11/1/2018 titled "Letter 2 Electric Boogaloo"

Week 2 of the MTC. It definitely went faster than the first week. This email is just going to be a splatter of experiences, descriptions, and stories probably.

More about my companion: Elder Miller is from Arizona. He likes basketball, and played on a national team in high school, which is pretty rad. He's pretty goofy and can make everyone in the district laugh. He likes rap and country music the most, so we're kind of on the opposite when regards to the music spectrum.

MTC cafeteria food is a hit-miss. The breakfasts have gotten old really fast. It's the same "egg loaf" (scrambled eggs that's really more of a loaf than a scramble), bad ham, and oversalted hash browns every other day. The lunches and dinners range from great to bad. For the most part it's better than what I ate in college, but that's because I was paying for food and being super cheap, I ate sandwiches and rice. We sit together as a district for most meals. We're all pretty tight.

The main events really at the MTC are the TRCs, the lesson trainings you do. Following last P Day, Tyler didn't show up to our lesson with him on Saturday, so we taught a senior elder. However, this week, he was referred to us again. I heard from someone that if you get referred to the same person, it's because they like it. But it could also be because he didn't show up on Saturday. We are also teaching Aleska this week. She is nice and fun to talk to. She is from Ecuador but lived in New York most of her life. She hates the cold, and had a cold when we met her, and she twisted her ankle or something, so she's kind of been out of it, but she's fun to talk to.

It's getting a little cooler in Utah. Cool enough for the people from warm places to hate it, but for people hardened by the tundra of the midwest to be fine with a light jacket.

In our zone there is a district that has a companionship of an Elder Christiansen and an Elder Ward, and they are rooming with an Elder Bell. Interestingly, One of the new districts in our zone has a companionshio of a sister Christiansen and sister Ward, and they are rooming with a Sister Bell. What're the odds.

Tuesday's devotional was given by Elder Carpenter of the seventy and his wife. They talked about effective companionship, both in the mission field and for eternity. I'm not even in BYU and I can't escape the marriage lessons. Jokes aside, it was a good devotional.

We got to host new missionaries on Halloween. I brought candy to give to the new elders I hosted. It was fun, except when I needed to carry one elder's luggage (which was quite large and heavy) up to the third floor of his residence hall.

So one time going to dinner or lunch, there was a massive line for the main meal (burgers iirc), so me and a sister missionary in our zone decided we liked the alternative enough and enjoyed smaller lines enough to part ways and get food in the alternative line. Anyways, we talked quite a bit. We grab our food and part ways to sit down. Immediately when I sit down, An older gentleman approaches me. I get worried because some people are super strict about elders and sisters not being supposed to talk 1 on 1 with each other. I think "oh no this could be awkward if he asks me about *gasps* talking to a girl." And he says "So Elder, do you have strong feelings about---" my heart stops. In my mind I was already thinking about what I was going to say when he inevitably asks me if I had strong feelings for that sister missionary.... but no. He finishes saying "--that banana." He explains that either his wife or another elderly woman (dont remember which) wanted a banana but couldn't find one. I gladly handed him the banana on my tray and he returned later with a fudgesicle for me. Kind man. I'm glad I could help out an old sister missionary. Good opportunities happen even to those who talk to sister missionaries in the cafeteria.

I met a guy from Cottage Grove who graduated this year from Park High School, and was on the robotics team, 3883 Data Bits. It was nice to talk for 20 minutes about robotics. I also met another guy in our zone who was on a team from Hawaii who was going to UVU this past year. When I told him about 6844 Provotypes, he said he would have loved to help mentor them and would love to do so when he gets back. So if any of you 6844 people are reading this, Good luck this upcoming season!

I got my white pants stained. It was big sad. I was sitting in the Provo Temple and had a temple Bible on my lap, and when I put it back on the seat when I got up. There was a black stain on my pants. Urgh.

Also I love the costumes from the PL ward Halloween party, and glad mom won the chili contest. Mom makes a mean chili. Also super jealous Dad and Dave are going to the ELO concert.

If I think of anything else later, I'll send it.

[mom's note: I asked him about apples and jello] Also about the food, the green apples are decent, and the bananas are usually great. And jello is extremely elusive. They appear very rarely and in limited quantities. I have yet to get some.

It's crazy to think next week I will be in Arkansas. This is Elder Evans checking out.

Pictures

1) the district. From left to right starting at top, with their mission:

Elder Cox - Mesa Arizona

Elder Freeman - Mesa Arizona

Elder Miller - Little Rock Arkansas

Elder Ridenour - Mesa Arizona

Elder Molloy - Mesa Arizona

Elder Richards - Mesa Arizona

Elder Kramer - originally Virginia Chesepeake, now doing service mission at home in Seattle

Elder Gabrylcyk - Virginia Chesepeake

Elder Steele - Little Rock Arkansas

Sister Boehme - Little Rock Arkansas

Sister Searing - Little Rock Arkansas

Sister Parry - Mesa Arizona

2) Got the cat. A lot more willing to be picked up than Magic or Servo

3) saw a praying mantis. Pretty neat

4) went to the Provo Temple last P Day. A lot bigger than the St Paul one. Also really cool experience. Met a 92 year old temple worker who served in Minnesota and North Dakota as a young missionary. He remembered being in the St Paul area and Lake Minnetonka.

5) the sisters in our district are the real MVPs. They sometimes come in and give us treats or write us notes. They are the best.

6) the views are pretty nice. This is the Provo MTC.

7) Elder Steele found some tiny "clout glasses." This is Elder Dennis, an elder in our zone, sporting the classy shades.