First off, I'd like to thank everyone (especially Mom & Dad) for the letters sent this week, they were great! And an extra thank-you to Tony & Paul Coffaro, Silvia, Eli, and all other cousins and famila who have me in thier thoughts, I'm praying for you guys also. And I did get the package, and I shall say: ¡bastante gracias! The peachie-o's were great!
Ok, I'm going to hurry, because we only have 30 min to write e-mails, and I only have 27:30 min left!
Before experiences, here are answers to your questions: 1- I'm very good (tired half the time) 2-Elder Tempest is from Draper, UT, and Elder Blackwelder is from Orange County California 3- I do have a locker so my personal stuff is safe 4- I usually pray at 10:30 every night (right as I go to sleep) 5- at this point I'm not worried about traveling to Peru/Ecuador, now I'm super worried about learning the language in time! Cause as soon as I get off the plane, 100% español. 6-Yes, I get the DearElder letters every day, so keep 'em coming! (My Preperation days are on Thursdays, so that's the only time I can write to you guys) 7- I haven't seen any general authorites yet, but we've had 2 firesides so far: Sunday and Tuesday, and they magnificently great! 8- To Mom, yes, sister Ghent remembered you, and she is President Ghent's wife's sister. 9- Spiritual experiences? Yes. All this time I've been learning that the most important thing to do while teaching discussions to others is the sheer power of the Holy Ghost. It is by far more important to have the spirit than to have a lesson ready, and it is the REAL teacher when spreading the gospel. While doing discussions in Spanish in our class, there have been about 2 times when someone will be teaching in Spanish, and I have some difficulty in understanding what they are saying, but when they testify, and the spirit overwhelms the room, everyone could feel it, and it was strong. Although it was in a foreign language, I could still strongly feel the spirit. 10- Yes, I do need something. Just some more while ankle socks, I only brought 2 pairs but turns out I need one every day for GYM. So.. I'd say about 4-5 extra pairs would be enough, they usually don't get dirty enough to wear once then wash.
Essentially, the MTC is just stupendous. I've finally overcame apadtion to my classes and schedule. Personal study is always a great time to think, and classes with our District are great for learning to teach as a group. During language study, everyone pitches in by helping each other out with the language and flash cards, and our teachers know the right things to say to us.
-And cool story: on Saturday, all of our District went to choir practice (very optional, about 200-300 out the 2600 missionaries here attended it, I think) and Elder Tempest and I were the only ones left. So, we were eating dinner in a less than busy lunchroom because most of everyone was still at choir practice, and an old couple came and joined our empty table with cookies and milk. Who were they? The MTC president and his wife! They are both extremly kind and caring, and while everyone else was busy singing, the 2 of us had a very neat experience having dinner with the leader of the Training Center. (I guess they do that kind of thing alot, the other day the Devotional Pianist and her husband joined our table)
And I will say.. Sunday was the longest day of the week, not in a bad way, but just literally. The day consisted of meetings, study time, and interviews, but for some reason, it just stretching time to a screetching halt, after lunch was over, I seriously thought it was time for bed, and in my mind it truly felt like 7pm, but it was only 1! Crazy EH! And the fireside in the evening was a sight to behold, about a thousand missionaries singing their soul out to the Song, "Called To Serve"
At the MTC, we do it very differently. The song is altered to be longer with an extra chorus, but we start the first verse extremely quiet, almost under our breath, growing louder with each verse as if we were "an army slowly marching from behind a hill onward" and at the start of the last verse, every stands up and exerts all their self to sing as powerfully as possible. (Quick note to Erik, the most goose-bumps ever, you're gonna love it!) And I guess it's pretty rare, because they only do that about every 2 months, and my I wish you could've been there. And not only that, but the talks themselves were pure inspiration, I was stunned! (and eventually drew pictures of all the speakers later :)
So, it looks as if I'm almost outta time, but I'll send an additional letter with photos in it for everyone (I can't do it through the computer, so far as I know yet, and they gave us a set of Spanish scriptures, a Spanish 'preach my gospel', and a water purification water-bottle!)
¡Adios! (which if you break it down, A-Dios, 'A' means to, and 'Dios' means God. So Adios sorta means, 'With God' , neat huh?)
-Elder Sanders
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