MTC Day One

This is the first letter I've written since becoming Elder Christian. Its Thursday morning and I just got back from personal study time and Im already struggling to stay awake but everyone was doing the same so its all good. I slept most of the flight so that was good and I got straight off the plane and onto the shuttle so that worked out well. I was nervous to enter the MTC because the six other guys on the shuttle were anti-social but when I walked in, the first guy I met was one of the Swainson twins from Red Deer so that was kind of random. Theres been no down time since I've got here and am constantly on the move from class to class. My district is really good. We have 12 guys and seven of them are coming to Fresno so I'll know a bunch of them really well before I get to Fresno. My companion Elder Ryan Peterson from Driggs Idaho is super cool and we get along really well, the only downfall is that he's 6'8" so he looks like a giant compared to me. The other companionship are really cool so we have a really fun room compared to the other rooms in our district. We stayed up late talking and were already really close so its good to have some friends because it makes the time so much more enjoyable. We had a fireside last night and it was great because there was a great sense of unity and camaraderie especially while we were singing the hymns. My p-days are Wednesday so I wont's be able to send or check my emails til Wednesday.

Airport

May 25th. From Baltimore to Salt Lake.

7am Flight.

Needing to be there an hour early, we arrived at 5:20am. Feeling very relaxed.
And feeling sad...
Walked into the airport. Went down to the baggage check in. The line...was approximately a mile? Maybe 800 people? Approximately speaking. It was absolutely crazy. Only getting through about a quarter of the line by 6:30. Having to be pulled out of the line- to enter a new Salt Lake flight line. Being about the 5th group in that line we got to the desk at 6:55.
Rushing to make the flight. Quick farewell picture. And onto security. The last waves, but not for the tears (Alison :) ). Elder Samuel Christian is off to the MTC.
See you again in 2013.

Farewell

Missionary Cake (Made by Sister Blood- in the Winters Run Ward)

Week 6

So we got transfer calls on Saturday night...and I'm staying in Reedley but I'm getting a new companion, his name is Elder Malo and I don't know much about him but he's been out for about a year and he's Mexican so that should help with my Spanish a lot. So I'm happy that I get to stay here in Reedley because I'm used to everybody here and how to get places but I'll be making all the plans because he doesn't know anything about this area but it will be fun. Transfers are on Wednesday so next pday I will let you know how he is. I'm a little surprised that I was kept here because they normally keep the older missionaries in the same spot and move the younger ones around but I'm happy right here. So this week was kinda like the other weeks and everything blends in but the area is really progressing and our teaching pool is getting a lot bigger so we always have something to do. Friday I went on an exchange and that was fun, I really got along with the other elder, he was pretty new to the mission too and I think that's why we got along, all the older missionaries are just in the routine and boring, I hope I don't get like that. Saturday was transfer calls and the district I'm in is getting a lot of new faces but none that I know. Today we went to the swap meet which is a ghetto Mexican flea market kinda thing, and that was fun, September is going to be a really good month, I think there is going to be quite a few baptisms this month which is really exciting. So right now I'm doing about 50/50 Spanish and English teaching and we teach about 25 lessons a week so we never tract. We still are getting fed pretty much every night and have a team up but Elder Malo and I am going to take it to the next level!! It's still hot and in the 100's every day, hasn't rained yet but it never rains from like may to October so I shouldn't expect any for a while. I have the nastiest watch tan, I'll have to take a picture and send it to you next week because its sweet. My feet are getting better now that I have the cream but they still burn and itch. That's about all that happened this week, I met my new companion on Wednesday so I'm excited. The hardest thing about the mission is giving up football and sports and not being able to watch movies but they will all be there when I get back, it's just every time we walk into members houses they are watching football and my heart sinks a little because I miss it so much, it sounds lame but its the truth.