Is English real? The duck...

Hola mis padres!

Wow! I can't believe I am almost 1/2 way through the MTC. This Monday is our halfway point. Like I've said, the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. Here is an account of my past week:

Last Saturday, after emailing Elder McCrory and I went out to Burger Supreme which was down the street. It was fun to see real people living lives haha. Also a mother pointed us out to her kids saying "those two are missionaries" and the kids were so excited. Only in Utah... :P Last Sunday we did some more role playing, had some meetings with our branch, and we had a devotional with Elder Allen. Our branch consists of our zone and branch presidency and their wives (like 20 people). I haven't told you about my zone yet! My zone is great. So there are 6 elders in my zone (including me). Elder Blevins is from Missouri and is a big farmer, with the accent and all. He is always telling us about how to cut up cows and the meats. His companion is Elder Jordan. Elder Jordan is from Pennsylvania and has this funny "don't care" attitude. Of course he does, it's just he says things at the perfect time that just cracks us up. Elder Huber is from California and loves to exercise. We call him "el Tanque" (the tank). He went to BYU this past fall so it's fun to talk to him about our experiences there. His companion is Elder Olvera who is a convert. He joined about 2 years ago and has a real strong testimony of the Church. He is really nice. Then my companion is Elder McCrory who is an only child from Ohio. We seem to get along, so that's good! Right now we have one older district with 4 sisters and 4 elders, and then one other district of 3 sisters and 2 elders just came in this past Wednesday. This Wednesday we are getting another district. The MTC is about to get REALLY crowded now that the summer is starting. Anyway, that's my zone. We all get along and it's fun to hang out with everyone.

Monday we started teaching another "investigator" who is our teacher Hermano Doblin. His name is Adam and he is pretty passive. It was kinda frustrating because we didn't make a lot of progress that first meeting. What else happened that day? Oh! Probably the highlight of everyone's week was that there was this little baby duck swimming in this pond that is next to our classes. We have this pond with a fountain and this duck was all alone all day swimming. (see picture of angry duck) I wrote about it in my journal that night and felt kinda lame about writing about a duck and how it relates to our life. Then the next morning at breakfast, Elder McCrory told me that he wrote about the duck in his journal. Then one of the sister's companion in my zone was like "oh don't worry, Hermana Crawford wrote 4 pages in her journal about the duck". I think the MTC really gets to you. You live for anyone who has an outside life.

Tuesday we went and did some "member lessons". The first person we taught was this older guy who would correct our Spanish for everything. Even when we were sharing out testimonies of the Church. It was really annoying because we just wanted to share our message. The next person was this sweet little lady who was so nice. We shared a message about prayer and invited her to pray more for missionary experiences. She said since she was in Utah she couldn't really have those. I told her that she could still lift others up within the Church and be a missionary to them. It was so cool to teach and you could really feel the Spirit. We also started teaching another "'investigator" with Hermano Eaton. His name is Samuel. He has more of a nasally Spanish so it's kinda hard to understand. That night, we went to the devotional. This week Elder Nelson came! It was so great. We sang "Hope of Israel" as a choir and it was so good. The devotionals are one of my favorite things here. 

Wednesday we taught Adam again. We finally made progress and taught the first lesson. It was so great to see progression and you could tell he felt something. 

Thursday most of us had to go to main campus to get our immunization information filled out so we did that. We taught Samuel again. We were trying to give him the first lesson, but we weren't applying it to his needs as much. He wanted to change but wasn't sure how. I asked him if he thought he was a bad person and he said yes. I told him that it was possible for us to change and be clean through Jesus Christ and I asked him if he wanted to baptized. He said he wasn't ready right now (of course not) but he would! That made me so happy! So cool! 

Yesterday was pretty much the same as the others. We taught Adam again, but didn't make that much progress. Our teacher later told us that we need to make sure that we let the investigators have spiritual experiences themselves and not just tell them doctrine. It made so much sense, I just hope I can apply it to their lives.

Today we had our service early in the morning (same as every P-day). It's so stupid because they make us clean the classroom bathrooms, but they clean them everyday because they need people to do a service project, but everything is clean haha. We then went to the temple. I love the temple so much. It's so peaceful there. We went to main campus for lunch and then back here doing emailing and laundry! Most of the week you probably don't care about, but why not share...

Other stuff that's happened this week. Elder McCrory and I have played soccer most gym times which is pretty fun. Yesterday, the whole zone played volleyball which is way fun because no one is very good.  Every night my district (we are all in the same apartment) and I all have a cereal party and eat bowls of cereal. We eat dinner at 4:30 so we are all hungry when we get back at 9:30. And since we have been in the MTC everything is funny. We always end up laughing about nothing... I got the shoes mom. Yeah they are pretty ugly. haha. I am too embarrassed to wear them so I haven't tried them on. When I get to Mexico I probably won't care though. I should probably wear them some to break them in though. Thanks for the food mom! I love getting letters. Thanks to those that have sent them! I've gotten yours mom and dad. Dallin sent one that said he wrote one but it got delayed so it was a sentence telling me that. haha. On Wednesday night (I think) I got like 4 dear elders. My district leader is the one who picks up the mail. Everyone was so jealous I get all these letters. (see picture). They were all like "you should tell them to write me!" haha. 

