Week 6 (06/30/11) - The MTC

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Hey family!!!

So lots of stuff happened this past week!! As I mentioned in my last email, we had almost all of the general authorities here all at once!!! As missionaries, we didn’t personally get to see them all, except Elder Walker from my district (he is from Pleasant view we went to school together you might know him Kortnee - Caleb Walker I think you knew we were going to the same mission but anyway...). We had a devotional this last Friday night with 7 out of the quorum of the twelve! Bednar, Oaks, Nelson, Holland, Scott, Ballard, and Anderson were all there but Elder Bednar was the only one who spoke to us. It was a "Classic" Bednar talk if you know what that is. very basic, very true, very strong. He talked about all the reasons we need to be a missionary and how we can be good missionaries by listening to the spirit and such it was way good!!! There were also around 40 out of the quorum of the 70,150 new mission presidents and their wives, and 2000 plus missionaries. I would just like to say it was the coolest feeling! the spirit was so strong! So many amazing people all in one room!!!

Also just some little tidbits so to speak! I was walking out of the lunch room and I saw Elder Cook of the 12 walking into a bathroom! Apparently the apostles are just ordinary guys eh? haha no seriously they are so amazing!! Also we saw elder Oaks while eating our lunch one day as well! He waved at us!

Lots of cool people here at the MTC this last week!! Awesome!

Anyways I'm sure I'm getting boring with all my Apostle talk so I will move on! Life is same as ever here!!! Class for 6 hours a day study for 4. I basically study eat sleep! I am so anxious to just get out of here and get into the field!! IT is going to be great! Oh! One thing has changed! I got sick a few days ago! I have some sort of sinus thing goin on and my nose will not stop running!!! And it stinks because of how dry the air is lately my nose is super sensitive in one nostril (the one I didn’t have cauterized go figure) and when I blow my nose it starts to bleed!!! its quite an interesting adventure, stirs up the monotonous routine sometimes!!!

Anyways!!! Love you all!! Thanks dad and mom for getting my priesthood lineage and thank you Britny for my letter!!! I haven't gotten any other letters from you all this week so I hope to get some before lunch! If not you have my email and I will still write mom and dad!!!

Love you all!!

Elder Braden

Week 5 (06/23/11) - The MTC

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Hola familia!!!

How are you all? I have been thinking a lot about you this week!! So I just wanted to tell you all about the talk we had this week and also the opportunity that we have had yesterday and this weekend!

So on Tuesday, we heard a talk from a guy in the seventy... Don't remember his name to tell you the truth!!! But anyway, not the point! The point is, I like it!! Throughout his talk, he talked about what an amazing work missionary work is, and I am so excited!!! He talked about some of the feelings of being a missionary and it made me just want to pick up and get out of here right then! I want to be in El Salvador so badly right now!!! I get my travel plans two weeks from today can you believe it! I leave for El Salvador in 3 and a half weeks!!!

But as for this weekend and yesterday. There are 140 or so new mission presidents being trained here at the MTC! There are presidents from all over the world! Africa, Asia, South America. And the cool thing is, when they train new mission presidents, the apostles come to teach them!!! 11 out of the 12 apostles are going to be here this week along with all 3 of the first presidency!! That is so cool isn’t it! Anyway, I'm way excited! We get to have a devotional tomorrow and they said that this will be the only times in our lives so many apostles will be in the same room!!! (aside from general conference) Anyway, I'm excited and it is going to be so so cool!! I will have to write all of you and let you know how it went next week!!! I love you and I hope you are all doing well!!! If there is anything I can do let me know!!!

Love you all!!

Braden

Week 4 (06/16/11) - The MTC

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Hola familia!

Como estas? How is the weather? Have you gone boating yet? How are Jax and Sadie? How is the deck and the how and stuff going? Derek did you get a letter I sent you 2 weeks ago? I hope you did! I am going to send another one today so no worries! How is everyone!!!!???

