like, I knew it was huge down there and that I should expect to play it a lot. I was right. So in the MTC, it's all I played, trying to get a little practice before I got completely embarrassed. I've always been fast and pretty talented at sports, but nothing like a D-I athlete. Still, I always felt I could hold my own and besides, it was fun to play. I'm also 6'1" which makes me a giant in South America and trainer was this 5'9" 150lb dude with an infectious smile who loved to laugh about everything.

First time we played pick up soccer, I was like "okay, here we go. let's see how terrible I am". I was sorely disappointed in my abilities. SORELY. When Trainer got the ball, I couldn't touch him. he would get around me like I was nothing. he could run circles around me before I knew he was behind me and he would play in his freaking dress shoes! If I went wide, he'd kick it between my legs, if I stayed close to home, he'd go wide before I had my stance set. I literally couldn't even see him. This little kid from Ecuador had a speed and finesse I was just in awe of. I couldn't play defense or offense on him. I thought to myself, I'm in for a long mission of sports sucking.

Fast forward to my first mission conference and we had a mission-wide soccer game. I was SO intrigued that if my little Ecuadorian companion was so good, imagine how good the best players in the mission would be. There were some tall, athletic and strong looking dudes at conference and you could tell they all loved the sport. I couldn't even imagine being on the same field as them.

Turns out, Trainer ran circles around everyone. he was SO good. the whole time he had me believing that all latinos were ridiculously good because he looked so non assuming and what were the odds that I'd be paired with the best soccer player in the mission? but he had a finesse and skill no one else did and it took a mission-wide game for me to see just how good he was.

I also learned for the first time that I wasn't horrible at the game either, I was actually well above average and I'd learned quite a bit playing with the best. I wasn't the suckiest sucker who ever sucked after all! I just let someone else guard him.