Hello family from the confines of the MTC!
how is everyone?? i'm doing great. i just got back from the temple. it was a great session. i went with everyone from my district. man, i could stay in there all day! it was so peaceful and calming. i enjoyed it. i hope you all have been trying to go as much as you can!
well, i'm constantly tired, the food gives me gas, and i'm studying/learning almost 10 hours a day... but i love it! what better work to do than the Lords'?? we heard a talk that Elder Holland gave to the MTC back in 2000. he was stressing the importance of missionary work and how lucky we were to be apart of it. he was saying how it's extremely hard work, but it's the best. something that really stood out to me was when he said in a small way, we are going to be helping to bring salvation to another soul. wow. how awesome does that sound?? but it's a little scary, because it's such a great responsibility. he was also stressing the importance of not fighting obedience. we need to be obedient in all things and that's what i'm working on so i can be the best missionary i can be.
ok so these past few days have been pretty intense. my companion has been in and out of meetings. and yesterday we found out that he needed to go home for a few months before returning to the mission field. it was really sad. i'm pretty sure i mentioned it (it's possible i didn't- because i don't want to sound negative) but i haven't always gotten along with my old companion Elder Hauck (How-ck). i was extremely excited to get out on my mission and he... wasn't helping me keep my excitement. he was negative sometimes and not very motivated. but i tried to love him and help him as best i could. but i didn't understand what the problem was! last saturday he let me know that he needed to talk with our Branch President about some things. once i understood i was flooded for love for him because i understood what he had been going through. we found out tuesday morning that he was going to have to go home, and was leaving in like 3 hours! it was hard. all of the elders in my district sang, God be with you til we meet again. and then we cried together. then we said a prayer together and cried some more. it was way hard BUT he is doing the right thing. he is being very courageous to set things in order and use the gift of the Atonement.
well i'm now in a threesome with Elder Boyd and Elder Robbins. it's going to be different and take some getting used to have 3 comps instead of only 2. also, our teaching styles and everything are all going to have to mesh and get used to! it should be a fun adventure. i'm looking forward to it because they are good Elders with the desire to be the best they can be. i ordered pictures today so i should be sending those later this week.
well a scripture i'd like to share with everyone is in Alma 31:34-35. they are GREAT missionary verses. and remember, you are missionaries too familia! everyone needs to come closer to Christ. members, inactive members, non-members. we all need to strive DAILY to become closer to God and become more Christlike. if you disagree with this, well... you're wrong. hahaha ;) just so you know those marks are a winky face. but i'm sure you know that.
love you all!!!!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Derek's Second Email
hi familia!
things are going great! i love it here. love it! of course i'm gonna love it even more when i get out in the field, but i know that it is so important for me to be here in the MTC!
dad, your egg story is hilarious!! just as bad as mom's soda story. except the soda didn't stink up the house... glad to know you are surviving without me....
mom said you might get Gracie a companion!? that would be so awesome! poor grace. she's GOTTA be lonely. what else is new with the munoz family?? is the blog looking incredible still?? i hope so. everyone, thanks for the dear elders! mail is so fun to get in here. we're in classes like 10 hours a day. crazy.
spanish is coming along well. i love the language. i can pray, meet people, set up an appointment, and little things like that in spanish. don't worry i'm going to be workin my butt off to learn more k? i know it sounds simple but i feel like i've learned lots! i'm getting better at listening to spanish too which is good. because learning to listen to missionaries who barely know the language is a lot different than hearing a native. HUGE difference.
well my testimony is growing everyday. whenever we have opportunities to talk in class and discuss things, i can't help but say something! every opportunity to share my testimony is an opportunity to STRENGHTHEN my testimony.
what i want to share with everyone this week is very important! we had a devotional yesterday and he was talking about missionary work, but in a way i had never heard before. he was talking about going to the rescue. going to the rescue for those who have wondered off the path. reactivating members! read 3 Ne 18:32. Christ tells us to love everyone and not to kick them out of our churches. but to bring them back so that HE can heal them. did you know that Elder Ballards family was inactive when he was 11 years old? but thanks to the Bishop and a few other members coming to his home and asking his father to teach his class, they became active again. his father quit smoking and became the sunday school teacher for Elder Ballard.
it's about to kick me off! sorry for not having funny story time!
i love you all!!! do DEAR ELDER!
elder munoz
Derek's First Email
This is Derek's first email from the MTC. I debated whether or not I wanted to fix his punctuation but decided not to worry about it. Derek comes from the texting generation and maybe he will grow out of that and we will notice a difference in his letters and as time goes by on his mission
Hola familia!
como le van? hahaha how are you?? do you miss me SO much? i think you should. because the munoz family is awesome and now one of us is practically out of touch! don't worry i'll keep you updated on what's goin on.
well i landed safely if you didn't realize. my p-day is wednesday so that's why it took so long for me to write. do you know what wednesday means!? we have newbies coming in my district!! so i'm no longer the youngest. we're going to meet the fresh new meat pretty soon i assume. that'll be fun. but about MY district- they're awesome! we have 12 people (which is a lot), 8 elders and 4 hermanas (sisters). and guess how many different missions? 6! all stateside. we already have a lot of unity between us all. just so you know, i mentioned that i was going to move up to the intermediate spanish class. well, i decided that it was better for me to stay. my companion needs me! haha he's a great guy but i don't want to leave him because i think he's struggling. we were made companions for a reason! also, my teachers and branch presidency is the BEST. they are so awesome and teach me various things about all kinds of stuff. i love them!