So on this email I will just basically tell you all what I have gotten to do this week!!

My week has been fairly normal. This last Sunday we had a speaker from the MTC speak to all of us. He gave a really good talk on Chastity and how to teach it to investigators. He really made it sink into me how absolutely important it is to teach it and live it with the upmost respect! It was really cool! Monday was normal just class! My companion and I have been teaching mock investigators nearly daily and it is all in Spanish! At first, I would say maybe one or two lines that I had memorized but now I have enough vocabulary and knowledge of the principles that I can hold my own for about half the lesson! It is so cool to see how quickly the spirit teaches me. Also having the spirit with us as we teach is absolutely essential! Outside of lessons when the spirit isn't as strong, I can hardly speak in sentences! It is coming though and I am excited to continue to learn!!! Derek, you need to take language classes! They will help you so much when you go on your mission and if you graduate seminary which I know you will you will be going foreign!

Tuesday we had the Primary general president come and speak to us! It was funny - when she first got up, she said "I realize that most of you are wondering, What the heck is the primary president going to teach us?!" but she definitely taught us a lot!! She brought it back to the basics of what we do, she had us sing songs like I hope they call me on a mission and I believe in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (but in I Hope they call me on a mission she changed the words to I’m glad they called me on a mission, now that I have grown a foot or two it was kind of funny!!) but she definitely taught me and everyone a lot! She had a really good spirit and it just helped me to remember what the basic, pure truths of our gospel are!

Anyway! I love you all! Hope all is well! I pray for you all every day! Thanks for all of your prayers!!!

Love,

Braden

Week 3 (06/09/11) - The MTC

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Hola!

How are you guys? I miss you all! So I just wanted to tell you all about my days here at the MTC. I think I mentioned a few things in my first email but I will just mention them again because I didn't get a response!

So the first day I was here I was in class with only Spanish being spoken to me. It was so confusing!!! At first it just gave me a headache, but even though I understand a lot more now I get annoyed!! It is like just talk to me in English! but it is good it is definitely an inspired way the church has come up with to teach. The only time they speak in English is when they are teaching the doctrines of the gospel. So far we have learned about why the BOM is important to the conversion of the investigator, the plan of salvation, prayer and a few other things. It’s kind of cool though because even though these things are focused on how you can help the investigator be converted, they are also focused on your conversion! I would recommend to all of you to get a preach my gospel and go through each of the concepts in the chapter three lessons and pray about them all!!! It is a testimony building experience and I promise it will make you so strong!!

Anyways I know I’m probably boring you with all my talk about spiritual stuff! haha. The days here blur together so bad! We are awake 16 hours a day from 630 am to 1030 pm, i am up longer before noon sometimes then I was up all day before I left! (Just kidding but it is kind of true eh?) but I have started to get used to it, I am still definitely tired at the end of the day but it is usually a good tired!! Something that is super bothersome to me is the food....... so last night we had "sirloin steaks" yeah it was just a opposite cut piece of sirloin that had been braised. It wasn't a steak at all! it was potroast! grr........... anyway, I will be getting some totally delicious pupusas in El Salvador so I’m cool with that!!! Something funny about the MTC is how many injuries and sicknesses there are!!! You walk around on campus and it seems that every fifth person is on crutches it is funny!! So far in just our district of 10 elders, we have had one have knee surgery (he had a slight complication from an acl reconstruction he had a few years ago pretty simple surgery) and then, my companion had some heart problems this week! We had to get x-rays and stuff (which was cool because we got to walk a whole block away outside of the MTC this play is crazy small and it was so nice to get out!) but he is fine now they doctor thinks he has congestion in his chest cavity and gave him anti-inflammatory medication and he has a check up next week. It's just crazy how many people get hurt!

Anyways email me back any questions you have! or just write me I will be back on next Thursday!!!

Peace and blessings, Peace and Blessings!!!

BRADEN