DAY 72 -- Speaking Spanish

Bonnie asked me the other day if I "saw myself" speaking Spanish on our mission.  I served in Mexico forty-plus years ago. I am sure I wasn't that fluent in Spanish, but I could get along, preach the gospel and get into trouble.  I guess that is to be considered when the Brethren look at our mission application papers. 

I spoke "missionary" Spanish, not "living" Spanish.  I mean if someone wanted to speak Spanish about the gospel, the Book of Mormon, about the plan of salvation, I was ready.  Of course it will take a bit of refreshing, study, and remembering.  But all is possible.  Is it like riding a bike?  If someone wanted to speak "real living" it would be harder, for I would have to learn to be a real person rather than one preaching the gospel.

As I have said before in this blog, senior couples are not often required nor asked to preach the gospel.  That is what the younger kids do.  Seniors are often encouraged to lend stability to the Kingdom in many different places across the world.  Seniors are often encouraged to help strengthen those less active. 

Do I "see myself" speaking Spanish in the area where we will go?  To be perfectly honest, I do not know.  I would be glad to go somewhere and speak Spanish.  I remember when coming home I was perfectly in love with the Lamanites, the Spanish language, and being with those humble, loving people.  That feeling of love and interest in them has many cobwebs, rust, and dirt around those memories. 

But let me say this:  No matter where we are called, I will thoroughly enjoy going wherever, learning whatever langauge I have to learn, doing whatever is required of me.  If it is speaking Spanish, then I will love it.  If it is speaking Zwahellislebe, then I will love it.  Bonnie has had the "feeling" that she needs to learn Spanish for the last few years.  She has purchased that speedy learning CD but never spent much time learning Spanish.  I am sure she will pick it up quickly, for she is smarter than I am, can learn faster, and all that.  So, to be fair, perhaps we need to go to a Spanish place so in a month or so, we both will be speaking Spanish fluently, me by practicing and her by learning from scratch.

Let me tell you, all these thoughts have to be going through our minds, for within about 14 days, we will push the button (Max) and submit our papers.  It won't be long now.