(received 5:04 am)
Sheesh, this is a WHOLE lot different than I expected. I knew it would be hard but not even close to this hard! Trying to focus on the work has been really difficult when all I can think of is how long two years is and how much I love everyone at home. Seriously, I love all of the people that have influenced my life up until I left, especially my close friends. So here it goes. I've gotten a lot of questions about so many things but I only have a limited time to email here in the MTC so I will try to explain as much as I can and answer as much as I can:)
Sheesh, this is a WHOLE lot different than I expected. I knew it would be hard but not even close to this hard! Trying to focus on the work has been really difficult when all I can think of is how long two years is and how much I love everyone at home. Seriously, I love all of the people that have influenced my life up until I left, especially my close friends. So here it goes. I've gotten a lot of questions about so many things but I only have a limited time to email here in the MTC so I will try to explain as much as I can and answer as much as I can:)
So here in the MTC we have a rigid schedule. We wake up at 5:50 and go running and come home and get ready for the day all dressed and packed up by breakfast at 7 o'clock. From there we have classes all morning where we learn the finer points of being a missionary like how to teach, how to ask questions, how to invite the spirit daily into our lives, how to study for our investigators, and how to organize our materials and lives. Then we have lunch and go back to classes for a couple hours when we get to "go to sport" (the new language patterns are so funny and it’s been fun getting used to them and learning how to use them.)
So Joburg is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I've never seen anything like it anywhere that I've traveled before. It’s green everywhere and the temperature is so nice! It also rains often and when it does it "buckets" or pours! But it’s amazing here:)
I have a list of stuff to type but I’m getting kicked off now so hopefully I can get back on later today, if not, I’ll be out of the MTC in 5 days and ill have more than 45 minutes to email!
I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Please keep me in your prayers if you will:)
(received 6:51 am)
Sorry I got booted off before I could finish all I wanted to say. So yes it’s beautiful here in SA but man is it a different culture! They have beggars at all the stop lights (which is sad but sketchy) and all their cars are little, no big trucks at all! The weirdest thing by far though is driving on the opposite side of the road. Every time I've been in a car I feel like that scene from Galaxy Quest where the kid is pulling the space ship out of the spaceport and all of their heads lean to the side cause he can’t drive hahaha just a funny observation :P Mom I love you! It’s fun to send a couple emails while you're asleep haha! No companions named Botho or anything like that but Elder Moliki is from Joburg and he has taught me so much about humility and many lessons. I’ll let him know my family is praying for him. Dad, your red and blue tie went to the Joburg temple with me so I could take you there with me:) I hope teaching all goes well and your students appreciate it, I know I did when I was in seminary.
The thing I want to tell you is I love you all. I pray about you every night and I cannot describe how much I love you, have I said that enough?? Again I’m limited for time but I have a list of things I still wanted to include:
-send my priesthood line of authority please?
-please send pictures!! friends and family!
-send a scripture mastery card??
-advice for those of my friends and family prepping for missions: make sure you do it for you!!! If you don’t, the whole experience will not be the same and it will be very hard. Also try to do splits with the missionaries at least once!
-in the intro to the pearl of great price, are we related to Franklin D Richards??
I know it’s sporadic but it’s the best with what little time I’m given. I want you all to know I love you beyond measure. The Savior loves you even more than that!! I've found that to be true and a comfort. I know this gospel is true and that by living it, the spirit will always be with us and we will have peace and guidance. I love this gospel and have taken it for granted way too long. 19 years too long but I know that we can all re-focus and the Savior will love us for making the right decisions. Love you all!!!!
Tha's 'bout it!
-Elder S Smith:)
(received 6:51 am)
Sorry I got booted off before I could finish all I wanted to say. So yes it’s beautiful here in SA but man is it a different culture! They have beggars at all the stop lights (which is sad but sketchy) and all their cars are little, no big trucks at all! The weirdest thing by far though is driving on the opposite side of the road. Every time I've been in a car I feel like that scene from Galaxy Quest where the kid is pulling the space ship out of the spaceport and all of their heads lean to the side cause he can’t drive hahaha just a funny observation :P Mom I love you! It’s fun to send a couple emails while you're asleep haha! No companions named Botho or anything like that but Elder Moliki is from Joburg and he has taught me so much about humility and many lessons. I’ll let him know my family is praying for him. Dad, your red and blue tie went to the Joburg temple with me so I could take you there with me:) I hope teaching all goes well and your students appreciate it, I know I did when I was in seminary.
The thing I want to tell you is I love you all. I pray about you every night and I cannot describe how much I love you, have I said that enough?? Again I’m limited for time but I have a list of things I still wanted to include:
-send my priesthood line of authority please?
-please send pictures!! friends and family!
-send a scripture mastery card??
-advice for those of my friends and family prepping for missions: make sure you do it for you!!! If you don’t, the whole experience will not be the same and it will be very hard. Also try to do splits with the missionaries at least once!
-in the intro to the pearl of great price, are we related to Franklin D Richards??
I know it’s sporadic but it’s the best with what little time I’m given. I want you all to know I love you beyond measure. The Savior loves you even more than that!! I've found that to be true and a comfort. I know this gospel is true and that by living it, the spirit will always be with us and we will have peace and guidance. I love this gospel and have taken it for granted way too long. 19 years too long but I know that we can all re-focus and the Savior will love us for making the right decisions. Love you all!!!!
Tha's 'bout it!
-Elder S Smith:)
