Week 2

Hola!

I have successfully made it more than a week into the MTC! It has been fantastic!

This morning our district went to the temple at 9 and it was just an incredible booster for me. I finished up personal study where I studied a bit about the Book of Mormon and the bible and how each support each other and talk about each other. Companion study Elder Flamm and I studied Alma chapter 17 and I helped teach him about some principles that we can apply to our missions (seeing as that is what I gave my talk on) He also had some good insights for me.

I have become quite the four-square pro during gym time. I probably am way to competitive but that is kinda the way I am. And I am not too worried about tearing my ACL again in four square like I am in basketball. But gym time has gotten to be more enjoyable.

I have enjoyed getting letters and DearElders from everybody (and for those of you who don't know what dearelder is: you can go to dearelder.com and follow the directions to write me a letter. My MTC mailbox is #182 and I get it that day or at the latest the next day) I got my first handwritten letter from the Fish's and Addison gave me a puzzle of the Argentine flag and Parker and Annie both drew me pictures. It was very fun to read through and look at. Everybody in my District loved it. The puzzle took about 20 minutes for all of us to solve. I also have heard from Emily and got a package from Mitch with a bunch of goodies! I enjoy hearing from everybody and I will continue to :)

Its been a blast to see Chad Carr and Talbot and Clare and a couple of other people from high school and college here. Chad is in Clare's zone so they see each other all the time. Clare is doing very well and we have been able to talk to each other a lot and help each other so that has been a great blessing.

The MTC is still pretty weird and it is still impossible for me to fall asleep t 10:30 and difficult for me to get out of bed at 6:30. But once I am awake I enjoy all that I do. For our service activity Wednesday morning Elder Flamm and I were assigned to clean all the entrance windows in the main building. It was pretty fun and I kept being reminded of the good ole days working at WBM cleaning windows.

I have been wearing my Mr. Mac suit this entire week because i tore a seem in my other suit so I am going to take that too go get fixed today.

My district is absolutely AWESOME! ha. Each one of them has an incredible testimony and a great sense of humor to help things go by more enjoyable. Each morning we open up wiitthh singing a song in spanish and then we ALWAYS sing a verse or two or the whole thing of the Spirit in God in Spanish. I have most of the first verse memoriizzed and the whole chorus learned. Its fun being able to know a song to sing in spanish otheerr than feliz navidad :)

The Spanish is coming along... still have lots to learn. But yesterday we had our first try at the Teaching Resource Center or something like that. We had to Contact three people in a "park" and get to know them and ask them what they have been up to and to introduce ourselves. Nosotros sabemos misioneros de la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias. and then after that we had to give the first lesson to one of them in English. Elder Flamm and I have come a LONG ways in how effective we have taught.

Well the work is moving along and time is starting to move by.

Yo se que la iglesia nos bendice y nos guia.

I love you all -

Elder Max Vaterlaus

Life at the MTC - 1st Email

Hola -

Today we have half a p-day because ours is normally Friday but since Friday was so soon we have a short one today. My companion and I just finished going to the gym. I did 150 sit ups. I have gained 1 pound since I have been here so I am already getting much more fat :) I am still getting used to the missionary schedule (6:30 is EARLY) But eventually I hope to get used to the schedule and benefit from it.

I sent a letter home yesterday telling you about my first day so you can check that.

It’s been really fun to see Motra y Elder Vaterlaus around the MTC. Talbot came up to me the other day and bore his testimony to me in Spanish. He has learned a lot. Clare always has the biggest smile on and she has been such an example to me. I think she has caught my cold that I had so she isn't feeling too well right now. Clare and I both forgot Laundry baskets but Clare wanted me to tell you to send her one? But i just bought one at the bookstore for like 7 dollars.

The language is going well. We have only had three lessons so far so we are a little behind but we have still learned a lot. I can now say a simple prayer in Spanish as well as my testimony. I am really excited for this next week because we will jump into Spanish more.

In our classes we have been talking about charity and learning to meet the needs of our investigators. It’s been incredible to learn about this because it has taught us that we aren’t salesman instead we are guides to help return Heavenly Father's sheep. We have been doing some role playing and let’s just say there are some people in my district that can’t suppress their laughs (namely me). ha. But I am working on trying to take the role playing more seriously even though it has been difficult thus far.

We have a very small district with 8 elders. Half of us are from Idaho. Everyone in my district is extremely quiet which has been good for me because it’s helping develop courage to talk and to speak my mind in order to avoid the frequent awkward silences. We are all starting to get to know each other better so that has helped a little bit.

As of right now there is not much to talk about because i have only been here for a couple of days.

The Spirit is so strong here at the MTC and always gets me excited to do the Lord's work (sometimes a little too much to where I am unable to fall asleep)

All is well and things are starting to speed up.

Last thought of the day. I was studying out of preach my gospel today about the nature of Jesus Christ and God and there were scriptures about how God has all power, wisdom and how Christ created the world to be inhabitted and us to posess it. The last scripture on the study list was the scripture mastery (blanking on the reference right now) but the one that says This is my Work and Glory to bring to pass the immortality of men. I had read this scripture hundreds of times before. But this time I felt the Spirit so strongly. Its incredible that God, who could do anything He wanted to yet declares that us His children are His work and His glory. It just confirmed how much Heavenly Father and jesus Christ love each and every single one of us.

Miss you all!

ADIOS

Elder Vaterlaus