Tuesday, May 12, 2009

THE MTC IS AWESOME!!

Mon 4/27/09 3:15 PM--MTC
Hey Mom and Dad, this is my email that I can use while at the MTC. I will be able to get on each Monday while I am here. The MTC is awesome! I said a lot already in the letter I sent to you guys a few days ago. Did you get that? Since being here, I feel like it is definitely a blessing to be going on an English speaking mission. It seems like all of the missionaries I talk to who are learning a language are pretty stressed out and they don't talk like they are having too much fun. They all say they can't wait to get out of here. I'm already sad that we will be leaving in a couple weeks, I'm really enjoying the experience. My district and zone are awesome. One of the guys from Mesa who went through the temple with me when Talmage went through is actually in my zone (Corbin Buckley), so thats pretty funny. His district is leaving on Wednesday to the field, and they all seem ready to go. Everyone in the zone calls me either "Elder Moroni" or "Elder Nephi" because of my big arms, haha. I'll take it! Captain Moroni is my hero, so thats pretty cool. It will be cool to get some new Elders in our zone on Wednesday, so we won't be the new guys anymore. Learning to teach people is a whole different thing than I thought it would be. It isn't about being profound or sounding smart, it's about being able to explain the basic truths simply and confidently. It was tougher for me, during this first week, to explain what I want to say without getting too deep into the doctorine or getting too far off the main topic. I have also been working on the "Uh"s and "Um"s. I'm starting to get used to these fourteen hour work days finally. The first couple of days seemed like a week long each, but now they probably feel about two days long each. It's cool to be able to fit so many things in to each day, and I'm really trying to make the most of every minute. I hope everything is going well there at home! And I hope to hear from you guys soon - I'm one of the only guys who haven't gotten anything in the mail... So, I will email next week, and reply to any letters you send! Love you Elder Vogan

MAN I HATE TIME LIMITS

Mon 5/04/09 2:02 PM --MTC
They give us 30 minutes from the time we log in to check messages and write new ones. Yeah, I got the letters the day after I sent the email so thank you! I enjoyed reading all of them, and Jordan's in a retard voice. Haha, the guys in my district get a kick out of the knock knock jokes. And Hannah, yeah, i forgot to leave the charger at home. Do you need me to send it? Or were you able to buy another one? I wasn't too sad about not getting anything actually, there is so much going on that its hard to find time to read them. My P-Day here at the MTC is Monday, so all my letters are sent today too. Yeah, I guess I didn't give too many details in my last email. My companion, Elder Butikofer, is from Idaho Falls, ID, and he's a funny guy. He was a ballroom dancer in high school, so he'll randomly do goofy dance moves when we are walking or in our residence halls, and i have to yell at him. Haha, but its in fun. We get along and work well together, and teach well. We actually just got assigned to be the zone leaders yesterday, so that's going to be cool. It's weird though because he and the other two Elders in my dorm are going to the Louisianna Baton Rouge mission, so its going to be a sad good-bye. I'll be going to Milwaukee with Elder Klc("Kelch") and Elder Quinney from the other room, and we get along well two, so that will be alot of fun. It's crazy that we leave to the field a week from tomorrow! I'm ready though. Our district above us just left this morning, so now we are the oldest in the zone. I see Sam and Austin everyday, at least once a day. I haven't had a chance to get pictures with them yet but I have the next week to do that. I have some cool pictures and videos on my camera, so i might just send the memory card home when its full, or put them on a cd or something. I'll figure it out. Oh, and tomorrow, I volunteered to say the closing prayer in the big mtc fireside. A general authority will be speaking to us, so that will be a cool experience to meet him. It could be one of the twelve. I know Elder Ballard and Elder Holland do those firesides pretty often. I was really sad to hear about Whitney and Megan! How are they doing? And Mom, yeah I think Megan's "golden ticket" to heven is a two-person pass. Mom, you can go ahead and foreward me the emails from the other missionaries and I will read what I can. Times up! Love you, Elder Vogan

Monday, May 11, 2009

LIFE AND TIMES AT THE MTC

MY LAST DAY IN THE MTC--May 11, 2009
Hey guys, I can't even believe i'm already leaving the mtc tomorrow. We have to get up at like 3 AM tomorrow to leave, and we will be flying to Minneapolis first and then to Milwaukee. I really liked your dearelder.com letters, its really convenient! I'm not really sure how that will work when im in the field though, they might need to foreward the mail there or something. I'm glad everyone's doing better. And I'm glad Jordan had a much better dance experience this time around, i couldnt open up the pictures but ill try next week. Oh, highlight of the week was that MTC devotional. It was an intense experience sitting with Elder Cranney and watching thousands of missionaries flowing into the auditorium. And then finally everyone stands up and I see Elder M. Russell Ballard walk with his wife up onto the stage, it was so cool! I'm like, "Dude, Elder, dude its Elder Ballard!" haha. Elder Cranney said it was his dream come true and he was a little teary-eyed. Elder Ballard's talk was incredible, about DESIRE. That word has so much more meaning to all of us now. After I said the closing prayer and walked back to where I was sitting, Elder Ballard stood right up without acknowledging anyone else, and walked straight over to us. When he got close and shook my hand, he looked into my eyes and said, "Thank you so much for your kind prayer." It was a memorable experience for sure. And as he did that, everyone in the crowd was on their feet and the room was dead silent, as they all watched him walk over and shake our hands. Afterward, Sam Kirby came up and told me good job, and alot of people told me they were really jealous. He was escorted out the back door before anyone else could shake his hand, so Elder Cranney and I were the only ones who had the opportunity. I love hearing from you guys, so don't hold back any urges you might have to send me letters. I'm glad Dad's investment is looking promises, as well as Mexbank restitution. And I am praying that the right thing happens for the family with the house. If Jordan wants to gain weight, have in spend a few weeks at the mtc... Oh another thing that was kind of funny, I have a black eye. Yeah, on Saturday we were playing soccor, and I play pretty aggressive because I'm alot bigger than most of the guys and I can intimidate them to giving me the ball, or i just run them over. It's alot of fun. But anyway, on Saturday I was dribbling the ball toward the goal, and one of the guys in the distict right below mine, in my zone, was coming to defend, so i faked like i was going to kick it really hard, and he jumped up and did a 180 so the ball would hit him in the back, but i started running again and kind of plowed him over, and his knee flew up and knocked me in the face. I was dizzy and couldn't see for a little bit and now i have a battle scar, and Elder Anderson's butt is still killing him. So we are even. Haha. Alright, well I will write again next week and tell you about my area, companion and mission president. Sorry if I was able to talk about some of the things that you asked me about. Mom, I hope you got my Mother's Day card. Love you Elder Taylor Vogan