Wednesday, June 24, 2009
A call home...
On Wednesday the 17th Loren was able to call home from the Salt Lake airport before he left for Houston. Loren was very positive and upbeat. The tone in his voice was very different. He was very calm and patient when he spoke, and for any of you who know Loren, those to qualities were not ones he had conquered before his mission. He told us about the precautions that the MTC was following, due to the fact that there were a few elders that had the swine flu there.He talked about how good the food was and how much he had loved being at the MTC. He wanted to know how his friends and extended family were doing.He was very inspirational and definitely in the teaching mode-sharing scriptures with us and his testimony. He was rearing to go!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Letters from the MTC
Loren has reached the end of his stay at the MTC, however, he has had to sty an extra week due to the fact that there has been Elders there that have had the Swine Flu. He is not sure how much longer he will have to stay it could be this week or possibly the 15th. I thought I would post some of the things he has wrote in his last few letters. He has done really well writing to all of us and hopefully he will keep up the good work. So here are some of the less personal, but nonetheless informational and good things from his letters.
June 4th-
It is week 3 and a half, I wish I was in Houston but oh well, It is really hectic here because there is so many missionaries here and not enough room. Its like we are in a layover in an airport, like we have no idea what the next day is going to be like. I love being a missionary though, It is really good to be wearing the saviors name on my badge.. This past tuesday, Elder Walter F. Gonzalez from the presidency of the first quorum of the seventy was here. He was really good and I am really glad I am not sick here at the MTC. So I dont know exactly when I am 100 percent leaving here, maybe monday or tuesday. Or maybe the 15th, I am completely in confusion sometimes here. We dont even have teachers anymore because they are moved on to the new elders that took our spots.Once I know for sure I am leaving I will let you know some how and the day I am leaving. So I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for being here and working hard for the Savior and His gospel. I am improving everyday here and im more obedient and more in tune with everything. It is a blessing to know that the gospel is in my home in idaho. God does live and does blesses our family everyday. It is so cool too, I havent felt homesick at all, which is good because it is very hard for some elders.
June 1st- So today is monday, the June 1st, two days before june 3rd which is when i am leaving. But due to the major outbreak of the flu, The MTC isn't letting anyone leave this week. It is absolutely crazy, this morning we had time to pack up our luggage, and I had about 80 percent packed then.Then on our way to lunch, we stopped at the travel offices because we heard a rumor about some elders not being able to leave this morning. So it said on the door, that nobody will be leaving this week! I was devastated, and my whole district felt down. But anyway I am totally not sick, fully healthy and yeah I gotta totally and fully unpack! HAHA, So I am here for one week maybe two, I am pretty sure I am here for another week. I seriously cannot wait to go to TEXAS, but I know that this was supposed to happen. It is a way serious thing here at the MTC, all missionaries that are coming in this wednesday (500) cant have there parents come into the MTC at all. And also there has been like 5 cases of serious influenza like H1 and H2. Sometimes they are a little too excessive on the seriousness of it. I mean its the Flu, just tell the missionaries to stay in the rooms for the day and sleep. But anywho, I am very blessed to be here for another week even though I should be gone. I get to refine my skills a little bit and eat good food and enjoy having a good companion. I am very excited to be a representative of Jesus Christ, Our Savior and our Redeemer.
May 28th-
So I am sitting here in the wonderful mtc laundry room on this computer next to my companion and just in awe about how fast this experience is here. I got my flight plans last friday, I leave the mtc at like 630 am then i head to the airport and i leave to houston on delta airlines at 10:05 am, on wednesday june 3rd. I arrive in houston at about 2:05 pm, central time so three hours aint too bad. I have to pay about 40 bucks for bag checks because its delta! But anyways I love my companion, he is like my brother, we got each others backs and we look out for each other. I am glad we got a lot in common, we are so unified in our teaching its incredible. So after the first week of just packing in the first lesson, We moved on to the second lesson, which is easier because we know how to study and teach to the needs of investigators. Every tuesday and friday we teach mock investigators here. We do very good but the only reason why is because the spirit guides us. Without the spirit there we would like a bunch of idiots that are all nervous. I have made a lot of new friends. So we have gym time like 4 times a week, and the other day the basketball gym re-opened after maintenance. My companion loves basketball just like I do, we did a game of texas vs. iowa. We can only play three on three, so we had two elders rotate in every time someone score. I only sat out once, just because I never got tired, I cant believe im in shape because I eat so much!! haha yeah I felt like Paul Milsap of the Jazz, and my companion was like Deron Williams of the Jazz. We play good together. I am a much different type of basketball player this time, i out hustle everyone and do all the grunt work of the low post, dad would be proud of me.So this past tuesday, was the devotional and it was Elder Callister of the seventy, he spoke at snow last september, he is really amazing. He talked about the Atonement. I am soaking up the knowledge here at the MTC, its like i am sponge, I am turning into a good listener and a really caring person. I have a lot of scripture references memorized. Its so amazing, the gospel and missionary work. I love it, and I cant wait till next thursday when I am officially out in the field for the first full day. I cant wait to leave here, because its kinda annoying sometimes, I want to teach "real people."
