Week Four

So crazy week this week in the MTC as we are getting closer and closer to head out.  It all began with an awesome experience hosting the new missionaries.  Every wednesday a couple hundred new missionaries come to the MTC and are pick up by some of the senior missionaries.  And our district was assigned to help them.  It was so much fun, the excitement that the new elders brought as well as getting to meet new people, which doesn't happen much in the MTC, was crazy.  But I think the highlight of that whole experience was dropping a new elder off in his Mandarin Speaking room.  Your first day in class your teachers only speak to you in your mission language, and the face of that poor elder was priceless as his new teacher came up and started speaking to him.  And I thought german was rough...

 

The next big event last week was travel plans!  So we actually know we are leaving now, I never thought the day would come but on the 28th of this month (in exactly one week) we will be on a plane for germany.  2:32pm next Tuesday we will be flying to Denver, where we have a two hour layover, and then straight from Denver to Frankfurt.  We arive in Frankfurt at 11:35am the following day.  I am so stoked.  And for some strange reason that have given me the responsibility of being travel leader... So I hope we do not get lost. Haha.  But since we got our plans, focus has been close to impossible.  The excitement from all the elders is contageous and I just can't seem to think about anything except getting to Germany and meeting all the wonderful people.

 

On Sunday, we got to watch a talk by Elder Bednar, titled Recognizing the Spirit.  I highly recomend this talk to all those who havn't read it.  I am not really sure how to get ahold of it, because it is a MTC talk, but I am sure there is a way.  It was so inspiring, and an answer to many prayers.  I love Elder Bednar, I feel like as a missionary, every word that is spoken relates exactly to me and what I am looking for right now.  I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve a mission and be a instrument in the hands of our Savior.

 

And then on Monday, we got to go to the outside world.  So my companion Elder Chicky broke his perminant retainer, and so we got to go to the orthodontist. And it was fantastic.  A two hour break from studying and riding in a car.  I kept my eyes peeled for anyone I could have known, but unfortunanly I did not get to see anyone.  This may sound strange, but riding in a car was honestly a big highlight for me.  As I sat around in the waiting area for my companion, in the coolest orthodontist office ever, I heard Call Me Maybe on the radio.  So that pretty much made my day right there.

 

Later that night, my companion and I got chosen to do an example teaching for the new elders and sisters this week, so we were part of a small group of less that 20 elders and sisters to go to a meeting about how to demonstrate teaching.  It was one of the coolest workshop experiences here at the MTC.  Usually when we have workshops, there are like 50 elders in a room and only one teacher, but this time it was so much more personal, we had multiple teachers and we really felt the spirit.  We focused on feeling love for your investigators rather than just teaching them the gospel.  And then on wednesday we get to help the new elders in a workshop experience, which should be a lot of fun.

 

Only 7 more days left here in the MTC and we are going to try and make the most of it.  I have really enjoyed my experience here but I can not wait to go to the field.  Next time I email, I will be in Deutchland! I love all you guys so much and please feel free to email me or write me.  Next week I will put in new address, but my email will always be brandon.blackley@myldsmail.com.  I love this gospel with all my heart and I am so greatful for my Savior Jesus Christ because it is through him that I have felt the greatest joy of my life, being a missionary, and the real work hasn't even started.  I am so stoked!