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May 19: First three days at MTC

Hey.

So my P-day at the MTC is Friday, that is when I will email while I'm here, at whenever it's convenient during the day (I can just email on my tablet). So far the MTC has been pretty good, but mostly very very organized. Right from the get-go an Elder grabbed my bags, guided me on the sidewalk where approximately 400,000 other missionaries and volunteers stood along the sides, gesturing where to go with their hands and enormous smiles. There were a few volunteers there whose only job was to cut the pocket threads of the Elder's suits when they came in so the nametag could go in. The dude with my bags found me again and then we went to the bookstore where I got all my French stuff. We have a ton of books to use but also the worlds smallest desks. C'est difficile. The residence building I'm in smells like 18-year-old boys and the beds are pretty terrible. There's been a semen joke, "je suis la toilette" mistake, an insult of "oh yeah, well you speak weiner, you weiner," so I had to input my 2 cents of the verb "to fart" en francais, which is "Peter" (pronounced pehtae). The young elders were very grateful for my sage wisdom. And yes, I'm the oldest Elder in my zones. There's a couple 20-year-olds here and there, and one 22-year-old.

All that being said, I actually like the MTC. I like how much time we spend studying the gospel, the language, exercising, and eating. My companion is great. Elder Nathan Wallace from Ceder City Utah. He's 19, a swimmer for BYU, and is wanting to continue studying business at BYU when he gets back. He is more mature than the other elders and we get along pretty well. His French is pretty bad though. Everyone else in my district learned at least some French before coming here, so I've been helping him learn and pronounce French. He has a hard time with the French uvular "R" sound. He has been trying to pronounce "Paris" with a French accent, and improving a bit, but he still has a way to go. I had to poop, so he had to wait outside the bathroom for me, and I will never forget being on the toilet and hearing a muffled, slightly whispered "Paaaaaahhhhhhhhiiiiiiiii" over and over again from just outside the door. We'll get the "r" sound eventually.

The classes and workshops have been good so far. The first day we did group teaching and the entire workshop was focused on loving, and not teaching, the investigator. I appreciated that distinction. They also clarified that we are there to teach the gospel, not to offer marriage, parenting, depression, or any other kind of advice that we aren't qualified to give. I also appreciated that advice. The first day we were speaking French and we are about to teach lesson in French in a couple hours.

We go to the temple every P-day (Friday for us) at 6:30 in the morning, which is great. I had a very calming and reassuring experience at the temple. I have had many opportunities to feel the spirit at both the MTC and the temple since being here. I've also felt quite a bit of doubt and self-criticism for not being perfect or whatever. Overall though, it's been very positive so far.

The pics are my classroom (district) my tag, and a blurry pic of my and my companion.

 - Elder Johnson





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