MTC January 19, 2012

Well, time flies by here.  It seems like there are two days in one day, but that they go by faster than they should.  But it's aight.  I stopped worrying about that a while ago.  The investigator that we started with, Tomas, we are now finished with.  It was interesting.  It definitely got easier as we went along.  But it still wasn't easy.  Mainly we learned how to teach rather than the content.  Because we're teaching people, not lessons.  That's important.  Figuring all this out.  By the way, I still want Bryce's address.  Maybe you just didn't remember, or maybe you just haven't received an email yet.  I'm really not sure what you've received because I've sent one letter and one email.  Some verification would be appreciated.  By the way, it really isn't just some gimmicky saying when they tell you that you will learn the language of the Spirit in the MTC.  It's true, if you put yourself to work.  The phrase forget yourself is quite appropriate.  One thing that always bothers me is the elders who are just loud, irreverent, who just don't think.  Thinking is also important.  Just be obedient and you don't have to worry.  No problem.  It really isn't hard to do.  Also, my district is awesome.  As I said, 11 elders.  We can get slightly loud, but we've been doing much better at actually studying personally during personal study time.  They are also hilarious.  We've got Elder Nilsen, my companion, Elders Beck and Weiler, our roommates, Elders Turbovsky and Gatherum, Elders Hernandez and Hunter, and Elders Jellen, Lindsey, and St. Martin.  Elder St. Martin is from Mesa as well, but Mountain View.  All of them are pretty cool.  I can dig it.  What's also great about the MTC is the great talks you get to hear.  Sunday fireside, Tuesday devotional.  Plus all the other things you get to hear from teachers and such.  Plus, today was my first real Preparation day, so we were able to go to the temple and do a session.  If I do happen to use your names, Mother, what do I do with them?  Mail them to you?  Apply fairy dust?  Back onto talks.  We were able to listen to a talk from 2006 where Elder Holland laid down the law.  I understand how he can affront people sometimes, but in the MTC it's fairly clear cut what you should be doing, so he just reinforced that.  He also laid out how our time as missionaries is about as close as we can get to being apostles, called to be missionaries full time.  So for these two years, you better capitalize on what you got.  Gym time at the MTC is great.  Basketball it up.  Volleyball I haven't tried but looks good enough.  Foursquare isn't for me but I can see the attraction for people who aren't really as great at the other sports but still like playing some kind of game involving movement with other people.  If you were wondering about which meal is best, it's definitely lunch.  The food is just generally better.  At dinner, if they happen to serve some kind of meat it's always dry, or tastes a bit funny.  Lunch is just consistently good, with two soups.  The hawaiian burger today was quite good, with teriyaki sauce and pineapple on it, and sweet potato fries, which start out good but get more bleh as you continue.  A goal I achieved on Sunday, is that I memorized D&C 4 in español.  I've also memorized the missionary purpose in Spanish.  I just have to memorize the First Vision in Spanish to have it all down.  It isn't near as hard to memorize in Spanish as I thought it would be.  Of course, I'm getting some heavenly help with it.  Weird coincidence, the Branch President, President Tyler, knows Bro. Freestone from his missions.  He's a cool guy.  He knows a ton of scriptures by memory.  I count about ten scriptures every time he talks to us, impromptu.  One thing I'm loving about my mission is how clear things are.  Even when I'm praying for something, the Spirit will just tell me what I have to do to accomplish it.  The language of the Spirit is coming along.  Oh, and mother dearest, my companion asked something about some kind of missionary mom website (probably with that name).  If you want to link up on that you're free to.  I didn't think you were quite that gung-ho, but you might be, so I'm mentioning it.  I have 6 minutes left to write this, but I'm pretty much already done.  Things are going well.  The food takes a while to get used to.  I actually might gain weight here.  I haven't weighed myself though.  I ate 3 bananas this morning.  I haven't grown or shrunk.  I have to dry clean my first suit already because I spilled so much food on myself the first week here.  The new suit we bought is pretty sweet.  I enjoy it.  It is the one that needs dry cleaned, however.  The old one isn't bad, it's just heavier and seems to attract lint with relative ease.  I'm figuring out the rest of the Spanish language well enough.  I will figure it out more and more as time goes by.  It's kind of entertaining to do this because I'm just picking random facts.  The Provo temple right next to the MTC here looks like a cupcake.  A pretty cupcake.  It hasn't snowed on the ground here, really.  We could barely see snow yesterday, or maybe two days ago.  The mountains just got snow last night.  It would be cool if it snowed once before I left.  It should.  Either way, time is now up, so I'm going off.  Adios, familia.MT


From the Family 1/16

Well Nick, a lot has happened since you left. I got burned, so I had to quit the CIA and the family all knows I've been leading a double life as a spy for the past few years. It's been interesting getting back into the normal life. I'll be able to go back to school and stuff. That'll be nice. Plus, I have this nice severance package from Uncle Sam that I can invest. I think I'll put it all into space exploration and nanotechnology. I'm expecting to double my investment  within the first ten years and then reinvest it at all levels of the same industry. Long term.... I'll control space and have a huge leg up on all the competition due to my advanced nanomaterials. By the time I hit 80 I should be the President/Dictator of the moon, with significant holdings on Earth. Around 125 I think I should have been able to absorb all the world governments into one conglomerate and have a worldwide government.  I will of course sp
 end my remaining years spear fishing, eating cheese, and bowling. By the way, MTC food is great but try the temple food if you can. I'd give you more advice but I need to go do some consulting work for MI. Oh yeah, watch out for Yeerks.... 

(I'll let you guess who that was from) 
Subject: To my bro 
Hey man. You are a lucky kid. I want to go on my mission now. Like right now. I went to mission prep tonight and it was great. There were so many people there and people are starting to get their cars. It's been a bit empty since you left but I have been keeping busy. School's still school. Life's still life. But you know the real process. You live you work you party and finally you party some more. I went on a blind date the other night and it was way fun. We actually played bowlo and it was legit. Me and my date won of course. Anywho it sounds like your having more fun than I am. The next time I go to Argentina i expect to see converts everywhere. Your goal is to convert all of argentina. K? K. Keep it up bro. Later.  
Alehandro 

Nick, 
Did you get the first e-mail I sent?  I didn't have your box number and I just sent it.  The other Elder Hansen in Buenos Ares west probably got it.  I get points for trying though.  We've had a long weekend with the MLK being today.  Friday your dad took me out to Texas Roadhouse for my Master's diploma.  I never got much of a celebration on that.  Saturday and today Matt S. and Dad and Sam have been building their bed frame.  I've just been feeding them and kicking around.  We had stake conference.  We streamed it to the house again so Grandma and Grandpa could watch it with us.  Some good talks.  One in particular talked about a sister who made a commitment to attend the temple weekly and the blessings she had seen from it.  I've kind of had it as a sort of goal but never really committed to it.  I'm thinking about it.   
Made won tons and doughnuts last night.  Sorry you missed it.   
So, what are Sundays in the MTC like?  Matt and your dad weren't very helpful in answering that.  I expect better from you.  I'm glad to hear that your experience there is going well.  Don't ruin your knee playing basketball.  (That's what Uncle Bill did).  We all thought you were kind of a quiet kid.  But then you left and it's even quieter.  Who would have thunk.  Have  a good week.  We love you and are praying for you.  Mom (and Dad).