Week 1 Finished

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