Return with honor mission memoirs#2

With that backdrop I went to what I thought looked like the moon, Antofagasta, Chile.I met President and sister Wagnar. My first companion or trainer in the field was Ryan Jesperson, also from Orem, Ut. We had a running mission and Elder Jesperson taught me how to work.I was so homesick that at night I would dream of being on family vacations.It was such a blessing.We were in Calama, a mining town next to the biggest open-pit mine in the world, chuquicamata. I remember trying to memorize the mission discussions while walking and attempting to communicate with the locals.Ryan Jesperson was a district leader and during one of his lessons on the third discussion, he wanted to stress the importance of teaching by the Spirit and asked me to teach a principle to the other missionaries. I was terrified because of my lack of studying this discussion, I was only working on memorizing the first.After I struggled through, Ryan smiled and said in Spanish, "You see Elder Baugh doesn't know how to say everything perfectly, but you feel the spirit when he tries."I smiled and reminded myself that he was complimenting me.I will never forget this experience or him cutting my hair, kneeling in prayer with him outside of an appartment complex, in the dark both physically and what felt like spiritually and emotionally and the feeling of hope and joy that came to both of us to continue to work, the branch president Hermano Cofray and his faith, and last but not least meeting teaching and feeling the conversion of Luz.He is still in contact with me and takes care of me as his missionary "son,"since he was responsible for training me as a missionary. He was the best trainer that I could have hoped for, and is a great friend.
My second companion was Bill Rounds who was from the "factory" of Utah as well.I was his companion over my first Christmas away from home, which meant my first phone call to my family. Bill was very understanding of me braking down and crying while on my phone call with them. He had confidence in me and had me teach anyone and everyone.
My second area was in the most well to do area in my mission and where my mission president lived.With Elder Steel, who helped me learn to laugh at myself while working hard.In our ward, after bearing my testimony, President Wagnar came up to me to compliment me saying, Elder Baugh, it is great that you just speak what you feel and do not worry about using the right congugations."I felt deflated, was it not obvious that I did care and was trying everything I knew to communicate correctly?!