February 25th Email

February 25, 2014

Hey Mom,

How are things at the house? I'm sure Harley was happy when you picked her up. Things have been going great here at the MTC. We've been learning loads of skills that will help us greatly out in the field. When I'm in the classroom, I pay very close attention to what the teacher is saying and jot down whatever feels important. I'm getting plenty to eat here at the cafeteria and have been working on my eating habits. My whole district is all confident that I can improve my eating and get over any road block that comes in my way. The companions I'm with are great. They always keep an open heart, open mind, and open kindness. They always have jokes flying when in the class to keep others awake and alert.

The MTC has changed me so much in my short time being here. It doesn't feel like a week here until you get going and realize that time flies when you learn for four hours at a time. In the short amount of time I've been here, I have gained such a strong testimony on the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We constantly do role plays to figure out how to handle certain situations with investigators. We learn the doctrines everyday and learn how to apply them to the investigator's needs and concerns. The first few days here were hard and I couldn't get much sleep here. The hardest part of the day was the six to nine o'clock sessions where we were all just tired and wanted to go to bed. But yesterday we all seemed to be alert and awake to what was being taught. We are all getting use to our schedules and are all getting to be good friends. We all participate in class and all get along with each other. Together we all learn and grow off each other to become a better district. We see our strengths and weaknesses and strive to improve. 

I miss you all and will be eager to hear from you in letters and e-mails. Invite those who wish to keep in contact to ask for my e-mail and address when I write you in California. See you all when I get home and hope to hear from you.

 

******

We can certainly see changes already in the way he speaks and thinks.  He is fitting into the role of missionary very well.  

Below is a picture of The Christus.  This is a statue of Jesus Christ that stands in the Visitor's Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It is a replica of the famous statue sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen which is located in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints placed the 11 foot replica of the statue in the Visitor's Center on Temple Square in 1966 to emphasize that we are Christians and that Jesus Christ is the center of our religion.  As a family we love to look at this statue when we are there.  The marks in his hands and feet really bring home the sacrifice he made on the cross for us.