so as you know- i'm not a morning person. at all. haha but i'm trying to start the day positively. so in the mornings when i get in the shower i always ask who else is with me!? because there are 4 different shower sections. we all start talking and singing to cheer up. it's actually a lot of fun. whats cool is that the same 3 elders have been in there with me so it's our early morning shower team!! haha
well the spirit is also really strong. wow. on sunday guess how many times i cried?? 3 different times!!! and i'm not a cryer. no way. but the spirit was strong and the stories so touching- that i couldn't help myself. whatever- real men cry. sunday has got to be one of the best days. i love that i can learn so much from great people, and so much from the Spirit.
my p-day will be really great also because 1.we get to relax a little, 2. we can finally write letters so maybe we'll get some during the week, 3. we get to go to the temple, 4. the newbies come! which means... ice cream! so p-day and sunday=best time of the week. not that the rest of the week is bad... it's great! just taxing on you cuz you work SO hard. i'm enjoying the hard work and the strict schedule though. because i've gone too long without it. i mean working as a server i didn't have TOO much of a rough schedule haha...
i would love to write some scriptures and things that i've learned but i don't have any materials with me! i'm in the laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry. yes, they have computers for us in the laundry room. but i will share something that i remember. D&C 123:11-14. read it. it's AWESOME. talks about how we in this generation should be sharing the light of the gospel with those who are in darkness. we should wear ourselves out telling people of the gospel. it's real cool :) there is a lot that i'm learning, everyday. so it's hard to share everything with you but i HAVE been writing in my journal everyday (be proud mama).
i love it here and i'm so thankful to this opportunity. i love you all! don't miss me too much. i'm not dead yet. haha thanks for the letters! keep them coming! it's such a nice thing to have mail because the MTC is rough! i pray for ya'll everyday! devin- i hope all is well with school. remember to continually pray. i'm excited to get your package and thanks for sending my cookbook!! Amber and Jeremy- i hope school and work isn't too rough. keep up the hard work and depend on the Lord to provide. as long as you do your part. Mom and dad- you are the best. i wouldn't be here without you. thanks for everything.
i love you!
Elder Munoz
Hola familia!
como le van? hahaha how are you?? do you miss me SO much? i think you should. because the munoz family is awesome and now one of us is practically out of touch! don't worry i'll keep you updated on what's goin on.
well i landed safely if you didn't realize. my p-day is wednesday so that's why it took so long for me to write. do you know what wednesday means!? we have newbies coming in my district!! so i'm no longer the youngest. we're going to meet the fresh new meat pretty soon i assume. that'll be fun. but about MY district- they're awesome! we have 12 people (which is a lot), 8 elders and 4 hermanas (sisters). and guess how many different missions? 6! all stateside. we already have a lot of unity between us all. just so you know, i mentioned that i was going to move up to the intermediate spanish class. well, i decided that it was better for me to stay. my companion needs me! haha he's a great guy but i don't want to leave him because i think he's struggling. we were made companions for a reason! also, my teachers and branch presidency is the BEST. they are so awesome and teach me various things about all kinds of stuff. i love them!
so as you know- i'm not a morning person. at all. haha but i'm trying to start the day positively. so in the mornings when i get in the shower i always ask who else is with me!? because there are 4 different shower sections. we all start talking and singing to cheer up. it's actually a lot of fun. whats cool is that the same 3 elders have been in there with me so it's our early morning shower team!! haha
well the spirit is also really strong. wow. on sunday guess how many times i cried?? 3 different times!!! and i'm not a cryer. no way. but the spirit was strong and the stories so touching- that i couldn't help myself. whatever- real men cry. sunday has got to be one of the best days. i love that i can learn so much from great people, and so much from the Spirit.
my p-day will be really great also because 1.we get to relax a little, 2. we can finally write letters so maybe we'll get some during the week, 3. we get to go to the temple, 4. the newbies come! which means... ice cream! so p-day and sunday=best time of the week. not that the rest of the week is bad... it's great! just taxing on you cuz you work SO hard. i'm enjoying the hard work and the strict schedule though. because i've gone too long without it. i mean working as a server i didn't have TOO much of a rough schedule haha...
i would love to write some scriptures and things that i've learned but i don't have any materials with me! i'm in the laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry. yes, they have computers for us in the laundry room. but i will share something that i remember. D&C 123:11-14. read it. it's AWESOME. talks about how we in this generation should be sharing the light of the gospel with those who are in darkness. we should wear ourselves out telling people of the gospel. it's real cool :) there is a lot that i'm learning, everyday. so it's hard to share everything with you but i HAVE been writing in my journal everyday (be proud mama).
i love it here and i'm so thankful to this opportunity. i love you all! don't miss me too much. i'm not dead yet. haha thanks for the letters! keep them coming! it's such a nice thing to have mail because the MTC is rough! i pray for ya'll everyday! devin- i hope all is well with school. remember to continually pray. i'm excited to get your package and thanks for sending my cookbook!! Amber and Jeremy- i hope school and work isn't too rough. keep up the hard work and depend on the Lord to provide. as long as you do your part. Mom and dad- you are the best. i wouldn't be here without you. thanks for everything.
i love you!
Elder Munoz
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