Letter # 2 - October 1, 2010

Hey!

It's finally P-day, although this week has gone by a LOT faster than the first few days! I'm drowning in letters - which is awesome.  Again, I can only write letters/emails on my P-days so know that I read all your letters (Steven and Mom - I read ALL your letters, I WILL write you back today). All your letters make me smile and laugh, so keep on sending them! If you write me on dearelder and youre not my family, can you write your address at the bottom of the letter? dearelder formats things weird and some  of you I've wrote back but your address was wrong. It'd be very helpful! And also, include the date at the top of your dearelders. These days are all just meshing together.

This week as been awesome.  I've learned SO much and am finally used to the schedule here. We're kept very busy but that's probably the best part about being here. I find that the busier I am, the happier I am. Down time is just...weird.

One of my 3 roommates was sick the first few days at the MTC. Elder Kitchen, Elder Trammell and I thought we were avoiding it well...but we were wrong. On Tuesday we  woke up and said "Does your guys' throats hurt?" while the roommate who was sick felt fine. So we went to the health center and were told to rest for the day. Laying in bed for 3/4 of the day sucked!!! I felt like we were missing out on so much! But we were able to get over the worst of the cold after that day and since then I've been fine. A stuffy nose but that's all. Everyone at the MTC is getting the cold, so I'm glad I got it at the begginning, and not right before leaving of Ohio.

Last Sunday my companion and I were called to be the Zone Leaders! After only being here for 3 or 4 days and being called to that, we thought it was a joke. It definitley was not a joke. As Z.L.'s we look after the three districts in our zone and are more of a slave than leader (kind of). Basically we just help everyone as much as we can. This include the new missionaries who came in this Wednesday. We've had to explain all the rules/layout of the MTC and are their go-to guys for questions. They're group of 12 elders are going to Hawaii and Long Beach, CA for their missions. So while I'm freezing in Ohio, they'll be in short sleves, tanning. They're a great group of kids though. They're excited to be here - which is awesome. Not only are we "older" missionaries serving as examples to them, but their drive and enthusiasm is a good reminder to us of when we first got here (after a week of the food, your excitement to be here kind of dies.)

I've been seeing a lot of old friends from BYU here which is so cool. I also saw Kristen K. passing by in the halls and Spencer Mason quite a few times. I leave before a lot of my friends (even though they've been here WEEKS longer than me) and they're all jealous. The MTC is amazing, but after 3 weeks I can see why people are ready to leave. You get such a hang of (or so you think) missionary work that you just want to get to the field and do the real work! I have 10 or 11 days left here.

I got my flight info! We leave SLC at 7am, land in Detriot at 12:32pm. Leave Detriot at 1:45pm and land in Cleveland at 2:40pm. I will probably call between SLC and Detriot - SO BE HOME!!!

I tried to upload my pictures/attach them to this email, but the computers dont allow us to access much. So I wont be able to send pictures till I get to Ohio.

Well, I think that's that for this week. The MTC has been a great experience thus far and I can't wait to get to Ohio. I've had to iron my shirts and pants a lot, so when I'm home I'll be a master iron-er. Again, keep sending the letters. There's some kind of point system here for letters and packages (apparently) and so far I'm winning by a lot. Although we're not really keeping score because I'm winning by A LOT.

The Spirit at the MTC is like nothing you can imagine. (unless you've been here). I wake up every morning feeling so blessed and have been showered with God's love. The church is true. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the most true book on earth. There's nothing more to it. Moroni's promise in the last chapter is true. If you read it with prue intent, and pray to know if it's true, you will receive an answer.  This gospel is so perfect, it makes me excited everytime I think about it. We are so blessed to have the gospel restored and to have so many truths and keys back on the earth. I know our Heavenly Father loves us. He watches us; He knows us. When we're happy, He's happy. When we're crying, He's crying. I know this. I have had experiences in just this past week and a half that have already changed me so much. And this is why I can't wait to get to Ohio. So I can start to live my purpose: to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentence, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. You're all in my prayers. I love you all. Read the Book of Mormon - it'll make your day better.

Elder David Dransfield