So that is all I have for now. I will keep everyone posted on whether or not Loren will leave this week. For his sake I hope he does, because it is obvious he is itching to get out and teach.
June 4th-
It is week 3 and a half, I wish I was in Houston but oh well, It is really hectic here because there is so many missionaries here and not enough room. Its like we are in a layover in an airport, like we have no idea what the next day is going to be like. I love being a missionary though, It is really good to be wearing the saviors name on my badge.. This past tuesday, Elder Walter F. Gonzalez from the presidency of the first quorum of the seventy was here. He was really good and I am really glad I am not sick here at the MTC. So I dont know exactly when I am 100 percent leaving here, maybe monday or tuesday. Or maybe the 15th, I am completely in confusion sometimes here. We dont even have teachers anymore because they are moved on to the new elders that took our spots.Once I know for sure I am leaving I will let you know some how and the day I am leaving. So I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for being here and working hard for the Savior and His gospel. I am improving everyday here and im more obedient and more in tune with everything. It is a blessing to know that the gospel is in my home in idaho. God does live and does blesses our family everyday. It is so cool too, I havent felt homesick at all, which is good because it is very hard for some elders.
June 1st- So today is monday, the June 1st, two days before june 3rd which is when i am leaving. But due to the major outbreak of the flu, The MTC isn't letting anyone leave this week. It is absolutely crazy, this morning we had time to pack up our luggage, and I had about 80 percent packed then.Then on our way to lunch, we stopped at the travel offices because we heard a rumor about some elders not being able to leave this morning. So it said on the door, that nobody will be leaving this week! I was devastated, and my whole district felt down. But anyway I am totally not sick, fully healthy and yeah I gotta totally and fully unpack! HAHA, So I am here for one week maybe two, I am pretty sure I am here for another week. I seriously cannot wait to go to TEXAS, but I know that this was supposed to happen. It is a way serious thing here at the MTC, all missionaries that are coming in this wednesday (500) cant have there parents come into the MTC at all. And also there has been like 5 cases of serious influenza like H1 and H2. Sometimes they are a little too excessive on the seriousness of it. I mean its the Flu, just tell the missionaries to stay in the rooms for the day and sleep. But anywho, I am very blessed to be here for another week even though I should be gone. I get to refine my skills a little bit and eat good food and enjoy having a good companion. I am very excited to be a representative of Jesus Christ, Our Savior and our Redeemer.
May 28th-
So I am sitting here in the wonderful mtc laundry room on this computer next to my companion and just in awe about how fast this experience is here. I got my flight plans last friday, I leave the mtc at like 630 am then i head to the airport and i leave to houston on delta airlines at 10:05 am, on wednesday june 3rd. I arrive in houston at about 2:05 pm, central time so three hours aint too bad. I have to pay about 40 bucks for bag checks because its delta! But anyways I love my companion, he is like my brother, we got each others backs and we look out for each other. I am glad we got a lot in common, we are so unified in our teaching its incredible. So after the first week of just packing in the first lesson, We moved on to the second lesson, which is easier because we know how to study and teach to the needs of investigators. Every tuesday and friday we teach mock investigators here. We do very good but the only reason why is because the spirit guides us. Without the spirit there we would like a bunch of idiots that are all nervous. I have made a lot of new friends. So we have gym time like 4 times a week, and the other day the basketball gym re-opened after maintenance. My companion loves basketball just like I do, we did a game of texas vs. iowa. We can only play three on three, so we had two elders rotate in every time someone score. I only sat out once, just because I never got tired, I cant believe im in shape because I eat so much!! haha yeah I felt like Paul Milsap of the Jazz, and my companion was like Deron Williams of the Jazz. We play good together. I am a much different type of basketball player this time, i out hustle everyone and do all the grunt work of the low post, dad would be proud of me.So this past tuesday, was the devotional and it was Elder Callister of the seventy, he spoke at snow last september, he is really amazing. He talked about the Atonement. I am soaking up the knowledge here at the MTC, its like i am sponge, I am turning into a good listener and a really caring person. I have a lot of scripture references memorized. Its so amazing, the gospel and missionary work. I love it, and I cant wait till next thursday when I am officially out in the field for the first full day. I cant wait to leave here, because its kinda annoying sometimes, I want to teach "real people."
So that is all I have for now. I will keep everyone posted on whether or not Loren will leave this week. For his sake I hope he does, because it is obvious he is itching to get out and teach.
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