It feels like I have been in
the MTC for a month already. So much has happened and I've learned so much! So
I'm in a tripanionship with Elder Stewart and Elder Allsop. Both are really
great guys, strong in the spirit. Sometimes they get on my nerves but I love
them anyway haha. They're both going to Everett Washington, along with one
other sister in my district. Our district has 4 sisters and 3 elders, everyone
going to either Ogden or Washington. So yeah, somehow I'm the only male going
to Ogden.
I mentioned in my
letter to my parents that the food isn't that bad, and at the time it actually
wasn't. The more I eat it, I realize that I'm eating below average food, which
after a while begins to feel like a lot of crappy food. I'm so ready to leave
the MTC just for that reason lol.
I can't remember the
specifics of what has gone on everyday here, but I will mention the best things
and the things that have stood out to me. Other than that, just a lot of class,
class, class, and more class. Oh yeah, role play.... In class! I had the worst
attitude on role play when I came out here, but now after doing it so much I
guess it really isn't that bad, although I could definitely live without it
though.
The 2nd day of the MTC
was the longest day of my life, just as every return missionary told me. Our
teachers had class all day, or something, so we literally just did personal and
companion study all day long, with some other activities thrown in to keep us
sane. Not much happened that day and it was super boring.
Friday was much
like Thursday but just more class, and we were able to teach our
first (fake) investigator as companionships, who was really just our teacher.
For our first time teaching together we did pretty well.
Saturday, I really
started feeling the effect of getting less than 9 hours of sleep for the first
time in forever. The classes seemed to drag longer than ever, and on top of
that it really started hitting me how homesick I was. Not only homesick, but I
was stressed out because there was just so much information being thrown at me
and it's ridiculously overwhelming. I prayed and read my scriptures and I felt
a little bit better, but still couldn't sleep much. All the missionaries here
say that's normal until your first Sunday, so I just had faith that I would
eventually be fine. They were completely right.
Sunday was a
great day because it was just really relaxed. We got to walk to the temple as
districts and enjoy how beautiful of a day it was. Don't worry we took
pictures, so mom you can't be mad at me. After that we had sacrament meeting
and our branch president told us a couple days before Sunday to all
prepare a talk just in case. He chooses 2 people from our zone each week to
speak and somehow my luck is just that bad, so I had my first talk as a missionary
just 4 days in lol. It went well though and I felt the spirit as I spoke on
repentance. Then Sunday night we watched David A. Bednar's "Character
of Christ", by far the best talk I've ever heard. I recommend you all to
look it up.
I don't remember much
from Monday because I was so nervous about teaching our first TRC's.
Idk what it stands for, but basically real investigators come in and you teach
them 3 times a week. Our first investigator, Kai, just has so many questions
about everything, and we never get to the lesson because of it. Everything we
answer he goes "that's a nice thought" so that's that. The second
investigator Jeff is willing to listen, but is really quiet. Later that night
my companion asked me for a comfort blessing, and I really didn't want to
because I had never done one before. He talked me into it and I might not be
able to remember what I said, but the spirit was super strong and he said it
was exactly what he needed.
Tuesday was
nothing different then a regular day, other than the fact that we did service
for an hour, which was fun. We mopped stairs, and I got blisters on my hands
though. Then exercise time I found that there was a record board! There are
like 4 things I'm trying to beat. So far, I beat the vertical leap with 37.5
but it was a bad jump, I'll be it again later. Also there's a standing long
jump, record is 10.5 feet, and I got 10.2 so I'm almost there! After that, more
class. Tuesday night devotional, Linda Burton came and talked to us
on missionary work. It's cool cause she's like kinda famous, being the general
relief society president haha.
,
Wednesday was
also more class, but we also taught our TRC's again. Both lessons went really
great this time. We got Jeff to commit to reading the book of Mormon, and Kai
said he might be willing to receive a priesthood blessing of comfort. We'll
find out Friday.
That has basically
been my week, props to anyone who read it all, I know it was super long. Next
week I'll condense it haha. I'm really loving it here at the MTC, but I'm just so
excited to get out in the field. I'm here a full 3 weeks, so I'm 1/3 there! My
testimony has grown tremendously and I've learned to recognize the spirit even
at the worst times. Hope everyone back home is doing great, love you all!
Elder Greer
