First week in the MTC

Room for at least six more

Hey everyone!

Man what have you all been doing without me? Life must really be a bore for all of you now. Sorry about that. Maybe it will pick up in two years when I get home.

Let me get started with my zone. Apparently we are called the Celestial Zone because we have the most rules. haha But I guess that’s why they put me in here! haha I can't even listen to my music! Only on Sundays and then it’s the unspoken word or something like that for an hour while we study! 

So, first day I get here we sing Called to Serve and the Spirit was so strong! Now we’ve sung that a hundred times but I still love it! Then a choir came in and sang Brightly Beams! There have been so many interesting coincidences like that throughout the week (The only other time I've heard that song was at my farewell when my dad sang it). Then we went to class and dove into Russian and met our district and comps! That was fun, minus the part where I had no idea what was going on when my teacher was telling me to go to the computer lab. But no one else did so it’s all good! I love my teacher. He is so cool and a big example. His name is Brother Gill and he went to Rustov on his mission two years ago and now is majoring in Russian!

I love my companion. He’s the one in the blue onesy at the temple. haha Just kidding. That’s some Hawaiian lady who wanted to take a pic with us. Guess she didn't have time to get ready in the morning. haha But my comp is the tall one I’m with!  He keeps me in line. haha Except he gets easily distracted and I prepare most of the lessons. But it’s okay because he is really smart so it's not like I’m carrying the whole load. He is really good and quick at picking up the language.

My schedule includes 9 hours of language study most days. It’s tough. I’m so tired in the morning, when I wake I get on my knees next to my bed and say a prayer. Then I stay in that position and fall asleep so that my district thinks I’m saying a long prayer or something. haha They are all great in my district. We have been brothers since the day we got together!

Best friend for at least 9 weeks

The language is going great! I love the Russian language. It is so interesting! I know how to pray and say a few phrases. I also know how to read pretty well and write so that’s nice! We are working on conjugations and cases right now. We are two or three weeks ahead of schedule in our studies! Brother Gill says we are picking it up better than any class he has ever taught! 

Anyways, I’ve taught four lessons to a girl named Lera! Even though it is roll play she does such a good job at pretending like an actual investigator! The Spirit is so strong while teaching! I get so pumped after we teach a good lesson! haha 

Our district is singing in the choir! It has been awesome. The guy who leads us is so funny! We sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer and he tells us funny stories about the first prayer while we are learning it! He gave me such a strong testimony about Joseph Smith! I guess he’s conducted at a General Conference before so he is supposed to be pretty good!

Tanner is not short
The camera is just out of focus

I was talking to an elder while playing volley ball the other day and he asked me where I’m from! I did likewise and he said he was from Boise! I said I only know one family in Boise and you probably don’t know them because Boise is so big. Turns out he went to the Dykman’s ward! haha I forget his name but I love how little miracles happen like that every day in the MTC.

Something I've thought a lot about is that I don't think I just get miracles in here because I'm here. I think it’s that I pay attention more. If you are having a hard time right now pray for the help to recognize those miracles in your life. I promise you’ll find them. They make my day and I hope they make yours.

Anyways, I love you all. Hope to hear from you more next week!

Elder Weston