MTC: Week 4

October 29th, 2013 

Hola! 

It is hard to believe I have been in the MTC for a whole month. Seems like I just got here. A couple big things happened this past week and a couple big things are going down this week as well.

 First of all, the district above us left on Monday for Mexico so now we are the oldest District in our zone. The zone leader was part of the group that left so there needed to be a new one called. turns out the Branch Presidency and the Lord thought I would be good for the job. As of right now I am over 16 elders. We do not have sisters in this zone. Never have. Do not know why. But anyway, I am going to explain some of my duties/responsibilities. The most important thing is to be an example. That is a big part. Exact obedience. Another part is to go over to the houses of all my zones at night and have a little check up for maybe 10 minutes and make sure everyone is getting along and there is no one having problems. I have a lot of other smaller responsibilities but I don't have time to explain everything.

This week we have two new districts coming in. One district has 8 sisters! The other is half and half. So I will now be over 32 elders and sisters. It is crazy. But another one of my duties is to welcome the new districts as they arrive to the MTC. We go on a tour, and play some get to know you games, and go over some rules and have a question and answer type deal. It should be fun.

I hope everyone is doing well! I am having the time of my life. I cannot wait to get out in the field. Villahermosa better watch out. My testimony is growing every second I am here. This is a great place for spiritual growth. I love you all!

Con Amor,
Elder Jorge

MTC: Week 3 "Oh My Alpaca"

Hey readers. Here is Elder George's latest email. Just a little background, our parents own a bunch of alpacas and one of them just had a cute little baby. Here is the picture we sent Steven:

October 22, 2013

That has to be the cutest Alpaca I have ever seen in my life. Send it to me or something. Por favor. Anyway, this past week has been pretty insane. My schedule is so jam packed. But it is good for me.

     Lets see, what has happened this week. Oh yeah! I got to hear from and meet Dallin H. Oaks. No biggy. We hear from a general authority every Tuesday night. It is the highlight of my week. I wonder who it will be tonight. Maybe the prophet? I dont know.

 

     Sunday was very busy for me. I was assigned to teach Sunday School for my entire district. And in front of members of my branch presidency. Kind of nerve racking but it went very well. I taught on prayer and recieving answers. I shared the story of Enoch which is becoming one of my favorites. Also I had the honor of blessing the sacrament in spanish. It was really awesome. The spanish language is so beautiful. Also every week everyone in the district has to prepare a talk for sacrament meeting. Everyone has to because two missionaries are picked randomy to talk at the beginning of the meeting. We get no notices. Usually the district leaders or zone leaders or the people who are leaving the nex week are picked. But for some reason the Brach President was inspired to pick me. So I talked for 10 minutes in spanish about the Atonement. It was interesting...

 

     Other than that big Sunday, nothing out of the usual happened. I have actually me a couple elders from North Carolina. I cannot remember where they are from. Except for one. It is one of the boys from the Morganton ward. I cant remember his name. 

 

     Well, I am having the time of my life. The MTC is a blast. The amount of growth a missionary goes through here is a miracle. There is no way this would be possible if it was not for the spirit. I hope every one is doing awesome. I love you all very much! 

 

     Con Amor,

     Elder Jorge

 

BONUS: Here are a couple of pictures of when Steven ran into our missionary cousin, Hermana Allison Scarlett. Go to her blog to read more about their encounter.

MTC: Week 2 "¿Como le Va?"

Steven's second email. He promised me pictures next week!

October 15th, 2013

Hello everyone! 

This past week has been so busy! I am going to tell you what a normal day for me is like here at the MTC. I get up at 6:30. Workout for maybe an hour or so. After that we eat breakfast and then it is straight off to studying. Most of my day consists of studying. I'm not complaining though. I love it. After study, We go to class where we are taught by Hermano Talataina, or Hermano Pitcher. They teach us how to be the best missionaries we can be and ways we can bring people unto Christ. Then we have lunch. Then we go back to class and teach an investigator. We get new ones every week. It is great. I am learning that no how much I prepare and memorize doesn't matter. When I am in the moment of teaching, I forget everything. But that is where the spirit has come into play. I have gained a giant testimony of the gift of tongues. I come out of some of those lessons and I cannot remember a word I said. It is truly a miracle. I love teaching. It is one of my strengths. But anyway, after teaching we have language study. We learn the material we are going to be teaching in Spanish. After that we study more and have dinner and then study for the rest of the day until its time to go back to our apartments.

