MTC Week 2

Is it already the end of week 2? Thats so crazy... The week definitely flew by really fast. I wanted to email more of you last week, the fire alarm went off when I was trying to send pictures from the week. We were able to go to the Temple after though so that was really fun. 

This week I don’t really have that much to say, because every single day follows the exact same schedule haha. I guess I can go over the highlights. 

We had another devotional this Tuesday, and even though it wasn’t Elder Bednar, it was just as spiritual, we had Don R Clarke come, he was a great speaker and talked a lot about obedience, and following the commandments with exactness. It kind of guided my personal study this week, and I did a ton of studying about obedience. When I think of obedience, I think of John 14: 15 If you love me keep my commandments. One of the best ways that we can show our love for our Heavenly Father is to follow his commandments.

In a conference talk, Thomas S Monson said: 

“To Peter at Galilee Jesus said, “Follow me.” To Philip came the same instruction, “Follow me.”  And to you and to me that same voice, this same Jesus, says, “Follow me.” Are we willing to obey?“

We had tons of lessons this week too, For most of the week we had 2 lessons a day, but yesterday we had 3 scheduled. It was super stressful planning them all and the fact that its all in a different language definitely added to the stress. Elder Barker and I usually leave our classroom to study and plan, there are a few empty classrooms in my building, and we will take one just camp out for the day. Its nice being able to use a chalkboard to get all of our Ideas out and visualize the lessons. 

We got our first investigator Alejandro to commit to baptism this week, and then a few days later, he became our teacher, haha He’s super cool, and Everyone saw it coming because the older guys kinda spilled the beans. But now we are teaching both of our teachers, a TRC investigator, and then this week we will be teaching 2 member families to get practice with both. It still blows my mind that after 13 days I know enough Spanish to teach 5 different groups of people and have them understand me and be able to understand them.God really has blessed us with the gift of tongues. 

On Sunday (Pioneer day) the Nashville Tribute Band, an all Mormon band that sings gospel related songs, came and performed for us, and as a part of the MTC Choir, we sang some of the songs with them, which was super fun, there are about 1,500 missionaries in the MTC Choir, and I got to be in the 3rd row to the front, so we had great seats, and apparently was on the screen a bunch if times when we were singing, because people kept coming up to me after saying that they saw me on the screens. The band was soooo good and the spirit was really strong. You guys should all look them up! My favorite song was one called When the Son of Man Comes. The lyrics were really powerful. 

I think thats all? 

PLEASE SEND ME EMAILS AND USE DEARELDER.COM 

I really want to hear from you all!! It gets lonely with no mail! Tell me anything! I dont really care what its about i just miss you all so much! my blog californianinkansas.blogspot.com has a tutorial on how to use dearelder.com!! So there is no excuse!

Pictures will be in the next few emails!! 

Elder Murphy

A lame picture of all the Kansas bound missionaries in my district

Elder Harris (From Fresno)

In case you wondered what I look like every day... This is it. (I can change ties, that's about it.)

Elder Peterson got a bottle to land on it's cap. I'm telling you guys, this is all the excitement we get.

Guys, I flipped this bottle and it landed on the door, it was a really big deal. Our zone has gotten really into flipping bottles and trying to get them to land, on desks or the floor. I took it to the next level and landed it on the door ... Just saying.

My whole district! I have to spend 16 hours a day with these losers! JK I love them all.

Provo Temple with my companion

My zone leaders Elder Puzey and Elder Patterson left on Monday. I already miss them!!!!

Week 1 MTC

Quote of the week: "Guys... we're missionaries." - Elder Peterson

Wow! I can't believe its already been 6 days since I left Fresno! But at the same time I feel as if I've been here forever. There is a saying here that goes, "Days feel likes weeks and weeks feel like days." oh boy is that true... Don't get me wrong I love the gospel and the being a missionary, but being stuck in a tiny classroom with 11 other missionaries for 9 hours a day has its negative effects on one's sanity. 

Anyways, When I got to the MTC, the first thing I got was an ID card that lets me access my classrooms, get lunch, and even into my residence. We have to swipe in everywhere we go pretty much. Next, a lady tore open my suit pocket and put on my name tag, thats when it really hit me that I was a missionary. I was escorted into a room where about 50 other new arrival missionaries were seated and then we started a little lesson to kill time since all the other missionaries weren't going to show up until as late as 2:00. (I was there at 10:30.) We ate a little sack lunch and then I was taken to my classroom. I was the first one there and the teacher was talking to me in Spanish and I had no clue what he was saying.  After about 5 minutes of awkwardness, another missionary showed up and the heat came off me, thank goodness. About 10 minutes later, my companion Elder Barker showed up. He's super cool and we get along great. He is from Utah, about 30 minutes south of the MTC, and we are both serving in the same mission! There are 5 missionaries in my zone headed for Kansas, which is great because we will all get to know each other before we get there. 

