Hola Familia!
Everything is going great here at the MTC! I have been having a great time since the day I left the car. I love it here. I have an awesome district. There are three of us who are going to Australia Sydney Spanish speaking. My companion Elder DeCamp, he is a nice guy. He has a strong testimony of the gospel and is a great guy. The other Elder who is going to Sydney is Elder McNiven, who I really like. He is funny and a great guy who works real hard and has a very strong testimony. I like him a lot. He has a companion who is deaf and is going to California. There are ten of us in our district. It is a very strong district and I feel the spirit 24/7. There are two more elders who are very funny who are going to Ecuador, along with two other Sisters. All four of them will go to the Peru MTC in November. So they are here for only 3 weeks. Then there are two more Sisters who are going to California and Salt Lake. We all are Spanish speaking of course.
The first day of the MTC went nothing like everyone told me. I got my bags, left Mom and Dad and got my stuff. I then went to class and we stayed in class the whole day. They didn't teach us how to pray in Spanish and they still haven't; but today I am teaching myself. At the end of the day we got settled in our resident halls, which is building 17, top floor. Everyone is very nice and the Spirit is strong here. I love it here. It gets a little nerve racking though that I forgot almost all the Spanish I learned in high school but I know the Lord will help my in my Spanish if I try my hardest.
2 nights ago I got sick. I guess Rachael finally gave it to me before I left. I had a bad sore throat and my nose started to bleed while I was sleeping and then my pillow fell of the bed. And yes, I am on the top bunk! It was a horrible night but everything is getting better. I feel better now.
The food is good. I eat well and I am eating fruits and veggies every meal and I like it. Just to let you know, I ate a tomato! I am trying to eat the healthiest I can. There isn't a lot of healthy food here and there is not cottage cheese. I exercise every day but Sunday and P-day, which is on Friday's just to let you know, today being the exception. I usually run a mile a day and after I run a mile I play b-ball or 4 square.
The work is hard but its great. I get discouraged at times about the language but I know if I keep at it I will get it down. My companion is from Vernal, Utah. My days are busy of course; if I am not in class I am either studying, or I am eating.
I like the Elders and Sisters. We have a fun time and we are doing great. I am making close friends but it will be a bummer when 4 of them leave in 3 weeks. I am not feeling homesick. I know I am doing the right thing and I feel great about it. Elder McNiven is our DL. Which wasn't a surprise to me. He is a great guy and for some reason I just knew he would be the DL, we all did.
Right now I am washing my clothes, which is a new thing for me. I got your packages and letters. Thanks guys, it means a lot to me. I have received the most letters out of any other Elders. They are jealous. But this DearElder.com thing is great. I receive my mail every night. I will get email on my prep day but I only have 30 minutes so I suggest you write me through DearElder.com because if you send those before 12 o’clock, I will get it that day, which is nice. And it’s hard to write an email in 30 minutes.
Oh, I saw Hermana Keller just to let Rebecca know. She only talked to me in Espanol so I could only understand about half of what she was saying to be. And no joke a guy at lunch stopped me and told me I look like a young George Clooney. NO JOKE! I laughed and said I get that all the time. So I guess its not a Rhode Island thing.
Well I love it here. It’s fun but hard. I am enjoying every second of it. The hardest part is teaching and finding how to see the needs of the investigator, but it will come to me. Then Spanish is a bit hard. I am struggling a bit but I memorized my purpose in Spanish and I have been practicing as much as I can. I know I have more to say but I can't think of anything.
Well everything is great. I love you guys. Hope everything goes well for you all. Don't worry about me, I’m doing fine. I will email you guys next Friday around the afternoon time I believe I don't have my schedule on me but I believe that is the time.
Oh yeah, just to let you know, I leave the 13th of December, not the 15th.
Love,
Elder Monson
