw on the wall a picture of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It was such a relief to see physical evidence that no matter where you are in the world, the Church is still exactly the same. I felt... the Lord was watching over me ...providing some comfort to a slightly confused and overwhelmed missionary. I was then escorted into a room where a lot of white missionaries were. I sat down in the corner of the room. The man giving the lesson paused at the end of his thought and said. "Elders and Hermanas, Elder Dufort has arrived!" apparently I was really missed during the first day! I was then introduced to my companion, Elder Schaefermeyer! (now if that isn't a mouthful I don't know what is hahaha!)
Over the past week... I have come to realize how blessed I am to have him as my companion. He is a very spiritually minded and a hardworking missionary who seems to have read every book on economics you can lay your hands on! he pointed out the fact that yesterday (sept 17th) was constitution day! He is so awesome I can't even begin to write it out.
Now a little bit about the CCM. It is a 3 story building with enough rooms and beds to board a maximum of about 90 missionaries. We are currently at about 75, so we are pushing full capacity. In fact that is why my call was pushed back 2 weeks! They didn't have enough room for all of us! I asked the other elders in my room and most of them had their calls pushed back 2 weeks too. Roughly 40 or so of the missionaries here are US kids, and the rest are Latinos. In fact, there are 2 Latinos in my room! Elder Correa and Elder Acampo. Elder Correa is like a Latino version of Cameron Dayton
I kid you not haha :)
I am on the bottom bunk. Its kind of funny because on the slats above my head are signatures of all the other missionaries that have slept in my bed before me, along with their names and the missions they are serving in. Its so cool to be a part of the Missionary ranks!! OH! a small highlight that made my day occurred during lunch time, a bunch of elders sat at some tables outside, and we had a movie quote competition! I don't even want to try and count all the Nacho Libre quotes I have heard this past week haaha :)
As for the food (for all the men that are interested). Due to the small size of the CCM, the food is AMAZING! My first day here for lunch we had ribs, pork roast, and steak. The other meals since then have all been incredible! I can only think of one meal where I didn't feel satisfied (and mom, there is also a salad bar. Every lunch and dinner I eat 2 hard boiled eggs, a pile of tomatoes, and some cucumbers. I promise I am still eating healthy haha)
My Spanish is improving dramatically too! I think I will be able to hold a decent conversation by next Saturday when we go out proselyting. I have been able to get by with the Investigator lessons we have taught so far.
Overall its been the best week of my life so far. Although some of it has been hard, I know it is all to help me learn and grow to be the best missionary I can be!
Until the next update...