March 11, 2013

March 11, 2013

     Since this is our last day in the MTC and since we are the last group to email nobody cares how long we stay on the computers, so I've been on  for nearly and hour now. I uploaded loads of pictures and sent them to y'all, I hope y'all can see them all. If you have any questions about any of the pictures just send that picture back to me with your questions and I will explain it. Also, I forgot to tell you that I talked to some of the Samoans about Elder Brown and some of them knew him. I showed them a picture of him just to be sure and sure enough they knew him. Apparently he is teaching something over in Samoa, but I couldn't understand what they said he was teaching. It might have been a church class? I'm not sure. And there is a missionary here, Elder Brown, who reminds me of Elder Sadleir so much. He is about 6'2", you'll see him in some of the pictures. I even call him Sadleir for fun sometimes. Nobody can replace the giraffe man Sadleir, but for two years I'll be glad I have Elder Brown here. And Elder Larson is cool too, he has the second youngest looking face in the MTC. Brown is in my district (we are the mighty Jacob district) but Larsen is not. However, I still hang out with Larson quite a bit, like we eat together and what not.
     Man, I am still so pumped for Jay going to Uganda!!! Somebody go throw him in the pool or do some other punishment to him for not getting his call when I was at home. Most of the days here that I went to play sports I played touch rugby on the hill instead of basketball because it's really fun. And on top to the hill we had a really nice view as well as a wonderful constant breeze. And we are really close to the airport so every time we go outside we can see and hear jets coming and going. There is a nice courtyard in the middle of the MTC so sometimes we go sit at the tables out there to study or for classes and I always see some planes. The weather is nice enough that on the first day here we opened the windows in our room and they are still open right now, its awesome. I'm so pumped to go to the field tomorrow and meet my trainer and see my first area! I've been excited for every new thing. Like on the airplane I sat next to Brown and he even mentioned yesterday how I was so excited the whole flight. He said, "You're always excited. I love it" so I'm just trying to stay excited and am enjoying being a missionary. I absolutely love the MTC devotionals we get to watch here. They record them in Provo and then they re only played at the MTC's around the world. I wish you could watch them online. I absolutely love Elder Bednar's talk on how to tell the difference between your own good thoughts and the Spirit. He said, "Quit worrying about it!" and the story he shared about him as a missionary picking up Elder Boyd K. Packer at the airport. It's an awesome story. See if you can find it, but if you can't let me know and I'll write it out the best I can for y'all. I need to go pack now, but I'm glad I got to write and send this much finally! Love you guys! :) Bybsactw! ;)

(Bybsactw is a family abbreviation for a saying I repeat every time the kids leave home, text, call, or practically even come into contact with me. haha 
Be your best self and change the world!)

     When Keaton was around 8 or 9 years old he was going out to play and as usual I said, "Be your best self and change the world!" He stopped and said, "Do you really think I can??" I was on automatic pilot that day and asked, "Think you can do what?" *embarrassing* He replied, "Be my best self and change the world." I immediately told him, "I don't think you can. I know you can and I know you will. That's why Heavenly Father sent you to this earth." He happily ran out the door to play.
     A few days later, Keaton ran into the house jumping up and down exclaiming, "I did it! I did it!" I was so excited for whatever he had done and asked him, "What did you do?" With the biggest smile he could get on his face he told me, "I was my best self and I changed the world!" He proceeded to tell me about the wonderful thing he had done. He's been his best self and changing the world for years. With all of his previous experience and excitement for life, I think he's a pro.