10/28/09

Dear Family (and interested friends),

So I officially finished my first week here in the MTC, and the new missionaries come today, so we won't be the new missionaries anymore. When you first get your nametag, it has a bright orange dot in the corner to let everyone know you're new. I guess its helpful because I didn't know where anything was, but it's pretty embarrassing. I went on exchanges last night and I heard one of the zone leaders call them "dork dots." Kinda funny. So I think I told you that I met Elder Smart last week. If you don't remember, his sister was kidnapped about 7 years ago and is now going on a mission to Paris. Her brother, Elder Smart, came the same day as me. We sat together at lunch - he looks exactly like her. FYI, he's from Salt Lake City and went to East High, and is called to serve in Mexico somewhere. After about a week here, I'm pretty sure my companion, Elder Matthews, and I are the only ones in the entire MTC going to Guam. People always ask where we're headed, we answer, and then they say one of two things: "Oh yeah! I've heard about you guys!" or "...where is that?" The other missionaries in my district are going to Tampa, Florida or Cleveland, Ohio. My Zone Leaders are speaking Cantonese in either Hong Kong or Toronto (Dad).

Moving right along...

It snowed here in Provo yesterday. Which is great actually because I brought four short sleeve shirts, and that's it. Luckily the ac/heat doesn't work in the buildings either, so I'm in good shape. Just kidding, it's really cold, but I'll be leaving 2 weeks from yesterday, so I'll be ok I think.

Like I said, I went on exchanges last night with the zone leaders because no one in my district wanted to go to choir, and I couldn't go unless I had a companion. I wanted to go because the choir is guaranteed a seat at the devotional that night. Good thing I did too, because L. Tom Perry was the speaker (which they don't tell you until he walks in). He spoke about how to be a more effective teacher - it was incredible to see all these missionaries sitting attentively and vigorously taking notes.

My companion is from Rexburg, Idaho and I think I'm the only one in my district that has ever been to a halfway decent-sized city. They are all from Idaho, Canada, or New Mexico. They always talk about farming and tractors and these other things that harvest wheat. It's so weird. I also decided to wear my skinny jeans today for P-Day, which was a hot topic for discussion at first. I'm sure they'll understand how to wear their jeans soon enough.

I only have 5 minutes left on this computer, so I'll have to wrap this up. I have never been so consistently tired in all my life, but I'm learning so much. Jacob, I'm making a Bible like the Book of Mormon that you made, but it's taking me kind of a long time. I'm really learning to teach pretty well and how to work together with my companion as we do it.

P.S., I need my line of authority and all my friends' mailing addresses. It's hard to write to people when I don't know where to send it.

I love you all,

Elder Barlow