The district New Year's Eve party, in Austin's room at the MTC
We finally got emails from Austin, they are quick answers to emails we sent but I will compile them into one entry:
"How was New Year's at home? We had a little party in my room, the previous Swedes left us boxes full of candy and random stuff, we ate some of it, played around and got to know each other a lot better. My district is great, they all love the Lord and really want to do all they can to follow the rules, be respectful and learn. Swedish is challenging and awesome.
Yes, the first week was major brain overload, I got headaches all the time and Sunday I got a really bad one. Now everything is starting to be a lot easier... At night we are all really tired but it is actually a bit of a challenge to fall asleep because of all the things running through my mind.
I have learned a lot in Swedish already, I can pray, bear testimony, carry a simple conversation and already met and taught an "investigator" in the TRC, we then got to teach the investigators the first discussion, which was in english and was really fun.
The spirit here is great, I know I am really being blessed and having a lot of help. I am excited to learn more. Last night was a devotional and we had Elder Baxter and his wife talk (first quorum of the seventy) it was great, a lof of the talks that they have here are really powerful, forward and perfect for us as missionaries.
My companion is great, he is from Utah, 21 and very smart. Elder Tak (my companion) already has his masters!!!
MTC life is very scheduled, there is not a free minute in the day. Today is actually really weird, as it is P-day, there is a lot of unscheduled time and I don't really know what to do with it! So , I am emailing and my laundry is getting done. There is constant learning going on here, the one thing they could change to make it better here is for better/more weights in the gym. I have ended up playing foursquare every gym-time now... the best work out I had was today when I did some pull ups and push ups in my hall. lol, well time is running out so I love you and the rest of the family and I am having a great time! Thank you for everything that you have taught me. I really feel like I was prepared for this."
Love you!
Elder Maxwell
"How was New Year's at home? We had a little party in my room, the previous Swedes left us boxes full of candy and random stuff, we ate some of it, played around and got to know each other a lot better. My district is great, they all love the Lord and really want to do all they can to follow the rules, be respectful and learn. Swedish is challenging and awesome.
Yes, the first week was major brain overload, I got headaches all the time and Sunday I got a really bad one. Now everything is starting to be a lot easier... At night we are all really tired but it is actually a bit of a challenge to fall asleep because of all the things running through my mind.
I have learned a lot in Swedish already, I can pray, bear testimony, carry a simple conversation and already met and taught an "investigator" in the TRC, we then got to teach the investigators the first discussion, which was in english and was really fun.
The spirit here is great, I know I am really being blessed and having a lot of help. I am excited to learn more. Last night was a devotional and we had Elder Baxter and his wife talk (first quorum of the seventy) it was great, a lof of the talks that they have here are really powerful, forward and perfect for us as missionaries.
My companion is great, he is from Utah, 21 and very smart. Elder Tak (my companion) already has his masters!!!
MTC life is very scheduled, there is not a free minute in the day. Today is actually really weird, as it is P-day, there is a lot of unscheduled time and I don't really know what to do with it! So , I am emailing and my laundry is getting done. There is constant learning going on here, the one thing they could change to make it better here is for better/more weights in the gym. I have ended up playing foursquare every gym-time now... the best work out I had was today when I did some pull ups and push ups in my hall. lol, well time is running out so I love you and the rest of the family and I am having a great time! Thank you for everything that you have taught me. I really feel like I was prepared for this."
Love you!
Elder Maxwell
The last 2 line brought me to tears! He is so lucky to have you as parents, he will do a great job!!
ReplyDeleteIs Austin's district grouped with the all of the Scandanavian missionaries? It was like that when I went to Finland - we had two Swedish missionaries in our district and four Norwegian along with us (four Finnish missionaries).
ReplyDeleteSo exciting to see he's going to a Scandanavian country. I've been thinking about my mission a lot lately thanks to a fellow former missionary who has been posting pictures on Facebook. I'm sure this time with be time Austin treasures - both for the difficult times he will encounter (as they are great growing experiences) and for the uplifting times.
- Brenda Brownlee (the only Google acct I have is the one for my business, hence the weird username - sorry!)