Email on 28 October 2010

28 October 2010 #3

Hey y'all!  How’s it all going?  Life is going great right now.  I have been happy since the day I got here.  Not that I don't like being with you guys but I am having a wonderful time.  I guess though I am a horrible typer or that I don't make my sentences clear enough because I am typing faster than Mavis Beacon herself.  But you all wrote to me about things I never really meant to say.  One of them is the crying.  You all wrote to me about how it’s okay to cry.  I guess you guys didn't understand my sarcasm or joke but I was joking when I said it’s not manly to cry.  I cry all the time.  You all know that.  I was joking about the sisters too.  It doesn't bother me.  Actually on Tuesday we had Elder Richard G. Scott come and give a talk.  (We had two apostles in a row which never happens) and we all bore testimony afterwards and there was not a single dry eye in each and every one of us in our district.  Elder Scott gave a great talk about the Spirit but I have no time to tell you about it, but I know how much Mom wants to hear it.  Well this week I am more prepared.  I marked everyone's letters to I can answer their questions by mail.  (This week will be a better letter, I promise) also through the week when I thought of saying something to you guys I wrote it down on a card.  So I will be going through that right now.

When I was in line at lunch I started to talk with this Elder behind me named Elder Kent.  I asked him where he was going and he said Chicago Spanish speaking.  Then he asked me where I was going and I said Sydney Spanish speaking, and of course he said that’s where he wanted to go.  (By the way I have gotten that like 30 times now, I guess I got the best mission call ever because that is where everyone wants to go.)  So I asked him where he is from and he said Huntington Beach, CA.  And I was like, “Do you know any Monsons there?”  And he said, “I do.”  I then asked, “Do you know a President Monson there by any chance?”  And he said, “Yeah I do.”  And I said, “Is he a lawyer and his first name Kevin?”  And he said, “Yeah, how do know this?”  (At this point I just should have pointed at my name tag and ask him to take a guess.)  I said, “That’s my Uncle.  And he said, “No way!”  He said he loves President Monson and that Uncle Kevin is his favorite speaker and just gave a talk before Elder Kent left on a mission.  He says Uncle Kevin is hilarious and one of the best speakers ever.  Umm, like yep, that him all right.  So I thought that was cool.

Well Jon everyone loves my Malta ties.  Every Elder in my district wants one but I said no.  But we are all going to wear them on Sunday and take a picture.

Also Dad and Mom, last week I said I got 5 letters.  I meant I got 5 letters the day before.  So I have actually gotten about 20 or more letters.  Everyone I got.  I’m not going to count because the Dear.Elder.com format is like a scroll and they are all mashed together but I have by far the most of any Elder and have gotten more packages than any other Elder too.  I got your Halloween package too - thanks.  I won't eat most of the candy; I think I will just share.  I have actually lost 5 pounds so far.  So I hope to be the only Elder that goes on their mission losing 15 pounds. 

Umm, I had another George Clooney experience.  A companionship came up to me and said they wanted my picture taken because I look like George Clooney.  So I said why not.  So they took my out of the cafeteria and their whole district took pictures of me and called me Elder Clooney.  I guess they saw me many times before during lunch and their whole district thought I looked like G. C.  Now my district calls me Elder Clooney as a joke now, and now everyone thinks I look like him, especially when I come my hair like his.

I am having a blast.  I laugh nearly everyday and something funny always happens.  I am eating healthy and eating a lot of cottage cheese.  My district makes fun of me because I love it so much.  I tell them it’s a magical food, if I just imagine any dinner or food I want, the cottage cheese taste like that.  They also like to make fun of my New Englandness.  They always say, "Well, we do things differently here in Utah than in Rhode Island," and stuff like that; its pretty funny.  It’s also funny about their stereotypes of Rhode Island.  They think people out east are smart and rich and preppy.  Also they make fun of my accent, and I didn't even realize until now that I have one.  I caught myself when I said, "Why aren't you eating your tots?" but I said "taughts" like a New Englander and they always point that out to me.  So I guess I am a true New Englander.  The Spanish is getting tough, I am struggling a bit and I am also struggling on staying focused in my studies but I am improving.  I had to give a door approach in Spanish, which is hard.  The lady at the door said "I play the piano", in Spanish.  So I wanted to say I play the piano too.  But for some reason I confused tocar (to play) with contar (to sing) so I said, “yo conto piano tambien.”  She looked so puzzled and I was like “what, I sing the piano too,” then I realized I was saying sing instead of play and I just couldn't help myself form laughing.  Wow time flies by fast.  It’s been 2 weeks and it has felt like it’s only been about 5 days.  4 Elders and Sisters will leave next Wednesday to go to the Peru MTC.  I will miss them; I have been having a fun time with them.  They are like my other brothers and sisters.  So our district will be very small in next week.  After that week we will only have 2 districts in our zone, so hopefully more districts come in.  Well I am running out of time, I wish I had more but I will be writing letters to you all and answering your questions that you wrote to me.  I promise they will be better than the last letters I wrote to you all.  Well take care.  I love you all.  I hope everything is going fine where you all are at.  I’m loving it here and having a great time.  I am struggling on teaching and Spanish so if you all could pray for me that would be great.  Love you all and I will talk to you soon.

Love,

Elder David Monson