Imma cut you so bad, you wish I NO cut you so bad - Feb 22, 2013

The title is a quote from Elder F... the big one. Enjoy.

So on Friday was our Pday as you know. We get up at 5 AM IN THE MORNING, YES, to beat the rush of missionaries for the computers. It is a fight to the death, so we try to just avoid it. We go to the temple every friday at like 1:30 I think. It is perfect because it gives us time to nap, which we do, after laundry until the temple. So yeah, I tried to nap last week but it sounded like the triwizard tournament was going on above me. No joke. Either that or a sumo wrestler practicing river dancing. Something was SO LOUD and none of us could sleep. One of my roommates, Elder D, screamed at them after like 30 minutes of it going on. We eventually found out they were making bunk beds two floors above us. Loverly. NOT. We later found out that week - that we needed to make bunk beds for two new people to stay in our room. Yeah that bunk bed is cursed. Not only did we have to wake up early to make it, but It is RIGHT BESIDE my bed so when I get up, and it is pitch black, I slam my face into the metal frame that is the bed and get bloody noses. Yes, that is true.

A few districts in my zone left this week on their missions! All of the Mexican missionaries couldn't get visas, so they got reassigned to SLC... One of the kids got reassigned to his home neighborhood. Yikes. lol. But it was kind of sad saying goodbye to them. They were so kind to us newbies and taught us how to survive the MTC. They will all be great missionaries! I'm so stoked for them.

I saw Sam Oslund on tuesday and she followed me around the whole cafeteria.. creepy. Just kidding. We talked for a good few minutes before she was starting to get in trouble. Haha. She is doing great and it sounds like everyone at BYU is having a blast. I see Elder Turley everyday here. We basically have the same schedule. Even though he has only been here like a week and a half he got his visa and is heading to Brazil on Tuesday! Crazy!! Sunday walks are awesome. I saw Sister Tingey and Hermana Parry. It is so nice to just walk out of the MTC for a few minutes and remember there is a world outside of here. Haha. On sunday there was a Mountain View PIcture by the map. I am going to try and send pictures so hopefully you get them. I also saw Shelby on sunday after the Devotional and talked to her for a little. She is going to love the MTC and was doing great.

So my lessons have been going a lot better. Elder H's spanish is improving so much! It is great for me cause luckily when I dont understand what someone says he does, and vice versa. We had TRC this week, which is where we teach members that come in as volunteers. Since our lesson was in the AM we only had to teach old peeps. They were so sweet and practically helped us with our spanish when we needed it. But we are really doing a lot better. We are trusting in the Lord to bless us. Through faith anything is possible! One of the old guys commented on our accents and said he was really impressed with them. Hey, I'll take a compliment when I can get one! Our progressing investigators are A and M. (aka my teachers acting as people). We visited with A and she is going through rough family stuff. She has been taught by sisters before, but doesn't really understand the gospel and the crux of what we believe in. I wanted to talk to her about trials on this Earth and that we are given them to grow. But the spirit wasn't leading it in that direction. Instead we taught her the first lesson about the restoration and testified that reading the Book of Mormon can give her great comfort, as well as praying to know if it is true. We ran out of time to commit her to do anything. Some more background on her is that her marriage is getting iffy, and she has a twelve year old son doing drugs. I really am praying to know what we need to help her understand and feel so she wants to accept the gospel! It is hard, especially with the language barrier, BUT this is about her. So I know the spirit can help me identify these things even if I don't know a lot of spanish. Our other investigator is M and he doesn't believe in God. He loves to learn, however. I think we are going to tell him he will learn a lot about history if he reads the Book of Mormon. We haven't met with him yet, so I will tell you how it goes when I do.

So my teacher, Hermano R, came up to me while I was blowing my nose and asked me if I had any other ties... Hahaha. I was wearing my square bottom tie and I guess he didn't like me wearing it. So I don't think I am allowed to wear it in the MTC anymore. On a side note a few people came up to me and told me it was the coolest tie they had ever seen. I knew when I put it on in the morning that someone would tell me I probably shouldn't wear it. It was worth a try I guess. Hopefully I can wear it in Mexico. But it was so awkward. He came up to me, mid blow of the nose, and was speaking to me in spanish asking if I had other ties.. I was like duh I am on a mission, Ties are mandatory. Anyways...

So Hermana Parry told me she got my letters and told me that they are embarrassing... WUT. lol. I honestly don't remember anything I write in these emails so feel free - MOM - to edit anything I say. Except I kind of like my letters to be authentic. So yeah jk. But if these are embarrassing then sorry. #sorrynotsorry People keep writing me letters and quote my emails and I dont remember saying any of it... Just saying. Oh and by the way, I am feeling a lot better. My cold is basically gone and my jaw is gradually getting better. WOOT!

This weeks devotionals have been great. I learned about prayer and something else. Sorry, it is hard to remember everything on these emails! AHH. But someone talked about prayer and receiving answers. He explained it like a slower process than most imagine. He talked about receiving answers little by little and building upon your faith to act until you got another piece of the answer. It is God's way of teaching and preparing us. Also, he mentioned that if we don't get an answer then we need to just make a decision and move forward until the spirit prompts us to do otherwise. That's one way to learn I guess. It teaches us patience and faith. I have been learning how prayer works in my life here at the MTC. The MTC is seriously an amazing place to receive revelation and it is so possible if you really try. And it is most important to try so you can learn what you need to learn for your specific investigators needs. Its pretty pretty cool. Well I am really out of time.

I miss you all sooo much, but I'm not homesick. We don't have time to be homesick. I love all the letters and packages from ya'll, so keep em coming. I love you all! I am stoked for all the friends that have got mission calls this past week. I am genuinely excited for you. The mission is amazing. Get pumped. Start learning the language if you can. Just look at flashcards. AND read the scriptures. I regret not really trying to comprehend what I read when I read it. The scriptures are SOO COOL and I am just now figuring it out. At least I am figuring it out this early. Give Scout a hug for me. Keep dear eldering me. It is quick. Love ya. ADIOS

Love, Elder Macdonald