2 Weeks Down

Buenos dias!

The MTC continues to be one of the toughest, and best, experiences I've had.  A day doesn't go by when I'm not tired, yet when I get back to my bed, my mind is racing with all of the things I have heard, and it is almost impossible to fall asleep.  I can't believe how much I have learned about the gospel, and myself, in the short time I have been here.  I had heard you are never ready for a mission before you get our on one, but I had no idea how unprepared I was until now.

For some crazy reason this past week, they decided to make me the district leader for our small district.  There isn't too much this adds to my work load, yet I find I am missing the little time it did take, particularly on Sundays.  Still, I'm sure they gave the task to me for a reason, and I will try to live up to it.  

This morning, we decided to do initiatory work instead of an endowment session.  When he was interviewing me for my temple recommend, President Brumble told me that I should try to go back and do the initiatory work every once in a while.  I can see why he gave me this advice.  For how simple it is, there is so much more to this ordinance than meets the eye.  I highly recommend everybody do this work when they get the chance.

This last Sunday we watched a couple videos after the devotional.  The first one was about John Tanner, and the second one was on John Rowe Moyle.  It's very interesting to watch these two videos back to back, because both of these men had a very similar struggle.  John Tanner had a disease that would kill him if he didn't have his leg amputated.  He met with the missionaries, and when they saw it, they healed his leg.  He then went on to save the Kirkland temple from bankruptcy, and ended up giving away all his earthly possessions, totaling about $50,000 in the 1830s, to help the church progress.  John Rowe Moyle was one of the first handcart pioneers.  When he reached Utah, he settled in Alpine.  Since he was a stone mason, he was given the assignment to work on the Salt Lake temple.  Every Monday, he would get up at 4 in the morning and walk the 22 miles to the temple.  Then one day, the family cow kicked his leg, causing a compound fracture which required immediate amputation.  After his leg was removed, he designed his own prosthetic leg, which he acclimated himself to using until he could walk the 22 miles to the temple.  I found it interesting that they played these two videos together, because one man had enough faith for his leg to be saved, and the other had enough faith to make his own when he lost his.  I guess this is how our life is.  Sometimes God moves the mountain, but usually he gives us the strength to move ourselves.  I'm hoping he will give me that kind of strength.

I miss you all so much, but I still know this is where I'm supposed to be.  I hope I will continue to progress.  Stay strong, and know I love you.

Love,

Elder Samuel Long

p.s. Elder is elder in Spanish as well.

First Week

Hola!

This has been one of the craziest weeks of my life.  My MTC experience has been a bit different from the rest, because all of the spanish speakers are in a seperate area to the west of the MTC called Wyview.  The first day, we got to our residence and we were told to grab our scriptures and PMGs and were taken to class.  Less than an hour after you dropped me off, I was in class being spoken to solely in spanish.  Still, Hermano Mecham, mi Maestro, is an awesome guy.  He just recently got back from his mission.  Mi companero, Elder Grant, is pretty cool too.  He is a full-blooded native american from the Omaha tribe.  But he was adopted when he was young and has been, in his words, "white-washed."  He comes from the town of Cody Nebraska, population: 150.  They do try to keep us busy here though.  We start the day off with three hours of class time, then an hour of language study.  After lunch we have gym time.  Since Friday, as in my third day, we have been teaching an "investigator", Maria, in the afternoon, en Espanol.  Then we have a couple more hours of personal study.  After dinner we have one hour personal study, one hour companionship study, and one hour of language study.  Then we go back to our residence for some personal time, then we are in bed by 10:30.

Our residence hall is in the dormitories, so we just have a standard bathroom with a shower, instead of the line of showers in the main MTC.  We also have a nice area outside the classroom where we can study, weather permitting.  I've heard we are really lucky for this, because even going between the buildings, the people at the main MTC don't see the sun.  Still they have things that we don't, but I think we got the better end of the deal.  We also get to go down to Brighams Landing, where the Burger Supreme we passed is, on P day, and all of the places give a missionary discount.

This Sunday we had a special devotional with President Uchtdorf for Easter.  He gave an amazing talk on the power of the resurrection.  He talked about how Peter changed from a man who was afraid of death, to the point of denying Christ, to a man who was willing to openly defy the Pharasees.  His main message was having no fear.  Then in the evening we had another devotional about teaching non-christians.  Then we watched a recording of a talk Elder Bednar gave two Christmases ago at the MTC.  It was called Character of Christ, and if you ever get the chance to hear it, I highly recommend it.  He talked about how the character of Christ, and so the opposite of the natural man, was turning outwards when others would turn inwards.  It is one of the best talks I've heard him give, but it sure does hit you hard.

This morning we got to go to the temple and do a session.  Everything went well, but when we came outside there were a couple protesters telling us what they thought.  I was used to it, having been to General Conference, but some of the Elders were about ready to roll some heads.  Still, we ignored him and moved on, but it is interesting seeing how different everyone's experience is.  We had to rescue the Hermanas from him though.

The district I'm in is pretty great.  Besides Elder Grant and I, there is Elder Kruse and Elder Armstrong, and Elder Knudson (the K is not silent) and Elder Gregory.  Elder Gregory just joined the church a year ago, and while his Spanish is coming slow, he studies harder than anyone else.  I know he is going to be a serious force on his mission.  We also had Elder Cerros for a couple days, but after changing their minds a half dozen times, they moved him to the advanced class and decided they're shipping him out in two weeks.  He and Elder Knudson were companions, with Elder Gregory being in a threesome with Elders Kruse and Armstrong, but it's all changed now.  He is from Australia, and I do miss hearing how he said things.  Speaking of which, I am now calling weiner dogs sausage dogs.  Still, if they think he's ready, it is good for him to get out there.

I miss you so much, but I know that right now, this is where I'm supposed to be.  

Love,

Elder Samuel Long

Hola!

I don't have long, but I'm just writing you to say I've gotten all settled in at the CCM (or MTC for those non-spanish speakers.)  My companero, Elder Grant, is really awesome, and we have been getting along pretty well.  The food isn't as good as dad's, but it's not bad.  They do not relent with spanish, but I'm hoping that means I'll learn it fast.  P day is Tuesdays and I will write you again then. 

Love,

Elder Long

The Time Has Come

One day left.  Time do last minute shopping, to get packed, and say goodbyes.  It never seemed that April would come when he opened his call last November, and now that it has, it feels too soon.

We'll be updating this blog with all of the letters home and status updates we get from our caped crusader and I'm sure he'd love to hear from you.

His MTC address is:
Elder Samuel Robert Long
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604

His mission field address is:
Elder Samuel Robert Long
Mexico Mexico City Chalco Mission
Calle Porvenir No. 8
Colonia Centro
C.P. 56600 Chalco, Estado de Mexico
Mexico

Our entire family would like to thank all of you who have supported Sam and who came out to see him this past weekend.  We truly are blessed to have such amazing people in our lives, may the Lord bless and keep all of you.


Much Love,

The Longs