PICTURES!!!

Another letter... YAY!! And he included pictures!!

Here are all the people going to San Fernando with him in front of the Temple on P-day.

Elder Monk and Elder Sheets (his former companion) in front of the Temple.

Dave's broken finger on the left. He broke his finger the first week he was in the MTC playing basketball and this is how is looks two weeks later. He is just beginning to be able to move it again.

The "missionary" send-off. This is how the missionaries send a district of missionaries off before they enter the field. The night before they leave, they dress up in their countries colors and have a little 'ceremony' in the hallway of the MTC. :) The things missionaries do...

Dave's district 'posing' outside the Temple.

The one second to the left on the top row is Dave's current companion.

No explanation needed :)

He is doing awesome in the MTC - learning lots but also enjoying his time!! In his letter he also included his daily schedule - I thought it would be interesting to share:

6:30 Wake-up

7-7:30 Breakfast

7:30-10 Class

10-11 Gym Time (this would be when he broke his finger)

11-12:30 Lunch

12:30-4:30 Individual Studies (Which includes 1 hour of personal study, 1 hour of companionship study and 1 hour of language study. The other hour is for free time - this is when Dave and his companion usually go to the Referral Center and take calls.)

4:30-5:30 Dinner

5:30-9 Class

9-9:30 Planning

9:30-10:30 Shower, etc.

10:30 Bedtime!

What a day!!!

Halfway There

It feels as if he left just a few days ago... but he is already halfway to the field!! Can't believe it?!

His weekly email was great as usual!! He is working hard, learning lots, and doing his best!! He had a great experience again at the Referral Center. A man called in and asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon. Dave was obviously excited about the situation and asked what prompted the man to call in. The man replied "that he reads The Bible often but that he feels like there are truths mission from The Bible. He also said that he lived by a couple of members and they just seemed to have something that nobody else had." Dave agreed completely with the man and talked to him for awhile about the gospel and ended up basically teaching him the first discussion. He said the man started to get emotional during their discussion and agreed to allow the missionaries in his area teach him. What a great experience?! Dave was very excited about his first 'real investigator' teaching experience. He will do great work in the San Fernando area!!

Countdown to San Fernando!!

Time is flying by so fast!! When Dave writes me each week he adds a little countdown until he arrives in San Fernando - 38 Days from today!! YAY :) He is so excited to serve the people in his area and to begin working. He will do great work.

Dave's email/letters this week were awesome!! He sounded great:) He is feeling much better after his cold and adjusting well with his companion. I think his companion has been struggling to find his purpose on a mission, but it sounds like Dave has been a wonderful example and support for him. He is such a caring person for all.

He also was very excited because he had his first "missionary" experience this past week. He has been working at the Referral Center at the MTC lately and a few different people called to order videos while Dave was there. He was able to speak with a some non-members for a while and eventually was able to convince few of them to read the Book of Mormon and let the missionaries come to their houses to deliver the books and share a message with them. He was very excited about the experiences and said that he couldn't wait to be out in the field and to be the missionaires to actually go and see these people. What wonderful experiences he is having?!

One thing Dave shared with me in my letter this week was about attitudes. (The following are parts of his letter) He was reading the story in 1 Nephi about Nephi and his brothers, in particular when Nephi was commanded to build a ship to cross great waters. Each of the brothers were going through the same trials and tribulations in the wilderness, but "Nephi put his trust in the Lord and saw all the blessings while his brothers doubted..." We all have struggles we have to face in our lives but "it is amazing how a positive attitude changes the view of an experience." What an awesome lesson he taught me this week!! It is amazing how much he is learning and how much he has already grown. He will be a great teacher in San Fernando!!

Spanish

It is crazy to think that young adults are sent to MTC's around the world and expected to learn a foreign language in 60 days!! But they do learn the languages.

In this week's letter from Dave he said, "the spanish is still coming. I know the grammar now, I just need to epxand my vocabulary." - that was only 1 1/2 weeks in the MTC!! Amazing. He even wrote parts of his letter in spanish!! (I am a little rusty on my spanish, so I had to use the internet for translating!) He also was able to bear his testimony in spanish this past Sunday - he was very excited about that and thankful for the opportunity.

I am so proud of him and can't wait for the next letter!!

Rough Week

P-day #2 - so it's been a hard week:
#1 Sick. The worst possible thing in the world is being away from home sick! So Dave caught one of his usual colds he randomly gets throughout the year. Only this time it also included a fever - no fun :(

#2 He has been getting along so well with his companion and other roommates, but this past week an elder in his district had to return home for medical reasons so some shuffling of elders took place and Dave was moved. Dave is very focused on his mission and succeeding and it seems as if the new room he has been placed in has more goofing off than he wants. All things are for our experience and good - he will adjust and will be a great example to all he is around though.

Other than the little bumps throughout the week, he is doing awesome!! He is serving the Lord and learning lots!! So proud!!

One more thing, missionaries LOVE letters... :)

First Letter!!

So I received my first letter yesterday!!
He is doing so well!! The days are long, classes begin at 7 am and end at 9:30 pm, but he said "the MTC is an amazing place, the Spirit is amazing." He also said the language is beginning to come back to him from high school, even though he thought they covered 3 years of high school material in the first two days!! : )
He said that his companion "is great!" Elder Sheets "is quieter like (him) but we get along well." He is from Evanson, WY and they are in charge of teaching priesthood on Sunday. How exciting?!
He seemed very enthusiatic about all of the work he has been doing and will be doing. He is scheduled to leave the MTC on August 27th to begin teaching the people of San Fernando, California!! YAY for Dave...