6-10-2013

Hello Family friends and whoever else that this letter gets shared to or read by (did I cover all my bases there?)

 

So this week was pretty interesting... man its weird thinking of all the stuff that happened this week and think wow that was only 1 week!!

 

So the first and most interesting thing that happened was that there is this requirement for a Taiwan visa that is as follows, they need a stool sample... now for those of you who dont know what that is in the words of the nurse "That is your POOP" so I had to go out and poop in a cup... yeeeahhh. But after that there has just been so many things that happened that... I can barely remember them all.

 

So there is a lot of studying out here and I get really bored while i'm doing it but I try my best and have been trying to feel the spirit while almost falling asleep after a 2 hour study session.

 

My Chinese has been going pretty well but I still havn't really found a good study habit for me.  I have been slowly learning all the people in my district.  The computers don't seem to want to let me upload any pictures right now so I cant upload anything but know that their there and hopefully next week or so I will have some good ones then.  So how our weeks work out, if I didnt tell you this last week, is that Sunday is basically a day of rest even in the MTC followed by Monday which is P day then there is Tuesday which is devotional day and so we have a section of rest followed by a section of work, now I dont know if this is how I like it or not but its how it is so =/  I have been trying to read the BOM while I am here and let me tell you that it really puts me to sleep.  But I have been feeling prompted to read Alma so I started reading that today and I have been enjoying it so far so thats how that is going.  If I seem to just be rambling that probably because I am, I need to make some notes or something so that I can be a little more focused on what I talk about during these letters but I dont have any this week so bear with me.

 

So now as i'm in the section of rest my mind just keeps turning to the last devotional that we had which was by one of the higher ups here at the MTC whose name is... BROTHER HEATON, which was totally awesome, it was completely focused on how the first few moments of being introduced to an investigator are the most importent and crucial and how that the first impression effects how every lession that you teach from then on so try to make a good one.  Then later that night we listened to a great talk from a Christmas devotional by Holland titled "The Character of Christ" which totally blew away all of my roomates but as I listened I felt like some of his points of humor, while hilarious, just didnt put me in the most spiritual mood and so I wasnt as blown away by it, but he talked about how the character of christ is to really just focus your attention outward and toward other people even during the most trying of times and so that was very good.

 

Everyone at the MTC says that the best thing ever is to join the chior and so I did and I couldn't have come at a better time.  On June 23 at 4:00 PM there will be a MASSIVE mission CES fireside or something like that that will have 1500 Missionaries and 1500 Members singing infront of the 12 apostles and the first presidency and I have the opportunity so I expect everyone who actually knows me to be watching that and to find me in the crowd (I'll be the one wearing the suit)  but on another note, music has become a very happy thing for me and I ablsolutely love singing and so the chior has been a great thing and makes me think of my family

 

So I have been spending more time in prayer here than I ever have really during most of my life and its quite an amazing thing.   I never really thought about it before but while in prayer, and this is emphasized quite heavily here, you have a DIRECT connection with our heavenly father.  It has been rather astounding to me when I think about it especially during a lot of my prayers in the past that I dont really think about how amazing that that really is.  As I have come to realize this I have been attempting to make my prayers as sincere as possible and that is rather hard as I keep trying to pray in Chinese.  So you know the most astounding thing here at the MTC is that they really set the bar rather high.  when I first got here, on day 2 I learned to pray in Chinese and on day 3 I had a 100% Chinese lesson with a mock investigator and it was a rather humbling experience to say the least, but I know that as I study hard, work hard, learn all I can and then after that I pray to the lord for help I know that he has answered all my prayers and has given me the help I need when I needed it most.

 

Quick note to the family, I miss you all, you are my family and I love you but I know that while I'm out here I will come to know and love the people that I teach and that I will be able to become someone important in their lives, I know that this is a good work and while I miss you and would at times rather be there with you instead of spending hours studying PMG, scriptures or Chinese, I know that I will be able to have unreplacable experiences when I finally get out to Taiwan

 

Mom - You are amazing for all that you do and I hope that during this summer you get to just sit back, relax and just have a break from all the teaching and learning that you do

 

Dad - Your ability to come out and just talk to random strangers is something that I have admired about you and have been working on aquiring for myself. Also good luck in Pharmacy school and that Phlabotamy class

 

Jessica - Your musical talent is something that I wish I had.  good luck in school and during the time after. I know that whatever you go into you will be great!

 

Sara - You are my buddy and we have had so many good times together, I hope that you are in the coolest appartment ever and that you enjoy doing things that aparment people do

 

Jack - It has been a great comfort to me to be able to see and talk to you during my meal times and I just want to thank you for looking out for me even when I'm in the MTC

 

Emily - You will be a weird graduated person by the time I get back, dont change too much and stay awesome, I wish you the best in all your endavors

 

Ben - Did you survive survival???  I dont know because you DIDNT E-MAIL ME I want to hear about it so write me =)

 

anyway I'm a little over time so I have to go but know that I love you all and wish you all the best.  Pray for me I need it too

 

Love Elder Heaton ( The coolest one )

He Zhang Lao