!Hola chamos!
!Este semana fue muy excelente! Era muy bien a verlos en la Navidad por Skype. 🙂
This week was excellent! It was good to see you, mi familia, on Christmas through Skype. 🙂 Although that was only a few days ago, it feels so far away already!
Haha, so, I was so excited to see you guys that day that I totally forgot to tell you what President Killpack is “giving” our mission for Christmas this year — we get to go see ELDER HOLLAND!! In a week!! In Phoenix! They had originally planned a big meeting for the five missions in Phoenix with him. Upon realizing that they had excluded the most awesome mission EVER, the only other one in Arizona, they asked Elder Holland if we could be invited, too. He welcomed it!! Which means that we are leaving our mission boundaries next Saturday and going on a roadtrip to Phoenix. We’ll be traveling in buses. I am so excited!!! 🙂
So…we had mice in our house this week. We live right by some cotton fields, so this is pretty common. Hermana Solomon and I were just sitting there, eating lunch, when we saw one sprint across the room into our bedroom. Did you know that I’ve never actually seen a mouse before? Well. I’ve had plenty of experience now, I tell ya! We went after it with a mop and a broom, to no avail… I felt like I was in Mousehunt, the movie! We got some mousetraps and loaded them up with peanut butter and set them by the little holes we found. We went a day without anything… but the next day, as I glanced down by the fridge, not expecting to see anything but peanut butter, I was very surprised to see (I’ll admit I may have freaked out a little) a dead mouse down there! Turns out we had two. It was so much easier to catch those things than it was in that movie!!
I love being a missionary. 🙂 This week I have seen so many small little miracles; I have seen how the spirit leads me in little ways so much more! This work is amazing, and it is truly the work of Heavenly Father. I know that He is preparing people to receive His message – I see this every day and it is beautiful. Pray and search for opportunities to share the gospel with others. Every person you see is fighting a hard battle – one that can be won with the knowledge of the gospel. Be friends with everyone. Give referrals to missionaries – this is an act of love!
I love you all, and am out of time. Please read D&C 18:10-16 ; ponder it. 🙂
Love,
Hermana Sutherland 🙂
hermana kylie sutherland 
Buenos dias, hermana Sutherland,
¡Que maravilloso es para mi leer tus cartas cada semana!
Me gustó leer sobre tu experiencia con los ratones. Tuvimos una experiencia similar aquí en nuestra casa en Nampa hace unos dos años.
Será un privilegio tremendo escuchar al Elder Holland. Él tiene una manera muy especial de expresarse, su selección de palabras, su emoción, y su Espíritu.
Antes de que se me olvide, unos consejos pequeños sobre el español:
No es necesario decir “más mejor”, solamente tienes que decir “mejor”. Esto se refiere a tu carta de la semana pasada, si me acuerdo bien.
En esta carta que nos escribiste dijiste “Era muy bien a verlos…” Sería mejor decir “Fue tremendo o maravilloso verlos …” o sea “Fue” es mejor en este caso porque ocurrió un solo incidente, ese de ver a tu familia por Skype. (Fue is the preterit tense and is used for single events that are not repeated vs Era which is the imperfect tense for ongoing events of the past.) También otro punto: “verlos” incluye “a” to see you is just verlos, not a verlos. If you wanted to say “I am going to see you or I am coming to see you” then it would include the “a” as in “Voy a verlos” or “Vengo a verlos”. That may not make sense right now, but it will start sounding better as you hear the natives more.
I remember listening to the natives, how they said things, trying to pattern myself after them, even though natives don’t always speak correct Spanish since their models did not speak correct Spanish. However, for the most part you can trust how they say things. Your companion, if not an almost greenie, can help you. Having a native companion some day is a real blessing. I had one once and learned so much more Spanish. I almost hate to be mentioning these things because it might sound like criticism when it is really intended to be helpful.
So, setting aside grammar stuff, I feel such a strong spirit from your letters. Your attitude and enthusiasm are wonderful and will carry you throughout your mission and bless you and your companions as you work with the people, even difficult and doubting ones. Your killer smile will also soften hearts along with your humble testimony. It also never hurts to be beautiful, but even the “sweet spirit” sisters can reach people with their testimonies.
I am looking forward to hearing your report on Elder Holland’s talk. He says it like it is and feels his words. He is probably more blunt and straight forward than most General Authorities, but I actually like that style of speaking.
Pues, te deseo lo mejor en todo. En nuestra familia de no más dos (con Eric en Tennessee Nashville Spanish speaking) oramos mucho por los misioneros de nuestro barrio y por los misioneros que sirven por todo el mundo.
Hasta luego,😊el hermano Moss
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2013 04:58:29 +0000
To: mossfam3@msn.com
Hermano Moss,
Gracias por todo, especialmente su consejo concerniente la gramatica! Estoy aprendiendo; es mas facil para mi entender cuando otras personas estan hablando, y a veces cuando hablo y escribo, no se cuando debo usar cosas especificas. Gracias por su ayuda! Y muchos gracias por todo su comentario. Fue divertido leyendolo en espanol tambien! “Chamos” is an Argentinian word I learned from my companion that means friends. Espero que su familia esta bien. Cuidate!
Con aprecio,
Hermana Sutherland
I forgot to inquire about “chamos” since I don’t recall having heard that before. Is that kind of like amigos or something? Brother Moss
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2013 04:58:29 +0000 To: mossfam3@msn.com