It is crazy to think I have been here for almost two weeks. It seems like I got here just yesterday. I have learned so much already! It is ridiculous. I hope everyone is doing well and I will write more next week!

 

Love,

Elder George

Missionary Training Center: Week 1 "¿Qué pasa?"

Hey friends and loved ones of Steven,

Welcome to his official mission blog! I am his blogger extraordinaire sister, Sara, and I shall be your guide through the many emails, letters, and pictures of our beloved Mexico-bound missionary, Steven. Or, as he will be known to the good people of Villahermosa, Mexico, Elder George.

Right now Steven is in Provo, Utah at the Missionary Training Center where he will learn Spanish as well as various other missionary rules, methods, and techniques. Above all, he will learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost as seeks out and teaches people who are interested in learning more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (if you want to know a little more about the things he will be teaching, check out Mormon.org). He will stay at the MTC I think until Nov. 11th if all goes according to plan. Then he will be plunged into the depths of Mexico for the remainder of the 2 years he has committed to serve. Is he not awesome? I think he pretty much is.

On this blog, you will find to your right his MTC and his Mexico address. Be sure to check it often, especially after he arrives in Mexico, for the most current address. You can also go to Dearelder.com and send him immediate free letters while he is in the MTC. I believe once he is in Mexico you can also send him free letters through dearelder.com's pouch service, which is basically a courier service that runs from Salt Lake City, Utah to the mission home in Villahermosa once a week-ish. Of course, if all else fails you can also email the guy. I have posted his email to your right as well.

If you are unfamiliar with LDS missionary lingo, my Aunt (who's daughter is also currently at the MTC) posted a handy-dandy FYI post that might help you understand some of the crazy Mormon terms Steven might use in his letters as well as some background on what exactly a Mormon missionary is and does. That can be found here, on my cousin's blog (Hermana Scarlett! Yeah! Thanks Aunt Audene).

Lastly, if you recieve a letter or pictures or something that you would like to be shared on this blog, email me, Sara (my address is, again, over to your right).

Without further ado, here is Steven's very first email!!! Oh, actually a little more ado, his birthday was Monday of this week so thanks to everyone who hooked him up with goodies. Okay, read on!

October 8th, 2013

Hello all! My first 5 days in the MTC have been wonderful. When I was dropped off, I went straight through this assembly line that took me to get my tags and books and all that good stuff. I then got on a bus that went straight to the West Campus which I did not even know existed. I was then paired with my companion. His name is Elder Walker. He is from Las Vegas. A couple minutes later I found out that I had a second companion. His name is Elder Lacefield. He is from Roy, Utah. Honestly I could not be happier with my companions. They are both very helpful and focused on what we need to to. I was chosen as Senior Companion between the three of us for two weeks. General Conference was definitely the highlight of my week. The main message I got from it was to put your trust in the Lord and He will fill you with his spirit. This really applied to me because I was having a hard time speaking through the spirit. Also during conference, I had the most random nose bleed and I had to get up in front of hundreds of elders with blood pouring down my face and rush to the bathroom. No bueno. I think it was due to the dry weather here.

     My companions and I were given an investigator (a MTC worker hired as an actor) to teach and try to convert to the gospel. We had to do this completely in Spanish. It was a shock because it was our third day that this was to happen. We butchered it. But we did get a second appointment scheduled. That appointment was yesterday. We did much better. We were able to teach with the spirit and our Spanish has improved immensely. He said he would pray about baptism and repentance.

 

     I am so glad I chose to serve. The MTC has this amazing spirit. It is changing my life for the better and is making me a better missionary. I cannot upload pictures right now. I will have many to share next week. 

Love Elder George

P.S. Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. Especially for the boxes. You should have seen the look on some of the elders faces as I walked around campus flaunting my two packages full of goodies!