Interesting and Confusing First Week at the MTC...

Kyle sent a quick note to test his email address before he sent this email. For some reason he doesn't have an introduction nor does he sign off...we'll see if that changes in the future.

Ok,
So i just went to breakfast, then we went and got the mail and i did have some stuff come through dearelder.com something from whit, and something from dad.

ANYWAYS...this week has been crazy, i've had like 3 different companionships. Elders Dommer and Beatty were my companions for like, less than 24hrs. On thursday morning, we did a language evaluation, and i got placed in intermediate, along with one other Elder from our district, Elder Gaspar. We didn't know until we got called to the front of an LGM (large group meeting), and were told that my 2 companions were now with his 1 companion (elder ward), and that we were companions now.

We went with a guy to an office, and had to switch a bunch of stuff, which was a HUGE bummer. I had already unpacked all of my stuff, and had it organized how i wanted it, and then we were told that we had to move all of our stuff to a whole new building.

We met our new district, moved our stuff, traded our keys, and then went back to class. Our teachers are great. We have 3 main study periods through the day, each of which is a couple of hours long. Usually Hermana Johnson teaches in the mornings, and Hermano Vance teaches in the afternoon, and then we have MDT (Missionary Directed Time) in the evening. MDT has 3 parts, each an hour long. Personal, Language, and Companionship Study.

ANYWAYS....Our new district had Elders: Probert, Hatton, Diaz, Hales, Mccutchan, Stuart, and now Elder Gaspar and I. On that first day that we got there, however, Elder Diaz went home, becuase his father is dying of cancer, and has only about 2 weeks left to live, and he was having too hard of a time concentrating on anything but that. Elder Diaz WAS Elder Hales companion, but Elder Hales got put with Elders Probert and Hatton.

Those 2 elders were in the room with Elders Mccutchan and Stuart, and since there are only 4 beds in a room, Elder Hales was in a room with 2 Elders from another district. On Sunday our branch president heard this, and his records showed that Elder Gaspar and I were alone, because the 2 Elders in our room are also in a different district, so he made the assignment for us to be companions with Elder Hales (btw, he's the district leader). When the branch president found out that Elder gaspar and I DID have roomates, he said that he would think about it, but that our threesome was permanent, and that we'd fix things when the elders that are in my room leave for their missions, which should be in about a week and a half. wow. Confused!?!?

Anyways..Elder Gaspar is from Virginia, and grew up with his parents speaking spanish all the time. He can understand a lot, but has trouble speaking. Elder Hales is from North Carolina, and took a lot of spanish in High School. He's really good at it!

Funny info: The Swine Flu Quarentine residence is in my building! :D We have to walk past that floor to get to our rooms ever day! Yesterday, Elder Mccutchan started aching all over, and we found out that he has a unidentifiable viral flu, so he has to wear a mask most of the time, but isn't contagious.

Also...on the first day, i coughed at the wrong time. A nurse heard me, and immediately made me go get tested for swine flu. it is HORRIBLE. They take a stick sort of thing and shove it up your nose further than anything should be admitted. But don't worry. I'm negative!

Dad, i don't know if you remember Elder Cobb...when i went through the salt lake temple, he was the other elder coming into the MTC that was in our session, he's staying in the room right next to me. He's committed me to doing 10 pullups on the pullup par in our residence hall before HE leaves to his mission field. He leaves in like 5 weeks :/. I don't know how that's going to work.

On a more spiritual note, the spirit here is amazing. I don't think i've ever felt it so strong, or in so many instances throughout the day. One of the best things that i've learned to do so far is pray for the spirit to accompany me before i do anything. Even with memorization and stuff like that, the spirit helps retain information SO well.

So far, i've memorized the purpose (on page 1 of PMG) in spanish, as the section of the first vision that tells about the light coming down (vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol, directamente arriba de mi cabeza, y esta luz graduament descendió hasta descansar sobre mi...al reposar sobre mi la luz...... you get the point!

Anyways, it´s time to go to the temple. I´ll try to get on later and write a little more if i can, my timer shows that i´ve got like 9 minutes of email time left before the day is over. I´ll check this around 1 or 2, while my laundry is going.

Hasta luego. love ya´ll