Santiago's First Email

This email is straight from Santiago. I (Stephanie, the sister) will translate parts of it in italics.

i apologize now for bad grammar because these keyboards are not like the ones back home! and i have been so focused on spanish not english these days. my spanish is way better than i thought it would be after only like a week. i definitely see the hand of the Lord everyday here. the gift of tongues is real and i experience it constantly. my district is awesome!!!! i love these kids. we are all really good friends now. yesterday, we all kind of bore testimony of stuff and the spirit was the strongest i have yet felt here at el ccm (The CCM or MTC). also, we gave two priesthood blessings last night to two elders. really humbling experience. our district has had the opportunity to teach a real investigador Marcos. he works at el ccm but is not a member. the whole district, 5 companionships, has taught him all in a row over 4 days. that means 20 lessons in 4 days. he was so interested in the church and el libro de mormon (The Book of Mormon) the first day. mi companero y i (My companion and I) gave him a libro de mormon. i marked some of my favorite verses---ether 12:6, mormon 9:27, moroni 10:4-6, 2 nefi 31 (Nephi 31), and a few more. i asked if he would read those and pray about them. he did and he told me the spirit witnessed to him of the truth. all three days, me and mi companero, elder fulcher, have been the last to teach. so we gave him the ldm the first day. on the second day, he told us the spirit witnessed to him. after our lesson the 2nd day, i invited him to baptism. he said he wasnt sure because his mom would not be happy with his decision. i gave him some advice and told him to put his faith in Christ because all things are possible through him, i also told him to pray for this cause. on the third day, when elder fulcher and i walked up to him. all we said was hola, como esta. he said muy bien. i've decided to get baptized. HE COMMITED TO BEING BAPTIZED ON THE 8TH OF JUNE!!!!! i was so happy. he was so happy. he knows the gospel is true. on the fourth day, we taught him some more. i then asked him to bear his testimony to us. the most simple, humble, and amazing testimony because it was so new and fresh. i almost can't believe we've commited someone to baptism before leaving el CCM. The spirit is amazing and i felt it every single time i talk to him. El CCM is awesome. the beds aren't super comfy, but after a long day, i'm out like a light. the food here is SOOOOO good. love me some latino food. except it's not all you can eat, but i got the hermanas in my district to give me the left overs of their comida--i mean food. did i mention my district is awesome? cuz they are. The dias here are long, but the semanas are so short and fast!! (The days here are long, but the weeks are so short and fast!!) the templo yesterday was awesome. it's so small, but the spirit is still so strong!