November 10, 2009

Hey everyone!

There isn't much more to talk about since last week. It is all pretty much exactly the same here every day. Wake up, study, eat, study, go to class, eat, go to class, eat, study, go to the RC, and get fat... I've gained five pounds out here already and I feel horrible about it. haha.

We have started on the second lesson now and it is hard to teach! Everyone knows all about it so well in the church and it is hard to keep it simple enough for investigators to understand. But I am working hard on it and I think I am getting better at it. And that is what the MTC is for. It is so weird to think about how fast this last week has gone by. The days go by so slow but the week feels like it was so short when I look back on it. It is also amazing how much I am starting to realize that I did not know before my mission. I am learning so much here about the gospel and how to teach it. It is A-mazing! If only I knew all this before I went to BYU and had to teach Sunday School... people might have actually learned something about something in my classes. haha

So I have been kind of sick for the last couple of days. It has not been fun. I've had the worst cough I can ever remember having in my life. And a headache and runny nose. And yesterday I sprained my thumb playing basketball. Seems to me that the Lord is trying to put me through some trials haha. But I know I can endure through them and hopefully start being in a better mood now that I am feeling a little better.

It is kind of nice being the district leader though. It is giving me a chance to get to know the Elders in my district better and everyone else in my zone. I also am getting the chance to get to know our branch presidency better. They are a lot of fun and are so spiritual.

Sundays here are amazing too. The first Sunday here was fast Sunday and the Spirit was so strong. Last Sunday was amazing too. The district that left yesterday for Thailand sang an acapella song in Thai and that was so amazing to hear. then the other district that is leaving tomorrow sang a song. it was awesome. every week the districts that are leaving that week sing a song in sacrament meeting which means that my district is singing one this Sunday. we chose to sing "high on a mountain top" which I love! it is such a great song.

Also on Sundays the Branch presidency picks two random missionaries to give talks about a subject. They give us the subject the Sunday before and then everyone is supposed to prepare a talk and then he picks two people. I have been lucky so far as to not have to give one. But next week my district and the other Thai district, and there are only two elders in hat district, are going to be missionaries that it isn't the first week they are there. So there is a high likelihood of me having to give one this week... hopefully I can give a good one if I am called on.

We are also assigned to be hosts tomorrow so we get to bring in the new missionaries. This is going to be a wonderful experience for us and it is very rare that an English speaking district gets to do that. They usually pick the districts that are going to be here forever. So I am really excited about it. mostly because it is something new and we get to see a little bit of the outside world. haha

well I am so happy I chose to come out here on a mission and I know that it is what the Lord wants me to be doing. I am getting really excited to go out into the mission field and get some real life experiences under my belt and to be able to see real investigators progress. I know that if I try my hardest to learn everything I can that the Lord will help when remember and know things when it comes time for me to do so.

Thank you all so much for the support that you give me and for the letters and dear elders you have sent. I love you all so much and hope to hear from you all again soon!



love
Elder Townsend