MTC week #6

Hola,

Wow! I don't feel any older, there is something about not being at home for a birthday that is different...and I don't like it different. I got the best birthday present though, I was NOT asked to be one of the new zone leaders for Zone 40; our roommates weren't so lucky! Just a side note, DearElder will work in Chile too, but it takes about 1-1.5 weeks (I think...). Sorry I didn't get a letter sent this week, I'll do my best to send one Saturday or Monday!!!

Mom: The Hen House...OH NOOO!!! of course as soon as we try to fix something "trivial/aesthetic" we find a huge mess (I guess that is good though)! Conference is this weekend, I'm so excited to have nothing to do except for listen to 10 hours of General Authorities for 2 days. Don't get me wrong, class is great, but a "break" will be nice. We got nuevos last Wednesday and will again next week after the viejo district leaves Tuesday. Beginning at 6:00 AM next Tuesday we will be the oldest district in the zone (and the coolest). I wish we could go to SLC for conference, but it would be a pain to transport 2,300 missionaries to Conference. OK, ok, maybe I did not mean fluent in Spanish, but "more" fluent... :P . I'm happy, no ecstatic, for Bro. Sims & Grandma, and Abby too! Thanks for Jared's e-mail, I'll probablly drop him a line today (if I get time). HSI (Hablar Su Idioma) sucks sometimes, but in the long run it has been super rewarding especially since I learn by hearing. Glad to hear you are feeling better. I miss you.

Dad: I just now got your e-mail from today so I'll send you a more detailed reply later this week, and I successfully printed the Spanish talk, thanks. I heard from Mom about the fireplace at the house, hope the golf language wasn't too strong...LOL. We will leave for Chile 3 weeks from Monday and by the looks of all the recent southbound flights we will be flying from SLC to DFW then to Santiago. Being in Texas will probably make me homesick. We'll know travel plans 2 weeks from tomorrow, it is wild to think this is the beginning of week 6. Here in the MTC the days are long but the weeks are short.

Utah is finally getting chilly! Saturday the MTC goes to fall/winter dress code which makes suit coats mandatory for Elders in public areas & outside. Yay!!! (sarcasm). And of course today it is cold & was raining, sooo I got to use my raincoat for the walk to/from the temple.

Random side not: since I've been in the MTC I've learned 3 new ways to peal a banana! Amazing the things we do for fun here!!!

I miss you all and love you bunches. Todo mi amor!

-- Elder Todd

P.S. - I forgot to mention our teaching experience in the TRC this week...Tuesday we taught completely in Spanish the lesson of the Restoration. We taugh a man named Hermano (Elder) Jay Harker, who served in the Central Americas Mission (5 countries) in the 1950s. The lesson went so well and we taught HIM (not the lesson) well enough that we didn't get past "El Ministerio Terrenal de Jesucristo" (refer to "Predicad Mi Evangelio" to see exactly how far that is)...the Spirit was strong and I know I was speaking Spanish, but I'm not sure what language I was thinking in because it doesn't feel like I was translating. I've definitely been blessed in learning this language. Ohhh!!! And of the 9th of October the Chilean Ambassador is visiting the MTC and our class...

Chiao!