I also am in charge of the devotionals at night with the zone so I usually pick a video and give a thought about it or assign it to others. It's fun to do it and I don't mind it too much. 

Your week sounds great! Congrats to Aaron with his Eagle project (the pictures looked great) and track! Good luck! When are you getting the boat out? I saw a boat today hitched up riding around the temple. ARGG I want to go boating so bad. It literally is THE LIFE. I am also jealous of Tyler and Nicki. They are going to have so much fun. Crazy April is almost walking! I miss seeing all those little kids. They are all going to be so old when I get back. Glad you figured out my blog! What else is going on there? Ready for summer? I gotta go. Thanks for the prayers. Love you all!

Love,

Elder Thomas

24 May: Surprise visit from Elder Bednar -- so cool! Mexican Consulate trip to SLC for visa.

Hi family!

I love getting letters. It literally is what gets me excited. I got letters from Dallin, Whitney, and you Mom, from dearelder. So thank you! I don't know whether to send letters back because by the time you get them, it'll almost be p-day again. Also I got the package from Nana. Thank you so much! The jacket will definitely come in handy while I'm here.

There is so much that happens in a week. I seriously have not felt well rested once since I've been here because we do so much and sleep so little. So last Saturday we taught Jacob (our investigator) again and it went a little better. I talked most of it because my companion hasn't taken any spanish. Then the next one I talked most of it again. The next one I was so tired and it was in the morning and I was like "Elder McCrory, you need to take the lead on this one." luckily he did and he felt pretty good about it after. We didn't make much progress because we were trying to get him to believe and pray to God, but it was really hard to convince him of that. We are definitely learning what the best way to teach is. We have learned that we can move on to other parts and his knowledge of God or whatever is needed may come through other lessons. It is really frustrating when you know what to say in english, but you can't in spanish. We were doing a role playing thing the other day and I got so frustrated and told my teacher that my personality is just gone cause I have to think so much about what I am going to say. I think he could tell how frustrated I was and he told me this story how there was this missionary who was perfect in spanish and bore his testimony. Apparently it was okay, but then a missionary went up with very broken spanish and shared his testimony. At the end of his testimony every one was crying. He said the spirit can talk to others, no matter our language. I keep having to remind myself of that. It is really difficult, and my brain is so tired. 

Sunday are the best. Elder McCrory and I blessed the sacrament in Spanish during our meeting. We then have a priesthood meeting and that's it. We have a few other meetings throughout the day. Later at night we went to choir practice where we sang "Where can I turn for peace" for our tuesday devotional. After that we went to main campus where we have a fireside. Usually they have a speaker, but they decided to play Elder Bednar's talk "Character of Christ" which he gave at the MTC 2 years ago. It was really good. Then right after the video, Elder Bednar walked in and had a Q&A! It was so cool. You can feel the spirit so strong with him. Apparently for the past 6 or 7 weeks they have had an apostle come every tuesday devotional. This past tuesday was the member of the seventy in charge of the missionaries (I can't remember his name right now). 

Mondays, Wednesday-Fridays consist of waking up at 6:30, breakfast at 7:00. Class from 7:30-10:30. Gym 10:40-11:30. Lunch 12:00-12:30. Class 12:45-4:30. Dinner 4:30-5. Class 5-9:20 and then back in our apartment at 9:30. So it is like 12 hours of class. It is so exhausting. We have personal study, companionship study, then language study during our first class and then teachers come in. 

Tuesday instead of a third class we go to choir practice and then the devotional. I like the days where the schedule varies. This thursday Elder Blevins and I went to Salt Lake to the Mexican Consolate to get our visas, so hopefully I should get it by June 23rd when I leave! The others still have to wait some more. Natalie and her companion were one of the 20 or so others that went down with us, so it's fun to see her (See pictures). I see her every day. Sometimes just for a quick second though, but it is fun having family here. I miss talking to girls, because here you can't really do that, and if you do, it can't be for long. Girls are so much easier to talk to then guys. Luckily I have the excuse to talk to Natalie cause she is family. The other day some Elder was like "Elder Thomas, you flirting with this girl?" I was like "Ella es mi prima" (she's my cousin). He was kinda embarrassed.

