Dear Family and Friends,
My time here is getting more enjoyable. I like all the Elders here, and they're easy to get along with. The days still seem to go by slow, but I can't believe it's already Thursday for me. It seems like Sunday was like two days ago. Some of my teachers have said that the time on a mission is a time warp. Every day seems to go by really slow, but before you know it, it's another week gone by. I haven't felt too much like that, but they did say that happens the last 18 months. It's quite the experience. Everyday I learn several new things. I'm actually really starting to love spanish. I think I'm doing pretty good at it too. When we taught the 'investigator' Ever (that's his name), I was going on pretty good on why he should read the Book of Mormon, in spanish! For the past few days, I've said every single one of my prayers in spanish! So when I'm praying for all my family and friends, know that you're being blessed in spanish as well;) As a zone, we've made it a goal to speak spanish as much as possible. Even though right now, most of it is spanglish, the teachers and more experienced missionaries say it always helps.
I don't remember how much I've told you about the special devotional on Tuesday the 31st, but here we go. The First Presidency did NOT come. Sad... But Elders Russell M. Nelson and Jeffrey R. Holland did come. It was so cool to see them! First, Elder Holland came up and shared his testimony about missionary work. That was so powerful. After, Elder Nelson gave a history lesson on missionary work and the MTC. Since this is the celebration of the 50th year of missionary work, that was very appropriate. He also dedicated the five newly referbished (I don't know how to spell that) buildings. That was also very cool.
Well, nothing else too new. I finally saw Kyle, Elder Byington, at lunch. What happened last Thursday was, I emailed you guys, did laundry, went to the temple, then saw Kyle in the cafeteria before I got dinner. So it was like four hours after I told you guys that I hadn't seen Kyle yet that I finally saw him. We took a couple pictures and we've seen each other quite a bit the past week. It was something really cool and awesome to see one of your best friends in the MTC with you when a lot of the other missionaries come from places where they're the only member of the church in their group of friends. I feel really blessed for that.
I guess I haven't gotten your email yet, or something, but I guess I'm not answering those three questions this week. Oh well, I'll just do them next week.
Oh, and here's an interesting story! Saturday, my companion had some bad stomach aches, nausea, cold shivers, and a headache. Since the clinic is closed Saturday and Sunday, we went to the front office and he called the MTC doctor. The doctor told him to take some medication and take a four hour nap, then call back and report. So we did just that. After we called him again, the doctor said that my companion might have appedicitis. So he send us to the ER. We hopped in an MTC van and drove to the hospital! It was pretty cool to see the 'outside' world after three weeks. After about 45 min in the waiting room, outside we saw one of our teachers come into the ER. Her name is Sister Kochevar, and I guess she interns at the hospital. So we talked for a minute as we finally got a room. They did some tests on my companion and gave him some medicine. Our teacher regularly came to find us and talk with us. After our visit was over, at about 8:30, we figured we could eat at the hospital cafe since we already missed dinner at the MTC. So we had some outside food which was pretty good. It was a pretty fun experience, dispite the fact that we had to go to the ER. I'm doing fine though. I haven't felt sick at all. Maybe a little headache here and there, probably from the load we're learning and a little dehydration. But I fix it fast.
Dear Mom,
Thanks so much for fasting for me. I feel really blessed that I'm starting to enjoy in here a lot more. I'm glad to hear that you're doing a lot better. I can't wait to hear how successful your surgery was. When do you think that you'll be back do normal and fixed? I'm also really thankful for the packages you've sent. Those are always nice to open up and see what's inside. The mornings are getting easier. I still don't like getting up at 6:30, but I'll get used to it. I just hate waiting in line for the shower. It's also a real pain to go from almost complete darkness to the extremely bright lights in the bathroom. It takes me like five minutes to finally keep my eyes open. That'll get easier out in the field I think. I'm glad to hear that Kaylee is trying to write me a letter. Let her know that I'll be happy with anything she writes me.
I also wanted to hear more about Alan. I never knew that he had MS. I do remember hearing something about him going to the hospital of Facebook, but I never found out for what. I don't exactly know what MS is either. It's like where the muscles deteriorate? Is that what that one kid had that was good friends with the Beuerman family? And what's the bad kind like?? Another thing, I haven't seen Wes Harward at all. I want to see him really bad! If you can, tell him that my classroom number is 18M-548, and to visit me if he can. Also see if you can get what building and floor he teaches at, so maybe during some of my freetime I can go try and find him. I would really like to meet up with him if I can.
Thank you! I love you.
Dear Kelsie,
Thanks for those swedish fish. They were pretty good, and free. There's a bookstore here and I can get more swedish fish if I want, but it's nice to get them in the mail. I have a favor to ask of you. A couple of us like to sing Disney songs and stuff. Since we have no internet, we can't look up the lyrics in spanish. If you can't find them in spanish, that's totally fine, just let me know. Preferably, could you try and find I'll Make a Man out of You (Mulan), I Can Go the Distance (Hercules), and then maybe another fun one we all like. I remember finding different language versions of those songs on YouTube with the lyrics in those languages written as the subtitles. That would be awesome if you could do that. Thanks so much! Love you.
Dear Dad,
Thanks for sending me that package. I got it and I am enjoying it a ton. I don't know if you've been keeping up on my bank account, but I have been spending a little bit of my money on stuff here. I bought an MTC shirt and a New Jersey Morristown Mission shirt. I also bought some pictures to make my desk area a little more enjoyable. I'm conscious of the weight of my suitcases too when I'm buying those things. I have been keeping my letters too. I think before I leave the MTC, I'm going to send all those letters back home along with some spanish books I've gotten here. I kind of want to keep those letters for now and the books, just as a memory of my MTC experience.
Now that I've had a little taste of what missionary work is all about, I can't believe you were a Trainer you're second transfer! I want to hear more about how that went for you. Were you really nervous? Scared? Or not? Most people here say you don't become even the senior companion until about six to eight months in. Tell me more!
No comments:
Post a Comment