MTC: Week 1

Hey Family!

As I watch the timer slowly time out I will try my best to write a good letter. First off, the MTC is great! The spirit is so strong here and this is definitely the most spiritual time I have EVER had. My companion, Elder Westover, is really great and we get along really well! The days here are long. Each day feels like a week, and the week here feels like a day! Really strange. Anyways, this week we have learned how to teach lesson 1. Learning the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is important because people need to know that we are Christ's church. It is really amazing using the principles used in Preach My Gospel and learning how to teach by the Holy Ghost. As it says in the scriptures, the spirit really does fill your mouth with words to say when you are in need.

Here in the MTC we use the Teaching Resource Center, where local "investigators" or actors who are called to be investigators from the members around Provo. This week we taught the Christiansens, an older couple who moved to Utah for retirement. They have attended many other christian churches and want to learn more. Me and my companion had to learn how to make a lesson plan, based around the restoration, to fit their needs. We decided to include a bit about eternal families because we knew that they might want to know that the first lesson.

Today my district went to the temple. Elder Westover and I decided to do sealings. It was really amazing that we got to be part of that ordinance. As missionaries, we are only allowed to act as the children, but even that is special.

I have seen so many people I know here! It is really fun to see people I haven't seen since college or even High School. My district is pretty great! There are 10 in our district and half are going to Seattle, and half to Ventura, CA. There are six other Elders in the room next to us also going to Seattle. It is really strange because I feel like we have all known each other before we got to the MTC. I know the 9 other Elders in my district are all going to be really great missionaries!

Here at the MTC we are definitely in a bubble. Whenever we see non-missionaries outside it is really strange. It is kinda like in Toy Story where the green aliens say "Strangers, from the outside." I really have no idea which day it is anymore, but it is okay. Weekends are kinda crazy because we hear the BYU stadium next to us erupt with excitement with every goal, but we never know who wins. I guess it is just part of MTC policy.

Overall, this has been a very good week! We had an amazing devotional about how the choices we make help us become who we are. I am glad I have made the choice to serve a mission. It is the BEST thing I can be doing right now.

Well, the timer is almost up so I better end. As always, I know the Church is true and I love you!

Love,

Elder Richard Fetzer