My cousin, Natalie Hymas

Anyway, going to Salt Lake was fun because I really like to get off of campus. I like to go walking on the streets outside of campus. Other than that, I think that was mostly our week. Oh! our investigator Jacob is now our new teacher, so that's kinda awkward because we were a little awkward during our lessons. 

Today we went to the temple and are going out to eat in a bit.

Yay about the table! It's that much closer to being done.  I am glad that the silent auction went well. It sounds like a good time. I'm happy to hear about Dallin. I loved his letter. He shared some of the news going on and I wasn't sure if it was real or not so I asked one of my teachers. Turns out Willy the Plumber is real. It was also really fun hearing from Whitney. I laughed with the Rapunzel hair noodles. My district thinks I look like Flynn Ryder, so I guess that's kinda cool :) . CONGRATS to Aaron! That's way cool about pole vaulting. He's getting good fast! Also I hope his Eagle project turns out okay. Good luck! 

Any way that's about my week. Thanks again for the letters. My district thinks I'm popular because of the letters I've gotten (I just don't say they are all from my family) :). Pray for me. Especially with the gift of tongues because I need it.

Love and miss you!

-Elder Thomas 

May 17 - First four days in the MTC...

Hola mi familia!

      So Saturdays are my p-day while at the MTC. This week is sad though because I don't have an email waiting for me! Here I am on my 4th day...Holy cow, we all feel like we've been here for forever! My district has 6 elders. Everyone is so close and comes from all over the states. Everyone is also so uplifting. I hear the days go by slow but the weeks go by fast.

      So when Dallin first dropped me off I got sent through this long line of collecting books (there are a ton!) and then got on a bus. It was so nice because I just was in shock that I would not see my family for two years, and I get on the bus and Natalie Hymas was there! She's not in my district or zone but I do see her a few times a day. It's so nice to still have a little family connection here. All the spanish speaking missionaries are sent to West campus (wyview living area). The apartments are pretty nice, but it doesn't matter cause we are hardly in our dorms. The food is no bueno haha. Today we went to the main campus cafeteria and it was SO much better. Super jealous, but it's probably good because or else I would get fat. The west campus cafeteria is in like a trailer :P. 

      They literally throw you right into training when you get here. I was dropped off at my place to leave my bags and then was taken to a class. I didn't even unpack. I met my district (one was missing until Thursday night because his flight was delayed) and our teacher. Our teacher, Brother Doblin is awesome. It's crazy how much we learn, but it kinda makes my head hurt. I seriously have never been so tired in my life. We just keep going, going, going. There are no breaks. If there are breaks, we have to study for our next class. I am surprised how much Spanish has come back to me though, but I really need to learn verb tenses. I can say prayers and my testimony in spanish, but I think my brain is fried and is having a hard time retaining anything else haha.

      Yesterday we already had to teach our first "investigator" (he's a fake investigator). IN SPANISH! It went terribly. My companion (Elder McCrory) and I forgot all spanish and we couldn't understand him at all. It was an awkward pause mostly and we just kinda waited for the time to run out. We have to teach again tonight so hopefully it goes better. I am so jealous of those that speak english on their missions. This would be so much easier. 

       I am still trying to get use to the companion part. I find my favorite times are when I am in bed and in the bathroom or shower because I am alone. I like my alone time :)

       I have been kind of frustrated since I've been here. I just keep telling myself what I learned while at college, "you adjusted at BYU, and you will adjust here". Today we went to the temple and it was nice to get off MTC grounds and feel that comfort... Speaking of comfort, the beds here are not the most comfortable. We have these tiny blankets so I am always freezing. 

        Let's see, what else?...I met this one sister who is going to Mexico City West and she knows Eric and Teri's family! She said their family is one of the main reasons she is here. I thought that was pretty cool. 

        All in all, this is definitely the hardest thing I've ever done. After yesterday's lesson with our "investigator", I was definitely humbled and pretty discouraged. We watched a video yesterday night of Elder Holland's talk about how the things we do and go through as missionaries are really hard, but what Christ went through was the hardest sacrifice ever. I definitely feel like I am sacrificing a lot and it is a huge challenge. No media and electronics, very little contact with people, and almost constantly put in a difficult situation. I know that it will get better, I just have to keep having a positive attitude and faith that it will get better. 

Love and miss you all so much,

Elder Thomas

Called to Serve in México City West, México

I have been called to serve in the México City West, México mission for two years. I report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on May 14th, 2014 and will be there for about 6 weeks before I leave for México. I will provide service to people down in México and teach people about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I look forward to the adventure that is to come and I  know that God will strengthen me. I have always wanted to do this and have chosen to become a missionary for the Church. I know that this Church is true and that we are here on this earth for a purpose. I know we are led by a living prophet. I know that we have The Bible and The Book of Mormon for our day to guide us and help us. As missionaries, we are bringing others unto Christ so we can be with our families forever and so we can return to live with our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.