So,
my first message from the Missionary Training Center (MTC)!
well,
it's been different, I can tell you that much :P I'm trying to get used to
studying all day in white shirt and tie, at least it's a short sleeve since I'm
going to the Philippines :) we're learning Cebuano, but it was confusing at
first because the teacher only spoke Cebuano. But the really cool thing
happened in our first meeting - it was with all the new missionaries that had
arrived that week - if I remember, there was 238. Then the president of the MTC
started asking missionaries to stand up when he said their home country/state -
there was mostly always a couple, with a whole group from Japan. Anyways, they got to Alaska and I was the
only one!! it was cool :) but there's probably more here somewhere, because
there are about 2,000 missionaries here.
I
was surprised when I got my nametag - it's all in English! Apparently with the
different dialects in the Philippines, even though I'm learning Cebuano they
put it in English so that Philippinos can recognize it if they go see a church
of ours in a different island/dialect. It's hard to learn a completely
different language - it's sorta similar to Spanish in some ways, and I did take
Spanish in high school, but it's still really different. However, I can already
say a prayer, bear my testimony, and even make sentences with what we've
learned so far! It's hard, but I already love the language
I'm getting along pretty well with my companion, but he seems to like to
keep to himself. I am getting used to keeping him within sight and sound though
:)
I
was watching Joseph Smith: the Restoration yesterday after the fireside, and so
many times I felt that it was talking to me - in that one movie, I got so many
answers and so much guidance and strength, it was amazing!
My
teacher said something funny a couple days ago - Yoda is Philippino! He's
short, agile, and uses the same sentence structure! :) totally made my day!
gugma
si Elder Carlson
(love
Elder Carlson)
