Hello family! so this will be my last email from the mtc, I leave monday morning at 4am! We get to the airport around 5, my flight
goes at 7 something. Its going to be a long trip but it will give me time to write more in my journal and read and
stuff. I dont exactly have time to write in my journal a lot so I write once or twice a week, I'll do better out in
the field though. The mtc has been really good! I didn't like it at first but started focusing on the good points and now I really like
it, it feels like...safe here ha. I'm nervous to leave and actually go and really do missionary work. Faith conquers
fear though, and I'm really excited at the same time so it will be good. Its really cold here in provo though so not
exaclty looking forward to the cold over in Berlin.
Its been snowed for a couple days which was really cool. Most of the people in my branch have never even seen snow
since the majority of them are from the pacific islands, so they were pretty excited about it. They had a big snowball
fight after gym a couple nights ago and were so loud! all of them were yelling and laughing really loud it was pretty
funny. although after a little bit some guy came out from the near by building and told them all to act like
missionaries and that they can't be doing childish things like that. Elder Pome'e, one of the tongans was making a
snowball at the time and asked me if he should throw it at the guy or not. I told him probably not, so he just threw
it at another one of the tongans instead. Back in the residence halls that night they were all hyper after that and
wanted to go have snowball fight. They've come to not really like the snow though now ha, they all say its really
cold and they like the sun more. I got that work out thing out the other night that uncle paul sent because elder
moimoi(tongan) wanted to use it. So we figured out how to use it and after a little all the polys were waiting for
their turn. The schedule for the night is supposed to be: back to rooms at 930, prepare for the next day/bed, quiet
time and in rooms by 1015, and lights out at 1030. OUR actual night schedule is: back to rooms at 930, everyone
working out until 10 or 1015, walk around and see who has food until 1030, then all the polys go to one room and
laugh and sing and do whatever until who knows how late. I'm usually in bed by 1045 or so, but you can hear them out
in the halls until you fall asleep. The crazy thing is, when I get up and open my door to go shower at like 615, the
tongans are already fully dressed and ready to go! They are the first ones ready everyday. I don't know how they do
it. You think they always just joke around and slack but they really don't. They just like to be loud and stay up late
ha. An elder from China was sick the last few days and somehow always had to be in the residence halls with him, the
other night it was my turn. So I went back after dinner and changed and stuff while everyone else had class. and I
just read and studied and stuff and kept checking up on elder Huang. Then like 30 minutes later all the tongans showed
up, it was only 630 and we actually had class until 730 or something. They all came in my room and started joking that
I was the one ditching out on class and slacking then they went to their rooms and everything got really quiet so I
figured they were taking naps or something. Then I went to go check on elder Huang again and when I got to the door
I could hear talking inside, so I just put my ear up to the door and was listening. It was a few of the tongans inside
teaching elder Huang a lesson and keeping him company. It was really cool! They are really fun people but they know
when to be serious and they all have a really strong testimony.
Two of the tongan elders just came in and said they just barely woke up! its 1030 ha. i asked if they had done laundry
already or anything and they said "yes, we wake up at 5 and do laundry then go back to sleep. then you wake up whenever
you want and everything is good then you can do emails or what you want" pretty smart guys haha. I've been reading Jesus the Christ, and its amazing. I'm only a few chapters in but I have already learned so much.
One of the parts talks about fate kind of and you know how I feel about that. This is what it says though "Let not
ingnorance and thoughtlessness lead us into the error of assuming that the Father's foreknowledge as to what would be,
under given conditions, determined that such must be." so maybe i understood wrong but to me that means there is no
such thing as fate or a set fate. We are given agency, and that means we determine the things that will happen for
ourselves, otherwise what would be the point of going through life. Like I said maybe I just didn't understand the
whole thing correctly but thats some of what I got out of it. Which makes me feel better anyway because I don't like
"fate". Anyway, Jesus the Christ really is good. Rakai you should read it, it seems like the kind of reading you like
to do. Its really deep and descriptive about everything and I think you would like it. I was thinking about just
getting a copy from the book store here and mailing it to you but I dont have you address and I'm sure you can get
it in new zealand anyway, then I don't have to spend the money to send it! Really though, read a little and see if
you like it, then read the rest ha. Elder Tune from Kirtibati is reading it too so I'm helping him with parts he
doesn't understand since James E Talmage uses such a big vocabulary, sometimes though I don't get it either so
neither of us get it. Its ok though, we are both getting so much out of it and its good because we have someone to
talk about what is being explained. I've become really good friends with all the missionaries in my class/district, its wierd people are slowly leaving it
doesn't feel right! Elder Ip from Hong Kong is the funniest person. His english sounds like ammons chinese accent but
a lot more funny, i love talking to him. He is a bit distracted by all the sisters ha we have to always remind him we
are supposed to have an eye single to the glory of God. He always keeps our class laughing so its nice to have him with
us. I am the first to leave on monday, if Elder Bodhaine and Sister Clark get their visas they leave monday too so
hopefully they get them. everyone else leaves tuesday and wednesday. Then we will all be out in our mission fields!
Its pretty exciting. Thank you everybody for the packages I've been getting! I was going to write all you back but while I was gone with my
companion this morning, the other elders in our room cleaned our room for room inspection today. So the boxes I had in
the corner with everyones addresses on them are now gone out in the trash. They smashed them and put them in the garbage
in the bathroom, so I went to get them out and someone had taken that garbage out to the dumpster...so I decided not to
go look for them out there. Thanks a ton though, everyone loves the cookies and treats. I'm pretty sure we have like
5-10 elders in our room everynight seeing what they can eat. Our room leaves by wednesday though so they need to find
another food source. Well I have to go do a few more things before lunch. I hope everybody is doing good! I've only been on my mission for a
little over 3 weeks but it feels like months! which is a good thing, i love it. luckily I still have about 23 months.
Its hard work but definitely rewarding when you get to feel the spirit around you all the time. Keep the missionaries
in you prayers! Hope everyone has a really good week. Elder Puriri
No comments:
Post a Comment