Week 3 at the MTC

Hello!

This week I met a mongolian Elder who Matt and I played soccer with. He was there for one or two of the days. His name is Elder Zina. Matt would recognize him, and maybe AnneE and Carolyn too. I plan on getting a picture with him sometime soon. He only got here yesterday. He told me that Grandma and Grandpa loved me, and to make sure they got the message that he told me. It sounds like Grandma and Grandpa saw him a few times before he took off. He is really nice! Its cool to make international connections!

Today was my last time through the temple for a long time. The next time I go through will probably be with Mom and Dad. It closes on Monday until January. They are cleaning and updating a bit. Its to bad that it has to be now, but at least we got to go through a couple of times.

We ate at the cafeteria as a Zone. It was fun! On the way to the temple I got soaked! It was a thick mist. I was basically swimming. I think I am really going to miss going through the temple. I was so sad that today was our last time that I didn't even feel tired. Crazy.. because it was 7:30 am.

This week in scripture study I read W of M 1:13. Check it out. Its pretty crazy. King Benjamin was a fighter.. with the sword of Laban.\

Every since my farewell talk I've been meaning to say thanks to Dillon  for saying that prayer before my farewell talk. I've been reminded a few times while being here just how much i hate being the center of attention in front of large groups.

To increase our language abilities we have been baring our testimonies 3 times a day, and translating for our companions 3. We usually go to the Korean Elders because they have to do the same, but we have had the opportunity to bare our testimony in Albanian to a lot of people. Every night we read a couple verses aloud from our Albanian B of Ms. I use the one Sara and Hannah gave me, and leave the one the MTC gave me at class. Its great having that second book of Mormon because I don't have to haul as much. The language is coming. It's very hard, but i think we have it easier than the fins!

This week during out computer portal time ( Portal time is time on the computer that we can use to do whatever we want that is church related. No email though. We log onto mish portal and can go wherever we want from there after we complete our assignments for the week. You can log onto my portal and check it out.) I watched forgive 70 X 7. Its a pretty inspirational bible video. I have to forgive all those who annoy me or try to be mean here at the MTC. Most of the mean people are mean to my companion because he is a little different, and I can't really defend him. He is 21 so it makes things worse when the bulliers are 18. Anyway it's a cool vid! Check it out! The other vid I watched us 'If we forget Ourselves.' Give it a watch. Its on the front screen of lds.org. Surprise at like 2:35 I think.

The food is still very good!! I don't think I've put on any weight H. I haven't improved my fitness at all though. It is pretty much impossible to improve or maintain fitness here at the MTC. Running in the morning is nearly impossible for me because i have to hit the shower around 6:20 to be at breakfast by 6:45. We have 45 min of gym every day! I love it!! Matt will too! They put on Zumba and other classes at 5:30 AM for the sisters. I just thought you'd find that interesting.

I got my hair cut today! My lengthened suit fits like a glove. We go to the TRC again tonight! Its fun! So far I still really like the MTC. Lots of people said I would get tired of it really fast, but so far so good! It will be exciting to get to the field though. Brother McGlothin read us an email from one of the Elders there this week. The work is going like crazy in Albania right now. The reason they are calling such large groups of missionaries there is because they need more help teaching. Its crazy!

We had two great devotionals this week. One by Mary Ellen Edmunds, and one by Brother and Sister Aidukaitus. Look up M.E.E on youtube of lds.org and see if she has anything on there. She is hilarious. You would all love listening to her. Brother and sister A talked about living celestial lives. If we want to make telestial, do nothing. If we want to make terrestial, do a little and then stop. If we want to make celestial, we have to be actively doing good. If we are being good, but not dooing anything about it then we are not living celestial lives.

Good luck! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Stewart

ps Keep sending Dear Elders! I love them. thanks to everyone who has.

pps the missionaries in that pic you asked me about were Vanhin Stimpson (brown hair) and Vanhin hunter (blonde). Two of the fins. I'm really good friends with a lot of the fins.