Letter Number Tres (3)

Hola Pardres!                        September 22, 2010 

Well I will get every email on Wednesday mother.  I only have 30 minutes total on the computer. So I will just flow out my words and you can fix it for the blog!

The MTC is pretty cool. The food still kind of sucks, it is basically the same thing every day. Milk and donuts/cereal for desayuno, some form of hamburger and fries for almuerzo, and the dinners are extremely random every day. The coolest part about the being here is the time we have to study. It’s cool to have 3 hours set out just for studying the gospel. We go play soccer basically everyday. It feels nice to get outside and run around! 

I loved the letter from Elder Scrimsher.  I did find Jared's advice very useful and am sending him a letter back.  We actually saw clips of Elder Holland's talk about missionary work, which Jared referred to. Elder Holland is an amazing speaker.  This is my purpose for being here, and that started when I put on that tag that said, "Elder Davis." I now represent him for two years.    Mom, I know you are probably crying by now and saying, "Where did my little Chadboy go?"  But I am still here, just have a new purpose and meaning to life!

The Provo Temple is awesome. It looks super tiny from the outside but the inside is huge! Then when you come out the front doors you have the awesome view of Utah Lake and Orem and Provo. 

I am sorry if I keep mixing in Spanish. They told us to use it as much as possible even if it is spanglish. So it just comes out like that throughout the day. I really wish I could just be fluent already and be out teaching real people instead of these volunteers that come in for us. Teaching is probably the coolest part but I just want to teach real people and have them feel of the joy this gospel brings.

Well it seems like things at home are still the exact same. Bry is still getting into trouble and getting into things he shouldn’t be. But I can just hear the screams thinking about it. (Bryson got into an abandoned lawn mower and was stung by several wasps.) I am definitely going to miss that kid, and Chay Chay too. (Bryson is 3 1/2 and Chaylyn is 2.) It’s weird to think about home sometimes and all the stuff that is going on up there. But I chose to come out here and I know that I will begin to love it more and more and more each day. There are a few things I do miss from home like family. Lets not get this mistaken for being homesick because I am not. It’s just weird to think that it won’t be another 23 months before we see each other. But I know that we all will be blessed for this sacrifice.

My companionship is getting better. I have TWO companions, Elder Wood and Elder Gunter. It’s still hard being in a trio, but we are learning more about each other everyday and understanding each others personalities. Its tough but we are pushing through it. We have the first lesson down. It’s just hard to fit it to the needs of the person we are teaching, so we are striving to teach by the Spirit to meet the needs of the people that hear the message.

On the down side--I am getting kind of sick. I have a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. I guess that’s what happens when you are in such close proximity to 2700 other missionaries. I have been taking medicine and airborne trying to boost my immune system. Don’t worry dad, I can still hear your voice saying drink lots of fluids, take some Nyquil and all that stuff you would say if I was home.

The Spanish is coming a long pretty good. I can introduce myself as a missionary for the church and have a brief conversation and find out what their interests are and how their family is and that’s about it. Oh and I can give a brief testimony. I am sure that it will come eventually. I actually memorized the first vision in Spanish too! But before you think that it is a huge accomplishment and say “wow that’s a lot, how did he do that when he didn’t even memorize it in English?” It was just from the part that says “I saw a pillar of light”, or vi una comlumna de luz en espanol.

Well I love you guys and love the work! My worries and nervousness is going away. I am glad to be here and one last experience before I have to go. We had a district leave this week. We had the cool opportunity to sing “God Be With You Til We Meet Again” in Spanish. We sang it in the hallway at the top of our lungs with the whole zone. It was pretty cool, and we get to do it again on Sunday because there is another district leaving. So potentially Jett may be in my zone! That would be pretty tight. I know that this place is where I am supposed to be. I love it here and love this gospel.

I love you so so so so much! Give Bry and Chay a hug and kiss for me! 

With love,

Elder Davis

Letter No. TWO!

Hola padres!                              September 15, 2010

Well I don’t even know where to start with what this week has brung. My P-days are gonna be Wednesday so I can email on this day, and do all my laundry. But it’s still cool to get mail. So everyone can continue to send me real letters or while I am in the MTC you can just look me up on Dear Elder, and then I get what ever you send in the mail that day or the next, and it is free. I know you will love that mom.

