Hola Familia,
I don't really know where to start because I have a lot to say and a lot of questions to answer. First of all Mom, thanks for the package! Those brownies were amazing!!! Also, yes I did get my drivers license and the phone cards. It looks like those phone cards should be fine. I have to get a haircut within 5 days of leaving, so soon! Maybe I will end up looking totally different. There is a Miata just like mine in the parking lot of the MTC all the time, it makes me want to go for a drive. Okay now to the good stuff.
Last week was a great week. I feel like at the MTC I learn more in a week than a year anywhere else, it truly is amazing. On Friday we had a special devotional and there were 7 apostles there. It was amazing. Elders Holland, Packer, Anderson, Bednar, Nelson, Oaks, and one other that I can't remember were there. Elder Bednar talked about being a preach my gospel missionary, it was way cool. PMG truly is inspired and is an amazing help to all members of the church. It puts the gospel in its simplest form, yet we can all learn something from it. The gospel is simple, it's absolutely beautiful in its simplicity. Elder Bednar said a bunch of cool things, but I don't have my notebook with me, so I will have to tell you about them some other time. On Sunday, Elder Walker (I think that's his name, like I said no notebook) who is the president of the missionary department spoke to us. He was awesome. Absolutely hilarious, but awesome. He had elders stand up and say things that they left behind, and one elder said, "I left watching sports." Elder Walker then said, "oh so you didn't get to see Jimmer get drafted". Then he proceeded to say in front of 2400 missionaries and mission presidents, "We (the mission department) tried to draft him, but he chose the NBA!" For a few awkward seconds everyone didn't know what to do. Then one kid chuckled and the whole place went crazy. Maybe you had to be there, but it was absolutely hilarious.
This week we began teaching the first lesson in Spanish. Well kinda more like Spanglish for me, but I'm trying. Needless to say I got real frustrated. I felt like I couldn't say anything I wanted to, and it made me really upset. Well, when I calmed down, I realized this is going to be my challenge of the MTC. I need to learn at the Lord's speed and in the Lord's time. I know that when I get discouraged and upset, it is Satan working on me. I became really scared that I would never learn the language. Needless to say, fear opposes faith. We should not fear anything if we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a renewed faith in learning the language, and although I know it will be hard, I know that I will be blessed because of it. We learn most from our challenges. Also, I have come to an understanding of just how personal the atonement is. Jesus didn't just feel how it felt to be frustrated about learning a language. He felt how it is for me to be frustrated. Every single thing we have felt, he has felt, and he is right there with us helping us out if we just ask him too. Pretty amazing isn't it. I have been studying the atonement a lot this week. I wish I could understand more, but this I know: It is real, and because of it, we always have someone to help us out.
hmmmm what next. My teacher's name is Brother Matsunaga, he is 100% Japanese, from Hawaii, and teaching me Spanish. He is an awesome guy. He teaches us tons, and makes it way fun. Elder Smoot and I have gotten to be way good friends. I feel like we have known each other for years. We have a ton of fun together, but we still work hard. We get up at 5:20 so we can get some extra language study in, and we are getting rewarded for it. I know there is a reason we are together, and I am grateful for the opportunity. My whole district has really come together this week. I have learned to love everyone for their differences, and I can honestly say I love them all. Our room is kinda the hang out place for our district, and when you get my memory card you will see what I mean. Ha ha it's a lot of fun. When we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ we are happy. He wants us to be happy. Isn't it great? Mom, I went to the temple at 6:40 so I was there a little before you, but I'm glad you went. Its amazing. I'm almost out of time and I forgot about my mission president. Wow 30 minutes isn't enough. My mission president and his wife are AMAZING. He speaks hardly any English, but his wife speaks a little. They are young, they have kids 15, 12, and 10. They say they want us to think of them as their parents, and I think I will. They are amazingly happy. I will write more snail mail cause I'm getting kicked off. I love you all!
Last week was a great week. I feel like at the MTC I learn more in a week than a year anywhere else, it truly is amazing. On Friday we had a special devotional and there were 7 apostles there. It was amazing. Elders Holland, Packer, Anderson, Bednar, Nelson, Oaks, and one other that I can't remember were there. Elder Bednar talked about being a preach my gospel missionary, it was way cool. PMG truly is inspired and is an amazing help to all members of the church. It puts the gospel in its simplest form, yet we can all learn something from it. The gospel is simple, it's absolutely beautiful in its simplicity. Elder Bednar said a bunch of cool things, but I don't have my notebook with me, so I will have to tell you about them some other time. On Sunday, Elder Walker (I think that's his name, like I said no notebook) who is the president of the missionary department spoke to us. He was awesome. Absolutely hilarious, but awesome. He had elders stand up and say things that they left behind, and one elder said, "I left watching sports." Elder Walker then said, "oh so you didn't get to see Jimmer get drafted". Then he proceeded to say in front of 2400 missionaries and mission presidents, "We (the mission department) tried to draft him, but he chose the NBA!" For a few awkward seconds everyone didn't know what to do. Then one kid chuckled and the whole place went crazy. Maybe you had to be there, but it was absolutely hilarious.
This week we began teaching the first lesson in Spanish. Well kinda more like Spanglish for me, but I'm trying. Needless to say I got real frustrated. I felt like I couldn't say anything I wanted to, and it made me really upset. Well, when I calmed down, I realized this is going to be my challenge of the MTC. I need to learn at the Lord's speed and in the Lord's time. I know that when I get discouraged and upset, it is Satan working on me. I became really scared that I would never learn the language. Needless to say, fear opposes faith. We should not fear anything if we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a renewed faith in learning the language, and although I know it will be hard, I know that I will be blessed because of it. We learn most from our challenges. Also, I have come to an understanding of just how personal the atonement is. Jesus didn't just feel how it felt to be frustrated about learning a language. He felt how it is for me to be frustrated. Every single thing we have felt, he has felt, and he is right there with us helping us out if we just ask him too. Pretty amazing isn't it. I have been studying the atonement a lot this week. I wish I could understand more, but this I know: It is real, and because of it, we always have someone to help us out.
hmmmm what next. My teacher's name is Brother Matsunaga, he is 100% Japanese, from Hawaii, and teaching me Spanish. He is an awesome guy. He teaches us tons, and makes it way fun. Elder Smoot and I have gotten to be way good friends. I feel like we have known each other for years. We have a ton of fun together, but we still work hard. We get up at 5:20 so we can get some extra language study in, and we are getting rewarded for it. I know there is a reason we are together, and I am grateful for the opportunity. My whole district has really come together this week. I have learned to love everyone for their differences, and I can honestly say I love them all. Our room is kinda the hang out place for our district, and when you get my memory card you will see what I mean. Ha ha it's a lot of fun. When we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ we are happy. He wants us to be happy. Isn't it great? Mom, I went to the temple at 6:40 so I was there a little before you, but I'm glad you went. Its amazing. I'm almost out of time and I forgot about my mission president. Wow 30 minutes isn't enough. My mission president and his wife are AMAZING. He speaks hardly any English, but his wife speaks a little. They are young, they have kids 15, 12, and 10. They say they want us to think of them as their parents, and I think I will. They are amazingly happy. I will write more snail mail cause I'm getting kicked off. I love you all!
Elder Reeder
Jan, Thanks for posting these letters! It's so nice to get to stay up to date with what he's doing. We'll write some letters tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteAnjanette