Last P-Day in the MTC!

It's hard to believe 6 weeks have already gone by in the MTC. My district has grown very close, and it's gonna be hard to say goodbye at the end of this week. Here are some bios about everyone in my district for your enjoyment and to keep record of it. (pairs are companions).

Elder Larsen: From Highland, UT. Headed for San Jose, California on Wednesday morning

Elder Neilsen: From Sandy, UT. Headed for San Fernando, California on Monday morning

Elder Rickeberg: From Mesa AZ. Headed for Bahia Blanca, Argentina on Monday morning

Elder D.Sivertsen: From Kanarraville, UT. Headed for Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Reassigned to the California Oakland/San Fran mission, Tuesday morning

Elder Parker: From Las Vegas, NV. Headed for Mendoza, Argentina, Monday morning.

Elder Agyin: From Riversida, CA. Headed for Mendoza, Argentina, reassigned to the New York Rocester mission, monday morning.

Elder I. Sivertsen: From Kanarraville, UT. Headed for Mendoza, Argentina, reassigned to Lubbock, Texas, monday morning.

<Me>

Hermana Donnalley: From Colorado Springs, CO. Headed for Ventura, Cali, Weds.

Hermana Peterson: From Boston, MA, headed for San Jose, Weds.

So that's my district. I didn't get reassigned.

The MTC has been a great experience for me. I have learned so much about how to study, how to teach, how to get along with others, and how to learn spanish fast. It's gone by really fast, but I think I'm ready to move into in-field training.

Last night was the last time I'd see one of my two teachers, Hermano Avila. He is a spiritual giant. He served his mission in Miami florida and started teaching at the MTC at age 23. Last night was our last prayer with him and Elder Sivertsen asked him to say the closing prayer. We were all expecting spanish, but instead he started as you would a blessing of comfort. He individually blessed each of us in our district, and it was a very special experience. He blessed me with the gift of example and leadership. He said I will train other missionaries when my training is fulfilled.

Yeah, we got reassignments this week. Elder Sivertsen and I were getting the mail like we normally do and then out of nowhere the reassignments were in there. Both Sivertsens and elder Agyin got reassigned. But as I am writing this I heard an announcement asking for Elder Agyin so his visa may have come. So yeah, traveling is gonna be sick.

I don't know how I'm gonna fit everything in those bags. That's my objective today. Normally we go to the temple around 2:00 pm like we're supposed to, but today we went at 6:00 am and got it done. So now we have the rest of the day to pack until 5:30 when we eat dinner and then go to class. I probably will be able to fit everything, but I better get used to it as I'll be doing it a lot.

Here's your spiritual message for the week:

Obtaining charity is not a simple thing. Compassion and love for everyone can be very hard. However, getting to know the Atonement of Jesus Christ amplifies your ability to be charitable and loving. Studying John 17 helps with understanding what a thing Christ did for everyone. The Doctrine of Christ in the Book of Mormon is everywhere. The teachings are so deep and there is no possible way Joseph Smith could have written them. He translated the works of previous prophets for our age.

We had in-field orientation yesterday, and I learned at lot about actually being in the field as a last hurrah. In my district, we envy the english speaking missionaries because they are only here for 11-12 days. So there are around 600 english missionaries at a time here. And there have been around 4 batches of them that came and left as we were here, so that's thousands of faces we went through. So yeah, I'm ready to leave haha.

My next email I'll be writing from Mendoza!!! A funny thing that happened was I got an email from a woman who lives in Mendoza in the mission office. Her shoes are breaking or something so her daughter sent me a package with these shoes I'm taking for her, along with some skirts... weird. 

By the way, thank you for that last package. I already opened the christmas gift and birthday.... Thanks!!! Just kidding, I didn't, calm down.

Mom and dad I'll call you in SLC, ATL, and ARG. We can chat for a while cause you send me the phone so boo-ya. I'll just snap it in half once I'm done and throw it away. I still remember everyone's numbers.

Remember I'm praying for you and the Church is true!!!

Love, Elder Anderson

 

Me and elder Adams. He's got a ways to go.

 

Me and Elder Schwendiman. He left the other day.

 

Elder Richardson and I. He left the other day too.

 

My District

Brother Avila and I.

There is a story behind this tie. We were screwing around in our room and looking in all the vents and old outlets cover things. We found this tie in one of them, and we each take turns wearing it. I left a note in one of the vents in an envelope titled -- don't open until 2014. It was dated from 1994, so hopefully we'll troll the next missionaries that are bored enough to check all the secret places.