Last week in MTC

Holy cow... My time at the MTC is almost done! This is the last P-Day I'll have here and then I'm off to New York! That is both exciting and a little scary to think about... But this past week has been really good! Time is definitely warped here at the MTC... I feel like it's been a long time that I've been here, but as I look back on each day it seems like it has flown by. We do have our flight plans for Tuesday! Our flight from SLC leaves at 7:05 AM, so we get to wake up at 3 in order to go to the airport!  We have a layover in Detroit. We'll be there from about 12 until 2 in the afternoon. Then we're going to land in Syracuse around 4 or so, then have a few hour drive to Utica. Should be an exciting day!

MTC life is still going good!  I've enjoyed the pictures I got from my family, the "downstairs" Cedar Hall girls, and Sarah Henretty!  Helped give my room a little bit more personality.. :D Thank you all for everything you've sent!  That's awesome!

We haven't quite had enough time here to get the food schedule down, but we know that there's ice cream on Wednesdays and Saturdays! Pretty exciting stuff! (The ice cream is really good...)

Speaking of ice cream, I've gained a little weight! Hahaha! But, on the positive side, I think it's because I'm actually working out here, unlike the past little while. I might be a little bigger when I get back, but hopefully not softer! Once I get to New York though.... the pizza won't help me out. But while I'm here at the MTC I've been trying to eat pretty healthy. I always have a big salad with my lunch and dinner, and I've aquired a constant craving for salad croutons. They're the only way to give my lettuce a little flavor, considering I don't really enjoy salad dressing.

I've run into a lot of people from Cedar City and Roosevelt that I know! Let's see if I can remember everyone I've seen..Sister Gillespe and her companion Sister Butters a LOT! They are on a similar schedule to me. I've also ran into Sister Empey and Sister Reid from my Mission Prep class. Then I've seen Elder Glen Reber, Elder Cameron Alldredge, Elder Daniel Farrah, Elder Myles Anderton, Brother Karson Yack, and Elder Kevin Roberts? (I don't remember for sure if his last name is Roberts... but it might be. Oops! Also, sorry if I misspelled people's name.) Then yesterday when I was a "Host" missionary, which is the missionaries that swoop in on the new Elders and take them away from their family, I saw Elder Jeremy Evans! That was cool seeing him because he was one of my Ward Missionaries at school! So I was actually his host and took him around campus and showed him everything. Pretty cool experience!

And speaking of my experience being the host missionary... About 10 of the Elders (Elder Chappell and myself included) hosting were lucky enough to be chosen for a special assignment. There were about 10 missionaries from Korea here that spoke very little English, but still needed to be taken through campus and shown a few things.  It was an adventure! Have you ever tried to show someone who spoke no English how to work a padlock before? That was a very interesting challenge. After about 10 minutes and a lot of hand gestures, we finally got it figured out. Then I was cracking up as we were walking around campus, because all of the Japanese and Chinese Elders were trying to talk to the Korean Elders. We were all laughing about how everyone was just assuming where they were from is where they were going on their mission. I tried to learn how to say hello from the Korean Elders I was escorting, but it was super complicated. I forgot really quickly after they told me. Doesn't help that saying hello was about a five word phrase! But it was cool getting to see the new Elders for sure! I felt lucky that I was able to do that.

Pretty crazy that my time is almost over here though as I look back! But it's been really cool being here. Food is still pretty good, and the lessons have been cool. Just yesterday, Elder Chappell and I taught 4 different investigators lessons! It was pretty fun! Our investigators, Ryan and Sacha, and both doing really well. I also taught a guy named Cedric that was really good to teach as well. Felt the spirit really well during those lessons. Then Elder Chappell and I have been meeting with a guy named Alexander who is a Haitian. He has a super sweet accent that is sometimes hard to understand and is a great guy that already is doing most of what the Gospel brings to people and likes reading the Book of Mormon, but he refuses to believe anything about Jesus Christ being our Savior. He just won't believe us and won't pray about it. Kinda frusturating. But he's still good to meet with.

Well, a half hour flies by pretty quick when I'm emailing! I hope all is well for everyone at home! Don't worry about me, I'm loving my experiences here! My testimony has grown a lot and I've had some really cool things that I've learned while I've been here. The Gospel is a huge blessing for us, and while I knew that before the mission, I'm learning it more and more each day I'm here. I'm learning to rely on the Spirit a lot more and follow its promptings and I can already feel it guiding the lessons, not me!

Alma 26:12- "For I know that I am nothing, as to my strength, I am weak. Therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things..."  Amen!


Love you all!