HOOOOLLLYYYY MOOOLLLEEYYYY!!!

Here's the roomies!
From left to right
Wilson, Giesbrecht, Babneau, and me!

So much has happened!! Day 1 at the MTC (mission training center) I was put to immediate work
right when I got out of the car. I didn't even have any time to think about my family, friends, home nothing, We had a video and orientation about what to do at the MTC and then I went to my room. My roommates are Elder Wilson, Giesbrecht (Pronounced Geez-brecht), and Babneau (Bab-no). Elder Babneau is my companion, and he is legendarily awesome! Right off the bat we started becoming friends. I'm actually pretty proud of myself for how not homesick I am.

Elder Grondel taking a swagger selfie

Day two was cool, even though I was tired most the day because the beds are like prison cots haha oh
me and my princess back! We spend so much time in our classrooms every day it's insane! We get up at 6:30 every day, eat breakfast, go to class for about 4 hours, eat lunch, back to class for 4 hours, dinner, personal study for a few hours, then we usually have some kind of activity in the night or afternoon. Every night before bed we're scheduled an hour of gym/sports time (Except for Sunday of course!). I love playing volleyball with the zone and dorking around with everyone, it's great!

We met with the Branch Presidency which was really cool, they're really insightful on spiritual stuff and working the mission field. And hey momma!!! Ask the Durkins if they know anybody named Jeff Collinsworth, because he said he knows them, and he works in the Branch Presidency!

 

But since my visa is super late, I'll be serving in the States for a transfer, and then I'll be on my way! But everyone else's visa is late too, so I don't feel as bad about not being able to go with my branch hahaha

Da bro's at lunch!

The food here isn't all too healthy, so I'm trying to do my best to drink only water and have some kind of fruit with every meal. Don't wanna get all soft while I'm away now... Writing in my journal is a pain honestly, but I'm keeping up with it: There's no free time: personal study is hard to squeeze in , let alone journaling!

We were assigned fake investigators last week, and Wade was one of them, but we only taught him for two lessons because he was actually our teacher and he had to get transferred to another class. :/ His name was Brother Clark, and he's pretty cool. We had another teacher who was THE BEST named Sister Luft, but she got transferred as of yesterday too, so we have no idea who our teacher is now haha But seriously, the whole district was really disappointed that she isn't teaching us.

Elder Sevy, Hoyt, Giesbrecht, Wilson, Jensem, Gondel, de fab companion, and me

Everyone in my district is awesome! Literally, we are all friends and get along so dang well you wouldn't even believe it. But onto the spiritual stuff. We had a role playing lesson with Sister Luft a few days back, and I was the fake investigator. Being the fake investigator really helps to see what they're thinking, even though it's just a little bit, it helps. But it was such a spiritual experience being  in  "Wade's" shoes, you wouldn't believe it! Elder Babneau and I got another "investigator" named "Arnold", and he's what we called a TRC, or works for the "Training Resource Center". This Arnold guy is really cool, but he's extremely resistant to prayer because the last time he prayed, it was because his wife was dying of cancer, and he said he poured his heart to God just to give her a few more years, and she ended up dying a few weeks later, and that was 40 years ago. But that was a huge testimony builder for myself and my companion: we both undeniably felt the Spirits presence, and that was amazing. After that we taught another TRC Investigator named Sharon. The sisters that were scheduled to teach her didn't show up (buncha schmucks!), so the WHOLE DISTRICT went into her little class room and listened to her story for about an hour. Elder Wilson and Giesbrecht didn't come because they went somewhere else to do personal studying, which was actually what we were supposed to be doing, but getting to know her was well worth it.

 

Me in front of the Provo Temple

On Sunday we did a Temple walk, where we went around the temple as a zone and took pictures with each other and as a group, and it was heaps of fun! We took tons of pictures, but I might not be able to send them until I get out of the MTC because these computers don't have towers, so we're trying to find another way to send the pictures

Elder Babneau and I are the perfect companionship though! We got along on day 1 and whoever paired us together was definitely inspired by the spirit. We've got a bunch of inside jokes with each other and the whole zone already, we have so many ridiculous conversations with each other during meal times, but the cool thing is that when it's time to study and prepare for our investigators, we pray and we buckle down to prepare amazing lesson plans.

AND we get to meet the new district that comes in on Wednesday! Honestly, the weird thing is that I know it's only been a week, but we do so much during the day it feels like it's already been three weeks or so, it's crazy!

The Elders in my district are:

We woke up one morning and there was 

snow on the mountain behind the temple! 

Had to take a picture, it was awesome

Babneau (My tizight companion)
Wilson (roommate #1)
Giesbrecht (roommate #2)
Grondel
Jensen
and Sevy (Pronounced see-vee)

I love all you guys over there, stay safe in whatever thing you, and God be with you till we meet again :)
-Elder Cook