Hej hej everybody! What they told me when I got to the MTC is so true, the days are long but the weeks fly by, so much has already happened but I'll do my best to put it all into words. So the first few days being here and especially getting dropped off I would compare the feeling to going on a rollercoaster that you're freaked out about but you know that as soon as you're done you just want to keep riding it again and again. I had some nerves and fear of the unknown and leaving my family and friends and everything behind, but I just strapped in and went for the ride and while it's been a pretty crazy adjustment from freshmen college life to MTC life, I've been loving it so far. It's been weird but surprisingly nice and relieving to leave everything behind. No texts, grades, girls, or even outfits really to worry about.
First night in the MTC.
Good ole Aldste Richards
Temple Walk
Send off for the German Elder in our district in our bathroom.
Since I've been here they've really focused on centering everything we do around our purpose, which I'll try to write here on the computer from memory. "Invite others to come unto Christ through helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end". Everyone asked me before I left about learning Svenske and I was worried because learning spanish in high school was tough for me but the program here at the MTC has been so helpful (by the way I'm going to throw in random Swedish words in my emails so you can learn a little Swedish with me). We use SYL (speak your language) here at the MTC and so pretty much like my dad told me, you speak in Svenske unless you absolutely don't know how to say something. It's been hard especially since it's the first week and we came in knowing nothing but wow, I feel awesome about the progress my companions and district have been able to make.
So I'm actually in a trio for my companionship, didn't even know that was a thing till I got to the MTC! I've got Äldste Reed, who I could compare to the main character (Flynn?) from Adventure Time, he's a goofy, genuine Äldste with awesome voices that he does and he loves the gospel and working hard. My other companion is Äldste Richards, he actually went through the 6 weeks at the MTC when he was 19 to go to Sweden, then he went home, and came back 2 years later now when he's 21. I have so much respect for him to come back out, he's a little ahead of us in Svenske from his old MTC days and so it's been SO helpful having him as a companion. We have been getting along great so far, we like to joke around but also focus and push each other to work hard. We have 9 people in our district, 2 sisters and 2 other sets of Elders. It's pretty cool, Äldste White and Äldste Perkins are in my district and they're good friends from BYU. Our zone is comprised of the Swedes, Nordes, and Dutch and one German Elder but he just headed out.
It really is true that you just dive right into your language and I'll admit I was moderately overwhelmed the first day or two, but it helps knowing everyone else in your district is on the same level as you. On the third day in so friday, we had to teach our "investigator" Isabel for the first time, it was supposed to be 30-40 minutes, oh yeah and only in Svenske. Haha that was a very interesting experience filled with many long awkward pauses and us struggling to piece together sentences without relying on our notes and it ended up being about 20 minutes but it was a humbling and learning experience for me for sure. We've taught Isabel 3 times so far and are teaching her again tomorrow. My Svenske has been improving everyday and it's been amazing to see the gift of tongues working in my life because I've learned more Svenske in a week here than I learned Spanish in 2 years in high school. I can bear my testimony, pray, and kind of carry on a conversation if I stick to words I know. My teachers are awesome, they all recently came back from mission in Sweden so they're really helpful. I've been learning so much about the gospel and how to become a better missionary and it really is amazing, this is the only time in my life where I literally have one job, and that is to fulfill my missionary purpose.
The food is pretty like the Cannon at BYU but a little better haha but don't worry I'm making up for it during gym time, my companions and I run to and from the gym everyday where we play four square for an hour. It's intense here but the Swedes are definitely taking over the square. It was a little tough adjusting to the schedule of lights out at 10:30 and class at 6:30 but I love it, I feel like I get more done in a day here than a whole week at BYU haha.
Sorry this is so long but it's my first week so there's a lot to talk about, I hope everyone had a great week, I'm just going to try to stick to my dad's advice to not regret a single moment! Ja älska du all!
-Äldste Hainsworth
-Äldste Hainsworth
