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)
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