the one where he got MORE snacks

Sorry but I don't have much to report on this week. 

The best day was Tuesday for sure though. Not only did I get more amazing homemade cookies from Abby (which my entire district now looks forward to each week) but I also got another package from my family! It was full of hard candies since those are the only things we can eat during class. It also had a kendama and a phantom rubiks cube which I've spent a lot of time playing with. Also during the devotional I taught an Elder how to solve a rubiks cube. 

We still watch the chosen each night and every day is just class and food. Ooo and it was Abby's birthday this week!! It sounds like her day was very fun! 

Well that's really all that happened this week... feel free to email me and ask questions!

Context for Pics:

Most of them are just pics of our district

-One is with me and the Elder that I helped solve a rubiks cube

-And then a pic of us at the temple today

The rest you can probably figure out

the one where he saw miracles

This was hands down the best week I've had as a missionary...

Starting on Tuesday I got more cookies from Abby which were absolutely fire and definitely helped cheer up the whole district. They lasted an hour XD. Those and a devotional are the perfect way to spend a Tuesday. 

On Wednesday were sitting in class when we saw a flash of lightning in the distance, then another one, and another. Then it started to pour rain! We got let out for a break from class for like 10 minutes and we all sprinted down the stairs and got outside. Most of our district spent the entire break running around outside just in pure joy and happiness. It's so nice to have times in the week where things don't follow the usual schedule and you get surprised. During dinner I was looking for my Man Erik Youngberg because I knew he was at the MTC but I wasn't able to find him. 

Thursday was hands down the best day I've had as a missionary. After working out with my comp, we were walking past the MTC store and God put a thought into my head to look into the store and see if Erik was there and low and behold he was standing right there. I sprinted over to him and had one of the most joyful and comforting hugs of my life. It truly was a miracle and that single moment has carried me and given me so much motivation and happiness. It truly dawned on me just how important each and every one of my friends is to me and I cant wait to see some more come to the MTC while I'm here.

Context for Pics:

- Us at the field last P Day

- Elder Hogge and I

- One of our teachers had a B day

- Us in the rain 

- Movie Night

- And me and Erik ( he wanted me to note that his mouth was full of food)

the one where he got snacks

Heyy! My first full week at the MTC and it was fire!!! 🔥🔥 

Starting with my last P day the whole district got together and we played some kickball which was an absolute party!! 🥳 Overall it was a really chill day and it was super nice to have a break. 

Sunday was awesome!! At like 1:00 we did a "Go and Do Experience." We started out with meeting in one of the big buildings and had a quick spiritual thought and talked about what we should do for the rest of the time. We then all split up and just did personal study for 2 hours and it was sooo good!! I found a firey Elder Holland talk and learned a lot. After dinner we had a devotional which was also just super good and spiritual. We finished with singing a really powerful hymn and it was hekkin spiritual. Then we all got together with our district and talked about what we enjoyed and it was just a really good experience. I'm definitely looking forward to Sunday each week. 

Monday followed the usually schedule but I GOT A PACKAGE. My mom sent me so many good snacks including her famous chex mix. We downed almost the entire bag in one night and now we all want more (looking at you mom).

Tuesday was also really good. We have devotionals on Tuesday nights so we don't have our evening class which is super awesome. Abby's brother is a service missionary and so he'll come down on Tuesdays for the devotionals. She made me some tasty snickerdoodles and sent them with him. That was definitely the best part of my day. We had a power outage during dinner and the lights wouldn't come on so they were thinking they might have to cancel the devotional. But the choir was already in there practicing for the devotional and RIGHT as they finished singing their last song the lights came back on!! It was super cool and definitely a miracle. At night some of the guys in the district came over to our room and we had a move night (we watched the chosen) and we finished off the rest of my moms chex mix. 

Friday we started full immersion so now our teachers speak no English when they teach us. 

Overall it was a good week and I'm not dead so that's a plus

Context for pictures 

- Our zone

- Movie night with the other elders

- Us at the Devotional on Sunday

- the next three are us during the power outage

- 2 pics of the district

- Our teacher, Schaap きょうだい, next to a firey drawing of himself

- Me and my comp, Elder Miller,  with a cool mural of Moses parting the red sea

- And the rest you can probably figure out 

the one where he left home

Well I made it to the MTC this week!!

Starting where I left off, last Sunday was a really good day. Me and Elder Miller had nothing to do in the morning before church so we ended up talking for like 4 hours which was really fun and it was nice getting to know him a little bit more. Later Sunday night all of my friends came over and that was such a good time. That was the most rejuvenating thing that happened all week. It was so nice to see all of them one more time before I left home and it was good to just talk with them and tell stoies before I don't see them for a couple years. 

Monday was pretty chill. I didn't have much to do that night so I mostly just relaxed and hung out with the family. 

Tuesday was a blast hanging with the family one more time and we had really good wings and played some good games of cornhole. We ended the day in a perfect way with lots and lots of really good fireworks. Carter and I went on one last drive together and of course we stopped at Wendys and snagged us some frostys. 

Wednesday started off with a good nap right after I woke up and then I just hung with the family before leaving. Laityn and I went on one last walk together which was a good time and we had a really good talk about the mission. Then we went off to Burgers Supreme and had food there before they dropped me off. We took some pictures next to the provo temple and I saw a couple of people from the district there taking pictures too. Then they dropped me off and we all said goodbye. I then went through the MTC and met more of my district and met up with my roommates at the crib. Once we all got settled we had a couples classes and devotionals and stuff. As we all got ready for bed we had a zone meeting with the guys in our apartment and they gave us the rules of the apartment. They are all pretty regular except whenever you call a missionary anything but elder you have to do 10 push ups. I've done A LOT of push ups in the past few days. Definitely gonna take some getting used to. 

Thursday I met the branch and the branch presidency and they are all awesome! And Elder Wynn got chosen to be our district leader and he's gonna kill it. Other than that it was a pretty basic day. 

Friday was pretty much the same nothing crazy happened mostly just classes and meals and then we went to bed. Pretty much the routine that I'll follow each day in the MTC. We did go to the gym in the morning and played some basketball with some sisters which was a good time. Oooo and lunch on Friday was absolute fire. It was enchiladas with red rice and beans and it slapped so hard. Best meal I've had here by far. 

Overall its been a long week but I've enjoyed it. I will say that 8 weeks here is gonna be a lot but I've got a good district and comp to pull me through the next few weeks. Feel free to email me with any questions or anything! 

Context for the pictures:

-This was day 1 of all of us meeting up in persons. District 22-p is the best 

- Just us in class

-We had a Chinese substitute and we basically did a Chinese just dance to get the blood pumping XD

-The whole District cramped in the elevator (we do that multiple times a day)

- The last two are just a couple picture's of me and my companion elder Miller 

Here's a couple pics of me with my friends on that last Sunday!

the dropoff

After a quick lunch at Burgers Supreme with the family, we drove to the Provo temple to take the last family photos, and give the last hugs. There were smiles, laughter, and a few tears. A couple of hours later, we received this email from Elder Thompson:

Just sending you a message letting you know that I'm all good here and everything worked out well so no issues! Love ya!