Week 4 in the MTC

So it's yet another week here in the MTC. I only have 12 days left until I leave for Nicaragua and the days are going by both really slowly and extremely fast. So it's both good and bad. The spoon game is starting to get more intense, but I'll get into that later. And sadly one of the Elders who was in our district had to leave this morning because he Tore his ACL. Love ya Elder Austin. All in all the week has been alright, pretty average if I think about it. A whole lot of studying, and a whole lot of, well.....what should be studying. 

So I don't really remember anything from Thursday, and I have my journal with me. All it says is "Forgot to write. It's past lights out. Good day today   Goodnight" So I probably was messing around with a lot of the elders upstairs on our floor, or just sharing stories and everything. Since all of the Thai people left, now all we have in our hallway are the Hungarians and the new Dutchies. We still have no neighbors right next to us which is great because we can be a bit louder in our room, but that will probably change today. 

On Friday's we have service so we get up early for that. But on that day we finished a bit faster so I took a small nap in my room. It was glorious. Usually on most days my district would get the Sack breakfasts and just eat in our residence hall, because we have exercise first thing in most mornings. So I just used some of that time for a nap. 

And then on thursday our TRC person didn't show up, and we had him again Friday (Trc is just someone we teach lessons to) and we asked about him. It turns out he injured his arm and was at home resting. So we taught him a lesson over skype which was pretty cool, but also a bit awkward, but it's okay. It was a good learning experience.

Saturday was Day 25 and wow It seems like so little time for how long it has felt like we've been here. On the other hand it was also really cool because, well I mean it's day 25! Since it was the night before Fast Sunday, we all had a late night food party to start us off right. I used a lot of the snacks my parents sent me, and other people had snacks too. It was the proper way to start a fast. 

Fast sunday was actually pretty good! I really like how much extra time we all had since we got an extra 2 hours that would be for Breakfast and Lunch. So it was a really relaxing day. Not eating until dinner here at first seemed more difficult (at like 6 AM) but later on it got better and it wasn't nearly as hard. Our former District Leader, Elder Jenkins that night on the devotional said he wasn't feeling so good and had to go back to the residence. So when we came back after the devotional and watching our weekly Sunday Movie (we choose to watch the new Visitor Center movies, and they were really good. It was about the translation of the Book of Mormon, 1 was about Oliver Cowdery, and the second was about David Whitmer) So we came back to their residence and went into their room. When we walked in (they left it cracked open) There he was laying on the floor, looking almost green. Let's just say it was No Bueno. The Jamaican gave him some sort of ginger drink or something, and that really helped him. And since Elder Robinson was flying out monday morning. (going back to Jamaica waiting for his visa to the Netherlands.) He came into our room and we were all just chatting with him until around 11:30. He is really swell. 

Monday Monday Monday!!! Everyone had a hard time waking up like usual on monday. But it was a pretty average day. Except for what happened that night. The spooning to the max. Uh by spoon I mean like the metal utensil kinds.

Then Yesterday we taught our TRC in person. He is doing much better, but his arm is in a sling. Which is very difficult for him because he is an older gentleman and has to walk around everywhere on crutches. (Even before hurting his arm) So I feel for him and hope he gets better. Then last night for the devotional it was broadcasted for all of the MTCs, and the speaker was David A. Bednar, one of the Apostles of the church. So it was super cool and exciting! Well because it was an apostle. He talked about how we can make the most out of general conference. And it was a really good talk. I was sitting in the aisle seat on one side, and he kept looking this way. And I felt he was looking right at me when he said "Now make sure you all are taking notes instead of falling asleep here" And in my defense I wasn't falling asleep, I just kept yawning. Then afterwards we did a district devotional, and the Elders in my district we all stayed up until around Midnight staying up with Elder Austin, and we got up at 3:30 to wish him off. We slept afterwards but it was worth it to see him a bit more.

Anyways time for the story of the week.

Spoons!!!!

So our zone is playing this spoon game, where we would have to hide spoons on someone, or in their belongings, and if someone gets you, you have to say "I've been spooned" Unless you're in class. Then just show it around. But at first like a week ago, it started out smaller and more innocent. Like a spoon in someone's bag, or maybe a coat pocket. But slowly we have been getting more complicated and more intricate. For example on Monday I put one spoon in each of my companion's butt pockets, without him noticing. Elder Hodges put a spoon in another elder's hand while he was dozing off and he didn't realize, and Elder Hodges also received 2 spoons in the mail. So slowly getting bigger and bigger. Well on Monday (so i had been planning this for a few days) I upped everyone, and I am worried how they will get me back. 

So every night the Zone Leaders go to all the districts and give everyone a hug. So while they were going up to the other districts, (4 districts are on the 1st floor. One is on the 2nd, and we are on the 4th floor. (the top one)) So while they were going and giving everyone hugs, I went down to their floor and hid out in one of the other elder's rooms chatting with them, as to not be suspicious. Then when we thought they left I climbed on top of one of the Zone leader's bunk beds, and I had a screw driver, an alarm clock, and 15 spoons in my pocket. I climbed up and while some of the other elders from the districts on the bottom floor were keeping watch I heard them say Abort! Abort! So I hopped down and ran out, leaving the spoons, clock, and screwdriver on top of the top bunk. One of the 3 Zone Leaders (they are in a trio companionship) didn't realize the other two were going up yet, and were looking for them. I told him I was down there to use the vending machine (since they are only on the 1st floor) and he went upstairs without going into his room. I climbed back on and proceeded to unscrew their air vent, and place the alarm clock, and the 15 spoons in. I screwed it back on but was getting worried, because they were long screws and took forever to get out. I finished and went to the vending machine and got a soda (so I wouldn't be a liar, and to convince them more) and went back upstairs. I saw them at the top of the stairs and gave them the hugs, and they were none the wiser. 

So yesterday morning we woke up about 15 minutes early to go down and witness the prank happening. The alarm clock was set for 6:23, so they wouldn't loose too much sleep. Since I still wanted to be nice in my pranks. We were outside of  their door and heard the alarm go off. But it turned off like 5 seconds later. I was worried. Like what happened? Then close to 20 seconds later I heard it go off again. And then it just kept going. It was perfect. One of the ZL's came out Elder Fernandez, and told us what happened. So it turns out his alarm clock has the exact same noise when it goes off, so he woke up about half a minute before ours went off, and as he was taking his medicine in the dark, he heard it go off again. He was thinking "What The?" He then realized it was coming from the vents, and was hitting the vent and everything. It was too good. They still haven't taken it out. But they know all about it. It was too fun. Now I'm just worried about how they'll get me back. They have a good sense of humor, so they enjoyed it, but we keep 1 upping each other. So I'll wait patiently for when it happens.

Anyways time for some random quotes of the week.

Me "My crazy made me into a pimp. What has it done for you?" In the residence I was telling the new district how the MTC will make them crazy, then Elder Fernandez said "Like wearing leg warmers" Since jokingly I was wearing the outfit I got from the Turks I wrote about last email. And everyone lost it.

 

Elder David A. Bednar "I have seen things you never will." Wow. That is really powerful. And I believe it too.

 

Everyone "I've been spooned"

A spiritual thought for this week.

We are all children of God. We need to treat each other as such. He loves us so much, and we mean so much to him. We need to treat our brothers and sisters the best that we can.