The rest of the week was great, every day usually follows the same schedule (except Sunday and Tuesday) So I'll break it down for you guys:

Wake up at 6:30. Shower, change, head to class
30 minutes of personal study
breakfast
3 hours of class (8:30-11:30 am)
Lunch
Exercise time (1 hour)
shower change (30 min)
3 hours of class (2pm - 5pm)
dinner
3 hours of class (6pm -9pm)
planning time (9-9:30)
Journal/mess around in room

On Sundays we have less class time substituted with church and devotionals. 
Tuesday is my preparation day, and we can do laundry, email, relax a little bit.

The language is coming along great, I'm the only one in my class that doesn't have any background in Spanish which sucks, but I'm doing just fine!  We taught our first lesson on Friday night and it went TERRIBLE teaching in a language you don't speak is just as hard as it sounds people.  My companion and I prayed probably 45 times the next day asking Heavenly Father for help in our lesson and He came through big time. We were able to teach the Restoration of the Gospel lesson which is super complicated and we had no hiccups, understood the Investigator perfectly and were able to say exactly what we needed to. The gift of tongues is so real. 

Sunday was the best day I've ever had in my life, EVER. Church was incredible and 90% of it was in Spanish, all except one talk given but President Hutchings (I don't really know who he is) but his talk made everyone cry. He testified with such power and authority, the Spirit was incredible. Then for priesthood session, our branch president taught us lessons that blew my mind. He taught about obedience and about how important it is to be exactly obedient. Immediately after, we took a Sunday walk around the Provo temple and I got to see Hermana (Mckenna) Thornton! We took a picture and got to catch up a few times this week at meals. She  left today for the real world though :/ 

Every Sunday night they have a devotional and "movie". But for this week, they decided to just combine the two. This Sunday they play a talk called "The Character of Christ" which was given by Elder Bednar at the MTC on a chirstmas morning idk how many years ago. Its a special talk that they havent even released to the public and is only shown in the MTC. and WOW it was so good!! The talk was phrased around the quote "There would have been no Atoning sacrifice without the character of Christ." He went on to explain that in times of personal glory, Christ turns to others when we all others would turn to themselves. Basically, when humans do anything they feel needs recognition or praise the say "hey look at me" but with Christ, he always turns to the service and aid of another person. Even when he was on the Cross, he was praying for the comfort of others, even the very men who put him on the cross, instead of for himself. 

After the movie was over, they told everyone to stay in their seats because they had a surprise for us. Right then, ELDER BEDNAR WALKS IN THE ROOM. I just about passed out. He came to do a special question and answer session for all of us that just watched the movie. He said he does this randomly 2 times a year and I happened to be there for the one he did. It was so incredible, the spirit was so strong and I got answers to questions I didn't even know I had.... I guess thats what happens when you get to talk to an Apostle. I'll share one thing he said that I really loved, because I'm about out of time. He said "You don't know what to change in your life unless you first acknowledge Christ." Ok wait one more "Charity is not something you do, it's what you become."

I love you all so much! Send me emails and tell me about your lives back at home! In fact there is this really cool website where you can send me letters for free and I'll get them the same day! All you need is my address. Go to DearElder.com and they will explain everything. Each time we get one it feels like Christmas. 

My address is
Elder Paul Clement Murphy
AUG 23  KS-WICH
2005 N 900 E Unit 178
Provo UT 84602

Guys look how cool my name tag is.

Studying Preach My Gospel side by side (English/Spanish)

Hermanan Thornton

I spend 80% of my day this room studying with my companion, you can't tell but it is tiny.

Elder Yuvenco (Argentina) Elder Erikson (El Salvador) Me (Kansas) Elder Barker (Kansas) Elder Nelson (Oklahoma City) Elder Peterson (Oklahoma City) Elder Tribeilcock (Tacoma Washington) Elder Burke (Virginia)

Hermana Fisher (Virginia) Hermana Goss (Kansas) Hermana Levitri (Kansas) Hermana Russel (Oklahoma City)

Dear Elder Tutorial

Want an easier way to write Elder Murphy? Check out this free service: DearElder.com. All you have to do is input his address, type your message, and it will be printed and delivered to Paul the next day. No stamps. No envelopes. No worrying about your handwriting. Give it a shot today. This is only free while he is at the MTC, so take advantage of it now. Click here to get started.

Elder Murphy can't wait to receive your letters. Let him know he is in your thoughts and prayers often.

New companion

Hey everyone, day one has come to a close and they let us send one more email ( I sent one to Dad earlier) I attached a picture of my companion Elder Barker, and I! We are exhausted and cannot wait to go to bed, there are 4 missionaries in my district going to Kansas, including Elder Barker!  I have to go, Love you all!

Arrived Safely in the MTC

Elder Murphy has arrived safely at the Provo MTC.

You can write him here:

Elder Paul Clement Murphy
AUG23  KS-WICH
2005 N 900 E Unit 178
Provo UT 84602