Well this week has been crazy. The first day seemed like it took an eternity to get through. My district is pretty cool. We had 12 guys in it. Six of them are going to Chile. Two are going to Guatemala. And the other four are going to different stateside missions. And those guys are all my roommates. The guys in our district are from everywhere. Dallas, El Paso, Balzac,  Alberta Canada, Tacoma, Idaho Falls, Sacramento, Two from Utah, and BOISE.

My companion is Elder Wood. He is from Sacramento. He is going to Tallahassee, FL. He is a pretty cool guy. WE seem to bond well. But I now have another companion. An Elder ended up going back home on the third day, so now I am part of a trio. Its Elder Wood, ME, and now Elder Gunter. He is from Dallas, and is going to Philly. It is pretty cool to see all of us grow together and the strength that we have.  You just feel the Spirit wherever you go here.

Its nuts to think that you learn everything so quickly. It was kind of weird to adjust to being away from home, and sleeping in a tiny little bunk bed. The electronical aspect of it isn’t all that bad. I am just mostly so busy that I don’t have too much time to think about it. We have been learning Espanol and the Restoration like no other. I can basically teach the Restoration from memory, and am becoming a better teacher. I also think I have learned more Spanish in this one week, compared to the two years of Spanish I had in high school. The coolest part is the time I have to study for myself. I get to learn and think of things that I never thought of before. We had an awesome devotional last night, by H. Bryan Richards. It was so awesome, the Spirit was so strong there. The played a clip of a talk of J.R. Holland. and it just made me realize the true meaning and power of the Atonement.

Well The food is getting kind of old. Its good don’t get me wrong, it just seems like we have the same thing over and over and over. Almost everyday for lunch we get some form of burger with fries and the dinners are just kind of random, but it is what it is. Well I do miss you guys! But I know that I am doing the right thing by being a representante de Jesucristo. Just had to throw in some Spanish for you! but this is truly where I am supposed to be and I will be home sooner then you know it! I love you guys and I love my savior! Just keep persevering with obedience and the Lord will bless you no matter what always remember that!

Stay True!

With all the love in the world,

Elder Davis

FIRST LETTER!!!

Dear Mis Padres!           September 9, 2010

All is well here in the MTC.  It is pretty crazy though!  I am basically on a spiritual overload!  It was a pretty long first day, but I pushed through it and my thoughts are of you two and being at home.  It is a weird feeling to know the two biggest parts of my life will be away from me for two years.  I do know that this is where I am supposed to be, I have felt this so many times the last two days.

My companion’s name oddly enough is Elder David Wood. (Chad’s best friend in Boise was our next door neighbor, David Wood, not a member of the church.)  He is from Sacramento, but you guys were wrong, he is going to Tallahassee, FL.  (We told him the elders in his district would all be going to the same place, as our districts did in the MTC.)  There are 4 of us staying in the states in our district.  There are 12 total in my district.  Six are going to Chile Santiago North, 2 are going to Guatemala and they leave in three weeks.  It’s weird that 4 of us are staying stateside but going to different missions.  Elder Gunter is going to Philly. Oh, and Elder Clark is from Boise and is going to Fort Worth, TX.  What makes Elder Clark even better is it is Corbin Clark, the same one that lived right around the corner and played Optimus Football with me.  It is pretty weird that we ended up in the same room at the MTC.

Well, we are feeling the spirit super strong.  I am growing with a love for this work and this language!  I LOVE YOU BOTH!

Forever and Always!

Elder Davis!

ENTERING THE MTC

Elder Davis entered the Missionary Training Center on September 8, 2010.  Here are some pictures leading up to the big event. 

Elder Clark shares his missionary name tag.

Good bye kiss to Chay Chay.  She is two!

30,000 GIRLS at BYU and Chad finds one he knows!

 Dad, Elder Davis, Mom.  Sad and HAPPY!

Welcome!

Welcome Family and Friends to my blog!  I have been called to serve my two year mission in the Utah St. George Mission (Spanish Speaking).  The mission covers the majority of the state of Utah south of Provo. 

I will enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on Wednesday, September 8, 2010.  I will spend the next 12 weeks intensely learning the Spanish language. 

While Utah may seen close, the rules of my mission include no visits from family or friends.  I can receive letters!  WRITE OFTEN!!  :) 

Wish me luck! 

Love,  Elder Davis