12/23/2008 (Week 1)

Hello from the Great Tundra that they like to call Utah!! It has snowed everyday so far except today. I am really enjoying what is going on so far. My companions are Elder Beckstead and Elder Fuller. Beckstead is from Lehi, Utah and Fuller is from Seattle, Washington. I really like them both. Beckstead reminds me of the Christensen boy that was really into horses. His dad is a Mink farmer and he helps on the farm. He also does team roping at the rodeo. He has a twin brother that left 5 months ago serving in the Chile Santiago West mission. He is really awesome likes to laugh and all sorts of stuff.

I was a retard yesterday and today. I wore short sleeves with my suit coat. I only have 6 long sleeves apparently so I had to do it. I have 2 teachers.

Hermana Amupuno from Ecuador and served in long beach and Hermano Hildago from Mexico who served in Riverside. And next week we will loose hermano Hildago and get Hermano Vance but I don't know who he is. I got all three of your packages and your letters. The cookies were really good. Carol sent me a package as well and I got a letter from Scott on Saturday.

This week has flown by. The Spirit is really strong here and everyone seems happy. I surprisingly have seemed the least anxious/homesick out of my companions. By the way me and my 2 companions are our zone. On Sunday I played the piano for sacrament meeting. I butchered Joy to the World and I think it is because everyone was singing in Spanish and it through me off. Then I played I Stand All Amazed for the sacrament hymn and Silent Night for the closing hymn and played those fine.

We have a pretty big zone I guess. We have 2 districts that are fluent Spanish speakers. One kid in my zone I had seen at EA. I had never talked to him there but I have talked to him here. He is from Mexico and is going to the mother of all missions. New York City south Spanish. (actually New York City North Spanish would be the best because it is actually Manhattan) We have had some good devotionals. Tomorrow there is supposed to be a big one with I am guessing a General Authority. And the Christmas I am guessing some more Authorities. I have heard that every missionary in the MTC will receive a gift of Christmas. (It is snowing again....shocking!) There is a kid in my zone from Idaho Falls who knows Tyler Lythgoe.

We have been pretty busy. Our classes have been in all Spanish at the request of myself. If we are going to learn Spanish we mine as well here it all the time now ya know. How is everyone doing? How has Grace been? Are you excited to go to Stacy’s for Christmas? Did you guys put my address in the ward program? Did a lot of people ask how it went on Sunday?

Some observations-
1. All the clocks in every church building are the same
2. The MTC is like its own little city complete with a store, cafeteria, toilets, barber, laundry, missionaries, workers, etc. etc.
3. There are a lot of missionaries here
4. There were 483 missionaries that showed up with me from 22 different nations
5. I will be sending things home because we got the four standard works in Spanish along with Preach My Gospel and everything else English missionaries got, we got in both English and in Spanish.
6. I am having separation anxiety from the Suns.

Please send-
1. Athletic socks, we go to the gym 5 days a week and then there is p-day and I only have 4 pairs of socks so 2 more would be great

Well I am done with my first week and so far so great. We will not be able to call on Christmas. We are however to going to the temple on our P-day once it opens again on the fifth of January I believe. Well I think Ii have gotten everything I can in the thirty minutes that I have. I hope all is well at home. I love and miss you. I know that Christ lived and died for us and there is no greater service you can do then to serve the Lord. I hope you have a happy safe and Merry Christmas.

P.S would you like prints of pictures because I can print them here in the MTC.

P.P.S.S. President Packer once said. It takes a really good meeting to beat no meeting at all!! I like that!